"Material Girl" consists of synthesizer arrangements with a robotic-sounding voice chant repeating the hook, "living in a material world". The lyrics identify with materialism, with Madonna asking for a rich and affluent life, and only wanting to date men who can offer her this. Contemporary critics have frequently identified "Material Girl" along with "Like a Virgin" as the songs that established Madonna as an icon. "Material Girl" was a commercial success, reaching the top-five in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Japan and United Kingdom. It reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, becoming her third top-five single there.
The single's release was accompanied by a music video directed by Mary Lambert. The video pays homage to Marilyn Monroe's performance of the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" in the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, with the mimicked scenes interspersed with scenes of a Hollywood director trying to win the heart of an actress, played by Madonna herself. Discovering that, contrary to her song, the young woman is not impressed by money and expensive gifts, he pretends to be penniless and succeeds in taking her out on a date. Madonna has performed the song in five of her world tours; most of her performances of the song on tour are mimicries of the song's music video.
"Material Girl" has been covered by a number of artists, including Britney Spears and Hilary and Haylie Duff. It also became a viral hit on TikTok. Madonna has often remarked that she regrets recording "Material Girl" as its title became a nickname for her in the mainstream media. The song has been labeled an empowering influence for women, and was the subject of debates.
Background
"Material Girl" was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, while Nile Rodgers produced the track.[2] In 1986, Madonna told Company magazine, that although she did not write or create the song, the lyrical meaning and concept did apply to her situation at that point of time. She elaborated, "I'm very career-oriented. You are attracted to people who are ambitious that way, too, like in the song 'Material Girl'. You are attracted to men who have material things because that's what pays the rents and buys you furs. That's the security. That lasts longer than emotions."[2] During a 2009 interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna was asked by interviewer Austin Scaggs, regarding her first feelings, after listening to the demos of "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl". Madonna responded by saying, "I liked them both because they were ironic and provocative at the same time but also unlike me. I am not a materialistic person, and I certainly wasn't a virgin, and, by the way, how can you be like a virgin? I liked the play on words, I thought they were clever. They're so geeky, they're cool."[3]
A sample of Madonna's "Material Girl" where the chorus is played and supported by a male voice chanting the line "Living in a material world" and Madonna uttering the word "Material" time again.
"Material Girl" consists of synth arrangements, with a strong backbeat supporting it. A robotic-sounding male voice, sung by Frank Simms, repeats the hook "Living in a material world".[4] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing, the song is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is set in the key of C major, with Madonna's voice spanning from the tonal nodes of C4 to C5. The song has a basic chord progression of F–G–Em–Am-F-G-C in the chorus, while the verses are based on the C mixolydian mode, giving a hip, swing-like mood.[5] With its post-disco style, the beat of the song is reminiscent of the Jacksons' "Can You Feel It", which appeared on their 1980 album Triumph.[4][6]
The lyrics explain that Madonna is a "material girl" who will not accept men who cannot provide her with luxuries.[4][7]
Critical reception
Following the song's release on November 30, 1984,[8] as the second single from Like a Virgin, "Material Girl" received mixed reviews from music critics. Author Rikky Rooksby, in his book The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, compared the song with those of Cyndi Lauper because of Madonna's shrill voice in the song. He added that the song was a "pungent satire on the Reagan/Thatcher young-guns-go-for-it era. Which just goes to show that pop music and irony don't mix."[4]Stephen Thomas Erlewine from AllMusic said that "Material Girl" was one of the songs that made Madonna an icon, the other being "Like a Virgin" from the same album, both remaining as a definitive statement. He added that both tunes overshadow the rest of the record, "because they are a perfect match of theme and sound."[9] Debby Miller from Rolling Stone, felt that the song portrayed Madonna as a more practical girl than previous female singers.[10] Dave Karger from Entertainment Weekly, while reviewing the album in 1995, felt that the song came off a bit repetitious and immature when compared to the present context.[11] Jim Farber from the same publication felt that the song provided then critics a way to criticize Madonna's work.[12] Sal Cinquemani ofSlant Magazine commented that Madonna had "defined a generation with hits like 'Material Girl'."[13][14] Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine compared the song with "Everything She Wants" by Wham!.[15] Michael Paoletta from Billboard commented that the song sustained a "fevered dance-rock momentum."[16] Nancy Erlick from Billboard said that "singer and team conquer once more with their irresistible assembly of new and used pop hooks."[17]Cashbox said that the song is "a playful follow-up to 'Like A Virgin'" which "still emphasizes a danceable backbeat, but...has a sense of humor and Madonna doesn't sound quite as squeaky as on past cuts."[18] In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all time for a special issue of Q magazine dedicated to Madonna. "Material Girl" was allocated the 15th spot on the list.[19]
