Autobiographical elements and narration in The Celebration Tour (some spoilers!)

[androiduser 2,900]

Let's discuss narration and narrative techniques in the tour.

Obviously the tour narrates the story of Madonna's life and career, but it does so in many different ways, sometimes very literally so it's easy to understand, and sometimes it's much more abstract and requires knowledge of Madonna's story to connect all the dots.

The setlist is not presented in the chronological order, so it is not fully reliable to follow the story, and many times songs from different eras and different musical styles are placed together, making the story feel more abstract.

Nothing Really Matters serves as the prologue (←link) to the story, describes Madonna's personal journey and sets the tone of the show, giving much importance to her spiritual life. Madonna is alone on stage, and it has a separate costume and stage setting, so it is clearly meant to be separated from the following songs. After NRM, the real story begins with the first chapter.

Here the biographical element becomes most obvious, with a series of songs from the early/mid 80-s, a similar sound, the same outfit throughout the whole segment and a variety of different narrative techniques:

 - a more or less chronological order of the songs (not entirely chronological, but most songs are from the early 80's and describe the same NY club setting)

- Madonna giving a speech about her early days and explaining her start (in some shows even going as far as explaining the era, the characters, the setting and other minor details)

- a spoken part with Madonna, Bob and the dancers reenacting the club scene (Madonna convincing Bob to let her into the club) - the only part that is probably directly lifted from the screenplay Madonna was writing.

- Photos from 80's NY displayed in the background

- Madonna's younger self appears on stage with her

- Dancers representing her real-life friends with mock-ups of ID cards displayed on the screen

- the story transitioning into the era of the real life AIDS crisis, with an homage to her friends, colleagues and then thousands of people we lost to AIDS, with actual photos.

Then the story gets a bit more abstract with Like a Prayer.. Is this supposed to represent religious cleansing after the life of partying and fun? I don't really think this is Madonna's way of thinking, but I do find it interesting that the AIDS segment transitions into a performance with strong religious tones? The Catholic Church had a very negative stance during the AIDS epidemic, but this is not really described in Madonna's performance and there are no references to it. The naked bodies could possibly represent AIDS patients/victims, but from the narrative point of view, it wouldn't make much sense, because we already saw the people alive in the club scenes, then slowly dying of AIDS during Holiday, and then dead in Live To Tell. The only explanation I can think of is that in Like a Prayer they ended up in Heaven, but the stage set looks more like some sort of purgatory. Does anyone have any ideas about how Like a Prayer ties in with the very literal narration in the first segment? The best explanation I can come up with is that it represents spiritual life after death? But the Catholic imagery after the AIDS segment could carry different connotations that don't align with Madonna's views.

Another technique used here is the appearance of the Prince character, both a nod to him and the actual fact that he played guitar on Like a Prayer. His voice is also used in the interlude that follows, the spoken part of Let's Go Crazy is played over the Living for Love instrumental. Is the combination of these two songs a reference to their love affair?

After Like a Prayer, we are moving to the next era, using the (loose) chronologial narrative - Erotica / Justify My Love / Fever / Bad Girl clearly represent the Erotica / Sex book era, but I don't see how Hung Up fits in the story. There are no previously seen narrative techniques used to tell the story - no spoken narration, no real life footage, news reports etc, no reenactment of real life event... the narration becomes much more abstract and it seems almost absent if the viewer doesn't know Madonna history. The only narrative technique used previously is an abstract one - Madonna's younger alter ego appearing on stage with her in the Blond Ambition Like a Virgin costume - referencing another sexually provocative performance to tie in with Erotica.

Vogue tells the story of the LGBT club scene and the movement with photos of LGBT icons, activists, scenes from LGBT history (preceeding Madonna's arrival to NY, so it's not entirely biographical). The police then comes and the harassment of gay and trans dancers ensues and Madonna is arrested and harassed too  - an obvious reference to how she was treated in the Erotica/SEX era, and how sexual minorities were treated by the establishment in that era.

Madonna's Human Nature character appears next to Madonna and interacts with her. Is Crazy For You a love song to herself? This is the only explanation I can think of, because Madonna is singing to her younger self and leaves the stage with her. My interpretation is that she is saved by herself and her own resilience, she made it through the backlash on her own, and she owes it all only to herself. What do the match and the flame represent? Madonna starts the fire to purge all the negativity? Again, an abstract telling of the story with few narrative techniques used.

