I was listening to Madonnas' 'Bedtime Stories' CD yesterday and when I got to the song "Forbidden Love",I put my CD player on 'repeat'.I think I listened to this song about a hundred times...lol...my lord,this song is AMAZING! It's slow,sexy and sultry,probably her sexiest song EVER.Interestingly,this song was co-written and co-produced by Babyface,but it doesn't really sound like anything else he produced for other artists during this period.Perhaps he saved his best material for Maddy? LOL.The song boasts a warm,mesmerizing R&B sound that just sizzles.Considering that the album's other collaboration with Babyface,"Take A Bow" actually became Madonna's most successful single ever,it's surprising that "Forbidden Love" wasn't released as the follow-up single.It's a superb track that I never get tired of listening to.My favorite part of the song is the fade,as Madonna sings "heaven forgive me,never forbid me...love should always feel like this".Indeed!


"Forbidden Love"

(written by Babyface and Madonna)

(Love without guilt,love without doubt
Love without guilt,love without doubt
Love without guilt,love without doubt
Rejection,love without doubt)
repeat

(spoke twice in background during first and second verses:)
(don't go near the fire,don't go in the dark
Don't give in to your desire,cause he's gonna break your heart
Let go,let go)

I don't,don't care if it's not right
to have your arms around me
I want to feel what it's like
take all of you inside of me

(chorus)
In your eyes (in your eyes),forbidden love
In your smile (in your smile),forbidden love
In your kiss (in your kiss),forbidden love
If I had one wish love would feel like this (love would feel like this)

I know you're no good for me
That's why I feel I must confess
What's wrong is why it feels so right
I want to feel your sweet caress

(repeat chorus)

If I only had one wish
love would always feel like this
wishin' on the stars above
Forbidden love
If I only had one dream
this would be more than it seems
Forbidden love (forbidden love)


(Love without guilt,love without doubt
Love without guilt,love without doubt
Rejection (love without doubt)
is the greatest aphrodisiac

(chorus,repeat)

(Love without guilt,love without doubt
love should always feel like this
heaven forgive me,never forbid me
love should always feel like this...



Any thoughts on this album? What are your favorite songs?
[This message was edited Fri Feb 13 4:31:15 PST 2004 by DavidEye]

a little trivia...In 1997,Madonna entered the studio with Babyface again.They composed a few songs together,one of which "Don't Talk To Strangers" was described as similar to "Take A Bow".But Madonna had a change of heart.According to Babyface, "Madonna wanted to go in a whole new direction.She doesn't need to repeat herself".She hired William Orbit and created 'Ray Of Light',but I'd still love to hear those rejected Babyface collaborations.

I love this song, too. "Bedtime Stories" is one of her most sensual records. Seductive without being overtly sexual. It's too bad it was the followup to "Erotica" and not "Music", because its sales were definitely hurt by Madonna's tarnished reputation at the time.

VoicesCarry said:

and its massive amount of throw away filler.

DavidEye said:

i know this is retarded but i always felt like she was singing about gay love.

VoicesCarry said:

Agreed.'Bedtime Stories' is very sensual but not sexual or trashy.It's a beautiful album,and the songs flow very well together.It's her most consistent album ever.


I still remember the creative marketing campaign for this CD.They were trying to downplay Maddy's sexual image.The print ads said...

"Madonna wants to tuck you in with her new album.That's "tuck" with a "t"

SassierBritches said:

There is a rumor that the song "Secret" is really about a transvesite who is keeping the secret from her/his lover! Read the lyrics and decide for yourself...

"It took me by surprise that you understood.
you knew all along what I never wanted to say "

SassierBritches said:

The only filler song on the album is "Don't Stop",but even it serves a purpose.Madonna needed one song about dancing...a fun,catchy ode to the dancefloor.

What songs do you consider "filler"?

SassierBritches said:

Sounds like every Janet album since 1989!

DavidEye said:

I love "Don't Stop". Even that isn't really filler for me. Here's the tracklisting, so dissenters can tell us exactly what they think is "filler".

1. Survival (Austin/Madonna) - 3:31
2. Secret (Austin/Madonna) - 5:04
3. I'd Rather Be Your Lover (Hall/Isley Brothers/Jasper/Madonna) - 4:39
4. Don't Stop (Austin/Madonna/Wolfe) - 4:38
5. Inside of Me (Hall/Hooper/Madonna) - 4:11
6. Human Nature (Deering/Hall/Madonna/McKenzie/McKenzie) - 4:53
7. Forbidden Love (Babyface [1]/Madonna) - 4:09
8. Love Tried to Welcome Me (Hall/Madonna) - 5:21
9. Sanctuary (Austin/Cutler/Hancock/Madonna/Preven) - 5:03
10. Bedtime Story (Bjork/DeVries/Hooper) - 4:52
11. Take a Bow (Babyface [1]/Madonna) - 5:21

All of these songs are great, and make for a really cohesive album. "Secret", "Take A Bow", "Bedtime Story", "Human Nature" and "I'd Rather Be Your Lover" are Madonna classics IMHO.
[This message was edited Thu Feb 12 5:35:42 PST 2004 by VoicesCarry]

