Behold, the start of an era. Lady Gaga has just dropped the first single for her upcoming seventh album, giving us a taste of what to expect from her new music. Titled “Disease,” the percussive, dark pop single revolves around healing.
“I could play the doctor / I can cure your disease,” she sings with growly, rock vocals. Gaga shared the lyrics ahead the official release tonight, teasing the song’s message before fans could hear it. Thematically, it’s reminiscent to her 2017 single “The Cure.”
Gaga previously hinted that the music on “LG7,” which is how she’s currently referring to the new record, would contain themes of suffering. “There’s a lot of pain associated with this adventure, and when I start to explore that pain, it can bring out another side to my artistry,” she told Vogue. “When I’m here at this studio, I’m relaxed, and I am able to face my demons and what’s remarkable is…that’s the music. I’m able to hear it back.”
Still, the next album—as we’ve seen on “Disease”—will be pop, thanks to her fiancé, Michael Polansky. “Michael is the person who told me to make a new pop record. He was like, ‘Babe. I love you. You need to make pop music,’” she recalled to Vogue. Polansky even added, “Like anyone would do for the person they love, I encouraged her to lean in to the joy of it. On the Chromatica tour, I saw a fire in her; I wanted to help her keep that alive all the time and just start making music that made her happy.”
Read the full lyrics to “Disease” below.
There are no more tears to cry
I heard you begging for life
Runnin’ out of medicine
You’re worse than you’ve ever beenAhhhh
Screamin for me baby
Like you’re gonna die
Poison on the inside
I could be your antidote tonightAhhhh
Screamin for me baby
Like you’re gonna die
Poison on the inside
I can be your antidote tonightI could play the doctor
I can cure your disease
If you were a sinner
I could make you believe
Lay you down like 1 2 3
Eyes roll back with ecstasy
I can smell your sickness
I can cure ya
Cure your diseaseYou’re so tortured when you sleep
Plagued with all your memories
You reach out and no one’s there
Like a god without a prayerAhhhh
Screamin’ for me baby
Like you’re gonna die
Poison on the inside
I can be your antidote tonightAhhhh
Screamin’ for me baby
Like you’re gonna die
Poison on the inside
I can be your antidote tonightI could play the doctor
I can cure your disease
If you were a sinner
I could make you believe
Lay you down like 1 2 3
Eyes roll back with ecstasy
I can smell your sickness
I can cure ya
Cure your diseaseCure your disease
I can smell your sicness
I can cure yaBring me your desire
I can cure your disease
If you were a sinner
I could make you believe
Lay you down like 1 2 3
Eyes roll back in ecstasy
I know all your secrets I can cure ya
Cure your disease
Cure your disease
Cure ya
AhhhhhI can smell your sickness
I can cure ya
I can cure your disease
Cure your disease
Cure your disease
Erica Gonzales is the Senior Culture Editor at ELLE.com, where she oversees coverage on TV, movies, music, books, and more. She was previously an editor at HarpersBAZAAR.com. There is a 75 percent chance she’s listening to Lorde right now.
