3rd single which was only released outside the U.S.. Its a sort of summary of her life and things shes done in the past. The video portrays what a night is like for her. Where she walks outside and gets like 9742 cameras in her face and how the press follows her around taking pictures of her while she's on her way to a gathering. In the end, when she finally returns back to the place shes staying, she is welcomed by her daughter. Not releasing this single in the U.S. appears to be the only brilliant move Madonna has made for this entire Ray of light project.
Swim - The only thing Madonna has done with this track was mention it on Oprah in 1998. The song is a little too much on the guitar some may say, but I love it. She talks about some of the crap that exists in our world. "Children killing children while the... students rape the teachers.." I would like to "swim to the ocean floor" every time I come back to my house.
Ray of light - 2nd single off this album and it debuted and peaked only at # 5. Had this been the first single I'm sure that it would have been a # 1. Clearly, this is one of Madonna's biggest hit of the 90s and arguably, of her career. The video received many many awards in 1998 and it was also her 2nd single video available for purchase. (First being Justify my love). The B-side to this single was a non-album track titled "Has to be". This track appears on the Japanese version of this album. "Has to be" is nothing spectacular, so don't pay an extra 20 bucks for the Japanese import of the Ray of light album.
Candy perfume girl - This song is in the movie The Corruptors starring Marky Mark (not on the soundtrack). I think this song is about drag queens. The writing is not as good as all the other tracks. I think if you read the lyrics to this song, you'll find yourself reading the same words over and over. This song can be memorized after 2 times of listening to it. If I were asked what the most sexual song on this album is, I would say this track. Eventhough none of these songs are sexual.
Skin - Skin is da bomb! Everybody loves skin. It's my dad's favorite track off this album. It's original title was "Flirtation Dance" (don't know why). I got so excited when it was on once in a club. Anyway, there always had been rumours about this track surfacing as a single, but now that we are in 2000, Skin will fade away with the rest of the great songs of her's that will never see the light of day. I picture a Bedtime Story looking video for this track.
Nothing Really Matters - The final single from this album was on the charts for a pubic hair of time. 2 weeks. It peaked at # 93!. It's not that the song is bad, it's that her record company released this as a single like 5 years after radio got it, and after she performed it at the grammys. The unique video for this track didn't fit well with most and I don't think it helped. The maxi single of this song is the best maxi off this album.
Sky fits heaven - B-side to Drowned World/Substitute for love outside the U.S.. Another kick ass song that had club play. I would have picked that this had been a single over Nothing really matters. If you like good sounding music, then you'll love Sky fits heaven.
Shanit/Ashtangi - B-side to Frozen. Ok, this track is hebrewish/jewish spoken or something. Surprisingly, I have it memorized and I love it. The music is mysterious sounding and it sort of yoga related. Good job Madonna. But I don't think you should have performed this life like you did or made it the B-side to your 1st single. People will think the rest of your album will be like this and the word will spread.
Frozen - 1st single off the album and peaked at good old # 2 (Thanks to K-C & DoDo "all my life"). It bothers me 100% that this was the 1st single. When most of your album is electroic/techno/dance sounding, you don't allow your first single to be a sort of ballad. It's a bad start. Releasing the song Ray of light first would have been much more beneficial and influential in album sales and in setting the tone for the album. The frozen video is of a gothic theme where she sits and stands in the middle of a desert and she falls to the ground and turns into a flock of birds. The remix video is da bomb!
The power of good-bye - 3rd single in the U.S. (4th outside U.S.) which peaked at # 11. Just missed the top ten with this one. The weird thing about this was that Billboard ridded of there old formula of how to calculate the chart positions the very friggin week that this was at 11. So who knows how high it could have gotten. The song is beautiful and is professional. The video is a little draggy where she plays chess with her man and sits up against the wall singing. In the end she is by herself after they argue and he leaves.
To have and not to hold - B-side to Nothing Really Matters This one sounds like The power of goodbye. I hate it when girls think of me with a "you're to have, not to hold" attitude. One of the best written songs on the album.
Little Star - B-side to The power of good-bye (outside the U.S.). This lullaby ode to her daughter is not necessary for us listeners. I don't wanna hear some baby crap on a techno album. Bad placement, and inappropriate, but at the time, I can see why she did it. Thank you for putting it at the end of the album.
Mer girl - B-side to The power of good-bye I know, another "girl" song. I believe it's her 5th. But this one isn't really a song. It's more of a narration, where she telling a story and not singing. Final words of song and album: "I ran and I ran.. I'm still running away."
RAY OF LIGHT - 1998
