When your personal life segues into your professional
life, when controversy is your middle name and when
you can conjure up images like someone flipping their
skin over then you know you're Madonna. When a scrappy
Warholian can become THE celebrity of the century the
subject is just begging to be studied.

Madonna's mother died when she was 5. Why would I
start a topic off like that? Because it's THE focal
point of Madonna's state of being. It had an enormous
impact. Almost every action she goes through can be
traced back to this fact. But why? Let's just say
Madonna has abandonment issues for one. I feel it's
the reason why she's so closed off. Madonna is a
control freak like no other, and her drive for success
is of the win at all cost school. I'll skip all the
boring childhood Madonna stuff because aside from her
mother there was pretty much nothing that eventful.
There was this gay older man she befriended though,
which helped her form her views on things gay. Madonna
hung around with him during her high school years and
they were very close.

Dick Clark: What's next for you?

Madonna: To rule the world.


So Madonna hightails it the hell out of Michigan and
lands right in the middle of everything, which is
where she told the cab driver to drop her off at, and
he left a helpless little girl in the middle of Times
Square. And remember this isn't that Mall-of-America
Times Square of today. This is the "Taxi Driver" Times
Square of 1979. Madonna scrounges out a living here,
shacking up with this guy or that, doing gigs here and
there as a nude model and wannabe actress in student
films. She even fronted The Breakfast Club where she
met fellow collaborator Steven Bray. Madonna had a
life that people would write about in NYC. She paled
around with contemporary artists Keith Haring and
Basqiat. She landed a manager who was gonna turn her
into a rock star. All the good stuff that makes her
SOOO much more of an interesting subject then lets say
Britney Spears. Madonna luckily falls into the bed of
an up-and-coming producer named Jellybean. They're
like 2 bohemians in love. Just think of it as to be
beautiful, young and poor as dirt in NYC in 1982. He's
important to her career because he produces her first
song "Holiday", which was originally shopped to the
clueless Mary Wilson, who turned it down. But really
could Wilson do justice to the song the way Madonna
did? So Madonna pretty much writes "Madonna" and shops
it around, pretty much shoving it into the hospital
bed of a music industry ceo. She lands a record deal
and history is about to be made.

"People think I made up my name. But I was born
Madonna. Everything about me people think I made up.
No one believes anything I say."

So "Holiday" is released without a video. People
wonder who this new girl is. Is she black? Is she
white? The song becomes a hit. Her album is released.
Right from the start Madonna is setting style trends.
The vagabound, rubber bracelet look she donned in
"Lucky Star" started a legion of girls to idolize
their new idol. If you think girls follow Britney
Spears fanatically then you weren't around back in
1983. It was a totally different world back then.
Madonna's ability to garner interest was nothing short
of phenomenal.

Like a Virgin
Touched for the very first time
Like a virgin
When your heart beats next to mine

Madonna gets her idol Nile Rogers to produce her
follow-up, "Like a Virgin". Smart move. Another smart
move was emphasizing the visual.
Madonna caught on early that with MTV ushering in a new way to market an artist, it would be more important to stress the visual over the audio. or so it may seem. It's also likely that Madonna, being the type of performer that she is, lucked into a time when video was being used to sell an artist. It was the perfect outlet for her to get her art (image, sound, controversies) across. It was there for the taking. No one made videos like Madonna, which were pretty much events. Michael comes close but he had a limited run of great videomaking. Madonna's whole career is a case study. From "Material Girl" to "Open Your Heat" to the brilliant "Like A Prayer" Madonna bought visual dazzle and button pushing to new heights. And she's still doing it, pushing patriotic buttons with her video for "American Life". So video is the main reason that Madonna is such a successful artist. One can argue until the cows come home whether she'd be anything without video, but that question is pretty redundant because hardly anyone is anything without video these days.

