| "Deeper and Deeper" | ||||
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| Single byMadonna | ||||
| from the albumErotica | ||||
| Released | November 17, 1992 | |||
| Studio | Soundworks (New York) | |||
| Genre | ||||
| Length | 5:33 | |||
| Label | ||||
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| Producer(s) |
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| Madonna singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Deeper and Deeper" onYouTube | ||||
"Deeper and Deeper" is a song by American singerMadonna from her fifth studio album,Erotica (1992). It was written by Madonna,Shep Pettibone, and Anthony Shimkin and was produced by Madonna and Pettibone. In Australia and most European countries, the song was released as the album's second single on November 17, 1992; in the United States, a release was issued on December 8. It was included on Madonna's second greatest hitscompilation,GHV2 (2001). Adance-pop anddeep house song, it hasdisco andPhiladelphia soul influences; the bridge features instrumentation fromflamenco guitars andcastanets and features background vocals from the singer's collaboratorsDonna De Lory andNiki Haris. Lyrically, the song talks aboutsexual desire, though it has been argued that it is actually about a young man coming to terms with hishomosexuality. It includes a reference to Madonna's single "Vogue" (1990).
Upon release, the song received positive reviews frommusic critics. They often praised the singer for returning to a more dance-oriented nature in comparison to her previous single "Erotica", and singled out the "Vogue" sample. In retrospective reviews, it is now considered one of Madonna's best singles. The song also was commercially successful, peaking at number seven on the USBillboard Hot 100 and reaching the top 10 in several other countries, including Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom, while peaking at number one in Italy. The accompanyingmusic video was directed by Bobby Woods. It was seen as a homage to American artistAndy Warhol and Italian directorLuchino Visconti, with Madonna playing a character based onEdie Sedgwick, who goes out to a nightclub to meet her friends and boyfriend. The clip received generally mixed to positive reviews from critics. Madonna has performed "Deeper and Deeper" in three of herconcert tours, the last being 2015—2016'sRebel Heart Tour.
In 1992, Madonna founded her own multi-media entertainment companyMaverick, consisting of a record company (Maverick Records), a film production company (Maverick Films), and associated music publishing, television broadcasting, book publishing, and merchandising divisions.[1] The first two projects from the venture were her fifth studio albumErotica and a coffee table book of photographs featuring Madonna, entitledSex.[1][2] ForErotica, Madonna primarily collaborated with American producerShep Pettibone; Pettibone first began working with the singer during the 1980s, providing remixes for several of her singles.[3][4] Pettibone would build the base music of the songs in a style similar to his remixes, while Madonna wrote the melodies and lyrics.[5] According to the producer in an article titled "Erotica Diaries", published in Madonna'sIcon magazine, he created a tape of three tracks for Madonna to listen to; he traveled to Chicago, where she was filmingA League of Their Own (1992), played the songs for her and she liked all of them.[4] In October 1991, Madonna met with Pettibone inNew York City to start working ondemos. The first batch of songs they worked together on were "Erotica", "Deeper and Deeper", "Rain" and "Thief of Hearts".[4] Anthony Shimkin, who also worked on the album, recalled that Madonna had with her a "book full of lyrics and melody ideas".[6]
At first, the singer did not like the songs she had recorded. She wantedErotica to have a raw edge, as if it were recorded in an alley inHarlem, and not a light glossy production, according to Pettibone.[4] In the case of "Deeper and Deeper", the producer revealed that they tried different bridges and changes, but in the end, Madonna wanted the middle of the song to have aflamenco guitar, an idea he disagreed with; "I didn't like [...] taking a Philly house song and putting 'La Isla Bonita' in the middle of it. But that's what she wanted, so that's what she got", he recalled.[4] He later decided to addcastanets to "really take it there".[6] According to Shimkin, while they were recording the song, Pettibone began singing some lines of "Vogue" (1990); Madonna, who heard this and emulated it, liked the sound and decided to keep it.[6] She later explained: "When we were actually recording, doing the final vocals, I just went off into that for a second because ['Vogue'] to me it's just one of those great kind of feel good dance songs."[7]
