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Telephone (song)

"Telephone" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga from her third EP The Fame Monster, featuring American R&B singer Beyoncé Knowles. The main inspiration of the song was Gaga's fear of not being able to enjoy herself because of her career, hence the lyrics show the singer as wanting the dance floor, rather than answering her lover's phone calls.[2]

"Telephone"
Single by Lady Gaga featuring Beyoncé
from "
Written2008 - August 2009
ReleasedJanuary 26, 2010 (2010-01-26) (download release) February 20 2010 (radio release)
Recorded2009
Genre
Length3:40
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Darkchild
  • Lady Gaga
Lady Gaga singles chronology
""Bad Romance"
(2009) 		Telephone ""Alejandro"
(2010)
{{{This album}}}
"Telephone" on YouTube

Gaga explained that the telephone addressed in the lyrics of the song, is in reality a person telling her to continue working harder. Musically, the song is made of an expanded bridge, verse-rap and an epilogue, where the voice of an operator says that the phone line is not reachable. Knowles appears in the middle of the song, singing the verses in a rapid-fire way, accompanied by double beats.

"Telephone" was appreciated by contemporary critics who many times noted it as a stand-out track from The Fame Monster. The song was nominated for a Grammy Award in 2011 for Best Pop Collaboration with Vocals.

Development

Lady Gaga originally wrote the song "Telephone" for Britney Spears. Spears later recorded a demo version of the song but the demo version later leaked. Lady Gaga later wrote the song as a collaboration with Beyoncé Knowles for The Fame Monster.[3] Gaga said, "I wrote it for her [Spears] a long time ago and she just didn't use it for her album. It's fine because I love the song and I get to perform it now."[4] Additionally, the guest vocalist was originally going to be Spears, but ultimately Gaga made Knowles the featured vocalist instead.[5][6] The main inspiration behind the song was Gaga's fear of suffocation as she felt that she seldom found time to just let loose and have fun.

Fear of suffocation—something that I have or fear is never being able to enjoy myself, ... 'Cause I love my work so much, I find it really hard to go out and have a good time. ... I don't go to nightclubs, ... You don't see pictures of me falling out of a club drunk. I don't go—and that's because I usually go and then, you know, a whiskey and a half into it, I got to get back to work.[7]

In May 2011, Gaga said her "emotional connection" with the song was very hard. When she was asked if it was because the song was originally written for Britney Spears, she answered: "Well that’s not exactly what happened, but I don’t want to delve into that. I could delve into it if you turn that (motions to recorder) off... But ultimately the mix and the process of getting the production finished was very stressful for me. So when I say it’s my worst song it has nothing to do with the song, just my emotional connection to it."[8]

Music video

The video for the song was uploaded to YouTube on March 15, 2010. It features Gaga in a women's prison and Beyoncé bailing her out. In the beginning of the video, Gaga is shown walking around the prison and arrives to the yard, where "Paper Gangsta", a song from her debut album The Fame, is playing, as one of the women exercises. Gaga's younger sister Natali makes a cameo appearance just before Gaga picks up the phone to talk to Beyoncé. The two singers are then shown fleeing the prison in the Pussy Wagon and arrive to a restaurant, where they eventually poison all of the customers. The nine-and-a-half-minute-long video for "Telephone" is meant to be a continuation of that for "Paparazzi", where Gaga was shown being arrested.

