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Rating: I would like to start the review of this album with two phrases from the songs Survival and Human Nature: "I'll never be an angel, I'll never be a saint it's true, I'm too busy surviving"; "I'm not sorry, it's human nature, I'm not your b*ch don't hang your s*t on me".
After the 1992-93 period, known to all as the "Sex phase," Madonna decides to retreat (if we can say so) and reflect on her way of conceiving her music and her art in general. It's true, in those two years, but perhaps even before, Miss Ciccone had, so to speak, "opened" herself a bit too much to the public, applying her hard law of sex and carnal love to her music and personal image, but maybe it was slightly too much even for someone of her caliber. In fact, the album Erotica, although considered the most courageous attempt at evolution and transformation of the appeal (and not just sex) of the Material Girl, had not gone too well by her usual sales standards, and her popularity, on the rise since 1982, had started heading down the "avenue of decline".
"Bedtime Stories" is therefore the trial by fire: Could Madonna succeed in reviving a career on the brink of the precipice? Perhaps, indeed surely, but it was necessary to work on it well and avoid risky moves that would otherwise compromise her work forever.
First, it was necessary to put away the box (at least for now) containing "scandal," "pure eroticism," "well-orchestrated brazenness," but without repressing her feelings and emotions, remaining perfectly consistent with the saying "Express Yourself, don't repress yourself" (perhaps the most known line of the lyrics of Human Nature, contained in the album in question).
Then there was the matter of the new musical direction to take: Madonna had started with disco dance, later embraced a more mature pop, ventured into rock, rap, even jazz. What was still missing from her repertoire? R'n'b and soul music, which in the mid-90s was experiencing a golden moment, thanks especially to the albums of Janet Jackson.
She then decided to bid a fond farewell to Shep Pettibone (the main architect of Erotica) and summon a multitude of producers. For the first time, Madonna decided to collaborate with well-known and respected figures in the music scene: Babyface, Dallas Austin, Bjork, Nellee Hooper, Dave "Jam" Hall.
With Babyface, the splendid ballad "Take a Bow" came to life, one of Miss Ciccone's most intense and profound songs, full of sensuality, pathos, deep and melancholic. Released as the second single, after "Secret", which is also considered among the best tracks of the album, it contributed to restoring her career in the US, which more than anyone had been put off by the scandals of "Erotica".
All the songs, warm, sensual, overwhelming, passionate, show the most romantic and profound side of Madonna who, despite this, stands firm on her past choices: "Human Nature" is the response to all the critics who fiercely criticized her image as a femme fatale and sexual manipulator. And in Survival she promptly states that "she has never been an angel or a saint". Therefore, only partial repentance.
With "Inside Of Me" and "Sanctuary", Madonna explores her intimacy without barriers or obstacles, and the music, extremely relaxing and sensual, aids her aim.
But in one song, things change. "Bedtime Story", written by Bjork, is a track that has little to do with the concept of the album, but is its most successful experiment. The track, representing a fantastic and imaginary journey into her subconscious, already paves the way for the future Madonna, that of "Ray of Light", Frozen, and Music, the techno - trance, electronic, minimalist Madonna. And the video for "Bedtime Story", among the most expensive music shorts ever made, refines the concept, leading the astonished viewer towards the frontier of art.
How to define in general "Bedtime Stories": well, certainly a "sir" album, a confirmation of Madonna's talent, her intention to explore every musical style, her strong will to continue her "game," despite the setbacks that many other artists have not been able to effectively counter.
Tracklist Lyrics and Videos
01 Survival (03:31)
Verse:
I'll never be an angel
I'll never be a saint it's true
I'm too busy surviving
Whether it's heaven or hell
I'm gonna be living to tell, so
Bridge:
Here's my story [my story]
No risk no glory [no glory]
A little
Chorus:
Up and down and all around
It's all about survival
(verse)
Here's my question [my question]
Does your criticism [criticism]
Have you caught up in what you cannot see
Well if you give me respect
Then you'll know what to expect, a little
(chorus, repeat)
(verse)
(bridge)
(chorus, repeat 3 times)
[Up and down and all around]
I'll never be an angel
[Up and down and all around, survival]
[Up and down and all around]
I'll never be a saint it's true
[Up and down and all around, survival]
(repeat and fade)
02 Secret (05:05)
Things haven't been the same
Since you came into my life
You found a way to touch my soul
And I'm never, ever, ever gonna let it go
Bridge:
Happiness lies in your own hand
It took me much too long to understand
How it could be
Until you shared your secret with me
Chorus:
Mmm mmm (skip for the first two times)
Something's comin' over, mmm mmm
Something's comin' over, mmm mmm
Something's comin' over me
My baby's got a secret
You gave me back the paradise
That I thought I lost for good
You helped me find the reasons why
It took me by surprise that you understood
You knew all along
What I never wanted to say
Until I learned to love myself
I was never ever lovin' anybody else
(bridge)
(chorus, repeat)
(bridge)
(chorus, repeat)
Mmm mmm, my baby's got a secret
