I'll Remember
Encyclopedia
"I'll Remember" is a song by American recording artist Madonna
. It was released on March 8, 1994, by Warner Bros. Records
as the soundtrack single of the film With Honors. The song was a radical change in image and style for Madonna, who had received negative feedback, both critically and commercially, for the prior two years due to the release of her book Sex
, the studio album Erotica and the film Body of Evidence. Warner Bros. decided to use Madonna as the vocalist for the song after noting that most of her previous soundtrack singles had achieved commercial success.
"I'll Remember" has characteristics of late Seventies styled songs. It utilizes a synthesized keyboard arrangement to bring about a continuously reverberating sound of heartbeat
. Madonna's voice is supported by backing vocals. Contemporary critics praised the song, hailing it as one of her best work. It was nominated for "Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
" at the 37th Grammy Awards and "Best Original Song
" at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards
. After its release, the song peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100
, becoming her fifth song to do so. It also reached number one in Canada and Italy. The accompanying music video portrayed Madonna singing the song in a stylized recording studio. Her look and style was compared to the imagery of the music video of previous single "Rain
". The androgynous portrayal of Madonna smoking in the last shot was appreciated critically for breaking gender barriers.
by Madonna. However, the book, which contained explicit sexual imagery and pictures of voyeuristic fantasies, was negatively accepted by the critics as well as her fans. Madonna's fifth studio album Erotica and the film Body of Evidence were released at the same time; both failed to garner critical and commercial acclaim. Hence she decided to re-invent her image, to connect with her fans and replenish the damage that her provocative image had caused to her career. "I'll Remember" was one of the songs that was developed for this purpose. It was included in the soundtrack of the film With Honors. Madonna's own label, Maverick
, was entitled with the task of putting together the soundtrack album. They decided to have Madonna sing the song "I'll Remember", after noticing that all of her soundtrack releases have been commercially successful. The ballad
was co-written by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and Richard Page. "I'll Remember" did not appear on any Madonna album, but was included in the ballads collection Something to Remember
(1995). Regarding her feelings for the song, Madonna commented,
(AOR) by bands like Boston
or Foreigner
. It is slowed down from the tempo of rock songs and utilizes a steadily reverberating synth keyboard
to bring on the effect of a heartbeat
. "I'll Remember" has characteristics of late Seventies song apart from the arrangement and the low bass. Madonna sings in a low-key voice which is almost overshadowed by the synth arrangement. The song starts with a C major
chord sequence and is used on the flattened seventh key of the sequence. But the actual key of the song is D major
. It is set in a time signature
of common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute
. Madonna's voice spans from F3 to G4. A much stronger arrangement of drums are used in the second verse
. The chorus
uses the chord sequence
of D–G–Bm–A while the first two lines of each verse uses the chord progression of D–Bm–A–Bm and G–D–G–A. During the intermediate line "I learned to let go of the illusion that we can possess", the structure changes to D–Bm–G–D–A–G–A. Backing vocals
are used on the later choruses for support with the strings, cascading down to a minor arrangement before the third one. The song ends with fading out and devoid of any musical climax. Lyrically the song talks about Madonna looking back on a good love affair.
music editor Timothy White called the song as lilting and one of Madonna's classics in his book Music to my ears: the Billboard essays : portraits of popular music in the '90s An owl book. He also complimented the song for talking about a dead relationship. Author Rikky Rooksby called the song as one of Madonna's biggest ever singles and a stronger cut. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine called the song as a "soundtrack gem". Author J. Randy Taraborrelli
in his biography of Madonna called the song a beautiful one. According to him, "it sounds like a flick theme too, equipped with smart chords and big emotion. It is reminiscent of another movie theme of Madonna's, 'Live to Tell
' (1986)." Music critique Peter Buckley noted that the song was atmospheric and one of Madonna's best works, showing her ability to stay in touch with and adapt to musical developments. "I'll Remember" earned nominations for "Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
" at the 37th Grammy Awards and "Best Original Song
" at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards
.
