Lady Gaga, 'Born This Way': Review

“Just put your paws up because you were born this way baby,” purrs Lady Gaga as the lid is finally lifted on 'Born This Way', the much-anticipated first single to be taken from her forthcoming new album of the same name.

To say there's been a lot of interest in this song would be an understatement. It's initial release date of February 13 was announced on New Years Eve – a time when the world is normally welcoming in a New Year rather than a new single – before being brought forward by two days due to the huge demand. Elsewhere, Lady Gaga has already posted the lyrics on Twitter, prompting everyone from Justin Bieber to James Blunt to try and guess what the song will sound like, and, if you go to her official website, you can sit transfixed staring at a countdown clock. The video, we're told, took 72 hours to film, and reduced the crew to tears.

Regardless of whether you're a 'Little Monster' or not, you can't argue against the fact that Lady Gaga has come a long way in a little over two years - or at least knows how to generate publicity.

So then, what does it sound like?

Well, in short, 'Born This Way' is the campest, most uplifting song you're ears have probably ever been exposed to. It's a hard-hitting slice of euphoric hysteria that's tailor-made for the dancefloor and, in places, somehow even manages to make 'Bad Romance' sound like a ballad.

Lady Gaga wasn't lying when she told American Vogue recently that she'd been getting into German techno, because it's one of the many genres she's managed to cram into 'Born This Way'. The others – trance, euro-pop, electro – all rise and fall in thunderous fashion, tamed only by the Lady Gaga's voice, which sounds more mature than ever. Now it's like a hybrid of Dolly Parton and Madonna – when the latter could still hold a note without the addition of auto-tune and was making songs like 'Express Yourself', a clear influence here, rather than '4 Minutes'.

But where the song really shines - and where its success if poised - is lyrically. 'Born This Way', it seems, is an anthem written exclusively for Lady Gaga's fanbase of Little Monsters, which in arenas across the world over the past 18 months has grown to transcend race, religion and sexuality. “Don't be a drag, just be a Queen whether you're broke or evergreen,” she sings during one of the song's haunting breakdowns, before adding: “I'm on the right track baby, I was born to survive” - a line that will probably have Gloria Gaynor filing for a royalty cheque.

As anyone who has seen Lady Gaga live will testify and as 'Born This Way' shows in abundance, you can't help but be caught up in the sincere ridiculousness of it all. 'Born This Way' is a colossal comeback - and an anthem for people who thought they had nothing left to believe in.

What do you think of 'Born This Way'? Post your thoughts in the comment form below.

Lady Gaga - 'Born This Way' (via gagadaily):