Take a POLL: The Madonna "Bedtime Stories" Poll

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The most expendable of her nineties records. After more than ten years' distance, I listened to it this afternoon and could hum every tune. In many ways Dallas Austin and Dave Hall's productions have dated worse than Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray's, but it's a testament to Madonna The Producer that she reins in their tendency towards tinkle: lots of well-arranged strings, Me'shelle Ngodecllo adding bump 'n' grind on a few tracks, and the last showcase for her pre-Evita croon, the best example of which is "Take a Bow." The album tracks aren't anything special, but they're better than Like a Virgin's or True Blue's.

My vote: "Bedtime Stories" -- evidence that Maddie should have offered Bjork-Hooper more dough to write albums for her.

Poll Results

OptionVotes
11. Take a Bow 10
10. Bedtime Story 8
6. Human Nature 8
2. Secret 6
4. Don't Stop 1
5. Inside of Me 0
3. I'd Rather Be Your Lover 0
7. Forbidden Love 0
8. Love Tried to Welcome Me 0
9. Sanctuary 0
1. Survival 0


Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:40 (fifteen years ago) link

None of these songs are as good as "vogue" and "express yourself."

boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:44 (fifteen years ago) link

That said, "take a bow."

boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:45 (fifteen years ago) link

But "take a bow."

boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:46 (fifteen years ago) link

Dumb iPhone.

boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:46 (fifteen years ago) link

*Meshell Ndegeocello, of course.

Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 6 October 2009 23:47 (fifteen years ago) link

"Human Nature" also holds up.

Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 02:56 (fifteen years ago) link

i like all the singles, but "take a bow" is probably my favorite maddy ballad. so that.

flying squid attack (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 04:36 (fifteen years ago) link

(is the story true about bjork being put out when she found out she'd written a song for madonna, or was that some kind of indie-kid apocrypha?)

flying squid attack (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 04:37 (fifteen years ago) link

"Bedtime Story". Because it's different.
But, other than "Erotica", this is the weakest of her ordinary albums. Yes, I prefer "American Life" to this one too.

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:09 (fifteen years ago) link

Bedtime Story because I remember loving the Orbital remix so much.

Dorian (Dorianlynskey), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:11 (fifteen years ago) link

i love love love this album, maybe the most underrated madonna album. it's so lush and comforting sonically, but many of the lyrics continue where erotica left off in veering into fearfulness and regret - "love tried to welcome me", "inside of me" - and even devotional songs like "sanctuary" (which is the better version of "bedtime story" imo - both go v well together though) have that frisson of distance. plus, "human nature" bumps so hard. such contempt for people who try to keep her down. and "take a bow" is probably madonna's most superlatively crafted ballads not named "bad girl". i have NO idea what i'm going to vote for and intend to listen to this as soon as i return to london. lol "don't stop" is the worst by a million miles though.

90s madonna! she was so great.

lex pretend, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:36 (fifteen years ago) link

did i ever tell the story about how i nearly got suspended from school because of "secret"?

lex pretend, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:37 (fifteen years ago) link

I've read Bjork interviews where she describes "Human Nature" as a "gift" to Nellee Hooper, not sure otherwise. It's interesting listening to her own version ("Sweet Intuition") which has a totally different feel and is a different song basically.

This is a very good album BTW.

Tim F, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 08:42 (fifteen years ago) link

90s madonna! she was so great.

Not before "Ray Of Light" no.

Her best periods were 1983-89 and 1998-2005.

Tied Up In Geir (Geir Hongro), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 13:55 (fifteen years ago) link

first CD (i.e. not cassette) I ever bought! Human Nature was my favourite then, but I actually heard Secret come randomly on my iPod recently and loved it all over again, so voting for that. I did always love the Bjork-penned contribution too though, it was so out there compared to the rest! Combo of that song & Army of Me on heavy rotation on MuchMusic enabled me to become a huge Bjork fan too.

she started dancing to that (Finefinemusic), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 14:00 (fifteen years ago) link

Bedtime Story because I remember loving the Orbital remix so much.

