DL Favorite Madonna at one of her most memorable moments!

This song has aged horribly. Most of Mirwais's music ends up sounding cheesy eventually. I know some say Ray of Light is totally dated but it still holds up to me. The songs on Music that have aged the best are the acoustic ones like Gone, I Deserve It, etc.

I remember buying the cassette single and eventually the album. It was a big hit and it still sounds good!

The high-pitched synthesizer in the song is so fucking annoying and the lack of a bassline makes the whole thing just sound like a bunch of noise. Definitely did not age well.

R1 I am pleased to hear someone else say that, only because on all the music forums I've been on, Mirwais is held in very high regard. Which of course is valid as music taste is so subjective, but I've never understood it myself and wondered if it was just me. All those annoying buzzing noises and a very dry sounding production, in my opinion. I remember vividly the day I first heard the song "Music" on the bus on the way home from school and thinking "what is this terrible song?" and feeling kinda disappointed as everything around Ray of Light had been so excellent, and then there was "Beautiful Stranger" which was a great little track from Austin Powers. And then that night when my dad got home I can remember him saying to me: "I heard that new Madonna song today. God, isn't it awful?"

And then everyone else raved about it, haha! The only song I really like at all on the album is "Don't Tell Me", just because I kinda like the skipping guitar bit. I dunno, it's just like Madonna had really matured and developed with Ray of Light, and now she was back to lyrics like: "I like to singy-singy-singy / like a bird on a wingy-wingy-wingy".

Madonna has an unmatched catalogue by any artists. One of my fav has to be this

It was the first time most of us saw Sasha Baron Cohen, in his Ali G personna.

"Music" is a fun and iconic music video. She got Sacha Baron Cohen before his Ali G crested with Da Ali G Show and did Borat; and she was still giving off a little lesbo energy. And Debi Mazar was still in her videos! As for the song, it's not one of my favourites off the album, but if you get me drunk at a wedding, I'll certainly dance to it.

My Ranking:

1. Don't Tell Me (Top Tier Madonna)

2. Amazing

3. I Deserve It

4. Nobody's Perfect

5. Impressive Instant (singy/singy/singy etc almost ruins it)

6. Music

7. Runaway Lover

8. What It Feels Like for a Girl

9. Gone

10. Paradise

R4, exactly. It sounds very cheap and sometimes that works (on the acoustic tracks only though). I found most of the album boring and disappointing.

This is much better as dance music

And this

R7, you've inspired me Mr Cinesnatch, I don't like the album much at all, but now I'm thinking how I would rank it if I had to... I definitely agree with you on "Don't Tell Me". Very, very respectfully though, I will say "Nobody's Perfect" is one of the worst songs I've ever heard. But I hated that effect when Cher did it in "Believe", so turning it up to 10 was never going to be my thing ;-). Hmm, it's kinda difficult. Our version here in Australia also included "American Pie" (blergh) and "Cyberraga". Was that just us, or did others have those as well?

I never thought of the video of being iconic before, but I think you are right! The only thing I don't like is the animation, which I think is kinda ugly (apologies to the animator). But it is always cool seeing Debi Mazar (I assume Donna couldn't do it and she took her place, but perhaps I'm wrong). And it was my first introduction to Ali G as well.

I remember a lot of musicians praising the album at the time for being almost revolutionary in its mixture of acoustic and electric instruments, but lesser known acts were doing it already before then, so I don't think I felt as impressed. I mean, I was a little Tori Amos gayling, I was all over "Blue Skies" with BT already ;-).

She worked with Mirwais for some songs on Madame Flop and we know how that turned out...

R11, interesting you bring up Tori. I have been listening to Venus and Back for the past few days--especially 1000 Oceans--and it sounds very good, the mix of electronica and Tori's...Toriness. It's a natural progression from Choirgirl Hotel.

R13, excellent! I have to get that album out again and listen to it, it's been ages. I agree, a very natural progression from Choirgirl. One of those albums that takes me back to a particular time in my life. Also really enjoy how back then she was using really good samples on her keyboard too - later samples started to sound a bit too "casio keyboard" to me... probably something with the word "crystal" in it, haha. Glad you're enjoying it again!

Hi R11,

I'm honestly not married to any of the songs but "Don't Tell Me." I'm mostly nostalgic for the sound of the rest. "Amazing" and "I Deserve It" are solid. I'm a little entranced by the auto-tune of "Nobody's Perfect," but I can take it or leave it. I live in Australia now, but I got the album when I was in the U.S. (the CD) and it only had the main ten seconds, not those two extras. I did hear "American Pie" Madonna version and I didn't like it.

But back to "Don't Tell Me": a real banger. And it even comes with a line dance haha!

Absolutely! I was thinking if I had to rank the album it would be that at number one with a long drop between it and number 2, personally. Speaking of that song, I remember my straight guy friends being very enthusiastic with how much they wanted to bang the Madonna of the "Don't Tell Me" video too. And not just them either, that song "Do It With Madonna" by the Australian band The Androids literally has the line: "Have you seen that film clip where she's wearing the cowboy hat and kicking the dirt?"

I was a bit late to the album as a whole, probably around 2003-04 before I got a copy of it. Funny you mention nostalgia, because the middle of the album, say "Runaway Lover" to "Don't Tell Me" always makes me think specifically of driving around the base of the mountain when I lived in Hobart. It's such an ultra specific yet unimportant memory, haha.

....

R16, Thank you, that video was very cute. I watched the whole thing.

Music is very specific for me as well: driving up from San Diego to Los Angeles to see her in concert for the first time September 2001.

Also, I went to Tasmania and got down to Hobart right before covid-19 took full effect. I love it there! Bushwalking up to Mt. Wellington and back one afternoon was my favourite part. I also explored the whole city. Gorgeous. It has been my favourite trip so far out of every place I've gone (been to five states/territories thus far).

That's wonderful! :-). Tasmania is a beautiful place. I'm so glad you enjoyed your time there. Bushwalking up Mount Wellington is so much fun, the fantastic air is something I miss. I also recommend bushwalking deep into Wellington Park. You're 15 minutes from the city and feel like you're in the middle of nowhere, in an ancient landscape. You must go back sometime and go exploring some of the wilderness in the west too. I've come to realise this year that big city life is losing some of its thrill, and with everything happening I'm pretty sure once the borders are open again I'll start organising to move back home. A new chapter which I'm excited about.

Going to see The Drowned World Tour must've been so fun. That date is very poignant at the same time. I only got to see her first time at her final Rebel Heart concert here in Sydney. It was really great and she pulled out a lot of old hits thankfully, as I'm not as familiar with her stuff post Confessions.

I can see myself living in a town like Hobart. I plan on making a trip or two back for sure. I'd like to explore Wellington Park more, preferably when it's hotter!

I'm in Sydney as well (Potts Point). If you can believe it, I've bushwalked just about everywhere one can near train lines. I'm running out of new material haha.

I didn't go to Rebel Heart. The tickets were too expensive. I saw her once, and that was enough (would have loved to have seen Blonde Ambition). I think her next tour should be a Greatest Hits gig tbh. I might show up for that (if she shows up haha).

Great area you live in! I'm in Darlington, which is a pretty cool place to be. Close to everything, really.

Hahaha yes, folk were pretty annoyed last time with her late appearances. She was only half an hour late for us, but she stayed about three hours, kept singing the oldies a cappella, haha. They had to make the trains stay late and we all had to run through Olympic Park to catch them. I honestly never would've been able to afford it myself, but luckily I managed to get a free ticket. ;-).

Greatest Hits tour would be a brilliant next move if she would do it.

She’s an awful person