Category Archives: Madonna

16
September
2010
Tags: Boston, Brandeis, General, Madonna, Music
No comments

The Madonna Timeline: Song #2 ~ ‘Bye Bye Baby’

{Note: The Madonna Timeline is an ongoing feature, where I put the iPod on shuffle, and write a little anecdote on whatever was going on in my life when that Madonna song was released.}

And the iPod shuffles along to ‘Bye Bye Baby’, from 1992’s ‘Erotica’ album. I don’t think this got a proper US release, but I believe it was released overseas in the latter half of 1993, while Madonna was on her “Girlie Show” Tour, and that’s the period of time that comes to mind. She did perform it on the MTV Awards, opening the show with one of her less-than-enthusiastically-received moments at a time when her career was sagging thanks to the ‘Sex’ backlash. 

I was entrenched in my first semester at Brandeis University, so I missed the whole show. While all my hometown friends had returned to Amsterdam for homecoming or other nonsense, I stayed away until Thanksgiving. It was just something I had to do – I was not ready to go back. My girlfriend and I had tried to stay together when we left for school, but the long-distance (and gay) factors didn’t really give us a fighting chance, so emotionally things were messy and rather difficult.

Of course, I was the bad guy in the whole scenario, a not wholly unfair categorization, and so I was left feeling attacked and ostracized – which is not unfamiliar territory for me. But in late Fall, when the leaves were down and the wind was cold, it was even more lonely, and rather than throw myself into the Brandeis social scene (cue laughter), I withdrew into myself. 

Still, this silly trifling of a song about self-empowerment was a welcome distraction, even if the tiresome vocal distortion was just this side of annoying. The remixes were a riot – with an added-on ‘Star Spangled Banner’ ending to one of them. All in all, an insane song for an insane point in my life.

I don’t want to keep the bright flame of your ego glowing, so I’ll just stop blowing in the wind – to love you is a sin. Adios!
Song #2: Bye Bye Baby – Late Fall, 1993

Continue reading ...
12
September
2010
Tags: General, Madonna, Music
3 comments

The Madonna Timeline: Song #1 ~ ‘Who’s That Girl’

This is a sad confession of fanatical devotion to a woman I’ve never even met: I tend to remember events in my life based on what Madonna was doing – specifically if I’m trying to recall the date of something. For example, if you ask me what I was doing in October of 1992, it brings me thrillingly, chillingly, and achingly back to that fall when Madonna was releasing ‘Sex’ and ‘Erotica’, and my combustible final year of high school.

With that in mind, this is the first part in a long series of Madonna memories and moments, whereby I put the iPod on shuffle and whichever Madonna song comes up is the one I’ll write a brief memory on what was going on when it was released and/or came to prominence (memories evoked by songs don’t always have a definitive singular date, so I’m keeping it loose).

Here we go, let’s shuffle the iPod deck and get right to it…

First up – ‘Who’s That Girl’ – (yes, I have that on my iPod – and to all the naysayers it went to Number one in 1987). Let’s see, the summer of 1987 – I can just barely remember this song playing as my cousins, my brother and I were crammed into the backseat of our station wagon, en route to a family wedding or some summer vacation. The hot wind blew through the windows, and we were traveling with our parents. They sat in the front, but they might as well have been worlds away, so concerned were we with the fact that we were hanging out with our cousins. This song came on the radio and I lost track of the kid stuff and listened.

The ‘Who’s That Girl’ music video flashed across my mind, the image of Madonna running down the streets of New York with a cougar hot on her tail etched wondrously in memory, and always invoking a longing for some sort of madcap adventure of my own. That summer it was just us kids being kids, getting into minor trouble at weddings and loving every minute of it.

When you see her, say a prayer and kiss your heart good-bye…
Song #1: “Who’s That Girl” – Summer 1987

Continue reading ...
26
June
2010
Tags: General, Madonna, Music
No comments

Summer Memories: Has to Be Madonna

The official start of summer is upon us, and though it’s been many years since I had summers off, I still get a thrill when the season arrives. There are many summer memories I could share, but most fall flat in the retelling because they don’t so much encapsulate an extraordinary event or interesting happening as much as they evoke the feelings I had at the time.

