Erotica (album)
Encyclopedia
Erotica is the fifth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna
, released on October 20, 1992 by Maverick Records
, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked mostly with Shep Pettibone
, as well as André Betts. Famously released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication, Sex
, the album is driven by its sexual themes. It is Madonna's first album to feature a Parental Advisory
sticker.
The album incorporates influences from house music
, new jack swing
, and lounge music
. Many of the songs see Madonna at her most provocative, drawing from themes of sex and romance, such as the lead single and title track "Erotica
". Madonna was also inspired by the idea of homosexuality
, particularly in the album's second single "Deeper and Deeper
". Others take on a more confessional tone, influenced by the loss of two of Madonna's close friends to the AIDS epidemic. Visually, Madonna was inspired by the works of Andy Warhol
and BDSM
culture. Erotica was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. Rolling Stone
described the album as "a post-AIDS album about romance."
Commercially, the album failed to live up to the success of its predecessors, possibly due to the negative backlash surrounding the album's sexuality. Peaking at number two on the Billboard 200
, the album was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
. It peaked in the top five in most territories, topping the charts in Australia. Six singles were released from the album – "Erotica
", "Deeper and Deeper
", "Bad Girl", "Fever", "Rain
" and "Bye Bye Baby
". The album failed to produce any number one singles on the Billboard
Hot 100
. Worldwide the album has sold over 5 million copies.
The Erotica era has more recently been seen as one of Madonna's most important due to the controversy surrounding it. She faced strong negative publicity from critics who commented that "she had gone too far" and that her career was over. The album, however, spawned the critically successful Girlie Show World Tour.
for the album. Pettibone first began working with Madonna in the 80s, providing remixes for several of her singles. He later produced the single "Vogue" (1990) before working with Madonna on Erotica. Pettibone first started working on the album while Madonna was filming the 1992 film A League of Their Own
. After filming was complete, Madonna met with Pettibone in New York to begin recording the album. Pettibone said, "Deeper and Deeper, Erotica, Rain and Thief of Hearts made up the first batch of songs we worked on together. I did the music and she wrote the words." Speaking of the album's sound, Pettibone said, "Madonna wanted Erotica to have a raw edge to it, as if it were recorded in an alley at 123rd Street in Harlem
." Early versions of some of the songs on the album, as well as demo versions of songs that were not included, were included in The Rain Tapes, a collection of 23 tracks registered during the album development stage.
The album features Madonna's first album with a "Parental Advisory
" label (the only other albums to do so being 2003's American Life
and 2007's live concert album, The Confessions Tour
). A separate "clean" version was released, the only difference being the omission of the sexually explicit "Did You Do It?".
" were demos recorded by Madonna in late 1991 and early 1992, during the development of the album, submitted to the Library of Congress for copyright registration on two C90 cassettes. The songs were written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone and Tony Shimkin, and produced by Madonna and Pettibone. Most of the songs are early and alternate versions of songs used on the Erotica album, while others—"Shame", "You Are the One", and "Jitterbug"—remain completely unreleased
. Five full tracks from the tapes - and a few clips of others —leaked onto the Internet from 2007 to early 2008 and have become widely available for download. However, a wide number of fakes are also circulating, which claim to be from The Rain Tapes, though they are in fact fan creations which mix clips from interviews and TV appearances with Shep Pettibone instrumentals from the likes of Cathy Dennis. The only genuine Rain Tapes tracks in circulation remain "Erotica (Final Demo 2)", "Goodbye to Innocence (Straight Pass)", "Bye Bye Baby (First Day Rough)", "Thief of Hearts (Old Music)", "Cheat (Drunk Girl)" and part of the demo of "Shame". Any other songs in circulation claiming to be from the Rain Tapes are, in fact, fake.
refers to works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions. Madonna's intentions were that the album would be an accompaniment to her book Sex
, which shares the same cover photograph – a colored reverse negative of Madonna's face done à la Andy Warhol
, from whom Madonna found much inspiration during her so-called "Erotica period" (for example, her "Erotica
" and "Deeper and Deeper
" videos were shot in near identical style to many of Warhol's films, with Madonna paying obvious homage to Edie Sedgwick
in the latter). The photos included in the album's liner notes also come from the Steven Meisel Studio
photographs shot for the Sex book.