Charts

Weekly charts

Chart (2010–11) Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[9] 3
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 75)[10] 3
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[11] 1
Belgium (Ultratop 40 Wallonia)[12] 1
Bulgaria (IFPI)[13] 1
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[14] 3
Illegal chart entered Billboardcanadachrtop40 1
Illegal chart entered Billboardcanadahotac 3
Illegal chart entered CIS 3
Czech Republic (IFPI)[15] 9
Denmark (Tracklisten)[16] 1
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[17] 1
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[18] 7
France (SNEP)[19] 3
Germany (Media Control AG)[20] 3
Global Dance Songs (Billboard)[21] 3
Greece Digital Song Sales (Billboard)[22] 2
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[23] 4
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[24] 4
Hungary (Single Top 10)[25] 3
Illegal chart entered Ireland2 1
Israel (Media Forest)[26] 2
Italy (FIMI)[27] 2
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[28] 4
Illegal chart entered Luxembourgdigitalsongs 4
Mexico (Mexico Airplay)[29] 4
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[30] 6
Netherlands (Mega Single Top 100)[31] 10
New Zealand (RIANZ)[32] 3
Norway (VG-lista)[33] 1
Illegal chart entered Poland 2
Illegal chart entered Polishdance 5
Russia Airplay (Tophit)[34] 3
Scotland (The Official Charts Company)[35] 1
Slovakia (IFPI)[36] 4
South Korea (Gaon International)[37] 1
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[38] 5
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[39] 2
Switzerland (Media Control AG)[40] 4
UK Singles (The Official Charts Company)[41] 1
US Billboard Hot 100[42] 3
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[43] 23
US Adult Pop Songs (Billboard)[44] 14
US Hot Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[45] 1
US Pop Songs (Billboard)[46] 1
US Rhythmic Songs (Billboard)[47] 8
Chart (2017) Peak
position
Illegal chart entered Billboarddanceelectronic 13

Monthly charts

Chart (2010) Position
Brazil (Brasil Hot 100 Airplay)[48] 20
Brazil (Brasil Hot Pop Songs)[49] 9

Year-end charts

Chart (2010) Position
Australia (ARIA)[50] 20
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[51] 36
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[52] 11
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Wallonia)[53] 9
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[54] 15
CIS (Tophit)[55] 82
Denmark (Tracklisten)[56] 23
Europe (European Hot 100 Singles)[57] 12
France (SNEP)[58] 30
Germany (Official German Charts)[59] 50
Hungary (Dance Top 40)[60] 24
Hungary (Rádiós Top 40)[61] 33
Ireland (IRMA)[62] 8
Italy (FIMI)[63] 18
Japan Hot 100 (Billboard)[64] 87
Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[65] 15
Netherlands (Single Top 100)[66] 45
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[67] 32
Romania (Romanian Top 100)[68] 61
Russia Airplay (Tophit)[69] 90
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[70] 20
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[71] 26
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[72] 44
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[73] 15
US Billboard Hot 100[74] 16
US Dance Club Songs (Billboard)[75] 38
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[76] 11
US Rhythmic (Billboard)[77] 37
Chart (2017) Position
US Hot Dance/Electronic Songs (Billboard)[78] 92
Chart (2019) Position
Portugal (AFP)[79] 2675

Telephone (song) Media

  • Tyrese Gibson (pictured in 2009) appeared in the music video.

  • In the video, Gaga used items, which she said some viewers mistook as product placements, but were actually references to Andy Warhol (pictured in 1973), as part of her commentary on American commercialism in technology and information overload.

