Always Remember Us This Way
"Always Remember Us This Way" is a song from the 2018 film A Star Is Born and its soundtrack of the same name, performed by the film's star Lady Gaga. It was released as soundtrack's second single in United Kingdom on November 24, 2018 and in Italy on January 4, 2019. The song was written by Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Lori McKenna, and produced by Dave Cobb and Lady Gaga.
"Always Remember Us This Way" | ||||
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Single by Lady Gaga | ||||
from the album A Star Is Born | ||||
Released | November 24, 2018 | |||
Recorded | 2017 | |||
Studio | EastWest Studios (Los Angeles, California) | |||
Venue | Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival | |||
Genre | Country | |||
Length | 3:30 3:26 (radio edit) | |||
Label | Interscope | |||
Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Lady Gaga singles chronology | ||||
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Music video | ||||
"Always Remember Us This Way" on YouTube |
The song has received widespread critical acclaim and has reached the top of the record chart in Iceland and the top ten in Belgium (both Flanders and Wallonia), Hungary, Ireland, Norway, Portugal, Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland, the digital charts of Luxembourg, Slovakia and the combined European chart. The track has also reached the top twenty in Denmark, Estonia, France, Malaysia, and on the digital chart of Czech Republic. It also reached the top twenty of the Australian and New Zealand charts, while achieving Platinum certification from the respective governing bodies.
The song received a nomination for Song of the Year at the 62nd Grammy Awards, the second nomination from the album in this category after "Shallow", which was nominated for the year before.
Background and release
"Always Remember Us This Way" was written by Lady Gaga, Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Lori McKenna, and produced by Dave Cobb and Gaga.[1][2] It also features background vocals from Hemby, Lindsey and McKenna.[3] Bradley Cooper had approached Cobb for crafting the sound of the album, after listening to the latter's work. Cobb flew out to Los Angeles and met Gaga and Cooper for a writing session. He played the track "Maybe It's Time" (written by singer-songwriter Jason Isbell), which impressed Gaga and Cooper and set the tone for the soundtrack. They asked Hemby, Lindsey and McKenna to come down to Los Angeles and start composing tracks.[4]
"Always Remember Us This Way" was released to British adult contemporary radios on November 24, 2018 and to Italian radios on January 4, 2019.[5][6] A music video for the song was released previously, showing the sequence from the film when Gaga sings the track after being introduced by Jackson onstage, who sweetly tells her, "I love you, I'll always remember us this way". A vertical-shaped version of the clip was released to Spotify.[7] Brooke Bajgrowicz from Billboard explained that the "reflective video" showed Ally and Jackson "falling in love with each other", while interspersed with scenes of the couple going on a motorbike ride, kissing in a parking lot and performing music together. The clip ends with the crowd chanting Ally's name, and Jackson walks over to embrace her.[8]
Recording and composition
"Always Remember Us This Way" was recorded immediately after the songwriters finished composing it. They also provided backing vocals as Gaga recorded her vocals in the studio. Cobb said, "It was pure magic when that went down and you can hear it in the film—the energy and the excitement that was happening. It's amazing to hear that kind of voice come through headphones." Lindsey, who had previously collaborated with Gaga on her fifth studio album, Joanne (2016), recalled that the singer had imbibed in the character of Ally she was playing in the film completely. "She was living in the hurt and ache of Ally losing the love of her life. We all just wanted to hug her. She was so broken up and in so much raw pain," Lindsey added.[4] McKenna described the songwriting as a powerful moment because the lyrics made them all tearful, and they decided that if "Maybe It's Time" was Cooper's character Jackson's song, then "Always Remember Us This Way" belonged with Ally.[9]
According to Cobb it was magical when "[Gaga] got in the vocal booth on the microphone and the writers were in the control room. I was playing with the band, and it just happened. Her voice was as big as the house. All of us had goosebumps. That happens very seldomly."[9] The song is a piano-driven country ballad,[10][11] which is "pushed along" by Gaga's raw, powerful vocals.[8] Following the first verse being on piano, the guitars and drums kick in from the second verse and Gaga's vocals build up to the final chorus uttering the lines, "When the sun goes down/ And the band won't play/ I'll always remember us this way".[12] The song is composed in the time signature of common time and is performed in the key of A minor with a slow tempo of 65 beats per minute. It follows a chord progression of Am–F–C–G, and the vocals span from G3 to E5.[13]
Critical reception
