Today in Madonna History: August 4, 2002

August 4, 2025 By Jay in 2002, August Tags: American Life (Album), American Life (Single), Mini Cooper 1 Comment

On August 4 2002, Madonna took delivery of a $40,000 Mini Cooper.

Workers at the Cowley car plant in Oxfordshire gave it the personal touch by signing their names on the underside of the chassis. A worker at the Mini Cooper car plant said: “We are all so proud that Madonna is such a big fan of the car. Everyone who worked on it left their signature, either inside or under the bonnet. If anyone doubted this was a classy car before, they can certainly think again now Madonna has bought one.”

A custom Mini Cooper later appeared in the American Life music video, and promotional mini versions (no pun intended) were distributed when the American Life album was released.

Today in Madonna History: April 8, 2003

April 8, 2025 By Jay in 2003, April Tags: American Life (Album), American Life (Single), Lyrics, Mirwais Ahmadzaï 1 Comment

On April 8 2003, American Life was released digitally as the lead single from Madonna’s ninth studio album of the same name.

American Life was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï, and was released by Maverick Records.

Lyrics:

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I guess I did it wrong
That’s why I wrote this song

This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free

So, I went into a bar
Looking for sympathy
A little company
I tried to find a friend
It’s more easily said
It’s always been the same

This type of modern life
Is not for me
This type of modern life
Is not for free

American life (American life)
I live the american dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)

I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
I tried to play the part
But somehow I forgot
Just what I did it for
And why I wanted more

This type of modern life
Is it for me
This type of modern life
Is it for free

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

American life (American life)
I live the american dream (American dream)
You are the best thing I’ve seen
You are not just a dream (American life)
(American life)

I tried to be a boy
I tried to be a girl
I tried to be a mess
I tried to be the best
I tried to find a friend
I tried to stay ahead
I tried to stay on top
(Fuck it)

Do I have to change my name?
Will it get me far?
Should I lose some weight?
Am I gonna be a star?

Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)
Aah (Fuck it)

I’m drinking a Soy latte
I get a double shote
It goes right through my body
And you know I’m satisfied

I drive my mini cooper
And I’m feeling super-dooper
Yo they tell I’m a trooper
And you know I’m satisfied

I do yoga and pilates
And the room is full of hotties
So I’m checking out the bodies
And you know I’m satisfied

I’m digging on the isotopes
This metaphysic’s shit is dope
And if all this can give me hope
You know I’m satisfied

I got a lawyer and a manager
An agent and a chef
Three nannies, an assistant
And a driver and a jet
A trainer and a butler
And a bodyguard or five
A gardener and a stylist
Do you think I’m satisfied

I’d like to express my extreme point of view
I’m not a christian and I’m not a jew
I’m just living out the american dream
And I just realised that nothing
Is what it seems

Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American dream)
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
Am I gonna be a star? (I live the American dream)
Do I have to change my name? (American life)
(I live the American dream) (American life)
(I live the American dream) (American life)
(I live the American dream)

Today in Madonna History: December 20, 2003

December 20, 2024 By Jay in 2003, December Tags: American Life (Album), Hot Dance Club Play, Me Against the Music, Nobody Knows Me, Nothing Fails, Re-Invention World Tour, Remixed & Revisited 1 Comment

On December 20, 20 2003, Madonna had three titles on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart in the USA: Me Against The Music, Nobody Knows Me and Nothing Fails.

Madonna was the second artist in 18 years to achieve 3 simultaneous entries on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart (previously achieved by Bronski Beat in 1985).

Today in Madonna History: December 6, 2016

December 6, 2024 By sonicboy19 in 2016, December Tags: American Life (Album), American Pie, Music (Album), Nothing Fails, Reissue, Rhino, Vinyl 1 Comment

reissue-december-6-1 reissue-december-6-2

On December 6 2016, Rhino Records reissued Madonna’s Music and American Life albums on 180 gram vinyl in North America. Some markets received the reissues on December 2.

The double vinyl release of American Life corrects the spelling of Nothing Fails (misspelled on previous releases).

The reissued Music includes American Pie (previously excluded on the North American releases of the album).

Previous Madonna vinyl reissues released by Rhino in 2016:

Madonna (The First Album)
Like A Virgin
True Blue
Like A Prayer
Erotica
Bedtime Stories
Something To Remember
Ray Of Light

Do you collect Madonna vinyl?

reissue-december-6-end2

Today in Madonna History: May 10, 2003

May 10, 2024 By sonicboy19 in 2003, May Tags: American Life (Album), Erotica (Album), Hung Up, Justin Timberlake, Number One, Sal Cinquemani, Slant Magazine 1 Comment

On May 10 2003, Madonna’s American Life album reached #1 on the Billboard 200 Albums Chart in the USA.

In 2008, Sal Cinquemani had this to say about American Life in Slant magazine:

In hindsight, American Life isn’t the masterpiece that Erotica so quickly revealed itself to be. It’s frequently self-indulgent, misguided, unpleasant, difficult to listen to, silly yet somehow humorless, but it’s also consistent, uncompromising, and unapologetic. The album is a testament to the artist’s willingness to take risks and her refusal to stay inside her comfort zone. In the grand scheme of things, the album might rank as one of the weakest in Madonna’s extensive catalog, and the ones that followed have been as good, if not better, but American Life stands as the last time Madonna seemed to make music without the primary objective of scoring a hit. It’s interesting to imagine what Madonna’s career would look like today had American Life been a success: For better or worse, that pink leotard and Justin duet might never have existed.

Today in Madonna History: April 19, 2003

April 19, 2024 By Jay in 2003, April Tags: American Life (Album), Hacked, Leaked, Madonna.com 1 Comment

On April 19 2003, Madonna.com was hacked by some “fans” that didn’t agree with her anti-download policy.

Madonna’s official website was hacked and replaced by a page with links to download the complete American Life album as well as some remixes. The hack occurred only days after Madonna tried to combat illegal trading of songs from her American Life album, by flooding the Internet with fake MP3s.

The hacker defaced the homepage with the words, “This is what the fuck I think I’m doing” — a response to MP3s circulated to confuse file traders that included only a tape-looped message from Madonna herself saying, “What the fuck do you think you’re doing?” MP3s of every song from American Life were posted along with the hackers’ message.

Madonna.com was taken offline for an nearly fifteen hours after the hack.