chart for the Billboard
issue dated April 2, 1994. After seven weeks, the song reached a peak of number two on the chart. It stayed there for four weeks, being blocked from the top spot by All-4-One
's "I Swear
". The song became the fifth single by Madonna to reach the top two position and tied her with Elvis Presley
for the most number-two songs. However, this record was broken by Madonna in 1998, when her single "Frozen
" peaked at two. The song also reached number-one on the adult contemporary chart, becoming Madonna's fourth number-one for this chart following "Live to Tell
", "La Isla Bonita
", and "Cherish
". "I'll Remember" remained atop the adult contemporary chart for four weeks. The single was certified gold
by the Recording Industry Association of America
for shipment of 500,000 copies.
In Canada, the song debuted at fifty-two on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
. After seven weeks it reached the top of the chart for the RPM issue dated May 16, 1994. The song was present on the chart for twenty-four weeks, and was ranked at number two on the Year-end RPM chart for 1994. In the United Kingdom it debuted at ten on the chart and reached seven the next week. It was present for a total of eight weeks on the chart. According to The Official Charts Company, "I'll Remember" has sold 100,090 copies in the United Kingdom, as of August 2008. Across Europe, the song became a top forty hit in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Switzerland. The song reached the top-ten in Australia, Ireland and Sweden and peaked the chart in Italy. It peaked just outside the top-forty in Germany.
who had previously directed the live performance versions of "Like a Virgin
" (1984) and "Holiday
" (1983) from the Truth or Dare
documentary and also the music video of her single "This Used to Be My Playground
" (1992). The video featured production credits by Diane Greenwalt, editing by Patrick Sheffield and photography by Stephen Ramsey. It features Madonna in a stylized recording studio singing the song with back up singers. The video was compared to the music video of Madonna's single "Rain
" (1993). Her look in the video, consists of blue-black icy hair, bright blue eyes and a long dark dress with a beaded necklace around her neck. Madonna's face was mainly shot above her head, with her face looking up just ahead of the camera focus. Sometimes she looks to a video screen behind her which plays the scenes from the film, as if to take inspiration for her singing. Other times she is accompanied by her back-up singers, mainly during the chorus, and sometimes she sings alone. In front of the studio, the producers
are shown deciding which part of the song should be put in lower bass. It continues in this way and ends with a shot of Madonna watching herself recording the song. In this last scene she is dressed in a long black coat and holds a cigarette in her hand. Scholars noted that this last shot clearly illustrates the gender paradox of Madonna, as she watches her female form singing the song, while she herself is dressed in an androgynous way, holding a cigarette, which is associated as one of the symbolic forms of male supremacy. Feminist writer Martha Leslie Allen lauded the video, as well as Madonna, "for breaking free of the conventional portrayal of women yet again, and displaying their duality."
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 released on March 8, 1994, by Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records
Warner Bros. Records Inc. is an American record label. It was the foundation label of the present-day Warner Music Group, and now operates as a wholly owned subsidiary of that corporation. It maintains a close relationship with its former parent, Warner Bros. Pictures, although the two companies...
as the soundtrack single of the film With Honors. The song was a radical change in image and style for Madonna, who had received negative feedback, both critically and commercially, for the prior two years due to the release of her book Sex
Sex (book)
Sex is a coffee table book written by Madonna with photographs by Steven Meisel Studio and film frames taken from film shot by Fabien Baron. The book was edited by Glenn O'Brien. Sex was released on October 21, 1992 by Warner Books...
, the studio album Erotica and the film Body of Evidence. Warner Bros. decided to use Madonna as the vocalist for the song after noting that most of her previous soundtrack singles had achieved commercial success.
"I'll Remember" has characteristics of late Seventies styled songs. It utilizes a synthesized keyboard arrangement to bring about a continuously reverberating sound of heartbeat
Cardiac cycle
The cardiac cycle is a term referring to all or any of the events related to the flow or blood pressure that occurs from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next. The frequency of the cardiac cycle is described by the heart rate. Each beat of the heart involves five major stages...
