Labels

3D (6) action (41) animation (26) Australia (8) ballet (4) Belgium (3) Bond (16) books (108) Bulgaria (1) Canada (1) Classic Adventures (5) comedy (226) creative writing (6) Denmark (3) Disney (15) Doctor Who (8) documentary (24) drama (193) Eurovision (2) fantasy (3) fiction (93) Finland (1) France (14) gay (20) Germany (4) Glee (2) graphic novel (2) Greece (1) horror (9) Hot (4) Iceland (4) Ireland (3) Israel (1) Italy (3) Japan (5) Kazakhstan (2) Liberia (1) live music (17) Luxembourg (1) Madonna (6) Marvel (4) Melanie C (3) Mexico (1) movies (222) Muppets (4) music (9) musical (39) New Zealand (1) non-fiction (22) Norway (1) reality show (10) Romania (2) sci-fi (29) South Africa (1) Spain (1) Studio Ghibli (2) Sweden (10) Theatre (60) thriller (21) TV (179) UK (171) US (168) war (2) western (1) X-Files (2)

Sunday 11 October 2009

Madonna: Celebration - Erotica (1992) to Love Don't Live Here Anymore (1996)

30. Erotica (1992) A nice and sleazy look to his slice of filth, with voyeurism and SEX the main themes here. S&M eh? You don't see that in many music videos. Hmm, now Madonna is fellating the arm of a puppet... Her Sex book was out around this time - me thinks she was courting controversy again... #3

31. Deeper and Deeper (1992) We continue the sleaze with a video that opens with a guy shouting in a foreign language, before Madonna drives to a 1970's disco. The colourful disco scenes are inter-cut with monochrome scenes of the club's back rooms and the shouting man from the opening. Madonna's now watching a man clad only in tighty-whities and black socks squat on a mattress while she and her friend eat bananas. Now there's a seance, tarot cards, and a pillow fight. I've completely lost the meaning of this video, especially what it has to do with the song, which I do like a lot. #6 

32. Bad Girl* (1993) David Fincher's last video so far for Madonna. Christopher Walken's in it! I hope he dances like he does in Weapon of Choice! Madonna appears to be playing a high-powered executive, first at the office and now at a bar, snogging a stranger in lift... Walken's watching her across a swish-looking diner while they smoke. Walken's floating above her bed... he's not dancing there though. Madonna seems to be depressed, drinking on her own and smoking a lot, at least she's covered herself up for this video, and looks quite classy. I think Walken is her guardian angel, or her stalker. It's not clear. Oh, her lover has just killed her, and now she's floating off with Walken. Right. This one has a plot! And it looks just gorgeous, like a mini movie. The song's good, but not as memorable as Erotica or Deeper and Deeper. #10
 
33. Fever* (1993) As far as I know, this is Madonna's first cover version released as a single. I love the song Fever, whoever's singing it. This is a very colourful video, featuring a red-haired Madonna, along with some naked men and screen-saver-style backgrounds. I particularly like silver Madonna with her forward flowing hair. #6

34. Rain (1993) Fifth single and counting from Erotica, another not-so memorable one. In contrast to the red/orange themed Fever, this one is all about the blue, while Madonna is looking sultry with short cropped hair and a long blue dress. The setting seems to be the Japanese studio where the video is being made. There are recurring uses of water, since this is Rain after all, culminating in Madonna being rained on while she stands over a sea of umbrellas. #7

35. Bye Bye Baby* (1993) This single wasn't released in the UK or USA, but it was in Australia and a few others countries, so there's a video. It's a live version of the song taken from The Girlie Show, featuring Madonna in top hat and tails, dancing with chairs and young ladies in corsets. It's the most interesting live performance-as-music video yet seen from Ms Ciccone.

36. I'll Remember (1994) After the sex-soaked Erotica album, Madonna changed direction with this ballad from the soundtrack to With Honors, it's only to be found on a Madonna album on the Something to Remember collection. She's looking sophisticated in a black dress to match her hair, as we see her in the recording booth, watching clips from the movie as they're projected in the screening room. This is a more imaginative and subtle way of working such clips in to the video than previously seen. I've never seen/heard of With Honors. It looks good though. Madonna's looking great here too. An understated song with a video to match. #7

37. Secret (1994) The first single from Bedtime Stories, it's a more low-key affair than Erotica. Again with the artsy-fartsy black and white, and featuring a predominantly black cast, I think set in Harlem. Madonna is either sat singing Secret with a band in a jazz club, or wandering down the street into the arms of her lover. Not an exciting video. #5

38. Take a Bow (1994) Spanish bullfighting is our theme here, and as the matador prepares, Madonna dresses up too, before caressing the TV as she watches the bullfight. Oh, now she's gone a bit 'Eva Peron' and with black veil in place, takes her seat in the bullring. Meanwhile, TV-watching Madonna is writhing around in ecstasy(?) on her bed. Ah I see, Madonna's been having it off with the matador, but it's all gone wrong for some reason. Anyway, I like the song. #16

39. Bedtime Story (1995) Subject: Ciccone, M. reads the opening shot, as we find Madonna in a futuristic, blue world where she's being created? But then it goes orange and she's singing in front of a massive sunflower. Now she's naked and submerged in water. It all gets very bizarre. Doves are released from her dress, men are dancing in funny big hats, there may be Buddhists around too. It's a great song, and quite obviously co-written by Bjork, I forget which one this is as it doesn't mention Bedtime Story in the chorus. In one of the weirdest bits, one of Madonna's eyes has become a mouth. Odd. #4

40. Human Nature (1995) 'Express yourself, don't repress yourself' - my favourite Bedtime Stories song and the final single from the album. Madonna is in skin-tight PVC, with corn rows in her hair, in a video where everyone wears black against a white background. The look is symmetical and nicely choreographed. A bit erotic and S&M in places, but less so than Erotica. I like the costumes in this, and Madonna's black lipstick. #8

41. I Want You (1995) Curiously, this collaboration with Massive Attack on a Marvin Gaye cover wasn't actually released as a single, but a promo video was shot and included on the Celebration DVD (when many actual releases were not included!). The song was to be the first single from Something to Remember, but You'll See took that honour instead. I honestly don't remember hearing this track before (I really must give Something to Remember another listen). The song is quite slow and the video features Madonna in her bedroom doing little of interest. She still has the nose stud she seemed to acquire around the Bedtime Stories era, thankfully it didn't last much longer, as it does little for her. Not released

42. You'll See (1995) We return to the matador of Take a Bow. Madonna sings with a lush orange background of leaves, before she's on a train that runs past the matador. This is an altogether more melancholy affair than Take a Bow, Madonna is more sad and the matador is angry. I like the colours in this one, mostly oranges, to match our heroine's hair. The affair with Mr Matador is over, leaving him on the shore, watching Madonna's plane fly overhead. #5

43. One More Chance* (1996) No official video for this one, apparently MTV made a video combining those of Rain, You'll See, I Want You and Take a Bow. #11

44. Love Don't Live Here Anymore* (1996) The original release, in Japan only, was in 1986 from the Like a Virgin album. The remixed version was released in the US, Australia and Europe, but not in the UK, in 1996 and was taken from the Something to Remember ballads compilation. I don't remember ever hearing the 1996 remix before, despite owning both versions! It's very slow, with a one-take video, that slowly zooms in on Madonna in the middle of an empty room as she sings in front of and then while caressing a massive pillar. Freudian? A good, simple video. It's a shame this version of the song is so bland and forgettable. Not released in UK

No comments:

Post a Comment