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"Million Reasons" is a song written by Lady Gaga, Mark Ronson and Nashville songwriter, Hillary Lindsey for her fifth studio album Joanne. The song was co-produced with Mark Ronson, BloodPop and Hillary Lindsey. Due to strong digital downloads and public response, the song acts as the album's second single, replacing "A-YO". A rough acoustic one-take was released as a bonus track on the Japanese CD version of Joanne dubbed "Million Reasons (Work Tape)".

The song premiered live on October 5, 2016, during The Dive Bar Tour at The 5 Spot in Nashville, Tennessee. It was subsequently released on YouTube an hour later. The song was officially sent to radio on November 8, 2016 has since peaked within the top 10 in Hungary, Slovakia, Switzerland, and most significantly number 4 in the United States.

Background

Lady Gaga performed the song live for the first time on October 5, 2016, when she kicked off her Dive Bar Tour in the US at Nashville's 5 Spot. Hillary Lindsey shared the microphone on harmonies. When Lady Gaga introduced the track she told the crown in a country accent:

I wrote this song with a Nashville native, Hillary Lindsey. We sat on a couch together, and we were going back and forth, guitar and piano, and we were going, 'Why these men, you know?' All these men - my dad, my boyfriend, all the men in my life - they gave me a million reasons [to leave], but I just need one good one to stick around but you're giving me a million to walk away. Ladies and gentlemen, Hillary Lindsey.

—Lady Gaga

The lyrics were rumored to be about Gaga's breakup with her former fiancé Taylor Kinney, but the singer told Howard Stern they were written about all the men in her life, including Kinney, her father and every other guy she's had a relationship with. "It's never just about the guy. It's always about that guy, the guy before him."

The song was also written for women all over the world.

How cool is it that it was #1 in Saudi Arabia?... I just really want women to be heard. I've dated a lot of cowboys and I just really want women to be heard... Not in a way that 'men are bad,' but I think it's time for us to heal from those wounds that divide us. In this country we are so divided. I just hope this album provides some healing.

—Lady Gaga

I wanted to work with [Lindsey] because of [Underwood’s] ‘Jesus Take the Wheel’ and ‘Girl Crush’ — I think she’s just written some of the most beautiful country-pop records. I wanted to sit together, play her some of the music, and write with another woman — and write with a woman that was sort of in the center of the type of women, and men, that I wanted to speak to with this music. So what was so wonderful was when we sat down and started working, it was like this instant connection that we had. We’re two girls that are so different — she grew up somewhere so different from me, and you’d think that maybe we’d never get along, that it would never work — but somehow we created these songs together.

—Lady Gaga via Yahoo Music

On November 29th, 2016, before a performance of "Million Reasons" on C'Cauet on NRJ Radio Lady Gaga revealed the meaning behind this song:

I just wanted to say to anyone who is listening-- I just wanted to say that if you are alone, just remember you not really [are], because there are so many people in the world who have that feeling. And this is what that song is about. It is about humanity, constantly searching for a love that is so deep beyond your wildest phantasy, not just sex, not just lust, not just attraction, but true love!

—Lady Gaga on NRJ Radio

Work Tape

Work Tape is an alternate version of "Million Reasons" and is included on the deluxe Japanese version of Joanne. The work tape version of the track features various differences, most notably that the work tape was recorded in one take and Gaga's voice has not been edited.

Release

Digital release

Million Reasons - Single Cover Label: Interscope
Format: Digital
Released: October 5, 2016
Barcode: None
Photography: Collier Schorr
Design: N/A
# Name Time
1. "Million Reasons"   3:25

Remixes

Million Reasons (KVR Remix) Label: Interscope
Format: Digital
Released: February 17, 2017
Barcode: None
Photography: Collier Schorr
Design: N/A
# Name Time
1. "Million Reasons" (KVR remix) 3:27
Million Reasons Andrelli Remix Artwork Label: Interscope
Format: Digital
Released: March 17, 2017
Barcode: None
Photography: Collier Schorr
Design: N/A
# Name Time
1. "Million Reasons" (Andrelli remix) 4:00

Release history

Country Date Format
Worldwide Worldwide October 5, 2016 Digital download as promotional single
Us United States Contemporary hit radio November 8, 2016
Italy Italy November 25, 2016
Worldwide Worldwide February 17, 2017 Digital download – KVR remix
March 17, 2017 Digital download – Andrelli remix