So "Like a Virgin" becomes a huge success and around the country girls are wearing their underwear outside their clothing at her sold out tour. Madonna hits the cover of TIME that's how big this thing is, and only bigger she'll get.


"Madonna has no right telling our children what to do with their reproductive rights."

Not content to rest on her laurels Madonna stirs more controversies. She releases her 50's album "True Blue" on the heels of "Papa Don't Preach", a pro-life song despite the fact that Madonna would go on to have many abortions (about 13). She releases her burlesque video for "Open Your Heart", which was downright shocking back in 1986. But "True Blue" was just a phase from megastardom to BOOM!

Madonna picks and chooses from different cultures and different styles. When she released "Like A Prayer" she was seeing Prince at the time, and Prince was pretty much at the top of his game during that period. His "LoveSexy" album and tour were artistic triumphs, so Madonna was heavily influenced by him when she decided to get religious and psychedelic. "Like A Prayer" is Madonna's benchmark. The tour was an opportunity to explore Catholicism and stir up some kink. She almost got arrested for indecency for christs sakes. But around this time Madonna was at the height of her career. She segued this into her most popular time.

"This is not my life it's just about my fantasies"

Madonna becomes THE most popular person in the world around this time. Everywhere you turned there she was, on magazine covers, in newspaper columns. She adopted her heidi-whore look and was about to release her "SEX" book and "Erotica" albums. All was well. Controversies were ripe for the stirring. But something happened on the way to imfamy. The album didn't do as well as past efforts (A Madonna album not doing well begs for perspective) and the whole campaign causes a backlash she probably wasn't expecting. But the "Erotica" album is Madonna's crowning acheivement. It's her strongest album, full of techno dazzle and cold sexuality. it didn't go over that well with critics or the public, but it's a stunner. Madonna did her best shows during this period for the campy "Girlie Show". Her singing was good and the whole production was alive and assured. That's entertainment!
[Edited 10/6/04 13:52pm]

CynicKill said:

Yeah right, whatever you say.

did you copy and paste this masterpiece or is it all your own work?
[Edited 10/6/04 14:00pm]

can we deconstruct you next?

CinisterCee said:

I'm feeling it, but what would it be called?

CynicKill said:

ehehe it's really all about the title, ain't it.

CinisterCee said:

It's crucial.

CynicKill said:

\

I got one:

"Killing Time. Deconstructing CynicKill."

CinisterCee said:

if that's aimed at me, you can try!

I respect Madonna up to a point (unfortunate she enjoys shooting animals these days though)
I respect the fact she had nothing and built her empire, i even have a few albums and CD singles. The thing is i wonder how old some fans were sometimes at certain periods in her career.
It's like they just read somewhere (a Madonna fansite perhaps?) 'Madonna becomes THE most popular person in the world around this time' and take it in. She wasn't that popular when SEX came out, she took a lot of flack for it and Erotica kind of bombed. Non fans were getting bored rigid by her antics. How many times can you shock people with the same idea. She was constantly laughed at for her acting attempts.When people make statements like that you got to remember for every one person that likes an act, there are a hundred that hate them. Popularity is irrelevant. Besides, Mariah and Whitney (not that i like them much either particularly) both have outsold her as far as i'm aware. Bodyguard OST is at 35mill i seem to remember.

I just don't see what Madonna has brought to music in general apart from certain acts dancing in their undies and trying to be provocative (Hell, Vanity6 even beat her to that). she has a lightweight, pleasant enough voice, sure, she made some memorable infectious songs back in her heyday and she's a reasonable performer. I'd say at times even in the 80's (True Blue in particular)) her production lacked though so to remedy that, she started chasing hot producers. She's not really a revolutionary or groundbreaking artist in any way IMO. Shit even 'Vogueing' had come and gone a year previous to 'Vogue' coming out.

Reinvention? My arse. Change of haircolour, producer and a mole removal more like.

Marrk said:

+ props for spellin "colour" the right way

CinisterCee said:

It's probably how Madonna spells it these days!

