Does Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' Rip Off Madonna's 'Express Yourself'?

By John Mitchell Posted Feb 11th 2011 12:45PM

People are already going crazy for Lady Gaga's anthemic new single, 'Born This Way.' But we couldn't help but notice that in just about every article or review of the song (not to mention your comments, beloved PopEater readers), people are calling out its similarity to Madonna's 'Express Yourself,' with some even claiming it's a blatant rip-off.

While we wouldn't go that far -- we love Madonna (you have no idea), but people give her so much credit as a pop innovator you'd think she built the first synthesizer with her bare hands -- it's impossible to not see the thematic and melodic parallels between Her Madgesty's pop classic and Gaga's latest club jam.

If imitation really is the sincerest form of flattery, Madonna should be feeling pretty good this morning. People are loving Gaga's new tune, but the big story that has emerged since its debut this morning is its rather obvious similarity to the Material Girl's 'Express Yourself' (there's also a little 'Deeper and Deeper' in there, too, if you ask us).

Compare for yourself:

The buzz has sent the Internet aflutter, with "Madonna," "Born This Way" and "Express Yourself" all trending on Twitter, and headlines from The Atlantic ("Is Lady Gaga's 'Born This Way' a Rip-Off of Madonna's 'Express Yourself'?") to the Washington Post ("Lady Gaga's New Song, 'Born This Way,' Premieres Online. We think Madonna Will Like It") drawing the comparison.

But as Vulture notes, "['Born This Way'] has Gaga, an artist constantly compared to Madonna, cheerfully swiping some melodies from Madonna's 'Express Yourself' -- because this is not the kind of song where that feels like a big deal, or anything much at all seems like a big deal."

Exactly. To us, Gaga's new tune feels like more of an homage than a rip-off. The 'Bad Romance' singer has made no secret of her respect for Madonna, and with that in mind, there's no way the thematic and musical similarities between 'Born This Way' and 'Express Yourself' were not purposeful. With its full-on disco swagger and lyrics about self-acceptance, Gaga is taking a page straight out of the Madonna handbook and not apologizing for it.

And why should she? Just about every female pop star -- from Britney Spears and Rihanna to Katy Perry and Christina Aguilera, whose 'Not Myself Tonight' video got raked over the coals last spring for borrowing imagery from the 'Express Yourself' video -- has been accused of aping Madonna at some point. At least when Gaga does it she has the class and pop sensibility to do it right. 'Born This Way' isn't a poor-man's retread of 'Express Yourself'; it takes the feel and concept of that empowerment anthem and ups the ante. Gaga cranks the bass and opens the door to everybody -- and it's something we should be celebrating her for.

'Express Yourself' -- song and video -- remains a high point in Madonna's particular brand of pop culture feminism, and in a lot of ways, it's probably her most successful "message" song. And sure, 'Born This Way' is cut from the same cloth, but who cares? Twenty-two years after 'Express Yourself' topped the charts, it's about time someone dropped a self-acceptance tune that holds a candle to the Queen of Pop's showstopper.

Let's just hope Gaga's likely-to-be-awesome video for 'Born This Way' -- she reportedly already filmed the clip with her 'Telephone' and 'Paparazzi' director Jonas Akerlund, himself a longtime collaborator of Madonna's (he directed her videos for 'Ray of Light,' 'Music' and, most recently, 'Celebration') -- is half as good as Madge's legendary David Fincher-directed clip for 'Express Yourself.'

What do you think, PopEater readers? Do you think 'Born This Way' hews too closely to 'Express Yourself,' or is Gaga simply paying her respects (in the best way she knows how) to the Queen of Pop?

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Tags: Lady Gaga, madonna

Comments

(292)

Friday 11 February

By steven

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Of course it's a rip-off. Ga-ga is nothing but a Madonna wannabee!

By Ralph Zuccaro

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Her and Madonnas fan base are Mentally Retarded - SO DUH!!!~!

By Chitown

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Um, like this is an ephiphany? Wasn't Alejandro, just a remixed La Isla Bonita?

