Who is Lady Gaga? What is she thinking? I made a mind map of her song lyrics to find out. Click the small extract above to see the whole thing in google docs. It is something to behold.
The technique I've used to analyse three of Lady Gaga's songs is called, 'Domain Analysis.' It is the central method of my dissertation research into Japanese children's stories. It was invented by an ethnographer called James Spradley, and is used to explore the contents and meanings of words within their wider cultural context. I decided to use freemind software to make the process more smooth and graphical. Because I like diagrams rather a lot. They genuinely make me happy.
I decided it might be fun to apply this method to something other than my dissertation. Since Lady Gaga seems to be a culture all unto herself sometimes, she seems like a good subject. So what meanings and contents can we find in Lady Gaga's vocabulary? The following semantic categories revealed themselves in the mindmap I created.
LADY GAGA is a, 'bitch,' whose properties include, 'Freak,' 'Crazy,' 'Marvellous,' and, 'Educated in sex.' She is a thing to 'Hold,' and 'Love.' In the three songs analysed she wants a total of 24 things, many of which are yours.
LOVE is used for 'stunning.' It is fun, if it is rough. Lady Gaga will not tell you that she LOVEs you.
FUN is something that you have when the beat is sick. It can be used to describe rough love and gambling.
SICK occurs as a prerequisite for certain behaviours in two occasions; it is because the beat is SICK that one has fun, and it is because the 'you' in her songs has a SICK baby that Lady Gaga wants 'you' in her room.
KISS is another thing Lady Gaga will not do to you. KISS is something she wants to do to you. KISSes are 'leather studded' and are conducted 'in the sand.'
TOUCHING, is in involved in Gaga's 'mission.' Properties of TOUCH can include, 'Heavy,' and 'Hair.' To TOUCH is something that Gaga wants, but it can be a cause of heart failure, so should only be attempted for brief periods (either one minute or three seconds are suggested.)
GAME, particularly a LOVE GAME, is something that both Lady Gaga and Cupid want to play. 'You' are 'in the GAME.' The GAME is an initial stage in the story of 'us,' along with a boy, a girl and a 'huh.'
HUH is also something that you can put your hand on, and this co-occurs with smiling.
I am on my floor crying with laughter. This absolutely fantastic.
ReplyDeleteThis logical dissection of lyrics is amazing, but it's a pity that Mdme. Gaga is vaguely coherent. I'm tempted to try this on some 'Gangster Rap' to find out if there is any decipherable logic.