In the next section, the narration goes back to being more literal again, with songs about family life. Die Another Day as the opening is a bit more abstract, as it doesn't really tell the family story, but I guess it ties in to the backlash storyline from the previous set? Surviving the negativity and coming back much stronger. I don't think it has anything to do with Madonna surviving the bacterial infection because the choreography is so complex that there wouldn't be time to create such a complex performance, laser show etc so quickly after the health scare, so I assume it's been on the selitst from the start.

Mother and Father is quite literal, and tied with David's story and his relationship with his own father. In Don't Tell Me Madonna dances with her daughter Stella, and again performs with David for La Isla Bonita. Strong family ties all throughout the segment. There is also a long speech with the story of her family life, so it makes the narration and the autobiographical element much more literal and easier to follow. Don't Cry for Me Argentina is quite metaphorical, as it's backed by photos of Madonna's heroes and revolutionary artists, historical figures etc. Not entirely connected to the family element... maybe pointing out that her heroes are her spiritual family?

Next - the IDSIF video interlude - an important narrative technique is used very effectively - news clippings from her life, with multiple quotes, videos, photos etc. telling Madonna's story through the media's eyes. This is very effective and makes her story much easier to understand, especially to fans who might not know the full story and all the details. I just feel it would have made much more sense earlier in the show, some time after the Erotica/SEX era, because it references so many news reports from that time, and it was the time when the media was the cruelest to her. I don't think it fits so well between the family story and the spiritual section that is following?

Bedtime Story and Ray of Light are a metaphorical representation of Madonna's spiritual journey. Again, not many narrative techniques are used, and it requires some knowledge of Madonna's career to tie everything together. Bedtime Story was indeed a preview of Madonna's more spiritual music and her fascination with electronic music, which developed fully with Ray of Light. It gives a nod to her musical journey and doesn't just serve to tell the story of her life outside the music. Rain is another nod to M's emotional side. Frozen (originally in place of Rain) would have fit the spiritual segment perfectly, too. The whole segment doesn't use any of the narrative techniques we saw throughout the show - no newsclips, no voiceovers, no narration, no speeches, no younger Madonna character on stage... The whole segment is much more abstract, probably to tie in with the spiritual theme, avoiding any of the real life elements, making it fully spiritual, like a dream.

The Michael Jackson tribute goes back in time again, maybe to chronologically tie in with his death in Madonna's post-spiritual era in 2009? The main narrative technique is again the use of real life footage and media clippings, with dancer silhouettes representing Madonna and MJ.

Bitch, I'm Madonna represents the current Madonna (welp! ) and her connection to her life and career, represented by all the dancers wearing her iconic costumes. I'm wodnering - since NRM was the prologue to the show - is Bitch, I'm Madonna the epilogue? Interestingly, in operas and musical theatre, prologues are very rare, even in pieces that have the prologue. And in movie biographies, the epilogue is usually just presented as a short text describing what happened to the subjects of the biography. So I'm not really sure if its supposed to be a true epilogue, or just the final segment tying everything in? It's definitely about connecting the present (newer song, current look) with the past (dancers representing previous eras).

Overall, it's interesting to see how Madonna approached narration in the show, ranging from narrative techniques to make parts of the show very literal, to using them sparingly later on, or even abandongn the use of any narrative techniques towards the end of the show. Some parts, mostly the 80's section in the beginning, is obviously inspired by and taken from the scrip Madonna was writing. Some parts don't seem very autobiographical and require knowledge of Madonna's life to connect all the dots. I wonder how much of it was fully intentional, and if any parts would have benefited from a more literal approach to storytelling, or - vice versa - a more abstract one. At some points in the story is jumping back and forth a lot and some songs don't really have the same autobiographical narrative as some of the others do.

Did I miss anything obvious, what other interpretations and ideas do you have? I'd be happy to hear them so we can construct a deeper analysis of the show!

 

[androiduser 2,900]

4 minutes ago, androiduser said:

 Does anyone have any ideas about how Like a Prayer ties in with the very literal narration in the first segment?
 

