"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. Written by Andrea LaRusso and 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.
"Nothing Fails" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her ninth studio album,American Life (2003). Written by Madonna,Guy Sigsworth and Jem Griffiths,and produced by the singer along with Mirwais Ahmadzaïand Mark "Spike" Stent,it was released as the third single from the album on October 27,2003. Originally demoed as "Silly Thing","Nothing Fails" is a love song which has acoustic guitar chords and a gospel choir appearance. Lyrically,the song discusses a lover who is the one,and how their meeting was not just chance. A number of remixes of the song were done,with one of them being included on Madonna's remix album Remixed &Revisited (2003).
"Love Profusion" is a song by American singer and songwriter Madonna for her ninth studio album,American Life (2003). Written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï,it was released as the fourth and final single from the album on December 8,2003,by Maverick Records. "Love Profusion" was first premiered during the release of the album on AOL. It later received a number of remixes,which were also released alongside the single. The song contains rhythm from a four piece bass drum,with acoustic guitar riffs and Madonna's voice backed by a male vocal during the chorus. Ahmadzaïused the stutter edit to create a new groove. Dedicated to Madonna's then-husband,Guy Ritchie,the song's lyrics deal with Madonna's confusion regarding American culture.
"Burning Up" is a song written and recorded by American singer Madonna included on her debut studio album Madonna (1983). Written by the singer and produced by Reggie Lucas,the song was released as a double-sided single with "Physical Attraction" on March 9,1983. In early 1980,Madonna was beginning her music career as a member of band the Breakfast Club;together with band drummer Stephen Bray,they formed a new band,Emmy and the Emmys,but shortly after,she decided to pursue a solo career. She and Bray created demos for three songs:"Everybody","Ain't No Big Deal",and "Burning Up".
"Sky Fits Heaven" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her seventh studio album,Ray of Light (1998). It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard;the song also contained additional production from William Orbit,and lyrical interpretations from British poet Max Blagg's 1992 poem,What Fits?. Uncredited in the album's official liner notes,Blagg's role in the song was the subject of several publications questioning Madonna's inspiration behind the track. A remix was created by Sasha and Victor Calderone,and was released as a promotional single by Maverick and Warner Bros. on October 2,1998.
"Rescue Me" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album,The Immaculate Collection (1990). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone,the song was released as the second single from The Immaculate Collection on February 26,1991,in the United States,and as the third single on April 7 in the United Kingdom. A dance-pop and gospel-house track,the song is accompanied by the sound of thunder and rain,with the lyrics talking of romantic love rescuing the singer.
"Sidewalk Talk" is a song by American record producer John "Jellybean" Benitez from his first extended play,Wotupski!?! (1984). It was released on October 21,1984,by EMI Records as the first single from the EP. The song was written by Madonna and produced by Benitez. They had initially met in 1983 and Benitez worked as a producer on Madonna's self-titled debut album. When he started work on his debut EP,Wotupski!?!,Madonna wrote "Sidewalk Talk" for him. The song features bass and electric guitars,synthesizers,piano,and drums. Lead vocals are by Catherine Buchanan with additional chorus vocals by Madonna.
Kala is the second studio album by British hip hop artist M.I.A. It was released on 8 August 2007 by XL Recordings. M.I.A. named the album after her mother and said her mother's struggles in life are a major theme of the recording. It was mainly written and produced by M.I.A. and Switch,and features contributions from Timbaland,Diplo,Afrikan Boy and The Wilcannia Mob.
British rapper and singer M.I.A. has released six studio albums,two extended plays,three mixtapes,forty singles and twenty-nine music videos. Born Mathangi "Maya" Arulpragasam,M.I.A. began her career as a visual artist and film-maker,and moved into making music after filming a documentary on the band Elastica in 2001. The band's lead singer,Justine Frischmann,lent her a Roland MC-505 sequencer/drum machine which she used to make a demo tape that secured her a contract with British label XL Recordings.
