I generally like her and appreciate her for what she is. It’s not particularly helpful or original to call her derivative of Madonna - heck I don’t neccessarily consider that an insult. There are worse things than being this generation’s Madonna. So, though it’s hardly groundbreaking, it brings an “it has a good beat and you can dance to it” quality.
That having been said, reading the lyrics makes me think back to the critics of **Crash(the2004hamfistedmoralitypla,notthe1996Cronenburgmasterpiece)**TM who were so put out by what they felt was the movie beating them over the head with its selfrighteous anti racism message. I mean I know her schtick is her devotion to her marginalized fans but methinks she’s beating that drum a tad too loud. Does this song strike anyone else that way?
I’ve spun (well… streamed) it three times today. I like it, though in strictly sonic terms it seems formulaic.
I wouldn’t describe the sentiments as “schtick,” and I don’t think that the basic message is one that’s been heard quite enough yet, let alone overdone.
Hmm…it’s a fun, catchy tune. My only problem with it is the same criticism I’ve had with the rest of her music: it all sounds vaguely like I’ve heard it before somewhere in the 90s. This particular one evokes a lot of Madonna, particularly “Express Yourself” (the chorus’s melody line and rhythm in particular.) Now, that’s not to say I don’t like her work–I’m looking forward to hearing her next album, whenever it drops. I just was hoping to hear something a little more “fresh,” I guess.
I haven’t heard a single song from her that wasn’t immediately catchy and fun. Compared to Britneys completely generic and forgettable new single this is a work of art.
I was hesitant to bring up the Madonna comparison–especially given the note in the OP about it–but this really is the first Lady Gaga song that musically reminded me of Madonna. Her other work never sounded particularly Madonna-esque to me. The rest of her act, sure, I understand the Madonna comparisons.
(And, of course, “Express Yourself” is itself a bit of a riff on the Staple Singers’ “Respect Yourself.”)
Dammit, that’s what I was going to say…Except I was going to say that it sounded like the beginning of American Idol then when she started singing it sounded like Express Yourself.
It’s very derivative of circa late 80s ‘Like A Prayer’ Madonna.
I definitely see this song being played on an episode of Glee, gay pride parades, and anywhere else gay anthems are played.
Sadly, I just don’t think it’s as catchy as her other singles. (I mean in a "oh my girlfreind must have put that in my iTunes for her workout mix sort of way).
Her music is always formulaic. I think she once said in an interview that she’s not interested in masturbating with her piano, or something with that sentiment. She just wants to write catchy pop songs.
Her videos and performances are much more subtle and intelligent than the songs. In fact, she uses the simple pop tunes in her music to enhance the artistic message in her performances. Bad Romance was a song about a bad love affair, but when the video came out it became about the relationship between an artist and the music industry. Telephone was about a telephone call in a club, but the video turned it into a song about breaking free from oppressive consumption.
I expect the video for Born This Way will do something similar, and turn the message in the song into something completely different.
She’s growing on me. When I first saw her, it was in an article about her outrageous costumes. I never thought she was a singer. Actually, she reminded me of Boy George, not Madonna. For years, I thought she was a guy.
The first time I heard a Gaga song was the Cartman cover of Poker Face on South Park. I saw a couple other videos, and wasn’t impressed. However, I really like Bad Romance, and she certainly deserves respect for what she did to cause a resurgence in high budget music videos.
Overall, she certainly deserves a place in history for revitalizing videos. Whether her music stands the test of time though is questionable.
“years”? Her first album was released just over 2 years ago, on 28 October 2008. From your post, I think you think she’s been around a lot longer than she actually has.
Mercifully, I don’t think she’ll be around long enough for anyone to be able to really talk about her in those same terms.
I’m willing to bet she’s got staying power. Like I said, everything I’ve heard of hers sounds a bit derivative, but I can’t deny that almost all the tracks on The Fame are enjoyable ear candy. I just wish she would use some of that pop sensibility to push the boundaries musically a bit. It’s fun party music, and sometimes, that’s all you need or want.
Dude, y’all are forgetting the lessons of Lenny Kravitz. Copying already-successful music isn’t the same as making great music. Lenny Kravitz was everywhere for a few years, then everyone got tired of him ripping of Hendrix riffs, and now he’s nowhere. Lady Gaga can mine 1980s and early 1990s pop music all she wants, and when her sales start to drop off, maybe she and Mr. Kravitz can team up for a duet, which will prolly be reminiscent of a crappy pop-country tune from the early 1990s.
Lenny Kravitz? In terms of pop culture influence and popularity, he’s not even in the same league as Lady Gaga. (If you want to be objective, he never even had a #1 hit, and only two top tens overall. Almost every single released by Lady Gaga has charted in the Top 10.) Maybe it’s selective memory or something, but I don’t ever recall Lenny Kravitz being a cultural icon.
You obviously don’t like her music–that’s cool–but I think you are seriously underestimating the mass appeal and staying power.
You can call Lady Gaga a lot of things but never boring. Until now. I liked a lot of her stuff because it was almost always aurally interesting but not this. It isn’t a bad song, just the same song I have heard before. And like others have said, it sounds like Madonna.
You’re focusing on Mr. Kravitz level of success, but the focus should be on the impetus for his music. That’s what I’m comparing. He and Miss Germanotta seem to share a songwriting method: copy shit that was once successful as closely as possible without causing an infringement lawsuit.
The fact that Miss Germanotta has had more success with the same method than Mr. Kravitz enjoyed is immaterial; the outcome will be the same.