Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” finally debuts: sounds vaguely NIN-ish?

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I swear to God, in the first seconds of Lady Gaga’s new single “Born This Way” I thought she was covering an old Nine Inch Nails song. I’m pretty sure she “sampled” from NIN. As she should – I would love to here Gaga’s covers of “Closer” or “Something I Can Never Have”. But anyway… yeah, the full single has finally come out, and it’s a little disappointing. For me. Because I appreciate Gaga when she’s making great dance music, and this isn’t really a great dance track. To me. Here you go:

In her Vogue interview, Gaga revealed that she had written the song in ten minutes – which I didn’t need to know. Now it’s all I can think about – “What if she had taken the time to write something that doesn’t sound like an old NIN sample?” In Vogue, Gaga also revealed Elton John had heard the track, and Elton had announced that it was “the gayest song” he had ever heard. In a separate interview, Elton praised her album, also called Born This Way, as “f-cking amazing” and he said the new single “will completely get rid of Gloria Gaynor’s ‘I Will Survive’…This is the new ‘I Will Survive.’ That was the gay anthem. This is the new gay anthem. Actually, it’s not a gay anthem – it can apply to anybody.” Um, really? Ugh.

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Header is Gaga’s official artwork, additional pics by Testino/Vogue.

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90 Responses to “Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” finally debuts: sounds vaguely NIN-ish?”

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  1. Arianna says:

    NIN is better….lol

    i can see my head getting sucked in by this catchiness though

  2. renai(jrt) says:

    what is it with this girl……..get over it…no amount of makeup or costumes can make her look beautiful… beauty is from within.

  3. Sophie says:

    ugh that’s terrible!

  4. kelbear says:

    That’s it? All the hype over this dang song, and that’s it?

  5. Gee says:

    I like it but it’s a Madonna rip off. And whoever sang that song, ” when love takes over (yeaaahh)” should sue. I like it though, and I’m far from a gaga stan.

  6. Scarlittle says:

    Uh… it’s almost completely to the tune of Express Yourself.
    Super original. =/

  7. Sarah says:

    She looks like Ke$ha on the cover. Her albulm title pisses me off. She wasn’t “born that way” ugh, I’m so over her.

  8. Anna says:

    THAT’S BAD. Don’t be delusional. It’s very bad copy of Madonna, TLC and Faithless. She has no shame. And the lirycs… no matter if you BEIGE !!! Is she lost her mind. Is she thinking that people forgot about the biggest stars of the ’90? She is pathetic. SHE NEVER WILL BE NEXT MADONNA. SHE WAS NOT BORN THIS WAY. FOR SURE. And this crap suppose to be gay anthem. It’s completly meaningless and dumb. And the interview in Voque. She really has no shame.

  9. Genevieve says:

    Wow, MADonna should sue, this is a blatant rip off. Lady GagGag strikes again ugh

  10. Audrey says:

    The song sounds like a rip off of Madonna’s “Respect Yourself”.

  11. Cherry Rose says:

    Only in Gaga’s wildest dreams could she ever sound like Nine Inch Nails. Sorry, but Gaga will never have the talent that Trent Reznor has, nor any of his humbleness. I know she tries to fancy herself as talented as Trent, but she’s not.

    As for that song, sounds more like a Madonna rip-off.

  12. Maria says:

    @ audrey

    yepp

  13. latam says:

    i genuinely like her other songs, but this is pure ass. just like any old crap dance song

  14. MSat says:

    Madonna should totally sue.

  15. sophie says:

    i liked this song better when Madonna sang it…

  16. Bellatrix says:

    Wow, any of those Ke$ha songs I’ve caught on the radio sound better than this “anthem”.

    If you’re going to smash up and rip off other people’s work, you might as well make sure it’s great. Non?

  17. ThatBoyLuke says:

    Madonna better sue this whore for ripping off “Express Yourself” and wtf is this to do with gay empowerment?
    it’s just a load of stereotypical camp BS and i hope this trash flops.

  18. Brittney says:

    Yeah, this is very Madonna. It also sounds like it was written for drag shows. Not a bad thing, but not a very artistic thing either.

  19. Ari says:

    I agree with everyone who says this is a Madonna rip-off. It’s quite sad.

  20. ilstori says:

    Lady Gaga … Will you plz EXPRESS YOURSELF in another fashion???

    Cos this **** aint working!

    Ok thnx bye!

  21. HotPockets says:

    Kanye West’s ego + Marilyn Manson’s body and face + Christina makeup + the appeal of a dumpster= Lady gaga

  22. Samantha says:

    Express Yourself, that is the tune. As soon as it started I recognized it, now I can’t finish it. Seriously, what happened to originality?

