Lady Gaga is one of my favorite singers. She has her detractors, of course, and understandably so, but personally, I love her. And the track of hers that I like the most is "Alejandro."
I wrote once that I very firmly believe that "Alejandro" is what Ace of Base would sound like if they had started recording this year instead of in the early 1990s. And it clearly owes a debt to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" and ABBA's "Fernando." But "Alejandro" is more than just the sum of those parts. It is riotous, it is joyful, it is heartbreaking. It makes me want to sing and dance, maybe even in public (which I absolutely do not do).
On the other hand, the music video changes the entire tone of the song, as if Gaga is trying to make a totally new statement with the same piece. And why should she not? As the musician, she is well within her rights to do with her work what she likes. Oftentimes, that kind of experimentation goes awry. In this particular instance, however, the result is eye-poppingly good.
The video is equal parts "Smooth Criminal," silent film, the White Witch, World War II, Dracula, steampunk, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tchaikovsky's "Arabian Dance," Catholic ritual, Terminator, David Fincher film, Alexander McQueen runway show, Christina Aguilera video, Devil's Night, Cabaret, marionette display, Casino Royale, Steven Meisel photograph, dystopia, The Last Emperor, Madonna ("Don't Tell Me," "Drowned World/Substitute for Love," Evita, "Express Yourself," "Frozen," "Human Nature," "Justify My Love," "Like a Prayer," "Nothing Really Matters," "Papa Don't Preach," "Rain," and "Vogue," at the very least, if not others, as well*) and, finally, Gaga. How you can even fit so many references into a single music video is beyond me. The level of synthesis involved is absolutely mind-boggling. And ultimately, this video is not as fun as "Telephone." It is not as batshit crazy as "Bad Romance." It is not as socailly critical as "Paparazzi." But it is beautiful, and every bit as epic as each of those other creations.
For now, this may just be a song that we all sing along to when it comes on the radio. (I have been known to do this once or twice. Or, you know, three times a day. Occasionally with my friend Maureen in tow. And always as loudly as possible.) Ultimately, though, I feel that both the song and the accompanying video will become touchstones for the dance and pop singers of the future as well as artistically-minded directors of music videos.
I wrote once that I very firmly believe that "Alejandro" is what Ace of Base would sound like if they had started recording this year instead of in the early 1990s. And it clearly owes a debt to Madonna's "La Isla Bonita" and ABBA's "Fernando." But "Alejandro" is more than just the sum of those parts. It is riotous, it is joyful, it is heartbreaking. It makes me want to sing and dance, maybe even in public (which I absolutely do not do).
On the other hand, the music video changes the entire tone of the song, as if Gaga is trying to make a totally new statement with the same piece. And why should she not? As the musician, she is well within her rights to do with her work what she likes. Oftentimes, that kind of experimentation goes awry. In this particular instance, however, the result is eye-poppingly good.
The video is equal parts "Smooth Criminal," silent film, the White Witch, World War II, Dracula, steampunk, Rocky Horror Picture Show, Tchaikovsky's "Arabian Dance," Catholic ritual, Terminator, David Fincher film, Alexander McQueen runway show, Christina Aguilera video, Devil's Night, Cabaret, marionette display, Casino Royale, Steven Meisel photograph, dystopia, The Last Emperor, Madonna ("Don't Tell Me," "Drowned World/Substitute for Love," Evita, "Express Yourself," "Frozen," "Human Nature," "Justify My Love," "Like a Prayer," "Nothing Really Matters," "Papa Don't Preach," "Rain," and "Vogue," at the very least, if not others, as well*) and, finally, Gaga. How you can even fit so many references into a single music video is beyond me. The level of synthesis involved is absolutely mind-boggling. And ultimately, this video is not as fun as "Telephone." It is not as batshit crazy as "Bad Romance." It is not as socailly critical as "Paparazzi." But it is beautiful, and every bit as epic as each of those other creations.
For now, this may just be a song that we all sing along to when it comes on the radio. (I have been known to do this once or twice. Or, you know, three times a day. Occasionally with my friend Maureen in tow. And always as loudly as possible.) Ultimately, though, I feel that both the song and the accompanying video will become touchstones for the dance and pop singers of the future as well as artistically-minded directors of music videos.
Watch the music video for "Alejandro" on Lady Gaga's website.
* There is a short article about this very subject on mtv.com. Read it here.
-Cate-
Posts
I sing along all the time. Especially when crossing bridges. Lady Gaga makes me unafraid of falling to my death in the Alligator River!
ReplyDeleteAnd, you see, that is the power of Gaga: she will remove your fear of death!
ReplyDelete