"Erotica" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album of the same name (1992). It was written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone. In Australia and most European countries, the song was released as the album's lead single on September 29, 1992; in the United States, it was set to be released the following day, but after being leaked and played on several radio stations, the release date was held back until October 13. The song continued Madonna's exploration of spoken word vocals, which she had introduced in "Justify My Love" (1990). A pop hip-hop and dance song with Middle Eastern influences, its lyrics talk about sadomasochism, with the singer using the alter ego Dita and inviting her lover to be submissive while she makes love to him.
Upon release, "Erotica" was generally well received by music critics, with some deeming it one of Madonna's darkest and most experimental songs; in retrospective reviews, the song is now considered one of her best singles. It performed well commercially, debuting at number 13 on the US Billboard Hot 100―becoming one of the highest debuts on the chart history at the time―and peaking at number three. It also saw success on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached the top position. Overseas, the song was also successful, peaking in the top 10 of several countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, Denmark, and Portugal. In Finland, Hungary, Italy and Greece, it peaked at number one.
The accompanying music video was directed by Fabien Baron, and features scenes of Madonna dressed as a masked dominatrix interspersed with footage of the making of her Sex book; it is combined with appearances by Naomi Campbell and Isabella Rossellini, among others. The video was highly controversial, being aired by MTV only three times, all after the 10pm watershed, before being completely banned. Madonna has included "Erotica"on four of her concert tours, the most recent being the Celebration Tour of 2023—2024. It was also included on Madonna's compilations, GHV2 (2001), and Celebration (2009), and has been covered and parodied by several artists, including Julie Brown and Sandra Bernhard.
Background and development
In 1992, Madonna founded her own multi-media entertainment company Maverick, consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and associated music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising divisions.[1] The first two projects from the venture were her fifth studio album Erotica and a coffee table book of photographs featuring Madonna, entitled Sex.[1][2] For Erotica, Madonna primarily collaborated with American producer Shep Pettibone; Pettibone first began working with the singer during the 1980s, providing remixes for several of her singles.[3][4] Pettibone would build the base music of the songs in a style similar to his remixes, while Madonna wrote the melodies and lyrics.[5] According to the producer in an article titled "Erotica Diaries", published on Madonna's Icon magazine, he created a tape of three tracks for Madonna to listen to; he traveled to Chicago, where she was filming A League of Their Own (1992), played the songs for her and she liked all of them.[4] In October 1991, Madonna met with Pettibone in New York City to start working on demos.[4] According to Mark Bego, the first batch of songs they worked on were "Erotica", "Deeper and Deeper", "Bad Girl", "Thief of Hearts", and "Rain".[6] Anthony Shimkin, who also worked on the album, recalled that Madonna had with her a "book full of lyrics and melody ideas".[7]
At first, the singer did not like the songs she had recorded. She wanted Erotica to have a raw edge, as if it were recorded in an alley in Harlem, and not a light glossy production, according to Pettibone.[4] In the case of the title track, the producer revealed that it underwent "numerous radical changes" during the recording process, with four different version being recorded; Madonna would first sing it one way, and then decide to erase everything and start all over again.[7] Shimkin affirmed that the original version was not "as slinky and sexy and grimy and dirty", until the mixing process; at that stage, the song was still an "experimentation", but when they realized it was going to be the lead single from the album, a "different, darker vibe" was taken on.[7] While recording Erotica, Madonna was also working on Sex; for the book, she incorporated a dominatrixalter-ego named Mistress Dita, heavily inspired by German actress Dita Parlo.[8] To accompany the book, Madonna had recorded a song titled "Erotic", described by Pettibone as an "ode to S&M".[4] However, after actually seeing the book, Pettibone suggested that the singer incorporate the dominatrix theme into the song's lyrics: "'You have all these great stories [in the book]', I told her, 'Why don't you use them in the song?'"[4] Madonna left the studio with a copy of Sex with her, came back and recorded her vocals to "Erotica" in a "very dry" way; Pettibone then realized the song "would never be the same again".[4] The chorus and bridge were changed entirely and the song's "psyche" became "sexier, more to the point".[4]
Composition and release
