I like "Born this Way" but I can't help but feel like Gaga is trying too hard

[Neil C.]

I'll never like Katy Perry after those two songs.

As for "Born This Way," my first thought after hearing it was that it sounded like "Express Yourself." That, and that Gaga is setting up her career slump/aging diva phase with a gay anthem to play at pride parades.

When I accidentally heard the song on the radio (not my type of music), I thought "Express Yourself" did the music better! Just like I hate Plain White Ts for an awful swiping of Supertramp's "Breakfast in America."

-Neil C.

[Reverend Smooth]

I like Lady Gaga (and I've seen vids of live performances; she can sing very, very well and doesn't need autotune to hit notes). Her vocal range is less limited than you'd think, but most of her songs don't take advantage of it.


Hit 3:03, if you don't believe it.

I have no problem with Born This Way; I'm not a huge fan of this song (don't mind the words, just don't care for the arrangement), but she's bi and she's weird, and that's enough credibility for me.

[Marcdachamp]

Trying too hard is Lady Gaga's whole shtick.

[Basque]

Totally agree that it's pandering.

I like Lady Gaga. I've liked most of her songs up to now. I like her outrageous outfits. I like her "edgy" music videos and her extravagant performances. And I like that she's been vocal about her support of LGBT people.

But this song fell flat for me in two ways: (1) It reminds me too much of Express Yourself. When I first heard it, I actually thought it was a cover or remix or something. And (2) this song is designed as a gay anthem and it's just too obvious.

Plus, I hate the title.

I'm a pretty casual listener of pop music, as my real interest in music generally lie elsewhere, so it's not like I care a whole lot about this. But I've been feeling mostly positive about everything Lady Gaga did up to this point, and this really feels like a bit of a faux pas to me. Not that it's turning me into a hater or anything, but it's kind of a fail.

[a. non]

I don't like it. I heard a few seconds of it and thought it was Madonna.

Her heart's in the right place, but the execution could have been better.

Christina did it better

Garbage did it better

Weezer did it better

Pink did it better

[Keith P.]

It's ok.

Not nearly as good as Bad Romance. But I do like the video.

I don't think she is trying to hard, I think she genuinely just loves the gay community and wants to give back.

The Round Up here in Dallas was one of the first bars that she performed at, back when she was a nobody. Consequently every single time she is in Dallas she shows up at the bar and hangs out. Which is kinda neat...but since the Round Up is basically my back yard, literally, the last time it kept me up until 4am in the morning as she and her group were hanging out about 20 feet outside my bedroom window.

[Ziggy Stardust]

Born This Way sounds like it could be the X-Men's theme song.

[ConnorHawke]

It's not so much the message for me, but the whole song just seems like she was trying too hard to live up to high expectations. It never really takes off in my opinion.

Whereas I heard "Into the Groove" at the pub this weekend, and that's a song that just works. Same with countless other Madonna songs, and even some of Gaga's past singles.

[Benel Germosen]

Born This Way sounds like it could be the X-Men's theme song.

-sigh- Don't we get beaten with the " Mutants as Homosexual " metaphor enough these days?

[Corrina]

I don't like it. I heard a few seconds of it and thought it was Madonna.

Her heart's in the right place, but the execution could have been better.

I thought it was Madonna for a minute as well. The thing with a homage is that it should reflect the original but add something to it, not be a pale imitation of it.

Like the Pretenders' Chain Gang, which was inspired by Sam Cooke's "Working on a Chain Gang."