"Poker Face" is a song by American singerLady Gaga from her debut studio album,The Fame (2008). It was released on September 23, 2008, as the album's second single, throughStreamline Records,KonLive,Cherrytree Records, andInterscope Records. The song was written and recorded in January 2008, and was written by Gaga herself, alongside the song's producer,RedOne. It was also recorded atRecord Plant Studios, based inHollywood, Los Angeles. The song is asynth-pop anddance-pop tune in the key ofG♯ minor, following in the footsteps of her previous single "Just Dance", but with a much darker musical tone. The song revolves aroundbisexuality, and was a tribute by Gaga to herrock and roll boyfriends. The song's lyrics feature various sexual innuendos.
Upon its release, "Poker Face" was acclaimed by most critics, who praised the song's robotichook and chorus. Commercially, the song attained worldwide success, topping the charts in 20 countries including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and many European countries. With over 14 million copies sold, "Poker Face" is one of theworld's best-selling singles ever and became thebest-selling single of 2009 worldwide with over 9.8 million in sales that year alone. It was certifiedDiamond by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA) in 2015.
"Poker Face" was written by Gaga andRedOne, while production was handled also by RedOne.[1] Gaga stated in an interview that "Poker Face" was written by her as a pop song and was a tribute to her "rock 'n' roll boyfriends". She also stated that the main idea behind the song was sex and gambling.[2] WhenRolling Stone magazine asked about the meaning of the line "bluffin' with my muffin", Gaga explained that it really was a metaphor for hervulva, noting "it's my pussy's poker face!". She added that it came from a lyric "Blueberry kisses, the muffin man misses them kisses" from an unreleased track called "Blueberry Kisses" where a girl wanted her boyfriend to performcunnilingus on her.[3]
During herFame Ball Tour performance atPalm Springs, California, on April 11, 2009, Gaga explained to the crowd the true meaning behind the term "Poker Face" used in the song. She suggested that the song dealt with her personal experience withbisexuality. The idea behind the song was to be with a man but fantasizing about a woman, hence the man in the song needs to read her "Poker Face" to understand what is going through her mind.[4]
"Poker Face" is asynth-pop[5] anddance-pop[6] song, and follows the footsteps of Gaga's previous single "Just Dance".[5] Whereas "Just Dance" was predominatelyelectropop, "Poker Face" carries adark sound with clear vocals on thechorus and a pophook[7] while combining thesynths from "Just Dance" and the moredance-oriented beat of the next single "LoveGame".[8] According to Kerri Mason ofBillboard, the composition "carr[ies] the pleather-and-sequins vibe of the downtown New York scene out of the underground and onto the FM dial without losing its smut andsass."[9]
A 23-second sample from "Poker Face" which plays the chorus, where Gaga's voice spans from B4 to F♯3, followed by the stutteringhook which referencesBoney M.'s song "Ma Baker".
"Poker Face" is set in a common timetime signature, with a fasttempo of 120beats per minute. It is written in the key ofG♯ minor with Gaga'svocal range spanning from the note F♯3 to the note B4.[10][11] It begins with a medium tempo followed by electronic chord arrangement and the "Mum-mum-mum-mah" hook. The chords follow in this order: G♯m–E/G♯–F♯, and then for the chorus G♯m–E–B–F♯. This is followed by the sound ofdance music, produced by a powerful beat from the instruments, and a stutteringhook following the chorus.[10]
Lyrically, "Poker Face" is all about sexual innuendo and teasing.[7] According toDaily Star, thechorus repeats two alternating lyrics. After the hook "can't read my poker face", the backup singer says "she's got me like nobody". Gaga explained in an interview with them that the line carries a bit of an undertone of confusion about love and sex.[12] However, the liner notes from the album booklet indicate both these lines only repeat "she's got me like nobody".[1] According toBBC, the "Mum-mum-mum-mah" hook used in the song referencesBoney M.'s 1977 hit "Ma Baker".[13]
