Lady Gaga, Born This Way

Lady Gaga has been everywhere in the last week. She was the musical guest on Saturday Night Live's season finale but also appeared in several skits. I watched her on Letterman on Monday and Dave was a a little befuddled with her answers. She is a very odd duck of that there is no questions.

Watching her on the Idol Finale Wednesday I was struck that clearly she is the descendant of Madonna but with much more shock value.

The impetus for all this exposure of course is the release of her new album. Gaga even found a way to involve herself in the battle between Amazon and Apple by having her album sold on Amazon for 99 cents for a few days this week.

At 99 cents I purchased the album. Clearly much of the music is not my style or personal preference but that does not preclude me from recognizing how talented she is.

Edge of Glory which she performed on Idol is a hit waiting to happen with even some sax thrown in by The Big Man Clarence Clemons from the E Street Band.

You and I is perhaps the most accessible song on the album with nods to Mid American sensibilities such as muscle cars and Nebraska and believe it or not I hear Shania Twain influences. Crazy.

Bad Kids, Judas, Hair and Government Hooker odd more of the bad girl shock value in places but still are artistically very interesting and of course the first single, the title cut , Born This Way. Born This Way, depending on your outlook, a validation of being different or an appeasement of being gay or otherwise not normal has been a huge hit. For me personally I think the message is a great one.

Our kids have so many challenges and if you are born different or feel different anything that makes you feel accepted is a good thing. The It Gets Better You Tube channel is a wonderful thing for that reason.

Will Gaga burn out or be a long lasting influence. I do not know. For right now she is white hot and deservedly so.