{{Good article}} {{Use mdy dates|date=January 2026}} {{Infobox song | name = Electric Chapel | cover = Lady Gaga - Electric Chapel.jpg | caption = Vinyl box set picture disc cover | alt = | type = | artist = Lady Gaga | album = Born This Way | published = {{Start date|2011|5|18}} | released = {{start date|2011|5|23}} | written = {{circa}} 2010{{notetag|In May 2011 Lady Gaga tweeted that she started writing "Electric Chapel" in Australia, and finished it in her tourbus in Europe. Most likely she referred to her 2010 The Monster Ball Tour legs in aforementioned continents, meaning that the song was written from March 2010, and was finalized some time before June 2010. However, Take 40 Australia writer suggested that the song might have been inspired by Lady Gaga's live performance on Australia's The Chapel arena, an event that took place in June 2009.<ref name="wri"/>}} | recorded = | studio = Officine Meccaniche (Milan) | venue = | genre = * Electro-rock * pop metal | length = 4:12 | label = * Streamline * KonLive * Interscope | writer = * Lady Gaga * Paul Blair aka DJ White Shadow | producer = * Lady Gaga * Paul Blair aka DJ White Shadow | misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|DDt_oagItBM|"Electric Chapel"}}|header=Audio video|type=song}} }} "'''Electric Chapel'''" is a song recorded by American singer Lady Gaga for her second studio album, ''Born This Way'' (2011). Written and produced by Gaga and DJ White Shadow, the recording premiered on Facebook gaming app ''FarmVille'', as did the album's fifth single, "Marry the Night". Gaga revealed on Twitter that "Electric Chapel" was written in Australia and finished on her tour bus in Europe. She recorded it channeling the vocals of bands like Duran Duran, and singers Cher and Billy Idol.
"Electric Chapel" is an electronic rock and pop metal song that incorporates elements of 80s pop music and heavy metal in its composition. Critics praised the track, with Dan Martin from ''NME'' comparing it to the work of Madonna; other reviewers noted the rock and sci-fi musical elements associated in it. "Electric Chapel" reached number 23 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart and number 144 on the South Korean International Download Chart. It was performed on Gaga's Born This Way Ball tour (2012–2013), where she sang it while standing inside a set piece that had the song's name written on top.
==Background and composition== "Electric Chapel" was first previewed when a one-minute portion of its instrumental was used for Gaga's Transmission Gagavision 44 video. With the title's track being displayed on a paper during the end of the clip, it additionally made an appearance in the music video for "Judas" (2011).<ref name=idolator/><ref>{{cite web|last=Montgomery|first=James|title=Lady Gaga's 'Judas' Video: A Pop-Culture Cheat Sheet|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663416/lady-gaga-judas-video-references.jhtml|publisher=MTV News|date=May 6, 2011|access-date=June 10, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110509022504/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1663416/lady-gaga-judas-video-references.jhtml|archive-date=May 9, 2011}}</ref> Subsequently, Gaga revealed on Twitter that the song was written in Australia and finished on her tour bus in Europe. Describing the recording's lyrical themes as delving on "needing to feel safe to find love", it was theorized by a writer from Take 40 Australia to be inspired by the singer's 2009 live performance on Australia's The Chapel arena.<ref name="wri">{{cite web|url=http://www.take40.com/news/23754/lady-gaga-wrote-new-song-in-australia---inspired-by-live-at-the-chapel|title=Lady Gaga Wrote New Song in Australia – Inspired By Live at the Chapel?|work=Take 40 Australia|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 18, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110526080325/http://www.take40.com/news/23754/lady-gaga-wrote-new-song-in-australia---inspired-by-live-at-the-chapel|archive-date=May 26, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> Like the opening track of ''Born This Way''—"Marry the Night"—the song made its debut on a special edition of social network game ''FarmVille'', called GagaVille and released on May 18, 2011.