| "Venus" | |
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&sq=Facebook&lang=en&file=File:Venus_by_Lady_Gaga_No.1.png) One of the three covers accompanying the digital release. | |
| Promotional single by Lady Gaga | |
| from the album Artpop | |
| Released | October 27, 2013 |
| Recorded | 2013 |
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| Length | 3:54 |
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| "Venus" on YouTube | |
"Venus" is a song recorded and produced by American singer Lady Gaga for her third studio album, Artpop (2013). It was written by Gaga, Paul "DJ White Shadow" Blair, Madeon, Dino Zisis, Nick Monson, and Sun Ra. The recording includes a sample from the French electropop duo Zombie Zombie's cover of Sun Ra's song "Rocket Number 9", from his studio album, Interstellar Low Ways (1966); Sun Ra received a co-writing credit on the track. Originally intended to be the second single from the album, it was released as the first promotional single from Artpop on October 27, 2013, to the iTunes Store, following the positive reception of "Do What U Want", which was planned to be a promotional single only.
"Venus" is an '80s-inspired synth-pop, dance-pop and glam rock song with four hooks, and references Sandro Botticelli's painting The Birth of Venus. Gaga worked on the song with Madeon and was inspired by a number of things, chief among them were: Venus, the Roman goddess of love, the eponymous planet, and sexual intercourse. Lyrically it also name-checks the planets in the solar system. Three accompanying artworks were designed for the single by Steven Klein, including one with a scorpion attached to Gaga's head, a picture of a dead bat, and a third showing her standing naked with an open clam shell superimposed above her shoulder and covering her lower face. A music video was initially conceived for the song, but never materialized. The track was later used during a sequence in the music video for Artpop's third single, "G.U.Y." instead.
Upon its release, "Venus" received mixed reviews from music critics. They called the song catchy, but had mixed feelings towards the lyrics, and preferred the previously released "Do What U Want". It achieved moderate success on charts around the world, reaching the top of the charts in Hungary and Spain, and the top ten in seven additional countries. The song debuted and peaked at number 32 on the US Billboard Hot 100. Gaga performed the track on the tenth series of British The X Factor, along with a suggestive performance of "Do What U Want", which prompted complaints to the broadcaster and British media regulator, Ofcom. Other notable performances occurred at The Graham Norton Show, Gaga's ArtRave promotional event, and the ArtRave: The Artpop Ball tour in 2014.