@dankpepeoffered an interesting theory in another thread: questioning her faith based upon what has just happened.

Never thought of it like that, I was going in a completely different direction. To me, it's very ambiguous and potentially really complex. I'm confused because it's the ending to the most literal segment of the show with very clear narration. But it's very fitting that the spiritual/religious part has a layered meaning.

 

[Adonna 21,111]

24 minutes ago, androiduser said:

Madonna's Human Nature character appears next to Madonna and interacts with her. Is Crazy For You a love song to herself? This is the only explanation I can think of, because Madonna is singing to her younger self and leaves the stage with her. My interpretation is that she is saved by herself and her own resilience, she made it through the backlash on her own, and she owes it all only to herself. What do the match and the flame represent? Madonna starts the fire to purge all the negativity? Again, an abstract telling of the story with few narrative techniques used.

I always felt this section was more about how she was treated and hounded by the press, critics and even fans; hence "Crazy For You".  Everyone gets crazy around her, some fawning all over her, while other creating while stories about her.  She's pointing out how it's "Human Nature" for people to act this way. The police could represent the press/media in how they are trying to take away her right to express herself if not her dignity. The police could also represent how authority tries to shut her up and keep her from expressing herself or doing things others criticize her for or prefer her to stop doing. 

I do find everything you posted quite fascinating.  It would be interesting if we may be reading more into this or if our interpretation is anywhere near to her intention for the show or if we are way off.

[androiduser 2,900]

1 minute ago, McDonna said:

 It would be interesting if we may be reading more into this or if our interpretation is anywhere near to her intention for the show or if we are way off.

I am asking myself the same question. That's why I am always trying to go with the most literal explanation first, and see if it makes most sense and see where it takes me with further analysis.

[androiduser 2,900]

3 minutes ago, McDonna said:

The police could also represent how authority tries to shut her up and keep her from expressing herself or doing things others criticize her for or prefer her to stop doing. 

 

this is also a great way to interpret it, potentially a reference to the police trying to shut down the Blond Ambition show in Toronto? The Like a Virgin bed and corset appeared 5-6 songs earlier.... maybe too far apart to be the reference to that event?

[Adonna 21,111]

7 minutes ago, androiduser said:

this is also a great way to interpret it, potentially a reference to the police trying to shut down the Blond Ambition show in Toronto? The Like a Virgin bed and corset appeared 5-6 songs earlier.... maybe too far apart to be the reference to that event?

For me, the Crazy For You seems to point to the media/fan frenzy that surrounds her.  I feel it's kinda like I described in how everyone gets crazy for her, some as fans, some as her critics and others who just hate her. It being human nature in how people act that way. Turning into ...trying to silence her.  The song Human Nature is about people trying to suppress her, even those crazy for her.  Like mentioned, trying to either get something from her or shut her up.

[wenxiusi 69]

I think the show is partly autobiografical, but mostly chronological. I agree with NRM being kinda like a prologue. To me, the first act is clearly the 80's as a whole (that would explain why LAP closes this segment). The second segment is the 90's, while the third is the 00's. Still, I can't see how Hung Up fits in the second act (maybe she couldn't suit it in another section?). But for me the biggest mystery is the fourth act (BS, ROL and Rain)... it doesn't fit neither autobiografically nor chronologically, so I still didn't get the concept of this segment, although I pretty much like it. Last but not least, the fifth act/encore is the 10's.

[androiduser 2,900]

36 minutes ago, wenxiusi said:

But for me the biggest mystery is the fourth act (BS, ROL and Rain)... it doesn't fit neither autobiografically nor chronologically, so I still didn't get the concept of this segment, although I pretty much like it.

It represents the spiritual side of her journey, that's why it's probably the least "realistic" one without a clear chronological order, no clips/videos/photos/references to reality, it's supposed to be dreamy.

[Blue Jean 17,163]

3 hours ago, androiduser said:

It represents the spiritual side of her journey, that's why it's probably the least "realistic" one without a clear chronological order, no clips/videos/photos/references to reality, it's supposed to be dreamy.

Thats how I took it too. But it’s also juxtaposed (yep, that word lol) with technological and futuristic visuals , which is reflective of the modern world that has been evolving around her throughout her own spiritual journey.

