Today in Madonna History: November 1, 1992

On November 1 1992, Madonna’s Sex book hit #1 on the Washington Post non-fiction bestseller list.

Here’s a snippet of Zoe Heller’s article on the Sex book in The Independent:

It starts out black and white, S & M, down and dirty. In various urban crypts and dungeons, we see Madonna bound up by multi-pierced lesbians (they point knives at her throat and crotch); Madonna biting at a male arsehole; Madonna whipping a large PVC-clad woman. There is Madonna as Weimar-style decadent, cavorting with gay strippers, and as cutie schoolgirl, being raped by skinheads in a school gym. You get the picture.

As Sex proceeds, colour photography is introduced – a washed-out, Fifties sort of pastel – and Madonna emerges from subterranea to expose herself on roadsides and in pizza parlours. Interspersed throughout are scraps of Madonna-think: a tribute to her vagina (‘It smells like a baby to me, fresh and full of life’), a horrifyingly cutesy account of masturbating for the first time (‘honey poured from my 14-year-old gash and I wept’). You get the prose.

Today in Madonna History: October 30, 1992

October 30, 2015 By Jay in 1992, October Tags: Controversy, The Sex Book 1 Comment

On October 30 1992, the public libraries in Mesa, Arizona, cancelled their orders for Madonna’s Sex book after local residents protested its purchase.

Here’s a snippet from Vicki Goldberg’s New York Times article on the book:

Madonna’s new book, as even your butcher knows by now, is simply, classically titled Sex. It comes sealed in a Mylar bag (much as condoms do) with a label reading “Warning! Adults Only!” and a price tag of $49.95. Reportedly she does not want it open in bookstores, but HMV Records at Lexington and 86th Street will let anyone who gives a donation to Lifebeat AIDS see one page, for one minute, in a mock confession booth.

Warner Books, a Time Warner company, is the publisher (Ice-T must not have been enough trouble for one year). A million copies went on sale in five countries and five languages on Wednesday, attended by a good deal of deliberately decadent hoopla. The profit on the first printing could reach $26 million. Any questions?

Today in Madonna History: October 28, 2012

October 28, 2015 By Jay in 2012, October Tags: Barack Obama, Controversy, MDNA World Tour 1 Comment

On October 28, newswires reported that Madonna was boo’d for praising President Barack Obama during her (October 27) MDNA Tour stop in New Orleans.

Madonna asked the crowd, “Who’s registered to vote?” and then followed with, “I don’t care who you vote for as long as you vote for Obama.”

After the boo’s, Madonna went on to say, “Seriously, I don’t care who you vote for. Do not take this privilege for granted. Go vote.”

Today in Madonna History: October 27, 1996

October 27, 2015 By Jay in 1996, October Tags: Andrew Lloyd Webber, Evita, Tim Rice, You Must Love Me 1 Comment

On October 27 1996, Madonna’s You Must Love Me (the lead single from Evita) was released.

Kathleen Guerdo’s review for Billboard:

“Madonna delivers what is by far one of the strongest vocal performances of her career, comfortably scaling to the song’s demanding soprano heights while infusing it with delicate, heart-rending emotion. This bodes well for the creative potency of the rest of the soundtrack, which is due Nov. 14. Prepare for wall-to-wall airplay of this flawless ballad on pop and AC radio.”

Today in Madonna History: October 26, 1992

October 26, 2015 By Jay in 1992, October Tags: Banned, Censored, Controversy, Japan, The Sex Book 1 Comment

On October 26 1992, Madonna’s SEX book was banned in Japan due to its controversial photos which violated the country’s censorship laws.

Here is Madonna’s perspective on pornography:

I don’t see how a guy looking at a naked girl in a magazine is degrading to women. Everyone has their sexuality. It’s how you treat people in everyday life that counts, not what turns you on in your fantasy. If all a person ever did was get off on porno movies I would say they are probably dysfunctional sexually, but I don’t think it’s unhealthy to be interested in that or get off on that. I’m not interested in porno movies because everybody is ugly and faking it and it’s just silly. They make me laugh, they don’t turn me on. A movie like In the Realm of the Senses turns me on because it’s real. I’ve been told there are some good Traci Lords movies but I’ve never seen them. I wouldn’t want to watch a snuff movie. I wouldn’t want to watch anyone get really hurt, male or female. But generally I don’t think pornography degrades women. The women who are doing it want to do it. No one is holding a gun to their head. I don’t get that whole thing. I love looking at Playboy magazine because women look great naked.

Today in Madonna History: October 25, 2003

October 25, 2015 By Jay in 2003, October Tags: Britney Spears, Me Against the Music 2 Comments

On October 25 2003, Me Against the Music (Britney Spears featuring Madonna) debuted at #50 on the Billboard Hot 100. The single spent 13 weeks on the chart, eventually peaking at #35 in the USA.