Singles... if Erotica never received damage control treatment

[Blue Jean 15,254]

1 hour ago, McDonna said:

Taylor Swift has the business sense of Madonna yet plays more toward the conservative safe side of things, even though she's becoming more outspoken politically on the liberal side of things.  Say what you will of Taylor, but she appeals to millions of people and while I agree she's "boring" compared to Madonna was at her age, Taylor is on the right side of things.  I think she knows her base very well and they teeter a bit on the conservative side of things when it comes to being entertained. I'm sure a lot of that is due to the fact that she has a cross over base from country music.  I think Taylor knows she can hardly play a "sex symbol", so she focuses on being more reserved as an entertainer.

She sucks 

 

[Anapausis 5,914]

2 hours ago, Blue Jean said:

She sucks 

 

Better saying, "she CALCULATEDLY SUCKS." She's the right definition of a McDonalds-esque entertainer, high marketing and profit but very bad output.

She's also the right definition of "being on the fence." Playing the Che Guevara or Betty Friedman card but acting much like Citizen Kane.

No wonder her fanbase feels even entitled to send her an "open letter" "demanding" her to do better choices on boyfriends or even to come out from a mythical closet. Her sheep-following is very much Trump's, Putin's, Erdoğan's etc.

[Renato Iodice 128]

I would have preferred a video for WHY'S IT SO HARD; FEVER was nice but somewhat not necessary.

[Anapausis 5,914]

5 minutes ago, Renato Iodice said:

I would have preferred a video for WHY'S IT SO HARD; FEVER was nice but somewhat not necessary.

Warner really paid dust to the TGS performance given they didn't even have anything to lose with M's reputation by the time tour ended (but, again, those were the 90's, not nowadays, so they went with I'll Remember instead, which led to BS album... Well good paint-numbering Warner!)

[GregVsMatt 3,701]

10 hours ago, Bad Boy said:

Do you know the purpose in commission the Waiting Remix? Made no sense to commission a remix just for b-side purpose. Must have been considered a single or done for live arrangement at one point. 

I haven't ever seen anything to suggest Waiting was to be considered a single and there's not a lot of info about it - likely just done as a B-side for Rain in the USA along with Up Down Suite to inspire sales of tbe maxi CD and 12" - something for the clubs and something for urban 

[Anapausis 5,914]

13 minutes ago, GregVsMatt said:

I haven't ever seen anything to suggest Waiting was to be considered a single and there's not a lot of info about it - likely just done as a B-side for Rain in the USA along with Up Down Suite to inspire sales of tbe maxi CD and 12" - something for the clubs and something for urban 

Personally I wouldn't see Waiting working as a single on its own, unless GP were very receptive to Erotica single/SEX/Body of Evidence. Which would be very unlikely to happen at such time. Naturally Warner was prepared for the overreactions hence the little changing here and there for Erotica singles original plans. They KNEW they had to count on a plan B and even a plan C.

I would go further to assume Warner was more than satisfied with such backlash after M pulling a Frank Sinatra and doing her own Reprise Records.

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

Erotica's "rapping" songs were already a bit of an overkill after Justify My Love, Rescue Me and Erotica. I don’t think songs like Waiting, Secret Garden, Where Life Begins were ever considered as singles.

[Donna 16,451]

4 minutes ago, MPowered said:

Erotica's "rapping" songs were already a bit of an overkill after Justify My Love, Rescue Me and Erotica. I don’t think songs like Waiting, Secret Garden, Where Life Begins were ever considered as singles.

I have to agree regarding those songs you listed that weren't considered as singles. The single choices "as is' seem to contrast one another and I think were very good choices. I don't believe any other songs on that album released as a single would have done any better than the ones chosen.  Though, I would have been curious to see how the general public would have accepted In This Life if it was released.

[Anapausis 5,914]

6 minutes ago, MPowered said:

Erotica's "rapping" songs were already a bit of an overkill after Justify My Love, Rescue Me and Erotica. I don’t think songs like Waiting, Secret Garden, Where Life Begins were ever considered as singles.

