Tag Archives: Mirwais Ahmadzaï

Today in Madonna History: September 27, 2002

September 28, 2025 By in 2002, September Tags: , , , , , , , , , 1 Comment

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On September 27 2002, the theme and title-track for the twentieth film in the James Bond franchise, Die Another Day, received its world premiere on New York radio station Z100. The song had been due to hit the airwaves on October 10th, but when Z100 got their hands on the track ahead of schedule they immediately added it to their heavy rotation playlist. Other stations quickly followed suit, prompting an early but very strong debut at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and becoming the chart’s highest first-week entry of the year.

Die Another Day was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais with string arrangement by the late, great Michel Colombier. After being introduced to Madonna through Mirwais, Colombier arranged strings for Madonna’s 2000 hit Don’t Tell Me, scored her film Swept Away and arranged the American Life tracks Nothing Fails and Easy Ride. Colombier sadly lost a brief battle with cancer in 2004, leaving behind a legacy of celebrated collaborations with the likes of Serge Gainsbourg, Prince and Joni Mitchell, to name only a few.

Madonna’s Bond theme was first performed during 2004’s Re-Invention Tour, where it became a visual showstopper with its ambitious and impressively executed tango-influenced choreography.

Today in Madonna History: April 8, 2003

April 8, 2025 By in 2003, April Tags: , , , 1 Comment

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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 8, 2003

December 8, 2024 By in 2003, December Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

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On December 8 2003, Love Profusion was released as the final U.K. single from the American Life album. The track was written and produced by Madonna & Mirwais.

Today in Madonna History: November 12, 2002

November 12, 2024 By in 2002, November Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

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On November 12 2002, the Die Another Day soundtrack for the 20th James Bond film of the same name, was released by Warner Bros. Records. The title song for Die Another Day was sung by Madonna, who also had a small cameo in the movie as Verity, a fencing instructor.  The Die Another Day song was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

What is your favourite James Bond theme song?

Today in Madonna History: September 19, 2000

September 20, 2024 By in 2000, September Tags: , , , , , , 1 Comment

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On September 19 2000, Madonna’s eighth studio album Music was released by Maverick Records.  Music was released in some markets on September 18.

In anticipation of the release Madonna made this statement:

“Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on… Hi, it’s Madonna. You’ve probably been hearing about my new record, Music, for a while. Well, I just wanted to make sure you knew that the single is gonna drop very soon. I worked on it with a French guy named Mirwais, and he is the shit. The album will be released worldwide on September 19, and I hope you like my music.”

Today in Madonna History: August 21, 2000

August 21, 2024 By in 2000, August Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

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 “Hey Mr. DJ, put a record on, I want to dance with my baby.”

On August 21 2000, Madonna’s Music single was released.  Music was the lead single from her eighth studio album of the same name.  It was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

Music peaked number one in 22 other countries, including Australia, Canada, Italy, New Zealand, Norway and the United Kingdom.  The song reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100. Music was the longest running number-one single on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Play chart for the decade (five weeks).  The song was the second most successful dance single of the decade in the United States, behind Madonna’s own Hung Up (2005). Music was the last number one hit on the Canadian RPM singles chart.

Today in Madonna History: October 16, 2002

October 16, 2023 By in 2002, October Tags: , , , 1 Comment

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On October 16 2002, Billboard released their review of Madonna’s Die Another Day:

The theme to the latest James Bond instalment, Die Another Day, is certainly a far cry from the melodic musings of Shirley Bassey, Nancy Sinatra, Paul McCartney, and even Duran Duran. Die Another Day in many ways picks up on the heels of Madonna’s inventive, experimental Music — thanks to her reunion with writer/producer Mirwais Ahmadzai — with a predominance of squiggly blips and zaps and enough effects on Madonna’s vocal to render it practically non-human. It’s an odd number, somewhat disjointed, a bit nonsensical, and not so much melodic as a highly stylized jam — but one must never underestimate the motivations of the long-and-lasting Madonna; and sure enough, with repeated listening, there are enough clever goings on and a hook that sinks into the consciousness to make this a captivating journey. James Bond purists may find themselves fitful that the traditional melodrama that marks such theme songs is remiss here, but radio jumped on the track weeks ahead of its official release, which will certainly fan the flames of publicity for the upcoming flick, out Nov. 22 in the U.S. On the horizon: an onslaught of remixes. Score another bull’s-eye for Madonna.