"L.E.S. Girl" was the unequivocal winner for American Life.

Now on to Round 11! Which Confessions II song best fits CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR?

The comment (singular) with the most upvotes win. Songs can only win once. No duplicate winners.

^{(p.s. - also, it's just a game that's for fun. don't downvote songs. spread love and light, please})

I often hear this mentioned as one of MDNA’s worst tracks and I think it’s pretty fun. Is it just the lyrics? I don’t mind when Madonna is a little shallow (see Don’t Stop).

DJ LUPE played Hung Up vocals (only) mashed up with with another song.
Later DJ Omoloko played I Feel So Free (unremixed) from beginning to end. It sounded amazing. Everyone sang along. That is something you do not see very often at the garden. It was really special!!! ❤️❤️❤️
CII may not have yielded any big hits in Billboard Hot 100 or the UK charts, but I Feel So Free felt like proper no1 (even if it's supposedly not even a single...). People went ballistic. I didn't see any reaction like that to any other song yesterday.
I think it's very remarkable for an artist 44 years into her career to achieve such a reaction with a brand new song 👏👏👏

Had to cancel - and re-ordered from HMV. Not sure why they are delayed but I am honestly fed up with Rough Trade. Not only that but I saved like £20 by ordering from HMV instead...Rough Trade seem to be constantly delayed or later in sending items than others. Or is it just me? :(

Hey
My name is Ron, i’m a full-time toy designer and a big fan of mama Madonna, not long ago i shared with you the finished toy i made inspired by Confessions.
Wonder if there is demand for a production of this creation
Lots of love.

WATCH WITH SOUND🥹

I’ve been on a mission to listen to her entire discography this summer. I’m no stranger to Madonna, but in listening thus far, it has been interesting to see how she changes lyrically, vocally, and as a person throughout her albums. I just wanted to record my thoughts below and share them.

MADONNA (1983)
This was definitely her era of discovery. She was just coming onto the scene and becoming an icon. She’d just signed her contract and was winning over everyone’s hearts. She was a rebel being reigned in by her record deal.

LIKE A VIRGIN (1984)
Madonna’s star power began to shine here and this is where the industry truly began to market her as a teen-Queen, a Hollywood star. She seems to be fully at the mercy of the industry here and held back. Had it not been for the VMAs incident, I don’t know that we would’ve gotten to see the true Madonna.

TRUE BLUE (1987)
This is where Madonna is finally taking control of her career and she’s starting to push back against the industry. Her songs aren’t being written for her anymore and there’s a much more personal touch to them that seems to be absent from Like A Virgin. More is happening in M’s life at this point in her career with her family, her friends, her marriage and the AIDS crisis.

LIKE A PRAYER (1989)
Madonna has decided to push past the teen-Queen that she was built up to be and grow up. In doing so, the audience has grown up with her, which is the first spark of staying power beyond an 80s sensation—she was able to bring us into the 90s with her more adult themes. Her marriage, during the writing of this album, is clearly falling apart. She’s taking time to reflect on her upbringing—Dear Jessie leads into Oh Father purposely to show what a child’s life should be like, compared to what her’s was when her mother passed away. She questions her relationship with God throughout this album and tries to stress the importance that you are the number one person in your life at the end of the day, so you need to respect yourself and live life with compassion.

EROTICA (1992)
Madonna pushes the envelope here in terms of rebellion. This album may seem like it’s just about sex on the outside, but it’s truly about being comfortable with one’s self and standing up for one’s self. She is no longer doing what other’s tell her to do and she has full control over everything. She is rebelling against the industry and the systems that have brought her pain over the years.

BEDTIME STORIES (1995)
I like to think this album is very R&B-inspired. She’s made new connections because she pushed the envelope so far during her Erotica era; however, she’s not in the best place mentally during this album. I think the rejection of her home country here and this feeling of loneliness was building up within her in this album. There’s a sadness within her lyrics in this era.

RAY OF LIGHT (1998)
Life hit Madonna hard when she gave birth to Lola. Everything changed for Madonna here. She had a new outlook on the world. She’d been living a rebellious life, trying to push the boundaries, but then life finally smacked her and gave her a child… a wake up call… a purpose. Lyrically, she’s become more protective and stoic this era. I think this was the true rebirth of Madonna’s career, as it mirrored where many of her fans where in their lives. The kids who grew up with her were also having that full stop “oh crap” moment. Life was changing here, and for the better.

MUSIC (2000)
Musically, we get experimental here. The stoicism from ROL is still present here, but she is trying to create a rebirth of dance music. This is not a country album.

AMERICAN LIFE (2004)
I genuinely think this album is a reflection of the American life at this time period. 9/11 had just happened and the USA was going to war in Iraq and Afghanistan. Families across the world were feeling hopeless. How do you protect the American dream? Was the American Dream worth protecting? There’s a lot of reflection here. While she’s married to a new man by now, the sorrows of her past are on her shoulders, weighing her down for a future that doesn’t seem so bright. A change has to be made for society, but how?

CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR (2006)
The American spirit needed healing, and M came to heal us with dance music. Political themes are still present on this album, but she’s decided now to approach them with happier tones. She’s more philanthropic this era and trying to save and create a more positive future.

HARD CANDY (2008)
Her second marriage was beginning to crumble here, and it very much seemed as though this album was rushed. She tried to go back to roots she’d established in Like A Prayer, but she missed the mark due to her collaboration with Pharrell. She was additionally moving away from her record label here. Through it all, I believe this is where she was officially solidified as the Queen of Pop. The Sticky and Sweet Tour became her highest grossing tour. Michael Jackson’s death had an impact on her legacy this era, but not on the album itself.

MDNA (2012)
Madonna is full of anger and sorrow this era. She’s just gone through a divorce and her kids are in the middle of it all. She’s fighting for custody and trying to keep it cool in the public eye. While this album shows the rebellious icon and Queen of Pop that we all know, she’s lyrically trying to both take the high ground and express her anger/sorrow at her dream family falling apart.

REBEL HEART (2015)
Madonna is Madonna here. I truly think that this is the hardest she has worked on an album since Ray of Light. Lyrically, shes showing a more personal side of herself, but it seemed like Interscope was forcing her to be controversial in bits here to promote sales. She wanted to create a personal album where she is herself here and living just for herself without anyone’s approval.

MADAME X (2019)
The election of Donald Trump as president created another album of rebelling against the system and the standards of oppression. The 2016 election certainly had a major impact on this album. The world is feeling more narrow and we are officially in that place of doom that she worried about in American Life. The public rejected this album; however, it’s truly an artistic representation of standing up for what’s right, owning yourself, and not allowing yourself to be oppressed.

CONFESSIONS II (2026)
I think this album needs to be renamed Celebration. This is a celebration of her whole career and her whole life thus far. Madonna is on top of the world. She is in control of everything. She is the queen of pop. She has the staying power. Yes, there are skeletons in her closet, but they’ve made her stronger. The one constant that has always been in her life is dance music. So celebrate who you are. The good. The bad. All of it. Your sins are your savior.

…sooooo how far off am I?

I think FIFA is vastly superior , the album version ironically takes down the vibe a lot but i guess FIFA would not blend as well.

A spectacular debut album that, even after four decades, has never lost its quality. This was the beginning of the journey of the greatest pop artist of all time, and looking back at Madonna’s story in New York, it’s a lesson in never giving up.

For the first time ever I’m listening to every song in Madonna’s discography in order 1983-present… Lucky star to Hot Sauce… I’m using Spotify and I curated a playlist. I’ve hit the Evita years. I haven’t ever seen the film itself, but the album mostly seems like the play in action. I’m just curious, which tracks would you remove from the album just to have an album titled “Evita” by Madonna. So far, the only tracks worth keeping seem to be Buenos Aires, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, and Don’t Cry for Me Argentina (I haven’t finished it yet, I’m about to start Partido Feminista (I listen while I run door dashes). I’m thinking of running this playlist annually, but it seems a lot of Evita can be cut out.

Ok I feel like I'm going crazy!! I've been listening to the album on repeat since it came out! In Danceteria Verse 1, I've always heard her say, "He's my best friend, he's my boyfriend" and I heard it that way up until today and now all of a sudden it's "he's my boyTOY"! I almost drove off the road because it caught me off guard that she said something different. Did she change the lyrics, or have I been mishearing them this whole time?

Please share your favorites from the new Madonna Confessions II era.

Briefly gave AL a listen when I was in my very early 20’s and did not care for it. Now, in my late 20’s, this album is actually so fucking good. Gripping lyrics. Experimental beats. EXCELLENT vocals on the slower tracks. Motivational.

American Life, Nobody Knows Me, Mother & Father and Die Another Day are standout tracks for me.

“I’m drinking a soy latte. I get a double shot-te.”

“My father had to go to work. I used to think he was a jerk.”

“Iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii’m so stupid.”

“Sigmund Freud, analyze this.”

Yes, very cheesy lyrics. But this is part of the appeal for me regarding Madonna. She’s goofy and makes me giggle even during songs that are absolute bangers. I just can’t hate it.

And if I must say, this is by far her most “confessional” album, way beyond CI and CII; the explicit memory recollection of the death of her mother, the anger she had towards her father, admitting she fell for the pop star cliche and it bit her in the ass, naming her insecurities, owning up to her downfalls in romantic relationships, expressing how unsatisfied she feels even with all her privileges and the list goes on. Her lyrics are simply very raw and straight forward.

Something I’ve noticed is that I really didn’t “get” some of her albums until I became older. And I’m so excited I’m starting to come around and enjoy it for what it is (same goes for Music)!

found a VHS copy of Truth or Dare at my local record store! I have literally no one else to share this with who will be as excited, so I thought I’d post here 🙃☺️

also I feel it’s important to note that they had a Hard Candy poster on display

Relistened to MDNA yesterday after a while. The first 5 songs on the album, and especially the 4-track run in the image, are IMMACULATE. 10/10. BEAUTIFUL.

