Lady Gaga, Love or Hate her?

[Workshed]

"Sex and music, used together to sell records? My word!"



The link between sexuality and music--particularly pop music--goes back much further than "Samantha Fox, Aguilera and other pop tarts of yesteryear." People gasped when Elvis Presley swung his hips, remember.

[Anthropophagus]

Originally Posted by Workshed

"Sex and music, used together to sell records? My word!"



The link between sexuality and music--particularly pop music--goes back much further than "Samantha Fox, Aguilera and other pop tarts of yesteryear." People gasped when Elvis Presley swung his hips, remember.

Did he bend over and soap up his hairy ass and then pump it up and down like a common pole dancer while eating a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
There's a world of difference between true sexual charisma and magnetism that can't really be put into words be it Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley or even Mick Jagger and contemporary attempts to fit most of these female pop stars into the same sexually exploitative role, be it Spear's little school girl outfit, Aguilera's sexually suggestive lyrics and skimpy outfits, Perry's breasts, whatever the fuck appeal Rihanna may have to some, or now Gaga wiggling her ass. Sure, it's been there to a degree for a long time but never to this extent-back in the day Sheena Easton and Olivia Newton John were considered tremendous sex symbols-did they ever promote their pussies to this degree?
Past a certain point is anyone even listening to the music with such overt sexual visuals or is it incidental? The common theme today is flashy sexually enticing imagery to cover up lack of originality and/or talent.

[Workshed]

Originally Posted by Anthropophagus

Did he bend over and soap up his hairy ass and then pump it up and down like a common pole dancer while eating a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
There's a world of difference between true sexual charisma and magnetism that can't really be put into words be it Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley or even Mick Jagger and contemporary attempts to fit most of these female pop stars into the same sexually exploitative role, be it Spear's little school girl outfit, Aguilera's sexually suggestive lyrics and skimpy outfits, Perry's breasts, whatever the fuck appeal Rihanna may have to some, or now Gaga wiggling her ass. Sure, it's been there to a degree for a long time but never to this extent-back in the day Sheena Easton and Olivia Newton John were considered tremendous sex symbols-did they ever promote their pussies to this degree?
Past a certain point is anyone even listening to the music with such overt sexual visuals or is it incidental? The common theme today is flashy sexually enticing imagery to cover up lack of originality and/or talent.

Right, you've established that times change and with this change so too do our sensitivities, tastes, and opinions. When Elvis swung his hips, there was uproar. Everything that shocks, saddens, or upsets you about Gaga was voiced back then, too. "Back in my day, an artist didn't need sex to sell records." The difference is that she upped the ante, and she's done this because swingin' hips aren't shocking anyone anymore, just like rolling around naked on cake won't shock/disgust anyone in 10-20 years, either. She's getting people talking about her music, her record, and her persona. It certainly worked on you (and me). Are there artists who don't need to do this? Yes, just like there were back in Elvis' day, too.

My point is that there is nothing new at work here. Sex sells. Would Gaga's music sell as well as it does without all this provocation? No, but neither would Madonna's, or the artist before her, or the artist before her, too. Gaga doesn't want to be Olivia Newton John. She wants to be bigger.

[Copyboy]

Originally Posted by Anthropophagus

back in the day Sheena Easton and Olivia Newton John were considered tremendous sex symbols-did they ever promote their pussies to this degree?

Anthro, I agree with 99% of what your saying, but don't forget Sheena had a hit song all about her vagina. I fucking LOVED Sheena back in the day!

[Darga]

Sugar Walls!

[Anaestheus]

Originally Posted by Anthropophagus

Did he bend over and soap up his hairy ass and then pump it up and down like a common pole dancer while eating a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?

I think that was Jim Morrison.

And, technically, Sheena Easton did promote her vagina. It was called "Sugar Walls"

But, seriously, hasn't popular music always been about rebellion, etc? As society in general evolves, so will the acts of rebellion. If you want to hold up Marilyn Monroe as the prime example of "classy" without needing to overly promote her sex, then I think you may want to take a peak at the very first issue of Playboy or her performance for Kennedy's birthday.

So, in the end two points, one, if she's offending you, then she is probably doing her job right. Two, as far as I am aware, she makes music for adults. I know that "the kids" do listen to her, but they are not her target audience. She makes music for dance clubs. And, in many ways, she's actually quite tame for that audience.

[Hellbilly]

I was more or less forced at work to listen to Gaga songs on the radio. "Born This Way" was basically Madonna's "Express Yourself" and "Judas" was a re-creation of Madonna's "Like A Prayer". What's up with that?