I remember the summer of 1998 quite distinctly, though I wasn’t working full-time. Staying with my parents was the easy way out of a hot city summer in Boston. I think it was during the last few weeks of my retail stint at Structure, and I was in and out of the Malls constantly. The sterile white-washed brightness of Crossgates, so cool despite its roof of windows, offered respite from the heat, and though I spent many moments walking in its endless hallway with countless other shoppers, I often felt alone and isolated.

Madonna’s ‘Ray of Light’ single had just dropped and I picked up the CD-maxi with the B-side ‘Has to Be’. It was from her ‘Ray of Light’ sessions, ambient and moody, and perfect for the purgatorial summer doldrums that were about to set in.

Outside, the car was an oven. I opened the windows and cranked the AC before stepping back out into the sunshine. A wave of heat escaped, rising above the steaming roof. Tearing off the plastic wrapper, I pulled the CD out and examined the artwork. A bright multi-pointed star spun around its axis, the same minimalist fare on an aqua background that signaled the ‘Ray of Light’ release.

In the CD player, Madonna’s voice intoned, “Breathe in, breathe out… I say a little prayer.” A dirge-like plaintive delivery with the cool, watery, electronic vibe provided by William Orbit, the song was rightfully a B-side, but like most of her throwaway work, there were a few glimmers of brilliance.

I know there’s someone out there
Waiting for me,
There must be someone out there
There just has to be… 

I should be glad that I’m alive,
It could have been much worse.
I might have never loved at all,
And never known what I am worth

In the heat of the afternoon, summer left me feeling haunted, and restless. I went back to Boston, walking the steamy streets at night and waiting for love to reveal itself.

 

Continue reading ...
12
January
2010
Tags: Madonna
No comments

Last Night I Dreamt of Madonna

It’s no secret that I love Madonna, and have for about 25 years. She had me at “You’ve got style, That’s what all the girls say.” Yet within that quarter century of obsession, fanaticism, admiration, and occasional ambivalence, I’ve only dreamt of her three times.

The first was around the release of Truth or Dare – or a little afterward, in 1991. In the dream she was wearing the Dolce & Gabbana bejeweled body-stocking/corset number that she wore to the New York premiere for the movie, and she had brunette hair and smoky eyes. I forget what I said to her, but she seemed friendly and responsive to it, so it was a good dream.

The second one I can’t quite remember, but I believe it came around the time of her Reinvention Tour. I think she invited me and Andy to hang out after a show or something.

This third one was last night, and it was much more detailed and memorable. I was hanging out with Matthew Rettenmund (of Boy Culture and The Encyclopedia Madonnica fame) and we were at his house. This was both strange and fitting: strange in that I’ve never met Matt in person, fitting in that he’s the Madonna expert and go-to guy, as well as a kindred fan and admirer.

Anyway, in the dream Madonna comes into the room we’re in, and just plops herself down in a chair. Her hair is again a deep brunette, and piled in a loosely-curled mop on her head. She mentions that she has a new watch but nowhere to put it, so Matt comes out with a watch holder like they have in jewelry stores. For some reason she signs it, ‘Matt gave me this!’ with a pen, and he is giddy.

At that moment, I take out a tissue and blow my nose. “Did you just stick your fingers in your nose?” she asks.

“I used a tissue! Iâ’m not a heathen!” I reply indignantly. She is amused and laughs a little. Sensing my chance, I ask her the only question I can think of at the moment (and I know it’s lame, but itâ’s all I really want to know about right then): “So what’s the new record going to sound like?”

“I don’t know,” she says.

“Liar!” I say with a smile. She gives a little laugh.

“Seriously, I have no idea.”

And then, abruptly and too soon, the dream is over.

Continue reading ...