Yesterday evening, I got my sizzurp on (it’s prescribed!) and I clicked on this Gawker link, where they were discussing Lady Gaga’s newly released single for “Edge of Glory”. I believe this is the third track that’s been released from Gaga’s sophomore album, after “Born This Way” and “Judas”. I listened to the track as I read the comments, finding amusement from both – Gawker claimed that Gaga had abandoned copying Madonna and begun copying Pat Benatar. Gawker commenters disagreed for the most part, which made me start wondering if after “Born This Way” and “Judas” got such mixed critical results, and Gaga was being bashed by more and more people… well, I wondered if maybe there was a backlash against the backlash against Gaga. First, listen the single:
As I’ve been saying in Gaga posts the past few months, I’m kind of over her. The bitch has changed. Where she used to be weird-funny, nowadays she’s just try-hard, weird-creepy, and there’s a vein of megalomania in her. That being said, I don’t really hate this song. It’s becoming clearer that Born This Way is no The Fame. It would be difficult, when you really think about it, to try to live up to enormous success of The Fame. Gaga IS trying, but is she succeeding?
In some ways she is, because after all, I’m writing a post completely devoted to Gaga’s third track release, and she’s one of the few pop artists that gets that kind of treatment from me and everyone else in the media. Gaga’s relevance might be that everyone wants to discuss how irrelevant she is, how coked up she is, how the bitch has changed, how she’s a disaster, how she needs to get a grip, etc. Which is to say, everybody has an opinion, and so she is still relevant and important to pop culture.
As for the song… well, as I said, I kind of like it. I loathe “Judas” as a pop song, and lyrically, “Born This Way” is just awful. But “Edge of Glory” sounds so dated and familiar… it feels like the song that would have been playing in the final match at the end of The Karate Kid. RIGHT?!? That’s what I realized on the second listen. “This song belongs at the ‘turning point’ scene in a wonderfully cheesy and iconic ‘80s movie.” And FOR THE LOVE OF GOD YES, please bring back the saxophone solo in pop music!!
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Blah. She’s got a great voice, but her gimmicks have made her irrelevant to me. BUT then again, I clicked on the link. LOL
I can SO totally hear this for the movie “Napoleon Dynamite 2″…if they ever make it…
This song makes me think to an aerobic class.
Beautiful vocals on this one.
Oh ok FINE. I love it, I loved it from the first listen, it’s lovely and the vocals are good and what ever, I just sold out, you have me, sue me, lynch me, but I like it.
I like Born this Way – don’t care for Judas or Edge of Glory, though.
Boring.
I admit this song is composed nicely and her voice isn’t over enhanced- things I like. I’m sure it will be a nice remix for a club. However, I just don’t think this album is shaping up to be as good as she thinks she can accomplish.
I co-sign. I’m pretty much over her.
It’s like the full-length version of a TV theme tune.
Either she needs to come out with some decent stuff or it’s only going to be the core fans who keep buying. Although she loves her Little Monsters that isn’t enough to keep her being a proper ‘superstar’.
LMAO@Karate Kid reference…it TOTALLY does. Wow. I don’t care for it that much. The Fame is still my fave by her. Nothing beats Boys Boys Boys and I Like it Rough, for me anyways 🙂
I must say, for me 80’s music was the best music EVER!
So at least she did try to make this one less worse (not better) more bearable than the others on this album, BUT I really don’t see that she has enough tricks up her sleeve to have real staying power.
Her act/persona/bad music is getting old fast.
Oh gawd…I…like this!
I’m in shock that I do, actually…can I blame it on the insomnia?
Not going to lie, I think I’m ok with this one… ABSOLUTELY 80’s… but catchy?
I loathe Born this Way though. I literally and scrambling to the radio to change the station the second I hear it play. But I’m kindda liking Judas, it’s reminding me of Bad Romance. Like she ripped off her own song, but i love Bad Romance which I think is why I like Judas… It’s more familiar
I was thinking of Teen Witch, Kaiser; but The Karate Kid works beautifully.
But, alto sax in a song made after 1990? No ma’am. And the synthesizers can go straight to hell. It’s okay, I’m sure she’ll depict the Rapture in the video, because the subject matter just blends perfectly. *side-eye*
I completely agree with your assessment. The girl is so concerned with immortalizing herself that there is seemingly no method or substance to her feigned madness. And really, just because no one understands your ass doesn’t make you an artist. It just makes you an eccentric dillettante. And that what I’m coming to think of her.