"Erotica" was written by Madonna, Pettibone and Shimkin, and produced by Madonna and Pettibone.[9] Recording took place at Astoria's Sound Work Studios on June 8, 1992;[4][9] personnel working on the song included Pettibone on the sequencing, keyboard arrangement, and programming, alongside Shimkin and Joe Moskowitz; Dennis Mitchell and Robin Hancock worked as recording engineers, while George Karras was the mixing engineer.[9] The track continued Madonna's exploration of potent spoken-word vocals, which she had previously introduced in her 1990 single "Justify My Love".[3] It samplesKool and the Gang's "Jungle Boogie" (1973), and "El Yom 'Ulliqa 'Ala Khashaba" by Lebanese singer Fairuz.[9] The former sample was Pettibone's idea, as he felt it gave the song a "dark, mysterious" vibe, while the Fairuz sample caused controversy after she stated her vocals had been used without her consent, and said the lyrics He was crucified today, sung in Arabic, were taken from a religious song that is traditionally heard during Good Friday services.[10][11] This led to a lawsuit that was settled out of court; however, both the single and the album were banned in Lebanon.[12]
Musically, "Erotica" has been described as a pop hip-hop[14]dance[15] song with "scratchy, trip-hoploops" and Middle Eastern influences.[16][14] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., "Erotica" is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute; composed in the key of F-sharp minor, Madonna's vocals span from F♯3 to A4. It follows a chord progression of D/F♯–F♯m–D/F♯–F♯m in the introductory verses.[17] Lyrically, it talks about S&M and begins with a "put-a-record-on scratchiness" sound that mimics a record player;[18] 40 seconds in, the "Jungle Boogie" sample plays in a "disembodied and eerie" way.[7] Madonna invites her lover to be submissive while she makes love to him, and suggesting him to explore boundaries between pain and pleasure, demanding: Give it up, do what I say/ Give it up and let me have my way.[19][13] The song features "taunting, aggressive" sexually suggestive lyrics, such as, Will you let yourself go wild/Let my mouth go where it wants to, and Put your hands all over my body during the refrain.[13][20] Also present are maracas and "shimmying horn riff[s]".[21] "Erotic", the version recorded for Sex, described as "more hardcore" by academic Georges-Claude Guilbert, includes lyrics not heard in the final version, such as We could use the cage/I've got a lot of rope/I'm not full of rage, I'm full of hope/This is not a crime and you're not on trial/Bend over baby, I'm going to make you smile.[22]
In Australia and most European countries, "Erotica" was released as the album's lead single on September 29, 1992.[23][24][25][26] In the United States, the planned release date was September 30, but five days prior, several radio stations were already playing the song.[27] According to Billboard, on September 25, Don Stevens from CFTR Toronto had obtained a copy of the single and played it at 10:30a.m., before getting a cease and desist by Warner Bros. Stevens then accused the label of leaking the single to "benefit from the accompanying publicity", which was denied by Warner Music Canada VP Kim Cooke.[27] In Los Angeles, both KIIS-FM and Power 106 played the song once, but stopped at "the request" of the label.[27]Open House Party aired the single at night on September 26 and 27, via 150 affiliates.[27] "Erotica" was officially released in the US on October 13, 1992.[28] The single was included on Madonna's compilation albumsGHV2 (2001) and Celebration (2009), while a remixed form can be found on Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).[29][30][31]
Critical reception
Upon release, "Erotica" was generally well received by music critics. For Billboard, Larry Flick referred to it as a "sensual slice of aural sex" that "twists the vibe of 'Justify My Love'", and highlighted the "deep and complex" arrangement.[14] From the same magazine, Joe Lynch named the song a "bold sonic departure" for the singer.[7] Writing for AllMusic, Jose F. Promis classified it as one of the "darkest, most sinister, and most interesting" singles in her catalog.[32]Rolling Stone's Arion Berger wrote that, unlike "Justify My Love", which gathered its "heat from privacy and romance", "[The Madonna of] 'Erotica' is in no way interested in your dreams [...] [the song] demands the passivity of a listener, not a sexual partner".[21] Berger concluded his review by referring to "Erotica" as "insistently self-absorbed — 'Vogue' with a dirty mouth, where all the real action’s on the dance floor".[21]Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani deemed it "brilliant".[3]J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, pointed out that "['Erotica'] wasn't a surprise for anyone who had been paying attention to [Madonna's] recent music. She had shown her hand earlier with Breathless when she sang 'Hanky Panky', the song about spanking [...] then there was her single 'Justify My Love' [...] 'Erotica' though, was the full-blown music exploration, an exhibition, of what we were to believe was Madonna's sexual reality."[33]The New York Times'Stephen Holden praised the singer's "foggy growl [that] contrasts dramatically with the shrill little-kid voice from [her] earliest records".[19] For Gavin Martin from The Seattle Times, the singer's voice "sounds as though it's coming from somewhere dark and menacing: as far as you can tell it sounds like a man".[34]
"['Erotica'] has an aural allure all its own, setting your dirtiest fantasies to a grimy groove. Going from sultry spoken word in the verses to a postcoital purr in the chorus, it’s the sound of sex — and sleaze — with Madonna introducing herself as Mistress Dita long before there was a Madame X. Hinting at the sonic adventurism that was to come on Ray of Light, it was about the boldest move she could have made at the height of her career".