[Shlockjock81]

Originally Posted by Hellbilly

I was more or less forced at work to listen to Gaga songs on the radio. "Born This Way" was basically Madonna's "Express Yourself" and "Judas" was a re-creation of Madonna's "Like A Prayer". What's up with that?

Because there isn't an original bone in that bitch's body. She's just rehashing what Cher (ugh), Grace Jones, and Madonna did years ago. The only difference is they did it better.

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Originally Posted by Anthropophagus

Did he bend over and soap up his hairy ass and then pump it up and down like a common pole dancer while eating a fried peanut butter and jelly sandwich?
There's a world of difference between true sexual charisma and magnetism that can't really be put into words be it Marilyn Monroe, Elvis Presley or even Mick Jagger and contemporary attempts to fit most of these female pop stars into the same sexually exploitative role, be it Spear's little school girl outfit, Aguilera's sexually suggestive lyrics and skimpy outfits, Perry's breasts, whatever the fuck appeal Rihanna may have to some, or now Gaga wiggling her ass. Sure, it's been there to a degree for a long time but never to this extent-back in the day Sheena Easton and Olivia Newton John were considered tremendous sex symbols-did they ever promote their pussies to this degree?
Past a certain point is anyone even listening to the music with such overt sexual visuals or is it incidental? The common theme today is flashy sexually enticing imagery to cover up lack of originality and/or talent.

Anthro, dial down the sexism. Seriously? It's one thing to argue these women are going to extremes, it's another to outright insult them because you're not turned on by them. I don't care what you're turned on by, they have a right to do what they want to do. You should complain if it bothers you, but again- don't insult them because their looks don't please you. And, frankly, it pisses me off. Same with you, Shockjock. All these "bitch"es and "cunt"s you guys are throwing around is going too far. What about taking accountability for your own ability to be restrained while you're bashing someone else's indecency. You're not taking the high road over what you're whining about, you're being far worse. At least their sexuality isn't attacking anyone.

And I agree with the posters basically citing the fact that we're living in advancing times yet there's still a huge amount of conservatism that nobody wants trying to take away our freedoms.

[Matt89]

Originally Posted by Shlockjock81

Because there isn't an original bone in that bitch's body. She's just rehashing what Cher (ugh), Grace Jones, and Madonna did years ago. The only difference is they did it better.

LOL Cher? I'm not so sure CHER did it better.

Gaga is an extremely talented musician, she just decided to go the pop route and I do agree she's ripped off a lot of musicians, but she DOES have the talent to back it up (she's an excellent performer). I've heard her do jazz and blues. She's pretty damn impressive. She also has QUITE the vocal range.

~Matt

[dave13]

this thread is giving me some serious deja vu.

[X-human]

No, no, no you've got it all wrong. You're suppose to jump OUT of the cake not INTO the cake.

Whores these days. And way too over priced.

[DVD-fanatic-9]

Originally Posted by Matt89

LOL Cher? I'm not so sure CHER did it better.

I can't even imagine what sort of connection this person had in their head with that. The Pop Cher was intolerable ("Believe," "Strong Enough," and "Song for the Lonely" are bleeding earsores). The Rock Cher ("Turn Back Time," "Just Like Jesse James") was... kind of Pop Cher, part 1. And... I don't even know how to categorize her 70's music ("Half Breed," Living in a House Divided," "Carousel Man"). Extremely emotional for what(ever) was considered pop back in the days of disco, funk, soul, etc. What would you call that style of music?

Oh yeah, and for anyone looking for more ammo, click on any Missing Persons or Berlin video on YouTube. Even I was shocked to see how much Dale Bozzio and Teri Nunn's makeup made Lady Gaga look like a clone. She has a very unfortunately unoriginal looking face, with or without lightning bolts over her eyes. (Also, watched The Black Dahlia last week- Gaga was all I heard everytime Scarlett Johansson opened her mouth.)

[Shlockjock81]

Hey I never said I LIKED Cher, hence the 'ugh' after I mentioned her. But let's face it, half of Lady Gaga's appeal is her outlandish outfits. And most Lady Gaga fans I know praise her mainly for this reason. "ERMAHGERD! SHE'S SO ORIGINAL! SO INVERRRRNTERVE!!! DERRRP!".

If she's a talented musician, I have yet to hear any evidence of it. I can't distinguish any of her songs from any other pop garbage that's being excreted out these days. I'll stick to the 60s, 70s, and 80s thanks.

[Dobby]

As long as there is brain teenagers rip off artist with reign supreme. I remember when Marlyn Manson came out and kids thought he was original. He was nothing more then a wannabe Alice Cooper ripped off his entire act. So just give it a few more years and another Lady Gaga will emerge.