  23. Waldemar says:

    I can’t hear it (work), but will believe anybody who says it is yet another rip off from Madonna

    Hey! Britneys Wig of Doom!!

    Madonna had the same eye make-up for her Hard candy album as Gaga has here. Not just the song is a rip off

    I will not be told by Elton what my Anthem is and will sooner die than take one from Gag.

  24. BR says:

    Yup, Madonna should legally and once and for all put Gaga in her rightful place.

  25. DetRiotgirl says:

    This is seriously unlistenable! The production sounds so cheap, rushed and disorganized. Sonically, this is just a total mess!

    I see several other posters here calling this an “Express Yourself” rip off, and maybe it is. Personally, I couldn’t even hear the melody under all the other garbage going on! And I listened to it twice, just to be sure!

    Let’s talk about the few lyrics I did catch in there. Does she seriously say something about being “oriental”? Or did I imagine that? “Don’t be a drag, just be a queen” repeated over and over is what passes for music these days? I heard some other faux deep statements in there too that didn’t make much sense. God, it’s like she’s pulling random phrases out of a hat at this point. It’s just awful!

    Before this song, I found her persona useless and annoying. But, her music was at least dance worthy and sometimes even reasonably good, albeit very generic. But, now? Now the music isn’t good either. Maybe she should have taken ten minutes away from fluffing her wig collection and given that time back to her album.

    Even I could do better than this! Here, I’ll prove it. I’ll write Lady Gaga’s next song and, just to one up her a bit, I’ll do it in five minutes.

    Here goes:

    Leaves of green fall from my soul
    But, that won’t keep me from my goal
    Whether you are chartreuse or neon blue
    You are best at being you
    I’ve worked real hard and paid my dues
    Look, check out my funky shoes
    Chocolate night with vanilla cars
    All the gays are super stars
    I like bi, trans and straight too
    You are best at being you
    Turquoise lovers from my past
    I live hard and I live fast
    Look, a lobster on my head
    Sleeping is for when you’re dead
    Truth is beauty and I am true
    You are best at being you
    All my monsters are such fun
    Allow immigration for everyone!
    Dress of meat and smoke of trees
    I won’t wear pants for the Yankees!
    Don’t smoke crack, don’t sniff glue
    You are best at being you
    *spoken*
    I support all fringe groups!
    I am an outcast!
    Love me, I’m weird!
    Check out my outfit!
    Look ma, no eyebrows!
    I am just like you!
    Worship me!
    *repeat into a slow fade*

    The end. And, hey, if Gaga’s people read this; I freelance!

  26. grazi says:

    I won’t even bother to listen to it, after all, the radio stations and media in general will start their job of violating the public by forcing it inside our head against our will, anyways.

  27. Marc says:

    I do not know any beige people!!! What is wrong with me???

  28. Icedwavez says:

    I totally thought it was a Madonna song at first. I think Lady Gaga needs to go away for a little bit. I’m tired of album after album from her.

  29. Penguen says:

    I actually like Lady Gaga and I’m disappointed with this song. I agree it’s an “Express Yourself” rip off, and it hurts to say that.

    Bummer.

  30. Dizzybenny says:

    @DetRiotgirl….wow that sounds pretty good lol!
    I dont know if i’m getting better or worst but i made it to 2 minutes of the song before i stopped it.;)

  31. Mimi says:

    @ Scarlittle: I was trying to figure out what song I was hearing while listening to this. You hit the nail on the head. Kinda makes me miss old school Madonna. Gotta say after all the hype this track was getting I’m kind of disappointed. And Madonna should be pissed lol.

  32. eja102 says:

    I like Gaga a lot.
    not this song.
    I found the lyrics campy, over done.

  33. The_Porscha says:

    No offense to her or her fans, but you can definitely tell she wrote this in ten minutes. I’m sure her stans will love this… but at first listen, all I could do was shrug.

  34. Frankly says:

    Lady Gaga was born THIS way, but it wasn’t very lucrative:

    http://www.idontlikeyouinthatway.com/2010/09/born-this-way.html

  35. Jayna says:

    Where she failed was she released it to a few of her gaga adorers, Perez Hilton, etc, and they called it amazing, will change humankind, etc. She acted like it was brilliant by her.
    So it could never live up to the hype because it’s a nice energetic pop song with hints of other artists’ music in it. It is not brilliant.

  36. Motor35 says:

    what’s up with the pointy bones in her face and shoulder?

  37. Jayna says:

    @Mimi, Madonna isn’t pissed. Express Yourself is trending again and people are buying it off iTunes because of the comparison. Except, Express Yourself is an iconic, much better song. But I do enjoy Born This Way. I just don’t know if I will get bored with it or it’s a grower. We’ll see.

