Dereck, this song impresses for its lyrical content, but the live version is just a MUST!!! Madonna mix Mother and Father with Intervention playing an acoustic guitar and her voice is less robotic and more real. It's simply perfect ❤🌷
I remember when I heard this the first time I started to cry... I had to "give it up" too, dad was emotionally abusive alcoholic, mom to this day has not been able to support me in the way I hoped she would. Childhood/youth was a nightmare and I still live with trauma. So... this song got to the core of me. When you haven't gotten something in life, you know how it feels, how you need to "give it up"... but that is easier said than done.
I think the only other moment where she exposed herself so deep was on the song "Oh Father" and also in an interview she gave back when she was promoting Evita. The journalist said she had everything she wanted and asked if there was something she was missing and she said really seriously: "A mother..." It always breaks my heart 😥
A journalist ,maybe in that time, asked if she would change all her fame, success and money from something in the world, and she said instantly: my mother.
One of my favorite. An electro experimental confession about her painful mourning. Deep and innovative. I keep listening this song for almost 20 years now....
Its a difficult song, but after almost 20 years its growing on me. 🙃 She was very avant-garde back then, still is listening to Madame X which is also produced by Mirwais, he is a genius!
I first listened to this song when I was 19 and had moved away from my family. My mother died when I was young too and this sound touched my heart so much. It helped get me through my new life away from everyone. Gave me strength. I'm 36 now.
While I completely agree with you about the sonic qualities of the song, and the catchiness of the "I gotta give it up..." chorus, what was more interesting to me personally was the lyrical content and the vocal delivery methods that Madonna used in this song. You correctly hit on the fact that Madonna sometimes sounded child-like here, and that I believe was deliberate, as she was singing *as* the little girl she was who had lost her mother to cancer. It's not just in the pitch of the voice though, it is also seen in the very simple lyrics at various points and also the sing-song delivery style that she employed, even when the pitch was not high, e.g. "My mo-ther died when-I was-five, and-all I-did was-sit and-cry, I-cried and-cried and-cried all-day un-til the neigh-bors went a-way" This is *precisely* how little girls talk and sing their songs. It's actually genius when you think of the simplicity but simultaneous complexity of that. At other points in the song, Madonna uses a deeper, angrier voice which to me is her "teenage self" rebelling against her loss and taking it out on her father. This is the "rap" section with "my father had to go to work, I used to think he was a jerk" - note the slightly cut-off nature of each word that Mirwais did with her vocals, it's like someone angrily biting off each word. Now you can debate whether you like the rap section or not as a sound (and I would agree she's not the best at rapping in general), but I think it's not a section that's *meant* to sound nice, it's supposed to harsh and bitter by contrast with the chorus and the high-pitched verse. Now go to the next part, she's again as the older version of her self, but still singing in the child-like pattern with "I di-dn't know his-heart was bro-ken, not a-no-ther word was spo-ken, he be-came a sha-dow of the fa-ther I was drea-ming of". I believe what she was getting at with the song is how the loss of her mother was, until the birth of her first child at least, *THE* seminal moment in her life and left her without a compass, searching for the reason to be and raging against the world and her father (who, as an Italian American Catholic man, bottled up his feelings and never spoke about his dead wife aka the "not another word was spoken" part). Little children idolise their parents, so to lose one at a very young age and have her illusions completely shattered about the remaining one (albeit that she acknowledges that she was too young to understand his own pain) must have been soul-destroying, and led to her all-consuming rage. By trapping herself in this anger, she didn't properly grow up and that is why she's using all these child-like tones in this song. But she realises that she has to "give it up" and this is where her voice becomes the most mature and expressive, as she looks at the open door of the cage she has made for herself and realises she must walk through. So while I agree that it may not be the most immediately catchy song on the album at first listen, it's got layers of vocal and lyrical complexity and depth that go far beyond mere catchiness. It also employs a dissonant technique she has used before (most memorably in "Til Death Do Us Part" from the "Like A Prayer" album), where the melody and instrumentation of the song are very upbeat and almost bouncy, but the lyrical content is dark and deep in a jarring way. It's a song of light and shadow both in lyrical content and in instrumentation.
