Lost Hit: Lady Gaga’s “Gypsy” Should Have Been A Single

Mike Nied | July 12, 2017 4:16 pm

Lady Gaga proclaimed that she lived for the applause on ARTPOP. The 2013 release unraveled the pop maestro’s experiences with fame on tracks like, funnily enough, “Applause” and the R.Kelly (and Xtina) collaboration “Do What U Want” — but she got even more honest on the anthemic “Gypsy.” Co-written with frequent collaborators RedOne and DJ White Shadow, the cut explores Mother Monster’s life on the road.

“I don’t want to be alone forever, but I love gypsy life,” Gaga proclaims to a lover as the production soars underneath her voice. She reflects on leaving all that she loves behind while on the road but embraces the wild adventures that follow. Upon release it was viewed as the successor to the hitmaker’s ’80s power ballad “Edge of Glory” given the equally anthemic production. On an album that delved into the most obscure sub-genres of pop music, the track was the most similar to her previous work and an instant fan favorite.

“Gypsy” was seemed for massive success on radio, but it never got the release it so desperately deserved. Although Gaga gave the banger some love with a string of promotional performances and appeared ready to select it as a single, it was never officially rolled out. Instead, the pop star went for full raunch with “G.U.Y.” After that stalled on the charts, she disappeared from the public eye to overhaul her image. The following year she remerged dressed in billowing gowns and performing classic jazz standards alongside the legendary Tony Bennett on Cheek to Cheek.

The switch-up was a testament to Gaga’s incredible versatility, however, it left one of her most explosive releases behind. Revisit the diva’s live performance of “Gypsy” on SNL below.

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