Mmm mmm, my baby's got a secret
Mmm mmm, my baby's got a secret for me
Mmm mmm, mmm mmm, mmm mmm
05 Inside of Me (04:11)
I can't stop thinking of you
The things we used to do
The secrets we once shared
I'll always find them there
In my memories
But this heartache isn't going anywhere
In the public eye I act like I don't care
When there's no one watching me
I'm crying
Chorus:
I will always have you, inside of me
Even though you're gone
Love still carries on
Love, inside of me
I keep a picture of you
Next to my bed at night
And when I wake up scared
I know I'll find you there
Watching over me
Bridge:
When my world seems to crumble all around
And foolish people try to bring me down
I just think of your smiling face
And I'm flying
(chorus)
You'll always be inside of my heart
Inside of me
(bridge)
(chorus)
I will always have you, inside of me
Even though you're gone
Love still carries on
Love still carries on
I will always feel you
You'll always be inside of my heart
I'll always have you inside of me
I will always have you
09 Sanctuary (05:02)
(Spoken:)
Surely whoever speaks to me in the right voice
Him or her I shall follow
Who needs the sun, when the rain's so full of life
Who needs the sky
It's here in your arms I want to be buried
You are my sanctuary
Who needs the sun, when the rain's so full of life
Who needs the sky, when the ground's open wide
It's here in your arms I want to be buried
You are my sanctuary
Who needs a smile, when a tear's so full of love
Who needs a home, with the stars up above
It's here in your heart I want to be carried
You are my sanctuary
Who needs the light, with the darkness in your eyes
Who needs to sleep, with the stars in the sky
It's here in your soul I want to be married
You are my sanctuary
(Spoken:)
And the earth was void and empty
And darkness was upon the face of the earth
Is all of this pain so necessary
You are my sanctuary
(Spoken:)
Surely whoever speaks to me in the right voice
Him or her I shall follow
As the water follows the moon, silently
Who needs the sun [with fluid steps]
Who needs the sky [around the globe]
Who needs to sleep [I hear your voice]
You are [you are] my sanctuary
You are [you are, you are]
You are [you are] my sanctuary
10 Bedtime Story (04:53)
Today
Is the last day
That I'm using words
They've gone out
Lost their meaning
Don't function anymore
Let's get unconscious honey
Today, is the last day
That I'm using words
They've gone out, lost their meaning
Don't function anymore
Traveling, leaving logic and reason
Traveling, to the arms of unconsciousness
Traveling, leaving logic and reason
Traveling, to the arms of unconsciousness
Let's get unconscious honey
Let's get unconscious
Let's get unconscious honey
Let's get unconscious
Words are useless
Especially sentences
They don't stand for anything
How could they explain how I feel
Traveling, traveling, I'm traveling
Traveling, traveling, leaving logic and reason
Traveling, traveling, I'm gonna relax
Traveling, traveling, in the arms of unconsciousness...
Let's get unconscious honey
Let's get unconscious
Let's get unconscious honey
Let's get unconscious
And inside
We're all still wet
Longing and yearning
How can I explain how I feel?
Traveling, traveling
Traveling, traveling
Traveling, traveling, in the arms of unconsciousness
And all that you ever learned
Try to forget
I'll never explain again
11 Take a Bow (05:21)
Take a bow, the night is over
This masquerade is getting older
Lights are low, the curtains down
There's no one here
[There's no one here, there's no one in the crowd]
Say your lines but do you feel them
Do you mean what you say when there's no one around [no one around]
Watching you, watching me, one lonely star
[One lonely star you don't know who you are]
Chorus:
I've always been in love with you [always with you]
I guess you've always known it's true [you know it's true]
You took my love for granted, why oh why
The show is over, say good-bye
Say good-bye [bye bye], say good-bye
Make them laugh, it comes so easy
When you get to the part
Where you're breaking my heart [breaking my heart]
Hide behind your smile, all the world loves a clown
[Just make 'em smile the whole world loves a clown]
Wish you well, I cannot stay
You deserve an award for the role that you played [role that you played]
No more masquerade, you're one lonely star
[One lonely star and you don't know who you are]
(chorus, repeat)
Say good-bye [bye bye], say good-bye
All the world is a stage [world is a stage]
And everyone has their part [has their part]
But how was I to know which way the story'd go
How was I to know you'd break
[You'd break, you'd break, you'd break]
You'd break my heart
I've always been in love with you
[I've always been in love with you]
Guess you've always known
You took my love for granted, why oh why
The show is over, say good-bye
Say good-bye [bye bye], say good-bye
Say good-bye
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Other reviews
By Dave
"Bedtime Stories is warm and enveloping, unlike the cold and detached Erotica."
"Human Nature fiercely defends Madonna's artistic freedom and boldly addresses sexual taboos."
By The_dull_flame
'Bedtime Stories' is warm and enveloping, pure pop pleasure.
'Bedtime Story' is pure avant-garde, a piece written by none other than Bjork, and perhaps the best on the album for its experimentalism.
By pluto1992
This album is about a return; the return of a woman battered by what 'Sex' and 'Erotica' were.
Her 'Bedtime Stories' are beautiful songs put together with art and taste.
By Danny The Kid
"The voice is pathetic, truly pathetic: flat, tragically ill-suited to communicate anything."
"They call you the queen of pop, but you are not, you never have been, and you never will be."
