Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)
"Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" is a song by American singer Lady Gaga, from her debut album, The Fame (2008). It was released as the third single from the album in Australia, New Zealand and selected European countries, and the fourth single in France. The song is a calypso-styled, mid-tempo ballad, and is about breaking up with one's old partner and finding someone new. The song peaked at number fifteen on the Australian ARIA Charts and at number nine on the RIANZ charts of New Zealand. It proved to be even more successful in Sweden, where it managed to peak at number two on the Sverigetopplistan chart, as well as in the Czech Republic, France, and Hungary, where it reached the top-ten of their respective charts. "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" received Gold certifications for its sales in Australia, Denmark, New Zealand, and the United States.
"Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)"
January 10, 2009
2007–2008
Cherrytree (Santa Monica, California)
2:57
- Streamline
- KonLive
- Cherrytree
- Interscope
Martin Kierszenbaum
The accompanying Italian-American 1950s-themed music video portrayed Gaga and her friends roaming around the streets of the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City, Gaga riding a Vespa and also singing the song while at home with her boyfriend. The video was noted for its contrasting portrayal of Gaga doing feminine work, as compared to her previous endeavours. She performed "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" on her first headlining concert tour, The Fame Ball Tour, wearing a black-and-white leotard, and during the first legs of The Monster Ball Tour, while standing inside a giant gyroscope.
Background and composition[edit]
"Eh, Eh" was written by Gaga with Martin Kierszenbaum, who also produced the track. It was recorded at Cherrytree Recording Studios in Santa Monica, California.[3] In 2005, Kierszenbaum founded Cherrytree Records along with Jimmy Iovine, then chairman of Interscope Records. After signing a number of artists, he worked with then-unknown Gaga on her debut album, The Fame, producing and writing four songs with her, including the title track. One of these songs was "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)". During recording the track, Gaga fashioned a nickname for Kierszenbaum, called "Cherry Cherry Boom Boom". They kept the nickname in all the four songs they had worked on. Kierszenbaum later carried on the nickname in all his future projects.[4] Other personnel working on the song included Tony Ugval, who did the audio engineering, Robert Orton for audio mixing and Gene Grimaldi, who mastered the song at Oasis Mastering Studios in Burbank, California.[3]
"Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" is credited as a ballad compared to the rest of the dance-fuelled tracks from The Fame.[5] It is a 1980s-influenced synth-pop and bubblegum pop song,[6][7] while incorporating the "Eh, Eh" hook from Rihanna's single "Umbrella", according to Freedom du Lac from The Washington Post.[8] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, the song is set in the time signature of common time with a moderate tempo of 94 beats per minute.[9] Gaga's vocal range spans from B3 to C♯5 with the main key in which the song is set being E major.[9] The song follows in the chord progression of E–B–F♯m–E–B–F♯m.[9] Gaga stated that the lyrics of "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" are about love and she explained that "'Eh, Eh' is my simple pop song about finding someone new and breaking up with the old boyfriend."[10] Writer James E. Perone mentioned in his book The Album: A Guide to Pop Music's Most Provocative, Influential, and Important Creations that with the lyrics, Gaga maintained a focus on transitory relationships. Although the lyrics explain to her former lover that she has found someone new and does not mean to hurt him with the news, the continuous repetition of the phrase "nothing else I can say" solidifies the transient nature of the relationship portrayed.[11]
Release and chart performance[edit]
"Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" was first released in New Zealand on January 10, 2009,[21] and later in Australia on January 30, 2009.[22] "Eh, Eh" was the second most added song on Australian radio on the week beginning December 15, 2008. It first began to receive airplay on all Today Network stations. The song was confirmed as an Australian single on Lady Gaga's official website on January 15, 2009.[23] An official remix was also posted on her website that day followed by another one featuring the official cover art. On March 5, 2009, a Pet Shop Boys remix—named as "Random Soul Synthetic Mix"—became available for free download on Gaga's Australian website.[24] Synth-pop musician Frankmusik remixed the track for Gaga's 2010 album, The Remix, where he manipulated Gaga's vocals and created a dreamy quality with them, as noted by Nicki Escuedo from Phoenix New Times.[25]
"Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" debuted on the ARIA Singles Chart at number 38 on the issue of January 18, 2009. The following week it climbed to number 32 and ultimately peaked at number 15, on the issue of March 1, 2009, making it Gaga's third single to hit the top twenty there.[26] "Eh, Eh" was later certified Platinum for shipment of 70,000 copies by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[27] In New Zealand, "Eh, Eh" debuted at number 40 on the issue dated January 19, 2009. The following weeks it continued its rise on the chart and ultimately peaked at number nine, spending three weeks there, and becoming her third consecutive top ten hit in New Zealand.[28] The song was certified gold on May 24, 2009, by the Recording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ), for shipment of 7,500 copies.[29] The single reached a peak of number seven in France, and sold a total of 52,000 copies according to the SNEP.[30]
On the Billboard issue dated February 21, 2009, "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" debuted on the Canadian Hot 100 chart at number 68, despite not being released as a single, but dropped off the chart the following week. It entered the chart again for two weeks in August 2010.[31] Although "Eh, Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)" was not released in the United States, it received a gold certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for selling over 500,000 equivalent units.[32] The song also debuted at number 20 on the Swedish Singles Chart for the issue dated April 2, 2009, and peaked at number two.[33] On the Digital Songs chart of Sweden, it peaked at the top in its fourth week.[34] The song debuted on the Danish Singles Chart at number 28 on May 15, 2009, and peaked at number 14.[35] Due to the moderate chart performance in the European markets, "Eh, Eh" only reached a peak of number 40 on Billboard's European Hot 100 Singles chart.[36]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of The Fame.[3]