"Deeper and Deeper" was written by Madonna, Pettibone and Shimkin, and produced by Madonna and Pettibone.[9] Recording took place atAstoria's Sound Work Studios; personnel working on the song included Pettibone on thesequencing,keyboard arrangement, andprogramming, alongside Shimkin;Paul Pesco on guitars, Dennis Mitchell and Robin Hancock were the song'srecording engineers, while George Karras was themixing engineer. Background vocals were provided byNiki Haris andDonna De Lory.[9] Musically, "Deeper and Deeper" is ahouse-flavored track withdisco andPhiladelphia soul influences.[4][10][11] Its lyrics talk about sexual desire, but Dan Cadan argued in his text in the liner notes ofGHV2 (2001), that they are actually about a young man coming to terms with hishomosexuality.[12][13] Madonna herself described the lyrics as "not terribly intellectual".[7] Shimkin said he saw the song as a "big nod" to Madonna's earlier works withJohn "Jellybean" Benitez; De Lory on the other hand, recalled that, "[Niki and I]'d sung with [Madonna] before so it was just a really comfortable relationship. And oh my God, this song! All Niki and I wanted to do was singsweeter and sweeter and sweeter".[14]
"Deeper and Deeper" begins with Madonna singingDeeper and deeper and deeper, followed by therefrainI can't help falling in love, I fall deeper and deeper the further I go.[8] The song's opening lineWhen you know the notes to sing, you can sing most anything references "Do-Re-Mi" fromThe Sound of Music (1959).[13] Also present are "a juxtaposition of swirling disco synths", aflamenco guitar, andcastanets on itsbridge.[3][6][8] According to the sheet music published byAlfred Publishing Inc., "Deeper and Deeper" is set in thetime signature ofcommon time with a fasttempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in thekey ofG minor, with Madonna's voice in a highregister, spanning betweenF1 toG3. The song has a basic sequence of G7–Cm7/G as itschord progression.[15] Towards the end, the song includes a lyrical sample of "Vogue" which, according to academic Georges-Claude Guilbert, author ofMadonna as Postmodern Myth, "enhance[s] the ending of the song, in an ultimate post-modern twist".[16]
"A stylistic diversion on the often chillyErotica album, ['Deeper and Deeper'] calls back to 'Vogue' (both musically and via a direct late-song lift) with its disco warmth and propulsive house beat. But while 'Vogue' was about the joy of release, 'Deeper and Deeper' is a dance anthem for those who haven’t yet reached that level of confidence".
In Australia and most European countries, "Deeper and Deeper" was released as the official second single from theErotica album on November 17, 1992;[18][19][20][21] in the United States, it was released on December 8.[22] It was then included on Madonna's secondcompilation album,GHV2 (2001).[23] Upon release, the song was met with generally positive reviews frommusic critics.J. Randy Taraborrelli, author ofMadonna: An Intimate Biography, noted it was a "change of pace from thetitle track. A straight-ahead house groove in the tradition of the funkiest New York clubs".[24] Similarly,Billboard's Joe Lynch expressed that, "if 'Erotica' was a bold sonic departure for Madonna, the second single, 'Deeper and Deeper', found her in more familiar disco and house territory".[6] Also fromBillboard,Larry Flick stated that, "the chorus embeds in your brain upon impact", and highlighted the "Vogue" sample as "one of the song's cooler moments".[25] On his review ofErotica, the magazine's Paul Verna referred to "Deeper and Deeper" as a "playful disco-throwback".[26]AllMusic'sStephen Thomas Erlewine considered it among Madonna's "best and most accomplished music".[27] ForRolling Stone, Arion Berger highlighted the track as one of the album's "pure disco" moments that do not need "emotional resonance to make them race".[11]
