Human Nature (Madonna song)

Last updated

"Human Nature"
Human Nature Madonna.png
Single by Madonna
from the album Bedtime Stories
B-side "Sanctuary"
ReleasedMay 5, 1995
Recorded1994
Genre
Length4:54
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Madonna
  • Dave Hall
Madonna singles chronology
"Bedtime Story"
(1995)		"Human Nature"
(1995)		"You'll See"
(1995)
Music video
"Human Nature" on YouTube

"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.

Contents

In Australia, New Zealand and most European countries, the song was released as the album's fourth and final single on May 5, 1995; in the United States, a release was issued one month later, on June 6. An R&B song with hip-hop influences, the lyrics see Madonna lashing out at her detractors, referring to her interest in "taboo" subjects as mere human nature. Upon release, it was well received by critics, who applauded its catchiness and unapologetic tone. "Human Nature" had a weak commercial reception in the United States, peaking at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100; nonetheless, it reached the second position of the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single fared better in the United Kingdom, where it reached the top-ten.

Directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, the accompanying music video features the singer and a troupe of dancers in bondage-inspired gear, and was praised for its humorous tones. Madonna has performed "Human Nature" on five of her concert tours, the most recent being the Celebration Tour of 2023—2024. Influence of the song's unapologetic feminist theme and music video has been noted in the work of contemporary female artists.

Background

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 called Madonna a sexual renegade, felt she had "gone too far", and that her career was over. [1] In March 1994, Madonna appeared on CBS's Late Show with David Letterman . The appearance was noted for an extremely controversial series of statements and antics by the singer, which included many expletives. In particular, she said the word fuck fourteen times throughout the interview. This made the episode the most censored in American network television talk-show history while at the same time garnering host David Letterman some of the highest ratings he ever received. [2] According to Billboard 's Joe Lynch, "for the first time in a decade of superstardom, people weren't shocked by her antics anymore — even worse, they often seemed exhausted by her". [3]

Madonna came to the conclusion that she needed to "soften" her image in order to reconnect with her audience. [4] The "first step to redeem herself" was the ballad "I'll Remember", recorded for the film With Honors (1994). The song reached the second position on the Billboard Hot 100, and received positive critical feedback. [5] For her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories , Madonna decided to venture in the R&B and hip hop mania that was dominating the charts in the early-to-mid 1990s. [4] The project saw Madonna working with high-profile producers such as Babyface, Dallas Austin, Dave Hall, and Nellee Hooper. [6] [7] The album was marketed as an apology; promotional spots aired on television proclaimed that it would be devoid of sexual references, with the singer adding that, "it's a whole new me! I'm going to be a good girl, I swear". [8]

According to author J. Randy Taraborrelli, however, Madonna was still "seething" about the treatment she'd received by the media. [9] Alongside Hall, she wrote an answer song to the backlash she had endured the past two years for "daring to deal with subjects that are taboo. [10] Titled "Human Nature", Madonna explained that song was about that "giving [my] back to the media. I'm not sorry". [10] Nonetheless, she also added that it was about "closing the book on the last 2 years of [my] life". [11]

Recording and composition

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Human Nature"
30-second sample of "Human Nature". In it, Madonna asks Did I say something wrong?/Oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex, which nods to her previous album Erotica, and coffee table book Sex.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

Bedtime Stories was recorded at nine different studios: Axis, The Hit Factory, and Soundworks Studios in New York City; Los Angeles ' Chappel Studios; the DARP Studios and Tea Room in Atlanta; The Enterprise in Burbank; Hollywood's Music Grinder, and the Wild Bunch Studios in London. [12] [13] Personnel working on "Human Nature" included Frederick Jorio and P. Dennis Mitchell on mixing, while Joey Moskowitz was in charge of programming. [13]

"Human Nature" is built off of a sample of Main Source's "What You Need" (1994), therefore, Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie and Michael Deering are listed as co-writers. [14] [15] It is an R&B song with hip-hop influences. [14] [16] [17] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., it is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 88 beats per minute. It's composed in the key of C major, and follows a repetitive sequence of Fmaj7–E7–Am7–Fmaj7–E7–Am7. Madonna's vocals range from F3 to E7. [18] From The New York Times , Jon Pareles pointed out that "Human Nature" is the only song from Bedtime Stories that lacks its "melancholy nature", and does not employ a pentatonic melody. [19] Deemed an "unintentional sequel" to "Express Yourself" (1989), its lyrics explicitly address the "media firestorm" Madonna faced with Erotica, Sex, and Body of Evidence. [20] [21] [22] The singer herself described the song as her "definitive statement" in regards to the backlash she received for "having the nerve of talking about the things I did in the past few years". [15]

The trip-hop-styled opening has heavy bass, drums looping, and Madonna repeatedly whispering the phrase express yourself/don't repress yourself. [15] [23] In the first verse, she sings in a thin, nasal voice "dripping with sarcasm", the lines You wouldn't let me say the words I longed to say/you didn't want to see life through my eyes/You tried to shove me back inside your narrow room/and silence me with bitterness and lies. [15] [24] [25] At one point, she directly nods to Erotica and Sex by asking Did I say something wrong?/Oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex. [21] [23] In the refrain, Madonna stands unapologetic, and brushes off the "prudes" who faulted her for fixating on sex, pointing out that being interested in said subject —considered "taboo"— is simply human nature; And I'm not sorry/it's human nature/I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me, she sings. [26] [24] She also asks Would it sound better if I were a man?, implying that if she were, she wouldn't have been as criticized. [26] Also present throughout the song are the sounds of slamming doors. [15]

Release and remixes

In Australia, New Zealand, and most European countries, "Human Nature" was released as the fourth and final single from Bedtime Stories on May 5, 1995. [27] [28] [29] [30] In the United States, it was released one month later, on June 6. [31] Nine official remixes were made available on August 1. [32] Most of them were produced by American DJ Danny Tenaglia, who took the "face crackin' hip-hop jam" of the original and turned it into a "defiant house anthem", as noted by Billboard's Larry Flick. [33]

The first mix, known as "Dance-Radio edit" was noted as being "more hip-hop than house" by Jose F. Promis from AllMusic. [32] Promis described the radio edit, which omits the phrase I'm not your bitch/don't hang your shit on me, as repetitive and lacking the "punch" of the original. [32] The "I'm Not Your Bitch Mix" replace the verses and chorus with whispered comments, such as I have no regrets, I'm not your bitch, deal with it, and I'm HIV negative, which are sampled over deep house grooves. [32] The "Love Is the Nature Mix" has "swirling" instrumentation, turning the song into a "late-night, frenetic dance orgy". [32] The promo-only "Human Club Mix" has "dark, underground savy synth passages that best match the overall tone [of the original]". [33] In 2001, the radio edit was included on Madonna's second compilation album, GHV2 . [34]

Critical reception

"After setting the tone with a whispered mantra of Express yourself/don't repress yourself, [...] [She] addresses her critics in no uncertain terms. [...] This is Madonna at her most unapologetically defiant, And it is a glorious thing to behold. It only got to No. 46 on Billboard's Hot 100, but 30 years later, it remains one of her most inspired moments as a musical provocateur".

