Jump to content

Let Down Your Guard


EgoRod
 Share

Recommended Posts

I always love this track.

What else we know apart that it was never released except from the rough edit in the Secret single?

Was it planned to be part of the album? I never heard anything anywhere else about it.

With other B-sides we kinda have some more back story like Updown suite.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We only have info on her collab with Dallas Austin, which could possibly explain why it was only released as the "rough mix edit."

The legendary fan thebeatswithin, who has interviewed numerous Madonna collaborators over the years, did an article for The Record Collector in 2008 documenting Madonna rarities that have been officially released over the years. This is the entry for Freedom:

Quote

Freedom was a song that Madonna had written and produced with Dallas Austin during the recording of 1994’s Bedtime Stories. Secret was the only Austin-produced song that made the album, with his other co-writes being remixed by Daniel Abraham, or re-recorded with Nellee Hooper. “Dallas wanted one sound, but Madonna wanted another sound,” recalls studio engineer Alvin Speights. “Dallas wanted to make it sound more like a demo.”

 

The only song that was ever confirmed to be potentially included on the final tracklisting was Your Honesty. From the same Record Collector article:

Quote

 

Your Honesty was one of a handful of songs written and produced by Madonna and Dallas Austin that didn’t make the final cut of Bedtime Stories. “She said it was too hip-hop” recalls Kevin Parker, assistant engineer on the song. Daniel Abraham was called in at the last minute to remix the song. “The label wasn’t happy and they held up production of the CD to see if the remixes would allow them to use the tracks.”

Abraham remixed Your Honesty and Don’t Stop, which were both set to be cut from the album, but only Don’t Stop passed the Abraham remix test and made the track listing of Bedtime Stories.

 

 

So it's possible Let Down Your Guard was a song that was never finished with Dallas, but one that Madonna (or the label) enjoyed enough to consider as a B-side.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's a cool song. :)

I've never read any stories about it either, apart from this one:

Let Down Your Guard (written and produced by Madonna & Dallas Austin) is particularly peculiar due to its labeling as a “Rough Mix Edit.” This disclaimer-like appendage seemingly suggests that either Madonna or her record label deemed it necessary to explicitly caution listeners that the song was not indicative of the more polished production work that would be featured on the Bedtime Stories album proper. Indeed, the idiosyncratic nuances of Austin’s production (with its tip-of-the-hat to early Prince material) is largely what makes Let Down Your Guard such an unguarded and enjoyable obscurity – rendering its disclaimer redundant.

https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/let-down-your-guard/

Makes sense...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 minute ago, rlittler81 said:

One of her better B-Sides.

She has pretty weak B Sides I must say. I so enjoy this one though! I can’t wait until she releases them on Spotify. It’s been too long. 
Like how did Ring My Bell make the album but songs like Animal, Latte, or Across the Sky. 
Also the Bside version of History is some watered down version of the masterpiece that is the leaked one. Like does she purposely make her bsides bad? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 minutes ago, deathproof said:

We only have info on her collab with Dallas Austin, which could possibly explain why it was only released as the "rough mix edit."

The legendary fan thebeatswithin, who has interviewed numerous Madonna collaborators over the years, did an article for The Record Collector in 2008 documenting Madonna rarities that have been officially released over the years. This is the entry for Freedom:

 

The only song that was ever confirmed to be potentially included on the final tracklisting was Your Honesty. From the same Record Collector article:

 

So it's possible Let Down Your Guard was a song that was never finished with Dallas, but one that Madonna (or the label) enjoyed enough to consider as a B-side.

Yes to “Don’t Stop” but no to “Your Honesty”....

OH GOD WHAT THE FUCK 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Prayer said:

It's a cool song. :)

I've never read any stories about it either, apart from this one:

Let Down Your Guard (written and produced by Madonna & Dallas Austin) is particularly peculiar due to its labeling as a “Rough Mix Edit.” This disclaimer-like appendage seemingly suggests that either Madonna or her record label deemed it necessary to explicitly caution listeners that the song was not indicative of the more polished production work that would be featured on the Bedtime Stories album proper. Indeed, the idiosyncratic nuances of Austin’s production (with its tip-of-the-hat to early Prince material) is largely what makes Let Down Your Guard such an unguarded and enjoyable obscurity – rendering its disclaimer redundant.

https://todayinmadonnahistory.com/tag/let-down-your-guard/

Makes sense...

Yeah thats' info I kinda knew, thanks for the info @deathproofthat's interesting. We did have Your Honesty after all

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Angelo said:

Yes to “Don’t Stop” but no to “Your Honesty”....

OH GOD WHAT THE FUCK 

Get up on the dance floor, everything is groovin'
Get up on the dance floor, got to see you movin'
Let the music shake you, let the rhythm take you
Feel it in your body, sing la dee da dee

Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'
Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'

Come on join the party, let the bass line pump you
Bring your body over, baby let me bump you
I know I can groove you, you know I can move you
Feel it in your body, sing la dee da dee

Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'
Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'

Keep on doin' what you're doin' baby
Keep on, don't stop groovin'
Keep on doin' what you're doin' baby
Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'

Get up on the dance floor, everything is groovin'
Get up on the dance floor, got to see you movin'
Let the music shake you, let the rhythm take you
Feel it in your body, sing la dee da dee

Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'
Don't stop doin' what you're doin' baby
Don't stop, keep movin', keep groovin'

Keep on doin' what you're doin' baby
Keep on, don't stop groovin'
Keep on doin' what you're doin' baby
Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'

Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'
Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'
Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'
Keep on, keep movin', keep groovin'

:angel: I like your hosnety, Angelo

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Don't Stop is a cute little song on that album. I don't get the hate but it tickles me ?

It would have easily translated to dance/house remixes at the time. Would have made a good club/ promo single. But I do like "Your Honesty" better. 

Its so interesting how final album tracks are considered the "original" but what we get may have been remixed and reproduced several times. I know she hated it but if we could retroactively get demo leaks for all her older albums, I'd die.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Write here...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use