—Chuck Arnold commenting on the song on Billboard's review of the Erotica album on its 30th anniversary.[35]
Allen Metz and Carol Benson, authors of The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary, said the track was "a bondage update on 'Justify My Love'".[36] Similarly, while reviewing GHV2, Cinquemani called it a sequel to "Justify My Love", that is "as distantly icy as it was erotic", and a "creative high for a career on the verge of public turmoil".[29] At Blender, Tony Powers considered the song one of the album's standout tracks.[37] In less favorable comments, Anthony Violanti from The Buffalo News said the track was the album's weakest, and dismissed it as a "carbon copy" of "Justify My Love".[38]Cashbox's Randy Clark said that, musically, the single did not offer anything new, and called it a "melody-less 'Vogue'".[39] Charlotte Robinson of PopMatters was also negative on her review; she felt the song did not age well, and referred to it as a "cold, dispassionate sexual fantasy" with "adolescent" lyrics intended to shock.[40] Jude Rogers, writing for The Guardian, opined "Erotica" is an "oddly sexless Sex-era single, not helped by awkward synthesised sighs".[41] Finally, Entertainment Weekly's David Browne panned it as "depressingly trite [...] between its frigid melody and your scary 'My name is Dita' spoken bits, it’s about as sexy as an episode of the Shelley Hack-era Charlie's Angels".[42]
Retrospective reviews have been positive. In 2011, Slant Magazine placed the song at number 34 on their list of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s"; Ed Gonzalez praised Madonna's "throaty" vocals for making the song's "taunting, aggressive lyrics —an elaborate exploration of sex, from seduction to disease— feel unmistakably honest".[18] Matthew Jacobs from HuffPost placed the song at number 23 of his ranking of Madonna's singles, calling it a "a period of innovation for the singer".[43] On Gay Star News' ranking, the single came in at number 17; Joe Morgan called it "daring, sexy, and unabashed".[44]Entertainment Weekly's Chuck Arnold considered "Erotica" Madonna's 10th greatest song, and PinkNews' Nayer Missim her sixth; the former opined it was "the boldest move she could have made at the height of her career", while the latter said the song was among the "most carefree, unpretentiously sexy music ever released".[45][16] Arnold also pointed out that with "Erotica", the singer "introduced the pop-diva alter ego: Before Mariah gave us Mimi and Beyoncé gave us Sasha Fierce, [Madonna] gave us the dominatrix Dita".[45] This opinion was shared by Louis Virtel, writing for The Backlot, who named the song Madonna's eight best, and a "hot, smutty grind of a dance anthem".[15]
For Idolator's Mike Wass, the song is Madonna's seventh best lead single, and one of her most "wildly experimental" and interesting.[46] Morgan Troper, for Portland Mercury, named "Erotica" an example of "scary-sexy" Madonna, and one of her "five sexiest songs that aren't 'Like a Virgin'".[47] Scott Kearnan from Boston.com wrote that, "No pop star of her fame has been this sexually transgressive before or since [...] Rihanna sings about 'S&M' like it’s a song about My Little Pony, but [Madonna] dishes on pain, pleasure, and power with the conviction of a whip crack"; he named "Erotica" the singer's sixth best.[48] The song came in the 22nd position of Billboard magazine's list of Madonna's singles, with Lynch hailing it "the boldest, riskiest reinvention in a career full of them [...] An icy declaration that it was time to kick open the doors on kinks and own them without shame".[49] El Hunt from NME wrote: "Defined by sleazy Shep Pettibone beats, orgasmic gasps, and choice lyrics [...] ['Erotica'] makes 50 Shades of Grey look tamer than a fully-domesticated alpaca".[50] From the Official Charts Company, Justin Myers considered the Sex version of "Erotic" to be one of Madonna's "hidden gems".[51]
Commercial performance
"Erotica" placed Madonna in a tie with Mariah Carey's (picture) "I'll Be There" as the highest debut for a song in the history of the Billboard Hot 100.
