Vogue

"Vogue" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless (Music from and Inspired by the film Dick Tracy) and was released on March 20, 1990, by Sire Records. Madonna was inspired by vogue dancers and choreographers Jose and Luis Xtravaganza from the Harlem "House Ball" community, the origin of the dance Vogue, and they introduced "Vogueing" to her at the New York City club "Sound Factory". Jose Xtravaganza is featured in the Historic Art Documentary How Do I Look, directed by Wolfgang Busch. The song also appears on the 1990 greatest hits compilation The Immaculate Collection and Madonna's third greatest hits album, Celebration. "Vogue" is an upbeat dance-pop and house song. Noted to contain influences of deep house, it is a contemporary track which followed the trends of dance music in the 1990s; nevertheless, it has strong influences of 1970s disco within its composition. The song also contains a spoken section, in which the singer namechecks various golden era Hollywood celebrities. Lyrically, the song is about enjoying oneself on the dance floor no matter who one is, and it contains a theme of escapism. Critically, "Vogue" has been met with appreciation ever since its release; reviewers have praised its anthemic nature, calling it a funky and catchy song, and listed it as one of the singer's musical highlights. Critics also noticed that the song, which bears strong resemblances to classic disco music, was still successful despite the genre's commercial death several years before. The song also won several music awards. Commercially, the song remains one of Madonna's biggest international hits, topping the charts in over 30 countries, including Australia, Canada, Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States. It became the world's best-selling single of 1990, selling over six million copies. After its release, "Vogue" reached number one in over 30 countries worldwide, becoming Madonna's biggest hit at that time. It was also the best-selling single of 1990 with sales of more than two million, and has sold more than six million copies worldwide to date. In the U.S., massive airplay and sales demand in response to the popular music video in April 1990 made way for "Vogue"'s number 39 debut in the week of April 14. The song shot to number one on the Billboard Hot 100 in its sixth week on the chart, displacing Sinéad O'Connor's four-week run in the top spot with "Nothing Compares 2 U". The song also reached number one on the Hot Dance Club Play chart, remaining there for two weeks. On June 28, 1990, "Vogue" was certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of two million copies of the physical single across United States. The song also peaked at number 1 on the Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs and at number 16 on the Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks. To date, it remains Madonna's best-selling physical single in the country. After digital sales began in 2005, has sold additional 311,000 digital downloads, according to Nielsen SoundScan. "Vogue" was also a huge success in Europe by topping the Eurochart Hot 100 Singles chart for eight consecutive weeks. In the United Kingdom, the song knocked Snap!'s "The Power" off the number one slot and stayed there for four weeks, continuing a trend of club/pop crossovers going to number one. It was helped in the UK by multi-formatting. As well as the 7, 12, CD and cassette singles, the label released four limited editions: 12 with Face of the 80s poster, 12 with 'X-rated poster and an extra remix on the b-side, 7 picture disc and 12 picture disc. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 505,000 copies there and is her 11th biggest selling single in the UK.[14] Released as a double A-side to "Keep It Together", "Vogue" also topped Australian Kent Music Report chart for five weeks running. The success of "Vogue" boosted the sales of the album I'm Breathless, and combined with Madonna's Blond Ambition Tour, generated massive publicity for the movie Dick Tracy. The music video for "Vogue", directed by David Fincher, showed Madonna paying homage to numerous golden era Hollywood actresses. Shot in black-and-white, the video takes stylistic inspiration from the 1920s and 30s; in it, Madonna and her dancers can be seen voguing different choreographed scenes. Critics noted the way in which Madonna used her postmodern influence to expose an underground subcultural movement to the masses. The video has been ranked as one of the greatest of all times in different critic lists and polls, and won three awards at the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards out of a total of nine nominations. Madonna has performed the song in five of her tours, as well as the 1990 MTV Video Music Awards and at her performance during the half-time show of Super Bowl XLVI. The song has also been covered numerous times by different artists, such as The Chipettes in their album Club Chipmunk: The Dance Mixes; it also featured on the soundtrack of The Devil Wears Prada, as well as in "The Power of Madonna" episode of Fox TV show Glee. Writers and critics have noted the video and the song's influence in bringing an underground subculture into mainstream popular culture through the postmodern nature of her power and influence, as well as the way in which it followed a new trend in which dance music enjoyed widespread popularity. The song, which has been included in several critic lists as one of the greatest of the decade, as well as its accompanying video, have been attributed as bringing voguing as well as house music mainstream, with the former becoming one of the decade's major dance crazes. According to the Vogue Songfacts, Madonna's best friend Debi Mazar first noticed the Vogue craze while they were out clubbing. She was fascinated by the way these men would "Strike a pose" while holding their bodies in strange positions. Madonna took the idea to the New York producer Shep Pettibone, who she had recently begun working with, and they wrote the song together.

[Produced by Shep Pettibone and Madonna] [Intro] Strike a pose Strike a pose Vogue (vogue, vogue) Vogue (vogue, vogue) [Verse 1] Look around, everywhere you turn is heartache It's everywhere that you go (look around) You try everything you can to escape The pain of life that you know (life that you know) When all else fails and you long to be Something better than you are today I know a place where you can get away It's called a dance floor, and here's what it's for, so [Chorus] Come on, vogue Let your body move to the music (move to the music) Hey, hey, hey Come on, vogue Let your body go with the flow (go with the flow) You know you can do it [Verse 2] All you need is your own imagination So use it that's what it's for (that's what it's for) Go inside, for your finest inspiration Your dreams will open the door (open up the door) It makes no difference if you're black or white If you're a boy or a girl If the music's pumping it will give you life You're a superstar, yes, that's what you are, you know it [Chorus] Come on, vogue Let your body groove to the music (groove to the music) Hey, hey, hey Come on, vogue Let your body go with the flow (go with the flow) You know you can do it [Bridge] Beauty's where you find it Not just where you bump and grind it Soul is in the musical That's where I feel so beautiful Magical, life's a ball So get up on the dance floor [Chorus] Come on, vogue Let your body move to the music (move to the music) Hey, hey, hey Come on, vogue Let your body go with the flow (go with the flow) You know you can do it [Refrain] Vogue, (Vogue) Beauty's where you find it (move to the music) Vogue, (Vogue) Beauty's where you find it (go with the flow) [Verse 3] Greta Garbo, and Monroe Dietrich and DiMaggio Marlon Brando, Jimmy Dean On the cover of a magazine Grace Kelly, Harlow, Jean Picture of a beauty queen Gene Kelly, Fred Astaire Ginger Rogers dance on air, They had style, they had grace Rita Hayworth gave good face Lauren, Katharine, Lana too Bette Davis, we love you Ladies with an attitude Fellas that were in the mood Don't just stand there, let's get to it Strike a pose, there's nothing to it [Refrain] Vogue, vogue Vogue, vogue (Move to the music) Vogue, vogue Vogue, vogue (Go with the flow) [Outro] Oooh, you've got to Let your body move to the music Oooh, you've got to just Let your body go with the flow Oooh, you've got to just Vogue