. Madonna's voice is supported by backing vocals. Contemporary critics praised the song, hailing it as one of her best work. It was nominated for "Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media...
" at the 37th Grammy Awards and "Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.-1960s:...
" at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards
52nd Golden Globe Awards
The 52nd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1994, were held on January 21, 1995 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.-Best Actor – Drama: Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump...
. After its release, the song peaked at number two on the 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...
, becoming her fifth song to do so. It also reached number one in Canada and Italy. The accompanying music video portrayed Madonna singing the song in a stylized recording studio. Her look and style was compared to the imagery of the music video of previous single "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
". The androgynous portrayal of Madonna smoking in the last shot was appreciated critically for breaking gender barriers.
Background
The year 1992 saw the release of the book SexSex (book)
Sex is a coffee table book written by Madonna with photographs by Steven Meisel Studio and film frames taken from film shot by Fabien Baron. The book was edited by Glenn O'Brien. Sex was released on October 21, 1992 by Warner Books...
by Madonna. However, the book, which contained explicit sexual imagery and pictures of voyeuristic fantasies, was negatively accepted by the critics as well as her fans. Madonna's fifth studio album Erotica and the film Body of Evidence were released at the same time; both failed to garner critical and commercial acclaim. Hence she decided to re-invent her image, to connect with her fans and replenish the damage that her provocative image had caused to her career. "I'll Remember" was one of the songs that was developed for this purpose. It was included in the soundtrack of the film With Honors. Madonna's own label, Maverick
Maverick (entertainment company)
Maverick, is an entertainment company founded by Madonna, Frederick DeMann and Ronnie Dashev in April 1992. It is owned and operated by Warner Music Group.-History:...
, was entitled with the task of putting together the soundtrack album. They decided to have Madonna sing the song "I'll Remember", after noticing that all of her soundtrack releases have been commercially successful. The ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
was co-written by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and Richard Page. "I'll Remember" did not appear on any Madonna album, but was included in the ballads collection Something to Remember
Something to Remember
Something to Remember is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 7, 1995 by Maverick Records. It came after a controversial period of Madonna in the 1990s and at this time critics had deemed her career over...
(1995). Regarding her feelings for the song, Madonna commented,
"I think most of the time when my records come out, people are so much distracted by so much fanfare and controversy that nobody pays attention to the music. [...] I can't tell you how painful the idea of singing 'Like a VirginLike a Virgin (song)"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
' or 'Material GirlMaterial 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...
' (1984) is to me now. I didn't write either of those songs, and wasn't digging very deep then. I also feel more connected emotionally to the music I'm writing now, so it's more of a pleasure to do it."
Composition
According to author Rikky Rooksby, the song is written in the style of Album-oriented rockAlbum-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
(AOR) by bands like Boston
Boston (band)
Boston is an American rock band from Boston, Massachusetts that achieved its most notable successes during the 1970s and 1980s. Centered on guitarist, keyboardist, songwriter, and producer Tom Scholz, the band is a staple of classic rock radio playlists...
or Foreigner
Foreigner (band)
Foreigner is a British-American rock band, originally formed in 1976 by veteran English musicians Mick Jones and ex-King Crimson member Ian McDonald along with American vocalist Lou Gramm...
. It is slowed down from the tempo of rock songs and utilizes a steadily reverberating synth keyboard
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
to bring on the effect of a heartbeat
Cardiac cycle
The cardiac cycle is a term referring to all or any of the events related to the flow or blood pressure that occurs from the beginning of one heartbeat to the beginning of the next. The frequency of the cardiac cycle is described by the heart rate. Each beat of the heart involves five major stages...
. "I'll Remember" has characteristics of late Seventies song apart from the arrangement and the low bass. Madonna sings in a low-key voice which is almost overshadowed by the synth arrangement. The song starts with a C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
chord sequence and is used on the flattened seventh key of the sequence. But the actual key of the song is D major
D major
D major is a major scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. Its key signature consists of two sharps. Its relative minor is B minor and its parallel minor is D minor....
