So, what does Babylon really mean?

[spicedchy 184]

What @Supersonic said. Also, the Tower of Babylon was destroyed in the process, so think along with the word play, it was another way to reinforce the destructiveness of gossip. The historical references gave me Boney M. vibes, too, which works 

Thinking there may have been a wee bit double-entendre snuck in there too 

Spoiler

"We can party like it's BC

with a sixteenth century smile.

Him, you and me."

don't drag me 

 

[Dr Fudge 8,617]

I remember when the title Babylon first started circulating somebody had mentioned that there was a tie to the words “Babel” and “Gaga”. Anybody recall or can confirm?

[OMonster 14,634]

43 minutes ago, Supersonic said:

It's a reference to the story about the Tower of Babylon (as written in the Tora and Bible). The humans tried to build a tower to the heaven, to show the superiority of humanity. God was furious and cursed the people involved in the construction to all speak different languages and not be able to communicate anymore. The story also specifically mentions hundreds of people, all speaking in different languages over each other, trying to get their point across, creating a humongous cloud of noise.

I personally think Babylon is a reference to how "gossip" is just a cloud of millions of people talking over each other, over nothing substantial. And how that loud cloud can fog your brain.

Yeah, this is exactly what I was thinking, too. 

I think I'd take it a step further, though, and say she's talking about how her journey to stardom (as told through Chromatica) was clouded by misconceptions ('babble' / 'gossip') and she is now ready to move on from that and 'reclaim her dance floor' in spite of such problems. 

Think about all the 'speculation' Gaga has had to deal with in her career. 

I also think she's speaking to the world we live in - a world where 'micro fame' (a world where everyone now comments on everyone and anyone... not just 'stars') is abundant, and she's telling us all to keep going... to battle for our lives, to be ourselves and to dismiss the 'babble', the 'noise' as you put it, that comes with individuality. 

So, in short, 'Babylon' and the 'Tower of Babel' is a metaphor for how some people won't understand you and will 'gossip' about you but that's okay. Just keep going. 

Thanks for helping me work through this  

I think the song has an extremely powerful message - I LOVE IT. 

[PopFanatic 45]

59 minutes ago, Supersonic said:

It's a reference to the story about the Tower of Babylon (as written in the Tora and Bible). The humans tried to build a tower to the heaven, to show the superiority of humanity. God was furious and cursed the people involved in the construction to all speak different languages and not be able to communicate anymore. The story also specifically mentions hundreds of people, all speaking in different languages over each other, trying to get their point across, creating a humongous cloud of noise.

I personally think Babylon is a reference to how "gossip" is just a cloud of millions of people talking over each other, over nothing substantial. And how that loud cloud can fog your brain.

I came here to say roughly the same. So yeah, I believe this interpretation.

When people gossip and spread lies, they aren't really communicating with their fellow man and might as well be talking gibberish / babbling nonsense hence "babble-on in babylon" :P

[PopFanatic 45]

59 minutes ago, Supersonic said:

It's a reference to the story about the Tower of Babylon (as written in the Tora and Bible). The humans tried to build a tower to the heaven, to show the superiority of humanity. God was furious and cursed the people involved in the construction to all speak different languages and not be able to communicate anymore. The story also specifically mentions hundreds of people, all speaking in different languages over each other, trying to get their point across, creating a humongous cloud of noise.

I personally think Babylon is a reference to how "gossip" is just a cloud of millions of people talking over each other, over nothing substantial. And how that loud cloud can fog your brain.

I came here to say roughly the same. So yeah, I believe this interpretation.

When people gossip and spread lies, they aren't really communicating with their fellow man and might as well be talking gibberish / babbling nonsense hence "babble-on in babylon" :P

[mezzanine 473]

Well, also I have this interpretation:

 

"The wh*re of Babylon or Babylon the Great is a symbolic female figure and also place of evil mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Her full title is stated in Revelation 17 as Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations of the Earth."

 

She's been made fun of as "tr*nny", as a wh*re, as ugly, same with most of us through our life (bullying, just being gays, being sexually free,...). She's mother monster, we're little monsters. We appropriated that, as being proud of being called an "abomination" and embracing it while as we've seen, religious groups make fun of us or say that we'll go to hell... like holy books say that it is God who punished Babylon and its tower...

 

I guess that's it. Dance over everyone talking **** about you. 

[Lord Temptation 11,209]

Paradox: Is the tower a physical manifestation of the nature of humanity - the quest to reach for and conquer the horizon, or is human nature the manifestation of the evil that we possess when we gossip about each other, and metaphysically tear each other down?

The other important Babylon myth (or actual historical event depending on the source; another metaallusion to gossip) was the Babylonian Captivity, when the biblical Jews were captured by the Babylonian empire. They were not freed until the Persian invasion of the 6th century and finally allowed to return to their homeland of Judea. This one story has permeated so much of Jewish history and theology, and by extension Christianity and Western art and thought. 

So the idea of battling for your life could be in reference to being a prisoner exiled in a foreign place, waiting for a hero, and longing to find your way back home.

[Lava 3,201]

She’s really into ancient Mesopotamia rn...

[HeavyPunkLover 2,120]

It’s a Madonna diss song... 

[CatelynnMarie 4,312]

Someone on Twitter wrote a theory about how it could have a double meaning talking about the BTW/EY controversy and how there's always pointing fingers and gossip about who is "stealing" who's song. I don't remember who said it, but I read it on my timeline last night at some point and found it interesting and kind of funny 

[Red 95,391]

I feel like it's inspired by the Bradley rumors 

[Lunakween 530]

Just now, Agagkills said:

Has to do with sex . The sinners from Babylon were very open about sex specially homosexuality and a-nal  sex wasn’t a big deal . 

Yes, satanism and occultism has no problems with homosexuality at all and Babylon is the origin of satanism (not modern satanism ofc, but traditional satanism) + let's not forget the ***** of Babylon, the sinners and witches

[Lunakween 530]

Just now, mezzanine said:

Well, also I have this interpretation:

 

"The wh*re of Babylon or Babylon the Great is a symbolic female figure and also place of evil mentioned in the Book of Revelation in the Bible. Her full title is stated in Revelation 17 as Mystery, Babylon the Great, the Mother of Prostitutes and Abominations of the Earth."

 

She's been made fun of as "tr*nny", as a wh*re, as ugly, same with most of us through our life (bullying, just being gays, being sexually free,...). She's mother monster, we're little monsters. We appropriated that, as being proud of being called an "abomination" and embracing it while as we've seen, religious groups make fun of us or say that we'll go to hell... like holy books say that it is God who punished Babylon and its tower...

 

I guess that's it. Dance over everyone talking **** about you. 

My dad still believes that she's a tr*nny because she has a few masculine features 

[Agagkills 187]

1 minute ago, Lunakween said:

Yes, satanism and occultism has no problems with homosexuality at all and Babylon is the origin of satanism (not modern satanism ofc, but traditional satanism) + let's not forget the ***** of Babylon, the sinners and witches

Oh that too , Babylon was basically a very dark non-Christian place according to the Bible . 

[AgusPop 4,064]

It's about gossip and the babel tower