Hear Lady Gaga’s New Suicide Song “Princess Die”

Nicole Sia | June 27, 2012 12:03 pm

Lady Gaga may have hidden herself behind a floppy hat and sunglasses when she arrived in Melbourne earlier this week, but the belle of the Born This Way Ball bared her soul in a new song, “Princess Die,” which she performed for the first time Tuesday night (Jun. 26). “This song is a little bit sad,” Mother Monster told her Aussie fans. “But it’s about some of the most deep and personal thoughts I’ve ever had. It’s called ‘Princess Die’, D-I-E.”

Watch Gaga perform it in the video above, then jump below for the full “Princess Die” lyrics.

The piano ballad, which has a familiar “Yoü And I” quality to it, makes explicit reference to suicide and mental illness. The name “Princess Die” is of course a play on the late Princess Diana of Wales, who was killed in a car accident in 1997, and who was memorialized in Elton John‘s remake of his 1973 ode to Marilyn Monroe “Candle In The Wind.” Gaga’s tale about “another dead blonde” has qualities similar to Elton John’s composition and narrative lyrical style.

This isn’t the first time Lady Gaga has alluded to suicide in her music, or in her politics. Scenes from her autobiographical video odyssey “Marry The Night” imply the pop star made a suicide attempt — and experienced a break from reality — during a low point in her career, only to emerge stronger and defiant as a result. And it was just last year that the pop star presented her song “Born This Way” as an anthem of self-acceptance, aimed specifically at the gay community and the It Gets Better campaign. The song was even credited by the late Jamey Rodemeyer, who tragically took his own life after relentless bullying at just 14-years-old, in his own It Gets Better video contribution. He said, “[Lady Gaga] makes me so happy and she let’s me know that I was born this way.” Gaga later paid tribute to the teen in concert with her song “Hair”, telling the audience, “I wrote this [Born This Way] about how your identity is really all you’ve got when you’re in school … so tonight, Jamey, I know you’re up there looking at us, and you’re not a victim. You’re a lesson to all of us.” “Princess Die” seems to contradict that life-positive message in its romanticization of suicide.

In the video above, the singer says the song may or may not appear on her next album, but is “in no way reflective of the rest of the music” found on the upcoming release.

LADY GAGA “PRINCESS DIE” LYRICS Leave the coffin open when I go And leave my pearls and lipstick on so everybody knows Pretty’ll be the photograph I leave Laying down on famous knives so everybody sees

Bleach out all the dark, I’ll swallow Each peroxide shot, someone I know can save me from myself Maybe I’ll just clean the shit off of these fancy shoes I’ll be a Princess Die and die with you

I wish that I was strong I wish that I was wrong I wish that I could cope, but I took pills and left a note

I’m hungry from an anorexic heart I’ve been trying to tell you how I feel but was never very smart I’m wrapped in silks made for Egyptian queens I’ll do it in the swimming pool so everybody sees

Bleach out all the dark I’ll swallow each peroxide shot, volumes I know Will love and save me from myself Maybe I’ll just clean the shit off of these fancy shoes I’ll be a Princess Die and die with you

Princess Die, I want to see her cry Princess Die, Princess Die We want to watch her cry Princess Die

Wish that I was strong Wish that I was wrong Wish that I could cope, but I took pills and left a note

And wish that I would go In my rich boyfriend’s limo, oh oh Right after he proposed With a 16-carat stone wrapped in rose gold With the papparazzi all swarming ’round In my Louis Vuitton white button-down Oh, it’s not that deep So bob head your head for another dead blonde Whose real prince is in heaven She just wants to sleep

The final act of life will be in my own hands to do I’ll be a Princess Die and die with you, applaud pour vous

Do you think Gaga’s latest downer tune is sending the wrong message to troubled teens? Tell us in the comments below, or on Facebook and Twitter.

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