<ref name=idolator>{{cite web|last=Daw|first=Robbie|url=http://www.idolator.com/5864722/lady-gaga-electric-chapel|title=Lady Gaga Is Goin' To The 'Electric Chapel' On New Pop-Metal Track|publisher=Idolator|date=May 18, 2011|access-date=June 10, 2012|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120630161542/http://idolator.com/5864722/lady-gaga-electric-chapel|archive-date=June 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Shaul|first=Brandy|title=FarmVille GagaVille Electric Chapel Goal: Everything you need to know|url=http://www.aol.com/article/2011/05/18/farmville-gagaville-quest-2-electric-chapel-everything-you-need/19943330/|publisher=AOL|date=May 18, 2011|access-date=June 10, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160709021030/http://www.aol.com/article/2011/05/18/farmville-gagaville-quest-2-electric-chapel-everything-you-need/19943330/|archive-date=July 9, 2016}}</ref>
[[File:EXIT 2012 Duran Duran (1).jpg|left|thumb|Gaga channeled the vocals of bands like Duran Duran (''pictured'') on "Electric Chapel".]] "Electric Chapel" has been compared to the work of Madonna, with ''NME''{{'}}s Dan Martin saying that "if you'd ever wondered what that Madonna doing the soundtrack to Blade Runner might have sounded like... then wonder no more."<ref name="btwnme">{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/lady-gaga-born-this-way-track-by-track-album-review|title=Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way' – Track-By-Track Album Review|first=Dan|last=Martin|work=NME|date=May 18, 2011|access-date=August 20, 2011|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131002032942/http://www.nme.com/blogs/nme-blogs/lady-gaga-born-this-way-track-by-track-album-review|archive-date=October 2, 2013}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8523548/Lady-Gagas-Born-This-Way-track-by-track-review.html|title=Lady Gaga's Born This Way: track-by-track review|first=Neil|last=McCormick|date=May 19, 2011|work=The Daily Telegraph|access-date=August 4, 2011|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131003041927/http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/rockandpopfeatures/8523548/Lady-Gagas-Born-This-Way-track-by-track-review.html|archive-date=October 3, 2013}}</ref> Genre-wise, Brian Hiatt of ''Rolling Stone'' referred "Electric Chapel" to as an electro rock recording,<ref name="rsint">{{cite magazine|last=Hiatt|first=Brian|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/deep-inside-the-unreal-world-of-lady-gaga-20110609|title=Deep Inside the Unreal World of Lady Gaga|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=June 9, 2011|access-date=November 26, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131030051935/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/deep-inside-the-unreal-world-of-lady-gaga-20110609|archive-date=October 30, 2013}}</ref> while Robbie Daw of Idolator dubbed the song as being of the pop metal genre, attesting that unlike fellow song from ''Born This Way'', "Heavy Metal Lover", "Electric Chapel" possesses an actual metal-edge.<ref name=idolator/> Gaga recorded the chorus a number of times, channeling the vocals of bands like Duran Duran, and singers Cher and Billy Idol. Inspired by 1980s music, the track incorporates a spoken word section, which Gaga wanted to sound like The B-52's song "Rock Lobster" (1978). She explained to Brian Hiatt of ''Rolling Stone'' that when she "say[s] 'electric chapel,' something needs to occur... It needs to be more fantasy. You should see the empress of the Vatican unicorn planet appear and soar across the nightclub."<ref name="rsint"/>
Writing for music website Beats Per Minute, Brent Koepp described the song as "Iron Maiden meets 80s pop".<ref>{{cite web|last=Koepp|first=Brent|title=Album review: Lady Gaga Born This Way|url=http://beatsperminute.com/reviews/album-review-lady-gaga-born-this-way/|publisher=Beats Per Minute|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120527150028/http://beatsperminute.com/reviews/album-review-lady-gaga-born-this-way/|archive-date=May 27, 2012}}</ref> According to the sheet music published by Musicnotes.com, "Electric Chapel" has a time signature of common time, and a pop-rock tempo of 128 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of A minor with Gaga's vocals ranging from E<sub>3</sub> to C<sub>5</sub>. It also has a basic sequence of Am–Dm–Am–Dm–F serving as its chord progression.