American Life (song)
Encyclopedia
"American Life" is a song written and performed by American
singer-songwriter
Madonna
. It was the first single from her 2003 studio album American Life
. and was released on April 8, 2003 by Maverick Records
.
The song was a worldwide success as it reached number one in Canada
, Denmark
, Italy
, Japan
, Switzerland
, and the top ten in Argentina
, Australia
, Brazil
, Germany
, Finland
, Poland
, the Netherlands
, Norway
, Romania
, Spain
, Sweden
. In the United Kingdom
it peaked at number two. The song performed poorly in the United States
, peaking at thirty-seventh place.
. It was first released on April 8, 2003 in the U.S. and on April 14 in Europe
. The song premiered on radio worldwide on March 24, the same day that it was sent out as an official digital single
by mail to American fans who purchased the MP3
on Madonna's official website. The song received remixes by Missy Elliott
, Peter Rauhofer
, Felix da Housecat
and Paul Oakenfold
.
The single cover that was released on April 8 was different from the original cover artwork. Initially, an image of the single was released to the media showing Madonna holding a machine gun
. The doctored single cover featured the same picture, but minus Madonna holding the gun. The single cover includes a "Parental Advisory
" sticker.
Madonna performed "American Life" during the American Life Promo Tour which included an MTV
special, "On Stage And On Record". She also performed it on the 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. She also briefly performed a few lines of the song on her North American
leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour
in Boston
, during the request segment of the show.
magazine listed the song at #9 on the list of the 50 Worst Songs Ever, stating that Madonna "updates the 'Material Girl
'-era satire of commercialism and spiritual emptiness... with what is hands-down the most embarrassing rap ever recorded. Nervous and choppy, she makes Debbie Harry
sound as smooth as Jay-Z
." The worst moment comes when, "[a]fter rapping, Madonna sings, 'Nothing is what it seeeems,' in a manner drained of all profundity." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
labeled it a "trite, self-aggrandizing and often awkward song about privilege" and a "dour and robotic" track. Stylus Magazine
commented negatively: "When one of the world's richest women complains about commercialism and the emptiness of entertainment culture ... it just comes across as hypocritical rather than insightful; here, she's raging against the life she herself is leading." Alexis Petridis
from The Guardian
was disappointed by the lyrics saying: "What on earth might her extreme point of view involve? That the world is ruled by a shadowy cabal of super-intelligent lizards? ... Sadly not. Her extreme point of view turns out to be that money can't buy you happiness and that fame isn't all it's cracked up to be." Entertainment Weekly
called the song "a yammered list of celeb perks: trainer, butler, assistant, three nannies, a bodyguard or five - seems, at first, not like the clever self-twitting she clearly intended, but rather a facile confirmation of her haters' most knee-jerk conviction: that middle-aged Madge does not have a worldview beyond her next Pilates appointment." Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club
considered the song to be "jittery, tuneless, and shallow to the point of self-parody".
Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
labeled the song at #58 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, stating that "Madonna tries to get serious by pairing her stiffest beat ever with a high-school-level political rant."
The controversial music video
was shot on February 6–7, 2003 at Los Angeles Center Studios
in Los Angeles, California
by Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund
, who worked with Madonna in her videos for "Ray of Light
" and "Music
". It involves a military-influenced Madonna and several male and female legion troops at a fashion show. Madonna had made many controversial videos with themes such as sex and religion in the 1980s and 1990s before incorporating violent images in her videos such as Die Another Day
and What It Feels Like for a Girl
in the 2000s. For "American Life", she took it to a different level by focusing on war, politics and the then-upcoming invasion of Iraq.
The video begins with several male and female models dressed as soldiers on a fashion runway, inter-cut with scenes of Madonna singing in front of a black background. During the second verse, she is shown in a restroom with four women, each aggressively preparing to enter the fashion show. In the second chorus, middle-eastern children are seen walking on the runway, and being bullied by the soldier models. During the bridge, Madonna and her group are angrily walking down a hallway, then seen dancing in front of surveillance cameras. When the rap section starts, Madonna is seen crashing into the show driving a Mini Cooper, then rapping and dancing on top of the car with her gang, after-which she starts spraying water on the audience and numerous paparazzi using a water cannon, inter-cut with scenes of injured and maimed soldier-models, war scenes, footage of poverty, hunger, death and explosions. Nearing the end of video, Madonna frantically drives out of the runway into the amused audience, and throws a hand grenade
. In the original cut, the grenade lands in George Bush's
hand, and the video ends with him using it to light up his cigar. Director's cut showed the grenade landing on an empty patch of the runway, and ended with a close-up of the grenade hitting the stage and Madonna's image on the big screen putting her hands on her ears.