  38. Toe says:

    As soon as I started listening, i heard the Madonna’s song in my head but didnt know which one. Thanks for clearing that up guys.
    We are reliving old movies, now we’re reliving old songs? SHAME!!!!

  39. sarahk says:

    So if you want it right now, better show me hoooow….wait. Shit.

  40. liz says:

    I’m disappointed 🙁

  41. Nancy says:

    It’s OK it certainly doesn’t blow me away it’s not Bad Romance which I think was a better song than this it definately has elements of Madonna’s songs “Express Yourself” and “Vogue” though.

  42. Kitten says:

    I love how she called herself the “best songwriter and singer of our generation” and then puts out a song that is a cross between Express Yourself and Vogue.

    No talent HACK.

  43. Motor35 says:

    i would definately consider myself a gaga fan, however, i couldn’t get past the 1:47 mark. wow. just a bunch of noise.

  44. Sandy says:

    The only song of hers I’ve ever liked is Bad Romance. And then she speaks and I want to slap her weird little face. As for Sir Elton, He hasn’t been worth a dam musically since 1979. Up until then he could do no wrong. Now he’s just a pain in the ass. Have you heard him rant about American politics? Dude. your British. Nobody asked you. STFU. Remember the Emenem thing? He’s an attention whore.

  45. LunaT says:

    DetRiotGirl—made me laugh. That was awesome.

    Yah, don’t tell people it took you 10 min to write the song. Makes it sound like you’re cranking it out sloppy instead of having a burst of amazing creativity.

    Anyone else think that Elton may be trying to make himself a little more relevant?

  46. JustBe says:

    Now I understand the purpose of all of her hype about this album. If she let it stand on its own merits, it would hardly sell any copies. The radio station I listen to in the morning was hyping this song’s release all week. Then they play it today and I couldn’t get through 30 seconds of it. The “music” (more like electronic keyboard riffs that my 4yr old could create) was grating and the lyrics were so saccharin I couldn’t take it.

    She should take some time off and then take the time to write high quality songs. Not try to make money by pandering to and/or exploiting certain groups of the audience.

  47. sapphire says:

    @Luna T-perhaps Sir Elton style sarcasm?

  48. Marjalane says:

    Can we just get a blank screen with her name on it instead of this picture? Her face is hideously creepy. Like nightmare, Chucky/Jason creepy.

  49. irishserra says:

    Trent Reznor is prettier.

  50. jover says:

    Wow this is what we’ve been waiting; wtf “I’m lebanon or orient” wtf – If i want to listen to this type of music i’ll go old school and listen to Patti Labelle or Donna Summer they had more talent and better songs. As many have stated, the radio stations will pummel us with this – how much money is Interscope bribing (oops, paying) radio stations – even her fans have to admit this is underwhelming to say the least.

  51. RHONYC says:

    here’s the ingredients she put in the ol’ magic bullet folks:

    ~ Patrick Hernandez’s 1979 hit ‘Born to be Alive’
    ~ Madonna’s ‘Express Yourself’
    ~ ABC’s ‘How To Be a Millionaire’
    ~ NIN’s ‘Closer’
    ~ Kelly Rowland’s (feat. David Guetta) ‘When Love Takes Over’

    i’m not impressed…actually quite the opposite.

    i miss her truly original sounding music like, ‘Bad Romance’, ‘Filthy Pop’, ‘Paper Gansta’, ‘Love Game’ & ‘Summer Boy’.

    i love gaga…but i’m not biting. 🙁

  52. Brittany says:

    @Toe

    Same thing with me! I started singing along and actually googled the lyrics I Could remember, and sure enough, ‘Express Yourself’ was the result!!!!

  53. SoulLovah says:

    The thing is, Madonna is actually a fan of Lady Gaga…while on the other hand, she has/had beef with Gwen Stefani? (Who I actually think is more unique than Gaga without all the gimicks). I really miss the fun, quirky pop-ish music she did before going into “Telephone” and “Alejandro” and The Meat Dress phase….look at her videos for “Eh EH (Nothing Else I Can Say)”, “Beautiful and Dirty Rich,” even “Just Dance.” I like THAT Gaga…..she really seems like a caraciture of the original persona she was trying to put out. A fake version of her fake identity.

    Also, why are YouTubers already making covers and renditions of this song?? It JUST came out!

  54. Sheigh says:

    I heard too a very pathetic “Express yourself” by Madonna and 2011 late remix. Come on Gag’ who doesn’t know the Queen of the Pop legendary hit!
    Gaga is alreay and finally died! Next please!!!!

