On the surface, many people seemingly view Lady Gaga merely as a pop musician. That is far from the case, as Lady Gaga, whose real name is Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, is a virtuoso musician and a world-class songwriter. In other words, she’s not a one-trick pony, and when crafting one of her massive pop singles, she looks under every nook and cranny for inspiration and creative support.
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Regarding that last statement, one song in which Gaga found support outside of the pop genre was her 2011 single, “You and I”. Kids of that generation are well acquainted with that song, as it ruled the airwaves for a good portion of the 2010s. This is due to the fact that it was a top ten hit single on the Billboard Hot 100. However, it seemingly would not have accomplished that if it weren’t for Queen‘s magnificent guitarist, Brian May.
On the single, Brian May delivered the memorable guitar solo and the other accompanying sounds. Also, concerning those accompanying sounds, he did so entirely without synthesizers, as he reportedly used live-recorded instruments. Which, in the 2010s, was seemingly a lost art and antiquated practice. Recalling the moment she heard the news, Gaga stated, “I fell to the floor crying and laughing when I found out that I’d got him on the song.” “I called myself Gaga after Queen’s track ‘Radio Gaga,’” added Lady Gaga, per The Sun via Gigwise.
The Mutual Respect Between Lady Gaga and Brian May
Per Lady Gaga’s comments, it was a long-time dream to work with a member of Queen. Following the collaboration, that affinity became mutual, as May had nothing but kind words to say about Gaga. Following the release of the single, May told Bang Showbiz, “I had a blast working with Lady Gaga” and “She’s fantastic, she’s very inspiring.”
He added, “She’s a very human person underneath all those layers. I love her, she’s great. The persona she’s built up certainly seems to be working.” Upon closer inspection of the song, you can tell where May’s style bleeds through. While it is certainly a pop song, it also encompasses the flashy and ornate elements of Queen’s typical arrangement style. Frankly, with some tweaking of the lyrics, this very well could be a Queen song.
Aside from the collaboration, the 2011 album hosting the single, Born This Way, was a major success. The album itself peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard 200, and the title track peaked at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Photo by Rich Fury/Getty Images for The Recording Academy
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