Just read the begining and i can all ready point out a few things that are wrong.


Christopher Flynn was her ballet teacher and she met him at 14. They became friends and he took to all the gay clubs in Detorit and all the art gallaries.

Christopher was all the instructor for dance at U of M Ann Arbor. That is where Madonna went to college on a dance scholarship after she graduated from High School early.

At the U of M she met Stephen Bray. While at U of M she went to a dance competion at Duke and won a scholarship to dance with Pearl Lang.

After this she flew to NY against her father's will tp persuse a carear in DANCE.

She slept wherever she could worked whereever she could, Dunkin Donuts, Russian Tea Room. stuff like that.

She met Dan Gilroy and his brother... um name i don't remember. The moved into together and started a band together that would become the breakfast club. She was the drummer. After awhile she got a gig as a background singer for Patrick Hernadez in Paris. After a few months there she came back and rejoined Dan Gilroy.

After a fight over who would be lead singer she left the Gilroy brothers. Moved into the "Music Building" with Stephen Bray. Here she met Camille Barbone. She had a semi-lesbian affair and was Madonna's manager. SHe wanted Madonna to do more of punk sound and Madonna wanted more of a pop sound. Madonna got the drummer of the band Camille fired by sleeping with him and than had Stephen replace him. On the side Stephan and Madonna worked demos. She carried the demos to all the dance clubs she went to. Finally she got a copy of the demos to Mark Kamins at Danceteria. He took it home that night listened to it, and played Everybdoy the next day at the club and everyone loved it. He than took that demo to Seymore Stein at Sire Records. She signed a deal to make 3 singles with a clause to possibley make an album.

Mark was promised to produce it. While promoting Everybody she met JellyBean Bentiz and started work on her debut album. Mark was dropped as the producer for the album and Reggie Lucas was brought in. He did all the tracks except Everybody. Now they were going to put the track Ain't No Big Deal on the album but they couldn't get it to fit. That's when Holiday was found and given to Jellybean at the 11th hour to produce and put on the album. At this time Everybody and the double A-side Burning Up Physical Attraction had all ready been relesased.
[Edited 10/7/04 8:38am]

Marrk said:

Actually I might not be the best person to do this deconstruction. I was a big fan from 83-94 and I was there when the SEX campaign was taking effect. I know the album didn't do well as I stated in my deconstruction, but in terms of what news she was causing and how much media attention she garnered at that time, I'd say she was pretty popular. Maybe popyular isn't the right word. Newsworthy? I remember back at that time that you couldn't turn sideways without bumping into a headline about Madonna. Of course there was a lot of slagging about her career and whatnot, but everyone knew something was going on with this chick at around that time. So that was the context in which I meant she was THE most popular person at around that time. Surely you agree?

I also agree this deconstruction is incomplete. I wanted to touch on her ill-advised attempts at acting and her wholesale theft of underground culture but then I realized that there's just way too much to include and thisa deconstruction was already becoming lengthy. So if this hits I'll do a Part II. And if that hits possibly a III.

I have held onto the Madonna torch for a LONG time. Defending her all the way.

I have put the torch out now, as I feel she has gone beyond and become someone I no longer care for too much.

Reasons?

Reason number one...and this is really big for me...was the pulling of the American Life video. If we ever needed a statement from someone big enough for people to take notice, it was her. Dixie Chicks is one thing...madonnas another. I felt it was a really cowardly way out...well maybe not cowardly, but it is one of the first times I took notice where she bowed down to pressure.

Other reasons...The Britney mentor thing. Really. I know there have been plenty of analogies between the two..and Brits is the new Madonna etc. But I really don't see it. And I have a thing about molding someone to take your place.

300 dollar tickets to her concert. More if you wanted to be closer.

GAP Commercial. Even on the freeking CD Single...Please.

