Justify My Love

Infobox Single
Name = Justify My Love


Caption =
Artist = Madonna
from Album = The Immaculate Collection
A-side =
B-side = "Express Yourself (1990)" (remix)
"The Beast Within"
Released = November 6, 1990 (Worldwide)
December 2, 1990 (U.K.)
December 10, 1990 (Japan)
Format = CD, CD maxi, Video, Cassette, 7"
Recorded = 1990
Genre = Pop R&B
Length = 4:59
Label = Sire, Warner Bros.
Writer = Lenny Kravitz, Ingrid Chavez, additional lyrics by Madonna
Producer = Lenny Kravitz, Andre Betts
Certification = Platinum (RIAA)
Silver (BPI)
Last single = "Hanky Panky"
(1990)
This single = "Justify My Love"
(1990)
Next single = "Rescue Me"
(1991)
Misc = Extra track listing
Album = The Immaculate Collection
Type = Studio
prev_track = "Vogue
prev_no = 15
this_track = "Justify My Love"
track_no = 16
next_track = "Rescue Me"
next_no = 17Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file= JustifyMyLoveSample.ogg

"Justify My Love" was the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 1990 greatest hits compilation "The Immaculate Collection" and was released on November 6, 1990 by Sire Records. It caused international controversy due to the accompanying music video which was sexually explicit and even banned by MTV. This outraged Madonna and she appeared on ABC's "Nightline" to defend it. The single was also released as a Video-single and became the highest selling video single of all-time. [ [http://www.madonna-online.ch/m-online/discography/90_the-immaculate-collection/disco-90-jusify-my-love-single.htm madonna-online.ch :: discography - justify my love, 1990 ] ] When released, the single rose to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 and many other worldwide charts. The single made No.2 in the UK christmas charts selling 228,683 copies.

ong

"Justify My Love" was written by Lenny Kravitz, Ingrid Chavez and Madonna. Kravitz wrote the song for Madonna, based on a poem written by friend and Prince protégé Ingrid Chavez. Kravitz added the title hook and chorus. Madonna contributed a few lines. Chavez was not credited for the song and later sued Kravitz in 1992. She received an out-of-court settlement, and gained a co-writing credit.Thomas, Lindsey. (March 8 2006) " [http://www.citypages.com/databank/27/1318/article14172.asp?page=5 She Bop] ". "City Pages" Retrieved on August 10 2007.]

Producer Kravitz sampled the intro found on Public Enemy's instrumental, "Security of the First World", and used it as the basis of the song. The song was unique in that Madonna's vocals are primarily spoken and whispered. This style served as a prelude to her next album "Erotica", in which she spoke the lyrics on some of the songs rather than singing them. Kravitz provided background vocals. Rumors of a love affair between Kravitz and Madonna sprang up in the press upon the release of the song. Kravitz has denied these rumors.

In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all-time by "Q-Magazine". "Justify my Love" was allocated the #12 spot.

Rapper Mase sampled the song on his 1999 album, "Double Up", on his song "Stay Out of My Way". The song was covered by rapper Vita and pop–R&B singer Ashanti for "The Fast and the Furious" soundtrack in 2001. Rapper Jay-Z's song, "Justify My Thug", from his 2003 album, "The Black Album" produced by DJ Quik, is a remake of "Justify My Love." Enigma sampled "Justify My Love" for their "Orthodox Remix" of the 1990 single, "Mea Culpa".

Music video

Although it was a number one pop hit, "Justify My Love" is perhaps most notable for its controversial music video, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The video depicts images of goings-on at a bizarre party in a Parisian hotel, Le Royal Monceau (near the Arc de Triomphe). The video featured scenes of partial nudity, homosexuality, mild sadomasochism and group sex. The video also featured her then-boyfriend, model and actor Tony Ward. Some of the dancers featured in the video are also dancers from her Blond Ambition Tour. Influenced by "My Fair Lady", Madonna performed "Justify My Love" on her 1993 tour The Girlie Show.

*Director: Jean-Baptiste Mondino
*Producer: Philippe Dupuis-Mendel
*Director of Photography: Pascal Lebegue
*Production Company: Bandits Productions (a co-production with Propaganda Films)

Controversy

The video became one of the first-ever music videos to be banned on MTV. MTV's pass on the video created a furor that made headlines. ABC's "Nightline" played the video in its entirety and Madonna herself appeared on the program to defend her position and express her views on censorship. In any case, the video itself became a bestselling "video single" when it was released on the VHS-format that year. When Forrest Sawyer pointed out to Madonna that she stood to profit even more from the banning of "Justify My Love", Madonna, in typical fashion, smiled and said, "Yeah, so lucky me!"

The video for "Justify My Love" was banned also from regular rotation on MuchMusic in Canada, although the controversy (as well as the subsequent banning of a video by Mitsou) led MuchMusic to launch a new series, "Too Much 4 Much", which played controversial music videos accompanied by panel discussions on their artistic and cultural context.

In mid-2002, this video was aired in its entirety on MTV2 as part of a special countdown showing the most controversial videos ever to air on MTV. This countdown was shown only late at night because of the graphic imagery of "Justify My Love" and several other videos on the countdown.

As of early May 2007, the video has been receiving strong airplay on the late night edition of MuchMusic's request show "Punch Much"; however, the video is still banned in many areas of Canada, where the show is broadcast from. The video has had light to moderate airplay on MuchMoreMusic during its late night music video block.

Rankings

*This video was ranked #43 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's "The 100 Top Music Videos".
*This video was ranked #7 on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos and #1 on VH1's 50 Sexiest Video Moments.
*This video was ranked #4 on Back In... 91's Top 5 Best Videos.
*This video and single was ranked #19 in 4Music's "The Nations Favourite Madonna Songs - Top 50"

The Beast Within

"The Beast Within" is a remix of the song, "Justify My Love", by Madonna and Lenny Kravitz. This version was only included on the North American maxi-single release. The remix uses only the chorus and certain lines of the original song, with the verses being replaced by passages from the Book of Revelation from the Bible. The song first garnered media attention early in 1991 when the Simon Wiesenthal Center accused the song of containing anti-semitic lyrics. Madonna denied the accusations, explaining that the song was about love, not hatred.

'"The Beast Within" was showcased as a dancers' interlude during the 1993 The Girlie Show World Tour and was used again as the video introduction to the 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. The latter used imagery of Madonna from the exhibition "X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS", prior to her appearing on stage. It was subsequently included on the 2006 live album, "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret". This new version omits the controversial lyrics which caused the 1991 accusations.

Track listings

US Cassette and 7

# Justify My Love ("Album Version") "4'58"
# Express Yourself (1990) ("Remix Album Version") "4'02"

US CD Maxi-Single

# Justify My Love ("Q-Sound Mix") "4'54"
# Justify My Love ("Orbit 12" Mix") "7'16"
# Justify My Love ("Hip Hop Mix") "6'30"
# Express Yourself (1990) ("Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix") "9'30"
# Justify My Love ("The Beast Within Mix") "6'10"

Germany CD Single

# Justify My Love ("Orbit 12" Mix") "7'16"
# Justify My Love "5'00"
# Express Yourself (1990) ("Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix") "9'30"

Charts

Notes and references

ee also

*"Sex", a 1992 nude photography volume by Madonna