On October 17, 1992, "Erotica" debuted at number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, tying with Mariah Carey's "I'll Be There" as the highest-debuting single in the chart since 1970.[27][52] One week later, the single peaked at number three behind Boyz II Men's "End of the Road", and "Sometimes Love Just Ain't Enough" by Patty Smyth and Don Henley.[53][54] "Erotica" was the first song to reach the Hot 100's top three in just two weeks since Michael Jackson's "Black or White", released in November 1991;[55] nonetheless, it was also Madonna's first lead single to not top the chart since 1983.[56] By October 31, 1992, sales took a dip and the single dropped two positions in the chart.[57] Jose F. Promis pointed out that "Erotica" was one of the fastest-rising singles in the chart's history, but also had one of the biggest drops; he attributed this to a backlash the singer faced from the general public, who decided she had gone "too far" following the release of the Sex book.[32] Overall, "Erotica" spent eighteen weeks on the chart, and received a gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) on December 10, 1992, for shipment of 500,000 copies.[54][58] The song also saw success on Billboard's Dance Singles Sales and Dance Club Songs charts, reaching the first position of both;[59][60] it became Madonna's 13th chart-topper on the latter chart.[61] "Erotica" came in at number 48 on the Dance Singles Sales year-end chart for 1993.[62] In March 2014, Billboard reported that the song held the record for the highest debut in the history of the Hot 100 Airplay chart, having entered at number two.[63] In Canada, the single debuted in the 58th position of RPM's Top Singles chart on the week of October 17;[64] it peaked at number 13 the week of November 21, 1992.[65]
In the United Kingdom, "Erotica" debuted at the 11th position of the UK Singles Chart on October 17, 1992, and, 2 weeks later, peaked at number 3; it spent 9 weeks on the chart overall.[66] According to Music Week magazine, 270,800 copies of the single have been sold in the UK as of 2008.[67] In Australia, "Erotica" entered the ARIA Singles Chart at number 16 on the week of October 25, 1992, eventually peaking at 4 and lasting 11 weeks on the chart.[23] The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) certified it Gold for shipments of over 35,000 copies in Australia.[68] In New Zealand, the song debuted at number eight the week of November 1, 1992 and, a week later, reached its peak of number three.[69] "Erotica" saw success across Europe as well; it reached the top three in Norway,[70] Portugal,[71] and Sweden.[72] It topped the charts of Finland, Greece and Italy,[73][74] and reached the top 10 in Belgium,[24] Denmark,[71] Ireland,[75] the Netherlands, and Spain.[76][77][78] The single was less successful in Austria and France, peaking at numbers 15 and 23, respectively.[23][25] "Erotica" reached the first position of both the European Hot 100 Singles chart and the European Dance Radio Chart.[79][80]
Music video
Background and broadcast
Models Isabella Rossellini (left) and Naomi Campbell (right) are among the celebrities that appeared in the "Erotica" music video alongside Madonna.
The music video for "Erotica" was shot in August 1992 and directed by fashion photographer Fabien Baron. The video consisted mostly of Super 8 film shot by Baron during Steven Meisel's photo sessions for the book Sex.[81][36]Billboard's Deborah Russell had previously reported that the singer would shoot two videos for the single: an X-rated one, that would be released as a commercial single, and a G-rated version for broadcast.[82][36][83] Madonna later explained that she visualized the clip by closing her eyes and thinking of what was erotic to her, though not necessarily having experienced such things.[84] Inspired by the films of Andy Warhol and The Factory, and Kenneth Anger's 1947 short filmFireworks, the video intercalates scenes of Madonna dressed as a masked dominatrix with a gold tooth, with actual footage of the making of the Sex book;[85][86] in these scenes, the singer is seen sitting topless in the lap of an older man, kissing model Naomi Campbell, wearing BDSM gear, and riding a bicycle in the nude.[87]Vanilla Ice, Big Daddy Kane, and Isabella Rossellini all make appearances.[88][89] The scenes of Madonna as a dominatrix were shot in New York's The Kitchen, while shootings for Sex took place at Hotel Chelsea and Times Square's all-male burlesque Gaiety Theatre.[85][90][91] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post gave a description of the visual:
"In the video, [Madonna] becomes Dita Parlo, a masked, gold-toothed dominatrix from an indeterminate age, ready to help us cross the street at the corner of Pleasure and Pain [...] assuming different dominatrix roles and investigating assorted bondage scenarios before finishing up with some nude hitchhiking on a street remarkable free of pile-ups. Shot in grainy black and white, 'Erotica' has the feel of a stag film, though its quick cuts keep the viewer from seeing all that much".[92]
The video had its world premiere on MTV, on midnight October 2, 1992;[93] following a "mercifully short" lecture on BDSM, host Kurt Loder explained that because some people may find the video's content "repellent", it would only be shown at night and not in regular rotation.[13] "Erotica" was shown a total of three times on MTV, all three after midnight, before being completely retired from airing; it became Madonna's second video to be banned by the channel, following "Justify My Love".[94][95] MTV spokesperson Carole Robinson said that the video would never air in its entirety during days or evenings, but selected parts would air on afternoon dance show The Grind;[96][93] also from the channel, Linda Alexander explained that the video's themes were "clearly aimed at a more adult audience", lacking appropriateness for the general public.[94] Madonna herself said she understood the channel's ban, as "[MTV] plays to a huge audience and a lot of them are children, and a lot of themes I'm exploring in my videos aren't meant for children, so I understand that they say I can't show it".[33]
Other networks such as NBC and the Times Square screens also refused to air the visual after finding its content "too racy"; Pearl Liebermen, a producer of NBC's Friday Night Videos, found "Erotica" to be "very stimulating", and said that although the network would not air the video, they would report on it.[94][96] One of the few networks that aired the video was The Box, where it became the number-one music video; the channel's president Vincent Monsey found the clip to be "very well-produced" and did not see any problem with it.[93][96] On October 19, 1992, MTV began airing the video on its entirety again after midnight, this time with a disclaimer warning viewers of the sexually explicit themes.[93] "Erotica" can be found on Madonna's 2009 compilationCelebration: The Video Collection.[30]
Reception and analysis
Still of the "Erotica" music video, showing a naked Madonna hitchhiking in Miami, Florida. This image can also be found in the singer's book, Sex.