Chart performance
The song debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 during the week of February 9, 1985, at position 43, when "Like a Virgin" was descending out of the top ten.[20] The single climbed the Hot 100 quickly, jumping 13 spots to number five the week of March 9, 1985,[21] and eventually spent two weeks at number two, held off by REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling" and Phil Collins' "One More Night".[22][23] The week when the song slipped to position three, her upcoming single "Crazy for You" reached number four, giving Madonna two simultaneous top-five hits.[2] "Material Girl" reached the top of the Hot Dance Club Songs but was less successful on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart, failing to enter the top 40 and peaking at number 49.[24][25] It was placed at number 58 on the year-end chart for 1985, with Madonna becoming the top pop artist for the year.[26] In Canada, the song debuted on the RPM Singles Chart at number 76, on the issue dated February 16, 1985.[27] After five weeks, it reached a peak position of four on the chart[28] and was present on the chart for a total of 21 weeks.[29] It was ranked at number 46 on the RPM Year-End chart for 1985.[30]
In the United Kingdom, "Material Girl" debuted on the UK Singles Chart at number 24 on March 2, 1985, and reached a peak position of number three. It was present for a total of ten weeks on the chart.[31] In August 2023, The song was certified platinum by the British Phonographic Industry, for sales and streams exceeding 600,000 units.[32] According to the Official Charts Company, the song has sold 405,000 copies there.[33] Across Europe, the song reached the top-ten in Austria, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, Spain and the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles,[34][35][36][37] while reaching the top 40 of Germany, Italy and Switzerland.[38]
In Australia, the single debuted at number 25 on 17 March 1985 and peaked at number four three weeks later.[39] It also reached the Top 5 in New Zealand and Japan.[40][41]
The music video was inspired by Madonna's admiration of Marilyn Monroe and mimicked the latter's performance of the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.[2] The video was developed to simultaneously be an exegesis and a critique of the lyrics and Madonna herself.[7] It was the first time Madonna was able to showcase her acting ability to the public, combining the dance routines of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" with the storyline of a man who impresses Madonna with daisies, rather than diamonds.[2] In a 1987 interview with New York Daily News, Madonna said:
Well, my favorite scene in all of Monroe's movies is when she does that dance sequence for 'Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend'. And when it came time to do the video for the song [Material Girl], I said, I can just redo that whole scene and it will be perfect. [...] Marilyn was made into something not human in a way, and I can relate to that. Her sexuality was something everyone was obsessed with and that I can relate to. And there were certain things about her vulnerability that I'm curious about and attracted to.[2][42]
The music video was shot January 10 and 11, 1985, at Ren-Mar Studios in Hollywood, California, and was directed by Mary Lambert; Lambert had previously directed the videos for "Borderline" and "Like a Virgin". It was produced by Simon Fields with principal photography by Peter Sinclair, editing by Glenn Morgan and choreography by Kenny Ortega. Much of the jewelry is from the collection of Connie Parente, a popular Hollywood jewelry collector.[43]
The video featured actor Keith Carradine as Madonna's wealthy love interest. According to Carradine, Madonna had asked for him to appear in the video.[44] Actor Robert Wuhl appeared in the video's opening sequence as George, an employee of Carradine's character. It was on the set of the video that Madonna met actor Sean Penn, whom she began a relationship with and married eight months later.[42]
The video opens with two men (Carradine) watching a rush in the screening rooms of a Hollywood studio. On the screen, an actress played by Madonna sings and dances to "Material Girl", dressed like Monroe from "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend". One of the men, played by Carradine, is a director or a producer and is immensely rich. He falls in love with the actress and wants to express his passion for her.[7] He tells his employee, played by Wuhl: "She's [Madonna] fantastic. She could become a star." The employee answered: "She could be. She could be great. She could be a major star." The former then concludes by saying: "She is a star, George."[7] Madonna is in a pink strapless gown and has her hair in blond locks ala Monroe.[45] The background is a reconstruction of the Monroe video, complete with staircase, chandeliers and a number of tuxedo clad chorus boys.[42] Madonna dances and sings the song, while she is showered with cash, expensive jewelry, furs and is carried by the men over the stairs. At one time, she eludes herself from the men, by dismissing them with her fan. As the producer tries to impress Madonna, he comes to learn she is not impressed by material items, rather preferring simple romance. He pretends to be penniless, and brings her hand-cut flowers while paying a poor man a large amount to borrow (or possibly buy) his dirty truck to take her on a date. His plan seems to work, because the final scene shows him and Madonna kissing in an intimate position.[42][44]
