5 Madonna controversies that we all somehow forgot

by

Madonna stirred up so much controversy that it was hard to keep up with it.

You might recall songs such as “Like a Virgin,” “Like a Prayer,” and “Vogue” from the Material Girl. Yet, there are numerous other fantastic tunes she produced that don’t receive as much airplay as these popular hits. Some of these tracks had a provocative edge to them, while others seemed innocent at first glance but still managed to shock us.

Each of these debated issues could benefit from a reconsideration in hindsight. While some people may view them as genuinely objectionable, others might consider them overly sensationalized. Nevertheless, every tune is worth giving a spin.

How could we have forgotten these Madonna controversies?

During a well-known censorship effort, a tune was specifically focused on that later became associated with a future Second Lady of the United States. Interestingly enough, this wasn’t one of Madonna’s more explicit songs – it’s rather tame by today’s standards and might be suitable for play on the Disney Channel nowadays.

“Dress You Up”

This humorous song isn’t overtly sexual, but activist Tipper Gore strongly disagreed. She included it in her list of fifteen explicit songs, which she labeled as depraved. Her crusade against obscenity culminated in the addition of the “Parental Advisory” label on explicit albums, a change that significantly impacted music.

“Live to Tell”

Madonna’s first significant ballad, “Live to Tell,” is suitable for all audiences. Yet, during her Confessions Tour, she sang it while suspended from a disco ball-like structure, with images of distressed children from around the world shown on a screen behind her. This act was interpreted by some as disrespectful towards Jesus. Madonna, however, maintained that there was nothing sacrilegious about the performance.

“Hanky Panky”

This jazz song from the movie “Dick Tracy” can be seen as a tribute to BDSM. In this piece, Madonna sings, “I’ll take whatever comes from your palm / Somewhere on my rear.” Some people have taken these words to imply violence against women. It might be the reason why “Hanky Panky” is rarely played on the radio nowadays.

“Erotica”

In a time prior to Christina Aguilera’s “Dirrty” or Rihanna’s “S&M,” it might have seemed daring for anyone to compose a song titled “Erotica” in 1992 without it being deemed obscene. However, Madonna managed to introduce the concept of raw sexuality into mainstream pop culture well ahead of her time. Nowadays, “Erotica” is primarily recognized for its music video, which bears a striking resemblance to an under-the-counter film. The track seamlessly blends Madonna’s pop sensibilities with the rhythm and flow of 1990s rap.

“What It Feels Like for a Girl”

This song from the New Age genre starts off with a monologue about women’s roles in society, but it’s not this aspect that landed “What It Feels Like for a Girl” on our list. Instead, it was the controversial music video that caused quite a stir, as MTV opted to ban it due to its depiction of intense action movie violence. The music video is so powerful that it could easily have Madonna in the starring role for Kill Bill: Volume 3.

Read More

2025-05-22 13:00