<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga 'Electric Chapel' Sheet Music|date = September 26, 2011|url=http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0097126|publisher=Musicnotes.com|access-date=June 10, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827170557/http://www.musicnotes.com/sheetmusic/mtd.asp?ppn=MN0097126|archive-date=August 27, 2016}}</ref> "Electric Chapel" was later remixed by Irish indie rock band Two Door Cinema Club; this version was included on the singer's second remix album titled ''Born This Way: The Remix'' (2011). Gaga unveiled the remix during a cover shoot for ''Elle'' magazine.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a353322/lady-gaga-unveils-electric-chapel-remix-on-elle-cover-shoot/|title=Lady GaGa unveils 'Electric Chapel' remix on 'Elle' cover shoot|last=Copsey|first=Robert|date=November 28, 2011|access-date=January 23, 2016|work=Digital spy|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160911015219/http://www.digitalspy.com/music/news/a353322/lady-gaga-unveils-electric-chapel-remix-on-elle-cover-shoot/|archive-date=September 11, 2016}}</ref> A reviewer from BBC Music complimented the remix, saying that "Two Door Cinema Club almost make 'Electric Chapel' sound like a collaboration between Gaga and Hot Chip".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/36zb/|title=Lady Gaga Born This Way: The Remix Review|last=Levine|first=Nick|date=November 28, 2011|access-date=January 23, 2016|publisher=BBC Music|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160109162030/http://www.bbc.co.uk/music/reviews/36zb|archive-date=January 9, 2016}}</ref>
==Reception== [[File:Lady Gaga Electric Chapel Manchester.jpg|thumb|Gaga performing "Electric Chapel" on her Born This Way Ball tour in Manchester, September 2012]] Overall, "Electric Chapel" received positive reviews from music critics. Robbie Daw from Idolator felt that "Electric Chapel" surpassed the released singles from ''Born This Way'' in craftsmanship and praised the "hard rock ominous guitar riffs", calling them a tease. Vocally, he found Gaga was channeling Lita Ford and dubbed the track as one of the album's strongest compositions.<ref name=idolator/> Caryn Ganz of ''Spin'' wrote that "Electric Chapel" "pairs divine diva thump with a Van Halen guitar solo."<ref>{{cite web|last=Ganz|first=Caryn|title=Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way'|url=http://www.spin.com/2011/05/lady-gaga-born-way-streamlinekonliveinterscope/|work=Spin|date=May 23, 2012|access-date=June 14, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150414141206/http://www.spin.com/2011/05/lady-gaga-born-way-streamlinekonliveinterscope/|archive-date=April 14, 2015}}</ref> ''NME'' writer Dan Martin published a review on the song, confessing that "perhaps ['Electric Chapel'] nails the record's blood-and-chrome aesthetics most effectively of all."<ref>{{cite web|last=Martin|first=Dan|title=Album Review: Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way'|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/lady-gaga/12061|work=NME|date=May 17, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521143106/http://www.nme.com/reviews/lady-gaga/12061|archive-date=May 21, 2011}}</ref> In another review, Martin compared its opening riffs to Opus III's 1983 song "It's a Fine Day", with him further likening the recording to science fiction music.<ref name="btwnme"/> Kerri Mason from ''Billboard'' described the track as a "technicolor wedding" with a "fat guitar riff".<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Mason|first=Kerri|title=Lady Gaga 'Born This Way': Track-By-Track Review|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/471176/lady-gaga-born-this-way-track-by-track-review|magazine=Billboard|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130315090009/http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/471176/lady-gaga-born-this-way-track-by-track-review|archive-date=March 15, 2013}}</ref> Bradley Stern from ''MuuMuse'' praised the cut, feeling that "Gaga takes ''Born This Way'' to new levels of pop-dom on cuts like the jagged 'Electric Chapel' and 'Heavy Metal Lover'".<ref>{{cite web|last=Stern|first=Bradley|title=Lady Gaga: Born This Way (Album Review)|url=http://www.muumuse.com/2011/05/lady-gaga-born-this-way-album-review.html/|publisher=MuuMuse|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2016|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160421232303/http://www.muumuse.com/2011/05/lady-gaga-born-this-way-album-review.html/|archive-date=April 21, 2016}}</ref>