Although my taste about these rapping songs is frontally opposite to yours, I know you're completely right. They'd never work with the GP. Maybe Goodbye to Innocence if kept in its Library of Congress incarnation, but Warner would never have the guts to say ok to such a song.

[MaDöner Kebab 6,878]

1 minute ago, McDonna said:

I have to agree regarding those songs you listed that weren't considered as singles. The single choices "as is' seem to contrast one another and I think were very good choices. I don't believe any other songs on that album released as a single would have done any better than the ones chosen.  Though, I would have been curious to see how the general public would have accepted In This Life if it was released.

Considering most fans rank it at the bottom of that album, I don’t think the GP would have been any more accepting. It’s a dreary, overly long and highly depressing song. The GP didn’t embrace Bad Girl (which has the exact same drum track) and they also didn’t seem to like Oh Father. I think we can be sure that In This Life would have been the biggest flop.

[Donna 16,451]

1 minute ago, MPowered said:

Considering most fans rank it at the bottom of that album, I don’t think the GP would have been any more accepting. It’s a dreary, overly long and highly depressing song. The GP didn’t embrace Bad Girl (which has the exact same drum track) and they also didn’t seem to like Oh Father. I think we can be sure that In This Life would have been the biggest flop.

I do agree, but it's a great song nevertheless. 

[Anapausis 5,914]

15 minutes ago, Anapausis said:

Although my taste about these rapping songs is frontally opposite to yours, I know you're completely right. They'd never work with the GP. Maybe Goodbye to Innocence if kept in its Library of Congress incarnation, but Warner would never have the guts to say ok to such a song.

Btw @MPoweredto go off-topic for a while and to make profit on this particular issue I'm so sorry not sorry the very same applies to my beloved Borderline, hahaha! (Agree to you regarding Holiday btw, Everybody's a thousand times better indeed!!!)

[Bad Boy 53]

1 hour ago, GregVsMatt said:

I haven't ever seen anything to suggest Waiting was to be considered a single and there's not a lot of info about it - likely just done as a B-side for Rain in the USA along with Up Down Suite to inspire sales of tbe maxi CD and 12" - something for the clubs and something for urban 

Oh I see. I think that Waiting remix would have made a great interlude or live performance on The Girlie Show. 

[Anapausis 5,914]

52 minutes ago, Bad Boy said:

Oh I see. I think that Waiting remix would have made a great interlude or live performance on The Girlie Show. 

So many missed opportunities with this tour... which had it all to just beat BAT effortlessly... but guess she was more than tired by then... And by tired, I mean tired for everything...

[MDNA22 1,196]

I think Warners got the singles almost just right for Erotica - right selection and order of release

Great videos and truly great remixes

The only things that could have been done even better

1: Fever and Edit 1 remix video ready in time for the  UK release of the single. I think it would have done ever better in the charts

2: Maybe a few more live TV show performances outside the USA of Fever and Bad Girl 

3: 6th single should have been Why's It So Hard instead of Bye Bye Baby

[Markdonna 692]

Thief Of Hearts and Words are truly the two unheralded high points of the album.  Each would have been fabulous on tour and wayyyyyyyy more exciting than In This Life and Why’s It So Hard…

All of the selected singles were really solid tracks though.  Some didn’t chart high as they should have because… well, the masses  are just plain fucking dumb.  End of story.

I find both In This Life and Why’s It So Hard to have their heart in the place.  But they leave me so cold.   Just meh.  I am surprised so many here think they’d have been great and successful singles.  Uh, okay… I simply… don’t see it.

PS — Bye Bye Baby was classic bitchy Madonna.  The scathing lyrics remain amazing. I simply adore this song and all the remixes were simply epic.  It’s very tongue n cheek and could have fit in well on I’m Breathless.

[GhostOrchid 702]

19 hours ago, Bad Boy said:

Do you know the purpose in commission the Waiting Remix? Made no sense to commission a remix just for b-side purpose. Must have been considered a single or done for live arrangement at one point. 

Further proof for me in favor of Waiting remix being planned as a single was when earlier this year Warner released the Rain single on digital platforms, Madonna promoted it by heavily incorporating Waiting remix in her IG stories, not a single mention of Rain.

