Bedtime Stories (Madonna album)

Untitled

Bedtime Stories is the sixth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on October 25, 1994 by Maverick Records. In 1995, it was nominated for a Grammy Award in the Best Pop Vocal Album category. The RIAA certified it Gold and Platinum on January 5, 1995, and then 3x Platinum on November 21, 2005, denoting 3 million shipments throughout the United States. Worldwide, the album has sold more than 7 million units.

Album history

The album began as a collaboration with Shep Pettibone, and was to have been stylistically similar to Erotica. However, due to Madonna's wish to soften her public image, as well as her admiration for Joi's Pendulum Vibe album (which contained tracks produced by Dallas Austin), she decided to change to a more R&B sound. She did thank Pettibone in the album sleeve notes for "understanding." This would be the last time she would collaborate with him. Also during the period of the album she would continue to have a more sexual image but considerably "toned down" in contrast with the Justify My Love and Erotica period.

While the album is intended to be more mainstream than its predecessor, and less controversial in terms of its lyrical content, it includes perhaps some of Madonna's most confrontational work. The song "Human Nature" appears to be a scathing commentary directed towards the media for its treatment of her during the Erotica and Sex book controversies, with lyrics like, "Did I say something wrong? Oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex." Indeed, though Madonna sought to restore her image through the album, she has also stated that this period of her life was designed as a "vengeance period" for all the people (in particular the media) who were trying to invade in her private life, and that once it was all out in the open, she hoped that they would stop and focus on her music.

The album is unusual in Madonna's long career as was one of the very few occasions where she collaborated with well-known, established producers (the other exceptions being Nile Rodgers on Like a Virgin, David Foster on Something to Remember and Timbaland, Pharrell Williams and Nate "Danja" Hills on Hard Candy). The album features writing collaborations and production work by Dallas Austin, known at the time for his work with TLC; Babyface, who had worked with Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton; Dave Hall, who had produced Mariah Carey; and Nellee Hooper, who had produced Soul II Soul, and Björk, who co-wrote the title track.

Out of all her albums, this has become the least represented on her tours and live shows, however, she did include "Secret" and "Human Nature" on the set list of her 2001 Drowned World Tour, and a remix version of "Bedtime Story" on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour.

Commercial reception

Despite the large success of lead single "Secret," Bedtime Stories got off to a mild start. It debuted at number three on the U.S. Billboard 200, with 145,000 units shifted in its first week, and achieved Gold status after six weeks. Soon after, however, the album began to lose steam and descend the charts. It was not until the release of the second single, "Take a Bow," that the album picked up pace and made a noticeable rebound.

The album was eventually certified 3x Platinum in the United States, and shifting more than seven million copies worldwide, and was nominated for a Grammy Award. In the UK, reaction was similar; it debuted at number two behind Bon Jovi's Cross Road: Greatest Hits'.

Track listing

#	Title	Composers	Production credits	Time
01	"Survival"	Madonna, Dallas Austin	Nellee Hooper and Madonna	3:31
02	"Secret" 1	Madonna, Dallas Austin, Shep Pettibone	Madonna and Dallas Austin	5:04
03	"I'd Rather Be Your Lover" (Special guest on bass and rap: Me'Shell NdegeOcello)	Madonna, Dave Hall, Isley Brothers, Christopher Jasper contains a sample of "It's Your Thing" performed by Lou Donaldson.	Madonna and Dave "Jam" Hall	4:39
04	"Don't Stop"	Madonna, Dallas Austin, Colin Wolfe	Madonna and Dallas Austin Additional Production and Remixed by Daniel Abraham	4:38
05	"Inside of Me"	Madonna, Dave Hall, Nellee Hooper contains the following samples: "Back and Forth" performed by Aaliyah; "Outstanding" performed by The Gap Band and "The Trials of Life" performed by The Guttersnypes	Nellee Hooper and Madonna	4:11
06	"Human Nature"	Madonna, Dave Hall, Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie, Michael Deering contains a sample of "What You Need" performed by Main Source	Madonna and Dave "Jam" Hall	4:53
07	"Forbidden Love" 2	Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Madonna contains a sample of "Down Here On The Ground" performed by Grant Green	Nellee Hooper and Madonna	4:09
08	"Love Tried to Welcome Me"	Madonna, Dave Hall	Madonna and Dave "Jam" Hall	5:21
09	"Sanctuary"	Madonna, Dallas Austin, Anne Preven, Scott Cutler, Herbie Hancock contains a sample of "Watermelon Man" performed by Herbie Hancock	Madonna and Dallas Austin Remixed by Nellee Hooper	5:03
10	"Bedtime Story"	Nellee Hooper, Björk Guðmundsdóttir, Marius DeVries	Nellee Hooper and Madonna	4:52
11	"Take a Bow"	Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, Madonna	Babyface and Madonna	5:21

