One was curious as I`d already heard a rumour or two, so I asked Grok “Was Lady Gaga`s song “Born This Way” inspired by the Carl Bean track “I Was Born This Way”? Find quotes to prove this: ie: Howard Stern”.

This is what Grok said. Most of it I kinda picked up in passing, but to see it all in print and backed up with sources and stuff, a choice had to be made..it was either do a summary for you guys that most likely wouldnt get the point across in the right manner probably, or I`d have to post the whole thing. I chose the latter. Hope I`m forgiven ! 🙂 It`s a good read.

The Quick Answer:

Yes, Lady Gaga’s song “Born This Way” was inspired by Carl Bean’s 1977 disco anthem “I Was Born This Way.” Gaga herself confirmed this connection, particularly during the 10th anniversary celebration of her 2011 album “Born This Way”. Below are relevant quotes and evidence supporting this inspiration, including references to Howard Stern.

Key Quotes and Evidence:

Lady Gaga’s Social Media Statement (2021):

Gaga explicitly credited Carl Bean as the inspiration for her song and album during the 10th anniversary of Born This Way in May 2021:
“Born This Way, my song and album, were inspired by Carl Bean, a gay black religious activist who preached, sung and wrote about being ‘Born This Way.’ Notably his early work was in 1975, 11 years before I was born. Thank you for decades of relentless love, bravery, and a reason to sing. So we can all feel joy, because we deserve joy. Because we deserve the right to inspire tolerance, acceptance, and freedom for all.”

Lady Gaga on The Howard Stern Show (2011):

In a 2011 interview with Howard Stern, Gaga discussed how Carl Bean’s song influenced her, describing it as a sermon-like anthem that resonated deeply with her:
“There’s a preacher, Carl Bean, in Los Angeles, and I believe he’s gay. And he has a song called ‘Born This Way,’ and it’s, like, this big sort of, like – it’s almost like a sermon. … He sings, I was born this way, and I remember – I went online. I was, you know, researching. And I heard this song, and I just said, man, does that answer every question.”

Carl Bean’s Reaction to Gaga’s Inspiration:

Carl Bean himself acknowledged Gaga’s homage, expressing that he felt honored by her use of his song’s message:
“I felt it was a great tribute, and it was the continuation of saving lives. So you know, [I Was Born This Way] has just been a blessing to my life. And it’s been a blessing, once again, to even another generation’s life through the take that Gaga did on it.”

Additional Context:

Carl Bean’s “I Was Born This Way,” originally written by Chris Spierer and Bunny Jones and first recorded by Valentino in 1975, was rerecorded by Bean in 1977. Its bold lyrics, such as “I’m happy, I’m carefree, and I’m gay, I was born this way,” made it a groundbreaking gay liberation anthem. Gaga drew on this message of self-acceptance and empowerment for her own song, which became a defining LGBTQ+ anthem of the 2010s.

Gaga’s song, released in 2011, echoes Bean’s themes of self-love and acceptance, with lyrics like “I’m beautiful in my way / ‘Cause God makes no mistakes / I’m on the right track, baby / I was born this way.”

In a 2025 documentary trailer for I Was Born This Way, Gaga further praised Bean’s impact, saying, “It’s a great song. What Carl did, not just as a singer but as an activist is very special.”

Summary:

Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” was directly inspired by Carl Bean’s “I Was Born This Way,” as confirmed by Gaga in multiple instances, including her 2011 Howard Stern interview where she described Bean’s song as a sermon that “answers every question.” Bean’s 1977 track, with its unapologetic celebration of identity, provided the thematic foundation for Gaga’s anthem, which she expanded into a broader message of self-empowerment for the LGBTQ+ community and beyond.

Further reading:

Lady Gaga Praises Queer Music Pioneer Carl Bean in Docu Clip: ‘Anthems Unify People’

Lady Gaga to Rolling Stone:

“Lady Gaga honors queer music icon Carl Bean and the legacy of his 1977 anthem, “I Was Born This Way” in an exclusive clip from the upcoming documentary I Was Born This Way”.

Summary of Rolling Stone article:

“The Rolling Stone article discusses a new documentary, I Was Born This Way, which celebrates the life and legacy of queer music icon and activist Carl Bean, whose 1977 anthem “I Was Born This Way” inspired Lady Gaga’s 2011 song and album of the same name. In an exclusive clip, Lady Gaga and Questlove praise Bean’s song for its cultural impact, describing it as a unifying and revolutionary anthem for the LGBTQ+ community. The article highlights Bean’s contributions beyond music, including founding the Minority AIDS Project and the Unity Fellowship Church to support underserved populations during the AIDS epidemic. The documentary features interviews with notable figures like Gaga, Questlove, Billy Porter, and Dionne Warwick, and is set to premiere at the 2025 Tribeca Film Festival”.

Read the above article in full here

Carl Bean – I Was Born This Way (Multitrack)(21 Mono Tracks)(44.1k-24bit)

Added to the Rare page here

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