Madonna – Bedtime Stories: #745 of best 1,000 albums ever!

Why is Madonna’s Bedtime Stories on my best 1,000 albums ever list?

The secret’s out on this one.

What does Madonna’s Bedtime Stories mean to me? What does it make me feel? Why is it exciting or compelling?

It probably had as much to do with my evolution as a music fan (and maturity overall) as anything to do with Madonna’s music, but I clearly recall listening to Bedtime Stories when it came out and appreciating the sophistication and songwriting chops that consistently run through the album. And certainly this was a different side of an artist as compared to the “Material Girl” of the 1980s and one who had put out the Erotica album.

“Secret” is Bedtime Stories’ best song. It has a dreamy quality yet is also catchy and moves briskly at the same time. Its hip hop beat and layered string arrangements add an incredibly pleasing element as well.

“Human Nature” has a slinky, sensual quality to it while still maintaining that special dreamy quality. Some of the repeated lines throughout the song (“Express yourself, don’t repress yourself”) might come off as a little hokey but for me the song holds up quite well overall.

“Take a Bow” is an earnest, beautiful ballad with gorgeous production and top notch vocals from Madonna.

Personal stuff that’s somehow related to Madonna’s Bedtime Stories

I have a very specific memory involving Bedtime Stories dating back to my senior year of college at Binghamton University in New York. I had gotten into jogging a few years earlier (and credit to my girlfriend at the time, Nicole, for getting me off the old college couch and get moving) and then joined the rugby team during my senior year.

It was the still the era of mix tapes, and I recall putting together a mix tape during the winter that I would listen to while jogging. It included a few different songs from various albums: a few from Red Hot Chili Peppers circa One Hot Minute, Smashing Pumpkins’ Mellon Collie and the Infinite Sadness, and probably some Black Flag. To balance things out a little bit musically, I also recall that I added “Secret” and “Human Nature” from Madonna’s Bedtime Stories.

It’s very likely that the only reason why I remember any of this is because my friend, housemate, and fellow rugger Dave borrowed this mix tape at one point. When he returned it, I asked him if he liked it, and he deadpanned, “Yeah, except for the Madonna stuff.”