— The Arizona Republic 's Ed Masley commenting on "Human Nature" on the publication's list of Madonna's 35 best songs. [35]

"Human Nature" received generally positive reviews upon release. From Billboard, Larry Flick called it a "wickedly catchy jeep/pop jam in which La M unapologetically snaps at her more close-minded critics", and highlighted her "playfully snide and aggressive" vocals. [36] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine opined that, "whether licking her wounds over lovers or critics, Madonna has never sounded more emotionally vulnerable or more cerebrally plugged in than she does here". [37] Similarly, author Mark Bego felt that on the song, "[Madonna] displays a fleeting touch of vulnerability". [38] From The Baltimore Sun , J.D. Considine said that "Human Nature" and album track "Survival" were, "the closest thing you'll find [in Bedtime Stories] to career commentary". [25] On The Advocate 's review, Peter Galvin deemed it a "delicious" song that "takes aim at who used her to live out their sexual fantasies and then condemned her for it". [39] For Rolling Stone , Barbara O'Dair referred to "Human Nature" as an "infectiously funky [...] drive-by on her critics, complete with a keening synth line straight outta Dre". [40] Lucy O'Brien, author of Madonna: Like an Icon , deemed "Human Nature" one of the "quirkiest" tracks on Bedtime Stories, "throbbing with a tightly restrained but devastating anger". [41]

Chris Wade opined that the song "lifted the sadness" emanated from the first few tracks from the album: "[T]here's a great beat to this, a brilliant vocal where Madonna answers herself with whispers and an unforgettable chorus". [42] While Melissa Ruggieri from USA Today compared it to the work of TLC, Pitchfork 's Owen Pallett wrote that, "with its anti-slut-shaming slogan", "Human Nature" is one of Madonna's "most effective grooves" and one of her best songs. [23] [43] Mark Sutherland from NME declared it a "self-reverential 'steamy' Prince-esque romp". [44] Barry Walters for the San Francisco Examiner , said that "Human Nature" has the catchiest chorus among all the other album tracks. [45] Despite singling out its "clever" samples and interpolations, Quentin Harrison from website Albumism opined that the "petulant" "Human Nature" interrupts Bedtime Stories' "demure [and] introspective" tone, and "would have been better served up as a B-side". [46] Writing for The Boston Globe , Steve Morse wasn't impressed with the track: "'Express yourself, don't repress yourself', she purrs in the whispery 'Human Nature', but that's hardly a new thought for [Madonna]. She seems lost at this point". [47] Entertainment Weekly 's Jim Farber felt Madonna came across as "petty [...] self-righteous and smug [in 'Human Nature']". [48] Rikky Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, gave an unfavorable review: "Musically, ['Human Nature'] wears out its welcome [...] [It's] a very bitter, put-down song". [15]

Matthew Jacobs from HuffPost placed the song at number 7 of his ranking of Madonna's singles, calling it an "R&B blitz that remains one of [her] most original songs". [49] On Gay Star News ' ranking, the single came in at number 15; Joe Morgan called it the "ultimate middle finger to her critics". [50] Jude Rogers, from The Guardian also named it Madonna's 15th greatest, and her "best excursion into the sounds of hip-hop and R&B". [51] Nayer Missim from PinkNews considered "Human Nature" Madonna's 26th greatest song, and Entertainment Weekly's Chuck Arnold her 24th; the former said that, "sounding like Britney before Britney, Madonna gives her critics a deserved thrashing", while the latter deeemed it a "defiant declaration". [52] [53] In Parade 's ranking, where it came in at number 13, Samuel R. Murrian classiffied "Human Nature" as a "mesmerizing, funny and angry R&B earworm". [16] Writing for The A.V. Club , Stephen Thomas Erlewine placed the track in the 36th position of the publication's ranking of Madonna's singles: "The opposite of an apology [...] Madonna rarely unleashed vitriol on record, which makes the nastiness of 'Human Nature' unusually thrilling". [22] Joe Lynch saw the song as a precursor to Madonna's 2015 song "Unapologetic Bitch", and one that "holds up as one of [her] finest '90s singles". [26] Idolator 's Mike Wass referred to the song as a "razor-sharp feminist manifesto", and one of the most "autobiographical in the living legend's holy discography". [24] For The Couch Sessions, "Human Nature" is a "dark, brooding masterpiece". [14]

Chart performance

In the United States, "Human Nature" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 57, in the issue dated June 24, 1995, with 7,400 units sold. [54] [55] Twenty one days later, it peaked at number 46, spending a total of 15 weeks on the chart overall. [56] [31] [57] It became Madonna's second consecutive single to not reach the Hot 100's top 40 following "Bedtime Story". [58] From Billboard, Fred Bronson attributed the song's weak performance to it not being "radio-friendly". [58] Additionally, it reached the 58th, 57th, and 35th positions on the Hot 100 Airplay, Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, and Hot 100 Singles Sales charts, respectively. [59] [60] [61] "Human Nature" found success on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, where it reached the second spot. [62] It came in at number 16 on the 1995 Dance year-end chart. [63] In Canada, the single debuted in the 90th position of RPM 's Top Singles chart on the week of July 10, 1995; [64] one month later, it reached its peak at number 64. [65]

In the United Kingdom, "Human Nature" debuted and peaked at the 8th position of the UK Singles Chart on August 26, 1995; it spent 6 weeks on the chart overall. [66] According to Music Week magazine, over 80,685 copies of the single have been sold in the United Kingdom as of 2008. [67] The single spent three weeks at number 17 on Australia's ARIA Singles Chart. [27] On the Irish Singles Chart, "Human Nature" peaked at number 21. [68] It fared better in Switzerland, Italy and Finland, reaching numbers 17, 10 and 7, respectively. [30] [69] [70] "Human Nature" performed poorly in Germany, where it reached number 50. [29] It peaked at number 39 on the Eurochart Hot 100, and it's Madonna's lowest charting song in New Zealand, where it reached the 37th spot of the chart, and remained there for one week. [71] [28]

Music video

Background and description

Screenshot of the "Human Nature" music video, showing Madonna tied to a chair, flanked by two masked men. The bondage outfits are meant to represent "breaking out of the restraints", according to the singer herself. Madonna-human-nature-video.jpg
Screenshot of the "Human Nature" music video, showing Madonna tied to a chair, flanked by two masked men. The bondage outfits are meant to represent "breaking out of the restraints", according to the singer herself.

Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who had previously collaborated with Madonna on the visuals for "Open Your Heart" (1986) and "Justify My Love" (1990), directed the "Human Nature" music video. [20] Filming took place at the Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California, from May 6-7, 1995. [73] Palomar Productions' Anita Wetterstedt was in charge of production. [74] [75] After Mondino came across the work of artist Eric Stanton, who did S&M-inspired drawings, him and Madonna decided to have the video focus on the "fun" aspect of the erotic subject; "S&M is a game, you know? It's dark, it looks dark, but I think people have fun", recalled the director. [72]

Jamie King was appointed choreographer, with Luca Tommassini serving as his assistant. [76] [74] King recalled that the singer "begged" him to dance on the visual. [77] Madonna wanted it to be more "dance-oriented" than the previous Bedtime Stories videos, something Mondino disagreed with; he's not be fond of clips where "[there's] five different cameras shooting a performance [...] too much editing. I like the steadiness because then you can really enjoy the movement of the body". [72] For this, he decided to put the singer and dancers in boxes, as there's not too much space to dance or move in, and he could create the desired graphic S&M imagery and choreography. [72] According to editor Dustin Robertson, Mondino and Madonna both had opposite work ethics: While the former was "cool and laid-back", the latter was a "stickler for details". [41]

In the video, Madonna dons a black latex catsuit, and bikini with stiletto boots. [78] Her hair, which appears dark, was actually blonde at the time; she had leather strips painstakingly braided into her hair to blend with her dark roots. On some scenes, she's also shown wearing an afro hairpiece. [79] The staff of Rolling Stone gave a description of the video: "Dressed in bondage gear, Madonna laughs, makes funny faces and disciplines her Chihuahua with a riding crop in a video that's kind of like 50 Shades of Busby Berkeley ". [72] It shows sequences of the singer chained to a chair by two masked men, making faces of "mock annoyance". [80] In another scene, she uses a riding crop to whip, tickle, and laugh at a woman who's tied by her hands to a bar above her head, and at her ankles. [80] The clip ends with the singer proclaiming the phrase "Absolutely no regrets". [81]

Reception and analysis

The music video received positive reviews from critics. Author Matthew Rettenmund deemed it among Madonna's best, "equal parts funny and sexy", and the one that "sum[s] up [her] Madonna-ness". [82] Louis Virtel from The Backlot placed it at number 22 of his ranking of the singer's videos; "it's rare that Madonna gets a chance to be both harsh and hilarious in a music video, and in this tongue-in-cheek, pleather-heavy vid [...] she's a vision of coolness and sexual superiority". [83] While Matthew Jacobs called it "iconic in its own right", Sal Cinquemani considered it Madonna's ninth best, naming it "about as subtle as a slamming door", and adding that, "['Human Nature'] feels like a Party City send-up of her Sex persona, with costumes that are decidedly latex rather than cold leather". [49] [84] For Samuel R. Murrian, it is one of Madonna's "most memorable" videos, an opinion that was shared by Mike Nied from Idolator, who praised the choreography and named it Madonna's 15th best. [85] [86] Julien Sauvalle from Out magazine considered "Human Nature" to be one of Madonna's "most stylish" music videos. [87] The latex look from the video was named one of the singer's most "unforgettable" by People magazine. [88] A negative review came from The Advocate, where Jeremy Kinser deemed the video "silly" and chastised Madonna for "dressing up like a dominatrix again". [89]

According to Mary Gabriel, in her book Madonna: A Rebel Life, the video shows the singer "at her most powerful. She has risen above sexuality. She now possesses and exhibits pure strength. It is the Madonna of Blond Ambition made razor-sharp by anger". [73] Gabriel further compared the scenes in which the singer and dancers dance inside the boxes to comic strips; "just like 'Bedtime Story is a moving painting, ['Human Nature'] is a moving illustration", the author concluded. [73] In Madonna's Drowned Worlds, Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens highlighted the video's "cheeky sense of humor", and compared it to Madonna's 1990 single "Hanky Panky", as both are an attempt to introduce sadomasochism into the mainstream in a humorous "non-threatening" manner. [80] They also pointed out that the singer's "disjointed and accelerated" dance moves on some parts, made the video resemble a silent film. [80] "Human Nature" can be found on the video compilations The Video Collection 93:99 (1999) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009). [74] [90]

Live performances

The song's performance on the MDNA Tour (2012) generated controversy, as it had Madonna doing a striptease. MDNA 2581409112 (cropped)1.jpg
The song's performance on the MDNA Tour (2012) generated controversy, as it had Madonna doing a striptease.

Madonna has performed "Human Nature" on five of her concert tours: Drowned World (2001), Sticky & Sweet (2008―2009), MDNA (2012), Madame X (2019―2020), and Celebration (2023―2024). On the first one, it was given a cowgirl theme: The singer donned an American flag tank top, rhinestones, cowboy hat, and bell-bottom leather chaps. [91] The number had a bondage-themed choreography with a lasso, and Madonna lap dancing a mechanical bull. [92] [91] The performance, deemed one of the night's "most startling sights" by The Guardian's Alex Petridis, was included on the live video album Drowned World Tour 2001 , shot at Detroit's Palace of Auburn Hills. [93] [94]

A remixed "Human Nature", with Madonna playing a Gibson Les Paul electric guitar and singing with vocoder effects, was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour. [95] [96] [97] She wore a white top hat and leather boots, while a video of Britney Spears trapped in an elevator played on the backdrops. [97] [95] According to Madonna, the video was an analogy to Spears' career; "Didn't [the video] explain what I thought? 'I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me'. I just think people should mind their own business and let her grow up". [98] On the tour's stop at Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium, on November 6, 2008, Spears herself joined Madonna for the performance. [99] Reviewing the Vancouver show, The Province 's Stuart Derdeyn panned Madonna's vocals during the "brutal" number. [100] The performance was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album release (2010), recorded during the four concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. [101]

Madonna performing the mashup of "Human Nature" and "Crazy for You" during one of the concerts of the Celebration Tour (2023--2024) Madonna (53264732108).jpg
Madonna performing the mashup of "Human Nature" and "Crazy for You" during one of the concerts of the Celebration Tour (2023―2024)

