American Life (song)

Infobox Single
Name = American Life


Artist = Madonna
from Album = American Life
B-side = "Die Another Day" Calderone & Quayle Afterlife Mix
Released = March 2003 (digital download)
April 8 2003 (US)
April 14 2003 (Europe)
Format = Digital download
CD single
Vinyl single
Recorded = London, England
Genre = Pop, Electronica, Hip hop
Length = 4:57
Label = Maverick, Warner Bros.
Writer = Madonna
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Producer = Madonna
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
[ Certification = ]
Last single = "Die Another Day"
(2002)
This single = "American Life"
(2003)
Next single = "Hollywood"
(2003)
Misc = Extra album cover 2
Upper caption = Alternate cover
Type = studio


Lower caption = Australian CD1 Extra album cover 2
Type = studio


Lower caption = Australian CD2 Extra album cover 2
Type = studio


Lower caption = UK Promo remixes singles Audiosample
Upper caption = Audio sample
Audio file= AmericanLifeSample.ogg

"American Life" is a pop song written by American singer-songwriter Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï for Madonna's ninth studio album "American Life" (2003). The song's lyrics are a criticism to the American way of life.

The song was released as the first single from the album in the spring of 2003 (see 2003 in music), and although it failed to match the chart success of past Madonna singles in the United States, "American Life" is considered to be a worldwide successFact|date=July 2008 as it reached number one in Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, Switzerland, and the top ten in Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Romania, Spain, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

ong information

The song was co-written and co-produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

"American Life" was first released on April 8, 2003 in the U.S. and on April 14 in Europe. The song premiered on radio worldwide on March 24, the same day that it was sent out as an official digital single by mail to American fans who purchased the MP3 on Madonna's official website. The song received remixes by some of the most known in the business, including mixes by Missy Elliott, Peter Rauhofer, Felix da Housecat and Paul Oakenfold.

The single cover that was released on April 8 was different from the original cover artwork. Initially, an image of the single was released to the media showing Madonna holding a machine gun. The doctored single cover featured the same picture, but minus Madonna holding the gun. [ [http://hometown.aol.com/bijouaffaires/americanlife1.html http://hometown.aol.com/bijouaffaires/americanlife1.html] 'Hometown.aol.com" ]

Madonna performed "American Life" on the MTV special, "On Stage And On Record", and also on her 2004 Re-Invention Tour.

Chart performance

Before its release "American Life" was aggressively marketed by Madonna's record label, Warner Bros. Warner offered the song as a maxi or two-track single, and also released it as a digital download, the first Madonna single to be made available in this format. In the U.S. the song performed rather weakly, perhaps due to Madonna's criticism of the invasion of Iraq. The digital single sold 4,177 copies in its first week of release, allowing it to debut at number ninety on the Billboard Hot 100, but only managed to peak at number thirty-seven on the Hot 100 and stayed within the top forty for just a week. On the Hot 100 Singles Sales, the single peaked at number two and it peaked at number sixty-one on the Hot 100 Airplay chart.

On the U.S. dance chart, the single performed much better, rising to number one on both the Hot Dance Singles Sales and Hot Dance Club Play charts; the number-one position on the Club Play chart marked her twenty-ninth time at the summit. Internationally, the single achieved much greater success, going to number two in the UK and top ten in Australia, and to the top in Canada and Japan.

Music video

Original version

The controversial music video was shot on February 6-7, 2003 at [http://www.lacenterstudios.com Los Angeles Center Studios] in Los Angeles, California by Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund. While she made sexually and religiously explicit videos in the 1980s and 1990s, Madonna started incorporating violent images in the 2000s starting with "What It Feels Like for a Girl" and "Die Another Day". For "American Life", she took it to a new level by focusing on politics and attacking United States President George W. Bush's war on Iraq.

The video is built around Madonna, as an army sergeant major (see image on left), with a female legion of troops at a fashion show. It ends with Madonna and the troops getting into a BMW MINI and crashing it into the catwalk. While the audience is watching in shock, Madonna hoses down the paparazzi with a water cannon, reaching a climax with fast-moving war images until Madonna throws a hand grenade which is caught by a President Bush lookalike, who transforms the grenade into a lighter to light his cigar. As soon as the storyline of the video leaked to the press, it was heavily criticized. It went so far that Madonna felt it necessary to issue a statement: "I feel lucky to be an American citizen for many reasons - one of which is the right to express myself freely, especially in my work. I understand that there have been reports about my upcoming video "American Life" in the media - much of which is inaccurate. I am not Anti-Bush. I am not pro-Iraq. I am pro Peace. I have written a song and created a video which expresses my feelings about our culture and values and the illusions of what many people believe is the American dream - the perfect life. As an artist, I hope that this provokes thought and dialogue. I don't expect everyone to agree with my point of view. I am grateful to have the freedom to express these feelings and that's how I honor my country".

Due to the political climate of the country at the time, most notably the backlash on the Dixie Chicks after they made some anti-war comments, Madonna later changed her mind on that "freedom of speech". On April 1, 2003 one day after the video was first shown on a few European and Latin American music channels, and on a prime time special on the Nine Network in Australia, Madonna pulled the video and released a statement explaining why: "I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video."

