Born This Way turns 6 years today

[metalguru 1,553]

So many good memories...

I was living with my best friend, leaving with my family behind, working and writing, trying to survive and success at the age of 17.

From the very first moment, I felt the specialty of the album.

Her best album, her best era, rare moment in the history of pop music. Glam infused over the top pop. Full of ideas. When i first listened the album, it remind me of another overlooked classic, Mansun's Six. Mansion's music is totally different from Gaga (progressive experimental britpop) but Six has the same crazy, chaotic, pretentious tone. Years later, NME put Gaga and Mansun on their "the most pretentious albums ever" list. For me, pretentious is gold! is better!

And the look... Nick Knight is the man behind the visuals and he worked with my favorite band Suede in 90s. Check out Coming Up and Head Music. You Gagadaily fans will love Suede! Anyway, Gaga was devilishly slim and aggressive. Like a dark messiah. Her photoshoot for the album still gives me goosebumps. 

BUT! A big but. The album cover still makes me very sad. All the amazing pictures for the era and this cover? Born This Way is a deadly serious album but its cover is a postmodern joke at its best and it is not a good joke. 

Sometimes music scene is just cruel. Beyonce is declared the queen with songs with 4903743040 samples. Will Born This Way consider a classic? Yes, and no. I am not talking about myself, I will always put BTW in my top10, alongside with Bowie, Suede, Kate Bush etc. 

I think Gaga should prepare an anniversary plan for BTW. For its 10th anniversary or 15th, a re-release, a mini Born This Way concert series, a book about the era etc etc. It is a big album and sometimes these bold works need time to find their spots. And maybe, with the anniversary, Gaga may re-issue album with a different cover. Personally, I would go with this for instance: 

Or even this (which is my favorite Gaga pic): 

 

Born This Way.. larger than life... An astonishing artistic statement. 

Hope Gaga will get her demons back.

Happy bday BTW! 

[TopazBlue 2,100]

MY FAVORITE THING EVER CREATED IN THE ENTIRETY OF THE UNIVERSE

UgHhHhG I love Born This Way SO MUCH!!!

best songs

best tour

best production

best fashion

best EVERYTHING

Ü get the idea

Omg i seriously could go on for HOURS about this album!!!

6 years tho  wat (wasn't a monster until 2015 tho)

2011 must have been a magical time to be a monster!

Born This Way is so otherworldly! I wanna live in G.O.A.T. and the nick knight photoshoot and the btwb castle all at the same time!

Spoiler

am i the only one that associates all of May with BTW?

ok to wrap this up so i literally don't take up half the page 

thank you Gaga so much for this perfect album! you are so inspirational and I love you forever!

paws up! 

[Taylor Z 108]

I remember going to school, and they had that special on the radio were they replayed it constantly all day.

It beat Hold it Against Me's record ❤

[JustinTrudeau 2,419]

11 hours ago, juju said:

I'm screaming though, I was only 20 years old. Going through such a rough time juggling college, legalities, fake friends and toxic relationships. BTW literally saved my life, I remember riding the backroads with a blunt in hand to Highway Unicorn, or during the roadtrip that summer going along coastal highways and unfamiliar terrain to the entire thing, and feeling invincible, like no matter what the world threw my way, I'd be able to rise. The album still gives me that power of invincibility to this day, and therefore remains my favorite Gaga album and era. She truly is the reason I'm still here  

 

Yoooooo sounds like the roadtrip of my dreams. I went through a rough university year when I was 19, and decided to go on a train alone to Ottawa where I stayed for a few days after I wrote my exams. I recharged completely, felt invincible, and learned so much about myself. 

Summer time is the best time to explore and go on adventures.

[Queen1551 756]

I still remember waking up so early to hear Born This Way (single). It started something new and exciting for Gaga. Every song I heard after made me fall in love with the BTW concept even more! I remember making a Facebook just to play farmville so I could listen to sings early!! 

What a fantastic era and body of music. I am so happy I got to experience it in full as a fan. 

 

It is still her best album to this day (imo).

[Miel 15,009]

The album was truly a moment, not just for Gaga, but for pop history.

Hell, arguably music history. Most of her peers could never, and would never. Gays take notes.