¹ Shep Pettibone has been added as co-songwriter of this track. In 2001 he is included in the inlay sleeve of GHV2 Remixed: The Best of 1991-2001
² not to be confused with the 2005 track on the album Confessions on a Dance Floor.

Certifications, peaks & sales

Country	Peak position	Certification (if any)	Sales/shipments
Australia	1	2x Platinum	140,000+
Austria	7	Gold	10,000+
Brazil		Platinum	250,000+
Canada		2x Platinum	200,000+
France	2	2x Gold	200,000+
Germany	4	Platinum	500,000+
Netherlands	13
New Zealand	5
Sweden	5
Switzerland	7	Gold	25,000+
United Kingdom	2	Platinum	300,000+
United States	3	3x Platinum	2,300,000+

Credits

• Madonna - vocals
• Dallas Austin - drums, keyboard
• Babyface - synthesizer, background vocals
• Donna De Lory - background vocals
• Niki Haris - background vocals
• Suzie Kattayama - conductor
• Jessie Leavey - conductor
• Tommy Martin - guitar
• Me'Shell NdegéOcello - bass
• Colin Wolfe - bass
• Jessie Leavey - strings arrangement
• Craig Armstrong - strings arrangement on "Take a Bow"

Production

• Producers: Madonna, Dallas Austin, Babyface, Marius DeVries, Dave Hall, Nellee Hooper
• Engineers: Michael Fossenkemper, Brad Gilderman, Darin Prindle, Alvin Speights, Mark "Spike" Stent
• Mixing: Jon Gass, Daniel Abraham

Miscellanea

• Several songs from this album found their way onto the cutting room floor for one reason or another, including "Your Honesty," which later surfaced on the 2003 EP Remixed & Revisited. "Freedom" was used for a rain forest benefit album entitled Carnival! and "Let Down Your Guard" (rough mix edit) appeared on the UK and Australian CD single for "Secret" and the DARP (Dallas Austin Recording Projects) Greatest Hits Volume One promotional CD. See the list of unreleased Madonna songs for details.

• The album contains samples from some rather prominent songs and artists. "Inside of Me" samples Aaliyah's first single, "Back and Forth" and "Outstanding", which was originally performed by The Gap Band. "Sanctuary" contains a sample of "Watermelon Man" by Herbie Hancock from his iconic Head Hunters album. "Human Nature" samples "What You Need" by hip-hop group Main Source.

• "Forbidden Love" is an entirely different composition from another song with the same title on Madonna's 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor.

• Upon initial release, the CD cover picture of Madonna was right-side up. This was a mistake and was corrected on subsequent pressings, all of which feature the picture of Madonna upside-down. The CD tray was a light, powder blue color.

• Tupac Shakur originally performed the rap on the song "I'd Rather Be Your Lover". This was during the time they dated in 1994. It was removed due to criminal charges he was facing at the time and his rap was replaced by one from Me'shell Ndegéocello.

References

• "Bedtime Stories". Mad-Eyes. link - last accessed on October 24, 2005.
• "PierPinto's Charts Updates". Madonna Tribe. link - last accessed on December 24, 2005.

External links

• Bedtime Stories at MusicBrainz
• MadonnaOnline Brasil