Edited version

After pulling the original video, Madonna then released a performance-only edited version that premiered on April 16, 2003 on VH1. This version, which many have criticized, only contains the footage of Madonna as a general, but this time performing in front of flags instead of flames and images of war. A different version was shown as a backdrop to her performance of the song on The Re-Invention Tour. The chief difference was the alteration of the final scene to display George W. Bush and Saddam Hussein together. No new footage was filmed for the edited version.

Warner Bros. had confirmed that the unedited "director's cut" "American Life" video (in other words, the original pulled version) would be a bonus on the DVD of "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret", which was released in June 2006, however, when the DVD was released in America, the "American Life" video was not included. This last version pursues all the content of the first one, but the ending is different and more violent. After Madonna's MINI Cooper reaches the catwalk and the singer starts to throw water on the paparazzi, legless and war-injured models start to crawl on the stage, helped by two nurses with their clothes full of blood. These images are mixed with actual war cameos, scenes of the fashion crowd laughing at it all and the sound of bombs and missiles covering the song. And when Madonna throws the grenade, it falls right on an empty part of the catwalk, and the singer's images on the big screen puts its hands on its ears.

Original and edited versions:

*Director: Jonas Åkerlund
*Producer: Nicola Doring
*Director of Photography: Eric Broms
*Editor: Jonas Åkerlund
*Production Company: HSI Productions

Track listings and formats

;UK 2 x 12" vinyl (W603T2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/138359 Madonna - American Life ] ] , US 2 x 12" vinyl (0-42614) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/331318 Madonna - American Life ] ]
*A1 "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Remix) — 4:49
*A2 "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
*B1 "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41
*C1 "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
*C2 "Die Another Day" (Calderone & Quayle Afterlife Mix) — 8:52
*D "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06

;UK Promo CD (The Remixes) (16658-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/702234 Madonna - American Life (Remixes) ] ]
# "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Remix) — 4:49
# "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
# "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
# "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41
# "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06
# "Die Another Day" (Richard Humpty Vission Electrofried Mix) — 6:01

;UK CD 1 (W603CD1 9362 42615-2) [ [http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=370520 Madonna American Life - Part 1 UK 5" CD single (370520) ] ] , AU CD 1 (9362-42615-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/713134 Madonna - American Life ] ]
# "American Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:27
# "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Remix) — 4:49
# "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41

;UK CD 2 (W603CD2 9362 42616-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/135983 Madonna - American Life (CD 2) ] ] , AU CD 2 (9362-42616-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/713136 Madonna - American Life ] ] , JP CD single (WPCR-11541) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/680796 Madonna - American Life ] ]
# "American Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:27
# "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
# "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10

;US Maxi-Single (42614-2) [ [http://eil.com/shop/moreinfo.asp?catalogid=244271 Madonna American Life USA 5" CD single (244271) ] ]
# "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix) - 4:49
# "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
# "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
# "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 1) — 10:41
# "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06
# "Die Another Day" (Richard Humpty Vission Electrofield Mix) — 6:01

;US Enhanced CD single (16658-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/526982 Madonna - American Life ] ] , EU CD single (5439-16658-2) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/500551 Madonna - American Life ] ] , EU 12" vinyl (W603T) [ [http://www.discogs.com/release/263630 Madonna - American Life ] ]
# "American Life" (Edit With Rap) — 4:27
# "Die Another Day" (Calderone & Quayle Afterlife Mix) — 8:52

Videos

Videos
#Original Version 5:12
#Edited Version 3:54

Mixes

#Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Club 6:10
#Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Radio Mix 3:22
#Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Radio Mix (Without Rap) 3:22
#Headcleanr Rock Mix 4:01
#Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix
#Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix (Clean Edit)
#Missy Elliott American Dream Instrumental Remix 4:33
#Oakenfold Downtempo Mix/Remix 5:32
#Oakenfold Radio Edit 4:01
#Oakenfold Radio Edit (Without Rap) 3:16
#Peter Rauhofer American Anthem Part 1 10:44*
#Peter Rauhofer American Anthem Part 2 9:06
#Rauhofer Radio Mix 4:27

*as with many Rauhofer remixes, 2 variations of this mix exist. The version on the UK CD3 (UK Maxi single) is essentially the same mix in structure but contains additional vocals from the second verse and more vocals from the chorus throughout

Certifications

Charts

References

For charts and certifications:
*"Chart Performance of Madonna Records [http://charts.mlvc.org/CHThist.php A Compiled History] - last accessed on December 19, 2005.
*"Charts". "Mad-Eyes Discography". [http://www.mad-eyes.net/disco/charts.htm mad-eyes.net] - last accessed on December 19, 2005.
*"American Life". "Top40-Charts". [http://top40-charts.com/song.php?sid=6608&sort=chartid&string=Madonna Top40-charts.com] - last accessed on December 19, 2005.

For official versions:
*"Remix Index". "Madonna Nation". [http://www.madonnanation.com/remixindex/index.html# link] - last accessed on December 19, 2005.
* [http://www.mad-eyes.net/disco/al/american-life.htm Mad-Eyes.net - "American Life" Single Page]