I Gag over Gaga

I will be the first to admit that I am not a huge fan of Lady Gaga. I have heard a couple of her songs on the radio but usually when they come on I turn the station. I know there are probably some of you who are fans of her music and if that's the case, you may want to stop reading now.

Today I just read a brief interview online with Lady Gaga and in it she made a comment that left me quite disturbed. Here is what she said:

"I was this really bad, rebellious misfit of a person -- I still am -- sneaking out, going to clubs, drugs, alcohol, older men, younger men. And I look at [my fans], and every show there's a little more eyeliner, a little more freedom. For some reason, the fans didn't become more Top 40. They become even more of this cult following. It's very strange and exciting."

This should be no surprise to you all, but I have a thing or two to say about this:

1- What kind of a role model is she being, really, to all those young teens in the world who are still trying to find themselves? She is basically advocating that it's okay to get involved in drugs and alcohol and go around sleeping with anyone you want. Why on earth do we, as a society, not see a problem with this?

2- I could be mistaken but I am pretty sure she just compared her fans to a "cult following". Does that not raise red flags to anyone but me? It definitely makes me glad I'm not a fan.

I understand that her music has a catchy beat and it's fun to dance to but what about her lyrics? Has anyone recently read the lyrics to her song "Poker Face"? Interestingly enough, that particular single sold almost 10 million copies.

The other night I attended a meeting where the speaker was talking about the powerful influence of music, for good and bad, and she shared this quote:

"Music is the sugar coating that makes “bitter” lyrics palatable. We may become so infatuated with the rhythm, melody, or singer of a song that we transfer this emotion to the words, not caring what they really say. Even if the words are drug-oriented, erotic, violent, satanic, or just plain silly—when tied to a “hit” tune, they sneak past the screening mechanism of the brain to be stored in the subconscious, and to affect the listener accordingly."

"Many people who listen to popular music claim that they never listen to the lyrics and that the messages never affect them. Research, however, shows that our brains are marvelously perceptive; they pick up almost any message within sight or sound, whether we consciously know it or not. Those subconsciously received messages may have as much an effect on us as the messages we consciously seek out."

It really made me stop and think about what kind of music I listen to. There is definitely good music out there but there is probably also some music I need to pay better attention to.

For now I am glad to admit that I Gag over Gaga.