Upon release, "Poker Face" received critical acclaim. Priya Elan fromThe Times, in a review ofThe Fame, said that "Poker Face" was one of the finest moments of the album with its "love-as-card-game cheek".[14]BBC Music reviewed the "strut-tastic" single as "expressing her overwhelming desire for celebrity and fortune."[15] Bill Lamb ofAbout.com said, "'Poker Face' works well on pop radio, but with slight mixing alterations it would be equally at home in a dark, sweaty, late night party atmosphere. She has refreshed the pop world in the US and UK at one of the slowest times of the year. 'Poker Face' keeps the motors humming as everyone waits for the next step forward from Lady Gaga."[7] Chris Williams ofBillboard also gave a positive review of the song saying, "Once again, hooks are aplenty, with '80s-inspired synthesizers, robotic verses and a warm, sunny hook in the chorus, which is even more addictive than the previous single ('Just Dance')...With a focused artistic vision, a swagger in her interview style and above all, a fantastic collection of diverse pop nuggets, Gaga is playing her cards right—and "Poker" is another obvious ace."[16]
Slant Magazine music reviewer Sal Cinquemani included "Poker Face" among the songs that work inThe Fame, namely tracks like "Starstruck," "Paper Gangsta" and "Summerboy".[17] Matthew Chisling fromAllmusic called the song "infectious" and along with the title track "The Fame", complimented them for "rejuvenating the vibe on the album for its second half."[18] Andy Downing fromThe Chicago Tribune called the song "jaunty" while reviewing Gaga'sFame Ball tour.[19] Evan Sawdey fromPopMatters.com felt that "Poker Face" along with the track "Paparazzi", duplicate much of the same "glitzy territory that previous single 'Just Dance' had covered, but never once does it feel like Gaga is deliberately repeating herself."[20]Rolling Stone in a review for The Fame Ball Tour compared the live acoustic "bluesy" version of "Poker Face" with the music of singerAmy Winehouse.[21] Erika Hobert from theNew Times Broward-Palm Beach newspaper called the song "trashtasticEuropop."[22] The song was nominated forGrammy Awards in the categories forSong of the Year,Record of the Year, andBest Dance Recording, ultimately winning the last of these.[23][24]
Rolling Stone ranked it number ninety-six on their list of 100 Best Songs of the 2000s decade.[25] In October 2011,NME placed it at number 103 on its list "150 Best Tracks of the Past 15 Years".[26] In 2019,Billboard ranked the song number two on their list of the 15 greatest Lady Gaga songs,[27] and in 2020,The Guardian ranked the song number seven on their list of the 30 greatest Lady Gaga songs.[28]
In the United States, the song debuted at number 92 on theBillboard Hot 100 for the week of January 3, 2009 and reached number six on March 7 of that year.[29] The next week, the song climbed another three places, reaching the number three position and staying there for two additional weeks.[30] On theBillboard issue dated April 11, 2009, the song topped the chart.[31] "Poker Face" became Gaga's second consecutive number one song on theBillboard Hot 100, marking the first time a new artist has had their first two charting singles hit number one on that chart sinceChristina Aguilera did so with "Genie in a Bottle" and "What a Girl Wants" in 1999 and 2000.[32] The song spent one week at the top of the chart, nine weeks at number two, 18 weeks in the Top 10 and stayed on the Hot 100 for a total of 40 weeks. "Poker Face" also peaked on both theHot Dance Airplay andHot Dance Club Play charts.[33] It became the first single sinceMadonna's 2006 single "Sorry" to top all the three dance charts in a single week including theHot Dance Singles Sales chart.[34] The song has been certified Diamond by theRecording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and sold 7.5 million paid digital downloads in the United States as of February 2018, according toNielsen SoundScan.[35] Gaga is the first artist in digital history to top the six and seven million mark in paid downloads with two songs, the first being "Just Dance".[36][37] "Poker Face" is Gaga's most digitally-sold track in the United States.[38]
In Canada, the song debuted at number 41 on theCanadian Hot 100. On the chart dated December 13, 2008, "Poker Face" ascended to the number one spot and then spent nine non-consecutive weeks at the top.[39] The song was later certified Diamond byMusic Canada for sales of 800,000 copies.[40] "Poker Face" entered the Australian charts at number 26, and in its seventh week peaked at number one.[41] "Poker Face" has shipped over 1,050,000 copies in Australia, being certified fifteen timesplatinum by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA).[42] It held the record for the longest-charting song inARIA Chart history of 106 weeks until this was broken in May 2015 byVance Joy's "Riptide".[43] In New Zealand, the song debuted on the official chart at number 21. In its sixth week, it peaked on the chart spending 10 consecutive weeks at number one.[44] "Poker Face" was later certified quintuple platinum, selling over 150,000 copies according to theRecording Industry Association of New Zealand (RIANZ).[45]