. It is set in a time signature
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
of common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
. Madonna's voice spans from F3 to G4. A much stronger arrangement of drums are used in the second verse
Song structure (popular music)
The structures or musical forms of songs in popular music are typically sectional, repeating forms, such as strophic form. Other common forms include thirty-two-bar form, verse-chorus form, and the twelve bar blues...
. The chorus
Chorus effect
In music, a chorus effect occurs when individual sounds with roughly the same timbre and nearly the same pitch converge and are perceived as one...
uses the chord sequence
Chord progression
A chord progression is a series of musical chords, or chord changes that "aims for a definite goal" of establishing a tonality founded on a key, root or tonic chord. In other words, the succession of root relationships...
of D–G–Bm–A while the first two lines of each verse uses the chord progression of D–Bm–A–Bm and G–D–G–A. During the intermediate line "I learned to let go of the illusion that we can possess", the structure changes to D–Bm–G–D–A–G–A. Backing vocals
Backing vocalist
A backing vocalist or backing singer is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists...
are used on the later choruses for support with the strings, cascading down to a minor arrangement before the third one. The song ends with fading out and devoid of any musical climax. Lyrically the song talks about Madonna looking back on a good love affair.
Critical response
Author Christopher Feldman in his book, Billboard book of number 2 singles, described the song as a "tender ballad." BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
music editor Timothy White called the song as lilting and one of Madonna's classics in his book Music to my ears: the Billboard essays : portraits of popular music in the '90s An owl book. He also complimented the song for talking about a dead relationship. Author Rikky Rooksby called the song as one of Madonna's biggest ever singles and a stronger cut. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine called the song as a "soundtrack gem". Author J. Randy Taraborrelli
J. Randy Taraborrelli
John Randall Taraborrelli is an American journalist and biographer.Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia...
in his biography of Madonna called the song a beautiful one. According to him, "it sounds like a flick theme too, equipped with smart chords and big emotion. It is reminiscent of another movie theme of Madonna's, 'Live to Tell
Live to Tell
"Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range...
' (1986)." Music critique Peter Buckley noted that the song was atmospheric and one of Madonna's best works, showing her ability to stay in touch with and adapt to musical developments. "I'll Remember" earned nominations for "Best Song Written Specifically for a Motion Picture or for Television
Grammy Award for Best Song Written for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media
The Grammy Award for Best Song Written for Visual Media has been awarded since 1988 and is awarded to songs written for films, television, video games or other visual media...
" at the 37th Grammy Awards and "Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song
Golden Globe Award for Best Original Song was awarded for the first time in 1962 and has been awarded annually since 1965 by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.-1960s:...
" at the 52nd Golden Globe Awards
52nd Golden Globe Awards
The 52nd Golden Globe Awards, honoring the best in film and television for 1994, were held on January 21, 1995 at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California.-Best Actor – Drama: Tom Hanks – Forrest Gump...
.
Chart performance
In the United States, the song debuted at number thirty-five on the Hot 100Billboard 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...
chart for the Billboard
Billboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
issue dated April 2, 1994. After seven weeks, the song reached a peak of number two on the chart. It stayed there for four weeks, being blocked from the top spot by All-4-One
All-4-One
All-4-One is a male R&B/pop group best known for their cover hit single "I Swear" from their self-titled 1994 debut album. The group comprises Jamie Jones, Delious Kennedy, Alfred Nevarez, and Tony Borowiak, all from the Antelope Valley and Mojave, California areas, but are based in the Los Angeles...
's "I Swear
I Swear
"I Swear" is a ballad written by Gary Baker and Frank J. Myers that became a hit for two acts in 1994. Initially it was a number one song on the U.S. Hot Country Singles & Tracks chart for American country music artist John Michael Montgomery at the beginning of the year. His version crossed over...
