Bye Bye Baby (Madonna song)
"Bye Bye Baby" | ||||
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Single by Madonna | ||||
from the album Erotica | ||||
B-side | "Rain" | |||
Released | November 15, 1993 | |||
Recorded | 1992 | |||
Studio | Soundworks (New York) | |||
Genre | ||||
Length | 3:56 | |||
Label |
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Songwriter(s) |
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Producer(s) |
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Madonna singles chronology | ||||
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Licensed audio | ||||
"Bye Bye Baby" on YouTube |
"Bye Bye Baby" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Madonna, for her fifth studio album Erotica (1992). It was released on November 15, 1993, as the sixth and final single from the album only outside the US. "Bye Bye Baby" was written by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone. The song is inspired by Madonna's emotions of that time and her S&M thoughts. Musically, it is a hip hop song, sampling a hook from LL Cool J's track "Jingling Baby", released in 1990. Madonna's vocals were filtered to make them appear as sound coming out from an answering machine. "Bye Bye Baby" features instrumentation from keyboard and lyrically finds Madonna asking questions to a lover she is about to abandon.
"Bye Bye Baby" received mixed reviews from
Background and remixes
After the completion of filming A League of Their Own, Madonna began working on her fifth studio album Erotica with Shep Pettibone.[1] The singer was feeling miserable after a string of failed relationships, and she vented out the frustration and depression in her music. According to Lucy O'Brien, author of Madonna: Like an Icon, there were no "sugar-coated" songs on the album, most of which dealt with Madonna's emotions. She appropriated a dominatrix persona called Dita, and the songwriting for the album, as well as the imagery in the coffee table book Sex, reflected her S&M thoughts. "Bye Bye Baby" was one such song written, dealing with strong emotions.[2]
The release of "Bye Bye Baby" in Australia on November 15, 1993 coincided with Madonna's Australian leg of her
Recording and composition
"Bye Bye Baby" was written by Madonna,
"Bye Bye Baby" is a
In the song, lyrically Madonna asks questions for a lover she is about to abandon: "Does it make you feel good to see me cry? I think it does", she affirms.[12] The lyric "I'd like to hurt you" was compared to that of Madonna's previous single "Erotica", where she said: "I only hurt the ones I love".[10] Richard Harrington from The Washington Post noted that Madonna used a "sonically filtered, detached and slightly taunting voice to talk about taking control rather than exacting revenge on a domineering, mind-game-playing partner" in the song.[6] Regarding the lyrics, Chris Willman from the Los Angeles Times called "Bye Bye Baby" a "brushoff song".[13]
Critical response
"Bye Bye Baby" received mostly mixed reviews from critics.
Arion Berger from Rolling Stone noticed the story line of Madonna "dumping" her lover in the song, but felt that her vocals were "infantile" and her delivery was "flat". He added that her singing did not sound "assertive" and that "[Madonna] could be a drag queen toying with a pop hit of the past."[18] Rikky Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, felt that the "aggressive" lyrics and the profanity at the end of the song, did not suit the erotic vibe of the album, "and strengthens the air of narcissism and calculation".[9] O'Brien noticed Madonna's vocals as cool and minimal, but sounding "flat". She criticized the dance beat of the song for being "barely discernible" adding that Madonna sounds "like she is either not fully concentrating, or doesn't have many resources to draw on – what alternative healers would call 'scattered chi', a depleted life force."[2] While ranking Madonna's singles, in honor of her 60th birthday, Jude Rogers from The Guardian placed "Bye Bye Baby" at number 55, writing that "[Madonna’s] babyish 1940s-style vocals, filtered to sound like they’re wavering through a wireless, still crackle with charm".[19]
Chart performance
"Bye Bye Baby" received limited release, being officially released in Australasia, Germany and Japan. However, it peaked at number seven on the
Live performances
On September 2, 1993, Madonna opened the
The performance of the song on the Girlie Show tour featured Madonna and her backup singers, DeLory and Haris, dressed as
Brett Beemyn noted in his book, Queer Studies, that Madonna was expanding on the characteristic butch and femme portrayal with the performance. He added that on a mere glance the performance might appear to be a "typical provoking one" from the singer, but underlying it was a "more complex queer perspective". The butch roles are played by white and African-American women, while the strippers were played by Asian-American women. There are simulations of masturbation and sexual penetration in the performance, while the butch females control the femmes. Beemyn concluded by saying that "the fact that Madonna chose Asian-American women as the femmes reinforces stereotypes of Asian women as the passive, exotic, and feminine 'other'. It also mocks the fact Asian women have been exploited as 'comfort girls' for American servicemen, therefore, Madonna made a statement against male chauvinism, in her queer way."[29] For Gerry Bloustien, author of Girl Making, the performances of both "Bye Bye Baby" and "Like a Virgin" on the tour emphasized the "blurring of gender and representation".[30]
Track listings and formats
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Credits and personnel
Credits adapted from Erotica album liner notes.[5]
Management
- Recorded at Sound Works Studios, Astoria, New York, New York City
- Warner Bros. Music Corporation / Bleu Disque Music Company, Webo Girl Publishing, Inc. (ASCAP)
- Administration by Warner Bros. Music Corporation, Shep Songs by MCA Music Publishing (ASCAP)
Personnel
- Madonna – lead vocals, songwriter, producer
- Shep Pettibone – songwriter, producer, sequencing, keyboard, programming
- Anthony Shimkin – songwriter, sequencing, keyboards, programming
- Dennis Mitchell – recording engineer
- Robin Hancock – recording engineer
- George Karras – mixing engineer
- Ted Jensen – mastering at Sterling Sound Studios, New York
- Mark Goodman – assistant engineer
- Donna De Lory – background vocals
- Niki Haris – background vocals
Charts
Chart (1993–1994) | Peak position |
---|---|
Australia (ARIA)[22] | 15 |
Finland ( Suomen virallinen lista)[40]
|
17 |
Italy (Musica e dischi)[20] | 7 |
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[23] | 43 |
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] | 28 |
References
- ^ Pettibone, Shep (1993). "Erotica Diaries". ShepPettibone.com. Archived from the original on June 27, 2007. Retrieved July 4, 2011.