  55. foobie says:

    @DetRiot girl:

    I read your hilarious lyrics and at first I LOL-ed. But only at first.

    Because now I’m panicking: someone out there might, even as I type, be showing Lady Gaga your lyrics! Thus inspiring the awful/awesome LG to USE YOUR LYRICS AND WRITE ANOTHER SONG OH MY GOD NOOOO!!! 😀

    Seriously though, I really want to like this new song. But somehow after all the hype, I feel… underwhelmed.

  56. Gee says:

    RHONYC, spot on.

  57. Kat says:

    I want to hear Trent do a Lady Gaga cover.

  58. Jael says:

    Well…i guess the crack room ain’t really helping her “originality”…can’t have what you’ve never had lady caca…LOL…she’s such a hysterical phreak…LOL

  59. Jael says:

    @Sandy: LOL…i would tell that elton mouse: “you be quiet, when i want your opinion, i will give it to you!”

  60. Trey says:

    The comparison to NIN made a tiny part of my musicsoul wilt :'(

    House techno. Pure, boring, unadulterated crap that only sounds great when you’re on some kinda upper. And it totally, TOTALLY sounds like “Express Yourself.”

  61. carrie says:

    Madonna’s EXPRESS YOURSELF rip off

  62. Anon says:

    This song reminded me so much of TLC, that instead of going and buying Born This Way, I went and bought some old TLC songs.

    So thank you Lady Gaga for reminding me how much I used to love TLC.

  63. hayley says:

    i’m actually really offended that you would compare someone as talented + original as Nine Inch Nails to someone as corporate + bland as lady gaga. the women does nothing but rip off everyone else.

  64. RHONYC says:

    @ hayley:

    was it a comparison?

    i took it to mean that NIN’s sound was definitely ripped off in the production of her song.

    of COURSE no one touches NIN!!!

    duh. 😆

  65. Laura says:

    Damn, I used to think the songs that I wrote in 10 minutes that sounded like other musician’s songs wouldn’t get me anywhere, now I’m thinking that I should start talking my self up and dressing weird and I can be famous too!

  66. moocowhead says:

    I like her, I wanted this to be amazing.. but it is pretty disappointing. I immediately thought – Express Yourself and several other songs it sounds like she lazily ripped off.

    Damn it, do something NEW and ORIGINAL Gaga! Especially if you’re talking up the album like it’s the best shit ever, fucking prove it. This does not support what you are telling us.

  67. chasingadalia says:

    I heard it in the car on my way to work this morning, and caught myself singing Express Yourself to it. Glad I wasn’t the only one.

  68. kiko says:

    omg express yourself all the freaking way!!!wow madge i know you like gaga but this is a complete rip off…elton please STFU.and enought with the gay people!!if i was gay i would be freaking pissed!!!

  69. mimi says:

    TLC & Madonna should sue the hell outta her because she ripped off both of them! Sad to say b/c I LOVED The Fame. Her older songs (Paper Gangster, Eh Eh, Summerboy, Beautiful Dirty Rich, Let Love Down, etc) are all better then this Born this Way crap.

  70. hayley says:

    @rhonyc
    yeah, i’d say that saying her song sounds like NIN would be compairing their sound to hers. maybe that’s just me.

  71. qmamzmwmsmxm says:

    trashy song. express yourself is better.(of course)

  72. original kate says:

    everything she does is a rip-off of someone else. she should change her name to madonna rezner-manson.

  73. Cherry Rose says:

    Sorry to burst people’s bubbles, but Trent Reznor wouldn’t be caught dead doing a Gaga cover or remixing any of her songs. He actually saves that for artists with actual talent and ones that aren’t that well known.

  74. Adrien says:

    No Gaga, BAd Romance was the gay anthem, not his one.

  75. celtaur says:

    I think the M-M-M she keeps repeating in the beginning actually stands for Madonna, and since she looks like Marilyn Manson, well maybe that’s part of it too. She’s blending the Marilyn Manson imagery with Madonna’s music.

    The only way she can salvage this Born this Way problem is if she admits it’s a rip off and that Madonna and her had a deal to do this, even so, this just proves Madonna is the Queen regardless, Lady Gaga is just a puppet being shaken around by a team that saw Madonna’s success and keeps trying to emulate it.

    Why wasn’t Lady Gaga demonstrating any creativity in the performances a couple years ago in pubs/clubs playing her keyboard as Stephanie, then suddenly she get’s so “eccentric, creative and artistic” overnight? Doesn’t make sense, obviously it’s a team of artistic directors, etc., that continuously brainstorms to create an image around her, it’s so fake… How can she be singing about being your real unique self, when she isn’t being her unique self, she’s just a compilation, mainly of Madonna.