By bigD

That's exactly what I thought when I heard Alexandro too. But this is not the same song as Express Yourself and I have to laugh at all the self-proclaimed experts sounding off here. As someone who writes and produces music, I can tell you the similarity here has more to do with the similar sound of their voices and the very similarly arranged back-up singers. It has more to do with the arrangement/production of the song than the actual song itself. So no, it's not a rip-off.

Saturday 12 February

By angela

How the heck does Alejandro sound like La Isla Bonita?

Friday 18 February

By Rafo

No, "Alejandro" it is almost equal to an Ace of Base song called "Don't turn around". The video is an exaggerated "Vogue". "Born this way" is just an ok song, and the similaritie with Express Yourself is more in the idea and the way she presented herself at the Grammys (the ponytail!!). I guess it was very hard to top "Bad Romance" (truly original, her best work so far).

By PeaNut Butta

I still don't hear the "copying", I agree with Sheila, to each his/her own.

Monday 14 February

By ZigZagZoey

Geez, I thought I was the only one!
I think it sounds similar, but only for a second or two, defintely not the entire song!

Now Alehandro was a different story ~ THAT really sounded like that icky Ace of Base song.

By ZZZ999jsz

Geez, I thought I was the only one! I agree, there are maybe 2 seconds that remind me of EY, definitely NOT the entire song!

Alehandro however is a different story. That song sounds exactly like that icky Ace of Base song that I never liked in the first place!

By Lilly

thats cause she sample it from Ace of Base's "Don't Turn Around" however, it sounds a lot different

By Amanda

It makes me FURIOUS. This is not 'inspiration', its a blatant rip off. Copying music and putting new words to it does not make you an artist or creative.

I had a smidge of respect for Gaga, but thats all gone now. It infuriates me that she actually gets away with this. This is more than just 'sampling'...

By jackx

Furious about what, Amanda? Do you think there are an infinite number of notes and arrangements in music? There will be overlaps and similarities. If I had heard this Lady Gaga song without reading this article, I never would have thought about "Express Yourself." Yes, there are some similarities, but I wouldn't describe it as a ripoff, nor as a blatant one at that.

By Double standard

GAGA had said it would blow our minds! Well she was kind of right...it didn't blow our minds...it just BLOWS! So does the author of this article. I find it funny that when any other artist (Xtina for example) puts out a song that may be similar in theme or sound to Madonna - she is a copy, a fraud and is raked through the coals. When Gaga does it, and worse no less, it is the authors opinion that "Gaga's new tune feels like more of an homage than a rip-off." The author needs to stop sniffing his white-out. Gaga can't hold a candle to Madonna or Christina A. at this point in her career. She has alot of hard work and alot of time to put in to ever be considered in their league.

By Tired

I totally thought the same thing!! Well said and so true! Gaga is a blatant rip off and can't hold a candle to Xtina or Maddona!

By xmen4ever8290

What's funny to me is how at the beginning of the article it mentions how everyone acts like Madonna invented Pop (at least that's how I interpreted it), but isn't that exactly how everyone talks about Lady Gaga? No one today is able to do anything remotely creative without them somehow "copying Lady Gaga". I think it's good that she get some of that back.

Despite the fact that I think that it is a blatant copy of Madonna's "Express Yourself"...I really like this song lol. I was dancing listening to it.

By Rhett

I always thought Express Yourself by Madonna was a rip off of Respect Yourself by The Staple Singers.

By traci

Gaga's entire act is a rip off! Nothing new!.... Anyone that ever thought she was original to begin with, is either young and naive or RETARDED!

By Marina

So, no one noticed her song Fernando was a Madonna rip off?

Please...music recycles over the years...these new "artists" just copy someone else. Live long enough & you'll "discover" that!

By Ashley

After hearing this, I am no longer a Lady Gaga fan. This song is terrible. It sounds a lot worse than Express Yourself. I would never want to dance to this in a club.

By Mr. Future

Told ya ! What till you hear GaGa's other major single . Major crap more like it . Why she would devolve into disco I don't know why but this album will make her humble . Fun while it lasted but Ga GA in Gone Gone on this album .

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