For the song's performance on the MDNA Tour, the stage was set up as a hall of mirrors. [102] Madonna sang as she stripped down to her lingerie. [103] While performing the song in Turkey, she briefly pulled down her bra and briefly flashed her nipple; [104] in Rome, she mooned the audience. [105] Writing for India Today , Deepti Jakhar felt Madonna came across "a bit desperate to regain her controversial stage presence", and compared the antic to Janet Jackson's 2004 Super Bowl incident. [106] By contrast, BuzzFeed's Amy Odell defended the singer; "apparently now when that inevitable thing called aging happens, [women] have to worry about covering up enough so that we don't look 'desperate' [...] Heavens! Women who are 53 still have breasts and... sex drives!", Odell wrote. [107] The performances of the song at the November 19–20 shows in Miami were recorded and released in Madonna's fourth live album, MDNA World Tour (2013). [108]

In April 2015, halfway through rapper Drake's set at the Coachella Festival, Madonna appeared onstage singing a medley of "Human Nature" and "Hung Up" (2005), wearing a t-shirt that read "BIG AS MADONNA". [109] [110] She then went on to "aggressively" kiss the rapper, whose shocked reaction became viral on the internet. [110] [111] Two years later, Madonna sang "Human Nature" at the Women's March on Washington, with added explicit lyrics aimed at Donald Trump. [112] A jazz rendition was then done on the Madame X Tour. [113] The performance saw the singer writhing "like a gymnastic clock inside a circular wall inset" surrounded by video imagery of pointing fingers, before doing a bongo solo. [114] [115] [116] The number ended with Madonna surrounded by 11 black women —including her daughters, Stella, Estere and Mercy James— chanting, "I'm not your bitch!". [116] From Las Vegas Weekly , Josh Bell considered "Human Nature" one of the songs that "fit best with the [concert's] theme of defiance". [117] The song was included on both the film that chronicled the tour and its accompanying live album. [118] [119]

"Human Nature" was mashed up with "Crazy for You" (1985) on the Celebration Tour. [120] Madonna sings "Human Nature" after being arrested by dancers dressed as cops. [121] She's then "rescued" by her "younger self" —a dancer in the latex catsuit and braids from the music video— and begins to sing "Crazy for You" as a "touching recognition of her bravery", as noted by PopMatters ' Chris Rutherford. [122] The number was criticized by Mikael Wood, writing for Los Angeles Times , who found it confusing. [123]

Impact

Influences of the music video for "Human Nature" can be found on the one for "Not Myself Tonight" (2010) by Christina Aguilera (picture). Christina Aguilera at the premiere of Burlesque (2010).jpg
Influences of the music video for "Human Nature" can be found on the one for "Not Myself Tonight" (2010) by Christina Aguilera (picture).

The song's unapologetic feminist theme has influenced and can be seen in the work of contemporary artists, such as Christina Aguilera's "Can't Hold Us Down" (2003), Britney Spears' "Piece of Me" (2007), Beyoncé's "Flawless" (2013), and Demi Lovato's "Sorry Not Sorry" (2017). [17] [20] [53] "Not My Responsibility", a track from Billie Eilish's second studio album Happier Than Ever (2021), was noted for recalling "Human Nature" "more than any other contemporary pop album" by The New York Times' Lindsay Zoladz. [124] In 2023, Sam Smith included a cover of "Human Nature" on their Gloria Tour. The performance —praised by Madonna herself— sees Smith wearing glittering briefs, fishnets and nipple tassels. [125]

According to the staff of Indian magazine Verve , the "Human Nature" video inspired the dance sequence of the song "Kambaqt Ishq", from the 2001 Bollywood film Pyaar Tune Kya Kiya . [78] MTV's James Montgomery perceived influence on the video for Christina Aguilera's "Not Myself Tonight" (2010), most notably in Aguilera's "leather get-ups, her dominatrix attitude and the sultry chair-related activities she engages in throughout". [126] Both Montgomery and Mike Wass felt that certain scenes of Rihanna's "S&M" (2011) recalled "Human Nature". [127] [24] Wass then concluded that, "['Human Nature'] boasts one of the most influential video clips of the '90s. [...] As usual, Madonna was a decade or two ahead of her time". [24] "Human Nature" has been referred to as one of Madonna's songs that "should've been bigger", by both Wass and Lynch. [24] [26] Mary Von Aue deemed it the "definitive" song on Bedtime Stories, as it proved "[Madonna] owned her sexuality and would not be eclipsed by it". [8] On this note, Lynch wrote:

Crafted as a challenge to those who thought she went too far by releasing an entire book devoted to erotic photos, and those are the people who don't want to discuss sexuality — they just want to chastise you for talking about it [...] ["Human Nature"] came at a time when the idea of an unapologetic woman was far too threatening for most — not just radio programmers and parents, but even many of her fans. To a Puritan, the only thing worse than a woman wearing a scarlet A is a woman proudly wearing a scarlet A. [26]

Track listings and formats

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel are adapted from the Bedtime Stories album liner notes. [13]

Charts

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Madonna</span> American singer and actress (born 1958)

Madonna Louise Ciccone is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress. Regarded as the "Queen of Pop", she has been recognized for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting and visual presentation. Madonna's works, which incorporate social, political, sexual, and religious themes, have generated both controversy and critical acclaim. A cultural icon spanning both the 20th and 21st centuries, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame called her one of the most "well-documented figures of the modern age" in 2008. Various scholarly reviews, literature, and art works have been created about her along with an academic mini subdiscipline devoted to her called Madonna studies.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Don't Tell Me (Madonna song)</span> 2000 single by Madonna

"Don't Tell Me" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her eighth studio album, Music (2000). It was released as the second single from the album on November 14, 2000, by Maverick Records. Madonna co-wrote and co-produced the track with Mirwais Ahmadzaï, with additional writing from her brother-in-law, Joe Henry. Henry originally conceived it as a tango-styled torch song called "Stop"; the demo was later sent to Madonna, who then proceeded to change its musical composition, turning it into a country-dance song. Lyrically, Madonna asks her lover not to control her.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music (Madonna song)</span> 2000 song by Madonna

"Music" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna as the title track for her eighth studio album (2000). It was released as the lead single from the album to radio on August 1, 2000, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records and commercially released on August 21. "Music" was inspired by a Sting concert Madonna attended and was written and produced by her with Mirwais Ahmadzaï. It is a electropop, disco, electro-funk and dance-pop song in a static key of G minor. Madonna's vocals are electronically manipulated in the track, with the lyrics having political and social undertones and reiterating the uniting power of music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Causing a Commotion</span> 1987 single by Madonna

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Holiday (Madonna song)</span> 1983 single by Madonna

