Justify My Love
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"Justify My Love" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first
greatest hits album A greatest hits album or best-of album is a type of compilation album that collects popular and commercially successful songs by a particular artist or band. While greatest hits albums are typically supported by the artist, they can also be creat ...
''
The Immaculate Collection ''The Immaculate Collection'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990, by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s, as well as two brand new tracks, ...
'' (1990). It was released on November 6, 1990, by
Sire Records Sire Records (formerly Sire Records Company) is an American record label owned by Warner Music Group and distributed by Warner Records. History Beginnings The label was founded in 1966 as Sire Productions by Seymour Stein and Richard Gottehre ...
as the
lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...
from ''The Immaculate Collection''. The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and
Ingrid Chavez Ingrid Julia Chavez (born 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, actress, and visual artist. Early life Chavez was born on January 21, 1965, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Marietta, Georgia. She is of Mexican-American descent. ...
, with additional lyrics by Madonna. Chavez was not credited on the song, which led to a lawsuit against Kravitz. Chavez settled out-of-court, the terms of which included a songwriting credit. Madonna's vocals are primarily spoken and whispered, but almost never sung, a style that she later employed on her following studio album ''
Erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use ...
'' (1992). Musically, "Justify My Love" is a house song with mid-
tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
settings and instrumentation. The lyrics of the song are primarily about
sex Sex is the trait that determines whether a sexually reproducing animal or plant produces male or female gametes. Male plants and animals produce smaller mobile gametes (spermatozoa, sperm, pollen), while females produce larger ones ( ova, of ...
and
romance Romance (from Vulgar Latin , "in the Roman language", i.e., "Latin") may refer to: Common meanings * Romance (love), emotional attraction towards another person and the courtship behaviors undertaken to express the feelings * Romance languages, ...
. "Justify My Love" received mixed reviews from older critics but was appreciated by many contemporary critics, who noted it as one of Madonna's best songs to date. The song became Madonna's ninth number-one single on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100, peaking at number one in Canada and Finland, while reaching the top-five on several countries including, the United Kingdom, Australia, Italy, Netherlands and Switzerland. The accompanying
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
portrayed Madonna as a woman walking in a hotel hallway, looking distressed and tired from work, until being seduced into having sex with a mysterious man and woman. It caused controversy worldwide, due to its explicit sexual images, and was subsequently banned from MTV and other TV networks. The video, which contained imagery of sadomasochism,
voyeurism Voyeurism is the sexual interest in or practice of watching other people engaged in intimate behaviors, such as undressing, sexual activity, or other actions of a private nature. The term comes from the French ''voir'' which means "to see". ...
and bisexuality, made its US television debut December 3, 1990, on
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
during its late-night news program '' Nightline''. Commercially, the accompanying video was released as a
video single A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
and marked the first time an artist released this format in the United States. It became the first-ever short-form clip to be certified multiplatinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and remains the best-selling video single of all-time with about 800,000 to 1 million copies sold. The song was part of the setlist of three of her
concert A concert is a live music performance in front of an audience. The performance may be by a single musician, sometimes then called a recital, or by a musical ensemble, such as an orchestra, choir, or band. Concerts are held in a wide variet ...
tours, the most recent being
The MDNA Tour The MDNA Tour was the ninth concert tour by American singer Madonna, launched in support of her twelfth studio album, '' MDNA'' (2012). Comprising 88 shows, the tour began on May 31, 2012, in Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan Stadium and concluded in Cór ...
in 2012. In 2003, ''
Q Magazine ''Q'' was a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom. It was founded in 1986 by broadcast journalists Mark Ellen and David Hepworth, who were presenters of the BBC television music series '' The Old Grey Whistle Test''. ...
'' ranked "Justify My Love" at number 842 in their list of the "1001 Best Songs Ever".