In the United Kingdom, "Poker Face" debuted at number 30 on theUK Singles Chart. After three months, it climbed to number one and provided Gaga with her second consecutive British number one single.[46] It was the biggest selling digital single in the United Kingdom, before being overtaken by "I Gotta Feeling" byThe Black Eyed Peas in June 2010.[47] However, the song became the country's biggest-selling single of 2009, and was awardedThe Record of the Year.[48] By September 2017 the song had 1.18 million pure sales and had been streamed 8.27 million times.[49] In January 2025, the song was awarded a quadruple platinum certification from theBritish Phonographic Industry (BPI) having sold 2.4 million copies in the UK with 155 million streams as of February 2025.[50][51][52]
In Italy, the song debuted at number 19 and peaked at number two.[53] The song has also reached the peak in a number of European countries including Austria, Belgium (Flanders and Wallonia), Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden and Switzerland.[54][55] In Germany, "Poker Face" became the most successful download single ever and the first to sell more than 500,000 downloads.[56] The song also spent 16 non-consecutive weeks atop theBillboardEuropean Hot 100 Singles chart.[57] By November 2009, the song had sold over 9.8 million copies globally according toIFPI, making it the world's best-selling overall single that year.[58] It went on to sell over 13.4 million copies by 2013, making it one of thebest-selling singles ever.[58][59][60]
Gaga playing poker in the music video, wearing her anvil-like shoulder pads.[61] She said the design was meant to evoke a futuristic look,[62] a theme that several journalists also noted in their commentary on the video's visual style.[63][64]
The music video for "Poker Face", directed byRay Kay,[65] was filmed at the luxury villa onbwin PokerIsland[66] and featured bwin branded poker equipment asproduct placement.[67]The video premiered on October 22, 2008. It is set by a pool, as well as in a mansion. It begins with Gaga emerging from the pool wearing a mirror masquerade mask and a black sleeveless latex bodysuit with a jagged shoulder pad, with twoGreat Danes beside her. She throws the mask aside and the song begins with a facial shot of Gaga singing it.[65] Gaga wears a metallic sticker on her left cheek in this shot. Featured in the video are scenes of Gaga in a mansion and dancing poolside with her dancers in a turquoise leotard.[65] Gaga attends a wild party where every man and woman tries their luck on astrip poker game. The party gets wilder when all the party's guests strip down to their underwear, dance around, and share kisses with each other. The video also features several white mannequins on her swimming pool deck. During the musical interlude before the "I won't tell you that I love you" bridge, Gaga is shown in her trademark "Pop Music Will Never Be Low Brow" sunglasses while sitting beside the pool. The video ends with the head shot of Gaga singing the "mum-mum-mum-ma" hook.
Gaga explained the main idea behind the music video for "Poker Face" in the nineteenth episode of her "Transmission Gagavision" series: "I knew I wanted it to be sexy, so I thought no pants, because that's sexy, [...] And I knew I wanted it to be futuristic, so I thought shoulder pads, because that's my thing."[62] The music video premiered onBritish MTV on February 17, 2009. In some versions of the video, the words "muffin" (being a slang term for a woman'svagina), "Russian Roulette" and "gun" are censored out (bleeped).[68]
Tom Breihan ofStereogum believed the music video solidified Gaga as an artist whose music videos are always an "event", with the imagery sometimes being even more important than the music itself. He added, "if Gaga seemed slightly eccentric in the 'Just Dance' video, the 'Poker Face' clip revealed her to be some kind of sci-fi demon."[63] An article byRolling Stone called the video "robotic, dark", featuring elaborate fashion pieces, such as the "shoulder pads that look like anvils".[61]Rolling Stone Australia opined the "Poker Face" video "introduced Gaga the fashionphile", with a "flurry of looks [that] were bewilderingly strange and sultry".[69]Billboard's Hannah Dailey found it a "sleek, avant-garde project" featuring "futuristic outfits" and "stunning choreography".[64] On June 21, 2009, the video won theBest International Artist Video at the2009 MuchMusic Video Awards.[70] The video received four nominations at the2009 MTV Video Music Awards, in the categories ofVideo of the Year,Best New Artist,Best Female Video andBest Pop Video. Along with five other nominations for "Paparazzi", Gaga was tied withBeyoncé for most nominations each for that year.[71]