Initial reaction to the music video ranged from mixed to negative. Rolling Stone's Anthony DeCurtis noted it was "pretty much normal Madonna fare", but wondered how much longer would she be able to "continue mining sexuality", concluding: "At what point does it just stop being interesting?"[94] Similarly, Michele Romero, writing for Entertainment Weekly, asked, "Haven’t we seen most of this stuff before? Can we be bored with the subject matter already?", and gave the clip a B− rating; Romero furthered criticized the "choppy editing" and the lack of emotion that makes it "difficult to identify with or care about" the video's characters.[87] She concluded her review by deeming the video a "litany of television taboos [rather] than a titillating expression of her sexual fantasies".[87] Anthony Violanti panned it as a "musical and visual dud" that's "about as sexy as Ross Perot".[98] "['Erotica' is] another example of her video overkill [...] [Madonna] has hyped sex to the point of boredom and has become a caricature of herself", Violanti wrote.[98] For Matthew Rettenmund, author of Encyclopedia Madonnica, it is her "most emotionally stark" video, further adding: "[She] looks as evil and daunting as your worst nightmare, or your most sinister fantasy. [...] If Madonna has ever done a video that is truly disturbing, this is it".[86]
In a more positive review, former pornographic actressCandida Royalle applauded the singer for "helping women find equal footing in society" by presenting the subject of erotica and "unconventional sexual behavior".[94] Retrospective reviews towards the visual have been similarly positive; Parade's Samuel Murrian named it Madonna's 20th best music video.[99] Virtel and Idolator's Mike Nied both considered "Erotica" to be Madonna's 17th best video; the former deemed it a "seedy sight, but one that forces you to wonder: Would you let yourself go wild?", while according to the latter, the visual "brought soft porn to the mainstream".[100][101] For MTV's Kyle Anderson, "[the video] still feels controversial all these years".[81] "Erotica" was considered one of Madonna's most controversial music videos by Cinquemani and HuffPost's Daniel Welsh.[83][102] At the 1993 Billie Awards, "Erotica" was nominated in three categories: Consumer print, trade print (music) and consumer print (retail), the most for a single entry;[103] it was also included on VH1's 50 Sexiest Video Moments at number 16.[104]Rolling Stone's Eric Harvey named "Erotica" one of "The 15 Most NSFW Music Videos of All Time".[105] Finally, for Eric Henderson from Slant Magazine, "Erotica" is Madonna's 15th greatest music video.[106]
In Justify My Love: Sex, Subversion, and Music Video (2019), Ryann Donnelly wrote that the music video "expands and proliferates" the queer imagery from "Justify My Love"; this can be seen in scenes where Madonna kisses and gropes Campbell and Rossellini, two "classic objects of desire for heterosexual men", according to Donnelly.[89] The author also went on to explain how the singer generates "shock and sexual arousal" by exposing sexual activities usually kept hidden from heteronormativity: drag, bondage, roleplay, homosexuality, and group sex; "[Madonna] unveils honest facets of sexuality, rarely seen in mainstream media [...] [She] elevates and legitimizes these truths and fantasies through her extreme visibility and success".[89]
Live performances
"Erotica" has been included on four of Madonna's concert tours: The Girlie Show (1993), Confessions (2006), MDNA (2012), and Celebration (2023–2024). On the first one, it was performed as opening number, beginning with a topless dancersliding down a pole dangling high above the stage.[20] Then, Madonna emerged dressed as a short-haired dominatrix, wearing a domino mask, sequined black hotpants and bra, long gloves, knee-high boots, and brandishing a riding crop.[107] She rubbed the crop between her legs as she sang, while dancers posed and danced suggestively in the background.[20] On his review of the concert in New York's Madison Square Garden, Jon Pareles from The New York Times pointed out that, "[during] the ethereal Put your hands all over my body in 'Erotica', [the choreography] suggests exercises rather than unbridled passion".[108] The performance recorded on November 19, 1993, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, was included on The Girlie Show: Live Down Underhome video release (1994).[109]
For 2006's Confessions Tour, "Erotica" was used on an introduction video that led to "Music" (2000), along with "Borderline" (1984), "Dress You Up" (1985), and "Holiday" (1983).[110] On that same tour, Madonna sang a remix of the song, based on one of the unreleased demos known as "You Thrill Me".[111] She wore a one-shouldered unitard with ribbons of purple Swarovski crystals across the torso, similar to the one worn by the singers of ABBA, designed by Jean Paul Gaultier, and was joined by five couples dancing "mild-mannered steps lifted from a Broadway ballroom scene".[112][113]Slant Magazine's Ed Gonzalez opined that, "her performance of Stuart Price's 'You Thrill Me' remix of 'Erotica' is a smash: She disco-fies the song but keeps its sex appeal, choreographing it to simple, Latin-infused dance maneuvers that are ecstatic".[114] The performance from the August 15–16 London concerts was included on the singer's second live albumThe Confessions Tour (2007).[110]