This song is placed in a sequence after Intervention (about her son), and X-static process (herself), now as a mother of two -back then- realizing and understanding her father (Mother & Father). Starting singing as a child, the line "I didn't know his heart was broken and he became a shadow of the father I was dreaming of" its crucial to her after her contemplation on "Intervention" and "X-Static", now as a mother deciding to finally "let it go" all the pain and rage that she had from her loss, because she want to be the best for her children. Its funny that this trinity its like the holy one, "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost", as she likes to use catholic imagery. American Life is such a great album that almost 20 years after its release its having some recognition that it deserves. Pd: sorry for my bad english😅
Love your doing this very underrated Album! As with most of her stuff after early to mid 2000's, never got played on the radio. I know times have changed & everyone streams now, but she is a victim of Ageism. You have to be a young & pretty person to get the spotlight. For example, just look at the 80's & the age of artists. Older, younger, it didn't matter as long as it was a catchy tune! Thanks Dereck!!
The raps in American life and mother and father are very internationally on her part. It's used as a sarcastic device rather than an actual rap which just adds to the distortions of the song. It's sounds fucked up and it's like entering her psyche about her anger towards the American callous culture at that time and the loss of her childhood.
mother and father live from the Reinvention Tour is very much worth a listen. No baby voice in that version. Madonna plays the guitar and does a mash up mid way with Intervention. It's a very powerful vocal performance. I saw this tour live and I remember being struck by her tremendous musicianship
Thank you so much...actually all this Album is a BOMB...I LOVE ALL HER WORK ON THIS..thank yoi..regards fromPERÚ...WE R YOUR FANS AND FANS OF THE QUEEN AND ONLY ONE: MADONNA🇵🇪❤‼
Dereck this one is one of my favourites. It grows on you. I can’t wait until you’ve listened to all of the songs and then you can listen to the entire album as a body of work in your own personal time. The album gets better and better with each listen. Watching your reaction videos to these tracks have made me so very happy. This is my favourite Madonna album and even though it was not a success at the time. Your reactions and your appreciation of the production and songwriting and her beautiful vocals. Please please do Nobody Knows me. Also Mother and Father she performed live on the Today Show in 2003. She uses her falsetto to hit all of those high notes. Would be so great to see you react to it. Thank you again. These reactions give me so much joy and happiness. Love you and your intelligent passion for all music ❤️❤️❤️
The parts where she raps were designed for Eminem to introduce in the songs, in the end Eminem rejected the invitation and Madonna made those parts in American life and Mother and father. In a interview Eminem was asked about this, and he said that Madonna did well.
This is one of my favorite madonna songs mainly cause of the lyric .. 'I made a vow that I would never need another person., never put my heart into a cage a victim of a kind of rage'
I got to say thank you. For bringing American life to a new generation. The album was not received well when released. I personally connected with AL. It’s unique. It way ahead of its time. I love the album bc Madonna was doing what she does best... experiment. As a Madonna fan I don’t always like all her experimental ventures... but I always appreciate it as art even if I don’t understand. So thank you!!!
Again Madonna was using her way to put a heavy lyric contest in a dance way. Very deep lyrics. She sang that acoustic during an interview, u should check it..!! Love yr reacting. Keep on doing it!!
Juxtaposition... Madonna is a master doing that. She can express very sad and dark lyrics but put it in poppy and upbeat melody and production. In this song she express so much emotional pain and deep stuff but singing in a very childish way, almost a Britney voice in the end.
Hi. Believe it or not this song more exciting live. There are a lot of totally live versions that were part of the album promotion. Or check out the performance from the Reinvention Tour
Love your journey through the American Life album, but now you NEED to watch the live version of this song. It’s one of the most intense performance of her career. Very very deep, very very emotional ❤️
One of her songs that the live version is better then album version.(imo) She performed while playing guitar and her vocals were on point with feeling of lyrics.
Dereck.. react to Re-invention tour pleaseee.. and react that song on that tour. (You can find a official video from dvd Im going to tell ypu a secret - Madonna).