Background

"Justify My Love" was originally written and recorded by
Ingrid Chavez Ingrid Julia Chavez (born 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, actress, and visual artist. Early life Chavez was born on January 21, 1965, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Marietta, Georgia. She is of Mexican-American descent. ...
,
Prince A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. T ...
's protégé and friend, and Lenny Kravitz: he and producer André Betts composed the music while Chavez penned the lyrics based on a poem she had written for Kravitz, and read them aloud. Kravitz added the title
hook A hook is a tool consisting of a length of material, typically metal, that contains a portion that is curved or indented, such that it can be used to grab onto, connect, or otherwise attach itself onto another object. In a number of uses, one e ...
and
chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song) or refrain, line or lines that are repeated in music or in verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in which all verse ...
to the demo while Madonna corrected one line. 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 for her work. When the lawsuit was settled, Chavez's attorney Steven E. Kurtz clarified that Madonna's additional writing credit was not questioned in the lawsuit. The song was released on November 6, 1990, three days before the release of ''
The Immaculate Collection ''The Immaculate Collection'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990, by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s, as well as two brand new tracks, ...
''. Producer Kravitz used the drums found on
Public Enemy "Public enemy" is a term which was first widely used in the United States in the 1930s to describe individuals whose activities were seen as criminal and extremely damaging to society, though the phrase had been used for centuries to describe ...
's instrumental, " Security of the First World",Thomas, Lindsey. (March 8, 2006
"She Bop"
. ''City Pages''.
without consent, which was in turn based on the end drum break of James Brown's "
Funky Drummer "Funky Drummer" is a single released by James Brown in 1970. Its drum break, improvised by Clyde Stubblefield, is one of the most frequently sampled music recordings. Recording and composition "Funky Drummer" was recorded on November 20, 196 ...
", and used it as the basis of the song. The song was unusual in that Madonna's vocals are primarily spoken and whispered, but almost never sung. This style served as a prelude to her next album ''
Erotica Erotica is literature or art that deals substantively with subject matter that is erotic, sexually stimulating or sexually arousing. Some critics regard pornography as a type of erotica, but many consider it to be different. Erotic art may use ...
'', in which she spoke the lyrics on some of the songs rather than singing them. Kravitz and Madonna provided
background vocals A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...
. Chavez' had previously provided the "spoken intro" to Prince's 1988 song "
Eye No ''Lovesexy'' is the tenth studio album by American recording artist Prince. The album was released on May 10, 1988 by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album was recorded in just seven weeks, from mid-December 1987 to late Janu ...
", and Chavez' vocal style on her 1991 debut album has been described as "breathy spoken passages".


Composition

Composed as a midtempo song, "Justify My Love" is a house song. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by
Alfred Publishing Alfred may refer to: Arts and entertainment *'' Alfred J. Kwak'', Dutch-German-Japanese anime television series * ''Alfred'' (Arne opera), a 1740 masque by Thomas Arne * ''Alfred'' (Dvořák), an 1870 opera by Antonín Dvořák *"Alfred (Interl ...
, the song is set in
common time The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note val ...
, with a
tempo In musical terminology, tempo ( Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (ofte ...
of 100
beats per minute Beat, beats or beating may refer to: Common uses * Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area ** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols ** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men * Battery ...
. It is composed in the key of
B minor B minor is a minor scale based on B, consisting of the pitches B, C, D, E, F, G, and A. Its key signature has two sharps. Its relative major is D major and its parallel major is B major. The B natural minor scale is: : Changes need ...
with Madonna's voice ranging from the tonal nodes of A4 to D5. According to Jim Farber from ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'', he described the song's musical beat and Madonna's vocals as "vague, tuneless phrases chanted in Madonna's most breathless voice over a minimal house groove — serves mainly to justify the visuals."By Jim Farber , Dec 14, 199
It's Bad. But Is It Good?
''Entertainment Weekly''.
In a review for ''The Immaculate Collection'', David Browne said that she introduced an "adult" pop. The song features "heavy breathing with a backbeat." Robert Christgau had compared the song composition to the songs on Madonna's ''Erotica'' album. Bill Lamb from ''
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
'' said the song is "quite powerful and enthralling in its dreamy, beat heavy celebration of carnal coupling."