"The Erotic Candy Shop", a medley of "Erotica" and "Candy Shop"―from Hard Candy (2008)―was included on the MDNA Tour of 2012.[115] Madonna sang as a male dancer groped her.[116]The Jerusalem Post's Niv Elis highlighted the performance, which he felt showcased the singer "at her visual best";[117] on the contrary, Emrah Güler from the Hürriyet Daily News said it was one number that "could have been left out".[118] The performances at the November 19–20 shows in Miami were recorded and released in the MDNA World Tour live album (2013).[119]
Four 2023–2024's the Celebration Tour, "Erotica" was given a boxing theme. The stage had a ring crafted from lasers, while Madonna―who donned a slip dress underneath a boxing robe―cavorted around shirtless dancers wearing glittery gloves.[120][121][122] The performance ended with the singer masturbating on a red velvet bed, flanked by a dancer dressed in the Jean Paul Gaultier-designed gold corset from 1990's Blond Ambition World Tour.[121] From the BBC News, Mark Savage saw the number as "a reminder of her tumultuous relationships", as the backdrop screens depicted Madonna's then-boyfriend, boxing coach Josh Popper.[123]
The Sex book, the single and its music video, have been parodied several times: in the October 1992 edition of Paper, actress Ann Magnuson said she was going to release a Sex book to accompany her album, Neurotica; "Neurotica" was also the name used to spoof the song and its video on the Fox sketch comedy series In Living Color.[124] In The Edge, also from Fox, Julie Brown―who had previously parodied Madonna's 1991 film Truth or Dare―played the singer discussing Sex on a talk show, and did a spoof of the "Erotica" video;[124][125] when Sandra Bernhard brought her stand-up show Giving Til It Hurts to New York, she did a short spoof of the song, also called "Neurotica", about a woman who obsessively cleans her house.[124]The Village Voice columnist Michael Musto recreated the nude hitchhiking scene from the Sex book and the "Erotica" music video on the streets of Jersey City; the newspaper sold the posters of the photo for $5-profits, which went to New York's Community Research Initiative on AIDS.[124]
Covers by Pornoland and Razed in Black were included in the 2000 tribute albumsVirgin Voices 2000: A Tribute To Madonna, and The Material Girl: A Tribute to Madonna, respectively.[126] Of the latter, AllMusic's Al Campbell said it was one of the album's "more attention-grabbing cuts".[127] In 2005, a cover by Adam Marano was recorded for Tribute to Madonna (Golden Sound);[128] three years later, "Erotica" was covered by Clueless and The Sunset Lounge.[129][130] "Erotica" was featured in a scene of Madonna's directorial debut Filth and Wisdom (2008).[131]
Track listing and formats
US 7-inch and cassette single; Japanese 3-inch CD single[132]
"Justify My Love" is a song released as a single by American singer Madonna. It does not appear on any of her studio albums, but is included on her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; Kravitz also handled the production alongside André Betts. It was released as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection on November 6, 1990, by Sire and Warner Bros. Records. Initially, Chavez was not credited on the song; this led to a lawsuit against Kravitz which resulted in an out-of-court settlement. Influenced by hip hop, dance, trip hop, and experimental pop, it features spoken word vocals by Madonna touching on sexual fantasies and implying the position of a woman as the one sexually in control.
"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986). Written by Brian Elliot, it was produced by the singer and her collaborator Stephen Bray. In the United States, the song was released as the album's second single on June 11, 1986, whereas in most European countries, the release was five days later. A dance-pop track with that mixes elements of baroque, post-disco and classical music, its lyrics deal with teenage pregnancy. Elliot wrote it inspired by teen gossip he'd hear outside his recording studio. Originally intended for a singer named Christina Dent, Warner Bros. Records A&R executive Michael Ostin convinced Elliot he let Madonna record it instead. The singer then added and altered a few of the lyrics, and got a songwriting credit.
Erotica is the fifth studio album by American singer Madonna, released on October 20, 1992, by Maverick and Sire Records. The album was released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication Sex, a coffee table book containing explicit photographs of the singer, and marked her first release under Maverick, her own multimedia entertainment company. For the album, the singer enlisted Shep Pettibone and André Betts, with whom she had collaborated on 1990's "Vogue" and The Immaculate Collection.
"Dress You Up" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album, Like a Virgin (1984). It was released as the album's final single on July 31, 1985, by Sire Records. Composed by Andrea LaRusso with lyrics by Peggy Stanziale, and produced by Nile Rodgers, who also played guitar on the track, it was the final song to be added to the album. Rodgers had asked the writers to compose something similar to the work of his band Chic but, due to LaRusso and Stanziale being busy with other projects, the composition took time. When the lyrics were submitted, the producer initially rejected them, as he felt there was no time to compose a melody; Madonna, however, liked the lyrics and convinced him to include the song on Like a Virgin. Musically, "Dress You Up" is a dance-pop song whose lyrics are an extended metaphor for fashion and lust, comparing dressing up with passion.