- ^ a b O'Brien 2008, p. 256
- ^ "Madonna.com > Discography > Bye Bye Baby". Madonna.com. Archived from the original on July 14, 2014. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ F. Promis, Jose. "Madonna: Bye Bye Baby Single Review". AllMusic. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
- ^ a b c "Bye Bye Baby — Erotica CD booklet". Erotica (CD liner). Madonna. Sunset Boulevard, Los Angeles County, California: Maverick, Sire, Warner Bros. Records. 1992. 9 45031-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ a b Metz & Benson 1999, p. 19
- ISSN 1050-7868.
- ^ The Backlot. February 3, 2012. Retrieved April 1, 2014.
- ^ a b Rooksby 2004, p. 40
- ^ a b Cinquemani, Sal (February 24, 2007). "Madonna: Erotica". Slant Magazine. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ISBN 0-7579-9197-1. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ a b Holden, Stephen (October 18, 1992). "Recordings View; Selling Sex and (Oh, Yes) a Record". The New York Times. p. 2. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Willman, Chris (October 18, 1992). "Madonna Struts Her New Pose". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Considine, J. D. (October 18, 1992). "Madonna's 'Erotica' delivers more than just sexuality". The Baltimore Sun. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Browne, David (October 23, 1992). "Erotica (1992)". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 12, 2012. Retrieved June 8, 2012.
- ^ Smith, Michael R. (September 3, 2008). "Erotica Madonna (Sire)". The Daily Vault. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ "The 100 Greatest Madonna Songs: Critics' Picks". Billboard. August 15, 2018. Retrieved November 25, 2018.
- ^ Berger, Arion (November 26, 1992). "Erotica by Madonna". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ Rogers, Jude (August 16, 2018). "Every one of Madonna's 78 singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Retrieved August 26, 2018.
- ^ a b "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 10, no. 51/52. December 18, 1993. p. 30. Retrieved November 24, 2019.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Bye Bye Baby". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Bye Bye Baby". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ a b "Madonna – Bye Bye Baby". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 8, 2014.
- ^ "Grunge Rock Wins Honors From MTV". The New York Times. September 4, 1993. Retrieved August 28, 2012.
- ^ Morton 2002, p. 334
- ^ "MTV Video Music Awards – 1993". MTV. September 2, 1993. Retrieved July 6, 2012.
- ^ O'Brien 2008, p. 280
- ^ Virtel, Louis (August 12, 2013). "Madonna's 11 Greatest VMA Moments". The Backlot. Retrieved June 15, 2014.
- ^ a b Beemyn & Eliason 1996, pp. 174–175
- ^ a b Bloustien 2003, p. 243
- ^ O'Brien 2008, p. 282
- ^ Bye Bye Baby (Germany CD single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-41196-2.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bye Bye Baby (Australia CD single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-42394-8.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bye Bye Baby (Germany 7" single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 5439-18302-7.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bye Bye Baby (Australia cassette single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 5439183024.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bye Bye Baby (Germany 12" maxi-single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. 9362-41195-0.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ Bye Bye Baby (Japan 3" CD single liner notes). Madonna. Maverick Records. 1993. WPDP-6347.
{{cite AV media notes}}
: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link) - ^ "Bye Bye Baby by Madonna on Apple Music". Apple Music. Retrieved December 6, 2022.
- ^ Pennanen, Timo (2021). "Sisältää hitin: 1.1.1960 – 30.6.2021" (PDF) (in Finnish). Musiikkiarkisto. pp. 156–157. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
Bibliography
- Beemyn, Brett; Eliason, Mickey (1996). Queer Studies: A Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, & Transgender Anthology. NYU Press. ISBN 9780814712580.
- Bloustien, Gary (2003). Girl Making: A Cross-cultural Ethnography on the Processes of Growing Up Female. ISBN 9781571814258.
- Metz, Allen; Benson, Carol (1999). The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary. ISBN 0825671949.
- ISBN 0312983107.
- ISBN 9780552153614.
- Rooksby, Rikky (2004). The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna. ISBN 0-7119-9883-3.
External links
- "Bye Bye Baby" on Album of the Year