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== Critical reception ==
== Critical reception ==


Chris Ryan from [[MTV]] called the song a "lush paean to a love that's 'hot like Mexico'."<ref name="mtv">{{cite news|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2009/11/10/song-you-need-to-know-now-lady-gaga-alejandro/|title=Song You Need To Know Now: Lady Gaga, 'Alejandro' |last=Ryans|first=Chris|date=2009-10-11|work=''[[MTV]]''|publisher=[[MTV Networks]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Bill Lamb from [[About.com]] commented that "Alejandro" that it "is a bit like [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s classic "[[La Isla Bonita]]" with a contemporary edge."<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/ladygagathefamemonster.htm|title=Lady Gaga - 'The Fame Monster'|last=Lamb|first=Bill|date=2009-11-29|work=''[[About.com]]''|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|accessdate=2010-02-08}}</ref> Paul Lester from [[BBC]] felt that "[Alejandro] moves at an Ace of Base pace."<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/fbd3|title=Lady Gaga The Fame Monster Review|last=Lester|first=Paul|date=2009-11-20|work=''[[BBC]]''|publisher=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=2010-02-07}}</ref> Sal Cinquemani from [[Slant Magazine]] also made an Ace of Base connection calling the song an homage to them.<ref name="slant"/> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] from [[Allmusic]] denoted the song as an "updated ABBA revision".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aifrxz9sldhe|title=allmusic ((( The Fame Monster > Overview )))|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=2009-11-29|work=''[[Allmusic]]''|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|accessdate=2010-02-09|authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Mikael Wood of ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called it bubbly and compared the style to ABBA.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/11/album-review-lady-gagas-the-fame-monster.html|title=Album review: Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster'|last=Wood|first=Mikael|date=2009-11-23|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|publisher=[[Tribune Company]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Ben Patashnik from ''[[NME]]'' called the song light-hearted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/lady-gaga/10984|title=Hate all you like, but it's getting harder and harder to deny she's a mistress of her art|last=Patashnik|first=Ben|date=2009-12-03|work=[[NME]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Jon Dolan from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called it a "loving ABBA spoof".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/30848999/the_fame_monster|title=The Fame Monster : Lady Gaga : Review |last=Dolan|first=Jon|date=2009-11-23|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=[[Jann Wenner]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Scott Plagenhoef of [[Pitchfork Media]] noted that although "Alejandro" is a ABBA morph, "it comes off very modern, in part because U.S. pop and hip-hop is currently drawing heavily from Europop, hi-NRG, and dance music."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13823-the-fame-monster/|title=Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster|last=Plagenhoef|first=Scott|date=2010-01-13|publisher=[[Pitchfork Media]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Chava Thomas from ''[[University of Idaho|The Argonaut]]'' gave a negative review, saying "'Alejandro' is the one low point on The Fame Monster. The song feels forced, and its Latin beat does not mesh well with Lady Gaga's style."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/9564/47/|title=You go, Gaga |last=Thomas|first=Chava|date=2010-02-03|work=[[University of Idaho|The Argonaut]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Michael Hubbard of [[MusicOMH]] said that "'Alejandro' is brilliantly catchy, deceptively simple and wonderfully melancholy."<ref name="omh">{{cite web|url=http://blog.musicomh.com/musicomh/2009/11/lady-gaga-the-fame-monster-trackbytrack.html|title=Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster, track-by-track|last=Hubbard|first=Michael|date=2009-11-23|publisher=[[MusicOMH]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref>
Chris Ryan from [[MTV]] called the song a "lush paean to a love that's 'hot like Mexico'."<ref name="mtv">{{cite news|url=http://buzzworthy.mtv.com/2009/11/10/song-you-need-to-know-now-lady-gaga-alejandro/|title=Song You Need To Know Now: Lady Gaga, 'Alejandro' |last=Ryans|first=Chris|date=2009-10-11|work=''[[MTV]]''|publisher=[[MTV Networks]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Bill Lamb from [[About.com]] commented that "Alejandro" that it "is a bit like [[Madonna (entertainer)|Madonna]]'s classic "[[La Isla Bonita]]" with a contemporary edge."<ref name="about">{{cite web|url=http://top40.about.com/od/albums/fr/ladygagathefamemonster.htm|title=Lady Gaga - 'The Fame Monster'|last=Lamb|first=Bill|date=2009-11-29|work=''[[About.com]]''|publisher=[[The New York Times Company]]|accessdate=2010-02-08}}</ref> Paul Lester from [[BBC]] felt that "[Alejandro] moves at an Ace of Base pace."<ref name="bbc">{{cite news|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/fbd3|title=Lady Gaga The Fame Monster Review|last=Lester|first=Paul|date=2009-11-20|work=''[[BBC]]''|publisher=[[BBC Online]]|accessdate=2010-02-07}}</ref> Sal Cinquemani from [[Slant Magazine]] also made an Ace of Base connection calling the song an homage to them.<ref name="slant"/> [[Stephen Thomas Erlewine]] from [[Allmusic]] denoted the song as an "updated ABBA revision".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:aifrxz9sldhe|title=allmusic ((( The Fame Monster > Overview )))|last=Erlewine|first=Stephen Thomas|date=2009-11-29|work=''[[Allmusic]]''|publisher=[[Rovi Corporation]]|accessdate=2010-02-09|authorlink=Stephen Thomas Erlewine}}</ref> Mikael Wood of ''[[Los Angeles Times]]'' called it bubbly and compared the style to ABBA.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/music_blog/2009/11/album-review-lady-gagas-the-fame-monster.html|title=Album review: Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster'|last=Wood|first=Mikael|date=2009-11-23|work=[[Los Angeles Times]]|publisher=[[Tribune Company]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Ben Patashnik from ''[[NME]]'' called the song light-hearted.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nme.com/reviews/lady-gaga/10984|title=Hate all you like, but it's getting harder and harder to deny she's a mistress of her art|last=Patashnik|first=Ben|date=2009-12-03|work=[[NME]]|publisher=[[Time Inc.]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Jon Dolan from ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' called it a "loving ABBA spoof".<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/album/30848999/the_fame_monster|title=The Fame Monster : Lady Gaga : Review |last=Dolan|first=Jon|date=2009-11-23|work=[[Rolling Stone]]|publisher=[[Jann Wenner]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Scott Plagenhoef of [[Pitchfork Media]] noted that although "Alejandro" is a ABBA morph, "it comes off very modern, in part because U.S. pop and hip-hop is currently drawing heavily from Europop, hi-NRG, and dance music."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/13823-the-fame-monster/|title=Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster|last=Plagenhoef|first=Scott|date=2010-01-13|publisher=[[Pitchfork Media]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Chava Thomas from ''[[University of Idaho|The Argonaut]]'' gave a negative review, saying "'Alejandro' is the one low point on The Fame Monster. The song feels forced, and its Latin beat does not mesh well with Lady Gaga's style."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.uiargonaut.com/content/view/9564/47/|title=You go, Gaga |last=Thomas|first=Chava|date=2010-02-03|work=[[University of Idaho|The Argonaut]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Michael Hubbard of [[MusicOMH]] said that "'Alejandro' is brilliantly catchy, deceptively simple and wonderfully melancholy."<ref name="omh">{{cite web|url=http://blog.musicomh.com/musicomh/2009/11/lady-gaga-the-fame-monster-trackbytrack.html|title=Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster, track-by-track|last=Hubbard|first=Michael|date=2009-11-23|publisher=[[MusicOMH]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Evan Sawdey from [[PopMatters]] said that Gaga's vocals sounded like those of [[Shakira]]'s, in the chorus of the song.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.popmatters.com/pm/review/116603-lady-gaga-the-fame-monster/|title=Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster < Reviews |last=Sawdey|first=Evan|date=2009-11-23|publisher=[[PopMatters]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref> Sarah Hajibagheri from ''[[The Times]]'' called the song "painful Latino warble [and] a would-be Eurovision reject."<ref>{{cite news|url=http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/music/cd_reviews/article6920282.ece|title=Lady GaGa: The Fame Monster review |last=Hajibagheri|first=Sarah|date=2009-11-21|work=[[The Times]]|publisher=[[News Corporation]]|accessdate=2010-02-09}}</ref>


== Chart performance ==
== Chart performance ==

Revision as of 11:36, 9 February 2010

"Alejandro"
Song

"Alejandro" is a song by American recording artist Lady Gaga. It is present on her second studio album The Fame Monster (2009). The song was co-written and produced by RedOne.[1] Composed as a mid-tempo song, with influences of ABBA and Ace of Base, "Alejandro" has an uplifting melody. Critics noted it to be heavily influenced by ABBA and Ace of Base, but giving positive review for it. "Alejandro" has already charted on the UK Singles Chart prior to its official release, and reached the top-five on the Hungary Singles Chart due to strong download sales from the album. Gaga performed the song on The Monster Ball Tour, where she engaged in a simulated threesome with her dancers.

Composition

"Alejandro"
A 20 second sample to Lady Gaga's "Alejandro", where the chorus is played, backed by synth-beats
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Alejandro" is a mid-tempo song with heavy europop and disco influences, is an apparent homage to ABBA and Ace of Base.[2] The Ace of Base influences are prominent in the beats of the song, the vocals and the melody and lastly, in Gaga's non-English accent while singing the song. The words are slurred in her mouth while consisting of an uplifting melody.[3] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in the time signature of common time, with a moderate tempo of 80 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of B minor with Gaga's vocal range spanning from the high-note of F♯3 to G5. The song has a basic sequence of Bm–D–F♯m–Bm–D–F♯m as its chord progression.[4] The lyrics talk about Gaga defending herself against a "harem" of Latin men and as a number of ABBA illusions, including a reference to their 1976 song "Fernando", which Gaga cited as one of her influences.[2][5]

Critical reception

Chris Ryan from MTV called the song a "lush paean to a love that's 'hot like Mexico'."[5] Bill Lamb from About.com commented that "Alejandro" that it "is a bit like Madonna's classic "La Isla Bonita" with a contemporary edge."[6] Paul Lester from BBC felt that "[Alejandro] moves at an Ace of Base pace."[7] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine also made an Ace of Base connection calling the song an homage to them.[2] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic denoted the song as an "updated ABBA revision".[8] Mikael Wood of Los Angeles Times called it bubbly and compared the style to ABBA.[9] Ben Patashnik from NME called the song light-hearted.[10] Jon Dolan from Rolling Stone called it a "loving ABBA spoof".[11] Scott Plagenhoef of Pitchfork Media noted that although "Alejandro" is a ABBA morph, "it comes off very modern, in part because U.S. pop and hip-hop is currently drawing heavily from Europop, hi-NRG, and dance music."[12] Chava Thomas from The Argonaut gave a negative review, saying "'Alejandro' is the one low point on The Fame Monster. The song feels forced, and its Latin beat does not mesh well with Lady Gaga's style."[13] Michael Hubbard of MusicOMH said that "'Alejandro' is brilliantly catchy, deceptively simple and wonderfully melancholy."[3] Evan Sawdey from PopMatters said that Gaga's vocals sounded like those of Shakira's, in the chorus of the song.[14] Sarah Hajibagheri from The Times called the song "painful Latino warble [and] a would-be Eurovision reject."[15]

Chart performance

With the release of The Fame Monster, "Alejandro" charted on the UK Singles Chart at number seventy-five, on November 29, 2009 due to digital sales.[16] On the Mahasz issue dated December 6, 2009, the song debuted at number five on the Hungarian Singles Chart.[17]

Music video

In January 2010, it was reported that Gaga was holding casting calls for the music video for "Alejandro" and was eager for David Walliams to appear in the video alongside his fiancee Lara Stone. [18][19]

Live performance

Gaga during a sexual innuendo scene from the "Alejandro" performance on The Monster Ball Tour.

Gaga performed "Alejandro" on her 2009-2010 world tour The Monster Ball. It was the fourth song of the set list. The live performance saw her wearing a silver bodysuit and then being carried by her crotch by one of her male dancers and lowered onto another male dancer, engaging in a threesome with them.[20] During the performance at San Diego, California, Gaga incorporated the city's name in the song, later commenting "I am so lucky that San Diego rhymes with 'Fernando' and 'Alejandro'."[21] Ted Shaw of Windsor Star commented that "Songs like 'Alejandro', 'Teeth' and 'Monster' shoved the sex act in your face."[22] T'Cha Dunlevy from The Gazette said that "the song followed in fast order, with not quite enough to set [it] apart. It was one choreographed dance number after the next."[23] Jeremy Adams from Rolling Stone commented that the performance was "[one] of several moments [...] that gave parents in the audience consternation."[24] Jim Harrington from San Jose Mercury News compared Gaga's performance of the song with that of an erotic dancer.[25]