"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album (1983). It was written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder for their own musical act Pure Energy, and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez. Hudson came up with the lyrics of the song while watching negative news on television, and together with Stevens-Crowder worked on the music. They recorded a demo, which was turned down by their label Prism Records. Afterwards, Benitez pitched the track and offered it to several artists, including former the Supremes singer Mary Wilson, but it was rejected. Around the same time, Benitez was working with Madonna on her album; after realizing they needed a song for the project, Benitez thought of "Holiday" and approached Hudson and Stevens-Crowder.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Crazy for You (Madonna song)</span> 1985 single by Madonna

"Crazy for You" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for the film Vision Quest (1985), written by John Bettis and Jon Lind, and produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez. Released on March 2, 1985 through Geffen Records, it is a pop ballad with torch influences, and lyrics that talk about sexual attraction and desire. Jon Peters and Peter Guber produced Vision Quest, while Joel Sill, Warner Bros. Pictures music vice president, and music director Phil Ramone were in charge of putting together its soundtrack. Sill got in touch with Bettis and Lind, and asked them to write a new song for the film. The duo came up with "Crazy for You" after reading the script, and decided to use it in a scene in which the main characters – Matthew Modine and Linda Fiorentino – dance together for the first time.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hung Up</span> 2005 single by Madonna

"Hung Up" is a song by American singer Madonna from her tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Initially used in a number of television advertisements and serials, the song was released as the album's lead single on October 18, 2005. Written and produced by Madonna in collaboration with Stuart Price, "Hung Up" prominently features a sample from the instrumental introduction to ABBA's single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! ", for which Madonna personally sought permission from its songwriters, Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus. This is one of the few times Andersson and Ulvaeus have given permission to sample one of their songs, following "Rumble in the Jungle" by the Fugees and "Fly With Me" by 98 Degrees.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Secret (Madonna song)</span> 1994 single by Madonna

"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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">La Isla Bonita</span> 1987 single by Madonna

"La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album True Blue (1986). Patrick Leonard and Bruce Gaitsch created it as an instrumental demo and offered it to singer Michael Jackson, who turned it down. When Leonard met Madonna to start working on True Blue, he played the demo for her. Madonna came up with the title, wrote the lyrics and produced the song with Leonard. It is her first song with Latin influences. Its instrumentation features flamenco guitar, Latin percussion, maracas, and includes four lines sung in Spanish. The lyrics talk of an island named San Pedro, whose location has been debated. Madonna said the song was her tribute to Latin Americans.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like a Prayer (song)</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1989 fourth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on March 3, 1989, by Sire Records. Written and produced by both Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bedtime Story (Madonna song)</span> 1995 single by Madonna

"Bedtime Story" is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories (1994). In Australia and most European countries, it was released as the third single from the album on February 13, 1995, whereas in the United States, the release date was two months later, on April 11. The song was written by Icelandic singer Björk, and British producers Nellee Hooper and Marius De Vries. Madonna was a fan of Björk's Debut album and, through Hooper, got in contact with her and asked her to collaborate on a song. Not being a big fan of Madonna's work, Björk was initially reluctant at the idea, but eventually accepted. She based the lyrics on ideas and concepts she had always wanted to hear Madonna say, and recorded a demo alongside Hooper. Originally titled "Let's Get Unconscious", the demo was re-worked and produced by Madonna and Hooper, who also changed its name to "Bedtime Story".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take a Bow (Madonna song)</span> 1994 single by Madonna

"Take a Bow" is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories (1994). It was released as the album's second single on December 6, 1994, by Maverick Records. It is a midtempo pop ballad written and produced by Madonna and Babyface. Following the sexually explicit persona portrayed by Madonna on her previous album, Erotica, she wanted to tone down her image for Bedtime Stories. Experimenting with a new musical direction and a more radio-friendly sound, Madonna decided to collaborate with Babyface, whose work with other musicians had impressed her. "Take a Bow" was developed after she listened to the basic beat and chords of a piece of music composed by him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sorry (Madonna song)</span> 2006 single by Madonna

"Sorry" is a song by American singer Madonna from her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). The song was written and produced by both Madonna and Stuart Price. It was released to hot adult contemporary radio stations in the United States as the second single from the album on February 6, 2006, by Warner Bros. Records. The song was later included on Madonna's compilation album, Celebration (2009). One of the first tracks developed for the album, it is a dance-pop and disco song, and lyrically talks about personal empowerment and self-sufficiency. For the single release, remixers such as Pet Shop Boys, Green Velvet, and Paul Oakenfold were enlisted to conceive remixes for the song.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express Yourself (Madonna song)</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Express Yourself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). "Express Yourself" was the first song that Madonna and co-producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for Like a Prayer. Written and produced by them, the song was a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to go for second-best and to urge their partners to express their inner feelings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jump (Madonna song)</span> 2006 single by Madonna

"Jump" is a song by American singer Madonna from her tenth studio album Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Written by and produced by Madonna and Stuart Price with additional writing by Joe Henry, the song was supposed to be released as the third single of the album. However, since "Get Together" was decided as the third single based on its digital sales, "Jump" was sent to hot adult contemporary radios in the United States as the fourth and final single from the album on September 11, 2006, by Warner Bros. Records. The song incorporates pop, synth-pop, techno and disco music with tributes to Pet Shop Boys. Madonna sings in her lower register in the song. Its lyrics talk about self-empowerment and sufficiency while looking for the prospects of a new relationship.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dov'è l'amore</span> 1999 single by Cher

"Dov'è l'amore" is a song recorded by American singer Cher for her twenty-second studio album, Believe (1998). It was written by Mark Taylor and Paul Barry, and produced by Taylor and Brian Rawling, and released as the fourth single from the album on October 25, 1999, by Warner Bros. Records, and WEA. The song is a Latin-influenced track with Spanish guitar over dance beats. In the song, Cher mixes English with Italian lyrics as she sings: "Dov'è l'amore /dov'è l'amore /I cannot tell you of my love/ here is my story".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">4 Minutes</span> 2008 single by Madonna

"4 Minutes" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eleventh studio album Hard Candy (2008), featuring vocals by fellow American singer-songwriter Justin Timberlake and American producer Timbaland. It was released as the lead single from the album on March 17, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records. It marked the first time in Madonna's 25-year career that another artist was featured in a single. According to Madonna, the song is about saving the environment and "having a good time while we are doing it". She also cited the song as the inspiration for the documentary I Am Because We Are (2008).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Give It 2 Me</span> 2008 single by Madonna

"Give It 2 Me" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna, featured on her 11th studio album Hard Candy. It was released on June 24, 2008, by Warner Bros. Records as the second single from the album. The song was written by Madonna as an anthemic, self-manifesto song which, although it appears to be about dance and sex, is a reference to Madonna's career spanning three decades in the music industry. Musically, "Give It 2 Me" is an upbeat dance-pop song, featuring instrumentation from West African percussion and cowbells. Backing vocals are provided by Pharrell Williams.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Celebration (Madonna song)</span> 2009 single by Madonna

"Celebration" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Madonna for her third greatest hits album of the same name (2009). It was written and produced by Madonna, Paul Oakenfold and Ian Green, with additional writing from Ciaran Gribbin. The song was released digitally on July 31, 2009, by Warner Bros. Records. Madonna collaborated with Oakenfold to develop a number of songs. Amongst all the songs developed by them, two were chosen for the greatest hits album with "Celebration" being released as the first single from it. It is a dance-oriented song with influences of Madonna's singles from the 1980s and 1990s, and consisting of a speak-sing format bridge. The lyrics of the song invite one to come and join a party.

