BEDTIME STORIES: Her Most Underrated Album!

[RUADJAI 14,942]

On 1/4/2020 at 8:35 PM, MarXus said:

Well, Love Won't Wait was one of those songs that she did with Shep.  

 

Thank god she scrapped that. It sounds like "I Love the Nightlife" too much. 

[me1981 1,358]

On 1/5/2020 at 4:46 PM, MarXus said:

Madonna interviewed Dennis Rodman and did a photo spread with him for Vibe Magazine.  Here are a couple of the covers. If you look closely at the Yellow cover you can see the Magazine is dated June/July 1994.  Most magazines back then shot a couple months ahead of the issue, so this probably in April '94 or early May.

One last thing, this cover never made it to the US issue, maybe this is an international issue. Quincy Jones nixed it as he didn't want a white celeb on the cover so soon into the magazines debut. Judging by the currency symbol, I'd say this was the UK version or potentially mock ups of the cover as it was supposed to be. 

[MarXus 92]

13 minutes ago, me1981 said:

One last thing, this cover never made it to the US issue, maybe this is an international issue. Quincy Jones nixed it as he didn't want a white celeb on the cover so soon into the magazines debut. Judging by the currency symbol, I'd say this was the UK version or potentially mock ups of the cover as it was supposed to be. 

Feel free to keep adding!  You're very informative.  I speak for many Madonna fans that we appreciate that.  I had no idea about that regarding the magazine, which explains why I never got a copy as I probably would have as I was still collecting any magazine cover she was on. 

[MarXus 92]

The Making of Human Nature.  In the video, she actually had blonde hair with some roots, but had put patent leather braided cornrows in!

 

[Guest Ashley]

1 hour ago, MarXus said:

The Making of Human Nature.  In the video, she actually had blonde hair with some roots, but had put temp color in with the braids!

 

They're patent leather cornrows. She talked about this on an Oprah interview in the 90s. She had natural growth and they decided to braid the leather through the hair to hide the blond tips. 

 

[drivebitch 1,860]

The album is a masterpiece! She had so many great looks that era, too!

[MarXus 92]

11 minutes ago, Ashley said:

There patent leather cornrows. She talked about this on an Oprah interview in the 90s. She had natural growth and they decided to braid the leather through the hair to hide the blond tips. 

 

Oh yes, I knew there was something unique about it.  I had forgotten. But I recall her talking about it, in the Oprah interview.

[dylanlioncourt 5,780]

The fact many thought she was dark haired in Human Nature. Her dedication and being blonde. 

[into the erotico 972]

it is underrated indeed. Throught the years, i have spoke with many pop affectionados that do not even remember this album apart from the singles as you have already said. On the other hand , even Madonna fans do not like it apart from its fantastic iconography. It is one of my favourites because it gives me a soothing sentiment. My brother hates madonna but this album is his favourite from what he has heard from me! he even gave me as a present two of its singles. 

[IamZod 596]

50 minutes ago, into the erotico said:

it is underrated indeed. Throught the years, i have spoke with many pop affectionados that do not even remember this album apart from the singles as you have already said. On the other hand , even Madonna fans do not like it apart from its fantastic iconography. It is one of my favourites because it gives me a soothing sentiment. My brother hates madonna but this album is hiw favourite from what he has heard from me! he even gave as a present two of its singles. 

I'm one of those in the "I like the cover art and about three songs" camp. Personally I think it's her worst album. Survival and Take A Bow are the only two songs I really love. I remember when I first played it and being excited by Survival and having high expectations, which dropped lower with each successive track.

I like Human Nature, but less over time. The title track is OK. The video was better than the song, which was wafer thin (but I'm not a Bjork fan either so perhaps I just don't 'get it'). Never cared for Secret. So really, the first and last tracks are my go-to.

I have tried to like it more, but it just isn't happening. It's not an awful album, I just don't find most of it very memorable.

[Guest Ashley]

9 minutes ago, IamZod said:

I'm one of those in the "I like the cover art and about three songs" camp. Personally I think it's her worst album. Survival and Take A Bow are the only two songs I really love. I remember when I first played it and being excited by Survival and having high expectations, which dropped lower with each successive track.

I like Human Nature, but less over time. The title track is OK. The video was better than the song, which was wafer thin (but I'm not a Bjork fan either so perhaps I just don't 'get it'). Never cared for Secret. So really, the first and last tracks are my go-to.

I have tried to like it more, but it just isn't happening. It's not an awful album, I just don't find most of it very memorable.

For me, it's a late night/early morning listening album. I actually wish someone would remix the tracks to make it a bit more downtempo. 

Yet I can see where you're coming from, you have to remember it was her first divergence into R&B style music and Bedtime Story as a track itself probably can be said to be her first foray into electronica. 

 

[IamZod 596]

I don't think there was any question that she needed to move on sound-wise. Whichever single she released first was going to be a big hit, and she got it with Secret, which was catchy but not an exceptional song. Take A Bow - a really traditional ballad, of course was a huge U.S. hit (less so most other countries who seemed ballad-ed out) and then the last two singles performance was more reflective of the quality of the material, i.e. non top 40 songs (USA again, in the UK they were top 10 but dropped off fast). 

It was certainly better than going Brit-pop/indie (which Kylie did around the same time to commercial disaster even though the album was quite good for the most part). I think the mid-90s was a tough time for established artists who were trying to find the next thing. 

I think of Bedtime Stories as her first "Bloody hell, I need to really connect with the next one" moment. I'd say Confessions was the result of her second.