It's a very touching song about moving on from her past sorrow and has a catchy chorus. The song fits the flow of the album, although I have other tracks that I prefer. Still, it's a good track.
Long live the Queen! Looks like you have only 2 more tracks to listen to: "I'm So Stupid" and "Nobody Knows Me". I highly recommend checking out the live performance of this song from her Re-Invention Tour (2004).
UA-cam lui a supprimé jeudi ainsi que sa réaction sur l’amour naissant ;( par contre il a dit qu’il travaillait dessus mais toujours rien. Il en a peut être eu marre lol
Hi Dereck! I do enjoy your videos, thank you! And please react to the last 2 song to finish the American Life album "Nobody knows me" and "I'm so stupid" you are going to love it, Saludos desde Sevilla, Spain.
Do you know much of U2? I love them, especially their 90's work. Would love to see you react to their song The Fly, if you don't know it. Also Love Is Blindness.
Thank you for featuring MARCELITO POMOY. PLEASE make a reaction on other Filipino Artists. Check KATRINA VELARDE - MAMA KNOWS BEST/ONE TAKE COVER SESSIONS. This is LIVE DONE in just 1 take!
Dereck, this song impresses for its lyrical content, but the live version is just a MUST!!! Madonna mix Mother and Father with Intervention playing an acoustic guitar and her voice is less robotic and more real. It's simply perfect ❤🌷
yes, absolutely!
Can you imagine I’ve been watching everything Madonna done from age 8 till now at 45 she is the most creative artist. Love your reactions cutie
Madonna forever
Re - Invention tour is now MUST see..
Yeahhh.. plsss
No it’s the girlie show
@@mmaraboutfr, he already did this one 🤟
@@nilavesper yes, i’m agree with you. For me, the girlie show is the best show.
I saw it live in Atlanta.
Another underaged tour and album.
The acoustic version from the Today Show is a nice treat.
When she performs this song live you clearly can see her feelings exposed, her pain, her anger, amazing!
It was included on the Re-Invention Tour. She also sang an acoustic version while promoting the album.
Don’t forget Nobody knows me!☝🏼
Such a good song✨
That song grew on me so much and it's now in my top 3 of the AMAZING album.
I remember when I heard this the first time I started to cry... I had to "give it up" too, dad was emotionally abusive alcoholic, mom to this day has not been able to support me in the way I hoped she would. Childhood/youth was a nightmare and I still live with trauma. So... this song got to the core of me. When you haven't gotten something in life, you know how it feels, how you need to "give it up"... but that is easier said than done.
This song is deeper than expected, many can't deal. Hope you'll find your way, "happiness lies in your own hands".
@@erregi4946 It is, certainly. Thanks for the kind wishes.
Same here.My dad in my life is nonexistent because of my stepmom.Though 'Oh Father' really gets me.
Oh Father does this to me.
@@robertshepherd7855 Same, that one does it for me too...
I think the only other moment where she exposed herself so deep was on the song "Oh Father" and also in an interview she gave back when she was promoting Evita. The journalist said she had everything she wanted and asked if there was something she was missing and she said really seriously:
"A mother..."
It always breaks my heart 😥
A journalist ,maybe in that time, asked if she would change all her fame, success and money from something in the world, and she said instantly: my mother.
Mer Girl
In an interview she would get emotional when talking about her mother!
@Marvin Morawski Yes i know
One of my favorite. An electro experimental confession about her painful mourning. Deep and innovative. I keep listening this song for almost 20 years now....
Its a difficult song, but after almost 20 years its growing on me. 🙃 She was very avant-garde back then, still is listening to Madame X which is also produced by Mirwais, he is a genius!
beautiful, beautiful, beautiful.....makes me tear up every time....xoxoxoxo
"I made a vow that I would never need another person, never turn my heart into a cage, a victim of a kind of rage..."
Such a personal song that she shared with us, amazing Madonna! ❤
this song is one of my fav EVER. sooo moving in a "strange" way. Love it!
Fantastic song, so deep yet catchy, great production and what a clever use of her voice. I mean I just love that song. American Life is such a gem
It was written as a nursery rhyme. It’s brilliant!
