Madonna saw in the new Millennium with 2000’s ‘Music‘ which was another huge success following on from the multi-platinum ‘Ray of Light’ two years prior. On ‘Music’ she worked with French writer/producer Mirwais for the first time, with six tracks making the final album including the singles ‘Music’ and ‘Don’t Tell Me’. Mirwais liked to mash up sounds and distort vocals to create new effects and these were in evidence particularly on tracks like ‘Impressive Instant’.
Clearly Madonna enjoyed their creative partnership as her next project ‘American Life’ would see her write mainly with him and the pair co-producing the whole album together. Madonna had had a very busy start to the new Millennium; she’d given birth to her second child, Rocco, starred in a number of films, released a second Greatest Hits collection and been on an extensive tour. Her then husband Guy Richie, had also gifted her an acoustic guitar for her birthday; something she’d use to good effect on the new album.
‘Die Another Day’ gave the first taste of ‘American Life’ when it was released in November 2002 as the theme to Pierce Brosnan’s last outing as James Bond. Madonna also had a cameo in the film as a fencing instructor with the single’s video seeing her fight herself; one Madonna in white fencing inspired gear, the other in black. The video was one of the most expensive ever made and also sees a captured Madonna being tortured. The song was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais blending orchestral, electro and even flamenco style heel stamps. It peaked at no.3 on the Official UK Singles Chart giving the Bond franchise its highest charting theme tune since Duran Duran peaked at No.2 with ‘A View To A Kill’ in 1985.
The album’s title track was chosen as the first official single from the project in April 2003 and caused it’s own controversy – Madonna rapping! That’s right, Madonna raps about modern life and material things such as drinking a soy latte and having a nanny. It’s tongue-in-cheek but with an underlying message about fame and money not buying happiness.
Of course, it was actually the message of anti-war and anti-American capitalism that caused the real controversy. The original directors cut of the video for the song caused the most upset, featuring a catwalk show with models wearing war-themed attire, becoming gradually more graphic in it’s depiction of the evils of war, complete with blood, gore and lost limbs! It was quickly pulled in favour of a less controversial edit. The directors cut has now been given a 4K make over to celebrate the 20th anniversary. Watch below:
The song peaked at No.2 in the UK held off the top spot by Room 5 ft Oliver Cheatham’s ‘Make Luv’.
The album was released on 21st April and went straight to the top of the UK Official Albums Chart spending 20 weeks inside the Top 100 (11 of which inside the Top 40). It was certified Platinum in the UK in August 2003.
Sonically the album is a blend of folktronica, acoustic and techno elements whilst lyrically it starts with a commentary on modern life, the need for fame and materialism, but later sees Madonna opening up about her family and being introspective on life.
The next single was ‘Hollywood’ which was released in July and matched the lead single’s No.2 peak in the UK(Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’ holding the No.1 spot). It was arguably more pop sounding and mainstream than the previous single; certainly less controversial! Madonna performed ‘Hollywood’ in a mash-up with ‘Like A Virgin’ at that years’ MTV Awards, beginning with Britney Spears emerging from a giant wedding cake, dressed as a bride to sing Madonna’s 80s classic. She was then joined by a second bride who turned out to be Christina Aguilera. The music then cuts to the wedding march and the groom rises from the cake in the form of Madonna as she bursts into ‘Hollywood’. As if that wasn’t enough, Madonna then kisses Britney and Christina in turn before Missy Elliot joins the stage and the four dance it out. It’s worth watching for Carson Kressley’s reaction alone!
It has recently come to light that instead of Christina Aguilera, it was actually supposed to be Jennifer Lopez as the second bride. Personally, although a fan of JLo too, I am glad it was Xtina! Whilst rehearsing for that performance, Britney played Madonna a track from her upcoming album ‘In the Zone’ and Madonna decided she wanted to be a part of it and ‘Me Against The Music’ was released as Britney’s lead single featuring Madonna in November, peaking at No.2 in the UK.
Back to the ‘American Life’ album and in the UK a final single was released in December in the form of the jittery, electro, guitar-pop of ‘Love Profusion’ – one of my album highlights. The track had been used in a make up advert for Estee Lauder which was directed by Luc Besson (The Fifth Element/Leon) and starred supermodel Carolyn Murphy. It sees Carolyn walking through a magical world of fairies, flowers, beaches and water (all green screened) and Madonna then gave a nod to this in the official video for the song as she wanders through a dark cityscape before going into the same world as Carolyn does in the ad. The video was also directed by Luc Besson, and the single just missed out on giving Madonna a further Top 10 single when it peaked at no.11. Watch the advert below;
Of the remaining 7 tracks, album closer ‘Easy Ride’ is a classic, with Madonna talking about her approach to life and getting a bit existential on the chorus with the notion that everything in life is cyclical. It’s an anthemic track that asks the listener to come on a journey and the perfect end to a great album.
‘Mother and Father’ is another album highlight making full use of Mirwais’ electro squelches and distortion with Madonna singing in a high, girlie register to give an almost childlike feel as she takes the listener back to her losing her mother at the age of five and how that impacted her relationship with her father. It’s a very upbeat track considering the subject matter.
The final track I want to flag is ‘Nothing Fails’ which is one of the few songs not solely worked on by Madonna and Mirwais on the album. For this track, she teamed up with Guy Sigsworth (Seal/Bjork) and singer Jem, to sing about undying love for your partner. It’s another acoustic guitar led track that builds to a crescendo with a choir backing Madonna’s soothing vocal. The track was released in the US and some European territories but not in the UK. Watch the track live on Madonna’s Reinvention tour:
At the time of release, ‘American Life’ was something of a divisive album with the public and didn’t hit the same commercial success as the previous two albums. It wasn’t helped by being released around the same time the war in Iraq had begun. Who knows, maybe a different choice of first single may have given the album an easier ride?(pun intended!) Now, some 20 years on, it still sounds fresh and was definitely a natural progression from ‘Music’ and quite forward thinking in its blend of electro and folk and political imagery (nodding to revolutionist Che Guevara).
Listen to ‘American Life’ below:
