Update to Dylan/Madonna/Gaga

I would love someone to do a mashup of "Lay Lady Lay", "Baby I was born this way "and Madonna's Respect Yourself."

I'm sure it's in the making. Or, should be!

I at first, dismissed Lady Gaga. (because of the name, mostly.) However, I've seen her in interviews, I've read interviews with/about her and "times, they are a changin'". Similar to Dylan... more similar, I think to Madonna. All three are signs of the times in which they become iconic. She's positive, bizarre and has a musical hook (maybe positively bizarre?). Long live Lady Gaga. Though I won't be buying any of her stuff (nor do I have any Dylan or Madonna).

I at first, dismissed Lady Gaga. (because of the name, mostly.) However, I've seen her in interviews, I've read interviews with/about her and "times, they are a changin'". Similar to Dylan... more similar, I think to Madonna. All three are signs of the times in which they become iconic. She's positive, bizarre and has a musical hook (maybe positively bizarre?). Long live Lady Gaga. Though I won't be buying any of her stuff (nor do I have any Dylan or Madonna).

Ann Powers is the one who's stirring the pot to advance her own career. Anybody who would even think of making a positive comparison between Dylan and Gaga is looking for publicity. So congratulations, Ann, we're all talking about you! Don't you feel special? Seriously -- Gaga's championing of gay rights so late in the game is about as safe as you can play it. Dylan on the other hand was right there at the cutting edge of political change. His points of view were articulately and poetically stated. Gaga is a disco singer basically, capitalizing on the multi-media stageshow format, complete with bizarre hypersexual costumes, popularized by Michael Jackson, Madonna and many many others. And by the way, "God On Our Side" is NOT a song about organized religion! It's a song about the long history of self-righteous piety used to justify aggressive American policy against Native Americans and other non-white people. Sheesh.

i like dylan,but, do those of you hating on ann powers, have to wrap him in cellophane, and, not allow anyone, to compare him to gaga or anyone else.
i mean,is this anything other than hero worship, bordering on zealous idolatry ?
i think the context of ann's argument is persuasive and intelligent. she is not really even pitting one against the other.

While Lady Gaga might sing about controversial topics they are NOT protest songs. Bob Dylan and Phil Ochs sang protest songs. Protest songs are to be sung at protest marches as in the 60's with the civil rights movement and anit-war movement.

how positively post modern for the gaga age !!! did ms. powers actually listen to Madona ? she was herself a gay icon !! gaga is not original just slf promoting. it's easy to mock organized religion - everyone does it - so why so daring and provocative for gaga ?

this isn't great pop music - just manufactured pop by numbers ( or is that by beats per minute ).
culture is really on th ropes when gaga is compared to dylan..really...the times they are a changing...

I think its a very sad day when we can only name one popular artist in 2011 that speaks out for equal rights or stirs the political pot. The real question should be where are all the other artists? This is what rock stars are supposed to do. Bob Dylan raised the bar. Lady Gaga isn't there yet and her fair-weather approach to subjects like bisexuality or uninformed political views do nothing but confuse the issue.

"With God on Our Side" is NOT a song about religion. It's an anti-war song, as anyone could see who even listens to the song once.

John, I love you, but I'm disappointed in you for saying the song is "about its title."

nonsense

In an interview in Songwriter magazine several years ago, Dylan said he thought that in the long run he'd be remembered most for changing how pop music was sung, i.e., his original way of phrasing a lyric. Lady Gaga sounds like she's a big fan of Rex Harrison's way of "talking" a song. Does she ever actually sing?

nonsense

Gaga and "taking series" in the same sentence ...with out "can't"...that's not right?!

I don't get it! Everyone I have ever met ends their sentences regarding Lady Gaga by stating something like "but she's really talented." First she was a performance artist and now she's touted as some kind of activist "but she's really talented!" I don't dislike Gaga but does anybody? Something is telling me there is something not right when a pop star can do no wrong. Oh and BTW she's really talented!

Happy 70th birthday, Bob Dylan!

So who's Lady Gaga?