Anthony Violanti fromThe Buffalo News compared "Deeper and Deeper" to the work ofDonna Summer.[28] In this vein,Matthew Rettenmund, author ofEncyclopedia Madonnica, said it was the singer's take on "Never Can Say Goodbye".[29]J. D. Considine, fromThe Baltimore Sun, called it "explosive, exultant", and one of Madonna's best singles.[30]Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani deemed the single "both a product of its time and a timeless Madge classic", as well as one of the singer's "gems" that "get lost to pop history".[3][31] In another occasion, Cinquemani said that it is "one of the few tracks fromErotica not weighed down or muddled by Pettibone's gritty production" that sounds equally good today to how "it did nearly a decade ago".[23]Entertainment Weekly'sDavid Browne opined the single "whooshes like a subway train going express at 4 a.m.".[32] Charlotte Robinson ofPopMatters hailed it a "great pop song about the importance of listening to Mom and Dad's advice".[33] ForQ's Phil Sutcliffe, "Deeper and Deeper" was the biggest surprise onErotica that "could be mistaken for a bopalong tribute toKylie".[34] AtBlender, Tony Powers considered it one of the album's standout tracks.[35] Music writerJames Masterton praised Madonna for returning to the "basic pop/dance she does best", but felt the song did not have "chart topping potential".[36] Barbara Walker, writing in theSun-Sentinel, opined that, "the set's showcase dance track, 'Deeper and Deeper', never quite takes off", and deemed the "Vogue" sample lazy.[37] In a less favorable review,Cashbox's Randy Clark dismissed its "soulless and formulaic disco/kiddie-pop sounds dating back to 'Into the Groove'" and "simpleton Madonna lyrics [and] overdone melodic phrases".[38]
Retrospective reviews have been largely positive. In 2011,Slant Magazine placed the song at number 36 on their list of "The 100 Best Singles of the 1990s"; Ed Gonzalez wrote: "Among Madonna's finest achievements, the angsty pop anthem 'Deeper and Deeper' is both an acute distillation ofErotica's smut-glam decadence and the singer's lifelong blond ambition".[39] Matthew Jacobs fromHuffPost placed the song at number 35 of his ranking of Madonna's singles, calling it her "finest disco flourish".[40] OnGay Star News' ranking, the single came in at number 11; Joe Morgan called it "infectious, entrancing and one of her best dance anthems".[41] Jude Rogers, fromThe Guardian, opined "Deeper and Deeper" is a "classy post-'Vogue' excursion into 90sR&B", and placed it at number 27 of her ranking of Madonna singles.[42] Nayer Missim fromPinkNews considered "Deeper and Deeper" Madonna's 19th greatest song, andEntertainment Weekly's Chuck Arnold her 25th; the former said it is "house and pop that’s equal parts disco and bedroom", while the latter deemed it a sequel to "Vogue", due to the lyrical nod.[43][44] Writing forThe A.V. Club, Stephen Thomas Erlewine placed the track in the 28th position of the publication's ranking of Madonna's singles: "['Deeper and Deeper'] is a ray of light within the darkly provocativeErotica".[45]Louis Virtel, writing forThe Backlot, named "Deeper and Deeper" the seventh best song of Madonna's discography, referring to it as "jubilant and driving", and comparing it to her 1987 single "Causing a Commotion".[46] The song has also been considered one of Madonna's most underrated singles; forPopCrush, Taylor Dougherty named it the singer's second "most underappreciated" track: "By farErotica's strongest moment, 'Deeper and Deeper' might just be one of the greatest disco-infused dance epics of the early '90s — but one that still holds up today [...] one of Madonna's greatest tracks, and one that doesn't nearly get the credit it deserve".[47]Idolator's Robbie Daw deemed it Madonna's best song that "radio forgot".[48] Finally, Nick Levine fromNME also deemed it underrated and said it deserves to be "embraced as a classic".[49]
