Music
Lady GaGa: 'The Fame'
Released on Monday, Jan 12 2009
Published Friday, Jan 9 2009, 12:20 GMT | By Nick Levine | 52 comments

Drag queen isn't a bad starting point when describing the other side of Lady GaGa. Her image is both high fashion and trashy - she favours platinum blonde hair extensions, oversized sunglasses and catsuits - and her signature stage prop is a decidedly phallic implement called a "disco stick". GaGa may want us to think she's just jetted down from Jupiter, but she actually hails from the Upper West Side of Manhattan, where she attended the same convent school as Paris Hilton. Joanne Stefani Germanotta, as she was then known, found her niche doing "very theatrical performance arty shows" on the Lower East Side, developing the persona we now know as Lady GaGa.
GaGa is stylish, ambitious and appealingly pretentious - but she isn't deep. Her lyrics tend to ricochet between the witty and the inane, often within the course of a song. 'Poker Face', one of the best tracks here, features both passable innuendo ("I wanna roll with him, a hard pair we will be") and childish, half-arsed nonsense ("I'm bluffin' with my muffin!") Her ballads, the best of which is the plastic reggae of 'Eh Eh (Nothing Else I Can Say)', are utterly lacking in emotional heft. And then there's 'Money Honey', a spectacularly ill-timed ode to materialism on which GaGa tells us "it's good to live expensive" and fantasises about "the Jag, the Jet and the mansion".
Then again, when she gets the songs right, it hardly seems to matter that what she's singing about - fame, flings, being "beautiful dirty rich" - is shallow. 'Love Game', 'Paparazzi', 'I Like It Rough' and future single 'Poker Face' are every bit as effective as 'Just Dance': bombastic electro-R&B monsters that are almost impossible not to dance to. 'Boys Boys Boys', a fun flipside to Motley Crue's 'Girls Girls Girls', is almost as impressive, while 'Disco Heaven' cheekily celebrates the decadent nightlife of 1970s New York. At 16 tracks, The Fame is far too long, but it's packed with potential hits.
She's not nearly as original as she thinks she is - Grace Jones, Gwen Stefani and Christina Aguilera all deserve thank-you notes - and she makes Madonna seem like a paragon of warmth, but it's hard not to view Lady GaGa as a good thing. She already presents herself like a huge popstar - check out the 'Poker Face' video if you're not convinced - and has worked out she'll need brilliant pop songs to become one. The Fame, for all its faults, has plenty of those.

