Common Sense Note
Parents need to know that Madonna's lyrics are standard-issue sexy. They are also kind of simplistic and dumb. Madonna's well-publicized interest in Jewish Mysticism is also on display in a few of the songs.
Families listening together can compare this CD to past Madonna recordings. They could also discuss the fact that much has been made about Madonna's age and whether or not she is still relevant in a pop scene dominated by teens; do male musicians who have enjoyed a long career face the same scrutiny?
Common Sense Review
Reviewed By: Kathi Kamen Goldmark
Madonna has never been known as one of the great intellectual lights of our time; her brilliance lies in self-promotion, performing flawlessly-constructed dance hits, and in cultivating her own special brand of old-school star quality. On her new CD, CONFESSIONS OF A DANCE FLOOR, Madonna gets back to basics with slick, well-produced, non-stop disco beats. The instrumental arrangements offer complex, layered, and interesting support for her breathy, girlish vocals.
Madonna's lyrics, on the other hand, are about as dumb and simplistic as could be, displaying none of the cleverness of past releases. More cynical music fans might fall out of their chairs laughing when they hear lyrics like "I don't like cities but I like New York/Other cities make me feel like a dork" ("I Love New York") or "Comet to the sky/future lovers ride/Their ambitions high/Would you like to try?" ("Future Lovers"). Most kindergarten students could do better, and many probably have. Then there is the artist's conveniently personalized theology -- her well-publicized interest in Jewish Mysticism -– apparent on a couple of the songs, sure to provide at least a bit of cringe-factor for seriously observant families. If you're a Madonna fan, none of this will matter. If you're a newcomer to Madonna-land, however, you'd do better with some of her earlier albums -- those made before she took herself quite so seriously.
Rate It!| Content | ||||
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| CS | adults | kids | ||
Sexual ContentJust a bit of innuendo. |
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Violence |
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Language |
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Message |
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Social BehaviorSome families might be taken aback by her odd and public theology. |
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CommercialismInsert advertises cell phone ring tones. |
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Drug/Alcohol/Tobacco |
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