Jump to content

So who is "Take a Bow" about?


Apples388

Recommended Posts

Just having my usual Sat morning Madonna interview youtube session and I remembered this one.

Who do we think she wrote "Take a Bow" about? Hmmm... I suppose it would have probably been, er, Jimmy Albright? Or... not sure.. Who was she seeing before Dennis Rodman?

Around 19:17ish

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always thought it was self-referential. Acknowledging her status in pop music had changed after the critique and diminished sales of Erotica/Sex era. Especially the "all the world is a stage..." bit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's about the public or media or whatever is behind the entertainment business... She said during a 1995 NME magazine interview You'll See (which was visually conceived as a sequel to Take A Bow) is not about anyone in particular but it's about self power so i would think Take A Bow is about the realization of having lost (maybe the love from the public???) and You'll See is about the strength that comes from within; the strength that makes you go on despite the negativity.

During the same interview she acknowledged that there's a subtext to a lot of her songs which it makes a lot of sense to me... sometimes they might come across as a regular love song when in reality there's more to it; a religious or even political aspect!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just having my usual Sat morning Madonna interview youtube session and I remembered this one.

Who do we think she wrote "Take a Bow" about? Hmmm... I suppose it would have probably been, er, Jimmy Albright? Or... not sure.. Who was she seeing before Dennis Rodman?

Around 19:17ish

Amazing interview and she looked incredible, her voice is so beautiful it sounds like she's singing even when she's talking!

I somehow enjoyed hearing what she had to say about death, I feel exactly the same way

So she wrote Take A Bow? I didn't know that, amazing ballad!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's about her mother, but she made it look like a love song. She said so in one interview.

MPowered, I think you are talking about Inside of me. That is the song about her mother that people originally thought was a love song.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest whatatramp

MPowered, I think you are talking about Inside of me. That is the song about her mother that people originally thought was a love song.

and the interview is with Kurt Loder for 'No Bull'

Link to comment
Share on other sites

She specifically said she wrote it about an actor, that it wasn't about herself (or her mother). My guess is that it was Warren or Sean. It has to be someone who's an actor and who is funny, though neither of those two seem very funny. I guess Sean was at one point a "clown" though, right?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

sean penn. I don't think Madonna ever wrote a song about Warren. I don't think she was ever that into him

I thought some of the Erotica tracks were about Warren - Words, Waiting, Thief Of Hearts

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think it's about the public or media or whatever is behind the entertainment business... She said during a 1995 NME magazine interview You'll See (which was visually conceived as a sequel to Take A Bow) is not about anyone in particular but it's about self power so i would think Take A Bow is about the realization of having lost (maybe the love from the public???) and You'll See is about the strength that comes from within; the strength that makes you go on despite the negativity.

During the same interview she acknowledged that there's a subtext to a lot of her songs which it makes a lot of sense to me... sometimes they might come across as a regular love song when in reality there's more to it; a religious or even political aspect!

I always thought it was about her love/hate relationship with fame as well and her reaction to the backlash she received after the Sex/Erotica era similar to the themes she explored in Survival and Human Nature - they almost form a trilogy appearing at the beginning, middle and end of the album

Edited by Mooncrown11
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Guest Rachelle of London

I always thought Waiting was about Warren. Considering warren is a notorious womaniser the lyrics fit.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sean... I think most of Madonna's heartbreak songs during the early 90's were all about him. And maybe some of the tracks on Erotica album were also inspired by Sean, the "love of her life" . Madonna not moving on their failed relationship....

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I always thought some of the Erotica tracks were about her relationship with Warren but Christopher Ciccone said in his book that Madonna was cheating on Warren so she couldn't have been that into him but he did also say that Madonna told him that Warren had proposed to her so it must have been a steady relationship at some point.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I hate to sound cynical, but Madonna was only into warren because of the whole "want to be taken seriously in Hollywood" thing. he definitely was not her type, and as Christopher ciccone said she exuded much more passion and enthusiasm for sean and carlos. you can see it a mile away

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It may not be about an actor, the lines in the song are referring to someone playing a part - but that could easily translate into people playing a certain part in real life as well. Personally, I don't think it was about Sean or Warren. I think by Bedtime Stories, she had moved on completely from both of them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

you can see it a mile away

Great non traditional promo for Hard Candy :D

Link to comment
Share on other sites

×
×
  • Create New...