"Causing a Commotion" is a song by American singer Madonna from the soundtrack album to the 1987 film Who's That Girl. It was released as the album's second single on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Its Silver Screen Single Mix later appeared on the EP The Holiday Collection (1991). Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, the song was inspired by her relationship with then-husband Sean Penn, and his abusive and violent nature. Containing a dance-oriented, up-tempo groove, the song begins with the chorus and is accompanied by a four-note descending bassline and staccato chords in the verses.
"Lucky Star" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut studio album (1983). Produced by Reggie Lucas, it was written by Madonna with the intention that her friend Mark Kamins would play it in his sets at Danceteria, where he was the resident DJ. In 1982, Madonna was signed on by Sire Records for the release of two 12" singles; after the success of first single "Everybody", the label approved the recording of an album, and the singer decided to work with Lucas. However, problems between Madonna and the producer arose and he ended up leaving the project; she then called John "Jellybean" Benitez, her boyfriend at the time, to work on the remaining songs.
"Into the Groove" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna, and featured on the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. Written and produced by both Madonna and Stephen Bray, the main inspiration behind the song was the dance floor; the singer wrote it while watching a Latin American man to whom she was attracted. Its instrumentation features synthesizers and drum machines, with Madonna's voice being double tracked on the chorus. Sexual innuendos and undertones are present throughout the lyrics, which are written as an invitation to dance with the singer. Originally written for her friend Mark Kamins, Madonna later decided to use it on the film, as one of the scenes needed a dance song. It was later added to the 1985 international re-issue of her second studio album, Like a Virgin (1984), and in her compilations You Can Dance (1987), The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).
"Fever" is a song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, who used the pseudonym "John Davenport". It was originally recorded by American R&B singer Little Willie John for his debut album, Fever (1956), and released as a single in April of the same year. The song topped the Billboard R&B Best Sellers in the US and peaked at number 24 on the Billboard pop chart. It was received positively by music critics and included on several lists of the best songs when it was released.
"Secret" is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories (1994). It was released by Maverick Records on September 26, 1994, as the lead single from the album. The singer originally recorded the song as a demo with producer Shep Pettibone. However, Dallas Austin replaced Pettibone's role as the producer and reworked its composition, earning him a writing credit alongside Madonna. It was a departure from Madonna's previous musical style, since up to that point in her career, her music had mostly consisted of big-sounding dance tracks and melodic ballads. "Secret" combined the pop and R&B genres with instrumentation from an acoustic guitar, drums and strings, while lyrically talking about a lover having a secret.
"Vogue" is a song by American singer Madonna from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless (1990). Written and produced by herself and Shep Pettibone, it was inspired by voguing, a dance which was part of the underground gay scene in New York City. The song was released as the lead single from the album on March 20, 1990, by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records. "Vogue" is a house song with influences of disco, which contains escapist lyrics describing the dance floor as "a place where no boundaries exist". Its middle eight features Madonna name-dropping several actors from the Golden Age of Hollywood. "Vogue" was later included on three of Madonna's compilation albums: The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).
"Rescue Me" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, the song was released as the second single from The Immaculate Collection on February 26, 1991, in the United States, and as the third single on April 7 in the United Kingdom. A dance-pop and gospel-house track, the song is accompanied by the sound of thunder and rain, with the lyrics talking of romantic love rescuing the singer.
"Bye Bye Baby" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Madonna, for her fifth studio album Erotica (1992). It was released on November 15, 1993, as the sixth and final single from the album only outside the US. "Bye Bye Baby" was written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone. The song is inspired by Madonna's emotions of that time and her S&M thoughts. Musically, it is a hip hop song, sampling a hook from LL Cool J's track "Jingling Baby", released in 1990. Madonna's vocals were filtered to make them appear as sound coming out from an answering machine. "Bye Bye Baby" features instrumentation from keyboard and lyrically finds Madonna asking questions to a lover she is about to abandon.
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). It was written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone. In Australia and most European countries, the song was released as the album's second single on November 17, 1992; in the United States, a release was issued on December 8. It was included on Madonna's second greatest hits compilation, GHV2 (2001). A dance-pop and deep house song, it has disco and Philadelphia soul influences; the bridge features instrumentation from flamenco guitars and castanets and features background vocals from the singer's collaborators Donna De Lory and Niki Haris. Lyrically, the song talks about sexual desire, though it has been argued that it is actually about a young man coming to terms with his homosexuality. It includes a reference to Madonna's single "Vogue" (1990).