I think she's still pissed it was chosen over Waiting which was good and ready to go and then cancelled.

And it's not a duet with some nobody, Everlast's band was the talk of the country at that time. Imagine going up to an artist and saying- hey, do you wanna duet for a b-side? That guy was promised a feature on a Madonna single

[GhostOrchid 702]

17 hours ago, LongIslandTea said:

Since there's already a backlash, why not go all the way to get the most $$$$?

I'm sure Erotica single would have been certified multi-platinum single if the video single was released back then.

Maybe because Erotica video wasn't banned as they expected. MTV only reduced it to late night plays.

[Andreo 5,323]

The fact nobody ever says Thief of Hearts should have been a single makes me mad idc

[Adriabs 261]

WORDS got paid dust back then and keeps getting paid dust today, it's a monumental song. To this day I'm still fascinated by this album, such a bold move from her after the peak of her career, it's admirable. Also, Deeper and Rain are some of her best songs ever, it's such a flawless album and an unforgettable moment in history.

[Anapausis 5,914]

31 minutes ago, Andreo said:

The fact nobody ever says Thief of Hearts should have been a single makes me mad idc

Should have been a single this millennium, not past one. People weren't prepared yet for such a truth spread all over the place.

15 minutes ago, Adriabs said:

WORDS got paid dust back then and keeps getting paid dust today, it's a monumental song. To this day I'm still fascinated by this album, such a bold move from her after the peak of her career, it's admirable. Also, Deeper and Rain are some of her best songs ever, it's such a flawless album and an unforgettable moment in history.

The very same can applied to this Lesson with a capital L.

[Bad Boy 53]

21 hours ago, MPowered said:

I think if anything, Bad Girl was considered in place of In This Life.

One of the earlier drafts of the Girlie Show setlists was this:

1. Erotica

2. Fever

3. Vogue

4. Rain

True Blue (Interlude)

5. Express Yourself

6. Deeper And Deeper

7. Why's It So Hard

8. In This Life

The Beast Within (Interlude)

9. Like A Virgin

10. Bye Bye Baby

11. Live To Tell

12. La Isla Bonita

13. Holiday

Encore:

14. Justify My Love

15. Everybody

I really can't warm up to this tour. Some of the song renditions were way too long, very odd setlist choices. While it had nice visuals, great vocals and a great band it’s definitely missing a few more oldies and better songs from Erotica (Bad Girl, Secret Garden, Words, Thief of Hearts)

Yeah I heard that rumour to about Bad Girl being rehearsed and was swapped with In This Life because she wanted to sing about AIDS.

 

It definitely is the tour that leaves you wanting more. I’m still gutted it didn’t include more Erotica tracks. For instance, I’m Going Bananas could have been replaced with Thief of Hearts as a tongue in cheek live performance, Waiting could have gone nicely with Rain or even as an interlude in place of the Singing rain interlude, Words could of had a performance similar to Vogue with the western? Asian style choreography, perhaps done and a mash up. 

[Blue Jean 15,254]

13 hours ago, MPowered said:

Considering most fans rank it at the bottom of that album, I don’t think the GP would have been any more accepting. It’s a dreary, overly long and highly depressing song.

You have a way with words 

[Blue Jean 15,254]

3 hours ago, Andreo said:

The fact nobody ever says Thief of Hearts should have been a single makes me mad idc

It is crying out for a video. Or a live performance.

[Blue Jean 15,254]

2 hours ago, Bad Boy said:

Yeah I heard that rumour to about Bad Girl being rehearsed and was swapped with In This Life because she wanted to sing about AIDS.

 

It definitely is the tour that leaves you wanting more. I’m still gutted it didn’t include more Erotica tracks. For instance, I’m Going Bananas could have been replaced with Thief of Hearts as a tongue in cheek live performance, Waiting could have gone nicely with Rain or even as an interlude in place of the Singing rain interlude, Words could of had a performance similar to Vogue with the western? Asian style choreography, perhaps done and a mash up. 

The Girlie Show is perfect though, it would be a crime to change anything.

But I think Rescue Me as an encore after JML and before Everybody could have been epic. Can you fucking imagine.