". The song became the fifth single by Madonna to reach the top two position and tied her with Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
for the most number-two songs. However, this record was broken by Madonna in 1998, when her single "Frozen
Frozen (song)
"Frozen" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her eight studio album Ray of Light. It was released as the lead single from the album on 23 February 1998 by Maverick Records...
" peaked at two. The song also reached number-one on the adult contemporary chart, becoming Madonna's fourth number-one for this chart following "Live to Tell
Live to Tell
"Live to Tell" is a pop ballad by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Originally written by Patrick Leonard for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range...
", "La Isla Bonita
La Isla Bonita
"La Isla Bonita" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the fifth and final single from her third studio album, True Blue, on February 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Originally written as a lament, the song was first offered to Michael Jackson before Madonna accepted it...
", and "Cherish
Cherish (Madonna song)
"Cherish" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the third single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on August 1, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was also included on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection and the two-disc edition of her 2009...
". "I'll Remember" remained atop the adult contemporary chart for four weeks. The single was certified gold
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
by the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
for shipment of 500,000 copies.
In Canada, the song debuted at fifty-two on the Canadian RPM Singles Chart
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
. After seven weeks it reached the top of the chart for the RPM issue dated May 16, 1994. The song was present on the chart for twenty-four weeks, and was ranked at number two on the Year-end RPM chart for 1994. In the United Kingdom it debuted at ten on the chart and reached seven the next week. It was present for a total of eight weeks on the chart. According to The Official Charts Company, "I'll Remember" has sold 100,090 copies in the United Kingdom, as of August 2008. Across Europe, the song became a top forty hit in Belgium, France, Netherlands and Switzerland. The song reached the top-ten in Australia, Ireland and Sweden and peaked the chart in Italy. It peaked just outside the top-forty in Germany.
Music video
The music video was directed by Alek KeshishianAlek Keshishian
Alek Keshishian is a Lebanese-born Armenian film director. He is best known for his 1991 film Madonna: Truth or Dare, which for a time was the highest-grossing documentary of all time....
who had previously directed the live performance versions of "Like a Virgin
Like a Virgin (song)
"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second album of the same name. It was released on November 6, 1984 by Sire Records, as the first single from the album. The song appears on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection and Celebration...
" (1984) and "Holiday
Holiday (Madonna song)
"Holiday" is a song by American singer Madonna from her self-titled debut album. Released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records, it later appeared remixed on the 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance and the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the...
" (1983) from the Truth or Dare
Madonna: Truth or Dare
Madonna: Truth or Dare is a 1991 American documentary film chronicling the life of American singer-songwriter Madonna during her 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour...
documentary and also the music video of her single "This Used to Be My Playground
This Used to Be My Playground
"This Used to Be My Playground" is a song performed by Madonna. It is the theme for the film A League of Their Own, which starred Madonna as well as Tom Hanks, Geena Davis and Rosie O'Donnell....
" (1992). The video featured production credits by Diane Greenwalt, editing by Patrick Sheffield and photography by Stephen Ramsey. It features Madonna in a stylized recording studio singing the song with back up singers. The video was compared to the music video of Madonna's single "Rain
Rain (Madonna song)
"Rain" is a single by American singer-songwriter Madonna and was released on July 17, 1993 by Maverick Records. It was the fifth single release from her fifth studio album Erotica...
" (1993). Her look in the video, consists of blue-black icy hair, bright blue eyes and a long dark dress with a beaded necklace around her neck. Madonna's face was mainly shot above her head, with her face looking up just ahead of the camera focus. Sometimes she looks to a video screen behind her which plays the scenes from the film, as if to take inspiration for her singing. Other times she is accompanied by her back-up singers, mainly during the chorus, and sometimes she sings alone. In front of the studio, the producers
Record producer
A record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
are shown deciding which part of the song should be put in lower bass. It continues in this way and ends with a shot of Madonna watching herself recording the song. In this last scene she is dressed in a long black coat and holds a cigarette in her hand. Scholars noted that this last shot clearly illustrates the gender paradox of Madonna, as she watches her female form singing the song, while she herself is dressed in an androgynous way, holding a cigarette, which is associated as one of the symbolic forms of male supremacy. Feminist writer Martha Leslie Allen lauded the video, as well as Madonna, "for breaking free of the conventional portrayal of women yet again, and displaying their duality."