, modern house
, techno
and the ever-evolving New Jack Swing
sound." Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly
said, "Madonna explored the stripped, shadowy bass beats of the underground gay dance genre known as 'sleaze.'" Lyrically, Rolling Stone described Erotica as "a post-AIDS album about romance — it doesn't so much evoke sex as provide a fetishistic abstraction of it."
The album's opening track is the titular lead single "Erotica
", which uses spoken word
vocals like her 1990 single "Justify My Love
". The song is "an ode to S&M." "Fever" is a "sassy, house-style remake" of the pop standard. "Deeper and Deeper
", which is sonically similar to Madonna's 1990 single "Vogue", combines "swirling disco synths, of-the-moment Philly house beats, and [...] flamenco guitar." The song deals with a young man coming to terms with his homosexuality
after falling in love. "Where Life Begins" is "the album's most overtly sexual track." "Bad Girl" is "a slow, sorrowful look at the sort of woman who uses drunken debauchery as a mask for her pain." "Rain
" and "Waiting" are "yearning ballads." "In This Life" was written in memory of friends who Madonna had lost to the AIDS epidemic.
gave the album four stars (out of five), writing, "Erotica is everything Madonna has been denounced for being — meticulous, calculated, domineering and artificial. It accepts those charges and answers with a brilliant record to prove them." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly
was less positive, declaring that "Erotica may be the most joyless dance music ever made." While Berger praised the album's "cold, remote sound," Browne criticized Madonna's "soulless" voice. In fact, the sexual imagery Madonna put forward in both Erotica and the Sex book was widely criticized for not actually being erotic, but being sterile and calculating. Kurt Loder
likened the album to an iceberg. J. D. Considine
stated that "what seems most surprising about the songs [...] is that they find Madonna lusting for love, not panting after sex." In its 15th anniversary review of the album, Slant Magazine
called Erotica "Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant." In 2010, an MTV News
blog wrote, "Because the content is so obsessed with sex, the music on Erotica often gets short shrift, but it's one of the strongest albums of Madonna's career." Erotica is ranked at number 24 on the Slant Magazine
's list of 100 Best Albums of the '90s.
shifting 167,000 in its first week. It was held off from reaching the top spot by Garth Brooks
's blockbuster album The Chase
(which that same week sold only 4,000 copies more than Erotica). In the UK the album also debuted at number two behind Simple Minds
's Glittering Prize 81/92
. The album stalled over the long-term, selling two million copies each in the U.S. and Europe. While two million is impressive by any standard, it was not up to par with Madonna's other successful records. Erotica also became the first album since her debut to yield no number-one hits in either the U.S. or the UK, with the title track
reaching number three, being the highest-charting single from the album. In fact, the number-thirty-six Billboard Hot 100
peak of "Bad Girl" made it the first Madonna single to fail to reach the U.S. top twenty after twenty-nine consecutive releases stretching back to "Holiday
" in 1983 had done so. Nonetheless, the album produced six singles and was well received on the dance club circuit. To date, Erotica has sold more than five million copies globally.
Originally, "Bad Girl" was planned as the second single from the album with an X-rated video to match the "Erotica" single, but it was changed due to the backlash of the Sex book and instead it was released as the third single. Madonna performed "Erotica", "Fever", "Bye Bye Baby
", "Deeper and Deeper", "Rain
", "Why's It So Hard", and "In This Life" on her 1993 Girlie Show Tour. She also performed "Deeper and Deeper" on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour, the "You Thrill Me" demo of "Erotica" on her 2006 Confessions Tour
and "Rain", that was used as a video interlude, on her 2008-09 Sticky and Sweet Tour.
declared that "This is Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant." While Madonna had always expressed her sexuality suggestively through her art—primarily through music and promotional music videos—she was never as explicit as she had been during the Erotica period of her career. Erotica was one of a trio of sexually-oriented mainstream projects released by Madonna or with her involvement within a span of several months. Released nearly simultaneously with Erotica was the coffee table book
Sex
, which featured the singer in photographs depicting simulations of sexual acts and BDSM
. Less than four months later, a poorly received film titled Body of Evidence was released to theaters, featuring Madonna fully nude and in scenes engaged in simulated sexual acts. With all these explicit projects, Madonna faced strong negative publicity with critics and fans commenting that "she had gone too far" and that her career was to be over. Interestingly, the sexual imagery Madonna put forward in both Erotica and Sex was widely criticized for not actually being erotic, but sterile and calculating. On the subject, Madonna said to CNN
's Larry King
on January 19, 1999, "I didn't write a book about sex. I wrote a book that—I mean I published a book that basically was sort of a—an ironic tongue-in-cheek, sticking-my-tongue-out-at-society photo essay..."