"Deeper and Deeper" debuted on the USBillboard Hot 100 at number 38 the week of December 5, 1992, and quickly climbed up the chart, ultimately peaking at number 7 on the week of January 30, 1993, remaining on the chart for seventeen weeks in total.[50][51] The song became Madonna’s 25th Top 10 entry on the Hot 100. On theHot 100 Airplay and Top Singles Sales charts, it peaked at numbers 8 and 15, respectively.[52][53] The single saw success onBillboard'sMaxi-Singles Sales andHot Dance Club Play charts, as it reached the first position of both.[54][55] The track became Madonna's 14th chart-topper on the latter chart.[56] "Deeper and Deeper" peaked at number 2 on theMainstream Top 40 chart, and at number 14 on theRhythmic chart.[57][58] By the end of 1993, it ranked 17th on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, number 28 on the Dance Music Maxi-Singles Sales chart, 53 on the radio chart, and 66 on the Hot 100.[59] In Canada, the single debuted in the 77th position ofRPM's Top Singles chart on the week of December 12, 1992;[60] two months later, it peaked at number two just behindWhitney Houston's "I Will Always Love You".[61] The single toppedRPM's Dance charts and came in at number 21 on the Adult Contemporary chart.[62][63] "Deeper and Deeper" came in at numbers 34 and 31 on the official year-end chart and the Dance year-end chart, respectively.[64][65]
In the United Kingdom, "Deeper and Deeper" debuted at the 10th position of theUK Singles Chart on December 12, 1992, and, one week later, peaked at number 6; it spent 9 weeks on the chart overall.[66] According toMusic Week magazine, over 136,800 copies of the single have been sold in the United Kingdom as of 2008.[67] It spent three weeks at number 11 on Australia'sARIA Singles Chart and was later certified gold by theAustralian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for the shipment of 35,000 copies.[68] The song debuted on the 27th position of New Zealand's chart on December 20, 1992, and peaked at number 9 two weeks later.[69] It reached the first position in Italy.[70] "Deeper and Deeper" reached the top 10 in several other countries, including Belgium,[71] Denmark,[72] Finland,[73] and Ireland,[74] as well as the top 30 in Austria,[19] France,[20] Germany,[21] Iceland,[75] Sweden, and Switzerland.[76][77]
Bobby Woods, an executive producer at Madonna's companies Boy Toy Inc. and Maverick films, directed themusic video for "Deeper and Deeper". Filming took place from November 7–8, 1992, atRen-Mar Studios and The Roxbury nightclub inHollywood, California.[78][16] Madonna portraysAndy WarholprotégéEdie Sedgwick.[16] According to the director, the singer wanted to do an "Andy Warhol/Edie Sedgwick styled video. She believed, and I think this is accurate, that there was a similar feel to the times of America in theRoaring 20s and the Disco 70s."[79] German actorUdo Kier, directorSofia Coppola, Madonna's personal friendDebi Mazar,porn directorChi Chi LaRue, porn performerJoey Stefano, music executivesSeymour Stein andGuy Oseary, Ingrid Casares, actor and comedianRay Walston, and Warhol Superstar Holly Woodlawn, all made cameos.[16][78][80][81] Madonna asked formerWarhol superstarJoe Dallesandro to participate in the video, but he turned down the offer.[82] The dance sequences in the video were, according to Woods, "100% spontaneous. We loaded a dance floor with people, put her record on, and the dancing began."[79]
Described as a "pastiche of 70s images", with scenes both in color andblack and white, the video begins with a man (Kier) in a darkened room speaking German with subtitles in English: "Beware! Our idols and demons will pursue us. Until we learn to let them go!"[83][84] Then, Madonna arrives at a nightclub driving aMercedes-Benz W111 and looks for her lover - also played by Kier. At the nightclub, she leaves some balloons tied to the bar, which then begin to cut loose or burst.[16] Interspersed footage of Madonna meeting and dancing with her friends, being photographed and watching astripper (Stefano) perform, plays next. At the end, the man from the beginning cuts off the singer's remaining balloon with scissors.[16]
Armond White wrote inThe Resistance: Ten Years of Pop Culture that Shook the World (1995): "In the great 'Deeper and Deeper', Madonna combines historicism with herpop art consciousness [...] she goes back to the era of pervasive decadence, typified through 70s disco and Andy Warhol's advertising zenith."[85] According to Guilbert, the video recreates "the atmosphere of the underground films of Warhol andMorrissey, particularlyFlesh (1968) andTrash (1970)"; furthermore, he described Madonna's appearance as a mixture ofIsadora Duncan,Dita Parlo, andIngrid Thulin inLa caduta degli dei (1969).[16] Guilbert also pointed out references to Italian directorLuchino Visconti, and actorJohn Travolta in the 1977 filmSaturday Night Fever. The scene in which Madonna and her girlfriends watch Stefano perform while eating bananas was, according to Guilbert, a nod to the Warhol-penned cover art forThe Velvet Underground & Nico (1967); he concluded that, with the inclusion of Stefano and La Rue, Madonna was comforting her own status as agay icon.[16] Matthew Rettenmund wrote that, despite being one of her "least admired videos, it's nonetheless creatively costumed and full of energy, even where it lacks cohesion or conceptual imagination. [...] It's lethargic narrative is unique among Madonna's videography".[29] He further wrote that the scenes of the singer driving the car echoed "Burning Up" (1983), and singled out the "indulgent cameos".[29]
