"Don't Give Up" is a duet recorded by Peter Gabriel and Kate Bush for Gabriel's album So. In 2008, The Midway State with Lady Gaga recorded a cover of the song. As of now, the song is officially unreleased. However, a bootleg version can be found on YouTube. Asked about what happened with the song, Nathan Ferraro, singer of The Midway State replied:
"I didn't cry but I was disappointed. In this business you get used to that, it's just a snap of the fingers. It was just a matter of she was blowing up at the time and they can't put a huge push or millions of dollars behind every single artistic thing she does".
Recording[]
The idea for a collaboration with Gaga came from Martin Kierszenbaum, the A & R person for both artists at Cherrytree Records in 2008. "He introduced the two of us", Nathan Ferraro said, from The Midway State. "We had this idea for a collaboration on this Peter Gabriel song", he added. "We met [Lady Gaga] in New York and we talked about it. When we finished [recording], we were both super into it so shortly thereafter we recorded a video for the song [in L.A.]". Midway State recorded the song in Toronto with co-producer Gavin Brown, and Lady Gaga cut her part satellite style in Los Angeles. "We were kind of scared in the beginning to try to live up to something like that, but it's modern and different", Ferraro says of the cover. "We added synths. We made it something you could slow dance to in the club". "It was really exciting doing that collaboration with Nathan", Gaga told Spinner, "I love that song so much. I really let Midway State take the lead. I wanted it to be more pop -- something that young people would hear and learn something about Kate Bush".
Music video[]
There were two videos created for this song by Godley & Creme. The first consisted of a single take of the singers in an embrace, as the sun enters total eclipse and re-emerges. The second featured Gabriel and Bush's faces superimposed over film of a town and its people in disrepair.
The Midway State version is "a re-do of the original in a modern way", said Ferraro from Midway State. "The whole thing is the two of us just caressing each other, so we did get to know each other pretty well, for hours on end", he said. "I was not emasculated. It was good. It was a lot of fun. She's a sweetheart. And I was very impressed at her genuineness and her absolute love and passion for her artistry, which I share".
The music video was directed by Constellation Jones. Two demo versions of it have leaked. The final version of it remains unleaked.
.jpg "The Midway State feat. Lady Gaga - Don't give up (Single).jpg (35 KB)")
_001.jpg "The Midway State feat. Lady Gaga - Don't give up (BTS) 001.jpg (43 KB)")
Lyrics[]
In this proud land we grew up strong
We were wanted all along
I was taught to fight, taught to win
I never thought I could fail
No fight left or so it seems
I am a man whose dreams have all deserted
I've changed my face, I've changed my name
But no one wants you when you lose
Don't give up
'cos you have friends
Don't give up
You're not beaten yet
Don't give up
I know you can make it good
Though I saw it all around
Never thought I could be affected
Thought that we'd be the last to go
It is so strange the way things turn
Drove the night toward my home
The place that I was born, on the lakeside
As daylight broke, I saw the earth
The trees had burned down to the ground
Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up
We don't need much of anything
Don't give up
'cause somewhere there's a place
Where we belong
Rest your head
You worry too much
It's going to be alright
When times get rough
You can fall back on us
Don't give up
Please don't give up
'got to walk out of here
I can't take anymore
Going to stand on that bridge
Keep my eyes down below
Whatever may come
And whatever may go
That river's flowing
That river's flowing
Moved on to another town
Tried hard to settle down
For every job, so many men
So many men no-one needs
Don't give up
'cause you have friends
Don't give up
You're not the only one
Don't give up
No reason to be ashamed
Don't give up
You still have us
Don't give up now
We're proud of who you are
Don't give up
You know it's never been easy
Don't give up
'cause I believe there's the a place
There's a place where we belong