Erotica is Madonna's first album ever to have the "Parental Advisory
" label. A separate "clean" version was released, the only difference being the omission of the sexually explicit "Did You Do It?". In Malaysia, it was the first Madonna album banned by the Government for homosexual-related content. At the same time, Sex was also banned from bookstores around the country. In spite of this, her singles "Rain
" and "Deeper and Deeper
" were significant airplay hits there.
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
, released on October 20, 1992 by Maverick Records
Maverick Records
Maverick Recording Company is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:...
, three years after her previous studio album. Madonna worked mostly with Shep Pettibone
Shep Pettibone
Robert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
, as well as André Betts. Famously released simultaneously with Madonna's first book publication, Sex
Sex (book)
Sex is a coffee table book written by Madonna with photographs by Steven Meisel Studio and film frames taken from film shot by Fabien Baron. The book was edited by Glenn O'Brien. Sex was released on October 21, 1992 by Warner Books...
, the album is driven by its sexual themes. It is Madonna's first album to feature a Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
sticker.
The album incorporates influences from house music
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, new jack swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
, and lounge music
Lounge music
Lounge music is a retrospective description of music popular in the 1950s and 1960s. It is a type of mood music meant to evoke in the listeners the feeling of being in a place — a jungle, an island paradise, outer space, et cetera — other than where they are listening to it...
. Many of the songs see Madonna at her most provocative, drawing from themes of sex and romance, such as the lead single and title track "Erotica
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
". Madonna was also inspired by the idea of homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
, particularly in the album's second single "Deeper and Deeper
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
". Others take on a more confessional tone, influenced by the loss of two of Madonna's close friends to the AIDS epidemic. Visually, Madonna was inspired by the works of Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
and BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
culture. Erotica was met with generally favorable reviews from critics. Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
described the album as "a post-AIDS album about romance."
Commercially, the album failed to live up to the success of its predecessors, possibly due to the negative backlash surrounding the album's sexuality. Peaking at number two on the Billboard 200
Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
, the album was certified double-platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
. It peaked in the top five in most territories, topping the charts in Australia. Six singles were released from the album – "Erotica
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
", "Deeper and Deeper
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
", "Bad Girl", "Fever", "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" and "Bye Bye Baby
Bye Bye Baby (Madonna song)
"Bye Bye Baby" is the sixth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fifth studio album Erotica. It was released on November 15, 1993.-Single information:...
". The album failed to produce any number one singles on the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
. Worldwide the album has sold over 5 million copies.
The Erotica era has more recently been seen as one of Madonna's most important due to the controversy surrounding it. She faced strong negative publicity from critics who commented that "she had gone too far" and that her career was over. The album, however, spawned the critically successful Girlie Show World Tour.
Writing and development
Madonna reunited with Shep PettiboneShep Pettibone
Robert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
for the album. Pettibone first began working with Madonna in the 80s, providing remixes for several of her singles. He later produced the single "Vogue" (1990) before working with Madonna on Erotica. Pettibone first started working on the album while Madonna was filming the 1992 film A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own
A League of Their Own is a 1992 American comedy-drama film that tells a fictionalized account of the real-life All-American Girls Professional Baseball League . Directed by Penny Marshall, the film stars Geena Davis, Lori Petty, Tom Hanks, Madonna, and Rosie O'Donnell...
. After filming was complete, Madonna met with Pettibone in New York to begin recording the album. Pettibone said, "Deeper and Deeper, Erotica, Rain and Thief of Hearts made up the first batch of songs we worked on together. I did the music and she wrote the words." Speaking of the album's sound, Pettibone said, "Madonna wanted Erotica to have a raw edge to it, as if it were recorded in an alley at 123rd Street in Harlem
Harlem
Harlem is a neighborhood in the New York City borough of Manhattan, which since the 1920s has been a major African-American residential, cultural and business center. Originally a Dutch village, formally organized in 1658, it is named after the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands...