    If she’s just a product of the industry that is creating her image and they are taking advantage of her and she’s being clueless to how obviously wrong of a direction they are taking her, I feel bad for her. Maybe in a few years we’ll read a book or see a movie about her being thrown around by the team and pressure around her, that she became completely lost. That would be sad, but probably make a huge money making movie/documentary – It would probably be called Behind the Fame, or Behind the Fame Monster I’m sure, or something like that. You heard it here first 😛

  76. MorticiansDoItDeader says:

    @Kaiser. No one can do NIN better than NIN, not even the late great Johnny Cash (although he did win a Grammy for his cover of “Hurt”). However, IF GaGa did attempt one of their covers, she MIGHT be able to pull off “Head like a Hole.”

  77. P'Allen says:

    I normally (very much despite myself) like Gaga’s songs. This one…not so much. Couldn’t even listen to the whole thing.
    And I agree with MK…def hear “TLC’s Waterfalls” in there

  78. Kat says:

    @Cherry Rose: I was kidding about the Trent remix suggestion. I’m a massive NIN fan myself, but I also have a sense of humor.

  79. Shay says:

    She can boast that she wrote the song in ten minutes, but it’s a blatant rip off and too similar to Express Yourself to be remotely original.
    And what is it with her promo picture and copying French artist Orlan with the forehead horns? The promo image is definitely not ‘her idea’ either. More like copied from something else.
    Honestly, GaGa is such a copycat in everything that she does. Her entire image is scavenged from other artists.
    I’m over her and her tin-can Eurotrash songs. Her songs make Eurovision song entries sound credible.
    I just wish GaGa just goes and evaporates. Can’t stand her anymore.

  80. B says:

    OMG, I just listened for the first time with fresh ears, I didn’t want to believe the comments. It’s totally Express YourSELFISH, ugh. Just when I started getting into Lady G…fake.

  81. MrsOdie2 says:

    Her people love it. Her people are young gay, bi, and transgendered people. And I mean young: teens and early twenties. They don’t just like her, or even love her. She is their religion. I have heard young gay men claim to have “wept” over this song and proclaimed it the most beautiful music they have ever heard in their lives. To be fair, they are too young to have even heard of the David Bowie album she is ripping off for the cover of hers. What they will not believe or accept is that she has marketed herself to them in order to make herself a millionaire. She is using them. She doesn’t speak for them. She isn’t one of them. She’s a self-proclaimed guru of gay culture and she’s got them all fooled. I think it’s sad.

  82. LittleDeadGirl says:

    I’m actually a fan of a few of her songs but this song was plain awful. I don’t care if she ripped anyone off, I care that it’s a terrible song. Came on the radio today and I turned to another station mid way after I couldn’t bear it anymore.

  83. JenJen says:

    How do you tell a monster that you can’t stand this thing?

  84. RBTGRL says:

    Hey Everyone,

    I’ve been observing this for a while – she’s done a decade of Madonna in three years. Alejandro was Vogue, Just Dance was Get into the Groove, this is Express Yourself. She will run out of ideas soon and fast. Artists are different now. They need to sell, sell and be different and in your face to last for a few months.

    Little does she know she’s about to hit the Erotica and Bedtime Story stage which were rougher times for Madonna.

    It will be interesting to see how this album goes – if the hype helps it sell no doubt her next lot of material will be the official time that everyone is over her.

    Long live the Queen of Pop – Madonna

  85. peta says:

    whoa someone’s got it out for NIN, talk about a huge insult. this piece of crap could only aspire to reach the level of Reznor’s toilet plunger.

  86. sam says:

    Surely Madonna would have sold her the rights to her music?

  87. jayem says:

    I love how everyone rips her a new one for vaguely sounding like Madonna but no one says shit about the Black Eyed Peas taking a beat that is very well known and just chanting the same few lines over and over. Right now, I can’t tell the difference between Enrique Iglesias and Usher. Or Rhianna and Katy Perry and their mike-killing screeching. At least Gaga seems to take her $hit seriously.

    At this point in time, almost every song imaginable is gonna sound faintly like someone else’s, especially in the pop/dance arena. If you don’t like it, DON’T LISTEN TO IT!

  88. Hakura says:

    All comparisons & insults aside, I really don’t care for the song. But the only thing that really drew me to her others was how damned (annoyingly) catchy they were.

    Of course I don’t mean that to be offensive to those who do genuinely do like her music.

  89. Stephanie says:

    Ok, I’m in the minority, but I like it! (*blushes*) LOL

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