TheLos Angeles Times' Chris Willman compared the music video to aRedd Kross show, and critiqued Madonna for sporting the "most unattractive blond bob possible". He ultimately concluded: "The oddball mixture of corny nostalgic kitsch and druggy malevolence [in 'Deeper and Deeper'] is intriguing on the surface but, at its core, nothing but deep."[86]Louis Virtel fromThe Backlot ranked it as the singer's 29th greatest video, andNerdist's Eric Diaz her 12th; the latter writer felt the clip "perfectly captures the euphoric joy of just losing yourself in the beat on the dance floor".[87][88] Julien Sauvalle fromOut magazine considered "Deeper and Deeper" to be one of Madonna's "most stylish" music videos.[89] Sal Cinquemani considered it "weird, dark, and alluring", as well as Madonna's 21st greatest music video.[90] A negative review came from Italian authorFrancesco Falconi, who expressed that, despite being an "explicit homage" to Warhol, the video is not among Madonna's best.[84] It can be found on Madonna's 2009compilationCelebration: The Video Collection.[91]
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"Deeper and Deeper" has been included on three ofMadonna's concert tours:The Girlie Show (1993),Re-Invention (2004), andRebel Heart (2015―2016). On the first one, it was sung after "Express Yourself" (1989); the stage was decked inMylar curtains and glitteringdisco balls.[92] Madonna wore a blondafro wig, 1970's stylehalters, and royal bluebell-bottom pants, a look that, according to Guilbert, was inspired by actressMarlene Dietrich in the 1932 filmBlonde Venus.[93] The performance began with a male member of the audience jumping onstage, trying to dance with a startled Madonna; he then ripped histearaway pants, revealing himself as one of the concert's dancers.[94] On his review of the concert at New York City'sMadison Square Garden,Jon Pareles fromThe New York Times pointed out that the number was part of the "core of the show", which included songs about "freeing desire".[92] The performance recorded on November 19, 1993, at theSydney Cricket Ground, was included onThe Girlie Show: Live Down Underhome video release (1994).[94]
On the Re-Invention World Tour, "Deeper and Deeper" was performed as acabaret-stylelounge number.[95] Madonna wore a circus-themed outfit, consisting of black hot pants, red high heels, headband, and a red and white striped 1920sflapper stylebustier.[96] The staff ofThe Washington Times opined that the singer displayed "vocal nuances we didn’t know she had", while Kevin Naff fromSouthern Voice highlighted the "beautifully reworked" rendition.[97][98] It was sung in its original form on the Rebel Heart Tour;[99] the number featuredline dancing and, on one point, a dancer carried Madonna in apiggyback style, while the backdrop screen showed ajukebox.[100][101]Entertainment Weekly's Melissa Maerz noted that the song was infused with a "pulsing house undercurrent that felt contemporary again".[102] ForPopCrush, Bradley Stern pointed out that during the performance, the singer and dancers "exploded with the same joyous energy of the club delight of the song’s video".[103] The performance of "Deeper and Deeper" at the March 19–20, 2016 shows inSydney'sAllphones Arena was recorded and released on Madonna's fifthlive album,Rebel Heart Tour (2017).[104]
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Credits are adapted from the album's liner notes.[9]
Weekly charts[edit] | Year-end charts[edit]
Decade-end charts[edit]
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| Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
|---|---|---|
| Australia (ARIA)[68] | Gold | 35,000^ |
| United Kingdom | — | 136,854[67] |
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone. | ||
We definitely did that at the end, I've written that song and ...
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