"Justify My Love" is a single released by Madonna in 1990. The song went on to the top of the Billboard Hot 100 chart, becoming Madonna's ninth number one in the United States. Image File history File links Madonna-Justify-My-Love. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ... The Immaculate Collection is the second compilation by pop singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990 by Sire Records. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Like a Prayer track listing Like a Prayer (1) Express Yourself (2) Love Song (3) The Immaculate Collection track listing Like a Prayer (12) Express Yourself (13) Cherish (14) Express Yourself was the second single from Madonnas multi-platinum selling 1989 album Like a Prayer. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... December 10 is the 344th day (345th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian calendar, 21 days before the next year. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc. ... A CD Single is a music single in the form of a compact disc. ... Alternate meanings: Single In music, a single is a short (usually ten minutes or less) record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-sides, often accompanied by several B-sides—usually remixes or other songs. ... A standard audio cassette Cassette may refer to: A small cartridge of some form. ... In music, a single is a short record, usually featuring one or two tracks as A-side, often accompanied by several B-sides, usually remixes or other songs. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Rhythm and blues (also known as R&B or RnB) is a popular music genre combining jazz, gospel, and blues influences, first performed by African American artists. ... This does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Sire Records Company is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. ... Warner Bros. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Leonard Albert Lenny Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger whose retro style incorporates elements of rock, soul, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk, and ballads. ... Chavez, 1991Photo: Paisley Park Records Ingrid Julia Chavez, born 1965 in Atlanta, Georgia, is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... Leonard Albert Lenny Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger whose retro style incorporates elements of rock, soul, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk, and ballads. ... Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has sold a certain number of copies. ... 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. ... // A record chart, also known as a music chart, is a method of ranking music according to popularity during a given period of time. ... The Eurochart Hot 100 is the main European singles popularity chart compiled by Music & Media magazine from March 1984. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ... Hanky Panky was the second and final single released from Madonnas 1990 Im Breathless album. ... The Immaculate Collection track listing Justify My Love (16) Rescue Me (17) Rescue Me is the title of the second international single released from Madonnas first greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection. ... The Immaculate Collection is the second compilation by pop singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990 by Sire Records. ... Vogue is a 1990 number-one hit single by Madonna from her album Im Breathless. ... The Immaculate Collection track listing Justify My Love (16) Rescue Me (17) Rescue Me is the title of the second international single released from Madonnas first greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection. ... Image File history File links JustifyMyLoveSample. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ... Year 1990 (MCMXC) was a common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar). ... The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. ...

Song

"Justify My Love" was written by Lenny Kravitz, Ingrid Chavez and Madonna. Kravitz wrote the song for Madonna, based on a poem written by friend and Prince protégé Chavez. Kravitz added the title hook and chorus. Madonna contributed a few lines. Chavez was not credited for the song and later sued Kravitz in 1992. She received an out-of-court settlement, and gained a co-writing credit.^[1] Leonard Albert Lenny Kravitz (born May 26, 1964) is an American Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger whose retro style incorporates elements of rock, soul, funk, reggae, hard rock, psychedelic, folk, and ballads. ... Chavez, 1991Photo: Paisley Park Records Ingrid Julia Chavez, born 1965 in Atlanta, Georgia, is a Mexican-American poet, vocalist, songwriter and photographer. ... Madonna Louise Ciccone Ritchie (born August 16, 1958), better known as simply Madonna, is a six-time Grammy[1] and one-time Golden Globe award winning American pop singer, songwriter, record and film producer, dancer, actress, author and fashion icon. ... Prince Rogers Nelson (born June 7, 1958 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) is an iconic American musician. ... This page is a candidate to be copied to Wiktionary. ... A hook is a musical idea, a passage or phrase, that is believed to be appealing and make the song stand out; it is meant to catch the ear of the listener (Covach 2005, p. ... A refrain (from the Old French refraindre to repeat, likely from Vulgar Latin refringere) is the line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse; the chorus of a song. ...

Producer Kravitz sampled the intro found on Public Enemy's instrumental, "Security of the First World",^[1] and used it as the basis of the song. The song was unique in that Madonna's vocals are primarily spoken and whispered. This style served as a prelude to her next album Erotica, in which she spoke the lyrics on some of the songs rather than singing them. Kravitz provided sung background vocals. Rumors of a love affair between Kravitz and Madonna sprang up in the press upon the release of the song. Kravitz has denied these rumors. To meet Wikipedias quality standards, this article may require cleanup. ... In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. ... Public Enemy, also known as PE, is a hip hop group from Long Island, New York, known for their politically charged lyrics, criticism of the media, and active interest in the concerns of the African American community. ... It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back is the second full-length album by American hip hop group Public Enemy, released on April 19, 1988 (see 1988 in music) on Def Jam Recordings. ... Erotica is the fifth studio album by pop singer Madonna, released on October 20, 1992 by Maverick Records. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ...

Rapper Ma$e sampled the song on his 1999 album, Double Up, on his song ""Stay Out of My Way". The song was covered by rapper Vita and pop-R&B singer Ashanti for The Fast and the Furious soundtrack in 2001. Rapper Jay-Z's song, "Justify My Thug," from his 2003 album, The Black Album produced by DJ Quik, is a remake of "Justify My Love." Mason Durrell Betha (born August 27, 1978[1] in Jacksonville, Florida),[2] known by stage name Ma$e, is an American rapper, best known as an artist on Sean Diddy Combs hip hop label Bad Boy Records during the late 1990s. ... Double Up is the sophomore album of Harlem rapper Ma$e released in 1999 and distributed by Bad Boy Records. ... LaVita G. Raynor born on September 26, 1981, from Plainfield, New Jersey is an African American female rapper known simply as Vita. She first got a real life look into being a rapper when her older sister, Kima, joined Bad Boy Entertainments R&B trio, Total. ... For popular forms of music in general, see Popular music. ... Rhythm and blues (or R & B) is a musical marketing term introduced in the United States in the late 1940s by Billboard magazine. ... Ashanti Shequoiya Douglas (born October 13, 1980), better known as Ashanti, is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, actress, model and fashion designer who rose to fame in the early 2000s. ... The Fast and the Furious is a 2001 car film starring Paul Walker and Vin Diesel, and directed by Rob Cohen. ... In film formats, the soundtrack is the physical area of the film which records the synchronized sound. ... Jay-Z (aka the Jigga, HOV and Hova, born Shawn Carter on December 4, 1970 in Brooklyn, New York) is an African American rapper/hip hop artist and record label executive; one of the most popular and successful rappers of the late 1990s and early 2000s. ... The Black Album is a 2003 hip hop music album by rapper Jay-Z. It was supposedly his last studio album until Jay-Z announced a return to solo recording in 2006. ... David Martin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known as by his stage name DJ Quik, or as of 2007 simply Quik, is a West Coast rapper and record producer from Compton, California. ...

Music video

Madonna in the black and white "Justify My Love" music video.

Although it was a number one pop hit, "Justify My Love" is perhaps most notable for its controversial music video, directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. The video depicts images of goings-on at a bizarre party in a Parisian hotel. The video featured scenes of partial nudity, homosexuality, mild sadomasochism and other overt sexual situations. The video also featured her then-boyfriend, model and actor Tony Ward. Some of the dancers featured in the video are also dancers from her Blond Ambition Tour. Image File history File links 224. ... Image File history File links 224. ... Jean-Baptiste Mondino (born 1949) is an award-winning French fashion photographer and music video director. ... Flogging demonstration at Folsom Street Fair 2004. ... Photograph of the once famous model Dovima A model is a person who poses or displays for purposes of art, fashion, or other products and advertising. ... Actors in period costume sharing a joke whilst waiting between takes during location filming. ... Born Anthony Borden Ward on June 10, 1963 in Kansas, USA, Tony Ward has achieved both fame and infamy as an international male supermodel, as a porn star and artist and as Madonnas one-time boyfriend and star of her Justify My Love video in 1990. ... The Blond Ambition Tour was a world concert tour by pop singer Madonna. ...

Controversy

The video became one of the first-ever music videos to be banned on MTV. MTV's pass on the video created a furor that made headlines. ABC's Nightline played the video in its entirety and Madonna herself appeared on the program to defend her position and express her views on censorship. In any case, the video itself became a bestselling "video single" when it was released on the VHS-format that year. When Forrest Sawyer pointed out to Madonna that she stood to profit even more from the banning of "Justify My Love", Madonna, in typical fashion, smiled and said, "Well, lucky me!" MTV (Music Television) is an American cable television network based in New York City. ... Nightline is a late-night hard and soft news program broadcast by ABC in the United States, and has a franchised formula to other networks and stations elsewhere in the world. ... Forrest Sawyer on the live debate episode of The West Wing in 2005. ...

The video for "Justify My Love" was also banned from regular rotation on MuchMusic in Canada, although the controversy (as well as the subsequent banning of a video by Mitsou) led MuchMusic to launch a new series, Too Much 4 Much, which played controversial music videos accompanied by panel discussions on their artistic and cultural context. MuchMusic (often referred to only as Much) is a Canadian cable television specialty channel owned by CTVglobemedia dedicated to music and music-related programs. ... Mitsou-Miel Rioux-Gélinas (born September 1, 1970) is a Canadian pop singer, businesswoman, television and radio host, and actress. ... Too Much 4 Much was a Canadian television series, which aired on MuchMusic. ...