." Early versions of some of the songs on the album, as well as demo versions of songs that were not included, were included in The Rain Tapes, a collection of 23 tracks registered during the album development stage.
The album features Madonna's first album with a "Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" label (the only other albums to do so being 2003's American Life
American Life
American Life is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on April 22, 2003 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The album produced in its entirety by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï featured references to many parts of American culture...
and 2007's live concert album, The Confessions Tour
The Confessions Tour (album)
The Confessions Tour is the second live album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 26, 2007 by Warner Bros. Records. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the album chronicles Madonna's 2006 Confessions Tour. It was recorded at Wembley Arena during the London dates of the tour,...
). A separate "clean" version was released, the only difference being the omission of the sexually explicit "Did You Do It?".
The Rain Tapes
"The Rain TapesThe Rain Tapes
The Rain Tapes refers to a collection of songs recorded by American singer Madonna in late 1991 and early 1992, during the development of her Erotica album.-Background:...
" were demos recorded by Madonna in late 1991 and early 1992, during the development of the album, submitted to the Library of Congress for copyright registration on two C90 cassettes. The songs were written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone and Tony Shimkin, and produced by Madonna and Pettibone. Most of the songs are early and alternate versions of songs used on the Erotica album, while others—"Shame", "You Are the One", and "Jitterbug"—remain completely unreleased
Unreleased Madonna songs
The following is a list of songs recorded by Madonna not released commercially. Some songs have been given to other recording artists for recording.Conditions for listing here* Studio quality recording by Madonna....
. Five full tracks from the tapes - and a few clips of others —leaked onto the Internet from 2007 to early 2008 and have become widely available for download. However, a wide number of fakes are also circulating, which claim to be from The Rain Tapes, though they are in fact fan creations which mix clips from interviews and TV appearances with Shep Pettibone instrumentals from the likes of Cathy Dennis. The only genuine Rain Tapes tracks in circulation remain "Erotica (Final Demo 2)", "Goodbye to Innocence (Straight Pass)", "Bye Bye Baby (First Day Rough)", "Thief of Hearts (Old Music)", "Cheat (Drunk Girl)" and part of the demo of "Shame". Any other songs in circulation claiming to be from the Rain Tapes are, in fact, fake.
Album title and cover art
Madonna took the album title from the song of the same name. EroticaErotica
Erotica are works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions...
refers to works of art, including literature, photography, film, sculpture and painting, that deal substantively with erotically stimulating or sexually arousing descriptions. Madonna's intentions were that the album would be an accompaniment to her book Sex
Sex (book)
Sex is a coffee table book written by Madonna with photographs by Steven Meisel Studio and film frames taken from film shot by Fabien Baron. The book was edited by Glenn O'Brien. Sex was released on October 21, 1992 by Warner Books...
, which shares the same cover photograph – a colored reverse negative of Madonna's face done à la Andy Warhol
Andy Warhol
Andrew Warhola , known as Andy Warhol, was an American painter, printmaker, and filmmaker who was a leading figure in the visual art movement known as pop art...
, from whom Madonna found much inspiration during her so-called "Erotica period" (for example, her "Erotica
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
" and "Deeper and Deeper
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
" videos were shot in near identical style to many of Warhol's films, with Madonna paying obvious homage to Edie Sedgwick
Edie Sedgwick
Edith Minturn "Edie" Sedgwick was an American actress, socialite, model and heiress. She is best known for being one of Andy Warhol's superstars. Sedgwick became known as "The Girl of the Year" in 1965 after starring in several of Warhol's short films in the 1960s...
in the latter). The photos included in the album's liner notes also come from the Steven Meisel Studio
Steven Meisel
Steven Meisel is an American photographer, who obtained popular acclaim with his work in US and Italian Vogue and his photographs of friend Madonna in her 1992 book Sex...
photographs shot for the Sex book.
Musical styles and themes
The album tracks "cherry-pick elements from classic discoDisco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
, modern house
House music
House music is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in Chicago, Illinois, United States in the early 1980s. It was initially popularized in mid-1980s discothèques catering to the African-American, Latino American, and gay communities; first in Chicago circa 1984, then in other...
