Madonna

Bedtime Stories

QUITE POSSIBLY HER BEST WORK

Review Score:

(10/10)
With a candy, sexy, delicious Madonna on the cover is her follow up album to the so-so effort of Erotica. With its R&B grooves it makes it one of the more listenable albums than before. On this album she worked with hotshot producers Dallas Austin (TLC, Pink), Dave "Jam" Hall (Mariah Carey, Mary J. Blige), Babyface (Boyz II Men, TLC) and Nellee Hooper (Björk, Soul II Soul). Also a number one album in Australia (which was probably the only place it got there). Here is a review track by track:

1. Survival (Madonna/Dallas Austin) 10/10
This is almost too good to be true. A beginning track you can actually stand listening to. It has a light-hearted message about being in the public eye and saying that she will not regret anything she has done over her years in the spotlight. With a good funky beat it gets full marks.

2. Secret (Madonna/Dallas Austin) 9.5/10
Mmmmmm...the first single taken off the album is one not forgotten by many and told us that "Happiness lies in our own hands" ;) ;). As we can see here she took a turn in direction from the dance-orientated "Erotica" and put her energy into R&B and made it sound better than her other work.

3. I'd Rather be Your Lover (Madonna/Dave Hall/Isley Brothers/ C. Jasper) 10/10
Going further into R&B, this track makes it a highlight of the album with its funky melody and bass and raps done by label mate, Me'Shell Ndegeócello. Her voice is so good in this song it sounds like a black artist has sung it. The song is about someone whod rather be in love with them than anything else.

4. Don't Stop (Madonna/Dallas Austin/Colin Wolfe) 7/10
A nice little positive dance-ditty with nice lyrics and a message only about dont stop dancing with me. This song was a replacement for playing "Bedtime Story" on the radio. The only flaw about this song is the line "sing la de da di" which gets pretty annoying after it repeats it about five times.

5. Inside Of Me (Madonna/Dave Hall/Nellee Hooper) 10/10

Very sexy and vogue, this song is like a wet dream and takes samples off 5 or so other songs including the late Aaliyah's breakthrough 1994 hit "Back & Forth". You can't get any more sexy than this and its worth a try to make love to this song ;)

6. Human Nature (Madonna/Dave Hall/S. McKenzie/K. McKenzie/M. Deering) 7/10
A turn in the positive attitude of this CD so far comes into a nasty slap in the face for the critics of "Sex" book and "Erotica" album. She claims that it is only human nature (to do what? Get paid millions of dollars to make a pornographic book and a half hearted dance album?). It has a good melody though and is a track not to be skipped.

7. Forbidden Love (Babyface/Madonna) 8/10
A ballad (the first one on here produced by Babyface) that soars pretty well and has a calm melody and is about, well, forbidden love. Not much more to say.

8. Love Tried To Welcome Me (Madonna/Dave Hall) 8/10
A rather sombre ballad about not being able to fall in love again and shows that she has matured a bit more since her other albums.

9. Sanctuary (Madonna/Dallas Austin/Anne Preven/Scott Cutler/Herbie Hancock) 9/10
A moody number that is pretty wispy and scary. It has mad effects in it and is pretty good. The Enigma-like effects in this song are one of the main highlights. This goes right into...

10. Bedtime Story (Björk/Nellee Hooper) 0.5/10
BLAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!!! YUCK!!! I HATE THIS SONG!!! This album would have been improved if it emitted this song. Written by Icelandic alt-superstar Björk it is the only song that doesn't fit into the R&B mould. It is very abstract and is a kind of window into the future. The worst mistake ever was releasing this single in the US. It only peaked at 42 for one week then falling like a brick to 52. Contrary to my opinion, you might like this song, but it wasn't a very wise career move after the no. 1 success of "Take A Bow". The moaning in the beginning of the song are nothing less than annoying.

10. Take A Bow (Madonna/Babyface) 10/10
Ahhhhhhh! how refreshing after the ...[crud] of that last track Madonna closes this album with a soothing, beautiful ballad produced by Babyface again. This has been her most successful US hit so far reaching #1 and staying there for seven consecutive weeks, contrary to the UK where it was her least successful hit peaking at 16. The video was filmed in Spain and showed us what Evita was coming from. Bliss.

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