In mid-2002, this video was aired in its entirety on MTV2 as part of a special countdown showing the most controversial videos ever to air on MTV. This countdown was only shown late at night because of the graphic imagery of "Justify My Love" and several other videos on the countdown. Despite its controversial nature, the video was at #2 on the countdown (The Prodigy's "Smack My Bitch Up" was #1) MTV2 is a cable network that is widely available in the United States on digital cable and satellite television, and is progressively being added to basic cable lineups across the nation. ... The Prodigy (or just Prodigy)[1] are an English band. ... Smack My Bitch Up was the thirteenth single released by the British electronica/rave/rock band The Prodigy on November 7, 1997. ...

As of early may 2007 the video has been receiving strong airplay on the late night edition of MuchMusic's request show "Punch Much".This is particularly interesting, as the video is still banned in many areas of Canada, where the show is broadcasted from.

Trivia

• This video was ranked #43 on Rolling Stone magazine's "The 100 Top Music Videos".
• This video was ranked #7 on VH1's 100 Greatest Videos and #1 on VH1's 50 Sexiest Video Moments.

This article is about the magazine. ... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks division... VH1 (VH-1: Video Hits One until 1994) is an American cable television channel that was created in January 1985 by Warner-Amex Satellite Entertainment, at the time a division of Warner Communications and owners of MTV. VH1 and sister channel MTV are currently part of the MTV Networks division...

The Beast Within

"The Beast Within" is a remix of the song, "Justify My Love", released as a B-side to that single. The remix uses only the chorus and certain lines of the original song, with the verses being replaced by passages from the Book of Revelation from the Bible. The song first garnered media attention early in 1991 when the Simon Wiesenthal Center accused the song of containing anti-semitic lyrics. Madonna denied the accusations, explaining that the song was about love, not hatred. A remix is an alternative version of a song, different from the original version. ... In recorded music, the terms A-side and B-side refer to the two sides of 7 inch vinyl records on which singles have been released since the 1950s. ... Visions of John of Patmos, as depicted in the Très Riches Heures du Duc de Berry. ... This Gutenberg Bible is displayed by the United States Library. ... The Simon Wiesenthal Center The Simon Wiesenthal Center is an international Jewish organization that declares itself to be a human rights group dedicated to preserving the memory of the Holocaust by fostering tolerance and understanding through community involvement, educational outreach and social action. ... Antisemitism (alternatively spelled anti-semitism or anti-Semitism) is discrimination, hostility or prejudice directed at Jews[1] as a religious, racial, or ethnic group. ...

'"The Beast Within" was showcased as a dancers' interlude during Madonna's 1993 tour, The Girlie Show Tour. It was used again as the video introduction to the 2004 The Re-Invention Tour, and played amongst apocalyptic imagery of Madonna on video screens, prior to her appearing on stage. It was subsequently included on the 2006 live album, I'm Going to Tell You a Secret. This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Re-Invention Tour was a seven-country concert tour by Madonna starting in May 2004 which featured music from the beginning of her career to her 2003 album American Life. ... Look up Apocalypse in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... Im Going to Tell You a Secret is Madonnas first ever live album. ...

Track listings

US cassette and 7"

1. "Justify My Love" (album version)
2. "Express Yourself (1990)" (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-remix)

US CD single

1. Album Version 5:00
2. Orbit 12" Mix 7:19+
3. Hip Hop Mix 6:35
4. "The Beast Within" 6:13
5. "Express Yourself" (Shep's Spressin' Himself Remix) 9:33
6. "Justify My Love" (Q-Sound Mix)

+ = Madonna performs this version of the song on her 1993 Girlie Show Tour. William Orbit ( born on 15 December 1956 as William Mark Wainwright in Shoreditch, Hackney) is an English musician and record producer, perhaps best known to most for his work on Madonnas album Ray of Light, which received four Grammy Awards. ... Express Yourself was the second single from Madonnas multi-platinum selling 1989 album Like a Prayer. ... Shep Pettibone is a record producer, remixer, songwriter and club DJ, one of the most prolific of the 1980s. ... QSound is a sound enhancement system from QSound Labs to create 3D audio effects from a stereo source. ...

Notes and references

is the 67th day of the year (68th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays full 2006 calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 222nd day of the year (223rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ...

See also

• Sex, a 1992 nude photography volume by Madonna