DavidEye said:

everything except bedtime story, secret, sanctuary and human nature

here's my opinion of the record. by another artist, especially a debuting artist, it would have been a decent record showing a lot of possibility. unfortunately, coming from the woman who just made erotica and like a prayer, i was incredibly disappointed. it was, until those last few tracks, incredibly repetitive and boring. madonna had always been a trendstarter and setter but this album came out reeking of theivery. the bjork sound, that very (at the time) current r&b sound that composed most of the cd...i don't know, it seemed like she was a little worried after erotica's unexpectedly lower sales and she wanted to have a safe hit album. that would have been cool for me IF it didn't show on the album. do you know what i'm trying to say?

early morning edit
[This message was edited Thu Feb 12 5:37:49 PST 2004 by SassierBritches]
[This message was edited Thu Feb 12 5:38:47 PST 2004 by SassierBritches]

VoicesCarry said:

True,but the album was still successful.It sold over 6 million copies worldwide (2 million in the US),and the second single "Take A Bow" stayed at the Number One position for seven weeks (becoming her biggest hit single ever).

DavidEye said:

i haave always thought that song was deeper than it appeared. i actually had a conversation with someone who had a very interesting spin on the song. he thought it may be about heroin addiction. this guy made a bunch of good points.

SassierBritches said:

No, I don't. Because this is coming from someone who likes the bloated epics janet., The Velvet Rope, and All For You and basically thinks they're genius. But you're entitled to your opinion. Now please go start another Janet thread We haven't had one in about 2 minutes.
[This message was edited Thu Feb 12 6:00:04 PST 2004 by VoicesCarry]

SassierBritches said:

Yeah,I understand what you're saying but I don't see how you can just dismiss great,inspired songs like...


*** "LOVE TRIED TO WELCOME ME" ---this is a real gem of a ballad,rivaled only by...

*** "TAKE A BOW" ---her most heartfelt,most effective ballad ever!

*** "FORBIDDEN LOVE" ---as I mentioned before,this is her sexiest song ever.But it's not sleazy or nasty,it's sweet and sensuous.Shame on Warners for not realizing the hit potential of this song!

*** "INSIDE OF ME" ---one thing about this CD is,nearly every song has a yearning,haunting melody and "Inside Of Me" is no exception.This track is just lovely...too downbeat,perhaps,to be a dance hit,but it has a certain moodiness to it that gives me chills (the same applies to "SANCTUARY" ).

I recall a Time magazine (or Newsweek?) review of this album,and the critic ended his article by saying something like "Madonna's real dirty little secret is that she can make some great songs".Basically he was implying that,when you take away the whole sexual image and posturing,you have a truly talented artist there,making truly inspired music.

DavidEye said:

EXACTLY. How can you say these are bad songs?

yeah, i just don't feel the album. bedtime stories and music are the only two madonna records that i just don't care for. and i'm only a minor fan of true blue. i love the rest though.

voicescarry...while i appluad your efforts , i am not getting into the madonna v. janet thing.

SassierBritches said:

The only Madonna albums that I rarely listen to are the first three albums.There are a handful of good songs on each one,but I prefer everything that came after 1989.'Like A Prayer' was her first real masterpiece,and I think she became a "serious" artist with that album.Since then,she has tried numerous sounds and styles,evolving in a way that few pop artists do.

SassierBritches said:

isn't it funny how Janet's name always pops up on a Madonna thread and vice versa?

DavidEye said:

LOL, yeah...very interesting...

davideye...do you remember, around the time of bedtime stories, there was a fan club (unofficial) that shut down. they had been around since the beginning but they were so unhappy with madonna's image and music that they said she was no longer a leader but rather a follower? it was a big deal at the time and i can't remember what the name of the fan club was...madonnarama or something equally corny...

i thought they were so stupid for closing!

SassierBritches said:

Never heard of that one.I was a member of her official fanclub (ICON) for many years.There was a great website called Madonnarama,it closed last year.
[This message was edited Thu Feb 12 6:35:32 PST 2004 by DavidEye]

DavidEye said:

yeah, i was a member of icon too, lol. i wish i could remember the name of this cheesy fan club. i remember some of the press trying to make it sound like "oh, this fan club closed of their own will...madonna must be over...she's losing fans" it was all so stupid. and now, 10 years later, ol' girl is still here.

SassierBritches said:

Oh man,I remember the Madonna backlash of 1993.It was brutal...lol...around the time of 'Body Of Evidence',critics were dogging her viciously.That's why on 'Bedtime Stories',she has not one but TWO songs directed at the critics..."Survival" and "Human Nature".

I guess 'Evita' and 'Ray Of Light' silenced those critics once and for all...lol

DavidEye said:

or at least until american life, LOL!

which, for the record, i love. and davideye, you probably remember my VERY dismal expectations for american life...we had many a good argument about ol' girl's artistic merits...i expected american life to suck and fail. then it came out and i loved it. too bad it still failed...i hope i didn't jinx it!

I do like that song too Don't know about "amazing", lol, but I hear you David...

SassierBritches said:

Yeah,I remember those heated arguments we had just before 'American Life' came out...lol...

I love those songs on Bedtime Stories too...moreso cuz I was going through some stuff at the time - you know how high school love can be

DavidEye said:

Man, I have loved that song since I got that album, but I ALWAYS thought she said, "Protection is the greatest aphrodisiac." Hmmm.

Madonna has said that "Bedtime Stories" was her least pleasant album to make because of the multiple producers, but it is my favorite album to date, and I think "Secret" is one of the greatest singles of all time.