This is my favorite on the CD im glad u are reacting to it .
Believe it or not. This was the song that helped me come out!
I first listened to this song when I was 19 and had moved away from my family. My mother died when I was young too and this sound touched my heart so much. It helped get me through my new life away from everyone. Gave me strength. I'm 36 now.
My favorite song of the album ! one of her best album by the way
ONE on my favorite song
Really love that song. Great reaction!
While I completely agree with you about the sonic qualities of the song, and the catchiness of the "I gotta give it up..." chorus, what was more interesting to me personally was the lyrical content and the vocal delivery methods that Madonna used in this song.
You correctly hit on the fact that Madonna sometimes sounded child-like here, and that I believe was deliberate, as she was singing *as* the little girl she was who had lost her mother to cancer. It's not just in the pitch of the voice though, it is also seen in the very simple lyrics at various points and also the sing-song delivery style that she employed, even when the pitch was not high, e.g. "My mo-ther died when-I was-five, and-all I-did was-sit and-cry, I-cried and-cried and-cried all-day un-til the neigh-bors went a-way"
This is *precisely* how little girls talk and sing their songs. It's actually genius when you think of the simplicity but simultaneous complexity of that.
At other points in the song, Madonna uses a deeper, angrier voice which to me is her "teenage self" rebelling against her loss and taking it out on her father. This is the "rap" section with "my father had to go to work, I used to think he was a jerk" - note the slightly cut-off nature of each word that Mirwais did with her vocals, it's like someone angrily biting off each word. Now you can debate whether you like the rap section or not as a sound (and I would agree she's not the best at rapping in general), but I think it's not a section that's *meant* to sound nice, it's supposed to harsh and bitter by contrast with the chorus and the high-pitched verse.
Now go to the next part, she's again as the older version of her self, but still singing in the child-like pattern with "I di-dn't know his-heart was bro-ken, not a-no-ther word was spo-ken, he be-came a sha-dow of the fa-ther I was drea-ming of".
I believe what she was getting at with the song is how the loss of her mother was, until the birth of her first child at least, *THE* seminal moment in her life and left her without a compass, searching for the reason to be and raging against the world and her father (who, as an Italian American Catholic man, bottled up his feelings and never spoke about his dead wife aka the "not another word was spoken" part). Little children idolise their parents, so to lose one at a very young age and have her illusions completely shattered about the remaining one (albeit that she acknowledges that she was too young to understand his own pain) must have been soul-destroying, and led to her all-consuming rage. By trapping herself in this anger, she didn't properly grow up and that is why she's using all these child-like tones in this song.
But she realises that she has to "give it up" and this is where her voice becomes the most mature and expressive, as she looks at the open door of the cage she has made for herself and realises she must walk through. So while I agree that it may not be the most immediately catchy song on the album at first listen, it's got layers of vocal and lyrical complexity and depth that go far beyond mere catchiness.
It also employs a dissonant technique she has used before (most memorably in "Til Death Do Us Part" from the "Like A Prayer" album), where the melody and instrumentation of the song are very upbeat and almost bouncy, but the lyrical content is dark and deep in a jarring way. It's a song of light and shadow both in lyrical content and in instrumentation.
Been waiting for this one ❤️
This song hurts so much, especially if you dont have a nice relationship with your mom...
You definitely have to react to “ReInvention Tour” promoting this album!
“I turned my heart into a cage a victim of a kind of rage” love that line
It's relatable sadly
This song is placed in a sequence after Intervention (about her son), and X-static process (herself), now as a mother of two -back then- realizing and understanding her father (Mother & Father).
Starting singing as a child, the line "I didn't know his heart was broken and he became a shadow of the father I was dreaming of" its crucial to her after her contemplation on "Intervention" and "X-Static", now as a mother deciding to finally "let it go" all the pain and rage that she had from her loss, because she want to be the best for her children. Its funny that this trinity its like the holy one, "The Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost", as she likes to use catholic imagery. American Life is such a great album that almost 20 years after its release its having some recognition that it deserves.