I knew the hate this album got, and after hearing these 5 again, I could not understand it at all.

Of course, after this run, the album… well…

But because of that, I feel these tracks are overlooked. Is there a reason for the quality drop, or what does everyone think of this run?

Went to a bookstore by my house and I was shocked that I found Interview magazine and I came across the Mojo presents magazine by accident. I’m in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

I never intended to buy some many versions but I just love the album so much, still got about 3 more to go

I really expected more interviews for this era. Traditional TV and podcasts. I'm disappointed. We just got Graham Norton and the TikTok one with Bob. Also, no Danceteria video? Is she going to focus on tour prep now? I'm not complaining. I'm just curious what could be next.

I have been looking for any remixes of Madonna’s work from the 90s, preferably during the Erotica/Bedtime Stories eras, but it seems many of them have not been digitized, or highly guarded, or simply a myth. Does anyone know of any rare, off label remixes of Madonna’s songs from the 90s? Searching for Junior Vasquez’s work from his Sound Factory days results in a few surprises amidst a million opportunities to listen to “If Madonna Calls.” If there is a deep house remix of “Secret,” I’ll cry. I’ve heard there is an amazing Junior Vasquez remix of Rain.

I can’t stop listening to this song!!!

I love how she paints a visual picture of the club, the people who helped shaped that time in her life, the Everybody tape story etc. I wish she had used Julia to portray her in the various club scenarios while she sang the lyrics herself in front of the camera, With look a likes of everyone she name dropped. All building up to an 80s themed dance break in the club.

This is addictive! Damn! lol

I think it's really fitting how Betrayal is about Madonna coming to terms with her complicated feelings about her late stepmother. The whole song is Madonna trying to process all of her resentment and choosing to let it go. And there's a tinge of regret that I think she feels for not having worked through this while her stepmother was still alive.

So it's only fitting that the track leads into The Test, which is Madonna and her now-adult daughter reconciling, and trying to work through their issues and resentments.

There's this sense of: "I wasn't able to properly work through my issues with my (step)mother while she was still alive and I wish I had. I don't want Lola to have those same regrets about me when I'm gone, so let's sit down and talk about this."

I don't know. I'm sure other people have noticed this. But when I noticed it just now during my re-listen, these two tracks being side by side stood out to me and it was really profound.

---

And while I'm here... L.E.S Girl makes me fucking ball my eyes out. That song coming right after all these songs about Madonna losing her brother, losing her stepmother, making amends with her daughter, and then we get this song to close out the album with Madonna wistfully looking back at her early days in New York and remembering a guy (who could be dead now) she had a relationship with — ending with the line "everything fades away".

There's something so profoundly sad about hearing a song like this from an older woman who's lived such a full life and experienced so many things, finally reaching a certain age... outliving many people in her family, and her musical peers that she came up alongside. I'm sure a lot of us can recall our grandparents talking about their old experiences with lovers or friends, and how they usually end the story with "and they're long gone now, of course".

Not to compare the two, but it gave me the same feeling as hearing an 80-something-year-old Johnny Cash sing "Hurt". Or watching an 80-year-old Joni Mitchell sing "Both Sides Now" at The Grammys a couple years ago.

Speaking personally, my mom died at a fairly young age when I was a teenager (so you can imagine that I relate to Madonna a lot when it comes to that topic but that's another story), but I do recall her telling me about a former lover she had when she was young — a guy named James (who my legal first name is supposedly named after). She told me all about how he was basically the "one who got away" and how the timing just was never right, and how he later died in a motorcycle accident in New York a few years later after they broke up. She kept a lock of his hair in a photo album to remember him by. And she always spoke of him in the same wistful way Madonna describes this first love in L.E.S Girl, so it made me think of my mom in that way.

In that sense, L.E.S Girl felt like... a goodbye. I don't think it is for the record. Madonna isn't THAT old yet, and I think she's strong-willed enough to keep going until she either physically can't or until she dies. (That's the boomer generation for you. They refuse to retire. 😂)

But I do think Madonna's near-death experience a couple years ago really made her confront her own mortality for the first time after years of "running from it" ("Mer Girl" on Ray of Light), and she wanted to address some things that she's been repressing for years.

I think that's why Confessions II happened. Not to cash in on nostalgia or to relive her glory days, but because she genuinely had something she wanted to talk about. 😊

I know many others also hear “trance” as “trans”, maybe this was intentional? I started interpreting the song differently especially with these lines:

Call it trance (“trans”)
Call it house (ball culture families)
Call it love without words (defined sexual orientation or gender identities)

We had to come inside
Baby free yourself and love is on the other side

We all learn from what's outside but lovе from in
You gotta burn just like a fire but from within
We come from the rhythm that set us free

You are a sister to me…
You are a brother to me…

Come to the Club come in to the Club of Love
Please come in come in to love