Gaga performing the piano version of "Poker Face" wearing a dress made of plastic bubbles (top), and singing its album version as the encore (bottom), both atThe Fame Ball Tour in 2009
"Poker Face" has been performed by Gaga at a number of shows including theAOL Sessions,[73] theCherrytree House ofInterscope Records,[74] and also theMTV sessions.[75] The song was performed by Gaga both in the original version and the acoustic piano version in her headliningThe Fame Ball Tour. She performed the piano version wearing a dress made of plastic transparent bubbles and playing the glass piano with her stilletoes with a glowing mannequin, like the music video, standing in front of the stage.[76] Gaga claimed that the transparent bubble filled piano was specifically made to match her dress.[77] The actual version was performed by Gaga as the final song of theencore, after "Boys, Boys, Boys".[78] She started the performance saying "Some say Lady Gaga is a lie, and they're right: I am a lie, and every day I kill to make it true."[21] Gaga wore a nude corseted leotard embellished with crystals and an admiral's hat during the performance.[79] The hat as well as the fingerless gloves worn were decorated with the word Gaga on it.[citation needed]
On April 1, 2009, both the acoustic and normal version of "Poker Face" was performed live onFox'sAmerican Idol. The performance started with Gaga sitting at a Plexiglass piano filled with bubbles and bathed in pink light. She started singing the second verse of "Poker Face" in aBette Midler style accompanied by a violin player while wearing a shiny aluminum shoulder pad and platinum bleached blond wig. After the first chorus, the pace increased whence the original intro for the song started. Gaga got up from her seat and proceeded to perform the song in the middle of the stage. She wore a silvery leotard with a giant star on her shoulder and tassels. As the song progressed to the intermediate verse, the violinist played a hoe-down version of the music and Gaga danced around frantically over the stage. The performance ended with Gaga staring towards the audience while revealing an open zipper, patched over her left eye. The performance was described an "alien-disco performance art."[80] Cortney Harding ofBillboard wrote, "[it was] Gaga's crowning TV moment ... show[ing] middle America that she was a bona fide pop star."[81]
The acoustic version was performed by Gaga at BBC Live & In-Session on April 19, 2009.[82] On the same day, she had her first appearance on Italian TV, on the TV programQuelli che... il Calcio.[83] She also performed "Poker Face" in the United Kingdom onThe Paul O'Grady Show. First she played an acoustic version first before going on to the normal version,[84] and a rock version onFriday Night with Jonathan Ross.[85] On May 12, 2009, Gaga performed "Poker Face" onThe Ellen DeGeneres Show while wearing agyroscope on her head, designed by theatrical hat designerNasir Mazhar and playing the piano while standing on the stool. Gaga referred to the gyroscope as her "Gaga barrier". It preventedEllen DeGeneres from greeting her because of the size of the gear.[86] A remixed version of "Poker Face" and "LoveGame" was performed at the2009 MuchMusic Video Awards, during the indoor-outdoor streetside show. This performance, which included Gaga being trapped in a fake subway car surrounded by fake police officers, was billed as a tribute toNew York City.[70] Snippets of the song was performed by Gaga at thethirty-fifth season of American comedy showSaturday Night Live, while wearing a giant contraption ("The Orbit") of several metallic concentric rings that rotated around her.[87] In September 2009, Gaga appeared in French television showTaratata, where she added an improvised verse in French while performing "Poker Face".[88]
Gaga, surrounded by her male dancers, performing "Poker Face" in 2018 on theJoanne World Tour
The track was part of the setlist of Gaga'sThe Monster Ball Tour. The piano version was played by Gaga while balancing on the piano stool and holding one leg up in the air. RapperKid Cudi joined her then to perform his song "Make Her Say" which contains a sample of "Poker Face".[89] The actual version was performed at the last segment of the show. Gaga wore a dress made of guns and during the performance she pumped her hands in the air.[90] For the revamped Monster Ball shows in 2010–11, Gaga was dancing around the stage while whipping a chain.[91] "Poker Face" was also performed at the52nd Annual Grammy Awards, where Gaga opened the show with the song while standing on a pedestal. Midway through the performance, she was flung into the garbage chute of her 'Fame Factory' stage set, before emerging seated at a piano, facingElton John.[92] In May 2011, Gaga performed the song duringRadio 1's Big Weekend inCarlisle, Cumbria.[93] The song was included on the set list of herBorn This Way Ball tour (2012–2013), where she sported a modified version of her infamousmeat dress.[94] Gaga and her dancers put themselves headfirst into enormous meat grinders during the performance.[95] For her 2014 residency show,Lady Gaga Live at Roseland Ballroom she chose to perform the song in a piano-only rendition.[96] In the same year, at theArtrave: The Artpop Ball tour, Gaga performed the song in a medley with "Just Dance" and "Telephone" while wearing knee-length white dress and heels, and a bob wig.[97]