Pd: sorry for my bad english😅
Love your doing this very underrated Album! As with most of her stuff after early to mid 2000's, never got played on the radio. I know times have changed & everyone streams now, but she is a victim of Ageism. You have to be a young & pretty person to get the spotlight. For example, just look at the 80's & the age of artists. Older, younger, it didn't matter as long as it was a catchy tune!
Thanks Dereck!!
The raps in American life and mother and father are very internationally on her part. It's used as a sarcastic device rather than an actual rap which just adds to the distortions of the song. It's sounds fucked up and it's like entering her psyche about her anger towards the American callous culture at that time and the loss of her childhood.
3 or 4 Madonnas! You can never have too much Madonna :)
Love this one. Really do.
Looking forward to your reaction to "Nobody Knows Me". Speaking of saving (one of) the best for last.
Re - Invention tour live version is just amazing! it worth your reaction!
mother and father live from the Reinvention Tour is very much worth a listen. No baby voice in that version. Madonna plays the guitar and does a mash up mid way with Intervention. It's a very powerful vocal performance. I saw this tour live and I remember being struck by her tremendous musicianship
A very experimental song. Very cool! Enjoyed your analysis!
I love this song as it evolves, adding each layer of sound till we get the eargasmic ending
The live version is just!!! So good! She sounds incredible
Thank you so much...actually all this Album is a BOMB...I LOVE ALL HER WORK ON THIS..thank yoi..regards fromPERÚ...WE R YOUR FANS AND FANS OF THE QUEEN AND ONLY ONE: MADONNA🇵🇪❤‼
You must to hear the Reinvention Tour version, with a mix with Intervention. So emotional and beautiful.
When Madonna says her songs are her biography I think all the way on this one
Dereck this one is one of my favourites. It grows on you. I can’t wait until you’ve listened to all of the songs and then you can listen to the entire album as a body of work in your own personal time.
The album gets better and better with each listen.
Watching your reaction videos to these tracks have made me so very happy. This is my favourite Madonna album and even though it was not a success at the time. Your reactions and your appreciation of the production and songwriting and her beautiful vocals.
Please please do Nobody Knows me.
Also Mother and Father she performed live on the Today Show in 2003. She uses her falsetto to hit all of those high notes. Would be so great to see you react to it.
Thank you again. These reactions give me so much joy and happiness. Love you and your intelligent passion for all music ❤️❤️❤️
The parts where she raps were designed for Eminem to introduce in the songs, in the end Eminem rejected the invitation and Madonna made those parts in American life and Mother and father. In a interview Eminem was asked about this, and he said that Madonna did well.
How did u know that Emimen was invited to rap on it?
@Pray ForMe i did before i asked & found nothing!
Re-Invention Tour is a must!!
So excited to see this reaction 💗
This is one of my favorite madonna songs mainly cause of the lyric .. 'I made a vow that I would never need another person., never put my heart into a cage a victim of a kind of rage'
Mother and father was the hit of this album !! Great song ! Powerful song !
I got to say thank you. For bringing American life to a new generation. The album was not received well when released. I personally connected with AL. It’s unique. It way ahead of its time. I love the album bc Madonna was doing what she does best... experiment. As a Madonna fan I don’t always like all her experimental ventures... but I always appreciate it as art even if I don’t understand. So thank you!!!
I love this song. I love this whole album.
Ahhh this is actually one of my favs, but great reaction 💗 💫
Live vocals on this one are amazing
You must see live on reinvention tour
Nobody knows me next! make it a 2for1 special and react to the live version too! it is my birthday wish for today :-)
Thank u so much for this.... it’s a grower....you’ll see. Now start with the Music Album and Drowned world tour and Re-Invention tour !!! ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Again Madonna was using her way to put a heavy lyric contest in a dance way. Very deep lyrics. She sang that acoustic during an interview, u should check it..!! Love yr reacting. Keep on doing it!!
Since you love Mirwais and Madonna collaborations, they work together again on most of the Madame X album
I think AL is one of her finest moments (except the title track) I have it on vinyl and it blows me away every time how well produced this is.
I like the lyrics of this song, but my favorite its Easy Ride jiji virtual hug to you Dereck.
Juxtaposition... Madonna is a master doing that.
