Anyone hear the Pharrell version w/ Nicole Scherzinger singing background vocals, maybe it was originally intended for her (as The Neptunes also did a song for her album) but it sounds like a demo, it's interesting though to hear the early version and the changes in the lyrics that Madonna probably made to it.
[Edited 6/20/08 11:42am]

NPG2045 said:

U know what? I love Madonnas version...I think she did a good turn around on all the lyrics. It was definiley made for her. The demo was nice 2 hear! Thanx

Since we're talking about Hard Candy tracks....Timbaland is preparing his next album 'Shock Value 2' and he has said that Madonna will appear on his album.The songs might be leftovers from the Hard Candy sessions.One song is actually a duet with Timbaland and Madonna (rumored title is "Off The Chain").

Where did he say that? There will be more song than one with Madonna?? cool!!

SoulAlive said:

I remember reading the old tracklists and off the chain was one of them

SoulAlive said:

so is this new information that he's re-iterated, or are you just speculating by matching up a current rumor and one from 6 months ago?

im actually amazed at how little it changes. all madonna did was add a few lyrics,and record her vocals - and gets co writing and productions credit!? that is totally pharrells song.

Now there's a little over 20 sec. demo snippets of Spanish Lesson & Ring My Bell with Pharrell on vocals, he's basically scatting over Spanish Lesson trying 2 come up with the melody, in the end it looks like other than the music this was mostly Madonna the melody he had in mind sounds different, Ring My Bell sounds similar with some slighly different lyrics.
[Edited 6/26/08 2:29am]

NPG2045 said:

I think its fair to say its becoming clearer that Madonna wasn't as interested or involved in this project as previous ones. Reinforces my belief that shes going through the motions these days - its too easy for her. She needs a challenge.

Dont get me wrong - i love the album, and this doesnt diminish that - but i just wish she'd start putting a little more of herself into her work again. Mind you - it kind of shows that even in a creative slump - she can still put out a decent record.
[Edited 6/26/08 2:54am]

CrozzaUK said:

How quick we are to forget when Madonna was singing over instrumentals by William Orbit & Mirwais. The track "Has To Be" actually has the music of an old Orbit track almost unchanged...

Why is it that the Pharrell tracks have leaked,and are continuing to leak,and yet none of the Timbaland tracks (demos or otherwise) have leaked? I wanna hear the five Timbaland-produced tracks that didn't make the album.

CrozzaUK said:

On 'Hard Candy',she clearly relinguished her creative control over most of the songs,but I think that's largely because this type of music (R&B with traces of hip-hop) isn't her usual territory.She knew that she was in capable hands so she probably felt it was okay to let these guys take control.On the five Timbaland tracks,she's not listed as a co-producer at all,which is unusual for her.But still,I think she came up with an album that sounds like a Madonna album.With the exception of "4 Minutes" (which is pure Timbaland),the album sounds like Madonna.She doesn't get lost in the production.Her melodic sense,her pop sensibilities and her own style is evident all throughout the album.In fact,some songs sound like they could have easily appeared on other Madonna albums.These guys really "studied" her music before they went into the studio with her.
[Edited 6/26/08 5:09am]

clips of Ring my Bell and Spanish Lesson demos leaked as well. There's someone in a Madonna forums who has all those songs.

Apparently Pharrel wrote the complete (minus the lyrics) music and melody etc for Heartbeat, Spanish Lesson and Ring My Bell.

From what Madonna said they wrote Candy Shop together, but for me it souns like a complete PW melody as well.
The only songs left are She's Not Me and Give It 2 Me. Madonna said PW came with the hookline "She's not me and she never will be".

So, yeah Madonna didn't write much of the music for her new album.

4 Minutes, Devil, don't sund like her too. Forgive about Miles Away, it's stolen.

BUT: Don't forget. Most songs we know have melodies of other people. Steve Bray and Pat Leonard wrote so much stuff for her.

She can come up with a proper melody anyway. I still love her. actually I'm a PW fan too, so I don't mind who wrote the songs.

