adreeyen Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oncvaPYTtbs I have always worshipped this song for being the supreme artwork that it is, but I have developed a newly found appreciation for it in the past few weeks. It's a clear highlight on the terrific album that is American Life. It makes me feel so many emotions, especially the end of the track. I know a lot of fans take issue with the vocal, but it's clearly an artistic choice when she can obviously belt out the track like this I ain't a RIT fan, but I'm glad it happened if only for this perf (with other album highlight Intervention). Seriously, I've never been more impressed with her voice than in this performance. You also have this beaut I wouldn't have minded an acoustic version of the track as a bonus on AL. Both a perfection. The vocals, the production, the lyrics, the performances: 10/10 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Rachelle of London Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I agree, it literally is a gem! I love the vocals on the album version, everything about this song is so perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5iVe Elements Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I have loved this since first hearing it. I was impressed and yes, techno yet emotional and vulnerable. The rap is cute too. And the RIT version is golden. I sometimes sing this in the shower and my mother would like "What I'm still alive?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Not4Pussies Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 sometimes when i listen to this song i change mother to father in my head. it always gets to me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacHarris Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Believe it or not, GimmeSomeMo actually made me appreciate this song. For the longest time, I couldn't get past her 'singing voice' to really enjoy it, but now, its risen the ranks to one of my absolute favorites form the AL album. He actually did something right Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IsaacHarris Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I love the melody when she sings: "Oh Motha why. Aren't you here with meeeeee? No. One. Else. Saw the things that you could see..." *CHILLS* Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 sometimes when i listen to this song i change mother to father in my head. it always gets to me. Me too. I do the same with Promise To Try. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 What is wrong with her voice? It suits the music And yes, this was my favourite song on this album when it was out. Probably because it sounded like a real Madonna song compared to all that acoustic stuff. (Which I also liked, don't get me wrong.) It was a predecessor to Confessions. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 And yes the live vocals on the live version are fabulous Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Looove those performances of Mother and Father! I love Madonna on the acoustic guitar and want an whole new album of that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Not4Pussies Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Me too. I do the same with Promise To Try. yes that one too and Mer Girl, i swear she wrote that song for me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mensch Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 No Mer Girl was written for ME! ^^^^ and yes Mother & Father & Promise to Try are perfect! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonoka Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Besides this song, "Intervention" is heavily overlooked as well IMO. Yeah, the "tree of life" lyrics are a bit cringe, but the melody in the refrain always gets me. It's a beautiful song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 The "tree of life" lyrics are Nothing Fails, not Intervention Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
San Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I ain't a RIT fan, but I'm glad it happened if only for this perf (with other album highlight Intervention). Seriously, I've never been more impressed with her voice than in this performance. The vocals, the production, the lyrics, the performances: 10/10 Truer words have never been spoken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nonoka Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 The "tree of life" lyrics are Nothing Fails, not Intervention Ooops, I got the lyrics mixed up then. I did mean Intervention though and I remember there was something in its lyrics too that kinda made me think "Um, yeah right", but anyway, it's a great song nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 When the album came out, it was one of my least favorites. Her voice, in the beginning especially, just grated on my nerves. Now, I LOVE IT. I'm with you in that I recently re-discovered it. Man, the ending is just genius! And that "I got to give it up" hook is soooooo catchy! What a gorgeous album that was. It's definitely in my Top 3. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
elijah Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 To be honest, its the song that made me the biggest impression on first listen. I loved it. I still do. Its probably my fav song on AL (which is the lp I most dislike). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaron Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I love this song very much and I love American Life as an album aswell. One of my favs. Though I hate Im so stupid Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paparazzo Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Love the RIT version w/ Intervention "i've got to save my baby... I'VE GOT TO GIVE IT UP" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karbatal Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I love American Life the album, in fact i will listen to it later in the evening again. Mother and Father was good, but it could have been much better, the chorus is glorious when the rhythm starts, it's just like old school Madonna. I recall at the time, in the middle of the backslash, that i thought she should call Stephen Bray to do a remix, hahahaha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Oh yeah. Mother and Father DOES sound like a Madonna/Bray song doesn't it? I can so hear that. Except he would have put a fabulous bridge in there in place of that awkward spoken part. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paparazzo Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 Oh yeah. Mother and Father DOES sound like a Madonna/Bray song doesn't it? I can so hear that. Except he would have put a fabulous bridge in there in place of that awkward spoken part. I really like the spoken part "my mother died when i was five and all i did was sit and cry" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karbatal Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 The bridge works with the song as it is, but the same melody with different words and different voice and 80s production could have easily have been in the WTG soundtrack. I got to give it up... find somebody to loooooove Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb19 Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I really like the spoken part "my mother died when i was five and all i did was sit and cry" "My father had to go to work I used to think he was a jerk"? But I am here for the vocals, especially RIT. The emotion in OH MOTHER OHHHH FATHER! Is flooring Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LCD Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 I didn't know his heart was brokenNot another word was spokenHe became a shadow ofThe father I was dreaming ofI made a vow that I would never needAnother person everTurned my heart into a cageA victim of a kind of rage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mistachristopha Posted August 21, 2013 Share Posted August 21, 2013 i love the music, and her vocals, but sorry, that "rap" is just cringeworthy. Ruins a perfectly good song imo. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I think the "rap" is the integral center of the song. IMO I've always thought its both musically and lyrically akin to a nursery rhyme. A 45 year old woman revisiting her 5 year old self. Even the way the vocals at the end are tweaked to sound childlike "oh Mother, oh Father, I got to give it uuuuuuuup." The American Life album may be as polarizing as Hard Candy amongst fans, but I've never NOT thought of it as anything but a beautiful recording of therapy sessions. Mother and Father in particular being the biggest paradox musically and lyrically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryan Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I love adreeyen threads!!!! And yes, the song is a highlight from the record. The instrumentation is divine! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Larkspur Posted August 22, 2013 Share Posted August 22, 2013 I think the "rap" is the integral center of the song. IMO I've always thought its both musically and lyrically akin to a nursery rhyme. A 45 year old woman revisiting her 5 year old self. Even the way the vocals at the end are tweaked to sound childlike "oh Mother, oh Father, I got to give it uuuuuuuup." The American Life album may be as polarizing as Hard Candy amongst fans, but I've never NOT thought of it as anything but a beautiful recording of therapy sessions. Mother and Father in particular being the biggest paradox musically and lyrically. That's a wonderful way of looking at that and I can see that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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