Ann Powers from NPR noticed the influence of Duran Duran in the track, while believing Gaga to imagine "Electric Chapel" as an output from "an electric guitar-wielding girl group".<ref>{{cite web|last=Powers|first=Ann|title=First Take: Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way'|url=https://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2011/05/18/136429290/first-take-lady-gagas-born-this-way|publisher=NPR|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160822105612/http://www.npr.org/sections/therecord/2011/05/18/136429290/first-take-lady-gagas-born-this-way|archive-date=August 22, 2016}}</ref> Kristen S. Hé of ''Vulture'' described the track as one that "throbs like neon synthwave with a heavy-metal edge". Comparing the opening riff to Judas Priest, he added that "if you're still confused about the album's infamous bionic-motorbike cover, 'Electric Chapel' should make you a believer."<ref name="Vulture">{{Cite journal|url=https://www.vulture.com/article/best-lady-gaga-songs-ranked.html|title=Every Lady Gaga Song, Ranked A deep dive into a star who almost single-handedly raised the bar for pop music.|first=Kristen|last=S. Hé|website=Vulture|access-date=April 22, 2025|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20250422041654/https://www.vulture.com/article/best-lady-gaga-songs-ranked.html|archive-date=April 22, 2025}}</ref> While reviewing every track from ''Born This Way'', ''Rolling Stone''{{'s}} Jody Rosen observed that in "Electric Chapel" Gaga wrote about hoping for a monogamous relationship, with heavy guitar riffs and metal solo being characteristics of the record.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Rosen|first=Jody|title=Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way': A Track-by-Track Breakdown|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lady-gagas-born-this-way-a-track-by-track-breakdown-20110518|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=May 17, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170619204234/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/lady-gagas-born-this-way-a-track-by-track-breakdown-20110518|archive-date=June 19, 2017}}</ref> In an article in ''GQ'' about 10 detrimental things on ''Born This Way'', a writer from the magazine listed the track's lyrics as "reek[ing] of a lack of ideas, not a distortion of form. Sing words. It's easy".<ref>{{cite web|last=Haider|first=Awra|title=10 Things We Really Hate (And One We Love) About Lady Gaga's Born This Way|url=https://www.gq.com/story/lady-gaga-born-this-way-album-review|work=GQ|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 14, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160920142021/http://www.gq.com/story/lady-gaga-born-this-way-album-review|archive-date=September 20, 2016}}</ref>
"Electric Chapel" debuted and peaked at number 23 on ''Billboard''{{'}}s Dance/Electronic Digital Songs chart on the issue dated June 11, 2011, spending one week on the chart.<ref name="dance"/> It also made an appearance at number 144 on the South Korean International Download Chart.<ref name="gaon"/>
==Live performances== Gaga performed "Electric Chapel" on her Born This Way Ball tour (2012–2013).<ref>{{cite web|title=Lady Gaga Delights Fans As She Begins 'Born This Way Ball' Tour in South Korea – Video|url=http://www.capitalfm.com/artists/lady-gaga/news/born-this-way-ball-tour-south-korea-review/|publisher=Capital FM. Global Radio|date=April 27, 2012|access-date=June 10, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120507225840/http://www.capitalfm.com/artists/lady-gaga/news/born-this-way-ball-tour-south-korea-review/|archive-date=May 7, 2012}}</ref> The track was included during the tour's third segment, where Gaga performed "The Queen" and "You and I", before transcending into "Electric Chapel" and "Americano" from ''Born This Way''. The singer was present inside a glass set piece onstage, referred by her as an electric chapel.