Most Madonna fans seem to dislike Pharrell's version of "Heartbeat" but I like it

Did you guys see the 'Hard Candy Unwrapped' TV special that aired in the UK a few days ago? Very good interview,focusing on the making of the new album.
http://www.youtube.com/wa...hUindC7qyo

.
[Edited 6/26/08 4:20am]

SoulAlive said:

Yes, great interview. And notice that she actually talks about her input in the album. She mentions her style of writing and sense of melody. That's ALWAYS her input in albums, don't know why people are upset about the Pharrell tracks now.

Besides, it's funny that when HC was released all fans were saying the Pharrell tracks were real collaborations while the Timbaland tracks were just done for Madonna without any input.

the promo interview she did for Warner (they just fikmed her, so that the media could quote her) was intersting too. she talked about every song of hers.

I've just remembered that in an interview from 2005, Madonna said that when she heard the instrumental of "Jump" brought to her by Stuart, she immediately thought of Pet Shop Boys. How's that any different from the Hard Candy tracks? It's just that now it's more obvious that Madonna is not responsible for putting together the beats and all, because of these famous producers.

LiveToTell86 said:

well, I don't know who wrote the MELODY for Jump, but Pharrel wrote the whole music and melody to Heartbat, Spanish Lesson and Ring My Bell. Madonna just did the lyrics.

On COADF she might have had more input. Stuart probably gave her just the music and Madonna came up with the melody. But only maybe.
She thought of the Pet Shop Boys because it's the same chord change as in West End Girls (near he beginning)

graecophilos said:

We know at least Devil is one track she brought to the table. This was written in 2004, before confessions. How much it changed we dont know, but it must be pretty simialar for Joe Henry to get a credit.

The rest i just dont know. Its unusual for her to relenquish so much creative control - i just dont know what her mindset was going into this album (ie get it out the way, try a different genre, shake things up a bit???). This is why i wish goddamn interviewers would focus on things like her music rather than chatting inanely about her personal life.

Sometimes its hard to accept she isnt the same kind of artist she was 10 years ago - she has so many other things going on in ehr life.

CrozzaUK said:

Plus,she has had marital problems to deal with,which may explain why she gave up so much creative control.Her and Guy will be divorced soon.

LiveToTell86 said:

The text summary of that youtube clip mentions a compilation album in 2008 or early 2009. Anyone know more about that?

graecophilos said:

The Pet Shop Boys wrote the melody for Jump when they wrote the melody for West End Girls.

VoicesCarry said:

I've never adhered to this line of thinking. Im a huge fan of both - and apart from a musical resemblence, i just dont hear the simmilarity.

VoicesCarry said:

Exactly. Not to mention the changes between spoken and sung vocals in both songs.

Many fans surely need a reality check about Madonna's collaborations. I'm a huge fan but these delusions about Madonna being a perfect and original musician and producer till she had to "sell out" to record Hard Candy is just too much.

RipHer2Shreds said:

It has to be released as a contractual obligation, and after its release, Madonna will be free from Warner. It is believed to be a career-spanning 2 CD set. Personally I don't think Madonna will bother about it, so I wouldn't bet on getting anything more than most of TIC & GHV2 put together.

CrozzaUK said:

The Confessions album is full of soundalike songs of previous hits. If she doesn't sample (Hung Up), it's Get Together (Music Sounds Better With You), Future Lovers (I Feel Love) and so on, where the songs are essentially the same but no one's credited. It's one of the reasons why I'm not a huge fan of that album, as I feel it's one of her least artistic works.
[Edited 6/26/08 6:51am]

LiveToTell86 said:

I knew she was contractually obliged to release another, but I didn't know if there were any early details. Thanks!

VoicesCarry said:

all the others i hear (there's also genius of love on Push), but i never got the Jump comparison. Its reminiscent of PSBs, but i just dont hear a copy. Also i let her off for the Music Sounds Better with u one, as that in itself borrowed from Holiday.

VoicesCarry said:

While I don't mind all the references since it's still a great listen, I agree that it's less artistic than most of her stuff. And also, I never understood why COADF gets defended and HC gets bashed. Many fans quickly point out the references to "Cry Me A River" and other Timbaland tracks on HC but for COADF nobody says a word because "that's great dance music and she wasn't doing stuff what's on the charts and she used an unknown producer". Boring!