<i>Bedtime Stories</i> (Madonna album) 1994 studio album by Madonna

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.

References

  1. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002 , p. 229
  2. ↑ Tucker, Ken (April 15, 1994). "Like Aversion: The Letterman rudefest made Madonna shockingly passe". Entertainment Weekly . Archived from the original on October 15, 2007. Retrieved March 30, 2023.
  3. ↑ Lynch, Joe (October 6, 2014). "Madonna's Bedtime Stories turns 20: Babyface & Donna De Lory look back". Billboard . Archived from the original on January 20, 2022. Retrieved May 22, 2024.
  4. 1 2 Taraborrelli 2002 , pp. 235–237
  5. ↑ Feldman 2000 , p. 255
  6. ↑ Sullivan 2013 , p. 648
  7. ↑ O'Brien 2008 , pp. 291–293
  8. 1 2 Von Aue, Mary (October 24, 2014). "Why Madonna's unapologetic Bedtime Stories is her most important album". Vice . Archived from the original on October 24, 2020. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  9. ↑ Taraborrelli 2002 , p. 239
  10. 1 2 Palomino, Érika (November 21, 1994). "Madonna desiste do sexo e volta ao romantismo". Folha de S. Paulo (in Portuguese). Archived from the original on August 10, 2004. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  11. ↑ Mayo, Simon (1994). "Archive Interview from 1994 by Simon Mayo". BBC. Archived from the original on April 19, 2001. Retrieved May 23, 2024.
  12. ↑ Rooksby 2004 , pp. 44–46
  13. 1 2 3 Madonna (1994). Bedtime Stories (LP, Vinyl, CD). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362-45767-2.
  14. 1 2 3 Stone (April 22, 2009). "Sampling Evolution: Madonna's 'Human Nature'". The Couch Sessions. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  15. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rooksby 2004 , pp. 47–50
  16. 1 2 Murrian, Samuel R. (August 16, 2019). "We ranked the 100 best Madonna songs of all time". Parade . Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  17. 1 2 "The 100 greatest Madonna songs: Critics' picks". Billboard. August 15, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  18. ↑ Ciccone, Madonna. "Human Nature: Digital sheet music". Alfred Publishing Inc. Archived from the original on May 2, 2009. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  19. ↑ Pareles, Jon (October 23, 1994). "POP MUSIC; Madonna's return to innocence". The New York Times . Archived from the original on November 11, 2010. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  20. 1 2 3 Gracie, Bianca (October 24, 2014). "Madonna's Bedtime Stories turns 20: Backtracking". Idolator . Archived from the original on October 24, 2014. Retrieved August 20, 2024.
  21. 1 2 "Madonna's 50 greatest songs: 21. 'Human Nature' (from Bedtime Stories, 1994)". Rolling Stone . July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on October 19, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  22. 1 2 Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (July 26, 2023). "40 years of Madonna: The Queen of Pop's greatest songs, ranked - 36. 'Human Nature' (1994)". The A.V. Club . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  23. 1 2 3 Ruggieri, Melissa (August 16, 2023). "Madonna turns 65, so naturally we rank her 65 best songs". USA Today . Archived from the original on August 16, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  24. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Wass, Mike (December 1, 2020). "Should Have Been Bigger: Madonna's 'Human Nature'". Idolator. Retrieved May 21, 2024.[ permanent dead link ]
  25. 1 2 Considine, J.D. (October 25, 1994). "Madonna's latest lets her talent do most of the talking THE 'SECRET' of SUCCESS". The Baltimore Sun . Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  26. 1 2 3 4 5 Lynch, Joe (August 14, 2016). "Madonna's 'Human Nature': Saluting the unapologetic anthem that should have been a smash hit". Billboard. Archived from the original on March 21, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  27. 1 2 3 "Madonna – Human Nature". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  28. 1 2 3 "Madonna – Human Nature". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  29. 1 2 3 "Madonna – Human Nature" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved October 17, 2018.
  30. 1 2 3 "Madonna – Human Nature". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  31. 1 2 "Madonna.com > Discography > Human Nature". Icon: Official Madonna website. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  32. 1 2 3 4 5 Promis, Jose F. (August 1, 1995). "Madonna > 'Human Nature' > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on October 13, 2013. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  33. 1 2 Flick, Larry (July 22, 1995). "Billboard summit moves to home of clubland" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 29. p. 23. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  34. ↑ Cinquemani, Slant (November 9, 2001). "Review: Madonna, GHV2". Slant Magazine . Archived from the original on June 26, 2019. Retrieved May 20, 2024.
  35. ↑ Masley, Ed (March 10, 2024). "Best Madonna songs, ranked, and why our No. 1 is the only correct choice". The Arizona Republic . Archived from the original on March 10, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  36. ↑ Flick, Larry (June 3, 1995). "Single Reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 22. p. 93. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  37. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (March 9, 2003). "Review: Madonna, Bedtime Stories". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on March 22, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  38. ↑ Bego 2000 , pp. 293
  39. ↑ Galvin, Peter (November 15, 1994). "Reviews: Madonna, Bedtime Stories". The Advocate (668): 83–84. ISSN   0001-8996 . Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  40. ↑ O'Dair, Barbara (December 15, 1994). "Home > Music > Album Reviews > Bedtime Stories". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 7, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  41. 1 2 O'Brien 2008 , p. 289
  42. ↑ Wade 2016 , pp. 79–80
  43. ↑ Pallett, Owen (August 16, 2017). "Madonna, Bedtime Stories". Pitchfork . Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  44. ↑ Sutherland, Mark (February 13, 2024). "Singles". NME . Archived from the original on February 15, 2024. Retrieved May 19, 2024– via Flickr.
  45. ↑ Walters, Barry (October 27, 1994). "Madonna looks for love in all the song places". San Francisco Examiner . Moscow-Pullman Daily News. p. 11. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved March 15, 2024.
  46. ↑ Harrison, Quentin (October 20, 2019). "Madonna's Bedtime Stories turns 25: Anniversary retrospective". Albumism. Archived from the original on October 21, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  47. ↑ Morse, Steve (October 25, 1994). "Madonna sounds bored on Bedtime Stories". The Boston Globe . The Ledger. p. 17. Archived from the original on March 13, 2016. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  48. ↑ Farber, Jim (October 28, 1994). "BedTime Stories". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 5, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  49. 1 2 Jacobs, Matthew (March 10, 2015). "The definitive ranking of Madonna singles". HuffPost . Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  50. ↑ Morgan, Joe (August 15, 2014). "The definitive ranking of Madonna's top 55 songs". Gay Star News . Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved January 28, 2022.
  51. ↑ Jude, Rogers (August 16, 2018). "Every one of Madonna's 78 singles – ranked!". The Guardian . Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  52. ↑ Missim, Nayer (August 15, 2018). "Madonna at 60: Queen of Pop's 60 best singles ranked". PinkNews . Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  53. 1 2 Arnold, Chuck (August 15, 2018). "Madonna's 60 best singles, ranked". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  54. ↑ "The Hot 100: The week of June 24, 1995". Billboard. June 24, 1995. Archived from the original on September 2, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  55. ↑ Sandiford-Waller, Theda (November 16, 1996). "Hot 100: Singles Spotlight" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 108, no. 46. p. 91. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  56. ↑ "The Hot 100: The week of July 15, 1995". Billboard. July 15, 1995. Archived from the original on July 17, 2015. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  57. 1 2 "Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  58. 1 2 Bronson, Fred (July 15, 1995). "Madonna takes the 35th with 'Nature'" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 28. p. 98. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  59. 1 2 "Madonna Chart History (Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  60. ↑ "Hot 100 Airplay" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 31. August 5, 1995. p. 100. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  61. ↑ "Hot 100 Single Sales" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 33. August 19, 1995. p. 90. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  62. 1 2 "Madonna Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  63. 1 2 3 "1995: The Year in Music - The Hot Dance Music Club Play Singles / Hot Dance Music Maxi-Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 51. December 23, 1995. pp. YE-42 and YE-44. ISSN   0006-2510.
  64. ↑ "RPM 100: Hit tracks & where to find them" (PDF). RPM . Library of Congress. July 10, 1995. Archived from the original (PDF) on November 5, 2012. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  65. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2729." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  66. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  67. ↑ Jones, Alan (August 19, 2008). "The immaculate guide to 50 years of Madonna". Music Week . Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
  68. 1 2 "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Human Nature". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  69. 1 2 "Top National Sellers: Italy" (PDF). Music Week. 12 (24): 30. June 17, 1995. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  70. 1 2 Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  71. 1 2 "Eurochart 100 Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 12 (35): 19. September 2, 1995. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  72. 1 2 3 4 5 "Express Yourself: The Making of Madonna's 20 Greatest Music Videos - "Human Nature" (1995)". Rolling Stone. February 25, 2015. Archived from the original on September 9, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  73. 1 2 3 Gabriel 2023 , pp. 183–185
  74. 1 2 3 Madonna (1999). The Video Collection 93:99 (VHS, DVD). Warner Bros. 0006-2510.
  75. ↑ "Production Notes" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 24. June 17, 1995. p. 39. ISSN   0006-2510 . Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  76. ↑ Gladstone, Valerie (June 20, 2004). "DANCE; Helping Madonna Hit Her Marks". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 3, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2024.(subscription required)
  77. ↑ Lenihan, Jean (January 22, 2012). "Jamie King has got the moves". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on April 17, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2024.(subscription required)
  78. 1 2 Badkar, Mamta; Sohiny, Das (June 2009). "Boot-ilicious". Verve . 17 (6). Archived from the original on June 17, 2009. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  79. ↑ "The Oprah Winfrey Show". The Oprah Winfrey Show. Season 12. Episode 378. December 13, 1996. 45 minutes in. ABC.
  80. 1 2 3 4 Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004 , pp. 76–77
  81. ↑ Rosa, Christopher (March 3, 2018). "20 Years later, Ray of Light is still Madonna's most shocking reinvention". Glamour . Archived from the original on March 3, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  82. ↑ Rettenmund 2016 , p. 234
  83. ↑ Virtel, Louis (August 16, 2013). "Madonna's 55 best videos, in honor of her 55th birthday". The Backlot. Archived from the original on March 9, 2016. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  84. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (October 6, 2022). "Madonna's 25 greatest music videos". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 7, 2022. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  85. ↑ Murrian, Samuel R. (August 16, 2018). "We ranked Madonna's 20 greatest music videos—Happy birthday to the queen of pop!". Parade. Archived from the original on August 17, 2018. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  86. ↑ Nied, Mike (August 16, 2018). "From 'Vogue' to 'Hung Up': Madonna's 25 best videos". Idolator. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  87. ↑ Sauvalle, Julien (March 10, 2015). "Madonna's 20 most stylish videos". Out . Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  88. ↑ Shultz, Cara Lynn; Parsley, Aaron (August 16, 2023). "65 of Madonna's most unforgettable looks in honor of her birthday". People . Archived from the original on August 17, 2023. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  89. ↑ Kinser, Jeremy (October 26, 1999). "Madonna's wild ride". The Advocate: 74. ISSN   0001-8996 . Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  90. ↑ "'Celebration' - Track listing for CD & DVD announced". Icon: Official Madonna website. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  91. 1 2 Markantonatos, Nikolas (September 5, 2001). "Madonna drowns Boston". The Massachusetts Daily Collegian . Archived from the original on November 24, 2018. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  92. ↑ Mancini, Rob (July 23, 2001). "Madonna - all five of her - invades Philadelphia with tour". MTV. Archived from the original on January 29, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  93. ↑ Petridis, Alexis (July 5, 2001). "Madonna: Earl's Court Exhibition Centre, London". The Guardian. Archived from the original on February 28, 2014. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  94. ↑ Madonna (2001). Drowned World Tour 2001 (DVD, VHS). Warner Music Vision. 38558-3.
  95. 1 2 Cinquemani, Sal (October 29, 2008). "Madonna (Chicago, IL – October 27, 2008)". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  96. ↑ Gray, Chris (November 17, 2008). "Aftermath: Madonna at Minute Maid Park". Houston Press . Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  97. 1 2 Vaziri, Aidin (November 6, 2008). "Madonna makes like Slash on Sticky and Sweet tour". Gibson.com. Archived from the original on January 31, 2013. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  98. ↑ Scaggs, Austin (October 19, 2009). "Madonna's message: Pop's reigning queen in her own words". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 22, 2009. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  99. ↑ Carter, Kelly L. (November 7, 2008). "Britney, Justin back up Madonna at L.A. concert". USA Today. Archived from the original on November 10, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  100. ↑ Derdeyn, Stuart (October 31, 2008). "Madonna lights up Vancouver". The Province . Archived from the original on November 8, 2008. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  101. ↑ Madonna (2010). Sticky & Sweet Tour (CD/DVD). Warner Bros. Live Nation. Semtex Films. 9362-49728-4.