The whole Kaballah thingy. Um I really prefer if celebrities keep their religion to themselves. I don't mind knowing what they believe in. But her "cause" I think is really misguided. She should follow the religion, put her kids through it etc. But stop being the "Evita" for Kaballah causes.

And her music just doesn't groove the way it used to. It's sounds more trying and strained. Now granted I have her latest...but it's not her greatest. What's with the rapping. At times it works...most times it doesn't.

As you can tell this is all recent stuff...but recently I have been turned off by her.

Marrk said:

I can only speak for myself, but I've loved her since Borderline came out. My friends came back from a vacation in Arizona with her debut, and we were all in love with it. My mother even bought the tape for my siblings and me. Of course when Like A Virgin came out, she wasn't having it, so it was several years before I rediscovered her on my own, though I was highly aware of her in the intervening years and liked all of the songs I heard by her.

CynicKill said:

hey, cool. I'm just relieved you didn't see my post as an attack on you (it wasn't), they're just my feelings on her. No doubt there'll be some militant Madonna fans along to launch an offensive against me soon enough though!

sorry had to run a quick errand: I left off at at JellyBean doing Holiday.

After meeting Jellybean they start a two year on again off again affiar. Holiday hit big in the club scene because the DJ's spin it because of Jellybean's name on the record. Also Sire starts to pressure MTV to play the Burning Up video. At first the refuse to play it because they don't believe the kids in Middle American wanna see a girl singing Dance music. They believe middle america only wants punk or new wave. After Warners steps in applies pressure they yeild and start playing the video.

At this time Madonna starts working on her second album, and Warners releases the first one in April of 1983 almost 9 months after the first single Everybody came out. To accompy the release of the album Lucky Star. The video went all over MTV. The single was Madonna's first to break the Pop top ten. Madonna is excited but wants to get out the next album. At first Madonna was going to have Jellybean produce it. Warners said no. They wanted something more mainstream to break Madonna in. They agreed on Nile Rodgers because of his sucess with Chic and Madonna's favorite singer and biggest influence David Bowie. Madonna is given the song Like A Virgin and loves, Nile says no at first but agress to do it after Madonna keeps pressuring. At this time she starts work on her cameo for Vision Quest. Also Warner decides to push back the second album to pull another single off of the debut. Boderline is chosen the video is made. It cracks the top 5. It's bittersweet for Madonna because she wants the new work out there but Warner said no.

Madonna than starts filming the video for Like A Virgin and than starts work on Despertly Seeking Susan. While working on the film the crew needs a song for a club scene. Without one avaible they hear Stephan and Madonna working on demo to give to another artist. They ask if they could use it. Madonna says yes. Warner doesn't want to use it because they feel a female can't write or produce her own work and be good at it. However they yeild and the song is put in the movie.

Sept 1984 Madonna is asked to perform on the MTV music awards. Instead of doing Boderline like they wanted she debuts her new single Like A Virgin that wouldn't come out til Novemeber. A SuperStar is born.

In November LAV album and single is release Madonnamania is in full swing.

By spring Vison Quest, Desperatly Seeking Susan and the LAV ablum are out. Madonna has a #1 album and single with LAV. Material Girl hits number two. Angel is tapped for the next single but no video is made, but it's b-side is Into the Groove from the movie Desperatly Seeking Susan. The b-side gets more airplay than the a-side adn for the first time dj's spin a Madonna record because her name is on it. Geffen against Warners request releases both Crazy for You and Gambler from the Vision Quest soundtrack. Madonna score 5 top ten songs at the same time with the release of these tracks. Crazy for You Gambler Materical Girl Angel and Into the Groove were in the Top 10 at the same time.

On the set of the Material Girl video Madonna meets and starts dating Sean Penn. Warner decides its time for Madonna to graduate from PA's to a full scale tour. Her shows sell out in a flash. And Warner picked Patrick Leonnard fresh from the Jackson's Victory tour to be the Musical Director.