― Dorian (Dorianlynskey), Wednesday, October 7, 2009 9:11 AM (9 hours ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

that remix is so fuckin awesome. not so much for me with the album though.

history mayne, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 17:32 (fifteen years ago) link

Sorry, the Bjork track reminds me of everything I don't like about Debut.

boring movies are the most boring (Eric H.), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 17:38 (fifteen years ago) link

"bedtime story" (the bjork track) is so fucking beautiful.

this whole album is wonderful. lex is right that it's severely underrated, perhaps especially on ILX. so many awesome jams. and again, lex is right, in saying the production is comforting and lush. definitely one of my favorite mad albums.

a really hard poll. also, i disagree with you, Eric: tho i rate "vogue" and "express yourself" as madonna at the top of her game, i would grant the same praise to some of these songs for sure.

surm, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 18:16 (fifteen years ago) link

some of the filler on this album is complete shit, e.g. "Inside of Me". the album needs less glitter and starbursts. voted "Human Nature"

abanana, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 19:36 (fifteen years ago) link

Also there are two covers because they someone screwed up with the initial run. This is how it was supposed to look:

http://g-ecx.images-amazon.com/images/G/01/ciu/c4/0f/0c8d810ae7a05e16f1a39110.L.jpg

abanana, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 19:41 (fifteen years ago) link

yeah that's the one i have.

a lot of madonna album fillers are shit. i don't think this one's particularly shit, really.

surm, Wednesday, 7 October 2009 19:56 (fifteen years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll is closing tomorrow.

System, Wednesday, 14 October 2009 23:01 (fifteen years ago) link

what's the other cover? that's the only one i've seen.

JLX, Thursday, 15 October 2009 07:43 (fifteen years ago) link

oh. never mind.

JLX, Thursday, 15 October 2009 07:44 (fifteen years ago) link

"forbidden love" is really gorgeous and i think i might vote for it

lex pretend, Thursday, 15 October 2009 08:00 (fifteen years ago) link

I don't think Bjork ever did a version of "Bedtime Stories" but when I think of this track, I hear her voice singing it.

Mark G, Thursday, 15 October 2009 08:44 (fifteen years ago) link

^^ It's called "Sweet Intuition". And also "Sweet Sweet Intuition".

Agree with Lex re "Forbidden Love" which I adore, but I'm still not sure what i'll vote for here.

Tim F, Thursday, 15 October 2009 11:46 (fifteen years ago) link

Bedtime Stories' "Forbidden Love" vs Confessions of a Dance Floor's "Forbidden Lover."

Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 15 October 2009 14:31 (fifteen years ago) link

"Forbidden Love" from Confessions

LeRooLeRoo, Thursday, 15 October 2009 20:36 (fifteen years ago) link

Automatic thread bump. This poll's results are now in.

System, Thursday, 15 October 2009 23:01 (fifteen years ago) link

Boy, this sucked. "Love Tried To Welcome Me" and "Forbidden Love" -- no votes!

Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 15 October 2009 23:04 (fifteen years ago) link

Take A Bow will always be classic, but no way in hell is it the best song on here

surm, Thursday, 15 October 2009 23:11 (fifteen years ago) link

xpost

Well, you said it yourself: "The album tracks aren't anything special" and "The most expendable of her nineties records."

And I think we all know why "Don't Stop" received one vote.

Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 16 October 2009 01:32 (fifteen years ago) link

YES BUT I'M A CONTRARIAN

Roman Polanski now sleeps in prison. (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 16 October 2009 01:34 (fifteen years ago) link

did u guys know that Rain is Ryan and I's song

no i bet you didn't

sorry just had to get that out there

surm, Friday, 16 October 2009 01:38 (fifteen years ago) link

"Rain" from Erotica?

Kevin John Bozelka, Friday, 16 October 2009 02:32 (fifteen years ago) link

that's correct

surm, Friday, 16 October 2009 02:39 (fifteen years ago) link

four years pass...

rewatching secret might be good for you

surm, Friday, 10 October 2014 01:21 (ten years ago) link

Can't believe I didn't vote "Inside of Me."

Eric H., Friday, 10 October 2014 01:50 (ten years ago) link

Twenty years old!

guess that bundt gettin eaten (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 10 October 2014 02:12 (ten years ago) link

eight years pass...

Love Tried to Welcome Me 0

Obviously I never voted

piscesx, Monday, 2 October 2023 11:58 (one year ago) link

An amazing track.

Sort of weird that people got so excited by tunes like “Substitute For Love” when she had already perfected the blueprint here

Tim F, Monday, 2 October 2023 12:16 (one year ago) link

one year passes...

UPCOMING RELEASE
Madonna (@Madonna) - Bedtime Stories: The Untold Chapter pic.twitter.com/CLwRKYfObx

— Pop Vinyl Alerts (@popvinylalerts) February 14, 2025

piscesx, Friday, 14 February 2025 21:54 (one week ago) link


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