> Click here to read our recent interview with Lady GaGa
Your Views
52 Comments
Your Responses
Lee, Wales, on December 22nd, 2009
I just read some comments below saying that in 6 months time everybody will have forgotten about her... that was like February. It is now December, 11 months later... and Lady GaGa is a WORLDWIDE SUPERSTAR BABY! This album is amazing, as is The Fame Monster, and I just know she's gonna be around for a long time. Love GaGa <3
I just read some comments below saying that in 6 months time everybody will have forgotten about her... that was like February. It is now December, 11 months later... and Lady GaGa is a WORLDWIDE SUPERSTAR BABY! This album is amazing, as is The Fame Monster, and I just know she's gonna be around for a long time. Love GaGa <3
jimmy smith, on December 20th, 2009
If anyone actually thinks she comes up with any of the melodies or music herself then you have to be a borderline r-tard
If anyone actually thinks she comes up with any of the melodies or music herself then you have to be a borderline r-tard
Steve UK, on December 18th, 2009
Great but Nickelback are better ;)
Great but Nickelback are better ;)
Will UK, on November 15th, 2009
Superb album - all the tracks are amazing! :D
Superb album - all the tracks are amazing! :D
Freddie UK, on November 13th, 2009
Great catchy pop!
Great catchy pop!
Dolly, on September 29th, 2009
People dislike her because of her attitude. I guess they just don't have a sense of humor. Lady gaga is a very sarcastic and witty person. I got the chance to meet her before, and she's actually really nice. And she puts on one heck of a performance. She dances, while keeping her voice sounding steady, and amazing. Shes not just another pop artist puppet...she's something else. Her DEBUT album is extremely catchy. I can't wait to hear more from her.
People dislike her because of her attitude. I guess they just don't have a sense of humor. Lady gaga is a very sarcastic and witty person. I got the chance to meet her before, and she's actually really nice. And she puts on one heck of a performance. She dances, while keeping her voice sounding steady, and amazing. Shes not just another pop artist puppet...she's something else. Her DEBUT album is extremely catchy. I can't wait to hear more from her.
Angelica, NYC, on September 29th, 2009
I didn't like her at first, because I thought she was just another flop artist. But after hearing her sing live, and hearing how she actually writes her own songs, designs her own clothes, and stage, I was impressed. Hate her, or love her, you can't deny that the girls got talent. We're so use to artist who get their songs written for them, and that lip sing on stage, that we're not use to seeing the real deal. She also has that 'rock star' attitude. I don't think shes mean, shes just playing with us. Shes a talented writer, I give the album a 4.
I didn't like her at first, because I thought she was just another flop artist. But after hearing her sing live, and hearing how she actually writes her own songs, designs her own clothes, and stage, I was impressed. Hate her, or love her, you can't deny that the girls got talent. We're so use to artist who get their songs written for them, and that lip sing on stage, that we're not use to seeing the real deal. She also has that 'rock star' attitude. I don't think shes mean, shes just playing with us. Shes a talented writer, I give the album a 4.
Genesis, New York City, on September 29th, 2009
That album is the best I've heard. And the fact that shes a NEW aritst, and its THAT good, i'd give it a five. I also love the fact that she actually sits down, and writes her own songs. She can even sing live, and play piano! Can britney spears do that? I don't believe so. And i love the fact that she actually graduated from NYU, it shows that she actually has brains. I hope shes around for a long time, it's rare to have an artist like her.
That album is the best I've heard. And the fact that shes a NEW aritst, and its THAT good, i'd give it a five. I also love the fact that she actually sits down, and writes her own songs. She can even sing live, and play piano! Can britney spears do that? I don't believe so. And i love the fact that she actually graduated from NYU, it shows that she actually has brains. I hope shes around for a long time, it's rare to have an artist like her.
Lee, South Wales, on September 23rd, 2009
only 3 stars?! This album's amazing, I can listen to it the entire way through without needing to switch songs. Catchy, different and it sets out to do what Lady Gaga wanted it to do - give everybody a taste of fame, which I think it does really well. I think Just Dance is one of my favourite songs ever, and a loooot of her songs are really high on my playlist.
only 3 stars?! This album's amazing, I can listen to it the entire way through without needing to switch songs. Catchy, different and it sets out to do what Lady Gaga wanted it to do - give everybody a taste of fame, which I think it does really well. I think Just Dance is one of my favourite songs ever, and a loooot of her songs are really high on my playlist.
Nayo Wallington, on September 20th, 2009
lady gaga deserves 5 stars! its stupid the review you have given her. she is the new best artist of 2009 and she even won an award to prove it. she has one of the best albums ever. personally, i've never been able to get into an album that well but i can listen to every song and enjoy it to the max. the fact that she writes her own songs herself makes it even better and shows that she has pure talent. people shouldnt rate if they hate her or they like her, this rating is about her album and if you actually listened to it then you would know where i am coming from.
lady gaga deserves 5 stars! its stupid the review you have given her. she is the new best artist of 2009 and she even won an award to prove it. she has one of the best albums ever. personally, i've never been able to get into an album that well but i can listen to every song and enjoy it to the max. the fact that she writes her own songs herself makes it even better and shows that she has pure talent. people shouldnt rate if they hate her or they like her, this rating is about her album and if you actually listened to it then you would know where i am coming from.
Sally@hotmail.com, on September 19th, 2009
Greatest album of the decade!!!!
Greatest album of the decade!!!!
Charley, on September 16th, 2009
Best. Album. Ever. Nothing else i can say. :)
Best. Album. Ever. Nothing else i can say. :)
Iceman, Ireland, on September 3rd, 2009
Absolute crap, come up with something original...Lady snore snore, done before done before..........
Absolute crap, come up with something original...Lady snore snore, done before done before..........
Steven, on August 28th, 2009
hahaha read the comment from "Taz" he wrote it in feb and says that lady gaga wont be round in 6 months time lol, i found this funny since shes one of the worlds biggest stars at the moment :D a brilliant album full of instant hits, easily the best album of the year, possibly the decade! all the best to her, 1,000,000 people in UK cant be wrong!
hahaha read the comment from "Taz" he wrote it in feb and says that lady gaga wont be round in 6 months time lol, i found this funny since shes one of the worlds biggest stars at the moment :D a brilliant album full of instant hits, easily the best album of the year, possibly the decade! all the best to her, 1,000,000 people in UK cant be wrong!
Matt, West Sussex, on August 22nd, 2009
I can't believe how anyone can call this stuff good, just sounds like a re-hash of all the other POP crap that's been coming out over the last 10 years. Easily the worst of the worst, please don't waste your money buying this rubbish and supporting her drug habit.
I can't believe how anyone can call this stuff good, just sounds like a re-hash of all the other POP crap that's been coming out over the last 10 years. Easily the worst of the worst, please don't waste your money buying this rubbish and supporting her drug habit.
Craig, Devon, on August 15th, 2009
This is one of the best albums, and probably one of the most important, of the decade. She's recreated pop with intelligence and wit whilst keeping it light and digestable and everyone is already trying to imitate her! This is an epic art project and fame experiment that she's going to keep growing and pushing. She's not some bimbo with a disco stick she's an artist who wants to create a masterpiece, and she has!
This is one of the best albums, and probably one of the most important, of the decade. She's recreated pop with intelligence and wit whilst keeping it light and digestable and everyone is already trying to imitate her! This is an epic art project and fame experiment that she's going to keep growing and pushing. She's not some bimbo with a disco stick she's an artist who wants to create a masterpiece, and she has!
Callum, on August 15th, 2009
I love this album poker face is one of the best songs of this decade brilliant album
I love this album poker face is one of the best songs of this decade brilliant album
Niamh-Ann, on August 13th, 2009
Amazing album.
Amazing album.
Hayley, on August 8th, 2009
kick ass album :)
kick ass album :)







wow! what a great album! I didn't like just dance, poker face was alright and papparazzi is brilliant! when my dad bought this I had a listen and was amazed :) and now im GaGa mad! My favourite songs are: papparazzi, eh eh (nothing else I can say), starstruck, beautiful dirty rich, and the fame :) my only criticism is, a lot of the songs sound the same :L but you get that with a lot of albums anyway, especially first albums :) overall an amazing first album!!!!!