At this time Camille Barbone files a breach of contract lawsuit, because she was supposed to be Madonna manager and guide her sound, but was fired before she signed with Warners. After singing with Warners she hired Freddy De Man who was just let go as Michael Jackson's manager. Her comment, "Good now he'll have more time for me." This was settled out of court. Madonna than files an injuction against the distrubtion of A Certain Sacrafice the snuff movie she made before she hit it big, and it was thrown out of court. Also Playboy and Penthouse published some of the nude photos taken of her when she was trying to surive in NY.

After the Virgin tour she married Sean Penn and perofrmed at Live Aide. At Live Aides she debuted the first track she had written with Patrick Leonnard, Love Makes the World Go Round. Because of the success of Into the Groove, Warner green lights Madonna to produce an album by herself. She uses Pat and Stephen to help shape the album. Live to Tell was written by Madonna and Pat Leonnard. The story goes Pat came up the music and gave it to Maddy. She took it and came up with the lyrics. It was just a demo at this time. And was giong to be given to a male artist to sing as the theme for Sean's movie At Close Range. He loved the demo and asked Madonna to use it for herself as the theme. She agreed. it was released and went #1. The video was the first for Madonna not be the Boy Toy look, and debut the first "new" Madonna look.

True Blue was than released and went #1 in 27 countries at the same time. The first and only artist to do that. It became her biggest selling album in her catoluge with 25million sold to date. Papa Don't Preach soon followed and the video caused controvery with both the left and the right. The left didn't like the anit-abortion message they thought the song had. THe right didn't like Madonna supposdly singing about teenage pregencacy. It really isn't clear what the song is about.... it could be about her older lover her dad doesn't like or a baby. It's left up to us to decide. Open Your Heart is released next and is met with controversy because people feel the video is about pedophila. True Blue is used by MTV USA as a contest to direct a video. A cheesey 50's video is realeased in Europe.

Her and Sean also work on a very badly edited and written film called Shanghi Suprise. Dogged by photogs, controversy follows. The movie bombed. Than after the PA's for TB Madonna works on a new filmed going to be called Slammer. Soon after Sean goes to jail and the movie is changed to Who's That Girl. Madonna writes 4 songs for the soundtack. To promote the movie, soundtrack and her album True Blue, Madonna sets out on her first world tour with Who's That Girl World Tour 1987. Critcs love the show. though fans today genreally don't care for it. It's a homecoming of sorts because she makes it to Italy to meet her family there. After the tour You Can Dance is released and is the first release of a Major Artist only to feature dance remixes of her tracks. Starting a trend that goes on today. Her marriage to Sean ends under accounts of abuse and Madonna hits the boards of Broadway in David Mammet's Speed the Plow.
[Edited 10/7/04 8:39am]

While beening beat by critics everynight for Speed the Plow Madonna starts looking inwards. The begining of the introspective Like A Prayer is born. Prince, who Madonna befriended in 1985, comes to watch the show and ask if she wants to do a couple songs together. They start working on Love Song and By Any Means. Madonna thinks they will work in the studio together. But instead it turns into tapes being sent back and forth. Madonna grows tried of that and only finishes Love Song. Than returns to working with Stephen and Pat. Because of the introspective nature of her songs they agree to go for a more organic nautre on the album and use real instruments and record the album with a session band. Like A Prayer turns into an exploration of Madonna's life to that point. With songs dealing with her mother, father, family, the Catholic Church, and her failed Marraige to Sean Penn.

The album is completed in Dec 1988 and released in March of 1989. The first single is Like A Prayer. Madonna signed a 5million dollar contract with Pepsi to use the song in their adds. The commerical is premiered World Wide at the sametime. THe first time that was ever done. The video was Madonna watching films of her as a child. Very Sweet Very Innocnet. The next day Burning Crosses, a Black Saint, Stigmata, a rape and murder, and sex in a chruch appear on MTV as the video. The religious groups have a feild day and promise to boycott Pepsi if they don't drop Madonna. They stopped airing their commercial and pull support for her tour to come the next year. Madonna keeps the 5mil though.

