“]

Image from the Artist: LadyGaga.com

You’ve probably read about the heart-warming struggle of the Michigan Marching Band to Get [Lady] Gaga to the Big House via social media giant, Facebook.com.  Whether you liked the Lady Gaga or the music aspect of the story, you’d probably be interested to hear what Lady Gaga has in common with Ace of Base. Yep, Lady Gaga, the Queen of Pop Music may have borrowed key notes of her recent release, “Alejandro” from the Swedish pop-band, Ace of Base’s 1994 song, “Don’t Turn Around.” Or maybe others. Morning Edition explored this homage (shall we call it), saying:

It’s a neat trick that “Alejandro” reaches back to a direct antecedent of pop that’s just now getting old enough to be considered “retro,” although the popularity of that track might also be a testament to how infectious the 1994 track was.

In an interview between hip-hop blogger, Jay Smooth of illDoctrine.com and NPR Music Writer, Maura Johnston, the two discussed the many homages that Ace of Base had themselves – from Madonna, Blondie, or Abba to John Holt & the Paragons, Frankie Lymon, or early Gregorian Chants.

It’s worth a listen, for the sound-clips alone.

-B.C.Bodnar