Wowsers. I had some of the other ROL outtakes and alternates
but hadn't heard this one yet. Figured it would not be very
interesting.

Well, it turns out it is the most beautiful thing I've heard
of Madge in ages.

What a great track. So completely different from the album
version and so much more emotional and intimate.

Two thumbs up for this track. Amazing. She should have put
that on the b-side of the single, she really should.

The demo version is interesting,but it's not nearly as powerful as the released version.I remember buying the 'Ray Of Light' CD the day it came out and being totally blown away by this song. I programmed my CD player to play this song over and over.I was mesmerized! Best part of the song...


"No famous faces,far-off places
Trinkets I can buy
No handsome stanger,heady danger
Drug that I can try
No ferris wheel,no heart to steal
No laughter in the dark
No one-night stand,no far-off land
No fire that I can spark"


That part kills me everytime! Madonna sings these lyrics as if her life depended on them.And William Orbit makes the music just explode.It actually gives me chills when I hear this song.

My favorite Madonna song ever. But not this version, although it is nice. I always wondered about the evolution of the title. I always thought of the music being Drowned World because of the underwater sound of it and "Substitute For Love" being an aural poem to go with the music. It's cool how she kept the watery feel in both versions.

The album track is my favorite Madonna song also, quite possibly my absolute favorite song altogether. I like the alternate version -- very interesting to hear the evolution, but I think the album version is on a completely different level.

my next tattoo is going 2 have a ribbon that says:

I was dreaming when I wrote this,
Now I find I've changed my mind...

IstenSzek said:

Great idea!