, techno
Techno
Techno is a form of electronic dance music that emerged in Detroit, Michigan in the United States during the mid to late 1980s. The first recorded use of the word techno, in reference to a genre of music, was in 1988...
and the ever-evolving New Jack Swing
New jack swing
New jack swing or swingbeat is a fusion genre spearheaded by Teddy Riley and Bernard Belle which became extremely popular from the late-1980s into the mid-1990s. Its influence, along with hip-hop, seeped into pop culture and was the definitive sound of the inventive Black New York club scene...
sound." Jim Farber of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
said, "Madonna explored the stripped, shadowy bass beats of the underground gay dance genre known as 'sleaze.'" Lyrically, Rolling Stone described Erotica as "a post-AIDS album about romance — it doesn't so much evoke sex as provide a fetishistic abstraction of it."
The album's opening track is the titular lead single "Erotica
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
", which uses spoken word
Spoken word
Spoken word is a form of poetry that often uses alliterated prose or verse and occasionally uses metered verse to express social commentary. Traditionally it is in the first person, is from the poet’s point of view and is themed in current events....
vocals like her 1990 single "Justify My Love
Justify My Love
"Justify My Love" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection and was released on November 6, 1990, by Sire Records. It caused international controversy due to the accompanying music video which was sexually explicit...
". The song is "an ode to S&M." "Fever" is a "sassy, house-style remake" of the pop standard. "Deeper and Deeper
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
", which is sonically similar to Madonna's 1990 single "Vogue", combines "swirling disco synths, of-the-moment Philly house beats, and [...] flamenco guitar." The song deals with a young man coming to terms with his homosexuality
Homosexuality
Homosexuality is romantic or sexual attraction or behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality refers to "an enduring pattern of or disposition to experience sexual, affectional, or romantic attractions" primarily or exclusively to people of the same...
after falling in love. "Where Life Begins" is "the album's most overtly sexual track." "Bad Girl" is "a slow, sorrowful look at the sort of woman who uses drunken debauchery as a mask for her pain." "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" and "Waiting" are "yearning ballads." "In This Life" was written in memory of friends who Madonna had lost to the AIDS epidemic.
Critical reception
Despite the controversy surrounding the Erotica era, music critics were mostly positive about the album. Allmusic states, "While it didn't set the charts on fire like her previous albums, the ambitious Erotica contains some of Madonna's best and most accomplished music." Arion Berger of Rolling StoneRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
gave the album four stars (out of five), writing, "Erotica is everything Madonna has been denounced for being — meticulous, calculated, domineering and artificial. It accepts those charges and answers with a brilliant record to prove them." David Browne of Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
was less positive, declaring that "Erotica may be the most joyless dance music ever made." While Berger praised the album's "cold, remote sound," Browne criticized Madonna's "soulless" voice. In fact, the sexual imagery Madonna put forward in both Erotica and the Sex book was widely criticized for not actually being erotic, but being sterile and calculating. Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
likened the album to an iceberg. J. D. Considine
J. D. Considine
J. D. Considine is an established music critic who has been writing about music professionally since 1977. His work has been published in numerous newspapers and music magazines, and he has contributed to several books. Over the years, he has claimed to have put over three million words into...
stated that "what seems most surprising about the songs [...] is that they find Madonna lusting for love, not panting after sex." In its 15th anniversary review of the album, Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
called Erotica "Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant." In 2010, an MTV News
MTV News
MTV News is the news division of MTV, one of the first and most popular music television network in the U.S., as well as some of MTV's related channels around the world. MTV News began in the late 1980s with the program The Week In Rock, hosted by Kurt Loder, the first official MTV News correspondent...
blog wrote, "Because the content is so obsessed with sex, the music on Erotica often gets short shrift, but it's one of the strongest albums of Madonna's career." Erotica is ranked at number 24 on the Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
's list of 100 Best Albums of the '90s.
Chart performance
The surrounding massive media and critical backlash hurt Erotica sales. While sales were initially brisk, the album did not go through the roof as many predicted. It debuted at number two on the Billboard 200Billboard 200
The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...
shifting 167,000 in its first week. It was held off from reaching the top spot by Garth Brooks
Garth Brooks
Troyal Garth Brooks , best known as Garth Brooks, is an American country music artist who helped make country music a worldwide phenomenon. His eponymous first album was released in 1989 and peaked at number 2 in the US country album chart while climbing to number 13 on the Billboard 200 album chart...