I don’t hate this, but the lyrics ruin any affections I might have for it.
I could really do without the repetitive lyrics. But the sax is definitely a plus and should make a comeback–co-signed.
I have young nieces and nephews who watch anime (Pokemon, Naruto, all that stuff) and it actually sounds like it could be the theme song to an anime cartoon/movie…if anyone has ever heard the Japanese theme songs at the beginning or end of an anime show, it sounds JUST like this, just replace the sax with an electric guitar.
Talentless whhoorre. Cheap copycat.
I mean it is really hard to expect a musician to replicate their freshman album’s artistry. I’m guessing she got rushed back into the studio by execs (you know they all they $ee in her…$queeze the ca$h cow). The Fame was probably a work in progress most of her life, she made a GREAT album. Then she has to try to make something equally great, if not better right away. We’ve seen this story sooooo many times in the music business.
I really loved The Fame, it was a great album but you could tell she put ALL of herself in it. To have to come up with that same level of artistry again so soon is near impossible. But yeah, so far I’m completely unimpressed, but that doesn’t mean she doesn’t have some stuff up her sleeve in the coming years. (fingers crossed!)
Um, what the heck is she doing in the photo for the single? I don’t get it.
Well, I guess this is an improvement from some of the other recent stuff. This seems like it would be fun to dance to at a club or party. I’m not a fan of pop music at all, so I wouldn’t buy it or anything, but I would dance to it somewhere (ha! As if I ever go anywhere to dance, lol). This also at least showcases somewhat her vocal talents. People love to say she’s not a good singer, but she actually really can sing and has a lovely voice. If you look at the very, very early stuff (before she was “Gaga”), she sounded amazing.
I’m not even going to comment, though, on her overwrought, contrived, wackdiculous (new word!), pathetic image. Oops, guess I just did.
Bleh…
All I really want to know is what is so ‘original’ about her music? All sounds like tired retreads of music from the 80’s to me with an ‘updated’ dance feel. At least on this one, her voice sounds better.. but she sounds an awful lot like Pat Benatar here. Having the “tribute to Clarence Clemens” type sax solo PROVES to me yet again that she’s just ripping people off left and right.
@Kaiser – loved your 3rd paragraph and totally agree.
The 70/80s had the best music for me. A hit was a solid hit and stayed a hit even till now. But the music we have today doesn’t have that strength to last. I can’t even name a song from today’s music that has the tune to travel the decades.
I’m almost expecting Jennifer Beals in her “Flashdance” outfit to pop up and dance to this song. That said – I love it. And a hell yes to sax solos coming back.
I think this song is dookie. I don’t mind a sax solo; The Mars Volta did it with their music. However, this isn’t a very good one. I think the guy from E Street did it, so I expect more.
I’m not a fan of GaGa, but I thought this album would reel me in. I honestly thought she would go platinum the first day and double by the end of the week. It ain’t looking too good.
I’m sure she’ll pull a last minute stunt to push sales.
When does Adele’s next single drop?
I still like her and her music….she is crazy, but kinda like a fox. She knows how to work everyone’s last nerve 🙂
This would go nicely with one of those VH-1 Ladies of the Eighties compilations, although it might pale in comparison to the originals.
There’s old stuff on YouTube, just Stefani Germanotta and her piano, much better than most of the generic things she puts out now.
My first thought was Footloose, lol! I haven’t liked any of the new Gaga, and I did like The Fame.
Fans of “Bad Romance” should check out the version done by Halestorm. Lizzy rocks it out and I LOVE it. But I do love Halestorm, so I might be biased =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cZ96FHEEI7k
I really like this =D
I like her first 2 singles as well and I’ll definitely be buying the new album when it comes out in a couple of weeks.
It sounds so different from The Fame, but thats good. I’d be bored with more of the same.
The title should be ”Out on the ledge”.
Out on the ledge with my ego….out on the ledge 🙂
This one def doesn’t suck as hard as “Judas” (blech, what a horrible song) or “Born This Way” (which isn’t THAT bad, but it’s still pretty lame).
I dunno Gaga…this stuff just isn’t that good.
First, I’m a guitar rock person so this type of synthetic pop music doesn’t really appeal but some comments;
1) agree raven sparrow but mindy I saw Pat in the early 80s she was a rocker chic she and her band could sing and dance gaggles off the stage;
2) This reminds me of 80s chicks like Laura Branigan and Lita Ford, and maybe music at the end of PRetty In Pink;
3) Does she have any other style of music her songs all have the same beat – can’t she do rock, ballads, bluesy type stuff; I’m sorry this might be fine for clubs but it doesn’t translate well in large venues;
4) I realize pop lyrics aren’t the beatles, the mighty zep,Jimi, etc. but as a commentator on a previous gaga post said, today’s pop lyrics aren’t even lyrical they are almost throwaway phrases – nothing more;
5) Finally, the marketing of gaggles is out of all proportion to her talent – marketing of this cd began in february and continues unabated. Her music is nothing special and this much attention to her has become offensive.
The insider book I want to read is the marketing of Gaga. end of rant.
I like it and I can’t wait for her album to be released. There, I said it!
GAGA FOREVER. Love.
Someone needs to give the woman a thesaurus or rhyming dictionary; there are way too many “baby”s, “yeah”s, “alright”s and “hey”s in her songs. Such lazy songwriting. Is it just me?
Totally co-sign the 80s vibe! But it just makes me miss the real thing, lol.
She looks like a cross between Endora from Bewitched and Amy Winehouse. Not good. 🙁
I haven’t liked any of the songs from this album (Born This Way.) They all sound so random.
I think she’s lost what made her unique & interesting in the first place. She wasn’t particularly attractive, was completely odd, wore insane outfits, & came out with dance songs that were catchy as hell. Every last song was addicting.
Now it looks like she’s had surgery on her nose (It’s just hypocritical when she’s beating us over the head with ‘be who you are‘ songs.), takes her outfits *beyond* ridiculous, & is taking herself way too seriously. It stopped being about freedom of expression, & became ‘shocking people’ & ‘preaching an agenda’ (which is much more annoying than inspirational.)
I agree with Kaiser, It’d be extremely difficult to match the huge unexpected success of her first album. There’s only so many ways you can ‘surprise’ people before it gets old. (& when that’s all she had going for her in the first place, it doesn’t bode well for her career.)
Please, please, please!!!!!!! no more pancake ta-ta’s. Does this girl own a mirror? it’s really not a good look.
Neither my daughter nor I thought Gaga’s much-hyped filmed concert at Madison Square Garden was any good. The only bit we liked were the songs where she was singing & playing piano. I wonder if she’s actually enjoying any of this fame …it must be tiring having to always be “on” playing a role placed on her by the record company. Having said that, I quite like this song – agree with the blogger who said it is similar to Laura Branigan – there’s a name I never thought I’d hear again LOL.
@Chris – “She looks like a cross between Endora from Bewitched and Amy Winehouse. Not good. 🙁
OMG, she really does!!! That’s the perfect comparison (very clever, kudos!)
@Caz – “I wonder if she’s actually enjoying any of this fame …it must be tiring having to always be “on” playing a role placed on her by the record company.”
You’re probably right, that she’s being put under a lot of pressure to ‘deliver’ something comparable to her first album, to keep becoming more & more ‘controversial’ & ‘whacked out’ with her outfits. (Have you seen those insane black shoes?) That very thing is probably why she’s openly using drugs.
“(Quoted from 60 Minutes interview) – Pop superstar Lady Gaga relies on alcohol and drugs to fuel her songwriting, admitting she smokes “a lot of pot” when she’s in the creative process, Gaga says, “I smoke a lot of pot when I write music. I’m not gonna sugar coat it for 60 Minutes that I’m some sober human being, ’cause I’m not. I drink a lot of whiskey and I smoke weed when I write. “
Then said:
“I don’t wanna encourage kids to do drugs, but… what artists do wrong, is they lie. I don’t wanna lie to my fans.”
I guess you’d have to be on a drug trip to come up with some of this shit…) But it seems like she’s under pressure, so is having to take more & more at once, to feel like she’s being creative.
Wonderful song Edge of Glory…It’s good to be back to the 80’s sounds…the real music..no the stupid noise of today’s….Born this way definitely will be a major album…much better than the prior ones…the title track is lirically fantastic…good by Gaga
80s anthem! That’s exactly it. This is good Gaga. I like it the same way I like Disco Heaven. And the trumpet at the end is good.
I think people are disappointed that the song is good, or “nice” and not good in a “weird” way (no rah-rahs or oo-la-las.)It’s a sax at the end, not a trumpet fyi. It’s fine. And I don’t think she’s changed in a bad way…I think people don’t like Judas cuz they think brining up religion is cliche, it can be, but her vid is funny.
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