Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Don't Call Her Gaga.

It started from the moment that Lady Gaga was announced as the Super Bowl halftime entertainment. The gnashing of teeth from conservatives. The rolling of eyes from the people who have never liked her anyway? Why was she going to be at America's biggest  football events and even more, what was she going to do during the halftime show to corrupt the children of America.

In these politically polarized times there were many stories written by the press up to the moment that she came on stage wondering what horrible disrespectful thing Lady Gaga was going to do to protest the  chaotic and disastrous first two weeks of the Trump presidency. Every one knew about Lady Gaga and knew  that she is one of those insane liberals who only expects kindness and respect to everyone. Oh the horror of it all!

And then she performed.

Here is what she did. She sang a couple patriotic verses that explained what America is about to be about.

Lady Gaga! How dare you?????

Then she broke into her hits. She did not disappoint. There wasn't anything especially controversial about her performance. Her breast didn't pop out. She did not decry Trump. But she did sing Born this Way.

Born this Way is one of her biggest hits and most people didn't bat an eye, but how many years ago would it have been controversial to sing a song about gay, bisexual and transgendered people being ok? There would have been a right wing media huff and puff about it only a few short years ago.  .  Only a few years ago that would have been a big deal for a football game audience that leans conservative. Only a few years ago that would have been controversial in Texas.

But almost no one batted an eye.  Thus is the power of Lady Gaga's career, and the impact she has had. From day one of what  could have easily just been a one hit wonder career, Lady Gaga has been unapologetic about being a mother figure to all of her little monsters. They are the people that society dismisses or mocks, but Lady Gaga never looks down on them and only lifted them up.  She lifted us all up.

Ultimately Lady Gaga's biggest statement she made was not making a big statement.  She didn't have to.  She's been making those kind of  statements for years, and on one of the biggest nights of her career everyone knew about the kinds of things she would protest against.  She was smart enough to know she didn't have to say anything.  Her impact had already seaped into the consciousness of people all over the world including viewers who weren't fans.  It also included  viewers who were perhaps haters.

Lady Gaga has made a difference to many young people's lives with her career, and on Super Bowl Sunday she perhaps had her greatest impact by just showing off her beautiful voice.

And to celebrate that voice I give you my three favorite tracks from every one of her solo albums.

The Fame:
1. Paparazzi
2.  Just Dance
3. Lovegame

The Fame Monster
1. Bad Romance
2 Dance in the Dark
3. Telephone

Born this way (the hardest one to only choose three!!!!)
1. You and I
2. Hair
3. Bloody Mary

Artpop (an underrated flop)
1. Gypsy
2. Dope
3. Donatella

Joanne
1. Grigio Girls
2. Million Reasons
3. A-yo

Cheers to many more great songs to come!




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