Remixes

Madonna and Lenny Kravitz remixed the song and named it "The Beast Within". It was included on the 12" vinyl and CD maxi-single release in North America. 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 The Book of Revelation is the final book of the New Testament (and consequently the final book of the Christian Bible). Its title is derived from the first word of the Koine Greek text: , meaning "unveiling" or "revelation". The Book of ...
. Subsequent live concert performances have simply billed the song as "The Beast Within", a song in its own right, it is now no longer referred to as a remix. The song first garnered media attention early in 1991 when the
Simon Wiesenthal Center The Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) is a Jewish human rights organization established in 1977 by Rabbi Marvin Hier. The center is known for Holocaust research and remembrance, hunting Nazi war criminals, combating anti-Semitism, tolerance educat ...
accused the song of containing anti-semitic lyrics; specifically the lyric "those who say that they are
Jews Jews ( he, יְהוּדִים, , ) or Jewish people are an ethnoreligious group and nation originating from the Israelites Israelite origins and kingdom: "The first act in the long drama of Jewish history is the age of the Israelites""The ...
, but they are not. They are a
Synagogue of Satan In the letters to the early Christian churches of Smyrna and Philadelphia in Revelation 2:9 and 3:9, reference is made to a synagogue of Satan ( gr, συναγωγή τοῦ Σατανᾶ, ''synagoge tou satana''), in each case referring to a g ...
". In 2009 singer Beth Orton discussed assisting
William Orbit William Mark Wainwright (born 15 December 1956),"William Orbit." ''Contemporary Musicians''. Vol. 30. Farmington Hills, MI: Gale, 2000. Retrieved via ''Biography in Context'' database, 7 May 2017. Available onlinvia ''Encyclopedia.com'' known ...
on his remix of the song: “I started working with him on projects, just helping him. I'd come in and listen to mixes of Madonna and go 'Ah, I think you should bring this up or put that down', how funny is that? 'Justify My Love' it was. I love that song and every time I hear it, it takes me back to that time. It was a strange time because my mum had just died and I was putting her clothes in black bin liners and then going round to William's and listening to 'Justify My Love' and having opinions on it.”


Critical reception

"Justify My Love" received acclaim from many music critics. In a separate review from
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databa ...
, they gave the song four-and-a-half stars out of five, stating " ustify My Lovestands as one of the best of Madonna's long history of well-packaged maxi-singles, and further helped set a precedent for the maxi-single market." Larry Flick from '' Billboard'' commented that "her steamy collaboration" with Lenny Kravitz "has the juice to become the '90s equivalent" of Donna Summer's " Love to Love You Baby". He noted that "the chameleonlike singer writhes and whispers on top of a sparse, hypnotic hip-hop beat that strays miles away from the chirpy pop of her past. Break a sweat." In a review from ''
Entertainment Weekly ''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cu ...
'' by David Browne, he gave it a positive remark saying that people who have a "hoo-haa" surrounding the banning of the single "underestimate her". '' Music & Media'' commented, "The unlikely collaboration of Madonna and Lenny Kravitz is a marriage made in heaven. Kravitz brought that beat back, while Madonna's sultry moans would make the Pope faint with certain desires. Atmospheric, yet brutal in an unconventional manner, this record whispers the word SEX very loudly and very convincingly. Most of all, it's a gutsy product." ''
Music Week ''Music Week'' is a trade publication for the UK record industry distributed via a website and a monthly print magazine. It is published by Future. History Founded in 1959 as '' Record Retailer'', it relaunched on 18 March 1972 as ''Music W ...
'' called it a "mumbling sexy judderer". ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'' said that the song and contemporaneous Rescue Me were "worthy sensual newies". While reviewing ''Celebration'', Bill Lamb from ''
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
'' said "Songs such as "Justify My Love" that sounded a little over-indulgent when first released have worn very well over time." Alexandra Capotorto from PopCrush.com said "'Justify My Love' is perfectly constructed lovemaking music. While this track might be oozing sex, it's the NSFW music video that caused the most drama ..


