The Brilliance of 'Rescue Me'

[EgoRod 3,903]

7 hours ago, androiduser said:

but it's more than just the "I believe in the power of love" lyrics... Madonna's vocals are quite atypical for Madonna, and quite similar to Lady Kier's vocals, with the growling and everything. The songs are similar on a few levels, not just the lyrics but also the house / gospel combination.

Not sure what you meant, that there was or wasn't enough time for Madonna to be inspired by Deee-Lite? Their album was released in August, just a few days after Madonna finished the last dates of the Blond Ambition tour. Not sure when Rescue Me was recorded, but most likely after the tour ended.

Not really, Madonna dipping into Gospel House  is nothing new (Like a Prayer) and it was pretty wide popular at the time. You can find similar style in artist like Adeva, Dajae, Kathy Brown ..I mean Gospel House is a category itself:

I'd been a huge fan of Deee lite since day one. They were influenced by NY dance scene, they were part of it. And were working with the sound and the most creative people at the time. Their music is filled with samples from funk, soul, disco. And Lady Miss Kier got the vocals from the old school house . Gospel House being linked to the gospel in church terminology too. That's what you have the terms like "House' My house (the house of lord) Preach, Believe, Save me etc.. There are lots of house themes that say I believe, I believe in the power etc

I don't think the ways the songs are sung are similar at all. Miss Kier goes in high pitch alternating the vocals for long creating a melody  The guitars had a 60s distortion, drums beats, funk meets disco.

Rescue me's  I believe is shorter and within Madonna's range what it made it more gospel (and similar on sound to Kiers vocals) is the back vocals that are black singers doing proper Gospel house. The idea of Rescue me, believe, power of love etc are all linked to the Gospel house terminology.

The music arrangement is totally different , being more house than funk and her  deeper voice during the 'reading part' is similar to that of house.

The Immaculate Collection came out in November  1990 and World Clique came out a couple of months before. Considering the technology at the time I think is a bit of a push to think she was taking notes to release a song from an album that it was only popular by one hit. Instead I think she was more influenced by the NY club scene and trying again like she did with Vogue. Adopting the sound of what's popular at that time. Vocal house music.

Power of Love was sampled a lot after the video released (with the single mix) but  mostly the Lady Miss Kier's chant

[Roland Barthes 4,659]

Fun fact though, i have a decade interviewed people from the downtown scene and someone (this french woman close to Maripol who died two years ago) told me that Kier was a total bitch (hence why Towa Tei left deee lite) and she stole a lot of her looks from Debi Mazar and there was a huge war between her and Mazar & her friends about it. 

Power of Love is a 1989 track though, it was an underground hit in the clubs in NYC but it was (not drastically) changed on the album version then remixed for the single version

The vocals and lyrics are very much Loleatta Holloway inspired

 

[EgoRod 3,903]

On 2/4/2023 at 8:10 AM, Roland Barthes said:

Fun fact though, i have a decade interviewed people from the downtown scene and someone (this french woman close to Maripol who died two years ago) told me that Kier was a total bitch (hence why Towa Tei left deee lite) and she stole a lot of her looks from Debi Mazar and there was a huge war between her and Mazar & her friends about it. 

Power of Love is a 1989 track though, it was an underground hit in the clubs in NYC but it was (not drastically) changed on the album version then remixed for the single version

The vocals and lyrics are very much Loleatta Holloway inspired

 

Yeah precisely Queen of house and gospel house. Also don't forget that they were part of the NY club scene and places like Sound Factory house of Junior Vasquez, who was involved in Rescue Me.

Deee lite were doing music since 1986 but Groove is in Heart came up the end of 1989 . They started getting attention when they released the album in 1990 and they had a revamp of than song and the album after that.

Lady Miss Kier had beef with Dmitry (they were dating for a while) and people working with them were uncomfortable with the drama.

Towa had an accident during a concert and took the opportunity to rest and leave. But he also said he wasn't paid right, supported by the manager that sued them.

