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I find this to be probably her most overlooked album, in terms of melodic and lyrical versatility. The album opens almost as a concept, introducing Dita, Madonna's alter ego, explaining she'll be our guide and mistress tonight, through the strange world of lost love, S&M, betrayal, and depression. Not typical Madonna topics, which may be why it's her most impressive work to date despite what critics say. The rest of the album follows loosley on this concept of Dita and her various adventures. Madonna's version of Fever is one of a kind, giving it a more sexual feel than before. Bad Girl, Waiting, and Words are equally impressive as well as Where Life Begins, a cunning, sly remark about the joys of oral sex. The best the CD has to offer is Rain, featuring some of Madonna's best metaphorical lyrics to date. In This Life is also a great tribute to the fallen victims of AIDS. The only drawback on the album coimes in the form of the rap song DID YOU DO IT? What the hell is that. She doesn't even sing on it. All it is, is Waiting without lyrics, just rapping. Fortunatly, you can avoid this by buying the version without Parental Advisory, as it omits the song completly.

Madonna shows some of her best work here, adding to her underrated quality as an artist that gets under people's skin who are afraid to see change or face taboos. Excellent.


Erotica (1992)   March 7, 2005
 8 out of 9 found this review helpful

-Erotica (1992)-

Released back in 1992, this is the album that caused a national backlash against Madonna. In 1992, Madonna released this album, which peaked at #2 in the US, and has only sold around 2 million copies to date. Madonna also released the box office bomb "Body of Evidence", and the international smash "Sex" book. This was when Madonna was at the peak of her sexual assault on the world. This is definitely one of my favorite Madonna albums of all time, and it's also one of my favorite albums of all time. The first single to be released from this album was the title track, and it's definitely one of the sexiest songs of all time. It's also a very dark song, which just makes the song even more amazing. The video that was released with this song caused even more controversy than "Justify My Love", and was of course, banned from MTV. Again, the video was released on VHS, and sold millions. The other singles released from this album were "Deeper and Deeper", which peaked at #7 in the US, and is one of Madonna's best dance songs, "Rain", an absolutely beautiful ballad, which only peaked at #14 in the US, "Fever" which is an amazing cover of Peggy Lee's 50s classic, wasn't released in the US, but peaked at #6 in the UK, "Bye Bye Baby", which also wasn't released in the US, but peaked at #15 in Australia, and "Bad Girl", which is one of my all time favorite Madonna songs, and is my favorite Madonna ballad. Just an absolutely stunning song, but so underrated, only peaking at #36 in the US.

1. Erotica (10/10)
2. Fever (10/10)
3. Bye Bye Baby (10/10)
4. Deeper and Deeper (10/10)
5. Where Life Begins (10/10)
6. Bad Girl (10/10)
7. Waiting (10/10)
8. Theif of Hearts (10/10)
9. Words (10/10)
10. Rain (10/10)
11. Why It's So Hard (/10)
12. In This Life (10/10)
13. Secret Garden (10/10)

This is another one of the few albums I own where I would rate every song 10/10. "Where Life Begins" is a slow and jazzy song, and I love the analogys it uses. "Waiting" is another great song. It's another jazzy song, but a lot of the songs on the album are. "Theif of Hearts" is one of my favorite unreleased songs, where Madonna uses the word "b****" quite a few times. My favorite part is where Madonna sings "You do it, you'll take it. You screw it, you'll fake it. Undo it, you'll break it. You're over, you can't take it". I love it! "Words" is definitely my favorite unreleased song. Everything about this song is just great. "Why It's So Hard" is kinda reminiscent of "Till Death Do Us Part" from "Like a Prayer", where it's upbeat and catchy, but the lyrics are more dark and depressing. A great song. "In This Life" is a sad and stunning ballad about some of the friends Madonna has lost to AIDS. Another one of my favorites. "Secret Garden" is probably my least favorite song on the album, but it's still a great song. The lyrics are very poetic, and it sounds like a song about Madonna longing to be a mother. Now, there are lots of people that have said that this album is just about sex, but that's not true. There are only about 2 or 3 songs on here about sex. All in all, the is definitely one of Madonna's best albums, which deserved so much more recognition than it ever recieved.