Chart performance

In the United States, "Justify My Love" debuted at number 46 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 singles chart, on the issue dated November 17, 1990. Eight weeks later it reached number one, staying there for two weeks. It also topped ''Billboard''s Hot Dance Club Songs, and peaked at number 42 on the
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs The Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart ranks the most popular R&B and hip hop songs in the United States and is published weekly by '' Billboard''. Rankings are based on a measure of radio airplay, sales data, and streaming activity. The chart had 100 ...
component charts. On February 22, 1991, the song was certified Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for sales of over a million units. As of December 2020, "Justify My Love" has sold 5 million copies in United States. In 1991, "Justify My Love" ranked at number 21 on the year-end ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart. It was also successful in Canada, where it topped the charts on the week dated February 2, 1991. The song eventually received a Gold certification by Music Canada (MC) for shipments of 50,000 copies. In Oceania, the song debuted at number 14 on the
ARIA Charts The ARIA Charts are the main Australian music sales charts, issued weekly by the Australian Recording Industry Association. The charts are a record of the highest selling songs and albums in various genres in Australia. ARIA became the offic ...
, eventually peaking at number four. It was certified Gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA). In New Zealand, the song debuted at number 22, and peaked at number five for two consecutive weeks. In the United Kingdom, the song debuted at number nine on December 2, 1990, and reached number two a week later. It was also certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with ...
(BPI). As of August 2017, the song had sold 275,500 copies in the United Kingdom and was Madonna's 23rd best selling single in the region. The song also achieved success in other parts of Europe. In Austria, "Justify My Love" debuted at number 21 on the week of January 13, 1991, before peaking at number nine within a month. On December 17, 1990, the song debuted at number 50 in Germany, eventually peaking at number ten for two weeks. The song debuted at number 16 in Sweden, eventually peaking at number eight for one week. In Switzerland it experienced more success, debuting at number 12 on January 13, 1991, and peaking at number three for two weeks. "Justify My Love" also reached number three on the European Hot 100 Singles chart, on the issue dated January 12, 1991.


Music video


Background

The
music video A music video is a video of variable duration, that integrates a music song or a music album with imagery that is produced for promotional or musical artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a music marketing device ...
for "Justify My Love" was directed in Paris on November 9, 1990, by
Jean-Baptiste Mondino Jean-Baptiste Mondino (born Aubervilliers, France on 21 July 1949) is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Don Henley, Neneh Cherry, Axel Bauer and Les Rita ...
, who had also worked with Madonna in her video for " Open Your Heart". It features Madonna's then-boyfriend,
model A model is an informative representation of an object, person or system. The term originally denoted the plans of a building in late 16th-century English, and derived via French and Italian ultimately from Latin ''modulus'', a measure. Models c ...
and actor Tony Ward. Some of the dancers featured in the video were also dancers from her
Blond Ambition World Tour The Blond Ambition World Tour (billed as Blond Ambition World Tour 90) was the third concert tour by American singer Madonna. It supported her fourth studio album '' Like a Prayer'' (1989), and the soundtrack album to the 1990 film ''Dick Tracy ...
. It is a tribute to Jeanne Moreau of ''
La Baie des Anges ''Bay of Angels'' (french: La baie des anges) is a 1963 French film directed by Jacques Demy. Starring Jeanne Moreau and Claude Mann, it is Demy's second film and deals with the subject of gambling. Costumes by Pierre Cardin. Plot Jean is ...
''. In 2013, she declared it her favorite music video.


