Madonnapedia
"Erotica"
Released August 18, 1992
Length 5:20
Writer(s) Madonna
Shep Pettibone
Anthony Shimkin
Producer(s) Madonna
Shep Pettibone

track listing

-
Fever

"Erotica" is a song by Madonna from her fifth studio album Erotica. It was released as the lead single from the album on August 18, 1992

Background[]

Musically, "Erotica" contains spoken word vocals, and is an ode to S&M, with Madonna using a pseudonym called "Dita". She invites her lover to be passive while making love to her and leads him to explore boundaries between pain and pleasure.

Composition[]

The song is set in common time with a tempo of 102 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of F-sharp minor with Madonna's vocals spanning from F3 to A4. Also present throughout the song are maracas and "shimmering horn riffs" sampled from the song "Jungle Boogie" by Kool and The Gang, and a loop from El Yom 'Ulliqa 'Ala Khashaba by Fairuz featured in the bridge.

During it's debut performance on the Girlie Show, the song mainly uses the Kenlou B-Boy remix as a base while adding the gritty elements from the original recording such as the main bassline for the verses and bridge, the brass sample from "Jungle Boogie" and the broken violin strings sample.

During the Confessions Tour, Stuart Price created a disco oriented remix which famously uses the lyrics from the demos of the track and the main chorus. The song's key and pitch was lowered for the remix and was eventually used for Madonna's other performances of the song.

Erotica made other appearances in other tours such as the MDNA Tour and the Rebel Heart Tour. During the MDNA Tour, it was used during the performance of "Candy Shop" using only the chorus as an interlude for the performance. During the Rebel Heart Tour, samples of the song were used in the performance of "Like A Virgin" remixed by Dens54.

The song's latest appearance was the Celebration Tour which used the original recording arranged by Stuart Price. The song opened with the main bassline and it's infamous vinyl crackling sound accompanied by excerpts and moans from Justify My Love and an extended intro which has loops of the line "Give it up" playing over the drums and the piano intro before Madonna makes her entrance and sings the song. After the second verse, Madonna sings the lyrics from it's original demos before proceeding to the bridge and outro of the original version. The song ends with the opening string arrangement of "Papa Don't Preach" being played over the beat of Erotica.

Music Video[]

Music Video Information
Madonna_-_Erotica Released August 18, 1992
Length 5:51
Director Fabien Baron
Production Co None
Choreographer N/A
Filmed 5-8 August 1992
Location New York City
VEVO views 2+ Million Views

Lyrics[]

Erotica, romance
Erotica, romance
My name is Dita
I'll be your mistress tonight
I'd like to put you in a trance

If I take you from behind
Push myself into your mind
When you least expect it
Will you try and reject it
If I'm in charge and I treat you like a child
Will you let yourself go wild
Let my mouth go where it wants to

Give it up, do as I say
Give it up and let me have my way
I'll give you love, I'll hit you like a truck
I'll give you love, I'll teach you how to ...

I'd like to put you in a trance, all over
Erotic, erotic, put your hands all over my body [repeat twice]
Erotic, erotic

Once you put your hand in the flame
You can never be the same
There's a certain satisfaction
In a little bit of pain
I can see you understand
I can tell that you're the same
If you're afraid, well rise above
I only hurt the ones I love

Give it up, do as I say
Give it up and let me have my way
I'll give you love, I'll hit you like a truck
I'll give you love, I'll teach you how to ...

I'd like to put you in a trance, all over
Erotic, erotic, put your hands all over my body [repeat twice]
Erotic, erotic

Erotica, romance
I'd like to put you in a trance
Erotica, romance
Put your hands all over my body

I don't think you know what pain is
I don't think you've gone that way
I could bring you so much pleasure
I'll come to you when you say
I know you want me
I'm not gonna hurt you
I'm not gonna hurt you, just close your eyes

Erotic, erotic [repeat several times]
Put your hands all over my body
All over me, all over me

Erotica, (give it up, give it up) romance
I'd like to put you in a trance
Erotica, (give it up, give it up) romance
I like to do a different kind of
Erotica, (give it up, give it up) romance
I'd like to put you in a trance
Erotica, romance
Put your hands all over my body

Only the one that hurts you can make you feel better
Only the one that inflicts pain can take it away

Eroti - ca