It was in the video of "Material Girl" that Madonna began to accept and utilize herself being compared to Monroe. However, she established a safe distance from those comparisons and developed inside the same pastiche. Details like the usage of different gloves or different fans in the video brought forth the connections between these women, but Madonna alluded to herself in subtle ways.[46] The fan in Monroe's hand for the original video was an iconography of the Sudarshana Chakra (wheel) held by the Indian idol Vishnu. Scholar Georges-Claude Guilbert, who wrote Madonna as postmodern myth: how one star's self-construction rewrites sex, said that the fan symbolized fiery desire aroused by Monroe as well as ritual sacrifice, eerily foreshadowing her untimely death in 1962.[46] Madonna's fan, which appeared at the end of the video, signified that Madonna– while paying her tribute to Monroe– was signaling that she had no intention of being a victim like her, and that she was on the path of becoming a feminist post-modern myth.[46] Author Nicholas Cook commented that the video promoted Madonna's identity as the song suggested, with the purpose of shifting "Madonna's image from that of a disco-bimbo to authentic star."[47] Lisa A. Lewis, author of Gender, Politics and MTV said that with the video, Madonna achieved the rare distinction of being accepted as a literature medium by the music authors.[48] "Material Girl" was nominated for best female video at the 1985 MTV Video Music Awards, but lost to Tina Turner's "What's Love Got to Do with It".[49] The video was ranked at position 54 on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos.[50] On YouTube, the video became her ninth video to surpass 100 million views.
Live performances
Madonna, wearing a white bridal veil, performs "Material Girl" during the Rebel Heart Tour (2015–16)
"Material Girl" was performed by Madonna on five of her world tours. She ended the Virgin Tour (1985) with a self-parodying performance of the song. She wore a white tube top and a tight white skirt and carried a bunch of notes in her left hand.[51] At the end of the performance she asked the audience "Do you really think I'm a material girl?...I'm not...Take it [Throwing fake money]... I don't need money... I need love."[52] As she began to strip off more clothes, she was apprehended and marched offstage by an extra posing as her father. In Detroit, her father Tony himself did the honors.[51] The performance was included in the VHS release Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour.[53]
In the Who's That Girl World Tour of 1987, Madonna performed it as a medley with "Dress You Up" and "Like a Virgin". She wore an elaborate costume, inspired by Dame Edna Everage. It consisted of a hat strewn with fake fruits, flowers and feathers, jeweled batwing spectacles with heavy, black frames, a ruffled skirt, a bodice covered with objects like watches and dolls and fishnets. Author Carol Clrek stated that the dress was more "ludicrous for Madonna, than humorous."[54] Two different performances of the song on this tour can be found on the videos: Who's That Girl: Live in Japan, filmed in Tokyo, Japan, on June 22, 1987,[55] and Ciao Italia: Live from Italy, filmed in Turin, Italy, on September 4, 1987.[56]
For the Blond Ambition World Tour in 1990, Madonna and her supporting dancers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory were dressed as old women in fluffy dressing gowns with dollar signs and curling pins in their hair. Singing the song with a strong mid-western accent, they got up and revealed a frivolish pink dress underneath their gown, in which they danced around. On some dates Madonna replaced the words "experience has made me rich" with "experience has made me a bitch". After singing, she produced dollar bills out of her corsage and threw them up in the air for the audience to catch.[57] Two different performances were taped and released on video, Blond Ambition: Japan Tour 90, taped in Yokohama, Japan, on April 27, 1990,[58] and Blond Ambition World Tour Live, taped in Nice, France, on August 5, 1990.[59] During the Re-Invention World Tour of 2004, a general setlist was decided where the show rehearsals would start with "I'm So Stupid" from American Life, "Dress You Up" and "Material Girl". But "Dress You Up" and "I'm So Stupid" were later dropped from the show.[60] Hence "Material Girl" was transferred as the closing song of the military segment of the show, and was re-arranged as an electric guitar version. Madonna wore military themed clothes and sang the song while standing in front of a microphone and playing an electric guitar. The backdrops displayed mathematical equations along with DNAhelixes rushing through the screens.[61]
