Let the (latest) Madonna onslaught begin!
Honest to God, the mass media hype surrounding whatever latest product she's unleashing NEVER grows old to me. Cross-promotional hype, too, usually. Think of her delirious white-hot zenith in 1990-1991. In a year's time, you had the landmark monster VOGUE single...from the album I'M BREATHLESS...which was from the movie DICK TRACY...all of which came about as she began her BLONDE AMBITION tour...which was chronicled in the documentary TRUTH OR DARE. Whew, let me catch my breath. OK, back. But between the tour's end and the documentary's release, she ALSO put out a little greatest hits album called THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION, from which came TWO singles, one of which, JUSTIFY MY LOVE, became her 2nd #1 hit in less than a year, in addition to spawning an accompanying video that was banned by MTV and resulted in her appearing on NIGHTLINE (!?) to defend its raciness. Christ, i'm exhausted recounting that. HA, and that wasn't even really the point of this blog.
I wanted to direct you (if interested, of course) to this article from the NY Daily News...http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/03/09/2008-03-09_madonnas_music_catalogue_shows_why_shes_.html. It talks all about the VALIDITY of Madonna's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tonight. I agree with most of what is said, particularly (as noted HERE before) how great and dark and edgy the EROTICA album is. I know, you're not supposed to end a sentence with IS...whatever. I disagree with the reviewer's contention that AMERICAN LIFE is one big mess; in fact, I just listened to it on Friday for the first time in ages...not bad at all...just not "commercial." Oh, and he lists INTO THE GROOVE as being on the LIKE A VIRGIN album. Um, no...it's from DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN...who doesn't know that? Overall, though, he makes tremendous positive -- and ACCURATE -- points.
Are you still with me? Because now i'm REALLY gonna ramble. Maybe i've said this before here, I dunno, but something occurred to me while reading the EROTICA part of this guy's article. I've long identified with Madonna...and explaining that to people...well, there IS no real explaining that to people. I feel like they think I'm nuts and/or delusional the few times I've broached the topic. But here's the thing...and this, I admit, will definitely induce "oh, get OVER yourself" eye-rolling in more than a few. But I can't help how smart and self-aware I am, can I? The thing is that, well, Madonna is smart, too. And Catholic. And has a lot of traditional values And BEING smart, she questions a lot. And is thoroughly interested in LIFE. And her life has introduced her to TONS of environments and types of people that she didn't grow up around. And she's intrigued by things...but doesn't necessarily wanna partake of what's offered. She is, at heart, despite her mammoth fame and mammoth ego, an OBSERVER. She didn't REALLY immerse herself in the lifestyles espoused by her SEX book or JUSTIFY MY LOVE video. But she was interested enough to DABBLE in them just a bit in order to push her Midwestern Catholic boundaries and see how a whole other set of people REGULARLY live. There is NOTHING more taboo in the United States than sex. We ARE a Puritan country. And Madonna has, on endless occasions, shoved endless variations of SEX down this country's throat...yes, again, pun intended. Hmm, I'm deviating a tad yet again.
My main point was that I'm like Madonna in my neverending quest for inspiration and new experiences, along with my constant pushing against the foundations I grew up with. We're both smart and have our heads on straight. And we're both OBSERVERS. Then there's this...Madonna, even at her height, was NEVER America's Sweetheart in either beauty OR talent. And in high school, she was a bit of a freak. Certainly not Homecoming Queen. And I, dammit, was never the quarterback Prom King. And it pissed me off. Lord knows I certainly had more personality than the entire football team put together. Can you tell I don't keep in touch? No matter my station in life, I will never be the Tom Hanks of it. And I don't want to be. It's dull. I think i'll always be fighting and clawing and aspiring. It's what I had to do all through childhood and into college. I've never dropped that chip on my shoulder for the "cool kids"...even though I've officially been one for years now. And, yup, I've come to relish my hard-earned social status. Why get up in the morning if there's nothing to fight for? No one to prove wrong? No trip to plan or goal to meet? No body to keep looking better than it did in high school while "the jocks" are bloated messes now? I am SURE Madonna feels the same way. And that's the end of a VERY long trip into my head trying to explain "the connection" I feel to this woman. I wonder if there's ANY chance ANYone will SOMEwhat grasp where I'm coming from. God, i'm tired...I can't wait to read THIS back in the light of day. Paging Dr. Crane. Back to the Hall of Fame lol...
Let me say that the whole "Hall of Fame" concept is absolutely full of bullshit and politics and I TOTALLY know that...but STILL. There's absolutely an added sense of credibility that comes from being inducted. Though I'm still grappling with the fact that Madonna's been AROUND 25 years to be ELIGIBLE. I clearly recall thinking Way Back When, "wow, what will Madonna's career be like in 2008?!" Well, i'm glad you asked. She ALSO has a new album, HARD CANDY, out April 29th. Earlier rumors of the title being LICORICE proved false. The first single and video, FOUR MINUTES, will be out imminently. And yours truly will have endless analysis. Of the album, I mean, not MYSELF. Well, OK, that, too.
I wanted to direct you (if interested, of course) to this article from the NY Daily News...http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2008/03/09/2008-03-09_madonnas_music_catalogue_shows_why_shes_.html. It talks all about the VALIDITY of Madonna's induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame tonight. I agree with most of what is said, particularly (as noted HERE before) how great and dark and edgy the EROTICA album is. I know, you're not supposed to end a sentence with IS...whatever. I disagree with the reviewer's contention that AMERICAN LIFE is one big mess; in fact, I just listened to it on Friday for the first time in ages...not bad at all...just not "commercial." Oh, and he lists INTO THE GROOVE as being on the LIKE A VIRGIN album. Um, no...it's from DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN...who doesn't know that? Overall, though, he makes tremendous positive -- and ACCURATE -- points.
Are you still with me? Because now i'm REALLY gonna ramble. Maybe i've said this before here, I dunno, but something occurred to me while reading the EROTICA part of this guy's article. I've long identified with Madonna...and explaining that to people...well, there IS no real explaining that to people. I feel like they think I'm nuts and/or delusional the few times I've broached the topic. But here's the thing...and this, I admit, will definitely induce "oh, get OVER yourself" eye-rolling in more than a few. But I can't help how smart and self-aware I am, can I? The thing is that, well, Madonna is smart, too. And Catholic. And has a lot of traditional values And BEING smart, she questions a lot. And is thoroughly interested in LIFE. And her life has introduced her to TONS of environments and types of people that she didn't grow up around. And she's intrigued by things...but doesn't necessarily wanna partake of what's offered. She is, at heart, despite her mammoth fame and mammoth ego, an OBSERVER. She didn't REALLY immerse herself in the lifestyles espoused by her SEX book or JUSTIFY MY LOVE video. But she was interested enough to DABBLE in them just a bit in order to push her Midwestern Catholic boundaries and see how a whole other set of people REGULARLY live. There is NOTHING more taboo in the United States than sex. We ARE a Puritan country. And Madonna has, on endless occasions, shoved endless variations of SEX down this country's throat...yes, again, pun intended. Hmm, I'm deviating a tad yet again.
My main point was that I'm like Madonna in my neverending quest for inspiration and new experiences, along with my constant pushing against the foundations I grew up with. We're both smart and have our heads on straight. And we're both OBSERVERS. Then there's this...Madonna, even at her height, was NEVER America's Sweetheart in either beauty OR talent. And in high school, she was a bit of a freak. Certainly not Homecoming Queen. And I, dammit, was never the quarterback Prom King. And it pissed me off. Lord knows I certainly had more personality than the entire football team put together. Can you tell I don't keep in touch? No matter my station in life, I will never be the Tom Hanks of it. And I don't want to be. It's dull. I think i'll always be fighting and clawing and aspiring. It's what I had to do all through childhood and into college. I've never dropped that chip on my shoulder for the "cool kids"...even though I've officially been one for years now. And, yup, I've come to relish my hard-earned social status. Why get up in the morning if there's nothing to fight for? No one to prove wrong? No trip to plan or goal to meet? No body to keep looking better than it did in high school while "the jocks" are bloated messes now? I am SURE Madonna feels the same way. And that's the end of a VERY long trip into my head trying to explain "the connection" I feel to this woman. I wonder if there's ANY chance ANYone will SOMEwhat grasp where I'm coming from. God, i'm tired...I can't wait to read THIS back in the light of day. Paging Dr. Crane. Back to the Hall of Fame lol...
Let me say that the whole "Hall of Fame" concept is absolutely full of bullshit and politics and I TOTALLY know that...but STILL. There's absolutely an added sense of credibility that comes from being inducted. Though I'm still grappling with the fact that Madonna's been AROUND 25 years to be ELIGIBLE. I clearly recall thinking Way Back When, "wow, what will Madonna's career be like in 2008?!" Well, i'm glad you asked. She ALSO has a new album, HARD CANDY, out April 29th. Earlier rumors of the title being LICORICE proved false. The first single and video, FOUR MINUTES, will be out imminently. And yours truly will have endless analysis. Of the album, I mean, not MYSELF. Well, OK, that, too.
posted by Gregoire at 10:55 PM
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