"Music Minute" - Lady Gaga "Venus" - A reference review

After two very different sounding snippets of her song "Venus" have been released, Gaga furthser teased her fans by tweeting three different possible covers or the single: all photographed by Steven Klein.

And we should start off the whole thing about "Venus" with the covers. As one can see: all of them are daring and different, and do not continue the white look of the cover from "Applause" and "Do What U Want". And I have to say that I really enjoy the dark side Gaga brings to the covers. In cover number one we have her with a scorpion on her face, and clearly this is a reference to Marina Abramovic an her portrait with a scorpion. She channels the version with closed eyes. What is to be mentioned her is the wound she has under her arm. Question is: has the scorpio cut her, and is this to be understood metaphorically? Cover number two is, if I am not wrong, a bat, which is beautifully lit an set in pose. Actually it is my favorite cover. I don't know why, but the composition is somewhat magnificient and daring in a dark and haunted way. Cover number three is Gaga, once more in the nude, with a tacco (?) in her mouth, which could be a reference to a meat eating plant. I don't know, but still it is fascinating. The fourth cover is the one that is displayed on Gaga's VEVO channel. There she channels Marina again, but this time her eyes are open  and her face, including the scorpion is lit in green and purple. Either a very Warholian colour blocking or a remeniscence of the rainbow. Anyways: It looks great!

Now lets get to the song. The beginning is very dark techno club anthem like, and then adds a throbbing beat after a few seconds. Her voice jumps from high pitched singing to her dark voice saying the word "Venus". As she turns into her singing voice we get the Gaga we know, and very soon the sog jumpes into a twisty dark electronic pop song with all the classical twisted Gaga-ness to it, including some wierd, but absolutely genious sounds. The song in whole is building up all the time and is kind of unpredictable, which i actually prefer. The overall sound is dark and new, but definitely not radio unfriendly. But it is a more experimental sound then "Do What U Want" - fine with me, since the experimental Gaga is the one i am madly in love with. Lyrically the song contains a high number of references to planets, roman gods, love and sex. If "Applause" was her Botticelli piece then "Venus" is her reference to the roman goddess and all the myths around her.  But lets have a closer look at what Gaga sings:

In verse one Gaga gives us all sorts of space, renaissance and mythica refrences: "Rocket #9 take off to the planet // To the planet // Venus // Aphrodite lady seashell bikini // Garden panty // Venus //Let's blast off to a new dimension // In your bedroom //  Venus // Aphrodite lady seashell bikini // Get with me // Venus" - That gives me some feeling of her "Applause" video and VMA's performance. Remember that seashell bikini? If not, have a look to the left! Before the chorus Gaga sings: "I can’t help the way I’m feeling // Goddess of love please take me to your leader // I can’t help I keep on dancin' //Goddess of Love! // Goddess of Love" - Uhh, I am getting the naughty vibes here. Go sexy Gaga! And as the chorus hits there is no wondering what: "When you touch me I die // Just a little inside // I wonder if this could be love // This could be love // Cuz you’re out of this world // Galaxy, space and time // I wonder if this could be love" could mean.  So far we have references to Venus as a planet, the diety Venus and space travel. Verse two does not let us down, concerning the reference scale. "Have an oyster, baby // It’s Aphrod-isy // Act sleazy // Venus // Worship to the land // A girl from the planet // To the planet // Venus" - Okay we have oysters here, with the mention of them being an aphrodisiac, and somewhere on the road here I  get the feeling that this on eis going to be an erotic but hell of a lot disturbing music video! And Gaga even recounts most of the solar systes planets in the bridge, with a great reference to the fame her gorgeous ass has gotten over time. And I have to say that my "Do What U Want" Review supports that ass! 

All together the song is experimental and sounds new  in the realm of Gaga's music. So I am going to give it a great 9/10. The point missing only is due to the fact that one point the song could set its peak. But still, the eferences she makes in it, all the sexual innuendos and the double entendres make "Venus" my space age, renaissance insired sex trip to the deep universe. And what is nnot to love about that?