Jon Pareles of The New York Times describe the song as a "hushed-to-heroic", Elton John-inspired "showstopper".[14] Rolling Stone's Brittany Spanos and The Washington Post's Emily Yahr called the song "explosive" and "haunting", respectively.[2][15] Maeve McDermott of Chicago Sun-Times said "Always Remember Us This Way" was the soundtrack's "most intriguing entry".[3] The paper's Patrick Ryan said the song "ranks up there with 2009's "Speechless" and 2013's "Dope" as one of Gaga's best ballads".[10] The Plain Dealer's Joey Morona wrote, "Her considerable vocal prowess and control are ... on full display on the heartfelt slow jam".[16]
Chart performance
Following the soundtrack's release "Always Remember Us This Way" debuted at number-two on the US Digital Songs chart.[17] The song consecutively debuted at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100 along with four other tracks from the album charting.[18] It was present on the chart for a total of nine weeks.[19] As of February 2019, the track has sold 248,000 copies in the United States and accumulated 71 million streams.[20] The track debuted at number 32 on the Canadian Hot 100 while entering their Digital Songs chart at number-two.[21][22] In Australia, the song entered the ARIA Singles Chart at number 18, and by next week reached a peak of number 12.[23] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it Platinum for selling over 70,000 units in the country.[24] Similarly in New Zealand, the song entered the singles at number 39, and after a few weeks reached a peak of number 14.[25] The Recorded Music NZ (RMNZ) certified it Platinum for selling over 30,000 units in the country.[26]
"Always Remember Us This Way" entered the UK Singles Chart at number 39 with sales of 11,029 units on the chart dated October 12, 2018.[27] By its third week on the chart, the track had moved up to reach a peak of number 25 while selling 16,815 units, being present within the top 100 for eleven weeks.[28][29] As of February 2020, it has sold 69,800 downloads and acquired 55.7 million streams in the country.[30]
In Ireland the song reached number three on the chart in its third week. That same week first single "Shallow" held the top-spot on the Irish Singles Chart while album track "I'll Never Love Again" also reached the top-ten.[31][32] "Always Remember Us This Way" also reached the top-ten of the charts in Scotland, Sweden and Switzerland (number-one in the French-speaking part of Romandie), in the latter two in the same week.[33][34][35]
Cover versions
American singer Sabrina Carpenter covered the song on piano and uploaded a black-and-white video, where she sang the first verse and chorus.[36] In January 2019, the song was performed on Indonesian television MNCTV by singer Yohana Tarigan, during the live duet sections of the third season of Rising Star Indonesia reality competition. Tarigan's duet partner Igan Andhika sang "You Are the Reason" by Calum Scott.[37]
In January 2020, singer Zorah Lagerwerf sang the song during the first round of The Voice of Holland.[38]
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of A Star Is Born.[39]
Management
- Published by Sony/ATV Songs LLC / Happygowrucke/Creative Pulse Music/These Are Pulse Songs (BMI). All rights administered by These Are Pulse Songs, BIRB Music (ASCAP).
- All Rights Administered by BMG Rights Management (US) LLC, Maps And Records Music/Creative Pulse Music (BMI).
- All rights administered by These Are Pulse Songs, Warner-Barham Music LLC (BMI) admin. by Songs of Universal (BMI) Warner-Olive Music LLC (ASCAP) admin. by Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP).
- Recorded at Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival and EastWest Studios (Los Angeles, California)
- Mixed at Electric Lady Studios (New York City)
- Mastered at Sterling Sound Studios (New York City)
Personnel
- Lady Gaga – songwriter, producer, primary vocals, piano
- Natalie Hemby – songwriter
- Hillary Lindsey – songwriter
- Lori McKenna – songwriter
- Dave Cobb – producer
- Gena Johnson – recording
- Eddie Spear – recording
- Bo Bodnar – recording assistant
- Benjamin Rice – additional recording
- Tom Elmhirst – mixing
- Brandon Bost – mixing engineer
- Randy Merrill – audio mastering
- Chris Powell – drums
- Brian Allen – bass
- Maestro Lightford – keyboards
- LeRoy Powell – steel pedal guitar
Charts
Weekly charts
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Year-end charts
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Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
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Australia (ARIA)[24] | Platinum | 70,000 |
Belgium (BEA)[83] | Platinum | 40,000 |
Denmark (IFPI Denmark)[84] | Platinum | 90,000 |
France (SNEP)[85] | Diamond | 333,333 |
Italy (FIMI)[86] | Platinum | 50,000 |
New Zealand (RMNZ)[26] | Platinum | 30,000 |
Norway (IFPI Norway)[87] | 3× Platinum | 180,000 |
Portugal (AFP)[88] | 2× Platinum | 20,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI)[89] | Platinum | 600,000 |
United States (RIAA)[90] | Platinum | 1,000,000[20] |
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone |
Release history
Region | Date | Format | Label | Ref. |
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United Kingdom | November 24, 2018 | Adult contemporary radio | Polydor | [5] |
Italy | January 4, 2019 | Contemporary hit radio | Universal | [6] |
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