[Guest Nobody Knows Me]

3 minutes ago, IamZod said:

I think of Bedtime Stories as her first "Bloody hell, I need to really connect with the next one" moment. I'd say Confessions was the result of her second.

I wonder if a third is incoming after ”Madame X”...

[IamZod 596]

5 minutes ago, Nobody Knows Me said:

I wonder if a third is incoming after ”Madame X”...

Quite possibly! Although I do love Madame X, it hasn't done the numbers I would imagine people expected. I suppose it depends on how important the numbers are to her these days. I reckon she really loved making the album more than a lot of others, and perhaps making music for music sake is something she's happier with these days. I guess we'll find out in three years!

[Guest Nobody Knows Me]

Just now, IamZod said:

Quite possibly! Although I do love Madame X, it hasn't done the numbers I would imagine people expected. I suppose it depends on how important the numbers are to her these days. I reckon she really loved making the album more than a lot of others, and perhaps making music for music sake is something she's happier with these days. I guess we'll find out in three years!

There are so many different ways she could go I suppose. I recall her saying in that Billboard interview that she would like to have more hits, so perhaps she may recruit Mirwais again or maybe even Stuart Price (since she’s already reunited with William Orbit and Mirwais) or someone completely new for a more commercial sounding album, or she may go even more bizarre sonically. Either way, I’m very interested to see what will happen over the next few years. 

[MarXus 92]

7 hours ago, Nobody Knows Me said:

There are so many different ways she could go I suppose. I recall her saying in that Billboard interview that she would like to have more hits, so perhaps she may recruit Mirwais again or maybe even Stuart Price (since she’s already reunited with William Orbit and Mirwais) or someone completely new for a more commercial sounding album, or she may go even more bizarre sonically. Either way, I’m very interested to see what will happen over the next few years. 

I really believe her scoring top 40 hits are over.  Possibly, if she partners up with some "it" artist of the moment she could, but on her own, there is no way.  All the avenues that make artists huge hits today do not support Madonna anymore.  Streaming seems to be the huge component these days and she still struggles to get those numbers to score a hit.  It's going to have to take her teaming up with a producer but most likely another artist who is in a current string of scoring hits.  I suspect the next time we see her hit top 10, will be when she passes.  The way she's going, most of her older fans will be dead before her. 

[Guest Nobody Knows Me]

7 hours ago, MarXus said:

I really believe her scoring top 40 hits are over.  Possibly, if she partners up with some "it" artist of the moment she could, but on her own, there is no way.  All the avenues that make artists huge hits today do not support Madonna anymore.  Streaming seems to be the huge component these days and she still struggles to get those numbers to score a hit.  It's going to have to take her teaming up with a producer but most likely another artist who is in a current string of scoring hits.  I suspect the next time we see her hit top 10, will be when she passes.  The way she's going, most of her older fans will be dead before her. 

I think there’s a chance of her scoring another hit if she teams up with another artist who people would be really interested in her doing a duet with. For example, her collaborating with other “divas” such as Cher, Mariah Carey, Lady Gaga, Kylie Minogue would generate more media attention, and if the song were promoted decently and maybe with a big award show performance or something, there’s a chance it could chart well. But yes, I would be stunned if she managed to score a hit by herself again. 

[Guest Ashley]

17 hours ago, IamZod said:

 

It was certainly better than going Brit-pop/indie (which Kylie did around the same time to commercial disaster even though the album was quite good for the most part). I think the mid-90s was a tough time for established artists who were trying to find the next thing. 

Impossible Princess is a highly underrated classic. 

[Guest Nobody Knows Me]

17 hours ago, IamZod said:

It was certainly better than going Brit-pop/indie (which Kylie did around the same time to commercial disaster even though the album was quite good for the most part). 

Quite good? It’s a masterpiece.

[Guest Ashley]

10 hours ago, MarXus said:

I really believe her scoring top 40 hits are over.  Possibly, if she partners up with some "it" artist of the moment she could, but on her own, there is no way.  All the avenues that make artists huge hits today do not support Madonna anymore.  Streaming seems to be the huge component these days and she still struggles to get those numbers to score a hit.  It's going to have to take her teaming up with a producer but most likely another artist who is in a current string of scoring hits.  I suspect the next time we see her hit top 10, will be when she passes.  The way she's going, most of her older fans will be dead before her. 

Her hit parade days are long gone and her collaborating with popular younger artists is a novelty wearing thin. 

 

 

[IamZod 596]

Unless she's singing with the Ed Sheeran or Bruno Mars tier I doubt there will be any more top 40 Madonna hits but it would be nice to be proven wrong. Streaming has basically destroyed the chance of any heritage act ever having a "Believe" moment again I would think.

[Guest Ashley]

58 minutes ago, IamZod said:

Unless she's singing with the Ed Sheeran or Bruno Mars tier I doubt there will be any more top 40 Madonna hits but it would be nice to be proven wrong. Streaming has basically destroyed the chance of any heritage act ever having a "Believe" moment again I would think.

Sad to say, even to think like this. It's probably when she dies that she'll have have a resurgence of popularly for a week or so,  then it will wane. 

 

[Enrico 15,795]

Listening back to Secret live 2001, I think it would have made a great appearance in the MXT fado section!

[louis.exe 1,992]

5 hours ago, Ashley said:

Impossible Princess is a highly underrated classic. 

It's her magnum opus

[Guest Ashley]

3 minutes ago, louis.exe said:

It's her magnum opus

I've met so many people in Australia who aren't Kylie fans, yet love that album,.