Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Single by Madonna | ||||
from the album Erotica | ||||
B-side |
| |||
Released | July 17, 1993 | |||
Recorded | 1992 | |||
Studio | Soundworks (New York) | |||
Genre | Pop | |||
Length | 5:24 | |||
Label | ||||
Songwriter(s) |
| |||
Producer(s) |
| |||
Madonna singles chronology | ||||
| ||||
Music video | ||||
"Rain" on YouTube |
"Rain" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fifth studio album, Erotica (1992). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, in Australia and most European countries, "Rain" was released as single on July 17, 1993. In the United Kingdom and the United States, it was issued on July 19, and August 5, respectively. It was then included on Madonna's 1995 compilation, Something to Remember. A pop ballad with elements of R&B, trip-hop, and New-age music, its lyrics liken water and rainfall to the power of love.
Critical reception towards "Rain" was generally positive. Critics deemed it a standout in Erotica, and one of the best ballads Madonna had released up to that point. Commercially, the single saw moderate success. In the United States, it reached the 14th spot of the Billboard Hot 100. It fared better in Canada and the United Kingdom, where it reached the chart's second spot and top-ten, respectively.
The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek and finds Madonna singing in front of a Japanese film crew. It was awarded Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography at the MTV Video Music Awards. Madonna has performed "Rain" live on the Girlie Show (1993) and Celebration (2023–2024) concert tours; on 2008–2009's Sticky & Sweet Tour, it was used as video interlude. Additionally, "Rain" has been covered by multiple artists ―particularly for tribute albums― including Madonna's former backing vocalists Donna De Lory and Niki Haris.
Background and release
[edit]In early 1992, Madonna founded her own multi-media entertainment company Maverick, consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and associated music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising divisions.[1] The first two projects from the venture were her fifth studio album Erotica, and a coffee table book of photographs featuring Madonna, entitled Sex.[1][2][3] For Erotica, Madonna primarily collaborated with American producer Shep Pettibone, with whom she had worked during the 1980s in remixes of several of her singles.[4] According to author Mark Bego, the first batch of songs they worked on were the album's title track, "Deeper and Deeper", "Bad Girl", "Thief of Hearts", and "Rain".[5] Pettibone would create the music and Madonna the lyrics.[6] They came up with "Rain" the night before Madonna was scheduled to come in to the studio; "it was a Sunday, it was raining - ha! - and she wrote the words, and sang the song and harmonies all in that day. ['Rain'] came together very quickly", recalled the producer.[7] According to author Matthew Rettenmund, "Rain" was intended to be part of a planned musical adaptation of the 1939 film Wuthering Heights that never came into fruition, set to be directed by Madonna's collaborator Alek Keshishian.[8]
Recording took place at Astoria's Soundwork Studios on June 8, 1992.[9] Personnel working on the song included Pettibone on sequencing, keyboard arrangement, and programming; Anthony Shimkin was in charge of drum programming; Dennis Mitchell and Robin Hancock worked as recording engineers, and Goh Hotoda was the mixing engineer.[9] In Australia and most European countries, "Rain" was released on July 17, 1993.[a] In the United Kingdom and the United States, it was issued as Erotica's final single on July 19, and August 5, respectively.[10][11] In 1995, "Rain" was added to Madonna's compilation album Something to Remember.[12]
Composition
[edit]"Rain" has been noted an "optimistic" pop ballad with influence of R&B, trip-hop, and New-age.[b] It has been compared to the work of Peter Gabriel and Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis.[13][17] The lyrics use water and rainfall as a metaphor for being in love: Both are cleansing elements that “wash away” past heartache and pain.[18][19] Joe Lynch from Billboard argued that it is a song that "envisions a love in the age of AIDS".[20] According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Sony/ATV Music Publishing, "Rain" is written in the key note of E♭ major, set in the time signature of common time with a moderate pace tempo of 92 beats per minute.[21] It follows a chord progression of B♭sus2–E♭6/9–F in the refrain, and later switches to E♭–F–B♭ in the verses.[21] The song's instrumentation seeks to evoke a "purifying effect", along with "turbulent elements associated with rain", such as raindrops and lightning bolts. This is achieved through rhythmic patterns and orchestra hits.[19]
Towards the bridge, there is a key change from B♭ major to C major, followed by two spoken parts and a harmony alongside it.[18] Madonna recites out of the left and right channels, "By sheer force of will/I’ll raise you from the ground/And without a sound, you’ll appear and surrender to me, to love".[22] Also present is a crescendo that refers the Beatles' "Here Comes the Sun" (1969), and marks, according to John Myers from Yahoo! Voices, an "escape from the deluge of the rain with the breaking of the sun".[18][23]
Critical reception
[edit]Upon release, "Rain" was generally well received by music critics, who deemed it one of the best tracks in Erotica, and one of the best ballads Madonna had released up to that point.[c] On his review of Erotica, Billboard's Larry Flick called it "gorgeous [...] though not as lyrically daring as [previous single] 'Bad Girl', ['Rain'] is a wonderfully constructed tune".[28] Writing for The Independent, Giles Smith said the song was the closest "to the Madonna of Like a Prayer as [Erotica] comes, a big and solemn ballad".[29] Idolator's Stephen Sears considered it Erotica's "sole expression of pure love [...] a swooningly romantic" track that "revisits the oceanic sonic landscape" of 1986's "Live to Tell".[22] For Rolling Stone, Arion Berger highlighted "Rain" as one of the tracks that help Erotica sustain its "icy tone".[30] Madonna's vocals also received praise. Sal Cinquemani singled out her "rarely acknowledged harmonies", which Stephen Thomas Erlewine described as "comforting and consoling".[4][15] By his part, Cash Box's Troy J. Augusto noted that, "at times, [Madonna] almost sounds like Karen Carpenter, all tender and shy".[31] The song's new-age and R&B influences were also singled out for praise.[19][15][17]
The song wasn't without criticism. While Matthew Jacobs from HuffPost opined "Rain" wasn't "terribly distinctive" from other ballads Madonna had released at the time, Rikky Rooksby —author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna— felt that the lyrical theme "had been used in countless [songs]".[32][18] Chris Willman for the Los Angeles Times, wrote that, "despite having crafted some of the best singles of the '80s, and despite being a genuine wit, Madonna can tend toward terribly banal rhymes", citing "Rain" as an example.[33] Even though she named it a standout track in Erotica, the Sun-Sentinel's Barbara Walker referred to "Rain" as a "mere also-ran" in Madonna's catalogue.[34] Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine dismissed the song as a "slushy rewrite of that year's 'This Used to Be My Playground', itself a slushy rewrite of Like a Prayer's 'Promise to Try'".[35]
In retrospect, "Rain" has been ranked as one of Madonna's best by Billboard, Parade, The Backlot, The A.V. Club, and PinkNews.[d] Rocco Papa from The Odyssey deemed it "one of the most beautiful songs on one of her most underrated albums".[38] In this vein, The National's Saeed Saeed named it an "ethereal beauty", and one of Madonna's "most criminally underrated" singles.[39] Mark Elliott from website This is Dig! referred to "Rain" as a perfect pop ballad, and added that it helped "wash away" the criticism Madonna was facing at the time, and "remind everyone that her art was as much about the power of love as it was the compelling draw of lust or even the wider platform of sexual politics".[11] In this vein, both Stephen Thomas Erlewine and Sal Cinquemani agreed that "Rain" paved the way for the "softer" "post-Sex" image and sound Madonna would adopt in the mid-1990s.[40][41]
Commercial performance
[edit]In the United States, "Rain" debuted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 52, in the issue dated July 24, 1993.[42] It ultimately peaked at number 14 on the week of September 11, spending a total of 20 weeks on the chart.[43] Additionally, it reached the 30th and eleventh position on the Hot 100 Airplay and Hot Singles Sales charts, respectively.[44][45] On Billboard's Adult Contemporary chart, "Rain" peaked at number seven.[46] By the end of 1993, it ranked 38th on the Adult Contemporary chart, and 67th on the Hot 100.[47] "Rain" is Madonna's 40th most successful single in the United States, according to Billboard magazine.[48] In Canada, the single debuted in the 95th position of RPM's Top Singles chart on the week of July 17, 1993;[49] two months later, it peaked at number two behind Mariah Carey's "Dreamlover".[50] "Rain" reached the seventh spot on RPM's Adult Contemporary chart, and was the 15th best-selling single of 1993 in Canada.[51][52]
In the United Kingdom, "Rain" debuted at the 10th position of the UK Singles Chart on July 31, 1993, and, one week later, peaked at number seven; it spent 8 weeks on the chart overall.[53] It gave Madonna her 34th UK top-ten single.[11] According to Music Week magazine, over 130,000 copies of the single have been sold in the United Kingdom as of 2008.[54] In Australia, the song debuted at number 21 on the charts before rising and peaking at number five. It was certified gold by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for shipments of 35,000 copies.[55] It was less successful in New Zealand, where it barely cracked the top 20.[56] Reception towards the single in Europe was moderate: It reached the top-ten in Ireland and Italy,[57][58] and the top 20 in Sweden and Switzerland.[59][60] "Rain" reached the top 30 in Austria and Germany,[55][61] but was less successful in The Netherlands, where it barely managed to enter the top 40.[62][63] It came in at number 15 of the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[64]
Music video
[edit]Background and filming
[edit]The music video for "Rain" was directed by American filmmaker and photographer Mark Romanek.[65] Madonna became interested in working with Romanek after seeing his work in En Vogue's "Free Your Mind" (1992), and Lenny Kravitz's "Are You Gonna Go My Way" (1993).[66][65] When she approached him, however, the director turned down the offer, as he felt "intimidated" by the idea of shooting a music video that, "would mark a departure from [Madonna's] ostentatious antics" of the time.[67] He also added, "['Rain'] was really romantic and I didn't really know what to do with something romantic at that point in my life".[65] Romanek eventually accepted, on the condition that he be allowed to make the video "futuristic".[68] According to author Mary Gabriel, Madonna "allowed [Romanek's] imagination to run wild", and he settled with a "simple" idea for the visual: The singer as a "doe-eyed ingenue" filming a music video in Japan.[68][67] He wanted to have Madonna be "the only Occidental [in the video], which would make her more of an outsider".[68] His influences in creating the aesthetic were Japanese designers like Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo. For the filming, he was inspired by a commercial Jean-Baptiste Mondino did with Catherine Deneuve for Yves Saint Laurent; "the way they colored [Deneuve']s face —it just was, at that time, just jaw-dropping how beautiful it was", recalled Romanek.[68][8]
For the video-within-a-video's role of the director, Madonna approached Jean-Luc Godard and Federico Fellini, but both declined;[65] the latter allegedly faxed her a handwritten personal apology note.[68] At the end, Ryuichi Sakamoto was selected thanks to him being what Romanek called, "the most iconic and famous and attractive Japanese icon".[65] Argentine model Daniel Rossi, with whom Madonna was allegedly romantically involved at the time, also participated.[69] Filming for the video took place at a Santa Monica Airport hangar from May 16–19, 1993.[70] Crew included Krista Montagna in production, Harris Savides in direction of photography, Jon Peter Flack in production design, Robert Duffy was an editor, while David Bradshaw was in charge of wardrobe.[71] A studio was created in the hangar that allowed the filming material —wires, cameras, lights— to be seen.[68] The Japanese crew was allowed to walk freely in front of the camera and around Madonna.[68]
As Romanek didn't want the clip to be too "clichéd" or literal, he decided to use water, contained in two large walls that were placed on either sides of Madonna.[67] To further capture the track's "crystalline" essence, colored closeups of the singer's face and features —for which she underwent half a day of camera tests— were done.[67] Then, a German lighting fixture was used to achieve a "thoroughly modern, yet classic" effect.[67] Madonna's appearance was inspired by 1940s Paris, and singer Edith Piaf: She wore a "waif-like cap of short black hair with spiky bangs", blue-colored contact lenses and "porcelain-doll perfect" make-up.[68][72] At Romanek's petition, she also grew her eyebrows back.[72] Rei Kawakubo of Comme des Garcons and Vivienne Westwood provided the wardrobe.[72]
Synopsis, release and reception
[edit]The video opens with Madonna in a studio, lying on a riveted aluminum chaise longue —designed by then unknown Marc Newson— decked out in a white dress, with headphones on her ears, composing a song.[8] This precedes closeups of her singing to a blue-toned microphone, in front of a blue backdrop. She's next seen taking a break from filming, following by a scene in which she receives instructions from the director (Sakamoto); they're now both wearing matching black flowing long-sleeved shirts. The director then instructs a scene in which Madonna kisses a long-haired male, and one in which she stands in-between two walls covered with water in a black dress. This last part is interpolated with closeups similar to the ones from the beginning, and of Madonna getting her makeup done by staff.
Next is a shot of the singer and a man kissing behind a water-stained crystal wall. Towards the bridge, Madonna, wearing the aforementioned black flowing shirt, poses in front of a wall made up of bright lights. The director and the crew all watch as she dances in front of a backdrop depicting a stormy sky with flashing lights. She now wears a short-sleeved shirt and long skirt. The video closes with an air view of open black umbrellas covering the entire floor, as water from fire sprinklers falls down upon Madonna's face.[73]
"Rain" premiered on MTV on June 21, 1993.[8] Upon release, it was positively received by critics. Both Billboard's Deborah Russell and Los Angeles Times' Maureen Sajbel singled out Madonna's appearance, with the former calling it "chic yet vulnerable, glamorous yet sweet".[67][72] The staff of The Advocate considered it a "gorgeous video that stands the test of time".[74] Bryant Frazer from website Studio Daily applauded "Rain" for pushing "the boundaries of telecine work at the time".[75] By their part, Dave Marsh and James Bernard wrote in New Book of Rock Lists (1994) that it was an example of the influence of Japanese culture on contemporary arts.[76] At the MTV Video Music Awards, Jan Peter Flack and Savides won for Best Art Direction and Best Cinematography, respectively.[77] "Rain" was nominated for clip of the year, and Romanek awarded director of the year at the Billboard Music Video Awards.[78][79] Russell named "Rain" 1993's ninth best music video.[80]
Retrospective reviews have named "Rain" one of Madonna's finest music videos.[e] Rocco Papa from The Odyssey highlighted its "high-contrast look and meta-narrative concept".[38] Idolator's Mike Neid wrote that, with its "gorgeous set pieces and stunning cinematography, ['Rain'] is sheer class".[81] Slant Magazine considered "Rain" the 70th greatest music video of all time; Sal Cinquemani and Ed Gonzalez opined it was one of Madonna's "most beautiful", as well as a "simple and refreshing break from [her] sex-drenched Erotica period".[82] For VH1's Christopher Rosa, it is one of the singer's most underrated music videos, describing it as "simple, [and] electric", and comparing her short hair look to that of Mia Farrow.[83] Jef Rouner from the Houston Press named "Rain" the ninth best music video directed by Romanek: "One of [his] more light-hearted [...] ['Rain'] is a fascinating treatise on the act of creating a music video itself".[84] "Rain" can be found on Madonna's compilations The Video Collection 93:99 (1999) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009), as well as on the DVD The Work Of Director Mark Romanek (2005).[85][86][87]
Live performances
[edit]On the Girlie Show of 1993, Madonna sang "Rain" with her backing vocalists Niki Haris and Donna De Lory, interspersed with lyrics of the Temptations' "Just My Imagination (Running Away with Me)" (1971).[88][89] The stage was bathed in blue light, with the three women donning long black choir robes.[88] Haris recalled that it was the "first time [on stage] we sat down together and felt our harmonies. Madonna's voice was starting to get strong and she was into trying new things".[90] The number was praised by The Baltimore Sun's J. D. Considine, who opined that, even though the artist "just sat and sang, that hardly took away from ['Rain']'s gorgeous harmonies".[91] The performance recorded on November 19, 1993, at the Sydney Cricket Ground, was included on The Girlie Show: Live Down Under video release (1994).[92]
A mashup of "Rain" and Eurythmics' "Here Comes the Rain Again" (1984) was used as video interlude on 2008―2009's Sticky & Sweet Tour.[93][94] The video depicted the cartoon of an "alien woman chasing fish", while dancers onstage did an Asian-inspired choreography.[95][93] On her review of the Barcelona concert, Lourdes López from La Vanguardia was critical of the number, as she felt it "bordered on boring".[93] The performance was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album release (2010), recorded during the four concerts in Buenos Aires.[96]
The performance of "Rain" on the Celebration Tour (2023―2024) sees a "shadowy reaper" embrace Madonna —who's decked out in a long cape— and "pull[ing] her into the darkness".[97][98] Reviewing the tour's opening concert in London, the staff of OutInPerth criticized the "anti-climactic" number.[97] By contrast, Metro Weekly's André Hereford deemed it a "powerful vocal [performance] in a night where her lungs and body worked prodigiously".[99]
Covers and usage
[edit]In 2000, British gothic rock band Rosetta Stone covered "Rain" for the tribute album Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 2; AllMusic's Heather Phares considered it one of the album's finest moments.[100] The following year, a cover by Who's That Girl! was included on the album Exposed, released through Almighty Records.[101] The Vitamin String Quartet covered "Rain" for The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna (2002), while Los Angeles based band Motor Industries did it for The Dancefloor Tribute to Madonna (2003).[102][103] In 2008, the song was recorded by Da Capo Players, and included on Strung out on Madonna: The String Quartet Tribute.[104] That same year, a remix of "Rain" titled "Klubkidz House Party Mix" was included on Madonna impersonator Melissa Totten's album Forever Madonna.[105]
In May 2016, Donna De Lory and Niki Haris recorded an acoustic version of "Rain" and released it as a digital single; this release also included a remix created by Willie Ray Lewis.[106] An EP containing four additional remixes was released on October.[107] As to why they chose to cover the song, Haris told the HuffPost in an email: "I believe [the lyrics] are indicative of the many years [Donna and I] have been together, alternating between sunshine and stormy [...] We feel blessed every time we sing [it]".[108] In the 2019 film Uncut Gems, "Rain" was used in a scene in which Adam Sandler's character walks into his apartment and finds it empty and dark.[109]
Track listings and formats
[edit]
|
|
Credits and personnel
[edit]Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[9]
- Madonna – songwriter, producer, vocals
- Shep Pettibone – songwriter, producer, sequencing, programming, keyboard
- Robin Hancock – recording engineer
- P. Dennis Mitchell – recording engineer
- Tony Shimkin – drum programming
- Goh Hotoda – mixing engineer
Charts
[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
|
Year-end charts[edit]
|
Certifications and sales
[edit]Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[140] | Gold | 35,000^ |
United Kingdom | — | 130,771[54] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. |
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (April 10, 1992). "Madonna makes a $60 million deal". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 19, 2009. Retrieved February 16, 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ Carpenter, Teresa (September 13, 1992). "THE NEW SEASON/POP MUSIC; Madonna's Doctor of Spin". The New York Times. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved September 27, 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ Orth, Maureen (October 1992). "Madonna in Wonderland". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on February 11, 2015. Retrieved April 6, 2022.
- ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (February 24, 2007). "Review: Madonna, Erotica". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 20, 2022. Retrieved February 17, 2024.
- ^ Bego 2000, p. 96
- ^ Pettibone, Shep. "Erotica Diaries". Official Shep Pettibone website. Archived from the original on June 27, 2007. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Levine, Nick (October 20, 2017). "An oral story: Madonna's Erotica by the people who helped create it". i-D. Vice Media. Archived from the original on February 25, 2021. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d Rettenmund 2016, p. 424
- ^ a b c Erotica (Liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1992. 9362-45031-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Madonna.com > Discography > Rain". Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved October 21, 2024 – via Icon: Official Madonna Website.
- ^ a b c Elliott, Mark (August 5, 2023). "Rain: The story behind the song that reset Madonna's career in the 90s". This is Dig!. Archived from the original on September 30, 2023. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ Something to Remember (Liner notes). Madonna. Warner Bros. Records. 1995. 9 46100-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Harrington, Richard (October 21, 1992). "The Madonna Pornucopia". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on July 19, 2020. Retrieved October 28, 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ Verna, Paul (October 24, 1992). "Album reviews" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 104, no. 43. p. 60. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (July 26, 2023). "40 years of Madonna: The Queen of Pop's greatest songs, ranked - 31. Rain". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on July 29, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Murrian, Samuel R. (August 16, 2019). "We ranked the 100 best Madonna songs of all time". Parade. Archived from the original on August 16, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c "The 100 greatest Madonna songs: Critics' picks". Billboard. August 15, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Rooksby 2004, pp. 42–43
- ^ a b c Zaleski, Annie (April 19, 2016). "Madonna's 'Rain' established her as a sensual New Age goddess". The A.V. Club. Archived from the original on October 11, 2019. Retrieved October 11, 2019.
- ^ Arnold, Chuck (October 20, 2022). "Madonna's Erotica album at 30: Every song ranked from worst to best". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 20, 2022. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Ciccone, Madonna. "Rain: Digital Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Sony/ATV Music Publishing. Retrieved October 28, 2024.
- ^ a b Sears, Stephen (October 19, 2012). "Madonna's Erotica turns 20: Backtracking". Idolator. Archived from the original on March 27, 2014. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ Myers, John (April 9, 2009). "Classic 90's Music Reviews: Madonna's Erotica". Yahoo! Voices. Archived from the original on June 18, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Bego 2000, p. 202
- ^ Violanti, Anthony (October 20, 1992). "Too much sex weakens Madonna's latest Erotica". The Buffalo News. Archived from the original on January 5, 2022. Retrieved September 17, 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (October 20, 1992). "Madonna > Erotica > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 2, 2012. Retrieved December 9, 2023.
- ^ Power, Tony. "Madonna - Erotica". Blender. Archived from the original on August 18, 2004. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ Flick, Larry (July 10, 1993). "Single Reviews: Madonna - 'Rain'" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 28. p. 62. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Smith, Giles (October 14, 1992). "REVIEW / Stripped down to basics: Giles Smith takes a peek at Erotica, Madonna's new album - Plus the rest of the week's new albums". The Independent. Archived from the original on August 4, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Berger, Arion (November 26, 1992). "Home > Music > Album reviews > Erotica". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 27, 2018. Retrieved September 27, 2018.(subscription required)
- ^ Augusto, Troy J. (July 10, 1993). "Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. 56 (44): 13. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Jacobs, Matthew (March 10, 2015). "The definitive ranking of Madonna singles". HuffPost. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Willman, Chris (October 18, 1992). "Madonna struts her new pose". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on July 15, 2014. Retrieved September 17, 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ Walker, Barbara (October 18, 1992). "Madonna the superstar's first full-length studio release since 1989, due in stores on Tuesday, may leave listerners missing melodies and musing about Madonna's love life". Sun-Sentinel. Archived from the original on November 29, 2020. Retrieved September 17, 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ Soto, Alfred (January 17, 2006). "On second thought: Madonna - 'Erotica'". Stylus Magazine. Archived from the original on May 30, 2006. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Virtel, Louis (March 2, 2013). "The 100 greatest Madonna songs". The Backlot. Archived from the original on October 20, 2015. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ Missim, Nayer (August 15, 2018). "Madonna at 60: Queen of Pop's 60 best singles ranked". PinkNews. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c Papa, Rocco (July 30, 2019). "The 10 best Madonna music videos of all-time". The Odyssey. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Saeed, Saeed (August 20, 2021). "All of Madonna's 14 solo albums ranked: from Madame X to Like A Prayer". The National. Archived from the original on August 20, 2021. Retrieved September 18, 2022.
- ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (October 6, 2022). "Madonna's 25 greatest music videos". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
- ^ Promis, Jose F. (July 1, 1993). "Madonna > 'Rain' > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 24, 2012. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ "The Hot 100: The week of July 24, 1993". Billboard. July 24, 1993. Archived from the original on July 20, 2015. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "Top 40 Airplay" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 38. September 18, 1992. p. 99. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ "Hot 100 Singles Sales" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 32. September 4, 1993. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 27, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b c "The year in music: 1993" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. December 25, 1993. pp. YE-20 and YE-46. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ Caulfield, Keith (August 16, 2017). "Madonna's 40 biggest Billboard hits". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved January 25, 2024.
- ^ "RPM 100: Hit tracks & where to find them". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 1993. Archived from the original on December 8, 2017. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 2242." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 2271." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Top Singles - Volume 58, No. 23, December 18 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 18, 1993. Archived from the original on October 22, 2012. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b Jones, Alan (August 19, 2008). "The immaculate guide to 50 years of Madonna". Music Week. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c "Madonna – Rain". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Rain". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Rain". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 (43): 24. October 23, 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 5, 2020.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Rain". Singles Top 100. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Rain". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Rain" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – Madonna" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Rain" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ a b "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 (32): 15. August 7, 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b c d e f "Express Yourself: The Making of Madonna's 20 greatest music videos -'Rain' (1993)". Rolling Stone. February 25, 2015. Archived from the original on September 23, 2018. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Vernallis 2004, p. 107
- ^ a b c d e f Russell, Deborah (August 21, 1993). "Classic look reigns in Madonna vid: Image-making is Romanek's key theme" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 34. pp. 37–39. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Gabriel 2023, pp. 382–384
- ^ Convertini, Horacio (July 12, 2019). "Buscando al novio argentino de Madonna" [Searching for Madonna's Argentine boyfriend]. Clarín (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Romanek, Mark (2005). The Work of Director Mark Romanek (Documentary DVD). New York: Palm Pictures. OCLC 61717830.
- ^ "Madonna - Rain". MarkRomanek.com. Archived from the original on June 19, 2003. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ a b c d Sajbel, Maureen (July 28, 1993). "Video Vogue: A vulnerable Madonna". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on October 10, 2019. Retrieved October 25, 2024.(subscription required)
- ^ Guilbert 2002, p. 113
- ^ "Madonna's 13 studio albums ranked - 8. Erotica (1992)". The Advocate. January 23, 2015. Archived from the original on January 25, 2015. Retrieved June 11, 2024.
- ^ Frazer, Bryant (October 11, 2012). "Madonna: 'Rain'". Studio Daily. Archived from the original on October 14, 2012. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Bernard & Marsh 1994, p. 182
- ^ Rusell, Deborah (September 11, 1993). "Pearl Jam's 'Jeremy' wins top honors at MTV Awards" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 37. p. 88. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ "Soul Asylum, Stone Temple Pilots, Green Jelly, RuPaul lead nominees" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 42. October 16, 1993. p. 83. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Russell, Deborah (November 20, 1993). "Soul Asylum video a 'Runaway' success" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 47. p. 23. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2021. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Russell, Deborah (December 25, 1993). "For Beavis and Butt-Head, 1993 didn't suck; Biz looks to future with mergers, interactive" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 105, no. 52. p. 57. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 25, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ a b Nied, Mike (August 16, 2018). "From 'Vogue' to 'Hung Up': Madonna's 25 best videos". Idolator. Archived from the original on November 22, 2023. Retrieved September 16, 2022.
- ^ Cinquemani, Sal; Gonzalez, Ed (June 30, 2003). "The 100 greatest music videos of all time". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on May 10, 2019. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Rosa, Christopher (August 16, 2016). "Madonna's 10 most underrated music videos". VH1. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ Rouner, Jef (September 18, 2012). "Top 10 Mark Romanek videos". Houston Press. Archived from the original on August 11, 2016. Retrieved September 17, 2022.
- ^ The Video Collection 93:99 (VHS, DVD, CD). Madonna. Warner Bros. 1999. 9362-49729-6.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "'Celebration' - Track listing for CD & DVD announced". August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via Icon: Official Madonna website.
- ^ "Mark Romanek DVD". June 20, 2005. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved September 17, 2022 – via Icon: Official Madonna Website.
- ^ a b Gabriel 2023, p. 345
- ^ Pareles, Jon (October 16, 1993). "Review/Pop: From Madonna, a new palatability but still spicy". The New York Times. Archived from the original on October 1, 2013. Retrieved August 20, 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ O'Brien 2008, p. 283
- ^ Considine, J.D. (October 16, 1993). "'Girlie' retools songs to sharpen points". The Baltimore Sun. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved July 30, 2022.(subscription required)
- ^ Madonna (1994). The Girlie Show: Live Down Under (VHS). Warner Music Vision.
- ^ a b c López, Lourdes (July 27, 2009). "Madonna desgrana su carrera musical en el Estadi Olímpic" [Madonna unravels her musical career at the Estadi Olímpic]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Archived from the original on January 25, 2019. Retrieved July 30, 2022.
- ^ Roffman, Michael (October 27, 2008). "Madonna's on fire at the United Center (10/26)". Consequence. Archived from the original on September 25, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
- ^ Vaziri, Aidin (November 3, 2008). "Madonna gives Oakland the hard sell". San Francisco Chronicle. Archived from the original on February 10, 2021. Retrieved August 20, 2022.
- ^ Madonna (2010). Sticky & Sweet Tour (CD/DVD). Warner Bros. Live Nation. Semtex Films. 9362-49728-4.
- ^ a b "Madonna's Celebration Tour is underway, but there's been some hiccups". OutInPerth. October 18, 2023. Archived from the original on October 28, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Rutherford, Chris (January 18, 2024). "Madonna's Celebration Tour: A forward-thinking retrospective". PopMatters. Archived from the original on January 18, 2024. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Hereford, André (December 20, 2023). "Madonna's 'Celebration Tour' in D.C. (Review): Queen mother". Metro Weekly. Archived from the original on December 21, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ Phares, Heather (March 21, 2000). "Various Artists > Virgin Voices 2000: A Tribute to Madonna > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ "Who's That Girl! - Exposed". Almighty Records. Archived from the original on February 25, 2006. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ Loftus, Johnny (October 15, 2002). "Vitamin String Quartet > The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on August 23, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Loftus, Johnny (January 14, 2003). "Various Artists > The Dancefloor Tribute to Madonna > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 25, 2015. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ "Da Capo Players > Strung out on Madonna: The String Quartet Tribute > Overview". AllMusic. April 8, 2008. Archived from the original on August 20, 2015. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ "Melissa Totten - Forever Madonna". MTV. July 21, 2008. Archived from the original on February 26, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ "Niki Haris & Donna De Lory - Rain (single)". ND Music. May 13, 2016. Archived from the original on February 18, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022 – via Apple Music.
- ^ "Niki Haris & Donna De Lory - Rain Remixed EP". ND Music. October 6, 2016. Archived from the original on July 24, 2019. Retrieved October 23, 2024 – via Apple Music.
- ^ Wong, Curtis M. (June 7, 2024). "After years with Madonna, singers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory share more musical magic". HuffPost. Archived from the original on June 7, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ Longo, Joseph (December 31, 2019). "10 Perfect Pop-music deep cuts in movie history". MEL Magazine. Archived from the original on September 21, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
- ^ Rain (US 7-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 5439-18505-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (US cassette liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 5439-18505-4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (US maxi-single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9 40988-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (Canadian maxi-single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. PRO-CD-6182.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (US 12-inch vinyl single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-40988-4.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (Australian cassette single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 7-18505.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (Canadian cassette single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9 40988-0.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (UK 12-inch single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. W0190T.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (UK 12-inch picture disc liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. W0190TP.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (UK CD single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. W0190CD.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (German 12" liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-40983-0.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (Japanese EP liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. WPCP-5644.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Rain (Australian EP liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-45491-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Rain - EP, Madonna". Maverick Records. July 19, 1993. Archived from the original on February 17, 2024. Retrieved October 25, 2024 – via Apple Music.
- ^ "Madonna – Rain" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "Madonna – Rain" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "As mais tocadas nas FMs". O Dia (in Portuguese): 5. November 16, 1993. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ a b Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 173. ISBN 1-896594-13-1.
- ^ "EHR Top 40" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 35. August 28, 1993. p. 26. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 24, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2024.
- ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 (34): 24. August 21, 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ "Íslenski Listinn Topp 40 (12 April 1993 – 18 April 1993)" (PDF). Dagblaðið Vísir – Tónlist. Archived (PDF) from the original on October 3, 2018. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ "The Airplay Chart" (PDF). Music Week. August 21, 1993. p. 28. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 8, 2021. Retrieved May 1, 2024.
- ^ "Madonna Chart History (Dance Singles Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "Madonna Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "Madonna Chart History (Rhythmic)". Billboard. Retrieved February, 2024.
- ^ "Top 100 Pop Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LVII, no. 2. September 4, 1993. p. 10. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 29, 2020. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 1993". ARIA. Archived from the original on November 11, 2020. Retrieved February 11, 2024.
- ^ "Top 100 A/C tracks of 1993". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. December 18, 1993. Archived from the original on October 7, 2015. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "1993 Year-end sales chart" (PDF). Music & Media. 10 (51/52): 15. December 18, 1993. Archived from the original (PDF) on July 14, 2020. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
- ^ "Top 100 1993". Official Charts Company. Archived from the original on November 22, 2011. Retrieved February 16, 2024 – via UK Music Charts.
- ^ Ryan 2011, p. 73
Literary sources
[edit]- Bego, Mark (2000). Madonna: Blonde Ambition. Cooper Square Press. ISBN 978-0-8154-1051-5.
- Bernard, James; Marsh, Dave (1994). The New Book of Rock Lists. Touchstone. ISBN 978-0-671-78700-4.
- Gabriel, Mary (2023). Madonna: A Rebel Life. Hachette UK. ISBN 978-0316456449.
- Guilbert, Georges-Claude (2002). Madonna as Postmodern Myth. McFarland. ISBN 0-7864-1408-1.
- O'Brien, Lucy (2008). Madonna: Like an Icon. Bantam Press. ISBN 978-0-593-05547-2.
- Rettenmund, Matthew (2016). Encyclopedia Madonnica 20. Boyculture Publications. ISBN 978-0-692-51557-0.
- Rooksby, Rikky (2004). The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna. Omnibus Press. ISBN 0-7119-9883-3.
- Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010 (doc). Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
- Vernallis, Carol (2004). Experiencing Music Video: Aesthetics and Cultural Context. Columbia University Press. ISBN 0-231-11798-1.
- 1992 songs
- 1993 singles
- 1990s ballads
- Contemporary R&B ballads
- Donna De Lory songs
- Maverick Records singles
- Madonna songs
- Music videos directed by Mark Romanek
- Pop ballads
- Sire Records singles
- Song recordings produced by Madonna
- Song recordings produced by Shep Pettibone
- Songs about weather
- Songs written by Madonna
- Songs written by Shep Pettibone
- Warner Records singles
- Works based on Wuthering Heights
- Songs about casual sex