References

  1. ↑ "Telephone Songwriting credits". Broadcast Music Incorporated. Archived from the original on 2012-04-19. Retrieved 2010-04-19.
  2. ↑ "The many faces of Lady GaGa « Voice 21". voice21.co.uk. Archived from the original on 19 January 2012. Retrieved 20 December 2010.
  3. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (2009-11-16). "New Lady Gaga, 'Telephone': Stream It Here". Entertainment Weekly (Time Inc.). http://music-mix.ew.com/2009/11/16/new-lady-gaga-song-telephone/. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 
  4. ↑ India, Press Trust (2009-11-26). "Pop princess Britney Spears snubbed Lady Gaga". Zee News (Zee Entertainment Enterprises). http://spicezee.zeenews.com/articles/story47414.htm. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 
  5. ↑ Reporter, Staff (2009-10-26). "Lady Gaga's 'Fame Monster' – it's a proper album (and a very good one at that)". Popjustice. Retrieved 2009-11-30.
  6. ↑ Staff Reporter (2010-01-09). "Lady Gaga – Telephone". Popjustice. Retrieved 2010-01-20.
  7. ↑ Vena, Jocelyn; Calloway, Sway (2009-11-25). "Lady Gaga Explains Inspiration Behind Beyoncé Collabo, 'Telephone'". MTV (MTV Networks). http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1627050/20091124/lady_gaga.jhtml. Retrieved 2009-12-01. 
  8. ↑ "Lady Gaga Interview". Popjustice. 2011-05-24. Retrieved 2011-05-24.
  9. ↑ "Australian-charts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Hung Medien.
  10. ↑ "Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone Austriancharts.at" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Hung Medien.
  11. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  12. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone" (in French). Ultratop 40. Ultratop & Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  13. ↑ "{{{urltitle}}}" Airplay Top 5. Bulgarian Association of Music Producers.
  14. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=793 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Canadian Hot 100 for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  15. ↑ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201021 into search.
  16. ↑ "Danishcharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". Tracklisten. Hung Medien.
  17. ↑ "Hits of the world: European Hot 100 Signles". Billboard: 51. http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/00s/2010/BB-2010-04-24.pdf. Retrieved June 1, 2018. 
  18. ↑ "Finnishcharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". Suomen virallinen lista. Hung Medien.
  19. ↑ "Lescharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone" (in French). Les classement single. Hung Medien.
  20. ↑ "Die ganze Musik im Internet: Charts, News, Neuerscheinungen, Tickets, Genres, Genresuche, Genrelexikon, Künstler-Suche, Musik-Suche, Track-Suche, Ticket-Suche - musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.
  21. ↑ "Beyoncé – Global Dance Songs". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/beyonce/chart-history/DGL. Retrieved May 19, 2020. 
  22. ↑ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Greece Digital Song Sales)". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/Lady-Gaga/chart-history/GRE. Retrieved March 16, 2021. 
  23. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége" (in Hungarian). Dance Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  24. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége" (in Hungarian). Rádiós Top 40 játszási lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  25. ↑ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ – Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 10 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége.
  26. ↑ "Media Forest: Airplay chart" (in עברית). Media Forest. Archived from the original on January 15, 2013.
  27. ↑ "Italiancharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". Top Digital Download. Hung Medien.
  28. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=848 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Japan Hot 100 for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  29. ↑ "Lady Gaga Chart History (Mexico Airplay)". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/music/lady-gaga/chart-history/MEX. Retrieved December 18, 2020. 
  30. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé search results" (in Dutch) Dutch Top 40. Stichting Nederlandse Top 40.
  31. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone" (in Dutch). Mega Single Top 100. Hung Medien / hitparade.ch.
  32. ↑ "Charts.org.nz – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". Top 40 Singles. Hung Medien.
  33. ↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". VG-lista. Hung Medien.
  34. ↑ "Chart Search". Tophit for Lady Gaga. Archived from the original on November 1, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2016.
  35. ↑ "Archive Chart". Scottish Singles Top 40. The Official Charts Company.
  36. ↑ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Radio Top100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201021 into search.
  37. ↑ "South Korea International Singles(2010.01.03 to 2010.01.09". Gaon Chart. Archived from the original on March 23, 2014. Retrieved March 23, 2014.
  38. ↑ "Spanishcharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone" Canciones Top 50. Hung Medien.
  39. ↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone". Singles Top 60. Hung Medien.
  40. ↑ "Lady Gaga feat. Beyoncé – Telephone swisscharts.com". Swiss Singles Chart. Hung Medien.
  41. ↑ "Archive Chart" UK Singles Chart. The Official Charts Company.
