Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' .

3rd album from Gaga.

May 2011 release.

Tracklist:

01 Marry The Night (00:00)
02 Born This Way (04:26)
03 Government Hooker (08:50)
04 Judas (13:05)
05 Americano (17:16)
06 Hair (21:25)
07 Scheiβe (26:35)
08 Bloody Mary (30:22)
09 Black Jesus Amen Fashion (34:29)
10 Bad Kids (38:07)
11 Fashion Of His Love (42:01)
12 Highway Unicorn (Road To Love) (45:41)
13 Heavy Metal Lover (50:00)
14 Electric Chapel (54:14)
15 The Queen (58:31)
16 You And I (1:03:47)
17 The Edge Of Glory (1:08:56)

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------


Upon first listen, Gaga’s 3^rd album ‘Born This Way’ musically amazed me. Gaga effortlessly went from genre to genre with vocal supremacy, artistic flair and confidence. It made me think, cry, feel angry, feel empowered and was an emotional rollercoaster to experience. Even listening to it now evokes the feelings of when I first listened.

The album engaged me both emotionally and intellectually. Lyrically the entire album was well written and intellectually engaging, with lines including:

‘I’ve learned love is like a brick you can, build a house or sink a dead body’, showing Gaga’s poetic genius.

It confirmed for me what Lady Gaga as a ‘text’ herself and generally as a celebrity/person, what she stood for and meant. The album strengthened in me the severity of world-wide social-issues such as racism (seen in Americano) and government corruption (seen in Government Hooker).

I myself want to pursue a music career as a singer-songwriter and Gaga since her arrival into the music industry has influenced and inspired me. The album itself was a reflection on many of the feelings I had and it inspired me to right songs on the same issues, such as mental health (seen in ‘Marry The Night’) and equality (seen in ‘Born This Way’). The album inspired me to join organisations such as Change.org and donate money to LGBT charities. I believe it also influenced me to march at Liverpool Pride in 2012 and still this year, in 2013.

It made me rethink the way people and music critics view music, artists and the music industry. The album garnered generally positive reviews but still had very negative reviews from some major critics such as NME magazine who dubbed the album the ‘3^rd most pretentious album ever’. Whilst it could be said that I was bias, as I am a massive fan of Gaga and her work, especially this album, I felt what people were being negative upon was a mixture of trivial, vain and structured around being a music business rather than a provider of music that will change peoples lives or even simply make people stop and think. I stopped trusting music critic’s opinions at face value, as like many people, they are bias and have their underlying opinions, so it is hard to find a music critic that really does just judge everything at face-value.

People commented on how the album was offensive, with songs like ‘Judas’ in which the biblical character, known for portraying Jesus and being possessed by Satan, is used as a metaphor for loving the ‘sin’ in yourself and not being afraid of being imperfect and unrighteous all of the time. The album was banned in some countries, due to the pro-LGBT messages throughout the album as they said it was ‘disgracing their culture and faith’ and a ‘showing of bad taste and support for humans that are but abominations leading a sinful lifestyle’ – these are actual quotes from Governments etc. when saying why they banned the album.

Emotionally I could relate to the lyrics a lot. One song in particular, called ‘Hair’ brought me to actual tears, which only music seems to be able to do. A section, which I am even considering getting a tattoo of when older, reads:

‘I just want to be free,

I just want to be me,

And I want lots of friends,

That invite me to their parties.’

This section of lyrics (obviously not just directed at me) became a personal strike at my emotions, as for me, the lyrics explain a lot about myself and what I was like when I was a child and still struggle with today, being liberated, being myself and being loved and appreciated by others. It reminded me of when I was the only kid that was never invited to parties in the entire class etc. and this element of loneliness really struck with me as the song itself is about Gaga’s childhood and growing up.

Still to this day I see people tweeting to Lady Gaga and just generally stating how Born This Way and particular songs such as ‘Born This Way’ and ‘Hair’ changed their life and helped them through a dark-time of their life. Where people struggled with their gender identity disorder/depression/sexuality/being bullied and abused, the album spoke out for the ‘muted’ and I genuinely believe that is what this album does, continues to do and Lady Gaga hoped it would do.

Whilst you could say this emotional drive is simply manipulation for people to admire Gaga and buy her music, after combining her musical work with her humanitarian work etc. it becomes apparent that under this ‘meat-dress’ Lady Gaga is actually a beautiful, humane, sympathetic and inspirational young woman.