Celebration

 Review

Common Sense Media says

Mega-star's once-controversial songs now seem almost quaint.
greenON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
yellowPAUSE: Know your child; some content
may not be right for some kids.
redOFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
not for kidsNOT FOR KIDS: Not appropriate for kids any age.

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Quality
 
Sometimes media can be age appropriate but a real waste of time. Our star rating assesses the media's overall quality.

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Parents say

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Kids say

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What parents need to know

Parents need to know that a lot of the songs which have landed Madonna in hot water over the years -- "Like a Virgin," "Papa Don't Preach," "Like a Prayer," etc. -- are included in this collection, putting it out-of-reach for very young kids. Overall, however, these songs are less risque than much of the hardcore rap music on the market.   

  • Several of Madonna's songs include positive messages; for example, in "Express Yourself," she sings, "Don't go for second best, baby, put your love to the test / You've got to make him express how he feels and, baby, then you'll know your love is real."
  • Though her music doesn't scream sex, Madonna's image often does -- making it hard to call her a role model.  
  • Not applicable.
  • Though there's a fair amount of sexual innuendo in Madonna's music, she doesn't use graphic language to describe it. For instance, the lyric "I want to run naked in a rainstorm, make love in a train" is about as bad as it gets.

What's the story?

CELEBRATION is a greatest hits compilation from music legend Madonna -- one of the few artists with the star power to pull off a sixth greatest hits record containing some of the very same songs included on the first five. "Borderline," "Like a Virgin," "Like a Prayer," "Material Girl," "Vogue"; you name it, the hit is included in the long list of 35 songs that spans two CDs. Most parents only need to hear the name Madonna to know that this music isn't meant for young kids. But they should also know that the actual lyrics in these songs are fairly tame compared to today's hardcore rap tunes. For example, while the track "Like a Virgin" clearly alludes to sex, the lyrics reveal that it's ultimately a love song: "I made it through the wilderness, so now I made it through, didn't know how lost I was until I found you / I was beat, incomplete, I'd been had, I was sad and blue / But you made me feel, yeah you made me feel, shiny and new / Like a virgin, touched for the very first time."


Is it any good?

 

The question isn't whether these classic Madonna songs are themselves any good, but whether the compilation represents the best of Madonna. While the singer's legions of fans will all have their own opinions, the collection definitely contains plenty of Madonna's most well-known hits, including "Borderline," "Material Girl," "Like a Prayer," "Vogue," "Lucky Star," and more.

It also features some of her newer music, such as her recent hot song "4 Minutes" with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland. The two entirely new songs -- "Celebration" and "Revolver" (with Lil Wayne) -- can't really compare to her classic hits, though they'll undoubtedly appease the countless Madonna lovers who can never get enough of her music.       


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What families can talk about

  • If Madonna's lyrics actually aren't so bad in terms of graphic sexual content, why is she so often associated with sex?

  • What are some of the positive messages that kids can gain from listening to her music?


This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Parent of 11 year old
November 14, 2009
 
Positive,Upbeat for younger kids.Fine.
i think this song is fine for kids. it's positive, fun they can dance. And if they like Madonna , this one keeps them away from her sexual stuff!

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Adult
December 18, 2010
 
Amazing collection--most kids won't be interested in it. More probably into Britney Spears and Katy Perry.

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Teen, 15 years old
November 3, 2009
 
Her last album?
I have grown up with Madonna, and I've heard that this is her last album. I love Madonna! This album is great!

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This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
Artist:Madonna
Release date:October 1, 2009
Label:Warner Brothers
Genre:Pop
Parental advisory:No

This review was written by Stephanie Bruzzese
 

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About our rating system
ON: Content is age-appropriate for kids this age.
PAUSE: Know your child; some content may not be right for some kids.
OFF: Not age-appropriate for kids this age.
Learning ratings
BEST: Really engaging, great learning approach.
GOOD: Pretty engaging, good learning approach.
FAIR: Somewhat engaging, OK learning approach.
NOT FOR LEARNING: Not recommended for learning.

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