Performances

Calendar Dates Show Microphone Station Country
2016
Nov 29 C’Cauet sur NRJ NRJ France

Calendar Dates Microphone-icon Location Building City Country
2016
Nov 19 Airbnb Open Spotlight Los Angeles, CA Us
Dec 1 Westfield London London United Kingdom
2017
Apr 15 Coachella Indio, CA Us
Apr 22
Oct 21 One America Appeal concert College Station, TX

Tour Dates Performances

Lyrics

Million Reasons Lyric Instagram 5 10 2016

You're givin' me a million reasons to let you go
You're givin' me a million reasons to quit the show
You're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

If I had a highway I would run for the hills
If you could find a dry way I'd forever be still
But you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one to stay

Head stuck in a cycle I look off and I stare
It's like that I've stopped breathing but completely aware
Cuz you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

And if you say something that you might even mean
It's hard to even fathom which parts I should believe
Cuz you're givin' me a million reasons
Give me a million reasons
Givin' me a million reasons
About a million reasons

I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one to stay

Hey...
Baby I'm bleedin' bleedin'
Stay...
Can't you give me what I'm needin' needin'

Every heartbreak makes it hard to keep the faith
But baby I just need one good one
Good one
Good one
Good one
Good one
Good one

When I bow down to pray
I try to make the worst seem better
Lord show me the way
To cut through all his worn out leather
I've got a hundred million reasons to walk away
But baby I just need one good one good one
Tell me that you'll be the good one good one
Baby I just need one good one to stay

Music video

Million_Reasons
Premiere date December 14, 2016
Director(s) Lady Gaga, Ryan Hunter Phillips & Brandon Maxwell
Fashion director Brandon Maxwell at Haus of Gaga
Choreographer N/A
Director of photography Kai Saul at APA Agency, Taylor Scott Mason at Snap Capture LLC
The music video was directed by Lady Gaga and filmed in October 2016 in Los Angeles, CA. On December 12, Gaga announced the video to be released the day later, premiering worldwide on MTV channels. The announcement was acompained by a sneak peek of the video introduction via Instagram, Twitter and Facebook also she announced she was gonna take over MTV Instagram account for the day of the premiere. After the premiere of the video on MTV at 3PM (ET), the video was released on platforms as YouTube, VEVO and TIDAL. She say this music video is the second part of the music video of "Perfect Illusion".
[1] Lady Gaga wears shorts by Levi's customized by Chain Gang, a t-shirt by American Apparel customized by Haus of Gaga, and boots by Rag & Bone.
[1, 2] Lady Gaga wears a vintage outfit by Chanel, and sunglasses by Ray-Ban.
[2] Lady Gaga wears a custom tuxedo by Alexander Lewis, shoes by Casadei, and custom hats by Gladys Tamez and Harvy Santos while she plays a guitar by Gretsch.

Credits

Written by Lady Gaga, Hillary Lindsey and Mark Ronson
Produced by Mark Ronson, Lady Gaga and BloodPop®
Recorded by Joshua Blair and assisted by David "Squirrel" Covell at Shangri-La Studios, Malibu, CA Us
Joshua Blair at Gypsy Palace Studios, Malibu, CA Us
Joshua Blair and assisted by Barry McCready at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY Us
Joe Visciano & Brandon Bost at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY Us
Mixed by Tom Elmhirst and assisted by Joe Visciano & Brandon Bost at Electric Lady Studios, New York, NY Us
Mastered by Tom Coyne and Randy Merrill at Sterling Sound, New York, NY Us
Track Participants Lady Gaga — Piano
Hillary Lindsey — Additional Vocals, Guitar
Mark Ronson — Bass, Guitar
BloodPop® — Keyboards, Rhythm Track, String Programming for GenPop Corp.
Published by
  • Sony/ATV Songs LLC / House of Gaga Publishing LLC (BMI)
  • Imagem CV/Songs Of Zelig (BMI) (Songs Of Zelig administered worldwide by Imagem CV)
  • BIRB Music (ASCAP) All Rights Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC

Video Credits

Director Lady Gaga, Ryan Hunter Phillips and Brandon Maxwell
Stylist Brandon Maxwell at Haus of Gaga
Producer Lauren Pistoia, The Collective Shift
Post production Jose Cota at Velem and Milk
Director of Photography Kai Saul at APA Agency & Taylor Scott Mason at Snap Capture LLC
Set Cooper Vasquez
Company Madison + Vine

Reference

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