Madonna's Influence on GaGa's "Born This Way" Causes Intergenerational Rift

They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, so I just can't understand all the hoopla surrounding Lady GaGa's newest song. Yesterday, GaGa's much anticipated single from her forthcoming third album of the same name, was released to the general public and almost immediately comparisons to Madonna's "Express Yourself" were being made. Through all sorts of mediums, the inter-generational infighting had begun.

The hype leading up to Friday's release was everywhere. The Internet was flooded with excitedly anticipatory comments from GaGa fans everywhere. A Facebook event page was set up in preparation for the release, and by the time the song was unleashed at 6 a.m. on Friday, the excitement had reached fever pitch. I was in the car with a coworker on my way to work when I first heard it.

"Ooh, that's the new Lady GaGa song," I said upon first hearing it. My car pool buddy turned up the volume and we listened.

"Boy, that sounds a lot like Madonna," she observed.

"I guess," was my response although I really hadn't noticed it too much then.

Once I got home from work, I listened to the song a few times (you can check it out here) and it became clear that the similarity between the two songs was unmistakable. There's even a spoken portion of the song that hearkens back to Miss M's "Vogue." With Facebook being my primary source of online social networking, I can only go by the comments I'd seen throughout the day to sense the inter-generational tension caused by the song.

It was obvious that the younger generation saw this event as the second coming of God. Radio stations sensed the excitement and helped propel the song to the top of the charts in 21 countries and it became the fastest selling song ever on iTunes. In these days of instantaneous connection through technology, one cannot compare the two's accomplishments in that manner. Through their naïveté, today's generation doesn't have the wherewithal to know what the older folks do, that is, without Madonna there would be no GaGa.

I recently watched Madonna's "Truth or Dare" documentary with someone of today's generation, and one of the first things he said when it was over was how much Lady GaGa, Britney Spears and company were taking pages from Madonna's book.

Madonna belongs right up there with the all time greats, such as the Beatles, Elvis, and Michael Jackson. The singer has been setting trends and causing controversy for almost 30 years now, and her vast catalog of music continues to endure. Of course, Madonna was influenced by her predecessors. Acts such as the Supremes, Michael Jackson, Nancy Sinatra, Karen Carpenter, and musical genres like R&B, disco and rock all had a part in shaping who she was and still is as an artist.

Madonna, in return, has been setting trends for almost 30 years and her influence on some of the biggest artists of today is undeniable. Popular musical acts, from Gwen Stefani to Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears to Justin Timberlake and yes, even Lady GaGa, have all taken something from the pages of Madonna's career. It's an inherent characteristic in the evolution of music and should be celebrated, not condemned.

In response to the great number of accolades heaped upon GaGa over the past weeks from her fans, many who grew up with Madonna shot back with vitriol. Many are calling the song a blatant "rip-off", and others claiming GaGa to be simply an insignificant copy cat of the musical icon. I say that's not fair.

"Born This Way" is a good song, and I'm sure it will get plenty of airplay in the near future. Its message is a positive one and the tune carries much of the same anthemic dance quality as GaGa's other hits. So what if it sounds a little like Madonna. As a long time fan of the icon, I look on it as an homage to the elder songstress.

GaGa's got a long way to go before she ever matches the sphere of influence that the iconic singer has had, and who knows, she may just have the longevity and the reach to influence some of the pop stars of the future. We'll all just have to wait and see. For now, though, enjoy "Born This Way" and whatever else may come from the currently hot recording artist. To today's generation I say check out some Madonna songs. You just may learn how she's influenced your favorite star.

*For more on Lady GaGa and Madonna, please read:

Pop Music News, February 7, 2011

Top 20 Dance/Club Hits of the 1990's

Madonna's Top 10 Videos of All Time

Goo Goo Over GaGa

Classic Album Reviews: Madonna

The Best Concerts I've Ever Seen

Classic Album Reviews: Madonna's "Erotica"

Top 20 Songs by Madonna

Sources:

http://www.aceshowbiz.com/news/view/00038458.html

http://www.artistdirect.com/entertainment-news/article/lady-gaga-born-this-way-single-review-5-out-of-5-stars/8692753

http://gossiponthis.com/2011/02/12/born-this-way-is-lady-gagas-new-song-a-madonna-rip-off/

http://kissmemrsritchie.blogspot.com/2008/08/madonnas-influence-on-history-of-music.html

http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/sns-rt-review-us-singlerevitre71b0bk-20110212,0,4768002.story

http://www.madonnatribe.com/idol/back_to_school_01.htm

http://www.mtv.co.uk/artists/lady-gaga/news/257773-lady-gaga-s-born-this-way-breaks-records

http://www.shmoop.com/like-a-prayer/influences.html

http://thesop.org/story/20110212/lady-gagas-born-this-way-an-abomination-boycott-lady-gaga.html