Throwing back to the week of September 7, 2013, it’s still Robin Thicke and ‘Blurred Lines’ in the top spot of the Billboard Hot 100. That song was a juggernaut, spending a total of 12 weeks at #1. I hope I’ve cycled through those 12 weeks by the time Throwback Weekends make it back to the 2010s.
At #2 and #3 are two more songs I’ve already featured: Katy Perry’s ‘Roar’ and Miley Cyrus’ ‘We Can’t Stop,’ respectively. And it’s another female pop icon who lands at #4 and as today’s Song of the Day.
Lady Gaga’s ‘Applause’ was the lead single from her 2013 album Artpop. This was Gaga’s follow-up to the multi-platinum The Fame and Born This Way, and though it sold relatively well, it came nowhere near the heights of those albums.
It was the first release of hers not to spawn a #1 hit — #4 is as far as ‘Applause’ made it up the chart, and neither of the album’s other singles cracked the top ten.
Artpop marked the end, for awhile anyway, of Gaga’s dance pop era. Her next solo album, Joanne, had a stripped-down Americana sound, and she released two albums of standards with Tony Bennett. Otherwise, she turned her attention to her acting career.
Chromatica, released in 2020, was a return to her dance pop roots but resulted in the lowest sales of her career.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Gaga perform mostly as an actress from here on out, with an occasional soundtrack song thrown in the mix. But I do miss the thrilling work on those first two albums.
I stand here waiting for you to bang the gong
To crash the critic saying, “Is it right or is it wrong?”
If only fame had an IV, baby, could I bear
Being away from you? I found the vein, put it in here
[Pre-Chorus]
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause
[Chorus]
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
[Post-Chorus]
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
[Verse 2]
I’ve overheard your theory, “Nostalgia’s for geeks”
I guess sir, if you say so, some of us just like to read
One second I’m a Koons, then suddenly the Koons is me
Pop culture was in art, now art’s in pop culture, in me
[Pre-Chorus]
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause
[Chorus]
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
[Post-Chorus]
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
[Bridge]
Woo… touch, touch
Woo… touch, touch
Now… woo-oh-oh-oh…
Woo-oh-oh-oh…
[Pre-Chorus]
I live for the applause, applause, applause
I live for the applause-plause, live for the applause-plause
Live for the way that you cheer and scream for me
The applause, applause, applause
[Chorus]
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
Give me that thing that I love (I’ll turn the lights out)
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch (Make it real loud)
[Post-Chorus]
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E (Make it real loud)
A-P-P-L-A-U-S-E
Put your hands up, make ’em touch, touch
[Outro]
A-R-T-P-O-P
Meet Me In Montauk 
Gaga had built up such a large loyal fan base with her Little Monsters that I wouldn’t be surprised to see a musical comeback at some point.
I love her voice best when she was singing with the late great Tony Bennett. She is so talented