Die Another Day

by

Madonna

Edit

Die Another Day was the first new song from Madonna for more than two years. The success of the album "Music" was fuelled by huge hits such as the No.1 title track, and Don't Tell Me. 2000 was the huge year for Madonna, so she decided to take a break for the best part of 2002 after a mammoth world tour in 2001. Finally, in November 2002, Madonna did return to the music scene with the theme to the new James Bond motion picture, Die Another Day. The song was unlike any other Bond theme before it, and received mixed reviews. I personally love the song and think it's one of Madonna's best dance songs of her career. The song was a huge US Top 10 hit, and peaked at No.3 in the UK charts - her 50th Top 10 hit in Britain.

Die Another Day begins off dramatically and instantly with the slamming of a door and a deep violin hovering over the arrangement. The beat then kicks in and Madonna begins to sing the first verse, "I'm gonna wake up, yes and no. I'm gonna kiss some part of. I'm gonna keep this secret. I'm gonna close my body now." The chorus then kicks in with a funky and trippy beat, where Madonna sings "I guess I'll die another day" in a distorted voice. The violins then pack more punches, and her vocals become more fluent and constructive as she sings the chorus once more. She then whispers "Analyze this" three times, before singing the second verse, "I'm gonna break the cycle. I'm gonna shake up the system. I'm gonna destroy my ego. I'm gonna close my body now. Uh - uh!" The chorus then starts up again, but this time it's longer and more computer effects are added, and it just sounds so wonderfully hi-tech and modern. The song then dies down again, and we are left with just the trademark Bond violins and Madonna sings, "I'm gonna avoid the cliché. I'm gonna suspend my senses. I'm gonna de-ate my pleasure. I'm gonna close my body now," before singing the chorus low-key, before the stomping of feet make an interesting beat and Madonna laughs before saying, "I need to lie down!" The chorus is then repeated a few more times until the song ends with the wonderful violins that play the song out for more than 30 seconds.

The video to Die Another Day is awesome. It has the Bond theme, where Madonna is taken prisoner in an all-male underground place. She is subjected to dirty and degrading acts such as having her head plunged in water and tied down on tables. She's wearing a pair of army pants and a cropped top. Her hair is messy and she is covered in cuts and bruises. Oddly, I think she looks rather attractive in this video! My mum thinks the video is vile, but what does she know? Madonna eventually survives an electric chair after fighting an evil double of herself in a museum, and dancing around in a bathroom with a chain and cutting herself! If you haven't seen the video, it'll sound a bit confusing - but it's really not. It's a wonderful work of video art that I love watching time and time again. I have so far reviewed more than 50 Madonna singles, all in order of UK release and I haven't mentioned the remixes of the songs - not because I don't actually have the CD single to comment on it (I do), but I'd end up twittering on for reams and reams about it. So I therefore prefer to focus on the actual song, but you just can't review Die Another Day without mentioning the remixes! The "Thunderpuss Club Mix" and "Thee RetroLectro Mix" are absolutely fantastic! I think I listen to them more than the actual version! All in all, a fantastic dance song from Madonna that shows she is keeping ahead of the times with a superb video to accompany it.