's blockbuster album The Chase
The Chase (Garth Brooks album)
The Chase is the fourth studio album of American country music artist Garth Brooks. It was released on September 22, 1992 on Liberty Records and sold 403,000 copies in its first week, The Chase debuted at #1 on the Billboard 200 chart and Top Country Albums chart. and has been certified 9 x...
(which that same week sold only 4,000 copies more than Erotica). In the UK the album also debuted at number two behind Simple Minds
Simple Minds
Simple Minds are a Scottish rock band who achieved worldwide popularity from the mid-1980s to the early 1990s. The band produced a handful of critically acclaimed albums in the early 1980s and best known for their #1 US, Canada and Netherlands hit single "Don't You ", from the soundtrack of the...
's Glittering Prize 81/92
Glittering Prize 81/92
Glittering Prize is a compilation album by Simple Minds, released in 1992.It spans the period from Sons and Fascination/Sister Feelings Call to Real Life....
. The album stalled over the long-term, selling two million copies each in the U.S. and Europe. While two million is impressive by any standard, it was not up to par with Madonna's other successful records. Erotica also became the first album since her debut to yield no number-one hits in either the U.S. or the UK, with the title track
Erotica (song)
"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
reaching number three, being the highest-charting single from the album. In fact, the number-thirty-six Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
peak of "Bad Girl" made it the first Madonna single to fail to reach the U.S. top twenty after twenty-nine consecutive releases stretching back to "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" in 1983 had done so. Nonetheless, the album produced six singles and was well received on the dance club circuit. To date, Erotica has sold more than five million copies globally.
Singles
- "EroticaErotica (song)"Erotica" is the lead single from American singer-songwriter Madonna's fifth studio album, Erotica . The single was released in October 1992 by Maverick Records, and later included on her greatest hits albums GHV2 and Celebration...
" was released as the lead single of the album on September 1992. The video, directed by fashion photographer Fabien Baron, was inspired by Andy Warhol. - "Deeper and DeeperDeeper and Deeper"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
", the second single was released on November 1992 in the UK and on December 1992 in the US. - "Bad Girl" was released as the third single on February 1993.
- "Fever" was released as the fourth single of the album on March 1993 in Europe and Australia.
- "RainRain (Madonna song)"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" is the fifth single and was released on July 1993. - "Bye Bye BabyBye Bye Baby (Madonna song)"Bye Bye Baby" is the sixth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fifth studio album Erotica. It was released on November 15, 1993.-Single information:...
", the last single was released on September 1993 in Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Germany and Italy.
Originally, "Bad Girl" was planned as the second single from the album with an X-rated video to match the "Erotica" single, but it was changed due to the backlash of the Sex book and instead it was released as the third single. Madonna performed "Erotica", "Fever", "Bye Bye Baby
Bye Bye Baby (Madonna song)
"Bye Bye Baby" is the sixth and final single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fifth studio album Erotica. It was released on November 15, 1993.-Single information:...
", "Deeper and Deeper", "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
", "Why's It So Hard", and "In This Life" on her 1993 Girlie Show Tour. She also performed "Deeper and Deeper" on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour, the "You Thrill Me" demo of "Erotica" on her 2006 Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
and "Rain", that was used as a video interlude, on her 2008-09 Sticky and Sweet Tour.
Legacy and impact
In the review for 15th anniversary of the album, music critic Sal Cinquemani from Slant MagazineSlant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
declared that "This is Madonna at her most important, at her most relevant." While Madonna had always expressed her sexuality suggestively through her art—primarily through music and promotional music videos—she was never as explicit as she had been during the Erotica period of her career. Erotica was one of a trio of sexually-oriented mainstream projects released by Madonna or with her involvement within a span of several months. Released nearly simultaneously with Erotica was the coffee table book
Coffee table book
A coffee table book is a hardcover book that is intended to sit on a coffee table or similar surface in an area where guests sit and are entertained, thus inspiring conversation or alleviating boredom. They tend to be oversized and of heavy construction, since there is no pressing need for...
