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"Angel Down" is a song written by Lady Gaga and RedOne for her fifth studio album Joanne. The song is the 11th and final track on standard edition of the album.

Background

The song was inspired by the murder of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin in 2012. Trayvon, walking unarmed, was shot by George Zimmerman, a neighborhood watch captain. The case was heavily publicized and instigated debates on racism, self-defense laws, and gun control. Unfortunately, Zimmerman was found not guilty. Trayvon's shooting death launched the Black Lives Matter movement. On October 19th, 2016, Lady Gaga confirmed her inspiration via Twitter:

@joncaramanica how far must ANYONE need to 4 inspiration & write a song re: the tragic murder of Trayvon Martin as I did w/ "Angel Down".
Lady Gaga via Twitter for iPhone


In an interview with Zane Lowe on Beats 1 which was released on October 20th, 2016, Lady Gaga spoke about the song and confirmed again her inspiration:

I wrote this song about Trayvon Martin. So, it was actually a couple years ago when he was shot and murdered. [There is an] epidemic of young African-Americans being murdered in this country. I was overwhelmed by the fact that people just stood around and didn’t do anything about it, and that the justice system continues to, over and over again, not seek justice for these families... [I have] my ear to the ground of my fans, young African American women and boys who are terrified… they tell me they drive in their cars, and when they hear a siren there’s a paranoia that runs through their body, that they freeze up that they can’t think. This is a tremendous anxiety. This is something I care about. This is something that has to stop, something we all need to heal from.

—Lady Gaga on Beats 1

In the same interview, Lady Gaga revealed some lyrics for the first time, one day prior song as well as Joanne album release on October 21st, 2016, saying:

"Doesn’t everyone belong
In the arms of the sacred
Why do we pretend we’re wrong?
Has our young courage faded?
Shots were fired down the street
By the church where we used to meet
Angel down, angel down
Why do people just stand around?
"

The song's lyrics expressing confusion at the absolute apathy Gaga sees following an "angel" getting gunned down in the street.

Work Tape

Work Tape is an alternate version of Angel Down and is included on the deluxe version of Joanne. The work tape is a more stripped version of the main version of the song, and does not feature as much electronic production. The work tape is also recorded in a higher key and features rawer vocals. This version is produced by RedOne. It was eventually performed in the later shows for the Chromatica Ball.

Performances

Calendar Dates Microphone-icon Location Building City Country
2016
Nov 7 Hillary Clinton‘s Final Rally Raleigh, NC Us

Lyrics

I confess I am lost
In the age of the social
On our knees, take a test
To be lovin' and grateful

Shots were fired on the street
By the church where we used to meet
Angel down, angel down
But the people just stood around

I'm a believer, it's a trial
Foolish and weaker, oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down
I'm a believer, it's chaos
Where are our leaders? Oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down

Doesn't everyone belong
In the arms of the sacred
Why do we pretend we're wrong?
Has our young courage faded?

Shots were fired on the street
By the church where we used to meet
Angel down, angel down
Why do people just stand around?

I'm a believer, it's a trial
Foolish and weaker, oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down
I'm a believer, it's chaos
Where are our leaders? Oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down

I'm a believer, it's a trial
Foolish and weaker, oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down
I'm a believer, it's chaos
Where are our leaders? Oh, oh, oh
I'd rather save an angel down

Save that angel
Hear that angel
Catch my angel
Save that angel
Hear that angel
Catch my angel
Hear that angel
Hear that angel
Catch my angel
Save that angel
Hear that angel
Catch my angel
Hear that angel
Catch my angel

Credits

Written by Lady Gaga and RedOne
Produced by Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga and BloodPop®
Recorded by David "Squirrel" Covell & Joshua Blair at Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA Us
Joshua Blair and assisted by Justin Smith at Pink Duck Studios, Burbank, CA Us
Joshua Blair and assisted by Barry McCready at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY Us
Mixed by Ben Baptie at Atomic Studios, Brooklyn, NY Us
Mastered by Tom Coyne and Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY Us
Track Participants Lady Gaga — Piano
BloodPop® — Drums, Keyboards for GenPop Corp.
Mark Ronson — Mellotron Strings
Published by
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Songs of RedOne LLC (BMI)

Work Tape credits

Written by Lady Gaga and RedOne
Produced by RedOne for RedOne Productions and Lady Gaga
Recorded by Trevor Muzzy & AlekesVon Korff at Woodshed Recording, Malibu, CA, Us
Mixed by RedOne and T.I Jakke for RedOne Productions at RedOne Studios, Los Angeles, CA Us
Mastered by Tom Coyne & Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY Us
Track Participants RedOne — Programming and Guitar
Lady Gaga — Piano
Published by
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Songs of RedOne LLC (BMI)

Reference

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