In the heat of the attention surrounding the video, Madonna issued the following statement: "I feel lucky to be an American citizen for many reasons - one of which is the right to express myself freely, especially in my work. I understand that there have been reports about my upcoming video "American Life" in the media - much of which is inaccurate. I am not Anti-Bush. I am not pro-Iraq
. I am pro Peace. I have written a song and created a video which expresses my feelings about our culture and values and the illusions of what many people believe is the American dream - the perfect life. As an artist, I hope that this provokes thought and dialogue. I don't expect everyone to agree with my point of view. I am grateful to have the freedom to express these feelings and that's how I honor my country".
Due to the political climate of the country at the time, most notably the backlash on the Dixie Chicks
after they made some anti-war comments, Madonna later changed her mind on that "freedom of speech". On April 1, 2003 one day after the video was first shown on a few Europe
an and Latin American music channels, and on a prime time special on the Nine Network
in Australia, Madonna pulled the video and released a statement explaining why: "I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video."
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A director's cut of the video has surfaced in recent years. It maintains most of the footage in the original but the ending is different and more graphic. In the middle of the scenes in the fashion show where Madonna hoses down the paparazzi, numerous war-injured models are carried on-stage by groups of nurses, their clothes soaked with blood. In the midst of these scenes are fast-moving war images and scenes of the crowd at the show reacting to the sights. At the very end, Madonna throws the grenade likes she does, but instead of landing in George Bush's hand like the original, the crowd gasps as the grenade lands on an empty part of the catwalk. The director's cut ends with a close-up of the grenade hitting the stage and Madonna's image on the big screen putting her hands on her ears.
In 2010, Slant Magazine
placed the director's cut of the original video on the 19th place of decade's fifty best music videos list, stating:
"It isn’t like either the video’s message about viewing war as a form of popular entertainment or its striking, loaded images leave much room for misinterpretation. Prescient? Yes. Relevant? Surely. Subtle? Not so much."
. This version features Madonna singing in front of a backdrop of ever-changing flags of different countries.
UK Promo CD (The Remixes) (16658-2), European Maxi CD (The Remixes) (W603CDX 9362 42614-2)
UK CD 1 (W603CD1 9362 42615-2), AU CD 1 (9362-42615-2)
UK CD 2 (W603CD2 9362 42616-2), AU CD 2 (9362-42616-2), JP CD single (WPCR-11541)
US Maxi-Single (42614-2)
US Enhanced CD single (16658-2), EU CD single (5439-16658-2), EU 12" vinyl (W603T)
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriter
Singer-songwriters are musicians who write, compose and sing their own musical material including lyrics and melodies. As opposed to contemporary popular music singers who write their own songs, the term singer-songwriter describes a distinct form of artistry, closely associated with the...
Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. It was the first single from her 2003 studio album American Life
American Life
American Life is the ninth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on April 22, 2003 by Maverick Records and distributed by Warner Bros. Records. The album produced in its entirety by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzaï featured references to many parts of American culture...
. and was released on April 8, 2003 by Maverick Records
Maverick Records
Maverick Recording Company is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. Records.-Company history:...
.
The song was a worldwide success as it reached number one in Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Denmark
Denmark
Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
, Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
, and the top ten in Argentina
Argentina
Argentina , officially the Argentine Republic , is the second largest country in South America by land area, after Brazil. It is constituted as a federation of 23 provinces and an autonomous city, Buenos Aires...
, Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
, Finland
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
, Poland
Poland
Poland , officially the Republic of Poland , is a country in Central Europe bordered by Germany to the west; the Czech Republic and Slovakia to the south; Ukraine, Belarus and Lithuania to the east; and the Baltic Sea and Kaliningrad Oblast, a Russian exclave, to the north...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
, Norway
Norway
Norway , officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic unitary constitutional monarchy whose territory comprises the western portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula, Jan Mayen, and the Arctic archipelago of Svalbard and Bouvet Island. Norway has a total area of and a population of about 4.9 million...
, Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
, Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
. In the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
it peaked at number two. The song performed poorly in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, peaking at thirty-seventh place.