Sex
Sex (book)
Sex is a coffee table book written by Madonna with photographs by Steven Meisel Studio and film frames taken from film shot by Fabien Baron. The book was edited by Glenn O'Brien. Sex was released on October 21, 1992 by Warner Books...
, which featured the singer in photographs depicting simulations of sexual acts and BDSM
BDSM
BDSM is an erotic preference and a form of sexual expression involving the consensual use of restraint, intense sensory stimulation, and fantasy power role-play. The compound acronym BDSM is derived from the terms bondage and discipline , dominance and submission , and sadism and masochism...
. Less than four months later, a poorly received film titled Body of Evidence was released to theaters, featuring Madonna fully nude and in scenes engaged in simulated sexual acts. With all these explicit projects, Madonna faced strong negative publicity with critics and fans commenting that "she had gone too far" and that her career was to be over. Interestingly, the sexual imagery Madonna put forward in both Erotica and Sex was widely criticized for not actually being erotic, but sterile and calculating. On the subject, Madonna said to CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
's Larry King
Larry King
Lawrence Harvey "Larry" King is an American television and radio host whose work has been recognized with awards including two Peabodys and ten Cable ACE Awards....
on January 19, 1999, "I didn't write a book about sex. I wrote a book that—I mean I published a book that basically was sort of a—an ironic tongue-in-cheek, sticking-my-tongue-out-at-society photo essay..."
Erotica is Madonna's first album ever to have the "Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" label. A separate "clean" version was released, the only difference being the omission of the sexually explicit "Did You Do It?". In Malaysia, it was the first Madonna album banned by the Government for homosexual-related content. At the same time, Sex was also banned from bookstores around the country. In spite of this, her singles "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" and "Deeper and Deeper
Deeper and Deeper
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by Madonna, released as the second single from her 1992 studio album Erotica. It was released in December 1992 by Maverick Records....
" were significant airplay hits there.
Track listing
Additional notes- "Erotica": contains samples of "Jungle BoogieJungle Boogie"Jungle Boogie" is a funk song recorded by Kool & the Gang for their 1973 album Wild and Peaceful. It scored number four as a single and became very popular in nightclubs. The song's spoken main vocal was performed by the band's roadie Don Boyce...
" performed by Kool and the Gang and "El Yom 'Ulliqa 'Ala Khashaba" by Arabic singer FairuzFairuzNouhad Wadi Haddad , famously known as Fairuz is a Lebanese singer who is widely considered to be the most famous living singer in the Arab world and one of the best known of all time...
(the latter is uncredited) - "Erotica", "Bye Bye Baby", "Bad Girl", Thief of Hearts", "Words" and "Why's It So Hard": ASCAP has officially added Anthony Shimkin as co-writer to these songs. Inlay notes to the album do not include this.
- "Did You Do It?" features Mark GoodmanMark GoodmanMark Goodman is a radio DJ, TV personality, and actor. He is best known as one of the original five VJs on MTV, from 1981-1987. He was supposed to be the first of the five to be broadcast at MTV's premier on August 1, 1981...
and Dave Murphy. This song is available only on the Parental Advisory-stickered version of the album, omitted from the clean version. Shep Pettibone has been officially added by BMI as co-writer of this song
Charts
| Chart | Peak Position |
|---|---|
| Australian Albums Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
1 |
| Austrian Albums Chart | 10 |
| Dutch Albums Chart MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
8 |
| German Albums Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
5 |
| Hungarian Albums Chart Mahasz Mahasz is the Hungarian music industry association, founded in 1992. Mahasz hands out the Hungarian Music Awards and maintains the music charts for Hungary.... |
15 |
| Italian Albums Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
2 |
| Japanese Albums Chart Oricon , established in 1999, is the holding company at the head of a Japanese corporate group that supplies statistics and information on music and the music industry in Japan. It started as , which was founded by Sōkō Koike in November 1967 and became known for its music charts. Oricon Inc... |
5 |
| New Zealand Album Charts | 5 |
| Norwegian Albums Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
11 |
| Spanish Albums Chart | 5 |
| Swedish Albums Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
6 |
| Swiss Albums Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
5 |
| UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists... |
2 |
Sales and Certifications
| Country | Certification |
|---|---|
| Argentina Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers The Argentine Chamber of Phonograms and Videograms Producers is an Argentine organization member of the IFPI, which represents the music industry in the country. It is a nonprofit organization integrated by multinational and independent record labels.... |
Platinum |
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
3× Platinum |
| Austria | Gold |
| Brazil Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos The Associação Brasileira dos Produtores de Discos is an official representative body of the record labels in the Brazilian phonographic market.- About :... |
Gold |
| Canada Canadian Recording Industry Association Music Canada is a Toronto-based, non-profit trade organization that was founded 9 April 1963 to represent the interests of companies that record, artists, manufacture, production, promotion and distribution of music in Canada... |
2× Platinum |
| Germany Bundesverband Musikindustrie The Bundesverband Musikindustrie or simply BVMI represents the music industry in Germany. The association represents the interests of nearly 350 labels and music industry related enterprises.... |
Gold |
| Netherlands NVPI The NVPI is the Dutch tradeassociation of the entertainment industry... |
Gold |
| Spain | Platinum |
| Switzerland | Gold |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
2× Platinum |
| United States Recording Industry Association of America The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States... |
2× Platinum |
Chart procession and succession
Personnel
- Madonna – vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments...
