Lady Gaga fights back after Madonna "Born This Way" cover

CBS/Getty Images

(CBS News) Lady Gaga took time out of her concert on Thursday in New Zealand to address those who  "make a mockery of" her work.

The shout-out seemed to be directed at Madonna, who has performed a mash-up of Gaga's "Born This Way" with her own "Express Yourself," a song that she and many believe to have informed Gaga's single.

Pictures: Lady Gaga in Asia
Pictures: Lady Gaga
Pictures: Madonna

"It sometimes makes people feel better about themselves, you know, to put other people down, or make fun of them, or maybe make mockery of their work and that doesn't make me feel good at all," said Gaga in concert. "I don't even want to fight back because it's more important to me to keep writing music. Because that's really all I care about, is the music."

Gaga continued saying, "Things are really different than they were 25 years ago, and that's what makes 'Born This Way' so relevant for me. We're socially in a completely different place and it's OK."

Madonna performed a cover of "Born This Way" and blended it seamlessly with her own 1989 hit "Express Yourself" at the first concert of her MDNA tour.

In an interview with "20/20" in January Madonna acknowledged the similarities between the two songs.

"I thought this is a wonderful way to redo my song," said Madonna. "I mean, I recognized the chord changes. I thought it was ...interesting."

[Daniel41910]

Micheal Jackson grabbed his crotch on stage for decades and Madonna shows a little (firm) flesh and the world panics! Its Madonna! remember her Sex book. This is too tame to warrant any controversy. As for Lady Gaga, she stole Madonna's play book. Its not just her obvious plagiarizing of 'Express Yourself'. Gaga's HBO Special was a direct copy of Madonna's 'Truth Or Dare' documentary. Its planned, calculated and darn creepy. Gaga needs to get off her highhorse. This woman used the word "retarded" to describe people she disagrees with. She wore a meat dress when many in this country cannot afford quality food. She attacks Madonna with a sexist, ageism remark "menopausal mom". Its clear she's pissed that Madonna, at 53, is the world concert event of 2012." Thing are really different than they were 25 years ago" because of Madonna. She took up the cause of aids, stood up for us when Cher, Babs and Miss.Ross ect. could not be bothered.

[shegil]

o lol ...everyone she is cooking music...

[DeanLeonard1]

Really, CBS? Here's your headline: "Lady Gaga fights back after Madonna 'Born This Way' cover"

That's an unbelievably irresponsible headline coming from a prominent news organization, considering that, in the story iteself, it's clear that Gaga makes no explicit mention of Madonna and could, very coneceivably, have not intended her comments as "fighting" Madonna. It has, in fact, been suggested that Gaga was making *general* comments about intolerance and unkindness.

Less reputable, non-news sites have used similar headlines, but for CBS News to go this sensationalistic, non-objective route--without a qualifying word like "alleged" or "possible"--is very sad, indeed.

[DeanLeonard1]

Really, CBS? Here's your headline: "Lady Gaga fights back after Madonna 'Born This Way' cover"

That's an unbelievably irresponsible headline coming from a prominent news organization, considering that, in the story iteself, it's clear that Gaga makes no explicit mention of Madonna and could, very coneceivably, have not intended her comments as "fighting" Madonna. It has, in fact, been suggested that Gaga was making *general* comments about intolerance and unkindness.

Less reputable, non-news sites have used similar headlines, but for CBS News to go this sensationalistic, non-objective route--without a qualifying word like "alleged" or "possible"--is very sad, indeed.

[KellinMN]

Madonna's behaving like a poor sport. If someone used your song as inspiration wouldn't it be a compliment? Express Yourself and Born This Way have very similar messages of acceptance...it seems Madonna missed her own message in that respect. In any case, if anything, Born This Way helped revive Express Yourself and one would think that an aging "pop" star would be grateful for that.

[korper70]

They're both completely off their rockers, but...as absurd as this sounds...Madonna almost has class compared to Gaga.

[jgable2]

I think Lady Gaga is a cool person and I'm a fan, but you'd have to be deaf not to notice the similarities between the two songs - not just chords, as Madonna pointed out, but melody, vocal harmonization, etc. The producer that did BTW was the same as the one who did the song "Stars are Blind" by Paris Hilton. The band UB40 sued because of the similarities between a song they wrote and Paris' song, so this isn't the first time. Gaga needs to be more careful!

[MKRConn]

I agree. There is a difference between being "inspired by" a song and stealing. So many artists put other songs in their songs these days the lines are getting blurred. I'm not a fan of either woman but can respect their attempt at the art of making a spectacle.

[juliothi]

Madonna is losing her mind along with the body and face

[Molly-Pchr]

losing? Lost long ago. Exposing her breast in a concert recently. She's too old for that, time to grow up, Mad. Why can't any of these artists sing without disrobing? What a pathetic lot.

[uberweisen]

and what do YOU look like? LOL! ugly people are so bitter!