Gianni Truvianni
Copyright ｩ 2012 by Gianni Truvianni
There is an American pop singer by the name of Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta A.K.A. Lady Gaga who thanks to her first album “The Fame” which features songs like “Just Dance”, “Poker Face”, “Bad Romance”, “Telephone” and “Alejandro”; has become a huge success in the music industry as well as the idol of millions of teenagers through the world. It being “Lady Gaga’s” name which has become a household name much like the Beatles, Rolling Stones, Elvis Presley and Michael Jackson were in their days and like those of the past Lady Gaga fans can not seem to get enough of their pop icon. Lady Gaga having in fact been the best selling recording artist of the last 4 years.
This while her lavish concerts which include bright lights and sexy dresses worn by Lady Gaga herself seem to sell out where ever she may take her shows. All of which making it apparent that now a days it is not enough for a performer to get up on stage and give a 30 or 40 minute concert as was the case when the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Elvis Presley were in their prime with little if any else in the way of lights or visual effects to create a greater spectacle. After all, time has passed by and fans of pop music have come to expect and even demand not only longer concerts but more in the way of a show. It standing to reason that if all one wanted to do were listen to music, one could do so at home on one’s hi-fi without the need of paying the 100 or so dollars for a ticket and in this day and age of internet; one also has the option of getting music videos on youtube . This the place where all one’s favorite videos can be found at any time and for free.
This making it more than clear or at least to me way of seeing things that now a days a concert needs to be more than just playing music. This a concept which Lady Gaga definitely has grasped as her shows would seem to indicate though to some she is “demoralizing” society while leading to its “decay” with her lack of values or perhaps different values. Of course, it is the same people who are saying this who in the 60s were praising songs by the Beatles, Rolling Stones and Hendrix which blatantly glorified the use of mind altering chemicals such as LSD in lyrics which did not hide their meaning yet for some reason to them what Lady Gaga is doing is unacceptable. Of course where exactly the moral distinction lies, I fail to see yet to some there definitely is something which I see as plain and simple hypocrisy which not only distinguishes but makes people like Clapton who became addicted to heroine while singing songs like “Cocaine” tolerable while Lady Gaga for being open about sexuality is demonized.
As for Lady Gaga’s music, it was inspired by bands such as Queen as well as singers like Madonna and Michael Jackson in to what she has made her own style of music which in all truth; I can not claim to like or dislike anymore than other kinds of pop music to include the Beatles, Iron Maiden, etc. Lady Gaga’s music also being simple in its instrumentation of guitars, bass, drums, keyboard and not much else while also not presenting any difficulties what so ever to any professional musician to be able to play its few chords and do so well. Lady Gaga’s simple music (comparing to Beethoven or Wagner or others) in my unbiased opinion, since I am neither a fan of hers nor a hatter as so many people my age, who grew up on the same kind of pop music which was just as good or bad from a musical point though tastes surely differ. Of course one is entitled to have one’s likes and dislikes but why is that Beatle fans apart from what I see as a clear case of snobbery call Lady Gaga’s three or four chords trash while at the same time they praise Lennon and McCartney’s songs which were not more complex than hers. This reminding me of those who argue the values of McDonald’s over “Burger King” or vice verse. This as if there were that great a difference between the two which did not come down to merely personal preference which hardly makes one better or worse than the other.
Of course as a classical music and opera fanatic, I find the whole thing ridiculous much like I do when I see children arguing about if it is more mature to watch “Sesame Street” or “Superman” cartoons. The pretentiousness having reached such levels that on just about every Beatle or band from the 60s video on youtube there are almost as many comments condemning Lady Gaga, Justin Bieber or Celina Gomez as there are praising the music they are placed on. It going without saying that those who even dare to press the dislike button are automatically accused of being Lady Gaga fans.
For what concerns me, I see the whole thing as being overly silly and ridiculous on the part of those who claim to be Beatle fans or other such pop rock bands when they put down today’s music by claiming theirs is better or more sophisticated which it definitely is not from a musical point of view. Of course, perhaps it is fresher and more original yet this would hardly be to its credit or that of it’s composers; as most of it was written 50 or 40 years ago. I even finding it particularly funny that many of whom I see as delusional Beatle fans have come to compare those songs which could not be simpler to play (for any professional or even non professional musician) nor easier to listen to and memorize; to such greats of humanity as Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Wagner, Verdi, Puccini, Rossini, Tchaikovsky, etc .
In conclusion, I will say what I feel and this being that there is no such thing as good music or bad music or this kind or the other but music which we like or do not like but why the snobbery? If one does not like a certain kind of music why simply not say one does not like it and leave it at that but if we are to distinguish music based on category?
Then can we honestly say from a purely impartial point of view that there is all that much difference between Lady Gaga and The Beatles any more than there is a difference between McDonald’s and Burger King? I never claiming Beethoven or Wagner among others to be better than pop music by such composers (though even this title is unearned from a purely musical point of view for pop music) as Lennon-McCartney, Jagger- Richards, Cole Porter, Irving Berlin but that I prefer them and simply letting the subject rest there. This in contrast to Beatle fans and other old rock fans who seem to have something against today’s music and musicians as if they just could not accept that their generation has passed and a new one has taken over.
giotruvia 