Lady Gaga (again)
I know there’s at least one massive Lady Gaga fan here at AAR (Jane, I’m looking at you). My appreciation for her has grown very slowly; there was always respect, but it took a while for me to get beyond the makeup, controversy, eggs and 15-minute music videos. I think what clinched it, though, was her two-minute live rendition of “Edge of Glory” on SNL, and which I found she also played for Howard Stern (above).
You know, there aren’t that many pop stars who not only write and sing their own songs, but also allow the frailties and flaws of their voices stand out, adorned and naked as she does. There also aren’t that many songwriters whose songs allow themselves to such a variety of interpretation – but Lady Gaga’s do. And there aren’t that many songs when, stripped down, are even better than the studio-produced, mass-accompanied ones – but I think this one qualifies in my book. And […]