Following this Madonna starts to prepare for Dick Tracy and shots the video for Express Yourself. At it's time it was the most expensive video ever made. Madonna draws fire for it's protrayl of her being chained to a bed. Women's groups frind it demeaning. Next Single in America is Oh Father. it barely reaches top 20 and the video is hardly played because of the scene with the Mother's eyes and mouth sewed shut. Madonna than pushes for Til Death do Us Part Warner says no and WEA releases Dear Jessie in the UK. Dick Tracy starts fimling at this time. Madonna than puts out Cherish and starts working on Dick Tracy. TO cure her boredom on the set she an Pat, start working on I'm Breathless. Warners puts out Keep It Together as a stop lose track between albums and Madonna' wants to put Vogue on as a b-side to ensure the single sells. Freddy perseuades her to use it as the lead off for I'm Breathless. It becomes Madonna's biggest selling single to that point.

With Dick Tracy finished Madonna starts the groundbreaking Blonde Ambition Tour. Madonna set out with her brother Christopher and cheorgrapher Vicnet Patterson to break every rule and present her songs in a theatrical setting. She toured with 7 dancers and 2 backupsinger dancers with a set that had hydroclic set pieces. The tour was the first of it's kind and was Madonna's attempt to out do Michael Jackson's Bad Tour in bringing videos to the concert stage. It was called blashpmous by the Vatican and many Catholic groups in Italy boycotted the show. It's two shows in Rome didn't sell out and amid death threat Madonna canceled the last of the two shows. The tour was filmed for Turth or Dare. And 1990 was capped off with the release of the Immaculate Collection.

The first single from the collection of hits brought lots and lots of controversy. The song was written by Lenny Kravitiz and Ingrid Chavez (sp) with extra lyrcis by Madonna. The track was first brought into controversy because Lenny used the Bass line from Public Emenmy track and also he didn't credit Ingrid in the linear notes. The next controversey was over the video. It was banned on MTV and VH-1. Madonna went on Nightline to protect it in the Middle of the Gulf War. LOL and than released it as a video single the first ever and biggest selling. The thrid and final controversy was the use of the Synnogogue of Satan verse used in Justify My Love( Beast Within Mix). Lenny and Madonna produced that mix together. It used a sample of a Jewish Prayer, the Bassline and Chours of Justify My Love, eastern instruments, and Madonna reading exceprts from the Book of Revelations. 1991 was brought to a close with film release of Truth or Dare on the Road and In Bed with Madonna.

I forgot to include Madonna's VMA coming out:

Never one to shy away from making a spectacle of herself, Madonna decided to make her coming out to the media memorable. So when she performs on the VMA's for the first time, she decieed to turn it into an orgasmic experience, rolling around on the floor in a makeshift wedding dress and suggestive lingerie. Her aim? To turn herself into THE sex symbol of the times, taking over where her idol Marilyn Monroe left off.

It's hard to say if Madonna's relation to Marilyn is one of homage or something else. Did Madonna see similarities between her and the original blond bombshell? Surely madonna LOOKS a lot like Marilyn given the right make-up. Her definite homage in "Material Girl" is noteworthy in that it's an exact copy of the original. It smacked of good marketing and of an inexperienced Madonna when it comes to matters of art. Surely the madonna of today wouldn't be so obvious in her interpretations. Madonna donned many a Marilyn pose during her 80's heyday. It was a smart move, projecting an image of a more self-assured Marilyn who wasn't the victin that the original turned out to be, making her more of a revisionist Marilyn. Is Madonna's incorporation of Marilyn a strong example of good marketing/bad art?

