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I'll Never Love Again
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Wikipedia article
{{Infobox song
| name = I'll Never Love Again
| cover =
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper
| album = A Star Is Born
| released =
| recorded =
| studio = EastWest Studios,
The Village West
(Los Angeles, California)
| venue = Shrine Auditorium
| genre =
| length = 4:41 (film version)
5:28 (extended version)
3:13 (radio edit)
| label = Interscope
| writer =
| producer =
| chronology = Lady Gaga singles
| prev_title = Always Remember Us This Way
| prev_year = 2019
| next_title = Stupid Love
| next_year = 2020
| misc =
}}
"'I'll Never Love Again'" is a song from the 2018 film 'A Star Is Born', performed by its stars Lady Gaga and director Bradley Cooper whose character sings the final chorus in the flashback scene. The soundtrack contained both versions of the song including the extended version that featured Gaga as the sole performer. Gaga wrote the song with Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Aaron Raitiere. Both tracks were produced by Lady Gaga and Benjamin Rice.
The song has received widespread critical acclaim and topped the Slovakian digital charts, while entering the top-ten of the record charts in Hungary, Ireland and Scotland, and the digital charts across Europe. "I'll Never Love Again" received a contemporary hit radio release in France as the album's third single on May 27, 2019. It became the album's second overall song to win the Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media, following lead single "Shallow"'s victory and marking the only time to date that a single visual media presentation soundtrack has won this category multiple times at the Grammy Awards.
Background and composition
When Gaga was getting ready to film the final scene of 'A Star Is Born', where she sings "I'll Never Love Again", the singer got a telephone call that her childhood friend Sonja Durham was in her last moments of Stage IV cancer. Gaga left the set and drove to meet Durham, but she arrived ten minutes after her friend died. She asked Durham's husband if she should return to filming; he replied, "You've gotta do what Sonja would want you to do", so she returned to the set. Co-star and director Bradley Cooper was supportive of Gaga's loss but Gaga was adamant about finishing the scene, so she stepped on the set and sang "I'll Never Love Again". The singer said, "[Sonja] gave me a tragic gift that day and I took it with me to [the] set, and I sang that song for Jackson and for her on that very same day within an hour."
Along with the film version, the soundtrack also contains an extended version. Gaga wrote the song with Natalie Hemby, Hillary Lindsey, and Aaron Raitiere. Both tracks were produced by Lady Gaga and Benjamin Rice. The song is performed in the key of G major with a moderate tempo of 54 beats per minute in common time. It follows a chord progression of Gadd2Em7Cmaj9D9sus in the verses and Gadd2Em7(no3)Cmaj9/ED9sus in the chorus. Gaga's vocals span from G3 to E5. Brian Truitt of 'USA Today' described the song as a "weepy" ballad.
Release and performance
The song was first chosen as the third single from the soundtrack on May 27, 2019 in France, where it was serviced to contemporary hit radio stations. After soundtrack release, the song debuted at number 36 on the 'Billboard' Hot 100 chart in the United States and has since sold 226,000 copies in the country, while accumulating 66 million streams. Additionally, the song has reached the top ten position in Hungary, Ireland and Scotland, and the top ten of digital charts in Greece, Spain and Luxembourg, reaching the chart summit in Slovakia.
Critical reception
The song received universal acclaim. In her review of the film, Melina Newman of 'Billboard' called the ballad "stunning". The magazine's Tatiana Cirisano ranked Lady Gaga's performance of "I'll Never Love Again" as the film's best scene and wrote, "Not only are the lyrics devastatingly beautiful, but Gaga/Ally showcases her full, skyscraper-high range." Jon Pareles of 'The New York Times' compared the song to Harry Nilsson's "Without You" and Eric Carmen's "All by Myself", and complimented Gaga's "old-school finesse, timing, emotionality and lung power". 'Pitchfork' Larry Fitzmaurice called the song a "stunning, heart-wrenching closer" and wrote, "... even though 'I'll Never Love Again' is plenty effective on its own, the dialogue-included version of the song dramatically cuts out in its final seconds the same way the film does: jumping back in time from Gaga's time-stopping performance to a pivotal and heartbreaking scene that only enhances the song's emotional quotient".
In his film review, Ty Burr of 'The Boston Globe' said Gaga's "climactic memorial" performance of the song "will leave you a soggy mess whether you like it or not". Scott Feinberg of 'The Hollywood Reporter' predicted the song would earn Gaga an Academy Awards nomination for Best Original Song. 'USA Today' Patrick Ryan wrote, "And with 'I'll Never Love Again,' the film's devastating emotional closer, Gaga gets her own Whitney Houston moment, powering through a formidable number about love and loss with searing vulnerability and grace. It's a transcendent achievement that could single-handedly net the singer-turned-actress her first Oscar, reminding us yet again that she's one of the best vocalists right now in any genre, pop or otherwise."
Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from the liner notes of the 'A Star Is Born' soundtrack album.
Management
* Published by Sony/ATV Songs LLC / SG Songs LLC (BMI) / Happygowrucke / Creative Pulse Music/These Are Pulse Songs (BMI).* All rights administered by These Are Pulse Songs, BIRB Music (ASCAP) / BMG Rights Management (US) LLC
* Warner Tamerlane Publishing Corp. / Super LCS Publishing / One Tooth Productions (BMI), Warner-Barham Music LLC (BMI)
* Extra administration by Songs of Universal (BMI) / Warner-Olive Music LLC (ASCAP) admin. by Universal Music Corp. (ASCAP)
* Recorded at Shrine Auditorium, EastWest Studios, The Village West (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
* Natalie Hemby songwriter
* Hillary Lindsey songwriter
* Aaron Raitiere songwriter
* Benjamin Rice producer, recording
* Bo Bodnar recording assistant
* Alex Williams recording assistant
* Tom Elmhirst mixing
* Brandon Bost mixing engineer
* Randy Merrill audio mastering
* Chris Johnson drums
* Jon Drummond bass
* Brokkett Parsons keyboards
* Tim Stewart guitar
* Ricky Tillo guitar
Orchestra
* Stephen D. Oremus string engineer
* Peter Rotter strings contractor
* Alyssa Park violin
* Julie Gigante violin
* Charlie Bisharat violin
* Jessica Guiderl violin
* Bruce Dukov violin
* Luanne Homzy violin
* Benjamin Jacobson violin
* Phillip Levy violin
* Lisa Liu violin
* Maya Magub violin
* Lucia Micarelli violin
* Josefina Vergara violin
* Julie Gigante violin
* Robert Brophy violas
* Andrew Duckless violas
* Matthew Funes violas
* Darrin McCann violas
* David Walther violas
* Steve Eroody cello
* Jacob Braun cello
* Eric Byers cello
* Dennis Karmazyn cello
* Michael Valerio contrabass
* Geoffrey Osika contrabass
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
Cover versions
* In October 2018, Lea Salonga performed the song live during her 40th Anniversary Concert.
* In April 2019, Molly Hocking released a cover of the song after winning the eighth series of 'The Voice UK'. This acted as her winner's single.
See also
* List of top 10 download singles in 2018 (France)
References
Category:2010s ballads
Category:2018 singles
Category:2018 songs
Category:Bradley Cooper songs
Category:Lady Gaga songs
Category:Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media
Category:Malefemale vocal duets
Category:Pop ballads
Category:Song recordings produced by Lady Gaga
Category:Songs written by Hillary Lindsey
Category:Songs written by Lady Gaga
Category:Songs written by Natalie Hemby
Category:Songs written for films
Category:Interscope Records singles
Category:Song recordings produced by Ben Rice (producer)
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