Madonna Still Has Not Showed

Former Cheapo great Mark Lethert told me his fondest memory of working with me was the day he walked into the store and I was intently and quite seriously listening to Madonna's True Blue. What I didn't tell Mr. Lethert was my secret theory that the song Papa Don't Preach was a song specifically written for me. Sure I've never been an unwed pregnant teenager trying to communicate my plight with my dad but just like Lefty Frizell's Long Black Veil somehow the message of the song was one I had lived somewhere in another lifetime.


I've always admired Madonna's ability to stand so naked (in all connotations of the word) in public. Her ability to express her demons so publicly yet so artistically is purely unique in this increasingly cynical age. Sure her arrogant posturing and do anything to shock nature can get a bit tiresome but with songs like Live To Tell and my favorite song of her's, 'Til Death Do Us Part (which chronicles the disintegration of a relationship better than any song I've ever heard) makes it difficult to ever totally dismiss her.


As I brought home her newest CD, Ray of Light, and I plopped it in the CD player I was quite looking forward to hearing her first post-baby music. I had read in the morning paper how my new second favorite mother of one had found the spiritual and physical benefits of a good Yoga workout just like my favorite mother of two (who by the way I will always associate Madonna's song Secret-as good a description of our friendship as any). About a fourth of the way through the disc I looked at Mr. Max who was looking quite frightened by all the synthesizer space ship gurgling coming from my stereo's speakers and said, "What the hell is this crap?" Producer William Orbit's cosmic orbital techno production gets more than a bit wearying after a while.


I made it all the way through the disc (barely) and felt a tad disappointed. This ray of light isn't so enlightening and isn't so much a ray of hope as it is celebrity navel contemplation. The work continues her efforts to be considered a "serious" artist just as Evita was her attempt at being a "serious" actress. Unfortunately what the disc could use is a dose of her creative humor. Her dabbling with eastern mysticism isn't so original and quite frankly the music is about as inspirational as similar efforts like Gary Wright's Dream Weaver or the Beach Boys' Friends. All the songs sound alike and the sea of electronics washes over all the intimacy of the lyrics and singing. Even the stronger moments like the title song (which is a damn fine song) isn't allowed to stick out amongst the pounding monotony. The first single, Frozen, again contains some heartfelt lyrics "You only see what your eyes want to see. How can life be what you want it to be? You're frozen when your heart's not open." Yet the maddening sound effects rob the song of any of its inherent power.


But this is Madonna after all so I decided the disc was worth a few more listenings. And you know what? It's starting to grow on me. Songs like Nothing Really Matters, Sky Fits Heaven, and The Power of Good-bye are sadly stirring showing a soul in reflection who has found the benefit of giving herself to another (presumably her baby). This is a mature Madonna who seems to regret some of her past abrasiveness. And like all her past great music she is more than willing to share her vulnerability in a universally (and now cosmically) appealing way. The disc ends with her lone acapella voice singing, "I ran and I ran. I'm still running today." And with all the electronic trickery and droning that has preceded this moment, the words become even more touching. Thus the journey to the stratosphere is ultimately tolerable because it is such a personal journey. Like other Madonna products once you get past all the hype and packaging there is a naked voice revealed so joyful in the act of expression.