  102. ↑ Cinquemani, Slant (September 7, 2012). "Madonna (New York, NY – September 6, 2012)". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on December 4, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  103. ↑ Pareles, Jon (August 29, 2012). "A Pop queen flaunts her toned maturity". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 29, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  104. ↑ "Madonna exposes breast onstage in Turkey". Rolling Stone. June 10, 2012. Archived from the original on May 13, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  105. ↑ Barrett, Annie (June 13, 2012). "Madonna's Roman ass-flash: What does it all mean?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on November 22, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  106. ↑ Jakhar, Deepti (June 12, 2012). "Istanbul cheers as raunchy Madonna flashes her breast". India Today . Archived from the original on March 1, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  107. ↑ Odell, Amy (June 12, 2012). "Leave Madonna's 53-year-old breast alone". BuzzFeed. Archived from the original on June 13, 2012. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  108. ↑ Madonna (2013). MDNA World Tour (CD, DVD, Blu-ray). Interscope Records. 602537507054.
  109. ↑ Horowitz, Steven J. (April 13, 2015). "Drake sucks face with Madonna during hit-and-miss Coachella set". Billboard. Archived from the original on January 2, 2022. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  110. 1 2 Duboff, Josh (April 13, 2015). "Watch Madonna aggressively make out with Drake during his Coachella set". Vanity Fair . Archived from the original on April 13, 2015. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  111. ↑ "Madonna makes out with Drake at Coachella, his reaction goes viral". The Arizona Republic. April 14, 2015. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  112. ↑ Levenson, Eric (January 21, 2017). "In R-rated anti-Trump rant, Madonna muses about 'blowing up White House'". CNN. Archived from the original on January 21, 2017. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  113. ↑ Katz, Leslie (November 6, 2019). "Madonna's Madame X comes alive, rises". San Francisco Examiner . Archived from the original on January 18, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  114. ↑ Greenblatt, Leah (September 20, 2019). "Madonna brings freewheeling intimacy to Madame X tour". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on September 21, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  115. ↑ Pareles, Jon (September 18, 2019). "Madonna is still taking chances". The New York Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  116. 1 2 Sheffield, Rob (September 20, 2019). "Why Madonna's Madame X Tour is the gloriously insane mess of your dreams". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 20, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  117. ↑ Bell, Josh (November 8, 2019). "Five Thoughts: Madonna at the Colosseum (November 7)". Las Vegas Weekly . Archived from the original on November 19, 2019. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  118. ↑ Gleiberman, Owen (October 8, 2021). "Madame X review: A Madonna concert that's heavy on message, light on euphoria". Variety. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  119. ↑ "Madonna - Madame X - Music From The Theater Xperience (Live)". Apple Music. October 8, 2021. Archived from the original on October 8, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  120. ↑ Graham, Adam (January 16, 2024). "Madonna shows vulnerability at homecoming concert: 'I hope you're proud of me, Detroit!'". The Detroit News . Archived from the original on January 16, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  121. ↑ Grow, Kory (December 14, 2023). "Madonna's Celebration Tour dazzles with hits, surrealistic visuals, and reminders of our mortality". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 14, 2023. Retrieved May 18, 2024.(subscription required)
  122. ↑ Rutherford, Chris (January 18, 2024). "Madonna's Celebration Tour: A forward-thinking retrospective". PopMatters . Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  123. ↑ Wood, Mikael (March 5, 2024). "Madonna complicates the victory lap on her Celebration tour". Los Angeles Times . Archived from the original on March 5, 2024. Retrieved May 18, 2024.
  124. ↑ Zoladz, Lindsay (August 2, 2021). "Billie Eilish's uneasy view from the top". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 2, 2021. Retrieved May 21, 2024.(subscription required)
  125. ↑ Wratten, Marcus (April 14, 2023). "Sam Smith enrages bigots on Gloria tour with raunchy Madonna hit – and the Queen of Pop approves". PinkNews. Archived from the original on April 14, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  126. ↑ Montgomery, James (April 30, 2010). "Christina Aguilera's 'Not Myself Tonight' video: A pop-culture cheat sheet". MTV. Archived from the original on July 29, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  127. ↑ Montgomery, James (February 2, 2011). "Rihanna's 'S&M' video: Always the punished, occasionally the punisher". MTV. Archived from the original on May 12, 2014. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
  128. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (UK Cassette single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362-45767-2.
  129. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (UK 12" single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362 43583 0.
  130. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Germany CD maxi single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. WO300CD0.
  131. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Canada CD maxi single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. CD 41880.
  132. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Australia CD maxi single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362-43556-2.
  133. ↑ "Human Nature - Madonna". Apple Music. July 28, 1995. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved May 24, 2024.
  134. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (US CD single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9 17882-2.
  135. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (US 7" single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 7-17882.
  136. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Germany CD single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362-43535-2.
  137. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (US 12" maxi single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9 41880-0.
  138. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Germany 12" single liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 9362-43536-0.
  139. ↑ Madonna (1995). Human Nature (Japanese mini CD liner notes). Maverick Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 4 943674 302727.
  140. 1 2 Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 174. ISBN   1-896594-13-1.
  141. ↑ "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 2724." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  142. ↑ "European Dance Radio" (PDF). Music Week. 12 (26): 19. July 1, 1995. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  143. ↑ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (30 July 1995 – 5 August 1995)". DV (in Icelandic). July 29, 1995. Archived from the original on February 6, 2020. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  144. ↑ "Artiestinformatie: Madonna - Human Nature" (in German). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  145. ↑ "Dutch Single Tip 5/08/1995" (in German). Hung Medien. August 5, 1995. Archived from the original on June 28, 2023. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  146. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  147. ↑ "Official Dance Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  148. ↑ "Official Hip Hop and R&B Singles Chart Top 40". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  149. ↑ "Madonna Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  150. ↑ "Madonna Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  151. ↑ "Madonna Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved May 19, 2024.
  152. ↑ "CASH BOX TOP 100 SINGLES: Week ending August 5, 1995". Cash Box . August 5, 1995. Archived from the original on October 29, 2007. Retrieved May 19, 2024.

Bibliography

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.