I can see the rivalry between Mazar and Kier

 

[BlondAmbition 3,208]

I think it's an underrated song, I think, she'd made a video clip

[wtg1987 8,881]

As much as I love this song though - I can’t imagine what video treatment it would have got ? I don’t think she would have had time to make a video as she was heavily in post production for TOD and rehearsals for the Oscar’s - she would have looked gorgeous though I’m sure - maybe MJ could have been in it seeing as they were hanging out at the time 🥰😘

[BlondAmbition 3,208]

Maybe a video with MJ...

[like a light 55]

Rescue Me just had the typical treatment for compilations second singles. I don't know why, but second singles of any artist compilations use to  have no videos, no huge promotion, so no huge popularity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           We all should care less about numbers and insignificant rubbish and treat songs, albums artists as they fairly deserve.                                                                                                                                                                          

Rescue Me, Like A Prayer, Candy Shop, I Rise...  they are just the same in terms of quality and  "madonnism" .   Only different popularity conditions.

[Drownedboy 1,129]

Candy shop the same as LAP? C´mon

[like a light 55]

25 minutes ago, Drownedboy said:

Candy shop the same as LAP? C´mon

The same  musical quality. The same  intelligence. The same joy for a good listener. The same Madonna.

So much more sticky melody. So much more a pop lesson getting gold from a style that was giving very bad or mediocre things.

 

Less  mediatic popularity.  If people wants to just keep with that, it's their problem.

[chaosmen1984mk 532]

I love Rescue Me and its unconventional structure. However, I feel that 1990 was the best time to sing it live because at that time Madonna's voice had reached its maximum power. If Madonna decided to sing it on this 2023 tour, perhaps it would be better if she omitted the final part of the song since it is the most vocally demanding. Although on second thought it would be a good idea to bring back this group of unknown women who appeared in Batuka's video and who accompanied her on the Madame X tour to sing that final part of the song all together. I remember seeing a video where they appeared sitting down singing Rescue Me and I really liked the result. What a pity that in the end nothing that was seen in the previews made it to the final version of the tour.

[LoveSong 224]

On 2/6/2023 at 7:58 PM, like a light said:

Rescue Me just had the typical treatment for compilations second singles. I don't know why, but second singles of any artist compilations use to  have no videos, no huge promotion, so no huge popularity.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           We all should care less about numbers and insignificant rubbish and treat songs, albums artists as they fairly deserve.                                                                                                                                                                          

Rescue Me, Like A Prayer, Candy Shop, I Rise...  they are just the same in terms of quality and  "madonnism" .   Only different popularity conditions.

Ah that's so true - One More Chance and Revolver suffered the same fate didn't they? 

[poodle 248]

On 2/6/2023 at 12:57 PM, BlondAmbition said:

Maybe a video with MJ...

I'm all for it.

[poodle 248]

1 hour ago, LoveSong said:

Ah that's so true - One More Chance and Revolver suffered the same fate didn't they? 

One More Chance was as wonderful as Rescue Me. 

[Curator 2,169]

51 minutes ago, poodle said:

One More Chance was as wonderful as Rescue Me. 

[poodle 248]

50 minutes ago, Curator said:

Eh, I absolutely love them both.

My 23864#th edit. I LOVE Rescue Me and One More Chance. 

[like a light 55]

So you think Revolver isn't wonderful.

You wouldn't think so if you could see me singing that chorus with all my passion.

[Openyourheart 117]

Rescue Me has recently become one of my favourites. I think for a while I neglected it due to it not being on a proper studio album but the vocals and lyrics are career highs for her

[cake 284]

Madonna + Shep = House Heaven

[angelamanda623 320]

RM is a great song!  Maybe it will get a treatment for TCT.  Let's just cross our fingers.  

This could be absolutely killer on stage, and like most of you I will never understand why Madonna doesn't see the effects that it would have on her live audiences.