Song information
The song was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais AhmadzaïMirwais Ahmadzaï
Mirwais Ahmadzaï, more commonly known as Mirwais, is a Paris based record producer and songwriter. He was born in Switzerland to an Afghan father and an Italian mother. He is a leader in the French style of progressive electronic dance music and progressive electronica...
. It was first released on April 8, 2003 in the U.S. and on April 14 in Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. The song premiered on radio worldwide on March 24, the same day that it was sent out as an official digital single
Music download
A music download is the transferral of music from an Internet-facing computer or website to a user's local computer. This term encompasses both legal downloads and downloads of copyright material without permission or payment...
by mail to American fans who purchased the MP3
MP3
MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 Audio Layer III, more commonly referred to as MP3, is a patented digital audio encoding format using a form of lossy data compression...
on Madonna's official website. The song received remixes by Missy Elliott
Missy Elliott
Melissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
, Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer
Peter Rauhofer is a DJ, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. A native of Vienna, Austria, he is famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get...
, Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat
Felix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
and Paul Oakenfold
Paul Oakenfold
Paul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
.
The single cover that was released on April 8 was different from the original cover artwork. Initially, an image of the single was released to the media showing Madonna holding a machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
. The doctored single cover featured the same picture, but minus Madonna holding the gun. The single cover includes a "Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory
Parental Advisory is a message affixed by the Recording Industry Association of America to audio and recordings in the United States containing excessive use of profane language and/or sexual references. Albums began to be labeled for "explicit lyrics" in 1985, after pressure from the Parents...
" sticker.
Madonna performed "American Life" during the American Life Promo Tour which included an MTV
MTV
MTV, formerly an initialism of Music Television, is an American network based in New York City that launched on August 1, 1981. The original purpose of the channel was to play music videos guided by on-air hosts known as VJs....
special, "On Stage And On Record". She also performed it on the 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. She also briefly performed a few lines of the song on her North American
North American
North American generally refers to an entity, people, group, or attribute of North America, especially of the United States and Canada together.-Culture:*North American English, a collective term used to describe American English and Canadian English...
leg of the Sticky & Sweet Tour
Sticky & Sweet Tour
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth worldwide concert tour by American singer Madonna to promote her eleventh studio album, Hard Candy. It began in August 2008 and was Madonna's first tour from her new recording and business deal with Live Nation. The tour was announced in February 2008, with...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, during the request segment of the show.
Critical reception
Reviews of the song were mostly negative. In 2004, BlenderBlender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
magazine listed the song at #9 on the list of the 50 Worst Songs Ever, stating that Madonna "updates the 'Material Girl
Material Girl
"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on January 30, 1985, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its...
'-era satire of commercialism and spiritual emptiness... with what is hands-down the most embarrassing rap ever recorded. Nervous and choppy, she makes Debbie Harry
Debbie Harry
Deborah Ann "Debbie" Harry is an American singer-songwriter and actress, best known for being the lead singer of the punk rock and new wave band Blondie. She has also had success as a solo artist, and in the mid-1990s she performed and recorded as part of The Jazz Passengers...
sound as smooth as Jay-Z
Jay-Z
Shawn Corey Carter , better known by his stage name Jay-Z, is an American rapper, record producer, entrepreneur, and occasional actor. He is one of the most financially successful hip hop artists and entrepreneurs in America, having a net worth of over $450 million as of 2010...
." The worst moment comes when, "[a]fter rapping, Madonna sings, 'Nothing is what it seeeems,' in a manner drained of all profundity." Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
labeled it a "trite, self-aggrandizing and often awkward song about privilege" and a "dour and robotic" track. Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
commented negatively: "When one of the world's richest women complains about commercialism and the emptiness of entertainment culture ... it just comes across as hypocritical rather than insightful; here, she's raging against the life she herself is leading." Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis
Alexis Petridis is a British journalist, head rock and pop critic for UK newspaper The Guardian, as well as a regular and contributor to the magazine GQ.Petridis began his career writing for Varsity whilst a student at the University of Cambridge...
from The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
was disappointed by the lyrics saying: "What on earth might her extreme point of view involve? That the world is ruled by a shadowy cabal of super-intelligent lizards? ... Sadly not. Her extreme point of view turns out to be that money can't buy you happiness and that fame isn't all it's cracked up to be." Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called the song "a yammered list of celeb perks: trainer, butler, assistant, three nannies, a bodyguard or five - seems, at first, not like the clever self-twitting she clearly intended, but rather a facile confirmation of her haters' most knee-jerk conviction: that middle-aged Madge does not have a worldview beyond her next Pilates appointment." Stephen Thompson of The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club
The A.V. Club is an entertainment newspaper and website published by The Onion. Its features include reviews of new films, music, television, books, games and DVDs, as well as interviews and other regular offerings examining both new and classic media and other elements of pop culture. Unlike its...
considered the song to be "jittery, tuneless, and shallow to the point of self-parody".