CynicKill said:

check your facts. Material Girl was the first time she used a Maryln reference in her videos. It didn't come out until 6 months after the first VMAs

1991, and what is a girl to do who has done it all? First stop is the Woody Allen film Bloodhounds of Broadway. Followed very quickly by the Penny Marshall film A League of Their Own. A quiet year by most accounts. Word however was buzzing about Madonna doing lots of nude photography. Madonna starts work on her newest album and lanches Maverick records. First out of the line in 1992 comes A League of Their Own and the accompying theme song... This Used to be My Playground. Many feel Madonna is calming down by this point, however it's just the quiet before the storm. September of 1992 sees Madonna releaseing a new single and video entilted Erotica. MTV shows the edited version once and never shows it again. The next week Sex hits the book stores. Its first and only printing of a million copies sells out in a week. Madonna releases Erotica the album the next month. Than comes the bad bad bad bad movie Body of Evidence. Puts the media in Madonna overload. Erotica reaches #2 on the album and singles charts. The album sells 2 million stateside and 5 million worldwide. Not a flop but not her slowest selling ablum to that point. Deeper and Deeper comes out next and reaches top 10. Than Bad Girl comes out with a brillaint performance on SNL it doesn't crack the top 20. It's B-side Fever though gets lots of airplay on MTV. Than comes Rain and hits number 10. Not bad but not Madonna's standard releases. Dangerous Game came and went next. The press declares Madonna to be over. Why? Don't really know... she was still queen of the dance floor and still putting out hits, but she's over. Doing the only thing one can do at this time. Madonna tours again.

"To see and not be seen, to suspect but not to know, mystery, anonimity abuguity." "all the world is a stage" and "everyone tries to understand art, why not try to understand the songs of a bird". are the quotes that inspire the show. a painting entitled Girlie Show inspire the feel. thow in some classic hollywood and Burly-Q and one has Madonna's Girlie Show Tour. She only played 3 cities in the US and made trips south of the equator for the first time. The show sold out everywhere. Not bad for someone whose time had come. Once again Madonna explored sex, empowerment, and religion on the tour.

1994 is soon followed with an infamous David Letterman apperence, and the release of Bedtime Stories. It's realse is quite mellow and it too reaches the 2 million mark. It produced Madonna's first number one since Justify My Love in 1991. Take a Bow. Madonna uses that video and a handwritten letter to send off to Alan Parker who was helming the Evita project.

Marrk said:

MADONNA SHOOTS ANIMALS THESE DAYS????

Maddie, say it ain't so!!
[Edited 10/6/04 17:33pm]

In 1995, comes word that Madonna landed the role of Eva Peron. Her plans to tour with Bedtime Stories is put on hold and she starts voice lessons. She puts out a ballads collection with little fanfare, and get serious about working on Evita. In 1996 the recording process starts and ALW and Tim Rice write a song for Madonna to use in the film. Late in 1996 the film crew flies to Argentina to start filming the movie. The people of Argentina are torn over Madonna protraying their Santa Evita and chaos ensures. They weren't going to be allowed to film on the Casa Rossata but Madonna in a meeting with the president gets the permission to film there. Midway thorugh the shooting of the film Madonna finds out she is pregenat. The schedule is changed to ensure that the important shots are made before she starts to show.
In November of 1996 in limited release Evita comes out. In 1997 it opens everywhere. Madonna wins a golden globe and You Must Love Me wins an Oscar.

Madonna spends most of 97 with her daughter.

Late 97 Madonna starts working on an album with Pat again and Babyface the man behind Take a Bow. In the middle of recording she happens upon a demo of William Orbits, and the recording quickly changes direction. All of the work with Babyface is shelved and all but the Track Frozen are shelved from Pat's work.

Ray of Light becomes Madonna's first album since her starting to study the Kaballah. Her rabahi instructs her to put 13 tracks on the album.