<ref>{{cite web|last=Dumaual|first=Miguel|title=Review: Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way Ball'|url=https://www.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/05/23/12/review-lady-gagas-born-way-ball|publisher=ABS-CBN Corporation|date=May 23, 2011|access-date=June 9, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160827132931/http://news.abs-cbn.com/lifestyle/05/23/12/review-lady-gagas-born-way-ball|archive-date=August 27, 2016}}</ref> Sean Sennett from ''The Australian'' complimented the performance of the song, saying that "by the time 'Electric Chapel' has rolled around the band are shredding like a glorious 80s LA metal act".<ref>{{cite web|last=Sennett|first=Sean|title=Lady Gaga sets new benchmark with her Born This Way Ball|url=http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/lady-gaga-sets-new-tour-benchmark/story-fn9d2mxu-1226395414068|work=The Australian|date=June 14, 2012|access-date=August 11, 2016|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120617133756/http://www.theaustralian.com.au/arts/music/lady-gaga-sets-new-tour-benchmark/story-fn9d2mxu-1226395414068|archive-date=June 17, 2012}}</ref> Kwaak Je-yup from ''The Korea Times'' gave positive feedback to Gaga for singing live during the tour, but found her voice cracked during "Electric Chapel".<ref>{{cite web|last=Je-yup|first=Kwaak|title=Gaga's tour playful but not shocking|url=https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/04/143_109924.html|work=The Korea Times|date=April 29, 2012|access-date=June 9, 2012|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120503055340/http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/art/2012/04/143_109924.html|archive-date=May 3, 2012}}</ref>
==Credits and personnel==<!-- Source not needed per WP:PERSONNEL -->
===Recording and management=== * Recorded at Officine Meccaniche in Milan, Italy * Mixed at Setai Recording Studio (Miami Beach) * Mastered at Oasis Mastering (Burbank, California) * Published by Stefani Germanotta P/K/A Lady Gaga (BMI) Sony/ATV Songs, LLC/ House of Gaga Publishing, LLC / GloJoe Music Inc. (BMI) * Maxwell and Carter Publishing, LLC (ASCAP), administered by Universal Music Publishing Group and Maxwell and Carter Publishing, LLC (BMI) administered by Universal Music Publishing Group.
===Personnel=== *Lady Gaga – vocals, songwriter, producer *DJ White Shadow – drum programming, keyboards *Brian Gaynor – keyboards, bass *Kareem "Jesus" Devlin Byrne – guitars *Dave Russell – recording, mixing *Gene Grimaldi – audio mastering *Philip Knight – assistant
==Charts== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders sortable" style="text-align:center" |+ Weekly chart performance for "Electric Chapel" !scope="col"|Chart (2011) !scope="col"|Peak<br>position |- !scope="row"|South Korea International (GAON)<ref name="gaon">{{cite web|url=http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=S1020&termGbn=week&hitYear=2011&targetTime=23&nationGbn=E|title=Gaon Digital Chart – 2011.05.22~2011.05.28|language=ko|publisher=Gaon Music Chart|access-date=November 26, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160816202250/http://gaonchart.co.kr/main/section/chart/online.gaon?serviceGbn=S1020&termGbn=week&hitYear=2011&targetTime=23&nationGbn=E|archive-date=August 16, 2016}}</ref> |144 |- !scope="row"|US Dance/Electronic Digital Songs (''Billboard'')<ref name="dance">{{cite web|url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/306341/lady-gaga/chart?page=1&f=1099|title=Lady Gaga – Chart history|work=Billboard Dance/Electronic Digital Songs for Lady Gaga|access-date=November 26, 2013|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170722034530/http://www.billboard.com/artist/306341/lady-gaga/chart?page=1&f=1099|archive-date=July 22, 2017}}</ref> |23 |}
==Notes== {{reflist|group=note}}
==References== {{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}
{{Lady Gaga songs}}
{{Authority control}}
Category:2011 songs Category:American heavy metal songs Category:Electronic rock songs Category:Glam metal songs Category:Lady Gaga songs Category:Song recordings produced by Lady Gaga Category:Songs written by DJ White Shadow Category:Songs written by Lady Gaga