We made it to Mayhem! Lady Gaga’s seventh album is now out and delighting dancing Little Monsters the world over. As part of the hype, Gaga has been talking about the backstory to one song in particular, the penultimate track “Blade of Grass.” The song is inspired by a moment between Gaga and her now-fiancé, Michael Polansky, where the two were in the backyard and he asked Gaga how he should propose to her (if he were to do so someday). Gaga responded that she’d really love it if waited until after her late-March birthday to pop the question on April Fool’s Day, just to keep her guessing if he was for real or joking. No no, that’s me joking! I mean, that version is what actually happened, which is not what Gaga suggested when Michael popped that first question years ago. Her scenario definitely lends itself more to song:
“A long time ago, we were in the backyard and he said, ‘If I ever propose to you, what should I do?’ I said, ‘You can just wrap a blade of grass around my finger and I’ll say yes.’”
Despite its amorous sentiment, “Blade of Grass” paints a more nuanced portrait of romantic love, with gloomy imagery of a burned-down church and wearing a makeshift ring like a cast. In that sense, the song is about healing and closing the book on past relationships — ideas that Gaga believes everyone can relate to.
“It’s a love song between the two of us, but sometimes when we find love in our lives, it can also help us reflect on what it took to get there,” Gaga says. “Standing in my backyard, looking out at the ocean, I was thinking about all the people I’ve left behind or lost along the way. It was this incredibly happy moment and also bittersweet, which is why that record is haunting and beautiful.”
Throughout her more than 15 years in the spotlight, Gaga, 38, has been candid about her struggles with mental health, substance abuse and debilitating chronic pain. It’s why her fans on social media have been moved to see the Oscar and Grammy winner so contented and creatively energized in recent months. So for someone who once believed she needed to suffer for her art, when did Gaga realize she deserves to be happy?
“I really appreciate you asking me that question and asking it so kindly,” Gaga says. “It was recent, actually — it was in the last five years. I decided I wanted better for myself. But also, Michael and I became friends about a month before we started dating, and he basically said to me, ‘I want you to know that you could be a lot happier.’ It was hard to hear that from him; I felt a lot of shame that he could see I was unhappy. I was trying to show him I was OK, but I wasn’t really. And I think he wanted me to know that it was OK to be honest with him that I wasn’t really happy with life.
“He did a lot with me over the past five years, through friendship and love, to support me,” she adds. “He really helped me be the boss and I can’t thank him enough for that. I feel in charge of my life.”
I’ve been trying all year to temper my expectations in this lead up to Mayhem. While Joanne had some imagery I really loved, there was a part of me that missed the dance-pop-rock bangers so central to earlier Lady Gaga albums; and I’ve already gone on record about my disappointment with Chromatica. So I approached my first listen with cautious optimism. And? You guys, it’s SO GOOD. I mean, I know to each her own and it won’t be everybody’s jam. But I was blown away. I was emotional! Gaga has another interview out this week in Rolling Stone, where she describes how she envisions the album as one night out at the club. Having listened to it in order, I felt that. It’s like in each song she’s trying to exorcise her demons by singing and dancing for her life. And then it builds to the enormous emotion of “Blade of Grass,” which is truly stunning. (And yeah, definitely headed to a wedding near you.) The song feels like her marriage vows, almost too personal to share with the world, but I’m oh so happy she has. Thank you, Mother!
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