Most recently, in 2010, Matthew Wilkening of AOL Radio
AOL Radio
AOL Radio powered by Slacker, , is an online radio service available only in the United States.- Roots :...
labeled the song at #58 on the list of the 100 Worst Songs Ever, stating that "Madonna tries to get serious by pairing her stiffest beat ever with a high-school-level political rant."
Original version
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
was shot on February 6–7, 2003 at Los Angeles Center Studios
Los Angeles Center Studios
Los Angeles Center Studios is a multipurpose facility in the former Unocal Building next to the 110 freeway in downtown Los Angeles, California. Architect William Pereira designed the Union Oil headquarters in 1960....
in Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles, California
Los Angeles , with a population at the 2010 United States Census of 3,792,621, is the most populous city in California, USA and the second most populous in the United States, after New York City. It has an area of , and is located in Southern California...
by Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund
Jonas Åkerlund
Jonas Åkerlund is a Swedish film and music video director, and drummer. He is best known for directing music videos, which are often mock forms of movie trailers and short films...
, who worked with Madonna in her videos for "Ray of Light
Ray of Light (song)
A high-speed electronic dance song, "Ray of Light" has received stylistic comparisons to rave, psychedelic and acid music. The track contains strong techno elements, as well as disco, trance and Eurodance influences, and it sees Madonna deepen her dance roots and go for a more electronic sound...
" and "Music
Music (Madonna song)
"Music" is the first single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 8th studio album Music and was released on August 21, 2000, by Maverick Records. It was also released on DVD single, a debut in this format by Madonna. It earned two Grammy Award nominations in 2001, for Record of the Year...
". It involves a military-influenced Madonna and several male and female legion troops at a fashion show. Madonna had made many controversial videos with themes such as sex and religion in the 1980s and 1990s before incorporating violent images in her videos such as Die Another Day
Die Another Day
Die Another Day is the 20th spy film in the James Bond series, and the fourth and last film to star Pierce Brosnan as the fictional MI6 agent James Bond; it is also the last Bond film of the original timeline with the series being rebooted with Casino Royale...
and What It Feels Like for a Girl
What It Feels Like for a Girl
"What It Feels Like for a Girl" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was the third and final single released from her eighth studio album Music on April 17, 2001 by Maverick Records. The video mix of the song is a trance song, while the album version is a more demure pop and...
in the 2000s. For "American Life", she took it to a different level by focusing on war, politics and the then-upcoming invasion of Iraq.
The video begins with several male and female models dressed as soldiers on a fashion runway, inter-cut with scenes of Madonna singing in front of a black background. During the second verse, she is shown in a restroom with four women, each aggressively preparing to enter the fashion show. In the second chorus, middle-eastern children are seen walking on the runway, and being bullied by the soldier models. During the bridge, Madonna and her group are angrily walking down a hallway, then seen dancing in front of surveillance cameras. When the rap section starts, Madonna is seen crashing into the show driving a Mini Cooper, then rapping and dancing on top of the car with her gang, after-which she starts spraying water on the audience and numerous paparazzi using a water cannon, inter-cut with scenes of injured and maimed soldier-models, war scenes, footage of poverty, hunger, death and explosions. Nearing the end of video, Madonna frantically drives out of the runway into the amused audience, and throws a hand grenade
Hand grenade
A hand grenade is any small bomb that can be thrown by hand. Hand grenades are classified into three categories, explosive grenades, chemical and gas grenades. Explosive grenades are the most commonly used in modern warfare, and are designed to detonate after impact or after a set amount of time...
. In the original cut, the grenade lands in George Bush's
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
hand, and the video ends with him using it to light up his cigar. Director's cut showed the grenade landing on an empty patch of the runway, and ended with a close-up of the grenade hitting the stage and Madonna's image on the big screen putting her hands on her ears.