Synopsis

The video was filmed in grainy black and white in the style of a 1960s European art film. There are also several shadowy film-noir elements such as characters seen only in silhouette. The action takes place in an elegant hotel that apparently caters to alternate lifestyle couples. Madonna (or the character she's playing) enters looking tired and distressed as she walks down the hallway toward her room. There she has a romantic fling with a mysterious man (played by Tony Ward). Some of the doors to the other rooms are ajar and we catch glimpses of various couples cavorting in
BDSM BDSM is a variety of often erotic practices or roleplaying involving bondage, discipline, dominance and submission, sadomasochism, and other related interpersonal dynamics. Given the wide range of practices, some of which may be engaged ...
fetish outfits (leather, PVC T-shirts, latex underwear, and corsets). In a dream-like sequence, Madonna rolls around in bed wearing skimpy lace underwear and a garter belt and stockings while various figures come and go. The entire nudity (which led to the video being banned) occurs when a topless
dominatrix A dominatrix (; ) or femdom is a woman who takes the dominant role in BDSM activities. A dominatrix can be of any sexual orientation, but this does not necessarily limit the genders of her submissive partners. Dominatrices are known for infli ...
-type woman, played by model Wallis Franken—suspenders partly covering her breasts—appears and roughly grabs a bound man (the same man who is with Madonna) by the hair. Her outfit, which includes a peaked leather hat and black gloves, copies the ensemble worn by Charlotte Rampling in the controversial film ''
The Night Porter ''The Night Porter'' ( it, Il portiere di notte) is a 1974 English-language Italian erotic psychological war drama film. Directed and co-written by Liliana Cavani, the film stars Dirk Bogarde and Charlotte Rampling, with Philippe Leroy, Gabriel ...
''. (Both the film and the video share elements of sadomasochism.) The theme of
androgyny Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics. Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression. When ''androgyny'' refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in ...
is also briefly alluded to when a woman who closely resembles Madonna's lover is seen in men's clothing with a drawn-on pencil mustache. The overall presentation is surreal and deliberately ambiguous. The retinue of strange characters may be real or simply fantasies from Madonna's imagination. In the end, a rejuvenated Madonna rushes out of the hotel room smiling and laughing.


Controversy and ban

The video was deemed too sexually explicit for MTV and was banned from the network. Madonna responded to the banning: "Why is it that people are willing to go and watch a movie about someone getting blown to bits for no reason at all, and nobody wants to see two girls kissing and two men snuggling?" On December 3, 1990, ABC's '' Nightline'' played the video in its entirety, then
Forrest Sawyer Forrest Sawyer (born April 19, 1949) is an American broadcast journalist. Sawyer worked 11 years with ABC News, where he frequently anchored ''ABC World News Tonight'' and ''Nightline'' and reported for all ABC News broadcasts. He anchored the new ...
interviewed Madonna live about the video's sexual content and censorship. She accused MTV of double standards regarding censorship, expressing that she did not understand why they banned the video yet allowed videos that contained violence and degradation to women to continue receiving regular airplay. She also stated that the controversy surrounding the video was not planned and after MTV rejected it, she then decided to release the video on VHS. The video for "Justify My Love" was banned also from regular rotation on MuchMusic in Canada, although the controversy (as well as the subsequent banning of a video by
Mitsou Mitsou Annie Marie Gélinas (born September 1, 1970, in Loretteville, Quebec) is a Canadian pop singer, businesswoman, television and radio host, and actress. She is credited as Mitsou Gélinas when acting, but records simply as Mitsou (the Fre ...
) led MuchMusic to launch a new series, ''
Too Much 4 Much ''Too Much 4 Much'' is a Canadian television series, which aired on MuchMusic. The series, which aired at 12:00am Eastern time,"New Much boss will tackle issues". ''Montreal Gazette'', February 27, 1993. played controversial videos which had, for ...
'', which played controversial music videos accompanied by panel discussions on their artistic and cultural context."MuchMusic to play two racy videos only once". ''
Ottawa Citizen The ''Ottawa Citizen'' is an English-language daily newspaper owned by Postmedia Network in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. History Established as ''The Bytown Packet'' in 1845 by William Harris, it was renamed the ''Citizen'' in 1851. The new ...
'', April 26, 1991.
In 2002, the 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 shown only late at night because of the graphic imagery of "Justify My Love" and several other videos on the countdown. Although many complaints were received, the video was played without restriction on the
Australian Broadcasting Corporation The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) is the national broadcaster of Australia. It is principally funded by direct grants from the Australian Government and is administered by a government-appointed board. The ABC is a publicly-own ...
's popular music video show '' Rage''; as, being a public broadcaster, the ABC is not bound to follow classification guidelines.