Track Listing

  • Digital download
  1. Alejandro – 4:34[26]

Charts

Chart (2009) Peak
position
Hungarian Singles Chart[17] 5
UK Singles Chart[16] 75

References

  1. ^ The Fame Monster (Liner Notes) Interscope Records (2009)
  2. ^ a b c Cinquemani, Sal (2009-11-18). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster". Slant Magazine. Retrieved 2010-01-31.
  3. ^ a b Hubbard, Michael (2009-11-23). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster, track-by-track". MusicOMH. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  4. ^ "Lady Gaga - Alejandro - Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. {{cite web}}: |access-date= requires |url= (help); Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. ^ a b Ryans, Chris (2009-10-11). "Song You Need To Know Now: Lady Gaga, 'Alejandro'". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-02-09. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  6. ^ Lamb, Bill (2009-11-29). "Lady Gaga - 'The Fame Monster'". About.com. The New York Times Company. Retrieved 2010-02-08. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  7. ^ Lester, Paul (2009-11-20). "Lady Gaga The Fame Monster Review". BBC. BBC Online. Retrieved 2010-02-07. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  8. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2009-11-29). "allmusic ((( The Fame Monster > Overview )))". Allmusic. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-09. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  9. ^ Wood, Mikael (2009-11-23). "Album review: Lady Gaga's 'The Fame Monster'". Los Angeles Times. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  10. ^ Patashnik, Ben (2009-12-03). "Hate all you like, but it's getting harder and harder to deny she's a mistress of her art". NME. Time Inc. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  11. ^ Dolan, Jon (2009-11-23). "The Fame Monster : Lady Gaga : Review". Rolling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  12. ^ Plagenhoef, Scott (2010-01-13). "Pitchfork: Album Reviews: Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster". Pitchfork Media. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  13. ^ Thomas, Chava (2010-02-03). "You go, Gaga". The Argonaut. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  14. ^ Sawdey, Evan (2009-11-23). "Lady Gaga: The Fame Monster < Reviews". PopMatters. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  15. ^ Hajibagheri, Sarah (2009-11-21). "Lady GaGa: The Fame Monster review". The Times. News Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  16. ^ a b "Lady Gaga – Alejandro – UK Singles Chart". The Official Charts Company. ChartStats. 2009-12-05. Retrieved 2010-02-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  17. ^ a b "Hungarian Singles Chart - Top 10 lista". Mahasz. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. 2009-12-06. Retrieved 2010-02-04. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  18. ^ Balls, David (2010-01-08). "GaGa 'wants David Walliams for video'". Digital Spy. Retrieved 2010-02-01.
  19. ^ Reporter, Sun (2010-01-08). "Lady GaGa to team up with Boy George". The Sun. News Corporation. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  20. ^ Stevenson, Jane (2009-11-29). "Lady Gaga puts on a Monster show". Toronto Sun. Sun Media Corporation. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  21. ^ Montogomery, James (2009-12-20). "Lady Gaga Brings San Diego A Feast For The Eyes And Ears". MTV. MTV Networks. Retrieved 2010-02-09. {{cite news}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help)
  22. ^ Shaw, Ted (2010-01-13). "Gaga show attracts the curious, the bizarre and the fun-seekers". Windsor Star. Canwest. Retrieved 2010-01-09.
  23. ^ Dunlevy, T'Cha (2009-11-28). "Concert review: Lady Gaga romances Bell Centre crowd, Nov. 27". The Gazette. Canwest. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  24. ^ Adams, Jeremy (2009-12-02). "Lady Gaga Brings Her Pop Theatricality to Boston in First U.S. "Monster Ball" Show". Roling Stone. Jann Wenner. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  25. ^ Harrington, Jim (2009-12-14). "Lady Gaga thrills S.F. crowd with strange, sexy show". San Jose Mercury News. MediaNews Group. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
  26. ^ "Lady Gaga - The Fame Monster - Alejandro - Digital tracklisting". iTunes. Retrieved 2010-02-09.
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