In the heat of the attention surrounding the video, Madonna issued the following statement: "I feel lucky to be an American citizen for many reasons - one of which is the right to express myself freely, especially in my work. I understand that there have been reports about my upcoming video "American Life" in the media - much of which is inaccurate. I am not Anti-Bush. I am not pro-Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
. I am pro Peace. I have written a song and created a video which expresses my feelings about our culture and values and the illusions of what many people believe is the American dream - the perfect life. As an artist, I hope that this provokes thought and dialogue. I don't expect everyone to agree with my point of view. I am grateful to have the freedom to express these feelings and that's how I honor my country".
Due to the political climate of the country at the time, most notably the backlash on the Dixie Chicks
Dixie Chicks
The Dixie Chicks are an American country band which has also successfully crossed over into other genres. The band is composed of founding members Martie Erwin Maguire and Emily Erwin Robison, and lead singer Natalie Maines...
after they made some anti-war comments, Madonna later changed her mind on that "freedom of speech". On April 1, 2003 one day after the video was first shown on a few Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an and Latin American music channels, and on a prime time special on the Nine Network
Nine Network
The Nine Network , is an Australian television network with headquarters based in Willoughby, a suburb located on the North Shore of Sydney. For 50 years since television's inception in Australia, between 1956 and 2006, it was the most watched television network in Australia...
in Australia, Madonna pulled the video and released a statement explaining why: "I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video."
In 2010, Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
placed the director's cut of the original video on the 19th place of decade's fifty best music videos list, stating:
"It isn’t like either the video’s message about viewing war as a form of popular entertainment or its striking, loaded images leave much room for misinterpretation. Prescient? Yes. Relevant? Surely. Subtle? Not so much."
Edited version
After pulling the original video, Madonna then released an edited version that premiered on April 16, 2003 on VH1VH1
VH1 or Vh1 is an American cable television network based in New York City. Launched on January 1, 1985 in the old space of Turner Broadcasting's short-lived Cable Music Channel, the original purpose of the channel was to build on the success of MTV by playing music videos, but targeting a slightly...
. This version features Madonna singing in front of a backdrop of ever-changing flags of different countries.
Track listings and formats
UK 2 x 12" vinyl (W603T2), US 2 x 12" vinyl (0-42614)- A1 "American Life" (Missy ElliottMissy ElliottMelissa Arnette "Missy" Elliott , is an American rapper, singer-songwriter, record producer, and actressA five-time Grammy Award winner, Elliott, with record sales of over seven million in the United States, is the only female rapper to have five albums certified platinum by the RIAA, including one...
's American Dream Remix) — 4:49 - A2 "American Life" (OakenfoldPaul OakenfoldPaul Mark Oakenfold is a British record producer and a trance DJ.-Early Career: 1979–84:Paul Oakenfold's career was set to be a chef, after having hopes of becoming part of a band. He describes his early life as a "bedroom deejay" in a podcasted interview with Vancouver's 24 Hours, stating he grew...
Downtempo Remix) — 5:32 - B1 "American Life" (Peter RauhoferPeter RauhoferPeter Rauhofer is a DJ, remixer and producer who formerly went under the moniker Club 69 as well as Size Queen. A native of Vienna, Austria, he is famous for his remixes of a number of Madonna's songs including "Nothing Really Matters", "American Life", "Nothing Fails, "Nobody Knows Me", "Get...
's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41 - C1 "American Life" (Felix Da HousecatFelix da HousecatFelix da Housecat is an American DJ and record producer, mostly known for house music and electroclash. His name was inspired by Felix the Cat....
