Lady Gaga, “The Mother Monster” may have tricked her fans into believing she is the one and only, however, according to Slate, the outlandish Gaga we know today is simply a modern version of a name that dates back to 2,600 years.
The twenty-first century Lady Gaga originally donned her name back in 2004. Stefani Germanotta received a text message from her ex that was supposed to read “Radio Gaga,” referencing Queen’s 1984 hit. However, auto-correct changed it from “Radio” to “Lady.” Instantly, Gaga knew she had found her stage name. She replied to her ex’s text, “That’s it… Don’t ever call me Stefani again.” At that moment in 2004 Lady Gaga was born, again, for the fourth time in history.
Slate writer Jody Rosen uncovered thousands of years of history to discover the three Gagas who preceded her.
The first and oldest of all the Lady Gagas dates back to the sixth century, B.C. She was slave-owner in ancient Babylonia whose slave unsuccessfully petitioned for freedom in a Babylonian court several years after Gaga’s death.
The next Gaga was an Irish countrywoman who was also a Gaga by choice. She obtained the title, Madame de Gaga, through marriage in 1817.
The third Gaga, a fictional flapper and socialite from the 1920’s most resembles the modern day Gaga. The flapper Gaga was introduced to the world in the pages of Punch, a British humor magazine. Rosen wrote the fictional Gaga was “the lead character in a satire that took aim at the so-called Bright Young People,” which is how the aristocrats and socialites were known.
The next part sounds exactly like the Lady Gaga of our time: “The Bright Young People” would have “freak” or “stunt” parties and “themed soirees featuring elaborate costumes, cross-dressing, wild animals, and outlandish musical entertainment.” The 1920’s Gaga was a “blue-blooded party-girl” who had a “slangy vocabulary and a lust for publicity.”
Gaga, meet your former Gagas.