[Blue Jean 17,163]

4 hours ago, wenxiusi said:

I think the show is partly autobiografical, but mostly chronological. I agree with NRM being kinda like a prologue. To me, the first act is clearly the 80's as a whole (that would explain why LAP closes this segment). The second segment is the 90's, while the third is the 00's. Still, I can't see how Hung Up fits in the second act (maybe she couldn't suit it in another section?). But for me the biggest mystery is the fourth act (BS, ROL and Rain)... it doesn't fit neither autobiografically nor chronologically, so I still didn't get the concept of this segment, although I pretty much like it. Last but not least, the fifth act/encore is the 10's.

 

I think parts of the show are more like a ballet in that the narrative is not completely literal. There is metaphorical imagery incorporated into certain performances so it is not always supposed to be followed as a storyline but more of a sequence of visuals that convey the emotions that relate to those periods of her life. Some parts are obvious and others are more open to interpretation.

[Angelo 5,887]

For Hung Up I think this is her lesbian/bisexual side

[WokeUpInMedellin 1,744]

I do think the show feels a bit sloppy / unfinished in that way. It needs a tighter narrative focus. Feels a bit like throwing shit at the wall, at points. It's still good and entertaining, but like I said, sloppy.

[Blue Jean 17,163]

16 hours ago, WokeUpInMedellin said:

I do think the show feels a bit sloppy / unfinished in that way. It needs a tighter narrative focus. Feels a bit like throwing shit at the wall, at points. It's still good and entertaining, but like I said, sloppy.

Sloppy and not tight enough? Are we still talking about the concert or are you reviewing what you did afterward?

[Anapausis 6,654]

18 hours ago, WokeUpInMedellin said:

I do think the show feels a bit sloppy / unfinished in that way. It needs a tighter narrative focus. Feels a bit like throwing shit at the wall, at points. It's still good and entertaining, but like I said, sloppy.

Oh dear u live up for ur nick... And I don't see any wrong in that!

We built a cartel just for love

Venus was hovering above us...

[Leona Helmsley 9,457]

so sad a song like looking for mercy is out....  the lyrics are amazing and shes so vulnerable in that song..... really love it

[Anapausis 6,654]

20 minutes ago, dave2290 said:

so sad a song like looking for mercy is out....  the lyrics are amazing and shes so vulnerable in that song..... really love it

However I do believe LTT and M&F (yes I do acronyms too, get used to - EDIT: I ain't aim this at u amato mio but to the usual acronym haters) symbolize all the struggles she has had to endure, given they touch in the most visceral losing issues to her. CFY is her way to thank not only who has stood by her, but esp to herself for being always loyal to her principles even at the hardest times like Erotica/SEX book/Body of Evidence backlash.

[Leona Helmsley 9,457]

6 minutes ago, Anapausis said:

However I do believe LTT and M&F (yes I do acronyms too, get used to) symbolize all the struggles she has had to endure, given they touch in the most visceral losing issues to her. CFY is her way to thank not only who has stood by her, but esp to herself for being always loyal to her principles even at the hardest times like Erotica/SEX book/Body of Evidence backlash.

yes this is truth but for me looking for mercy is a song who deserve to be in the setlist..... but again taste are taste.....

[Anapausis 6,654]

9 minutes ago, dave2290 said:

yes this is truth but for me looking for mercy is a song who deserve to be in the setlist..... but again taste are taste.....

Problem is that LFM would have suffered the same fate of Hold Tight - most of general public wouldn't recognize an album track from a most recent album - and, in LFM, scenario'd be even worse, given it's a deluxe track - the standard version CD off Madame X was the one available everywhere in America - the Deluxe one, to LFM and Extreme Occident, was a Target exclusive. And same in the UK as the Deluxe CD was a HMV exclusive too.

I would deduct that in America even I'll Remember would be much more recognized than Looking for Mercy given it charted very high there.

[Anapausis 6,654]

@androiduserI'd like to spend my 2 cents on why Like a Prayer comes after Live to Tell.

