Monday, July 25, 2011

Videography: Lady Gaga (Part III - Born This Way)

By 2011, Lady Gaga had reached full-fledged super star status. The world waited with bated breath for the release of her second full length album, Born This Way and the videos that would accompany it. Gaga gets a little more out there with this crop of videos that are still a-comin'...

Order: 11
Title: "Born This Way"
Album: Born This Way (2011)
Song Premise: Lady Gaga celebrates her weirdness and is unapologetic about it.
Video Premise: It would almost be easier just to tell you to watch the video rather than summarize, but here we go: Gaga narrates about a race of unprejudice aliens and then gives birth which also, somehow, creates evil. Then there's a bunch of choreography in various settings with various people and various costuming. Sigh...just watch the video.

Comments: Oh boy. It's confusing and out there and this one was made for those who love Gaga and think everything she makes it gold. I'm not really a fan of the song and even less of a fan of this bloated,  confusing video. If it weren't for the next couple songs, I would think she had lost it completely...

Order: 12
Title: "Judas"
Album: Born This Way (2011)
Song Premise: A woman struggles between her love for Judas and Jesus.
Video Premise: Jesus and his Apostles are a motorcycle gang. They arrive a church where Gaga, as Mary Magdalene, dances and tries to warn Jesus of Judas's impending betrayal. Gaga tries to shoot Judas, but cannot bring herself to do it. Gaga begs for forgiveness which Jesus grants her and is then kissed. The video ends with Gaga being stoned to death.

Comments: This is a little more like it. I know nothing about religion, but even I could follow this one. I love the concept of Jesus & the Apostles as a motorcycle gang. Now that is clever. I know the meaning of the song is "I'm torn between the good guy and the bad boy" but I don't know how accurate Mary Magdalene being in love with Judas (or anyone for that matter) is.

Order: 13
Title: "The Edge of Glory"
Album: Born This Way (2011)
Song Premise: A woman invites a man to spend an amazing night with her.
Video Premise: Lady Gaga dance around an alleyway while a dude plays the sax.

Comments: Bummer. Such an epic song and such a let down of a video. Reportedly, this is a song written after the death of Gaga's grandfather, but WHY did this video have to suck?



Order: 14
Title: "YoΓΌ and I"
Album: Born This Way (2011)
Song Premise: A woman returns to get her lover back.
Video Premise: It begins with Gaga walking through America's heartland. She orders an ice cream cone from a creepy guy in a truck, and then comes must intercutting: Gaga and a guy getting married. Gaga being tortured with electricity. Gaga dancing with a teal wig. Gaga as a mermaid who has sex with her captor. And finally, Gaga playing a piano in the middle of a cornfield with her male alter ego Joe Calderone...who she later makes out with.

Comments: Annnnnnnd she's back. While the video is abstract, representing the torture one faces when returning to an old love, it's fucking great and everything we would expect from Gaga at the top of her game. And mermaid sex is hot. Just sayin'.

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