She can express very sad and dark lyrics but put it in poppy and upbeat melody and production.
In this song she express so much emotional pain and deep stuff but singing in a very childish way, almost a Britney voice in the end.
You have to see the re invention tour 2004. It's the best tour for me. It' so beautiful. PERFECTION FOR ME. UNFORGETTABLE❤️
U should react to her live version of this song in The Reinvention Tour. Amazing performance!
Love that song so much!!! React this song on The Re-Invention Tour
Nobody knows me and I'm so stupid, and I think that's the whole album!
I always thought American Life was too ahead of its time but it's one of her best works IMO in terms of lyrics and melodies.
Easy ride...you will be amazed for sure! Also nobody knows me & im so stupid.
The performance of this song on the reinvention tour is pretty good
Hi. Believe it or not this song more exciting live. There are a lot of totally live versions that were part of the album promotion. Or check out the performance from the Reinvention Tour
Have you reacted to God control and batuka? They both have official videos from 2019 would love to see your reactions to them?
Love your journey through the American Life album, but now you NEED to watch the live version of this song. It’s one of the most intense performance of her career. Very very deep, very very emotional ❤️
One of her songs that the live version is better then album version.(imo) She performed while playing guitar and her vocals were on point with feeling of lyrics.
Hear it live at the re-invention tour......ìt is awesome......
You should react to the same song but live.... it’s awesome !
Oh it’s comin out alright
Dereck.. react to Re-invention tour pleaseee.. and react that song on that tour. (You can find a official video from dvd Im going to tell ypu a secret - Madonna).
Love you reading the lyrics online. 😁
It's a very touching song about moving on from her past sorrow and has a catchy chorus. The song fits the flow of the album, although I have other tracks that I prefer. Still, it's a good track.
Long live the Queen! Looks like you have only 2 more tracks to listen to: "I'm So Stupid" and "Nobody Knows Me". I highly recommend checking out the live performance of this song from her Re-Invention Tour (2004).
Thank You ! Now, i should react to Nobody Knows me... It's very different of the rest ... so futuristic !! :D
I think she is singing that way on purpose. She's singing from her childhood point of view.. hence the higher octave
Where is Mylène Farmer Thursday video ?
UA-cam lui a supprimé jeudi ainsi que sa réaction sur l’amour naissant ;( par contre il a dit qu’il travaillait dessus mais toujours rien. Il en a peut être eu marre lol
Yeeees vous pouvez la voir sur patreon
Re-Invention World Tour is a MUST
Oh, if you like club music, you need to listen to legendary Peter Rauhofer's club mix of this song.....One of my favs!!!! RIP Peter...
Her thought process has all to do with her her family her mother and father
i love this sooooooooooong
And yes, "I'm So Stupid" is worth a listen
Hi Dereck! I do enjoy your videos, thank you! And please react to the last 2 song to finish the American Life album "Nobody knows me" and "I'm so stupid" you are going to love it, Saludos desde Sevilla, Spain.
You MUST listen to the Re-invention Tour Live Performance
I hope this American life songs never end! Don’t forget stupid. The song I mean not you you are fantastic and I love you and I love madonna
She did it a lot more heartfelt live on ReInvention tour
Do you know much of U2? I love them, especially their 90's work. Would love to see you react to their song The Fly, if you don't know it. Also Love Is Blindness.
The real deal with this song is the live version from the Re-Invention tour
Her rap in this song was something I took a time to learn... when I heard it I simply forgot who was Eminem or Miss Eliot hahahaha
"Nobody Knows Me" and "I'm so Stupid" are the missing ones
Dereck, hello! Where did your video for "The Farmer Project" by Mylene Farmer go ??😭 I've been waiting for this for so long ...
This song in "re invention tour"
When you listen to the last song on the album, you should rate them from what’s your favorite to least. Im very curious
The weirdest Madonna's song, love it!
No voice manipulated
Thank you for featuring MARCELITO POMOY. PLEASE make a reaction on other Filipino Artists. Check KATRINA VELARDE - MAMA KNOWS BEST/ONE TAKE COVER SESSIONS. This is LIVE DONE in just 1 take!