Release

"Justify My Love" was the first VHS video single to be released by Madonna. This was the first time an artist had released a single in this format in the U.S. (Queen released "Who Wants To Live Forever" as a Video Single in the U.K. four years earlier). It was described as a move unprecedented in the video industry. The retail price for the video single was $9.98. Label executives and retailers interviewed by ''Billboard'' agreed that she has been the exception rather than the rule for music video sales. For instance, "Ray of Light" another Madonna's video single was sold at $5.98 in 1998, when a typical video single price were between $3.49 and $3.98. Released on VHS only, the packaging in North America was a plain black slip cover with a sticker around it, so that it resembled a "seedy video". In Europe, it was given the full cover artwork treatment, and they also included a bonus video of Madonna's performance of "
Vogue Vogue may refer to: Business * ''Vogue'' (magazine), a US fashion magazine ** British ''Vogue'', a British fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Arabia'', an Arab fashion magazine ** ''Vogue Australia'', an Australian fashion magazine ** ''Vogue China'', ...
" at the 1990 MTV Music Video Awards. In the UK, the video was given an "18" certificate by the
BBFC The British Board of Film Classification (BBFC, previously the British Board of Film Censors) is a non-governmental organisation founded by the British film industry in 1912 and responsible for the national classification and censorship of fi ...
, meaning no one under that age could legally buy or see the release. The music video was released on
DVD The DVD (common abbreviation for Digital Video Disc or Digital Versatile Disc) is a digital optical disc data storage format. It was invented and developed in 1995 and first released on November 1, 1996, in Japan. The medium can store any kind ...
for the first time on the greatest hits package '' Celebration: The Video Collection'' in 2009. This version of the video was censored with black bars in a scene that contains female nudity. In Australia, the video was rated "M" and in New Zealand, the video was rated "R16" for sex scenes.


Critical reception

Writing for ''
Sounds In physics, sound is a vibration that propagates as an acoustic wave, through a transmission medium such as a gas, liquid or solid. In human physiology and psychology, sound is the ''reception'' of such waves and their ''perception'' by the ...
'', Kathy Ball commented about the video that "Justify My Love'' "is art, junk, provocation and a marketing coup. But it's still only a pop video when all the shouting's over".


Commercial performance

Commercially, the video peaked at number two on the ''Billboards Top Music Videos Chart for two weeks and spent 39 weeks in the chart overall. It also become the first video single to reach the top of the ''
RPM Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines. Standards ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
''s Long Form Music Videos Chart in Canada. Despite the high price, American music stores reported record-breaking sales of the video within days of its release. On top of this, according to biographer Nicole Claro, the video sold so quickly that within days of its release, stores were already ordering more. Two months later its release, in February 1991, the video single became the first-ever short-form clip to be certified multiplatinum for sales of more than 400,000 copies in the US. Later, next month in April 1991, the video achieved sales of 500,000 units; it was highlighted as a hit because an average video sold fewer than 50,000 units. After its release the VHS single sold about 800,000 units to one million copies in the United States, and become the best-selling video single of all-time. In Canada, the video sold 20,000 copies in its first-week. In Italy, "Justify My Love" sold 7,000 units as of March 1991. In Japan, the video scanned sales of over 14,000 copies. In Australia, the video was certified gold by the
Australian Recording Industry Association The Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) is a trade association representing the Australian recording industry which was established in the 1970s by six major record companies, EMI, Festival, CBS, RCA, WEA and Universal replacing ...
(ARIA) for shiptments of 7,500 units.