"Bad Girl" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna from her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). It was written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone, and released by Maverick, Sire and Warner. In Australia and most European countries, the song was released as the album's third single on February 2, 1993; in the United States, a release was issued on March 11. "Bad Girl" is a pop and R&B ballad with lyrics that describe a woman trying to escape her reality through self-destructive behaviors, such as drinking and chain smoking.
"Rain" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, in Australia and most European countries, "Rain" was released as single on July 17, 1993. In the United Kingdom and the United States, it was issued on July 19 and August 5, respectively. It was then included on Madonna's 1995 compilation, Something to Remember. A pop ballad with elements of R&B, trip-hop, and New-age music, "Rain" has lyrics that liken water and rainfall to the power of love.
"Human Nature" is a song by American singer Madonna included on her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories (1994). It is an answer song to the backlash Madonna endured for the sexually explicit projects released in 1992, particularly her fifth studio album Erotica, and the coffee table book Sex. Written and produced by the singer and Dave Hall, "Human Nature" samples Main Source's 1994 track "What You Need", thus its writers Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie and Michael Deering are also credited.
"I'll Remember" is a song by American singer Madonna for the 1994 film With Honors. It was released by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records on March 8, 1994, as the lead single from the film's soundtrack album. It was a radical change in image and style for Madonna, who had received huge backlash due to the release of her book Sex, the studio album Erotica and the film Body of Evidence. Warner Bros. decided to release the song for the film after noting most of her previous soundtrack singles had achieved commercial success. It utilizes a synthesized keyboard arrangement to bring about a continuously reverberating heartbeat sound. Madonna's voice is supported by backing vocals.
"This Used to Be My Playground" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna. It is the theme for the film A League of Their Own, which starred Madonna, and portrayed a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League. Madonna was asked to record a song for the film's soundtrack. At that time she was busy recording her fifth studio album, Erotica, with producer Shep Pettibone. They worked on some ideas and came up with "This Used to Be My Playground" in two days. Once presented to director Penny Marshall's team, the song was released as a standalone single on June 16, 1992, by Warner Bros. Records. However, it was not available on the film's soundtrack due to contractual obligations and was later added to the Olympics-inspired Barcelona Gold compilation album, released that summer. The song was included on Madonna's 1995 ballads compilation Something to Remember.
Bedtime Stories is the sixth studio album by American singer Madonna, released on October 25, 1994, by Maverick and Sire Records. In 1992, Madonna released her fifth studio album Erotica, the coffee table book Sex, and starred in the erotic thriller Body of Evidence. Due to their sexually explicit nature, all three projects were negatively received by critics and fans alike, who felt the singer had "gone too far" and that her career was over. Madonna decided that she needed to soften her image if she wanted to regain her audience. The first attempt was the ballad "I'll Remember" from the soundtrack to the 1994 film With Honors, which gained positive critics and reached the second spot of the Billboard Hot 100. For her sixth studio album, Madonna decided to incorporate R&B elements, and collaborated with Babyface, Dallas Austin, and Dave Hall. She also chose to explore the British club musical scene, where genres such as dub had been growing in popularity, and hired producer Nellee Hooper.
"Irresistible" is a song by British dance-pop singer-songwriter Cathy Dennis, released in November 1992 as the second single from her second album, Into the Skyline (1992). The song was co-written and co-produced by Dennis, but failed to make the success of the previous singles. In the US, the single had three different promo CD singles, each with their own remixes each with a more acoustic song.
1 2 Cinquemani, Sal (November 9, 2001). "Review: Madonna, GHV2". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on April 17, 2022. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
1 2 3 "Top 10 Sales in Europe"(PDF). Music & Media. 9 (44): 22. October 31, 1992. Archived(PDF) from the original on December 2, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
↑ Bates, Simon (October 14, 1992). BBC Radio 1. London. 17 minutes in. BBC Radio 1. 104.8. Because that's how I visualized the song and I close my eyes and I think of the song...
↑ "Billie Awards"(PDF). Billboard. Vol.105, no.10. March 6, 1993. p.65. ISSN0006-2510. Archived(PDF) from the original on February 8, 2022. Retrieved June 20, 2022.
↑ Erotica (US Cassette Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9-18782-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (European Cassette Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9-18681-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (US Maxi-Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9-40585-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (Japan CD Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 10019-6098.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (UK Vinyl). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9-404835-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (US Cassette Maxi-Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9-40585-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ Erotica (European Maxi-Single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9362-40657-2.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
↑ "1992 Year-end sales chart"(PDF). Music & Media. 9 (51/52): 17. December 19, 1992. Archived(PDF) from the original on November 29, 2021. Retrieved June 12, 2022.
Borzillo-Vrenna, Carrie (2008). Cherry Bomb: The Ultimate Guide to Becoming a Better Flirt, a Tougher Chick, and a Hotter Girlfriend―and to Living Life Like a Rock Star. Simon & Schuster. ISBN978-1416961161.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply. Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.