In October 2016, Gaga appeared in theCarpool Karaoke segment ofThe Late Late Show with James Corden, where "Poker Face" was one of the songs Gaga sang in the vehicle.[98] On February 5, 2017, Gaga performed the song during theSuper Bowl LI halftime show.[99] After descending from the top of the building, she started singing "Poker Face" on a tall pillar, before continuing air acrobatics and performing the song while hanging on a rope in the air.[100] "Poker Face" was later performed at theCoachella Festival, where Gaga performed it in the encore alongside "Bad Romance".[101] The track was also part of the setlist of Gaga'sJoanne World Tour (2017–2018), where she was wearing a black bejewelled fringe leotard for the performance.[102][103] The singer performed the song duringLady Gaga Enigma + Jazz & Piano (2018–2021), her Las Vegas residency, which involved two different shows. During the Enigma shows, Gaga performed "Poker Face" as the second track of the setlist,[104] while on the Jazz and Piano show, a stripped-down piano version of the song was performed.[105] It was also performed on piano during Gaga'slive-streamed concert on September 30, 2021, which was in celebration of her second collaborative album withTony Bennett, calledLove for Sale.[106][107] In 2022, Gaga performed "Poker Face" atThe Chromatica Ball stadium tour.[108]
Gaga performing "Poker Face" duringthe Mayhem Ball in 2025, depicting a battle between two versions of herself
For Gaga's performance of "Poker Face" in her 2025promotional concerts forMayhem, which included a headlining set atCoachella 2025, the stage was transformed into a life-sized chessboard to accompany a choreographed dance sequence. The performance featured a stylized battle between two opposing groups—one led by Gaga and the other by a veiled figure dressed in white. The routine concluded with Gaga emerging victorious, prompting the audience to chant "Off with Her Head" toward the defeated figure.[109] The number was later incorporated intothe Mayhem Ball tour, following the same staging and choreography.[110]
The song was also featured in theSouth Park episode titled "Whale Whores", sung onRock Band by series characterEric Cartman, with guitar byKyle Broflovski and drums byKenny McCormick. During Cartman's performance,Stan interrupts to rant aboutJapanese whaling. After Stan gives a heartfelt speech and leaves on the verge of tears, the other boys resume the song and Cartman replaces the next verse's second line with "I don't give a crap 'boutwhales so go andhug a tree."[116] On March 16, 2010,South Park's version of "Poker Face" became available as adownloadable song for the video gameRock Band, on the same day a Lady Gaga track pack featuring the original song was released.[117]
Lea Michele andIdina Menzel, in character asRachel Berry andShelby Corcoran respectively, covered an acoustic version of "Poker Face" in the "Theatricality" episode ofGlee. Their version debuted at position 100 on theBillboard Hot 100, and moved up to a peak of 20 on the next week.[118][119] It went on to become one of the show's most popular recordings; having sold 410,000 U.S. downloads, it remains the tenth best-selling song in the show's history.[120]
* Sales figures based on certification alone. ^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. ‡ Sales+streaming figures based on certification alone. † Streaming-only figures based on certification alone.
^abHudson, John (February 25, 2010)."Lady Gaga's Ambiguous Feminism".The Wire.Archived from the original on March 18, 2014. RetrievedSeptember 20, 2013.Ever since Lady Gaga stormed the airwaves with her synth-pop super-hit Poker Face, she's been an irresistible enigma to culture critics.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Radio Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 15. týden 2009 in the date selector. Retrieved November 22, 2014.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 8. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved February 24, 2025.
^"ČNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic.Note: Select 7. týden 2025 in the date selector. Retrieved February 17, 2025.
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