The twelve Jesuses at the circular thing not only symbolize the twelve apostles and Jesus himself, but also all the protonartyrs and martyrs who had to endure the pain and murder due to their faith in Jesus' message - a message of love, acceptance, selfacceptance and redemption - the same way the AIDS victims died, to the stigma of being "unclean" - we must remember the martyrs and saints from early ages were consideres also "unclean" and "unfaithful" to general society - which was polytheist at such times, that's why they all were trucidated. The way M links the people who had died when AIDS were highly stigmatized as a "way from God to terminate disgraceful people" finds obvious echo to the people who were killed and sacrified as they were to the gods of Roman-Greek pantheon, equally disgraceful and sinful.

Also worth of mention is that, at very early ages, there weren't just Christian martyrs, but people who were killed by Christian hands such as the mathematician, Neoplatonist Hypatia of Alexandria (who was slaughtered in 415 CE by Christian fundamentalists against non Christian people) - then there were the Crusades, the Inquisition and, more recently, the people who were "killed by God for their homosexual conduct." Nothing new, nothing different. The same faith what was seen as "heretic" have established, once got institutionalized, the "heresies" - such as my own Gnostic faith - that must be avoided and condemned at any cost.

We must also remember that the Patriarch is the most blatant contribution that the then institutionalized Paganism gave to Christianism once it got hierarchicalized with the primacy of bishops and archbishops, to the cost of the true libertarian message of Jesus. The choice of what books should compose the Bible, the rituals, structures, temples - all went against everything Jesus preached and testified. He was killed by the authorities as a criminal and a sinful - now people have been silencing him, turning him into "God in flesh" to monopolyze the power and rewrite the message of freedom to actually enslave the humble masses - better saying, to keep them slaves, not of the Pagan authorities anymore, but of the Christian ones.

All of this can be taken in account to the performance of LAP and why it follows LTT - even the "Unholy" snippet can be used to describe how Jesus' message at Jesus' time was, in only word - UNHOLY - it made me him being crucified as a danger to both Romans and the Synhedrion.

And then the "Living for Love"/"Let's Go Crazy" outro, as came from both people (M and Prince) who spent their life and music career in a personal battle between faith and sin - better saying, between institutionalized faith which condemns and martyrizes and actual spiritual faith which sets free and makes people really born again. The actual choice for the latter kind of faith symbolizes the rebirth, the end of the "sins" - as seen by the Patriarch - and the compromise to actually spread the true Gospel of the Eternal Life, aside from everything Christianism has adopted from other faiths to maintain their structure of power over the masses.

 

[Anapausis 6,654]

By the way, Madonna's presence during Like a Prayer symbolizes all the women who were crucial as important forces in the early days of Christianism, as apostles during and after Jesus (Mary Madgalene, Thecla of Iconion, Junia cousin of Saint *PAUL* mentioned in the 1st to the Corinthians), martyres (Barbara, Lucy, Agatha, Solange and countless others) and especially Mother Mary who has converted herself to the most notorious scandal stone between Catholics and Evangelicals. All women who gave their life to Jesus' message - to end up exploited and diffamed by male archibishops and bishops - and popes, of course, and also Protestant pastors, preachers - in a word, any MALE Christian priest to this day.

[Anapausis 6,654]

I have made some edits to my two last posts - as @stefotold once here, we are allowed to edit our shit outta hell to correct ourselves - but not only about our English, but also about the facts we bring to the table. My bad.

[Anapausis 6,654]

To finish my shizzle here: MADONNA IS CULTURE, IS ART, IS HISTORY. Nothing from her is without reason. Every aspect of every piece of art from her has a much deeper meaning inside, BELIEVE IT OR NOT.

Even when she's playing Mrs. Potato Head to Medalló en el Mapa's performance. DEAL WITH IT, LIL' MEDONSTERS.

EDIT: And, yes, I DO TYPO AS FUCK. Throw the first stone who does not.

[Leona Helmsley 9,457]

26 minutes ago, Anapausis said:

MADONNA IS CULTURE, IS ART, IS HISTORY

totally agree with this! she's very cultivate and i love how she build her shows.... how behind every setlist, behind every coreography, there is a meaning..... not every singer do this..... Madonna is one of the few....

[GentlemanX 7]

I just wanted to say thank you for this! I was hoping to find something like this before seeing her on January 15th!

[Honey Little 4,484]

She’s the only pop star that isn’t trash.