's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10 - C2 "Die Another Day" (Calderone & Quayle Afterlife Mix) — 8:52
- D "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06
UK Promo CD (The Remixes) (16658-2), European Maxi CD (The Remixes) (W603CDX 9362 42614-2)
- "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Remix) — 4:49
- "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
- "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
- "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41
- "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06
- "Die Another Day" (Richard Humpty Vission Electrofried Mix) — 6:01
UK CD 1 (W603CD1 9362 42615-2), AU CD 1 (9362-42615-2)
- "American Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:27
- "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Remix) — 4:49
- "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem Part 1) — 10:41
UK CD 2 (W603CD2 9362 42616-2), AU CD 2 (9362-42616-2), JP CD single (WPCR-11541)
- "American Life" (Radio Edit) — 4:27
- "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
- "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
US Maxi-Single (42614-2)
- "American Life" (Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix) - 4:49
- "American Life" (Oakenfold Downtempo Remix) — 5:32
- "American Life" (Felix Da Housecat's Devin Dazzle Club Mix) — 6:10
- "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 1) — 10:41
- "American Life" (Peter Rauhofer's American Anthem) (Part 2) — 9:06
- "Die Another Day" (Richard Humpty Vission Electrofield Mix) — 6:01
US Enhanced CD single (16658-2), EU CD single (5439-16658-2), EU 12" vinyl (W603T)
- "American Life" (Edit With Rap) — 4:27
- "Die Another Day" (Calderone & Quayle Afterlife Mix) — 8:52
Official versions
| Remix/Version | Run Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Album Version | 4:57 | |
| Clean Album Version | 4:57 | |
| Radio Edit | 4:27 | |
| Radio Edit without Rap | 4:06 | |
| Live | 5:21 | Live in Paris from The Re-Invention Tour The Re-Invention Tour The Re-Invention World Tour was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her ninth studio album American Life and visited North America and Europe. Madonna was inspired to create the tour, after taking part in an art installation called X-STaTIC PRo=CeSS, directed... 2004 available on I'm Going To Tell You A Secret I'm Going to Tell You a Secret I'm Going to Tell You a Secret is the title of an American documentary film that follows pop singer Madonna on her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. It premiered on MTV on October 21, 2005 and was released commercially in a CD+DVD package on June 20, 2006 by Warner Bros. Records... |
| Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Club | 6:10 | |
| Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Radio Mix | 3:22 | |
| Felix DaHouseCat Devin Dazzle Radio Mix (Without Rap) | 3:22 | In place of the rap, lyrics from the second verse and the chorus are used. These are not present in the full Club version. |
| Headcleanr Rock Mix | 4:01 | |
| Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix | 4:44 | |
| Missy Elliott's American Dream Mix (Clean Edit) | 4:37 | |
| Missy Elliott American Dream Instrumental Remix | 4:33 | |
| Oakenfold Downtempo Mix/Remix | 5:32 | |
| Oakenfold Radio Edit | 4:01 | |
| Oakenfold Radio Edit (Without Rap) | 3:16 | |
| Peter Rauhofer American Anthem Part 1 | 10:44 | 2 variations of this mix exist. The version on the UK CD3/UK Maxi single is essentially the same mix in structure but contains additional vocals from the second verse and more vocals from the chorus throughout |
| Peter Rauhofer American Anthem Part 2 | 9:06 | |
| Peter Rauhofer Radio Edit | 3:50 |
Charts
| Chart (2003) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian ARIA Singles Chart ARIA Charts The ARIA charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling singles and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA commenced compiling its own charts in-house from the week ending 26 June... |
7 |
| Austrian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 1 |
| Danish Singles Chart | 1 |
| Dutch Singles Chart Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
4 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 Singles Eurochart Hot 100 Singles The European Hot 100 Singles has been compiled by Billboard and Music & Media magazine since March, 1984. The chart is based on national singles sales charts in 15 European countries: Austria, Belgium , Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Spain, Sweden,... |
2 |
| Finnish Singles Chart | 3 |
| France SNEP Singles Chart | 10 |
| German Singles Chart | 10 |
| Greek IFPI IFPI The International Federation of the Phonographic Industry is the organisation that represents the interests of the recording industry worldwide. It is a not-for-profit members' organisation registered in Switzerland... Singles Chart |
2 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
8 |
| Italian FIMI Singles Chart | 1 |
| New Zealand RIANZ Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... Singles Chart |
33 |
| Norwegian VG-lista VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... Singles Chart |
9 |
| Romanian Singles Chart | 7 |
| Spanish Singles Chart | 2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
2 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
1 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
37 |
| U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Club Play Hot Dance Club Play The Hot Dance Club Songs chart is a weekly national survey of the songs that are most popular in U.S. dance clubs... |
1 |
Certifications
| Country | Certifications |
|---|---|
| Australia Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association is a trade group representing the Australian recording industry which was established in 1983 by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing the Association of Australian Record Manufacturers which was formed in 1956... |
Gold |
| France Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Silver |
External links
- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X1a35Fg_kBM"American Life" Original music video YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
] - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LYduJw5LyFM&ob=av3e"American Life" Edited music video YouTubeYouTubeYouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
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