Usage in media

On May 11, 1991, Madonna made a guest appearance on ''
Saturday Night Live ''Saturday Night Live'' (often abbreviated to ''SNL'') is an American late-night live television sketch comedy and variety show created by Lorne Michaels and developed by Dick Ebersol that airs on NBC and Peacock (streaming service), Peacock. ...
'' on the recurring sketch ''
Wayne's World "Wayne's World" was originally a recurring sketch from the NBC television series ''Saturday Night Live''. It evolved from a segment titled "Wayne's Power Minute" (1987) on the CBC Television series '' It's Only Rock & Roll'', as the main characte ...
''; it spoofed the song's music video as well as her documentary '' Madonna: Truth or Dare''. It consisted on Wayne (
Mike Myers Michael John Myers OC (born May 25, 1963) is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and producer. His accolades include seven MTV Awards, a Primetime Emmy Award, and a Screen Actors Guild Award. In 2002, he was awarded a star on the Hollywoo ...
) and Garth (
Dana Carvey Dana Thomas Carvey (born June 2, 1955) is an American stand-up comedian, actor, impressionist, screenwriter, and producer. He is best known for his seven seasons as a cast member on ''Saturday Night Live'' from 1986 to 1993, which earned him fiv ...
) encountering a seductive Madonna lying on a bed in a hotel room during a fantasy dream sequence, filmed in black and white. After some back-and-forth banter, Wayne and Madonna play Truth or Dare. Wayne begins by saying "truth". Madonna then asks "Have you ever made love with two women at the same time?" Wayne answers "Uh... yes!" to which Madonna says "Okay, I believe you ... Not!" Wayne then dares Madonna to make out with him. As they kiss, the music for "Justify My Love" begins playing. Garth is then seen dancing in a parody of the video before being abducted by two women in fetish-wear outfits.


Live performances

Madonna performed the song twice during
The Girlie Show World Tour The Girlie Show was the fourth concert tour by American singer and songwriter Madonna, in support of her fifth studio album, '' Erotica'' (1992). In October 1992, Madonna simultaneously released ''Erotica'' and the coffee table book ''Sex''. Th ...
in 1993, the original version and also the "Beast Within remix". The latter was used as a dancers interlude during the show. The "remix" was again used as the video introduction to the 2004
Re-Invention World Tour The Re-Invention World Tour (billed as Re-Invention World Tour 2004) was the sixth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna, in support of her ninth studio album ''American Life'' (2003). The tour began on May 24, 2004, in Inglewood a ...
, including imagery of Madonna from the exhibition '' X-STaTIC Pro=CeSS'', prior to her appearing on stage. It was subsequently included on the 2006 live album, ''
I'm Going to Tell You a Secret ''I'm Going to Tell You a Secret'' is a 2005 American documentary film that follows singer Madonna on her 2004 Re-Invention World Tour. Directed by Jonas Åkerlund, the film premiered on MTV on October 21, 2005, and was released on DVD on Jun ...
''. This new version omits the controversial lyrics which caused the 1991 accusations. The song was remixed again by
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and used on
The MDNA Tour The MDNA Tour was the ninth concert tour by American singer Madonna, launched in support of her twelfth studio album, '' MDNA'' (2012). Comprising 88 shows, the tour began on May 31, 2012, in Tel Aviv's Ramat Gan Stadium and concluded in Cór ...
as a video interlude. The black-and-white backdrop video, directed by
Tom Munro Tom Munro (born 20 October 1964, England) is a British fashion, beauty and celebrity photographer based in London. His photography has been seen in editorial features and covers of many international magazines, such as ''Harpers Bazaar'', '' V magaz ...
, features Madonna being chased by people in carnival masks and locks herself in a room to indulge into her fantasies, while the masked followers search for her. The video is said to be a metaphor for everybody trying to take advantage of her, judge her or exploit her private life, and the interlude is her expression of escaping the judgement. Samples of the song were also used during the SEX video/performance interlude on the
Rebel Heart Tour The Rebel Heart Tour was the tenth concert tour by American singer Madonna, staged in support of her thirteenth studio album, ''Rebel Heart'' (2015). Comprising 82 shows, the tour visited North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It began on S ...
.