Tracklisting and formats
- US CD and 7" Single
- "I'll Remember – Theme from With Honors"
- "Secret Garden"
- US Compact Disc Maxi Single
- "I'll Remember"
- "I'll Remember (Guerilla Beach Mix)"
- "Why's It So Hard (Live)"
- "I'll Remember (Orbit Remix)"
- UK Cassette and 7" Single
- "I'll Remember"
- "Secret Garden"
- UK 5" CD Single
- "I'll Remember"
- "I'll Remember (Orbit Remix)"
- "I'll Remember (Guerilla Beach Mix)"
- "Why's It So Hard (Live)" German releases are mislabeled and contain "In This Life (Live)"
- UK 12" single
- "I'll Remember (Guerilla Beach Mix)"
- "I'll Remember (Guerilla Groove Mix)"
- "I'll Remember"
- "I'll Remember (Orbit Alternative Remix)"
Credits and personnel
- MadonnaMadonna (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...
– writerSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, vocalsLead vocalistThe lead vocalist is the member of a band who sings the main vocal portions of a song. They may also play one or more instruments. Lead vocalists are sometimes referred to as the frontman or frontwoman, and as such, are usually considered to be the "leader" of the groups they perform in, often the... - Patrick LeonardPatrick LeonardPatrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
– co-writerSongwriterA songwriter is an individual who writes both the lyrics and music to a song. Someone who solely writes lyrics may be called a lyricist, and someone who only writes music may be called a composer...
, drumsPercussion instrumentA percussion instrument is any object which produces a sound when hit with an implement or when it is shaken, rubbed, scraped, or otherwise acted upon in a way that sets the object into vibration...
, keyboardKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, productionRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music... - Richard PageRichard Page (musician)Richard Page , is an American musician who is the lead singer and bassist of 1980's US band Mr. Mister and is now a songwriter and solo artist.-Early life:...
– co-writer - Dean ParksDean ParksDean Parks is an American session guitarist and record producer from Ft. Worth, TX.-Albums:Dean was member of The North Texas State One O'clock Lab Band before moving to Los Angeles to work with Sonny and Cher in 1970. Dean is best-known through his many contributions to albums by Steely Dan...
– acoustic guitarAcoustic guitarAn acoustic guitar is a guitar that uses only an acoustic sound board. The air in this cavity resonates with the vibrational modes of the string and at low frequencies, which depend on the size of the box, the chamber acts like a Helmholtz resonator, increasing or decreasing the volume of the sound... - Suzie Katayama – celloCelloThe cello is a bowed string instrument with four strings tuned in perfect fifths. It is a member of the violin family of musical instruments, which also includes the violin, viola, and double bass. Old forms of the instrument in the Baroque era are baryton and viol .A person who plays a cello is...
Peak positions
| Chart (1994) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian 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 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... |
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| Canadian RPM Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 MegaCharts MegaCharts is responsible for the composition and exploitation of a broad collection of official charts in the Netherlands, of which the Mega Top 50 and the Mega Album Top 100 are the most known ones. Mega Charts also provides information to the Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, of which the Dutch Top... |
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| French Singles Chart 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... |
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| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
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| 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... |
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| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
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| New Zealand Singles Chart 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... |
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| 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 .... |
9 |
| 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... |
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| 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 ... |
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| 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... |
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| U.S. Adult Contemporary | 1 |
Year-end charts
| End of year chart (1994) | Position |
|---|---|
| Australia Singles Chart | 41 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 8 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 13 |
External links
- Madonna – "I'll Remember" lyrics MTVMTVMTV, 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....
- Madonna – "I'll Remember" music video MTVMTVMTV, 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....