My Top 5 off of the album are...

5) Words
4) Rain
3) Erotica
2) Deeper and Deeper
1) Bad Girl


Totally ahead of its time...   December 2, 2002
 7 out of 7 found this review helpful

Madonna is always one step ahead of the trend. Erotica is no exception. This was the first album released after her mega-successful Immaculate Collection. But while Immaculate was full of the bubble-gum megahits of the past decade, Erotica does a full 180! Starting with the title track, the albums delves into a dark, underground world. On one spectrum, the dance beats are hard, the basslines are strong, then there's Madonna herself whispering in your ear ("Erotica", "Where Life Begins", "Waiting", "Secret Garden"). On another spectrum the music is slow and melodic, yet still has an air of darkness and melancholy ("Bad Girl", "Rain", "In This Life"). And then there are a couple of songs with extremely fierce dance beats filled with an undying energy ("Deeper And Deeper", "Thief of Hearts", "Words", "Bye Bye Baby", "Fever").

Back in 1992 when this album was released, the music scene was still trying to adjust itself to the 90's. Erotica's underground sound turned out to be way ahead of its time. This album could almost be released today in 2002 and almost sound completely fresh. As a precursor to Madonna's Sex book this album also provides a sort of soundtrack to the fantasies of Madonna's then-alter-ego, Dita. As it turns out, this was Madonna's worst-selling album commercially although it did go multi-platinum. That's a shame since this is such a remarkable record, but the world was not ready for sexual fantasies to start circulating in such a mainstream way. I believe this is one of Madonna's best albums...right up there with Ray of Light and Music! I think I'll go listen to it right now....


Beyond the Bedroom   December 16, 2000
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

My 'career' as a dance club DJ began around '85, shortly after Madonna's career took off for the stratosphere. And since I was working with my own collection and trying to satisfy a fair variety of listeners, I was lucky to discover Madonna's near-universal appeal with dancers. I count myself among her early fans, and have followed each new release (musical or theatrical) with growing satisfaction. Strangely, I never thought of Madonna as an "album artist," so much as a hitmaker. That is, until I bought "Erotica."

The daring progression of musical styles and themes that mark her first half dozen albums is brought to fruition with "Erotica." While some critics and non-fans saw the album (and accompanying "Sex" book) as an inevitable decline into decadence, "Erotica" is a literate and thoughtful recording that deepens on repeat playings. And (surprise surprise) it turns out that Madonna had a lot more on her mind than sex and sexuality. If there is a true "concept" behind the album, I'd say it's intimacy and passion.

The title track opens "Erotica" with a note of brittle, bassy sleaze; her detached voice-over sets the mood for the music to come. Like earlier songs that relied on recitation ("Justify My Love," "Rescue Me"), "Erotica" takes a few plays to really 'sink in' with listeners. Spoken encouragements and outright commands woo the listener with hidden pleasures, an apt (if obvious) way to create a sense of immediacy and intensity. And before the last whisper of "Erotica" is forgotten, the album plunges into the Peggy Lee classic, "Fever," a synthesized torch song layered over a spare rhythm track. "Bye Bye Baby" maintains the tempo and adds an air of jaunty insouciance, a reminder that in "Erotica" it's Madonna who is in control. "Deeper and Deeper" is one of Mo-Mo's most compelling dancefloor dramas, an irresistable combination of rhythmic punch and yearning vocals.

