Lady Gaga’s previous albums The Fame and Fame Monster spawned a series of massive dancefloor hits including ‘Poker Face’ and ‘Telephone’. Both albums set her up as a music and cultural magpie, stealing from icons such as Madonna, Michael Jackson and David Bowie. Born This Way is hatched from that same clutch of icons but takes the shock tactics Lady Gaga uses on the red carpet and channels them into songs.
No topic is off limits with sex and religion featuring heavily in tracks such as ‘Bloody Mary’ and ‘Judas’ – only Lady Gaga could turn the betrayal of Christ into a pop song with a chorus that goes, “I’m just a holy fool / baby it’s so cruel / but I’m still in love with Judas baby.” And just like her fashion sense, it’s difficult to gauge if there’s real genius behind her song choices, or whether it’s just done to cause controversy.
Many of the tracks are trying to capitalise on her previous run of success in creating club hits, especially ones that appeal to a gay audience. As a self-aware gay anthem, title track ‘Born This Way’ features conceited lyrics about self-worth and sexuality. ‘Government Hooker’ is also controversial in its subject matter and mixes disembodied vocals with the popping candy beats of Britney Spears’ ‘Gimmie More’. The Britney vibe is also carried into ‘Heavy Metal Lover’ which features robotic voice effects and music that dreamily fades in and out.
Album low point is ‘You and I’ a track where glam rock meets the southern belt – think Shania Twain performing in a Queen tribute act. But ‘Hair’ and ‘Highway Unicorn (Road to Love)’ are prime examples of what Gaga is best at, which is mashing genres together and being playful with music. The track certainly has a touch of The Killers Day And Age about it, and some might question Gaga’s lyrical integrity, “I’ve had enough / this is my prayer / I’ll die living just as straight as my hair.”
There has been a lot of press coverage recently concerning Lady Gaga’s fashion choices, whether it’s that meat dress or arriving at the Grammys in an egg. Despite what she wears, ultimately it’s the music that matters most to her fans. Born This Way hasn’t cemented Gaga’s position as a musical genius, however there are enough songs on this album to keep her ‘little monsters’ more than happy for now.
The Poplar Tree 