  42. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=379 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot 100 for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  43. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=341 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Adult Contemporary Songs for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  44. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=343 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Adult Pop Songs for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  45. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=359 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  46. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=381 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Pop Songs for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  47. ↑ "Illegal name entered Lady Gaga/Lady+Gaga/chart?f=378 Lady Gaga Album & Song Chart History" Billboard Rhythmic Songs for Lady Gaga. Prometheus Global Media.
  48. ↑ "Brasil Hot 100 Airplay (Jul 18, 2010)". Billboard Brasil (BPP Promoções e Publicações) (11): 84. August 2010. 
  49. ↑ "Brasil Hot Pop & Popular: Hot Pop Songs (Jul 18, 2010)". Billboard Brasil (BPP Promoções e Publicações) (11): 85. August 2010. 
  50. ↑ "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on December 5, 2010. Retrieved January 11, 2011.
  51. ↑ "Jahreshitparade 2010". Hitradio Ö3 (in Deutsch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on February 27, 2011. Retrieved January 2, 2011.
  52. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 2010 (Flanders)" (in Nederlands). Ultratop. Hung Medien. Archived from the original on January 26, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  53. ↑ "Rapports annuels 2010 – Singles" (in français). Ultratop. Archived from the original on February 9, 2014. Retrieved December 26, 2010.
  54. ↑ "2010 Year-End Canadian Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. December 9, 2009. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/canadian-hot-100?begin=11&order=position. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  55. ↑ "CIS Year-End Radio Hits (2009)". Tophit. Retrieved 11 August 2019.
  56. ↑ "Track 2010 Top-50". Tracklisten (in dansk). Nielsen Music Control. 2010. Archived from the original on January 22, 2011.
  57. ↑ "2010 Year-End European Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/european-hot-100-singles?begin=11&order=position. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  58. ↑ "Classement Singles - année 2010" (in français). SNEP. Archived from the original on January 11, 2014. Retrieved October 9, 2012.
  59. ↑ "2010 Year-End German Charts" (in Deutsch). Media Control Charts. Viva.tv. Archived from the original on January 11, 2011. Retrieved January 7, 2011.
  60. ↑ "Dance Top 100 - 2010". Mahasz. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  61. ↑ "Rádiós Top 100 - hallgatottsági adatok alapján - 2010". Mahasz. Retrieved April 26, 2020.
  62. ↑ "2010 Year-End Irish Charts". IRMA. Archived from the original on February 5, 2011. Retrieved January 26, 2011.
  63. ↑ "Hit Parade Italia – Top Annuali Single: 2010" (in italiano). Federation of the Italian Music Industry. May 15, 2010. Archived from the original on November 8, 2011. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  64. ↑ "2010 Year-End Japan Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/japan-hot-100?begin=81&order=position. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  65. ↑ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 2010". Dutch Top 40. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  66. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten – Single 2010" (in Nederlands). MegaCharts. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  67. ↑ "Top Selling Singles of 2013". Recorded Music NZ. Archived from the original on October 29, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2015.
  68. ↑ (in ro) Topul celor mai difuzate piese în România în 2010. http://www.romanialibera.ro/arte/muzica/exclusiv-topul-celor-mai-difuzate-piese-in-romania-in-2010-211604.html. Retrieved January 21, 2011. 
  69. ↑ "Airplay Detection Tophit 200 Yearly – 2010". Tophit. Archived from the original on 8 April 2011. Retrieved 9 August 2019.
  70. ↑ "2010 Spanish Year-end charts" (PDF) (in español). PROMUSICAE. December 29, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 3, 2011. Retrieved January 31, 2011.
  71. ↑ "Årslista Singlar – År 2010" (in svenska). Sverigetopplistan. Retrieved October 22, 2019.
  72. ↑ "2010 Year End Swiss Singles Chart". Swiss Music Charts. 2011. Archived from the original on July 12, 2011. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
  73. ↑ "UK Year-End Charts 2010". BBC. Archived from the original on January 26, 2011. Retrieved June 22, 2011.
  74. ↑ "2010 Year-End Hot 100 Songs". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/hot-100-songs?begin=11&order=positiondate=2009-12-09. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  75. ↑ "2010 Year-End Hot Dance Club Songs". Billboard. December 9, 2009. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/hot-dance-club-play-songs?begin=31&order=position. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  76. ↑ "2010 Year-End Pop Songs". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/hot-pop-songs?begin=11&order=position. Retrieved December 9, 2010. 
  77. ↑ "Rhythmic Songs – Year-End 2010". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2010/rhythmic-songs. Retrieved October 5, 2019. 
  78. ↑ "Hot Dance/Electronic Songs - Year-End 2017". Billboard. https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2017/hot-dance-electronic--songs. Retrieved December 12, 2017. 
  79. ↑ "Top AFP - Audiogest - Top 3000 Singles + EPs Digitais" (PDF) (in português). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
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