Maps of Music

Erotica (1992)

Where the lyrics of Erotica take you, and where it was really made.

Erotica was released in the same week as Madonna's book Sex, and the two projects were tied together from the start.

Key places

Soundworks Studios, New York (1992)

Recording site Record Plant Studios — Erotica was recorded at Soundworks Studios in New York City, along with Master Mix Studios and Clinton Recording Studios. The point is placed at city-center level. Google Maps · Apple Maps

How to get there: See the map for directions.

Album story

Overview

• Erotica: fifth studio album by Madonna
• Released 19 October 1992 by Maverick and Sire Records
• Released simultaneously with the coffee table book Sex
• First release under Maverick, her own multimedia entertainment company
• Produced with Shep Pettibone and André Betts
• Sold more than six million copies worldwide

Background

• Maverick formed in April 1992 as a joint venture with Time Warner Inc.
• Maverick covered a record company, film production, publishing, television, book publishing and merchandising
• Deal paid an advance of $60 million and 20% royalties from music proceeds
• Madonna described the album as soulful, with a jazzy undertone and beatnik-style poetry
• Pettibone had worked with her on Vogue and Rescue Me from The Immaculate Collection
• Madonna was working on Sex while recording Erotica
• The album's Mistress Dita alter-ego was inspired by German actress Dita Parlo

Recording

• Pettibone sent a three-track demo in mid-1991; Madonna liked all of the songs
• Work began in New York City in October 1991, after Madonna finished filming A League of Their Own in Chicago
• Recording took place at Soundworks Studios, Master Mix Studios and Clinton Recording Studios
• The title track went through four recorded versions before the final one
• Fever was the last song recorded for the album

Cover

• Artwork created by Steven Meisel under the direction of Baron & Baron Inc.
• The cover follows the monochromatic blue-ink cover shot used on the book Sex

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Tracklist

Sources: musicbrainz.org

Artist

Formation

• Madonna Louise Ciccone, born August 16, 1958, in Bay City, Michigan, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress.
• Raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township; moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue dance.
• Performed as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy before signing with Sire Records.
• Debut album Madonna (1983) brought her fame.

Career

• Like a Virgin (1984), True Blue (1986), and The Immaculate Collection (1990) are among the best-selling albums of all time.
• Rolling Stone ranked Like a Prayer (1989), Ray of Light (1998), and Music (2000) among the greatest albums of all time.
• Known for continual reinvention and for works addressing social, political, sexual, and religious themes.
• Acting credits include Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996), for which she won a Golden Globe.
• Founded the entertainment company Maverick (1992–2009), including Maverick Records.
• Is the best-selling female music artist of all time and the first female performer to accumulate US$1 billion from concerts.
• Inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, in her first year of eligibility.

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Reception

At release

• Mixed reviews from critics, who regarded it as one of Madonna's most adventurous albums
• Some critics called the lyrics banal and felt the music was overshadowed by its sexual themes
• AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it an "ambitious" album containing "some of Madonna's best and most accomplished music"
• The Daily Telegraph's James Hall called it a "venturous epic that was eclipsed by the audacity of the idea that spawned it"
• Billboard called it "her most varied and creatively challenging collection to date"
• PopMatters' Charlotte Robinson called it the "first disappointment of [Madonna's] seemingly enchanted career"

Reappraisal

• Initially overlooked, partly because of the backlash surrounding the Sex book
• Later considered one of Madonna's most important albums
• Rock and Roll Hall of Fame named it one of the most revolutionary albums of all time in 2017
• Slant Magazine noted that no Madonna album was met with a louder backlash
• Madonna later named the album's neglect as her biggest professional disappointment

Records

• United States: debuted at number two on the Billboard 200, with 167,000 first-week copies
• United States: certified double platinum by the RIAA in January 1993
• Canada: peaked at number four on the RPM Albums Chart
• United Kingdom: debuted at number two on the UK Albums Chart
• France: debuted at number one on the French Albums Chart
• Australia: rose to number one in its second week and was certified triple platinum
• Japan: peaked at number five on the Oricon Albums Chart and was certified double platinum by RIAJ
• Europe: sold 1.5 million copies in its first week and topped the European Top 100 Albums chart

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Trivia

• Pettibone's first idea for a song was written for Madonna's friend Martin Burgoyne, who died of HIV/AIDS, and that became In This Life
• Madonna wrote the lyrics to In This Life in about 15 minutes
• Fever was recorded after Madonna called Seymour Stein at Sire Records and got the lyric sheets within an hour
• The album came out with a clean 13-track version that omits Did You Do It?
• In Singapore, the album sold 37,000 copies after initial shipments of 20,000, becoming Warner Music's best-selling album there in 1992
• The Girlie Show tour was planned to avoid the United States at first, but some US shows were added due to demand

Sources: en.wikipedia.org

Maps of Ages ↗ (mapsofages.com)

Privacy · Contact