Madonna, The #7 Artist of the Rock Era, Part Four

 

(Continued from Part Three)

Shep Pettibone, who would help on the album Erotica, wrote this song with Madonna.  "This Used To Be My Playground", from the movie, was a non-album single that went to #1 in the United States, Canada and Italy and also went Gold.  It was nominated for Best Original Song at the Golden Globe Awards.

Madonna founded Maverick, her own entertainment company, which included a record company, a film production company, music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing and merchandising.  The deal with Time Warner gave Madonna an advance of $60 million and 20% royalties from music sales.  The record label would eventually sign artists such as Alanis Morissette and Michelle Branch.

Madonna released the album Erotica, which represented a significant drop in quality.  Still, the album reached #2.  The title song topped the Italian chart and achieved #3 in both the U.S. and the U.K. and went Gold.

Madonna went on a world tour to promote the album.  She wrote this with Pettibone and Tony Shimkin.  "'Deeper And Deeper' was one of those songs she (Madonna) always had a problem with," Pettibone told Icon magazine in 1992.  "The middle of the song wasn't working.  We tried different bridges and changes, but nothing worked," he said.  "In the end, Madonna wanted the middle of the song to have a flamenco guitar strumming big-time," he continued.  "I didn't like the idea of taking a Philly house song and putting 'La Isla Bonita' in the middle of it.  But that's what she wanted, so that's what she got.  

"Deeper And Deeper" also shot up to #1 in Italy and peaked at #6 in the United Kingdom and #7 in the U.S. 

"Rain" was one of the first songs completed for the album.  Pettibone says that it (and other songs from the album) contained things that Madonna "wanted to say".

Madonna performed the third single from the album during an appearance on Saturday Night Live in January of 1993.  "Bad Girl" was a Top 10 hit in some countries.

Leonard returned to co-write this song along with Richard Page from the group Mr. Mister.  Madonna recorded "I'll Remember" for the movie With Honors.  It was a #1 smash in Canada and Italy and #2 in the United States and has sold over one million.  Madonna was nominated for a Grammy Award for Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or Television and earned a third nomination for Best Original Song at the Golden Globes.  

 

In 1994, Madonna released the album Bedtime Stories.  Following Erotica and a horrible interview on David Letterman's show in the early 1990's, the public and the media backlash against Madonna's overtly sexual image was at a peak, as Christopher Feldman detailed in the 2000 release, Billboard Book of Number 2 Singles.  Realizing she had lost many fans from her behavior, she tried to tone down her image.  Bedtime Stories peaked at #3 and included "Secret".

"Take A Bow", about a failed relationship Madonna had, possibly with Warren Beatty, became one of her biggest hits, going to #1 in the U.S. and Canada and earning an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video.

Bedtime Stories received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Album.  The title song, though it stalled at #42 overall, gave Madonna a second run of five consecutive #1 Dance hits.

 

The following year, Madonna released the album Something to Remember.  The lead single, "You'll See", jumped to #2 in Canada, #5 in the U.K. and #6 in the United States and has sold over one million copies. 

 

She starred in the movie Evita, which earned her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy.  "You Must Love Me" went Gold.

"Don't Cry For Me Argentina" reached the Top 5 in most European countries, including going to #1 in France and Spain and also sold over one million copies.

Madonna received a Billboard Music Award for Artist Achievement and she also was nominated for Favorite Soundtrack at the American Music Awards.  In October, she gave birth to daughter Lourdes, with Carlos Leon.

The Queen of the Dance Floor returns for Part Five!