Madonna capped off her historic 80s run with the 1990 release of The Immaculate Collection, a greatest hits compilation that spanned her first four albums plus various contributions to movie soundtracks. The album sold more than 10 million copies in the U.S. and 30 million worldwide, making it her top-selling release.
Madonna started her new chapter by creating Maverick, a multimedia company with divisions dedicated to music, TV/film and book publishing. She released the steel-cover photo book Sex, which featured nude images of her and a rotating cast of partners both famous and unknown.
Her next studio album, 1992’s Erotica, also embraced her salacious side. In the guise of alter ego Mistress Dita, she sang about love and sex over house party beats produced by remix master Shep Pettibone.
The one-two punch of Sex and Erotica proved too much for the puritanical media, which missed the underlying message of sexual acceptance inspired by the devastation wrought on the gay community by AIDS. Madonna had lost way too many friends and collaborators to the disease.
Several songs on Erotica address AIDS and homophobia directly, mourning the loss of a loved one or decrying societal prejudice.
Today’s track, an early single, became an anthem at gay clubs, especially for these lyrics in the bridge: “This feeling inside I can’t explain, but my love is alive and I’m never gonna hide it again.”
Reading about the background and inspiration of Erotica made me appreciate it more as an artistic achievement, even if the genre makes it a tougher listen for me than her pop music.
I dig the production and like a few of these songs quite a bit, but at an hour and 15 minutes, with most tracks topping the five-minute mark, this is too much album for me.
Erotica sold very well by most standards, but was something of a disappointment by Madonna’s. It was her first album to sell fewer than 5 million copies in the U.S. (it sold two million) and the first to sell fewer than 10 million worldwide (it sold only six).
In the nearly 30 years since its release, Erotica‘s reputation has grown, with many critics now naming it among Madonna’s best albums.
Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper
Sweeter and sweeter and sweeter and sweeter
[Chorus]
I can’t help falling in love
I fall deeper and deeper the further I go
Kisses sent from heaven above
They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know
[Verse 1]
When you know the notes to sing
You can sing most anything
That’s what my mama told me
‘Round and ’round and ’round you go
When you find love, you’ll always know
I let my father mold me
[Pre-Chorus]
Daddy couldn’t be all wrong
(Not gonna let you slip away, I’m gonna be there)
And my mama made me learn this song
(You’re gonna bring your love to me, I’m gonna get you)
That’s why
[Chorus]
I can’t help falling in love
I fall deeper and deeper the further I go
Kisses sent from heaven above
They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know
The deeper I go
[Verse 2]
All is fair in love she said
Think with your heart, not with your head
That’s what my mama told me
All the little things you do
Will end up coming back to you
I let my father mold me
[Pre-Chorus]
Daddy couldn’t be all wrong
(Not gonna let you slip away, I’m gonna be there)
And my mama made me learn this song
(You’re gonna bring your love to me, I’m gonna get you)
That’s why
[Chorus]
I can’t help falling in love
I fall deeper and deeper the further I go
Kisses sent from heaven above
They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know
I can’t help falling in love
I fall deeper and deeper the further I go
Kisses sent from heaven above
They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know
[Bridge]
Someone said that romance was dead
And I believed it instead of remembering
What my mama told me
Let my father mold me
Then you tried to hold me
You remind me what they said
This feeling inside
I can’t explain
But my love is alive
And I’m never gonna hide it again
[Instrumental Break]
[Pre-Chorus]
Daddy couldn’t be all wrong
(Not gonna let you slip away, I’m gonna be there)
And my mama made me learn this song
(You’re gonna bring your love to me, I’m gonna get you)
That’s why
[Chorus]
I can’t help falling in love
I fall deeper and deeper the further I go
Kisses sent from heaven above
They get sweeter and sweeter the more that I know
[Outro]
Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper
Never gonna hide it again
Sweeter and sweeter and sweeter and sweeter
Never gonna have to pretend
Deeper and deeper and deeper and deeper
Never gonna hide it again
Sweeter and sweeter and sweeter and sweeter
Never gonna have to pretend
You’ve got to just let your body move to the music
You’ve got to just let your body go with the flow
Falling in love, falling in love, falling in love
I can’t keep from falling in love with you
You know there’s nothing better that I’d like to do
Meet Me In Montauk 
Respectfully, I beg to differ with your deep dive chronology a bit, as I think it was I’m Breathless, a soundtrack album released in May 1990 (Immaculate Collection was November 1990)with songs from and inspired by Dick Tracy, that capped off Madonna’s 80’s run – featuring the smash hit iconic song and video “Vogue.” It’s hard to tell the complete story of Madonna without talking about “Vogue,” as the song was a critical and commercial anthem.
So, to correct the omission, completeness of the record, and for your readers’ listening and viewing pleasure, I give you:
I chose to exclude Madonna’s three soundtrack albums from this series, but you’re right that I’m Breathless, and particularly Vogue, is worthy of a mention. Who’s That Girl and Evita… less so.
I had no idea how many millions of albums Madonna sold in her heyday! Wow. I bought one copy of all of them. But I didn’t know the backstory/inspiration for many of her songs. Thanks for this ongoing deep dive…