And listen I did. And now here I am giving you my play by play. It is a little of what I expected but a little better than I thought. Let me tell you why!
To do this, I really need to go through the album as a whole, because I believe that Ms. Gaga must've thought of this as a concept album. As the past 2 blog titles imply, there is lots of religious imagery. And while that may seem trite for a twenty-something singer/song writer ("we GET it. You are CONTEMPLATING stuff. You have deep thoughts and whatnot....") I think Gaga is grappling with her Catholic roots and does pay them homage. She also uses the line: "I'm just a holy fool" in not one, but two songs, so while she's thinking about stuff, she's clearly not using a thesaurus.
In fact, before I give the play by play, I must warn I have many "Colbie moments" with Gaga's lyrics. For example, I really wanted to like Gaga's tune- "Bloody Mary". It starts off haunting (as many on the album do) and it is interesting. We have the twisted Catholic image of a "Bloody Mary" which again, okay, is trite, but whatevs. But then she's all: "Hands, hands, hands, dance, dance, dance..." and I'm like: "might as well have gone with: nose, toes, froze, close....")
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
The album as a whole is a religious, horror-show, theatrical disco with an attempt of an international fair (like the kind we have back home where all the different cultures in the town set up various vendor stations of cuisine and do cultural dances and stuff. You don't have those? Eh. I'm from Ohio.) Anyways, Gaga speaks like four languages in this album. Five if you count 'Gaga'-ese.
I also think (much like Sara Bareilles' sophomore album which we've discussed) Gaga must've thought of what this album would be like live. 'Cause it's got a 'Phantom of the Opera' kind of freak show written all over it.
The album starts with a haunting "Marry the Night" which I can just picture Gaga at her piano in the dark with candles lit in some obscure costume to begin her show. Cut to a few measures later when the track starts pumping and we are suddenly in a gay disco. Yup. Sounds about right. Typical Gaga, but I do actually really like this track. I like her concept of "Marrying the Night". It is kind of a lonely anthem, kind of like a Cher's "Song for the Lonely" but empowering and hopeful at the same time. She's not going to to let her loneliness get to her. She's gonna 'Marry the Night' which I imagine many rockstars end up doing in a way. Hey, the night probably talks back less and is a cheap date. Am I right?
Next is the anthem for acceptance that I've already written my 2 cents about (only 97 more and you have what I purchased this album for! Ha!). "Born This Way" has been covered by Glee and even last night's American Idol contestants (which I was a little surprised by, but whatevs). It is what it is and it's been embraced by America, so good for it.
Now, the next track I really wanted to like. And I kind of do...if it didn't just repeat the word "hooker" over and over again. And not that I'm prudish or anything- what ladies of the night do is not for me to judge- but because I'm sure in her mind, Gaga thought she was making some kind of political statement, but kind of fails at doing so. I think she could've done it in another lyrical way. The lyrics totally ruin the song for me, which is what I have to say about MOST of this album.
Judas I've done talked about too, but I will add: having now seen the video, it is TOTALLY NOT the worst, most scandalous video that she's done and the video actually makes me like the song MORE.
Enter Lady's first international attempt on the album a la"Alejandro" aka "Americano". The woman still thinks she's in Spain or something, but I actually like this tune because there's something really artsy about it. It also sounds like anything by ABBA, which you really can't go wrong with ABBA- it's so fun! It's typical Gaga, but it's what she does well- artsy, fun, and weird at it's best.
Hair. Ugh. I can't listen to this song because of the lyrics. I love the beat (though it sounds a little like "Edge of Glory" AND the unicorn song that I'll have to look up the actual title to in a second) but I can't do it. I don't know what she was thinking talking about how she wants to be "free like her hair". You couldn't think of any other analogy? Free like birds? Free like Ladies Night? Free like Buy One Get One? Really? Nothing else?
I can't even spell the next song BECAUSE MY COMPUTER DOESN"T DO GERMAN. But I like this song. It's like a feminst anthem. Or something. In German.
I've already spoken my piece on Bloody Mary.
"Bad Kids" is like a "Born this Way" for troubled teenagers. I also can't listen to this song because the lyrics are trite and I think of my angsty teens who I describe as "not liking themselves or anyone else" and who wants to think about that on the weekends?
Highway Unicorn is EXACTLY like "Edge of Glory" but less good. And it says nothing about unicorns.
Heavy Metal Lover is exactly just that. Gaga's tribute to Heavy Metal. It's a more rockin' tune, but again, trite. And she brings up "Born this Way" again. Not sure why.
Electric Chapel is interesting to me because it is super religious and haunting like "Marry the Night". She uses her "holy fool" line again and I really think this song is like her John 3:16 in a sense (to use religious reference myself!) It's a culmination of all the songs- a little heavy metal, a little electronica, religious imagery, dark....
I love "You and I". It is the "Speechless" on this album for me. I could listen to it over and over again, and I do. I first started to love it when Hailey sang it on Idol. The judges poo-pooed her, but I loved it. And I also loved Hailey. Girl can sang. But this song is good, chill, and I can see Gaga at her piano slow-jamming it with Elton John which is how I like her best :)
I also love "Edge of Glory". When I heard it on the radio, I just remembered it's awesome sax solo and it made me think of the 80s and that awesome Sergio skit from SNL. (Apparently some other dude thought the same thing!) That's really all I needed to think this song awesome, but I think it has an inspiring message too- standing on the edge for love, putting yourself all out there....it's one of the few songs for me that doesn't lyrically suck.
Overall, I was kind of impressed with the albumm though my expectations were kind of low. Like I said, it was a lot of what I expected, but Gaga does do what is expected of her exceedingly well- she's weird, she can sing, and she's artsy. Mission accomplished. And it was 99 cents!
It was definitely worth the buck for sure! And I'd probably even pay a little more...
Definitely want to see the girl in concert sometime. For now I'll just see her EVERYWHERE else (seriously the girl is everywhere! She even has her own Google commercial!
Anyways, meet you in the Electric Chapel...whatever that means....wherever that is...
Peace,
Julia
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