[juju 18,907]

1 hour ago, ZarinStar said:

Yoooooo sounds like the roadtrip of my dreams. I went through a rough university year when I was 19, and decided to go on a train alone to Ottawa where I stayed for a few days after I wrote my exams. I recharged completely, felt invincible, and learned so much about myself. 

Summer time is the best time to explore and go on adventures.

It is  

My Norwegian best friend (at the time) wanted us to visit her (fully Norwegian) father's summer home, and so we did. We spent many days by the pool, watched films, ate foreign meals, did our tarot cards, and then this magazine came out, which I bought on the spot: 

Spent the remainder of days by the pool reading it. Then, when it became time to leave, since we were both only 20, we ventured to the beach house next to her (uber strict) father's... the cool ass mother there (her sons were in a local rock band) offered to buy us alcohol. We supplied her with the money of course. Next thing, my friends' father filled my gas tank and we were OFF.

We explored all over Florida (my homestate), but we were on the West Side, the Gulf side. And I really wanted to show her the Atlantic side (where I grew up), which would SEEM easy, only going from one side of a state to another - easy, right? So, boozed up, we ventured cross-state to find the Atlantic side (cue MTN - Americano). Unfortunately, time took too much - it became a lot longer than we had anticipated, as the sun was setting. So we found all of these strange cities (hence, Hair - the remainder of BTW), including one with identical box-shaped homes all lined on a hill and a strange-looking tower between them - it looked like something out of a sci-fi fantasy. We got so far into the middle to nowhere - with the entire album blaring in the car, on repeat, this was probably the 2nd listen - doing tarot readings while in the car, into the middle of nowhere, the trees swallowing the road before us until it left way into the bedazzled metropolis of Big City USA before it. It got so bad, by the time we entered the next strange city, covered with sweat, I had to steal a map and tuck it under my shirt because our phones were dead and we had NO clue were we were, no money, no nothing... needless to say, we made it through the next few strange cities until I finally recognized where we were - Jacksonville, my home town. Our thoughts of finding the Atlantic were dashed way before this, mind you, but finally, we had found a road that was going somewhere I recognized! It was the dead of night, but we legit spent the entire time of this roadtrip, BTW on rotation for the 5th time, to talk about Gaga's relation to fame and her undeniable impact on the industry thus far (2008 - 2011, at that point). It was the most beautiful experience, lost in the unknown of America and with NOTHING to guide you than Born This Way... Not even the maps did what that album did for us. I'll never forget it. It was a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and although me and this friend do not talk anymore, i'll forever remember her as being there with me during those trying times. An amazing adventure it was! BTW IS that roadtrip album to me, forever more. And this is probably my most personal account of the record flourishing before me (not that I condone drinking and driving, as a matter of fact, I'm entirely against it - these were separate times however). So, needless to say, the album has a spirit along the highway. And that's truly an understatement to its power and influence  x  

[junolxf 8,654]

Damn, Album of The Decade tbh. What an amazing ride it was. Fun, complex and beautiful. I love you, BTW. 

[MsSwan 1,379]

2 minutes ago, junolxf said:

Damn, Album of The Decade tbh. What an amazing ride it was. Fun, complex and beautiful. I love you, BTW. 

I just got Born This Way tattoo'd on my leg on Friday. I had no idea it was the anniversary this week wow. #shook 

[GypsyBabe 22,836]

I was 22, bright eyed, and bushy tailed. Wow, time flies.  

[xoxoGeorge 164]

I can't believe that I was only 11 when this masterpiece came out, epic songs, epic photoshoot, epic era, epic tour, what a good days 

[monsterdino 31,991]

10 hours ago, Lyou said:

Guys, list me your top 3 songs from the album!
Mine are..:

1. Black Jesus + Amen Fashion

2. You and I

3. Heavy Metal Lover

1. Marry The Night

2. Bloody Mary

3. Judas

[bliaz 897]

I love it so much!!!  

[xoxoGeorge 164]

1. ScheiBe

2. Heavy Metal Lover

3. Black Jesus + Amen Fashion

[GypsyBabe 22,836]

10 hours ago, Lyou said:

Guys, list me your top 3 songs from the album!
Mine are..:

1. Black Jesus + Amen Fashion

2. You and I

3. Heavy Metal Lover

1. You and I 

2. Heavy Metal Lover 

3. Marry The Night