Ray of Light is released in March of 98 and becomes a worldwide smash. Though it didn't hit #1 in the states. Frozen was her first top 5 in the states since Take a Bow. The press declares that Madonna made a comeback? Did she really go away? In 1999 Madonna wins her first Grammy's for her music. Finally her peers accpet her as a legimited artist. Madonna records a duet with Ricky Martin and finish up the year with a soundtrack single Beautiful Stranger. She also starts work on the ill fated The Next Best Thing.

During this time she mets Guy Ritchie adn they start an on again off again relationship. After the Next Best Thing, Madonna starts recording with William Orbit again. Guy Orsey her partner in Maverick, gives her the demo to a song by Mirwais, and she now deicdes that is the driection for her next album. WO is handed his walking papers and work begings with Mirwais. From this comes Madonna's first Number One single since Take a Bow and First Number one ALbum since Like A Prayer; Music.

Music turns out to be more self reflective than a spirtural journey. Madonna's feelings about meeting and losing Guy can be heard though out the album. After Guy and Madonna get back together it is annoucned she is having another baby and getting married. Rocco is born before the release of Music... two months later Madonna takes to the stay for one off gigs at The Roxy in NY and Brixton Aceadmy in London. These show remimd Madonna of her love of performing, and the plans for the Drowned World Tour begin.

The DWT coutiuned Madonna spirtual quest and journy that started with Ray of Light 3 years eariler. The shows sell out in a flash and once again Madonna is hailed as the best life performer of her kind.

Shortly after DWT Madonna starts work on a movie with Hubby. Swept Away was Swept out of theatres. Hurt and confuseda bout the movie bombing Madonna returned to the studio to record with Mirwais.

The start to record songs that contuine on her journy through Kaballah. lol I'm tried of writng so i'll stop now but we all now what happened next American Life lead video pulled... Madonna blacklisted album hits #1 but falls fast only sells 600thousand in the states 3million worldwide. Than Madonna does the Re-Invention Tour. Sells out 59 shows with the averege price of 150 and the top price of 750 dollars.

ehuffnsd said:

but you forgot the part where madonna admits that she is my mother. purplegypsy...back me up here!

SassyBritches said:

You crack me up!


BTW, why are we doing this? Don't we know all this stuff already? As if VH-1's BEHIND THE MUSIC didn't air tis a million times. I'm actually kidding...there's some good stuff in here that I didn't know...thanks for posting.
[Edited 10/7/04 5:35am]

ehuffnsd said:

Read my post again. I never said Madonna made a specific reference to madonna in video prior to "Material Girl". But I suspect that Marilyn was an idol of Madonna's before that time. And if not is that just another case of crass marketing on her part? Did she just stumble upon the idea of becoming Marilyn, or was she a huge fan who's intention it was to become the Marilyn of the 80's?

CynicKill said:

references to her idols are everywhere.... Nancy Sintra, Marylin Monroe, Marlene Ditriech, Bob Fossee, Gene Kelly, the Beatles, David Bowie, Sly and the Family Stone, Mary Mother of God, Mary Magdelene, Fred Astire, Mae West.

In a post-modern world it doesn't matter what shows up in your art, it's about making it all new again
[Edited 10/7/04 9:39am]

Early on I think it's obvious that Madonna had somewhat of a fixation on Marilyn. But I do agree with your post in that the world is pretty much Madonna's stage, hence her Warholian approach of appropriation. But in hindsight I feel "Material Girl" was her least imaginative method of that approach.

CynicKill said:

Fast forward to 1996 when Rosie O'Donnell plays this footage for Evita-promoting Madonna as a "haha blooper" and everyone was all

How fucking surreal was that? Even in `96 I was like "uhh yeah that's her breakthrough performance"

...but we all know how sexuality was downplayed on Rosie's show.

purplegypsy said:

I understand, but where ehuffnsd is giving more of a history, I was going for the more opinionated approach, hence my deconstructed style. I do appreciate ehuffnsd pinpointing more of the facts though, which I admit I'm somewhat more general in my knowledge about.