"Where Life Begins" slows the tempo, as if to bring the dancers back to the boudoir. The frank language of this track (an ode to oral sex) maintains a sense of good humor, and to dismiss this track as "too graphic" or "raunchy" is pure brunette chauvinism. "Bad Girl" is seemingly auto-biographical, and adds an odd note of self-recrimination to the album. "Waiting" is a gem; a negectful lover gets his comeuppance and is dismissed before he can offer a single excuse, all set over a jazzy bit of bump and grind music.

Next, Madonna takes aim at a would-be rival, and sends her packing in "Thief Of Hearts." The edgy minor key of this song segues nicely into "Words," another passionate rebuke to a lover who is more of a player. Before the mood of "Erotica" sours on intimacy, "Rain" offers a soulful view of love and affection, "washing away sorrow" and "taking away pain".

For me, the next two tracks are the weakest on the album. "Why's It So Hard" sounds good-intentioned, but a bit whiney as well. "In This Life" brings the album to a somber anti-climax, and it's thoughtful lyric has the (un?) intentional feel of moralizing after so much hedonistic wordplay. It's another good-intentioned effort that sounds out of place on "Erotica."

"Did You Do It" recycles the backing track from "Waiting," substituting boastful raps for Madonna's lyrical rebuke. It's a logical counterpoint to "Waiting," if a bit predictable. The closing track, "Secret Garden," has a jazzy underbelly, and features a Beat-inspired recitation from Madonna. Part stream-of-conciousness, part invocation, it comes as a wistful nod to passion spent and a reminder that intimacy is heightened by imagination.

"Erotica" isn't a flawless recording, the most obvious detriment being the vocal mix. Madonna occasionally sounds detached from the music, a tinny presence set between a rolling bassline and thudding beats. But apart from this (and a handful of lyrical pretense), "Erotica" is an impressive collection of songs that show alternate sides to intimacy without sounding preachy or hypocritical. Whether or not you find the album "sexy" is a matter of personal taste. "Erotica" is Madonna's vision, and you don't have to be a voyeur to get off on what she sees.

-Stoned Soul


GREAT MADONNA ALBUM   May 27, 2002
 6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Alongside Ray of Light, alongside Like A Prayer...this album is one of Madonna's best of all-time (definitely in her top 4 albums ever). How could it be so forgotten?! Apparently NO ONE realized this album was even released. This is some of the best work Madonna has ever produced; sexy (but not pornographic), daring (but not over the top), raises awareness (but doesn't preach), and it makes you dance!
1. Erotica-the awesome title track. The house beat, haunting vocals, that infamous bass-line...what more could you want?!
2. Fever-Madonna's cover of Peggy Lee's classic. This is Madonna's best cover EVER. This song even rivals Justify My Love in sexiness.
3. Bye Bye Baby-Another dance song, this one slightly more tongue-in-cheek. Gets you movin'
4. Deeper And Deeper-First off, this is my FAVORITE Madonna song EVER! of ANY album! It's totally disco, flamboyant, and FABULOUS. Worth the entire album.
5. Where Life Begins-if you get what she's singing about, you can't help but blush! This is a smooth little number.
6. Bad Girl-One of her best vocal performances. It's also one of the songs that really keeps this album from going over the top...it keeps it grounded. Great song.
7. Waiting-another sassy little number...very soulful.
8. Thief Of Hearts-this song is fierce. Don't wanna mess with Madonna's man!
9. Words-another dance tune with a catchy hook. Great verses.
10. Rain-And this, ladies and gentlemen, is the beautiful jewel of the album. Gorgeous ballad.
11. Why's It So Hard-Wow. This song is great AND has a positive message.
12. In This Life-And this is Madonna's personal side. This song is about Madonna's friends who died of AIDS.
13. Did you do It-a remix of Waiting. This is the only track that is unnesessary.
14. Secret Garden-WOW! Wonderful Jazzy little number. Very poetic.
In short, with Erotica Madonna combines pop, house and dance with a touch of r+b/soul and a pinch of jazz. You need this album in your collection, Madonna fan or not! Good job M.