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An admission I can no longer deny
Much to my heavyhearted regret and chagrin, I have to admit something that pains me to no end to confess, and yet I cannot go on denying.
I enjoy the music of Lady Gaga.
Boom. Roasted.
Oh, I am fully aware that on the level of refined taste that position is indefensible. The music sounds as dumb as a box of rocks, as commercially hollow and shallow as any pop music currently in existence, and many years younger than me in terms of its targeted age demographic. The lyrics? No idea; I haven’t bothered to listen beyond the most token of efforts. They sure don’t sound deep.
But I’ll be damned if every time one of those goofily entertaining songs comes on the radio, I’m not finding myself caught up in the beat of its pop-dance energy. The songs are — what’s the word? — catchy.
It’s like junk food. I know it’s not good for me. But I still enjoy consuming it.
There. I said it.
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34 comments on this post
Dirge
Poker Face is a catchy tune.
Greg M
I’m starting to enjoy the music of Lady Gaga. Her songs are catchy, and she does kinda remind me of a younger Madonna.
Latex Zebra
I have gone from hating her music to tollerating it to singing it unexpectedly to actually agreeing to go and see her in concert with my Wife if we can get tickets.
I heard a wicked Dance remix of Bad Romance the other day and I’m going to buy it and play it next time I DJ.
I will lose all credibility but hey, I’m an old fart now.
Chops
You may enjoy this then: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bW5czKqT05A
It’s unabashedly silly, but having only heard Poker Face a few times, it still had me laughing.
Ralph
There’s something about this Lady Gaga. I have the same thing/problem, and I thought I was pretty much a die hard metalhead. Go figure.
Latex Zebra
Hands up everyone who thought this was going to be an admission that we’ll never see another TNG review on this site.
Alex
hmm that should say…
“Raises hand”
MooGoo
Anyone who listens to anything besides J. S. Bach is a loser.
Jeffrey Bedard
To LZ, I have to admit I was thinking the same thing.
To Jammer, I was blasting “Love Game” on the radio on the way to work this morning. Her lyrics aren’t the most thought provoking, but pop music is just supposed to good fun anyway. Don’t feel ashamed.
Peter
She’s notable as a pop artist early in her career for attracting a fan base that extends beyond teenagers. My 56 y/o dad listens to her!
Poltargyst
Who’s Lady Gaga?
Occuprice
I’m the same way!
I don’t like that kind of music, but Lady Gaga just does it sooooo well it’s irresistible. I suppose the best of any genre has to be appealing.
CaveUrsine
I think he’s saving the TNG reviews for the next April Fool’s myself.
Jason
I like her as well.
Josh
I don’t know if I like Lady Gaga’s music, but I certainly don’t mind it. I must have heard “Poker Face” about 50 times already.
My own admission? I like Katy Perry’s music.
Jeremy
Everybody has a few completely idiotic things that they enjoy for some unknown reason. It’s not odd because we all have them. I enjoy Guitar Hero way too darn much, even realizing that it’s a complete waste of time and absolutely unlike playing a real instrument in any manner.
Chris L
As someone who has recently gotten into the music of Susan Boyle, I no longer feel qualified to be snobbish about other people’s taste in music. Enjoy what you like Jammer.
Brendan
Bad Romance is a great song, and her AMA performance was so bizzare and awesome. Before then I didn’t really get it. Totally into it now though. Dunno if I buy that she’s shallow either… she’s got a sort of Marilyn Manson quality to her, except not so dark.
Eduardo
I never heard Lady Gaga singing in my life. But then again, I don’t really listen to radio when I’m driving.
I’m guessing I’m really behind the news when it comes to flavors of the moment. To me, that’s actually a good thing.
Wade
Dude, you suck big donkey dick. Sell out listening to her. Egads. I can’t believe you’ve fallen so far from listening to NIN all the way to Lady Gaga. But then again, what can I say, I’ve gone from listening to NIN to Kenny Chesney. I guess our 20 year old selves would be royally hacked off with us.
Pendragon
<>
(raises hand)
Lady Gaga has a catchy name and her tunes (that I’ve heard) have catchy beats, I suppose. I’ve never been able to understand song lyrics, although I can mumble back the exact cadence of the speech (why IS that?), but from what I’ve heard from Christopher Walken, as a lyricist, she ain’t exactly Cole Porter. The reason I think y’all like her is that hearing THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-THUMP-… activates some primitive corner of the human brain.
I’m fairly certain she’s a horrible human being.
Jammer
@Wade: Hey, now. I still listen to NIN. Make no mistake. What was the last NIN album YOU bought? I’ve bought all of them from the past several years. And still listen to them all the time.
Wade
Last NIN album for me was With Teeth. My music tastes have definitely become a lot more eclectic lately. The last two albums I bought were The Offspring Greatest Hits and Primus They All Can’t be Zingers. Before that I wen ton a blue’s binge with artists like Watermelon Slim, Taj Mahal, and Johnnie Johnson.
Jammer
You really should pick up Year Zero. Best NIN in years, and enough of a departure from With Teeth as to not come across as The Fragile, Disc 4.
Although, if what I heard was true (did not bother Googling to confirm), NIN is done and Reznor will do no more NIN albums. A shame.
Sarah
I was also afraid this was about the TNG reviews!
I don’t think there’s any shame in admitting to liking something in pop music, even Lady Gaga. That stuff casts a wide net and it’s written to be commercially appealing. Refusing to admit you like pop-whatever is a form of snobbery, I think. So long as the net of your taste is wide enough to be open to many things, one can enjoy Lady Gaga, NIN, The Decemberists, Mozart, and Ella Fitzgerald. All in very different ways, admittedly.
Just because something is junk food doesn’t mean junk food isn’t tasty now and then.
grumpy_otter
But about Lady Gaga–love her or hate her (she’s quite grown on me, actually), she writes her own stuff. She doesn’t just take songs from songwriters and get all the credit. She actually creates the whole package–that’s pretty cool.
TS
Good god man… why…
Locksmithandy
I’m totally with you, Jamahl. It’s unfortunate that one has to be a closet pop music lover in today’s music climate. Where I work, if you like a song by a “pop” artist, you are immediately deemed a waste of skin by your co-workers. To be respected, you have to be into artists that no one has ever heard of. Of course, in my case, I tell them I like electronic music, and I am informed that “techno sucks.” *sigh*
Matrix
what’s a lady gaga? is that one of those new singers like the fallout boy?
LouieBlue
You know what’s worse? I’ve been listening to 2009 music for the last week, and I’m starting to warm to Taylor Swift. Shame.
Ted
I thought you were going to say something like you were dying. Quite different from that, but I’m not sure which is worse.
Patrick
Bad Romance is a pretty awesome song. I don’t think there is anything to be embarrassed about Lady Gaga… she has that scrappy ‘i can do what i want to do’ attitude that reminds me of Madonna
J Wielgosz
Jammer, this ‘refined taste’ thing is vastly overrated. I’ve met many individuals over the years that were convinced of their superiority in all things music/movies/books, and they were all unbearable, close-minded schmucks. I’ll say it right here that I’m a massive Madonna fan. I’ve seen her 12 times in concert, and I’m proud of it. Different artist I know, but a similar wavelength.
Joe
No harm in liking Lady Gaga. So do I. But I love the title of this blog entry. Combined with the actual content of the entry, the title always cracks me up.