Minimal elements of the song were included in the live performance of "Girl Gone Wild" on the MDNA Tour (2012).[62] "Material Girl" was included in the final section of the Rebel Heart Tour (2015–16). For this section, Madonna worked with designer Jeremy Scott for party inspired costumes. She wanted a "Harlem-flapper-meets-Paris-in-the-Twenties" look, and Scott came up with the final dress adorned with thousands of Swarovski crystals.[63] Following the jazz rendition of 2000 single "Music", Madonna's started performing "Material Girl", in a similar theme like the music video. Towards the end, Madonna changed the choreography, and made her dancers who posed as suitors fall down the stairs instead. The performance ended with Madonna walking down the catwalk in a bridal veil and carrying a white bouquet, which she eventually throws into the crowd.[64] Utsing the stage as both stairs as well as video backdrop, the stairs rose up and down during the song.[65] A recording of the performance at the March 19–20 2016 shows in Sydney's Allphones Arena was released in Madonna's fifth live album, Rebel Heart Tour.[66]
In June 2022, to accompany the remix album release Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones, Madonna performed at Pride at the Women of the World Party in New York City. In the event, she premiered "Material Gworrllllllll!", a mashup of "Material Girl" with Saucy Santana's hip hop song of the same name.[67] The song was released the following month.[68]
After the song's release, the phrase "material girl" became another nickname for Madonna. She has since remarked that if she had known she would constantly be referred to by the "Material Girl" moniker, she probably would not have recorded the song.[2] Reflecting on the song, Madonna said:
I can't completely disdain the song and the video, because they certainly were important to my career. But talk about the media hanging on a phrase and misinterpreting the damn thing as well. I didn't write that song, you know, and the video was about how the girl rejected diamonds and money. But God forbid irony should be understood. So when I'm ninety, I'll still be the Material Girl. I guess it's not so bad. Lana Turner was the Sweater Girl until the day she died.[42]
Guilbert commented that "material girl" designated a certain type of liberated women, thus deviating from its original coinage which meant a girl who is tangible and accessible.[7] Cook said that the meaning and impact of "material girl" was no longer circumscribed by the video, rather by its lyrics. Its influence was seen later among such diverse groups such as female versus male, gay versus straight, and academic versus teenage.[69]
In 1993, a conference was held at the University of California, Santa Barbara, with the subject as Madonna: Feminist Icon or Material Girl?. The conference pondered on the duality of Madonna as both of them and deduced that the question of Madonna's feminism is not easy to decide. Some of the feminists left the conference, citing that they had not been able to make up their minds.[70] As New Age spirituality became popular in the U.S. in the late 1990s, Madonna embarked on a spiritual quest of her own, and journals like The Times and The Advocate described her as "the Ethereal Girl" and "Spiritual Girl" respectively.[71]
In August 2022,Madonna and Saucy Santana released "Material Gworrllllllll!". The song is a remix of Saucy Santana's 2019 single,"Material Girl",combining elements of the song with Madonna's of the same name.[106] "Material Gworrllllllll!" is an electronic track with elements of rap.[107][108] Madonna and Saucy Santana first performed the song in June 2022 at Terminal 5 during New York City Pride.[109][110] The song debuted and peaked at number 69 on the UK Singles Downloads Chart dated August 18,2022,and fell off the chart the following week.[111]
Charts
Weekly chart performance for "Material Gworrllllllll!"
Like a Virgin is the second studio album by American singer Madonna,released on November 12,1984,by Sire Records. Following the success of her 1983 eponymous debut album,Madonna was eager to start working on its follow-up. She selected Nile Rodgers to produce the album due to his work on Let's Dance (1983) by David Bowie,which she was a fan of. To ensure it be exactly as she envisaged it,Madonna chose all the songs for the album:she penned six of her own,five of which were co-written with former boyfriend and collaborator Stephen Bray,and six were written by other artists. Recording sessions took place at Power Station studio in New York City. Rodgers enlisted the help of his former Chic bandmates Bernard Edwards and Tony Thompson.
Who's That Girl is the first soundtrack album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on July 21,1987,by Sire Records to promote the film of the same name. It also contains songs by her label mates Scritti Politti,Duncan Faure,Club Nouveau,Coati Mundi and Michael Davidson. The soundtrack is credited as a Madonna album,despite her only performing four of the nine tracks on the album. After the commercial success of the film Desperately Seeking Susan (1985),in which she co-starred,Madonna wanted to act in another comedy film titled Slammer,about a woman named Nikki Finn who was falsely accused of homicide. However,due to the critical and commercial failure of her adventure film Shanghai Surprise (1986),Warner Bros. was initially reluctant to greenlight the project but later agreed.
"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 24,1985,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.
"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.
"Like a Virgin" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. The song was written and composed by Tom Kelly and Billy Steinberg,and it was released as the album's lead single on October 31,1984. A dance song with two hooks,Madonna sings in a high register while a continuous arrangement of synths are heard along the bassline. The song's lyrics are ambiguous,consisting of hidden innuendos and open to various interpretations.