- André Betts – synthesizerSynthesizerA synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
, pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, strings, drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizer strings - Emile Charlap – contractor
- Donna De Lory and Niki HarisNiki HarisNiki Haris is an American actress, dancer, and singer of pop, R&B, Dance music and jazz, perhaps best known for having been one of Madonna's backing vocalists from 1987 to 2001.-Early life and family:...
– background vocals - Jerome Dickens – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Glen Dicterow – conductor, concert master
- Anton FigAnton FigAnton Fig , known as "The Thunder from Down Under" is a session drummer, noted for his work in David Letterman's house band, the CBS Orchestra. Letterman often refers to Fig as "Anton Zip"or "Buddy Rich Jr."...
– drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person .... - Mark Goodman – voices
- Joe Moskowitz – drumsDrum kitA drum kit is a collection of drums, cymbals and often other percussion instruments, such as cowbells, wood blocks, triangles, chimes, or tambourines, arranged for convenient playing by a single person ....
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - Dave Murphy – voices
- New York Philharmonic Orchestra
- Paul Pesco – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
- Shep PettiboneShep PettiboneRobert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
– keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments... - James Preston – pianoPianoThe piano is a musical instrument played by means of a keyboard. It is one of the most popular instruments in the world. Widely used in classical and jazz music for solo performances, ensemble use, chamber music and accompaniment, the piano is also very popular as an aid to composing and rehearsal...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, synthesizer strings - Tony Shimkin – keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, background vocals - Danny Wilensky – saxophoneSaxophoneThe saxophone is a conical-bore transposing musical instrument that is a member of the woodwind family. Saxophones are usually made of brass and played with a single-reed mouthpiece similar to that of the clarinet. The saxophone was invented by the Belgian instrument maker Adolphe Sax in 1846...
- Doug WimbishDoug WimbishDoug Wimbish is a bass player, primarily known for his studio work for the rap/hip hop label Sugarhill Records and his membership of the funk metal band Living Colour. He has played for a vast range of artists, including Jeff Beck, Mick Jagger, Madonna, George Clinton, Paula Cole, Bomb the Bass,...
– bassBass guitarThe bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
Production
- Producers: Madonna, André Betts, Shep PettiboneShep PettiboneRobert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
- Engineers: Mike Farrell, Robin Hancock, George Karras, P. Dennis Mitchell, Shep Pettibone, Tony Shimkin
- Assistant engineer: Mark Goodman
- Mixing: Goh Hotoda, George Karras
- Mastering: Ted Jensen
- Sequencing: Shep PettiboneShep PettiboneRobert E. Pettibone, Jr. is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. His earliest work known to the public was for one of New York City's top disco/dance radio stations, WRKS 98.7 "Kiss" FM, and later as remixer/producer for the disco label Salsoul...
, Tony Shimkin - Programming: Joe Moskowitz, Shep Pettibone, Sander Selover
- Drum programming: Andre Betts, Tony Shimkin
- String arrangements: Jeremy Lubbock
- Contractor: Emile Charlap
- Art direction: Siung Fat Tjia
- Design: Siung Fat Tjia
- Photography: Steven Meisel