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"The Lady Is a Tramp" is a show tune from the 1937 Rodgers and Hart musical Babes In Arms in which it was introduced by former child star Mitzi Green. This song is a spoof of New York high society and its strict etiquette (the first line of the verse is significant: "I get too hungry for dinner at eight...").

In 2011, Lady Gaga was featured on a cover of the song with Tony Bennett, which appeared on Bennett's album, Duets II. The song was released as a single on October 3, 2011.

The song was also available as a bonus track on the HSN edition and International physical deluxe editions of Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga's first collaborative jazz album, Cheek to Cheek.

Recording

Their cover of "The Lady is a Tramp" was the last song recorded for the album, coming after lengthy contractual wrangling and only a few days before the cutoff date for the album’s completion.

The recording took place at Studio 1 of Avatar Studios on July 31 in New York. They had two hours with Gaga and in that time period, they did six takes. The New Yorker who was on location reported that Gaga was so nervous, she downed whiskey throughout the day. "Did all the girls used to have to get drunk to hang out with you?" Gaga asked Tony Bennett. "You're such a dreamboat!" A TV crew was also on location to shoot the music video for the song.

Performances

Calendar Dates Microphone-icon Location Building City Country
2013
Jan 22 White House Washington D.C. Us
2018
Jun 23 Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts Vienna, VA Us

Calendar Dates Show Television Channel Country
2011
Nov 24 A Very Gaga Thanksgiving ABC Us

Tour Dates Performances
Cheek to Cheek Tour 2014-2015 (All Dates) 36
Jazz & Piano Engagement 2019 (All Dates) 10
Total: 36

Lyrics

[Tony Bennett]
She gets too hungry, for dinner at eight

[Lady Gaga]
I'm starving

[Tony Bennett]
She loves the theater but she never comes late

[Lady Gaga]
I never bother with people that I hate
That's why this chick is a tramp

[Tony Bennett]
Hahaha
She doesn't like crap games, with barons and earls

[Lady Gaga]
Won't go to Harlem in ermines and pearl

[Tony Bennett]
Hahaha

[Lady Gaga]
And I definitely won't dish our dirt with the rest of those girls

[Tony Bennett]
Thank you
That's why the lady is a tramp

[Lady Gaga]
I love the free, fresh wind in my hair

[Tony Bennett]
Life without care

[Lady Gaga]
Oh, I'm so broke

[Tony Bennett]
It's oak

[Lady Gaga]
I hate California, it's crowded and damp

[Tony Bennett]
That's why the lady is a tramp

[Lady Gaga]
I'm a tramp!
Sometimes I go to Coney Island

[Tony Bennett]
Oh, the beach is divine.

[Lady Gaga]
And I love the Yankees

[Tony Bennett]
And Jeter's just fine.

[Lady Gaga]
I follow Rodgers & Hart

[Tony Bennett]
She sings every line.

[Both]
That's why the lady is a tramp.

[Lady Gaga]
I love a prizefight

[Tony Bennett]
That isn't a fake

[Lady Gaga]
No fakes
And I love to rowboat with you and your wife in Central Park lake.

[Tony Bennett]
Hahaha
She goes to the opera, and stays wide awake.

[Lady Gaga]
Yes I do.
That's why this lady is a tramp.

[Tony Bennett]
She likes the green

[Lady Gaga]
Green

[Tony Bennett]
Grass

[Lady Gaga]
Grass

[Tony Bennett]
Under her shoes.

[Lady Gaga]
What can I lose?
Cause I got no dough

[Tony Bennett]
Oh no?

[Lady Gaga]
I'm all alone
When I'm doing my hair

[Tony Bennett]
That's why the lady is a tramp
Go

[Lady Gaga]
Beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep beep

[Tony Bennett]
Arubu dubu dubu dubu bop bop ba ba ba ba du rabidaday

[Lady Gaga]
I love your free, fresh
I love your handkerchief in my hair

[Tony Bennett]
Life without care

[Lady Gaga]
Oh my god
But I'm so broke

[Tony Bennett]
It's oak
Hates California, it's so cold, and it's damp

[Both]
That's why the lady is a tramp
That's the/this lady is a tramp

[Lady Gaga]
That's why the lady is a tramp

Music video

The_Lady_Is_A_Tramp
Premiere date October 3, 2011
Director(s) Unjoo Moon
Fashion director
Choreographer
Director of photography

The video shows Bennett and Gaga singing "The Lady Is a Tramp" together in a studio in front of music stands. Both wear black tie attire, with Bennett sporting a suit and Gaga donning an evening dress made up by black-colored semi-transparent lace. Despite their black clothes, each artist contrasts these with some color, as Bennett rests a red handkerchief in his breast pocket while Gaga wears a turquoise bob wig. In the beginning of the video and during occasional other scenes, Gaga holds a whiskey glass. The mood of the video is light and cheerful, as both singers smile constantly and use hand gestures and swing their arms to express happiness.

Like the lyrical content, the video features a back-and-forth style, showing the two singers while their lines switch. Adding to the animation, the two make gestures and point to each other during their lines. Additional animations include Gaga pulling Bennett's red handkerchief out of his pocket in the middle of the video, holding up the tail of her dress on multiple occasions, and moving to Bennett's microphone during her "I'm so broke" line as well as for the concluding line of "that's why this lady is a tramp." Bennett meanwhile makes his own gestures, including a-ok during his line of "Jeter's just fine." At the end of the video, Gaga kisses Bennett on the cheek and he thanks her.

Images

On set photography by Kelsey Bennett.

Date July 31, 2011
Location Studio 1 at Avatar Studios, New York City, NY Us
Models Lady Gaga and Tony Bennett
Camera EOS 5D Mark II by Canon
Hair stylist Frederic Aspiras at Haus of Gaga
Makeup artist Tara Savelo at Haus of Gaga
7-31-11 Kelsey Bennett 002

Dress by Tom Ford and boots by Pleaser.

Album and Single artworks
Magazines

Credits

Song

Credit Artist
Band recording Dae Bennett at Bennett Studios in July of 2011 (Englewood, NJ Us)
Arrangement, conductor Marion Evans
Piano Lee Musket
Bass Marshall Wood
Drums Harold James
Guitar Gray Sargent
Alto saxophone Lawrence Feldman and Dave Mann
Tenor saxophone Andy Snitzer and Mark Phaneuf
Baritone saxophone Ron Janelli
Trumpets Tony Kadleck, Bob Millikan, John Owens and Budd Burridge
Tenor trombone Mike Davis, Larry Farrell and Keith O'Quinn
Bass trombone George Flynn
Vocals recording Studio 1 at Avatar Studios on July 31 and September of 2011 (New York Us)
Producers Phil Ramone with Dae Bennett
Engineer Dae Bennett
Assistants engineer Fernando Lodeiro and Tim Marchiafava
Mixing and editing Dae Bennett at Bennett Studios (Englewood, NJ Us)
Mastering Bob Ludwig at Gateway Mastering (Portland, ME Us)

Music video

  • Director — Unjoo Moon
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