"Beat Goes On" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Madonna for her eleventh studio album,Hard Candy (2008). The song features American rapper Kanye West and background vocals by Pharrell Williams. It was co-written by West in collaboration with its producers,Madonna and The Neptunes. The song was leaked in August 2007,featuring only Williams and different lyrics than the album's version,which was released a year later,having additional vocals by West. "Beat Goes On" is a disco song with hip-hop influences,featuring instrumentation from bells,handclaps and whistles.
Thursday is the second mixtape by the Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on August 18,2011,by XO. Like his debut mixtape House of Balloons (2011),the Weeknd collaborated with producers and songwriters Doc McKinney and Illangelo;the duo produced Thursday in its entirety,and it contains fewer samples than its predecessor. Recorded in Toronto,the mixtape features a guest appearance from the Canadian rapper Drake.
Born This Way:The Remix is the second remix album by American singer Lady Gaga,released on November 18,2011,by Interscope. This album contains remixes of multiple songs from Gaga's second studio album,Born This Way. It was also released as part of the Born This Way:The Collection,a special edition release including the 17-track version of Gaga's second studio album and a DVD release of the HBO concert special Lady Gaga Presents the Monster Ball Tour:At Madison Square Garden. Most of the remixes had been available in the remix EPs released alongside each single from Born This Way. Musically,the album is an electronic and dance record;there are also influences of Europop,techno and dubstep within the composition.
"Give Me All Your Luvin'" is a song by American singer Madonna from her twelfth studio album,MDNA (2012). It features guest vocals by Trinidadian-American rapper Nicki Minaj and English rapper M.I.A. The song was written and produced by Madonna and Martin Solveig,with additional writing by M.I.A.,Minaj and Michael Tordjman. After working with Solveig on one song,Madonna continued recording others including "Give Me All Your Luvin'". Madonna chose to work with M.I.A. and Minaj on the track since she felt they were both strong women with unique voices. She also liked their music and what they represented.
Matangi is the fourth studio album by British rapper and singer M.I.A. It was released on 1 November 2013 on her own label,N.E.E.T. Recordings,an imprint of Interscope Records. M.I.A.'s longtime collaborator Switch primarily handled Matangi's production;Hit-Boy,Doc McKinney,Danja,Surkin,and The Partysquad provided additional contributions. The album was recorded in various locations around the world and featured uncredited input from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange. Its title is a variant of M.I.A.'s real first name and references the Hindu goddess Matangi. The lyrics feature themes related to Hinduism,including reincarnation and karma,and the music blends Western and Eastern styles.
"Bring the Noize" is a hip-hop song by British recording artist M.I.A. from her fourth studio album,Matangi (2013). The track was written by Maya "M.I.A." Arulpragasam,Surkin,Switch,Para One and Hugues Rey,and produced by Switch and Surkin. It references Public Enemy's 1987 song "Bring the Noise" and Janis Joplin's track "Me and Bobby McGee".
Beauty Behind the Madness is the second studio album by Canadian singer-songwriter the Weeknd. It was released on August 28,2015,through XO and Republic Records. It features guest appearances from Labrinth,Ed Sheeran and Lana Del Rey. The album was executive produced by the Weeknd,DaHeala and Illangelo,and includes production from Kanye West,Stephan Moccio,Ben Billions,DannyBoyStyles,Max Martin,and Ali Payami,among others.
"Lust for Life" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter Lana Del Rey featuring Canadian singer the Weeknd. The song was written by the artists,Rick Nowels,and Max Martin and produced by Del Rey,Nowels,Dean Reid and Kieron Menzies. Martin handled the additional production. It was released on April 19,2017,through Polydor Records and Interscope Records,as the second single from her fifth studio album of the same name (2017). A dream pop and bubblegum pop song,"Lust for Life" is reminiscent of 1960s music,especially from girl groups like the Shangri-Las and the Angels;the latter's 1963 song "My Boyfriend's Back" is referenced in the lyrics. It also quotes the poem "Invictus" by the English poet William Ernest Henley (1849–1903).