"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.
"Borderline" is a song by American singer Madonna from her debut self-titled studio album (1983),written and produced by Reggie Lucas. In 1982,Madonna was signed on by Sire Records for the release of two 12-inch singles;after the success of first single "Everybody",the label approved the recording of an album,and the singer decided to work with Lucas. "Borderline" is a pop song with post-disco elements whose sounds recall the music of the 1970s,while the lyrics find a woman complaining of her lover's chauvinism.
"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.
"Angel" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on April 10,1985,by Sire Records as the album's third single. Written by Madonna and Steve Bray,it was one of the first songs developed for the project and,according to Madonna,was inspired by a girl who is saved by an angel,and she falls in love with him. "Angel" was released as a 12-inch single with "Into the Groove" in some countries and charted likewise. A music video was not filmed for "Angel",and instead,a promotional clip comprising segments of her previous videos was released in the United Kingdom.
"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).
"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" is a song written by Miles Gregory and originally recorded by Rose Royce. It was produced by former Motown songwriter and producer Norman Whitfield for Whitfield Records. Lead vocals were sung by Gwen Dickey and the song was released as the second single from their third studio album Strikes Again. The song was developed as a result of producer Whitfield's interest to work with Paul Buckmaster,the British arranger and composer. Together they asked songwriter Miles Gregory to write a song for them. Gregory's undergoing medical care for his deteriorating physical health became the inspiration behind the song. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" incorporated the use of the Pollard Syndrum TwinDrum,and was one of the first songs to effectively use the sound reverbs of the instrument. The song was mainly recorded at music contractor Gene Bianco's house,where Dickey was present during the recording.
"Open Your Heart" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna from her third studio album True Blue (1986). Written by Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson,it was conceived as a rock and roll song titled "Follow Your Heart" for singer Cyndi Lauper,although it was never played for her. At the time,Cole's management was working with Madonna's,who were looking for material for True Blue. "Follow Your Heart" was among the songs offered to the singer. She liked it and,alongside producer Patrick Leonard,turned it into a dance song,changed its title and re-wrote some of the lyrics,thus receiving a songwriting credit.
"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. Thematically,the song speaks about a passionate young girl in love with God,who becomes the only male figure in her life.
"Erotica" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album of the same name (1992). It was written and produced by both Madonna and Shep Pettibone,with additional writing from Anthony Shimkin. 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.
"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.
"Cherish" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album,Like a Prayer (1989). It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard,and was released by Sire Records as the album's third single on August 1,1989. "Cherish" was built around the themes of love and relationships,with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet being one of the major inspirations. The track also included a line from "Cherish" by the 1960s band the Association. Musically constructed as a doo-wop-style pop song,it is regarded as a light-hearted track by critics and includes instruments such as a drum machine,percussions,keyboards and a saxophone. Lyrically,it speaks of Madonna's devotion to her lover,and her promise to be always by his side. "Cherish" was included on Madonna's greatest hits compilations The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009).
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album,Erotica (1992). It was written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone,with additional writing from Anthony Shimkin. 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).
Ciao Italia:Live from Italy is a video album by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released by Warner Reprise Video and Sire Records on May 24,1988. It contained footage from a previous TV special of the Who's That Girl World Tour,Madonna in Concerto,broadcast in Europe in 1987,filmed at the Stadio Comunale in Turin,Italy. The video release also contained footage from shows recorded in Florence,Italy and Tokyo,Japan,the latter having previously been released as a Japanese TV special and home video release,Who's That Girl:Live in Japan. The decision to release Ciao Italia was spurred by the fact that this previous release became a commercial success in Japan. A re-release of the video took place in 1999,when it was released in DVD format,with a stereo soundtrack containing the songs only.
Rashad Jamiyl Spain,known professionally as Saucy Santana,is an American rapper. He began his career as a makeup artist for the hip hop duo City Girls,and soon after embarked on a recording career in February 2019 with his debut single "Walk Em Like A Dog". Meanwhile,he became a recurring guest on the reality television franchise Love &Hip Hop:Miami. In 2021,Santana gained further prominence when his singles "Walk" and "Here We Go" spawned viral challenges on TikTok. That same year,he released the song "Material Girl," and later released the song's remix "Material Gworrllllllll!".
↑ "Cuban Sound"(PDF). Billboard. Vol.98, no.44. November 1, 1986. p.m-19. ISSN0006-2510. More recently, according to last May's edition of Tribuna De La Habana newspaper, the No. 1 song in Cuba was Madonna's "Material Girl,
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