Legacy

"Justify My Love" has remained one of Madonna's most controversial singles to date. As a result of all the controversy, the single was released as a video-single and went on to become the highest selling video single of all time, eventually becoming certified four-times Platinum by the RIAA. In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all time by ''Q'' magazine. "Justify My Love" was allocated the number 12 spot. Bill Lamb from
About.com Dotdash Meredith (formerly About.com) is an American digital media company based in New York City. The company publishes online articles and videos about various subjects across categories including health, home, food, finance, tech, beauty, ...
had listed the song at number 21 on his "The Biggest Madonna Songs". He also made a list entitled "Top 10 Madonna Music Videos", where it ended up at number four. PopCrush.com had listed the song at number one on their "Top 10 Sex Songs". In 2016, ''Rolling Stone'' ranked the song number 17 on its list of the 50 greatest Madonna songs. '' Billboard'' had listed the song at number five on their Madonna's 40 Biggest Billboard Hits, while in 2022 they named it the 48th best love song of all time.


Cover versions and samples

* The 1999 compilation ''Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 1'' features a cover by
Front Line Assembly Front Line Assembly (FLA) is a Canadian electro-industrial band formed by Bill Leeb in 1986 after leaving Skinny Puppy. FLA has developed its own sound incorporating elements of electronic body music and electro-industrial. The band's members ...
with vocals by
Kristy Thirsk Kristy Thirsk is a platinum-selling Canadian singer-songwriter best known for her work with Delerium. Rose Chronicles She was the singer and a co-writer for the band Rose Chronicles, which was signed to Nettwerk in the 1990s. Rose Chronicles re ...
. *The song was covered by rapper
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and popR&B singer Ashanti for ''
The Fast and the Furious ''Fast & Furious'' (also known as ''The Fast and the Furious'') is a media franchise centered on a series of action films that are largely concerned with street racing, heists, spies, and family. The franchise also includes short films, ...
'' soundtrack in 2001. Vita was originally going to make the version her own featuring her rapping on the remake, but Madonna only permitted the version where Vita does exactly the same style as Madonna. * A cover by Who's That Girl was released through
Almighty Records Almighty Records is an English electronic dance music record label established in 1989. Almighty Records specialises in pop song remixes, dance-pop, and hi-NRG. The label's record producers, Almighty Associates, have remixed such performers a ...
during the early 2000s. *
Jam & Spoon Jam & Spoon were a German electronic music duo formed in 1991 in Frankfurt. The group consisted of composers and producers Rolf Ellmer (a.k.a. Jam El Mar, classically trained composer) and Markus Löffel (a.k.a. Mark Spoon, DJ). They also worke ...
feat.
Plavka Plavka Coleridge ( née Lonich; born March 25, 1974) is an American singer. She is best known for being the singer of the German trance act Jam & Spoon, whose classically infused trance sound dominated the international charts in the mid-1990s ...
sampled a part of the Orbital remix for a remix of "Kaleidoscope Skies" (1997). * Rapper
Mase Mason Durell Betha (born August 27, 1975), better known by his mononym Mase (formerly Murda Mase and stylized as Ma$e), is an American rapper and minister. In the late 1990s, he recorded on the Bad Boy Records label alongside its founder Sean ...
sampled the song on his 1999 album, '' Double Up'', on his song "Stay Out of My Way". * Rapper Jay-Z's song, "Justify My Thug", from his 2003 album, '' The Black Album'' produced by
DJ Quik David Marvin Blake (born January 18, 1970), better known by his stage names DJ Quik or Da Quiksta, is an American rapper and producer, known for his production in the G-funk style of West Coast hip-hop. Blake has collaborated with Snoop Dogg, ...
, is a remake of "Justify My Love." *
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sampled "Justify My Love (Orbit 12" Mix)" for their "Orthodox Remix" of the 1990 single, " Mea Culpa (Part II)". * "Justify My Love" was sampled by Insane Clown Posse, for their 2004 single "
Bowling Balls "Bowling Balls" is a song written by Esham and Joseph Bruce for Insane Clown Posse's 2004 album '' Hell's Pit'', and the fourth single released by the group that was not produced by Mike E. Clark. The song's lyrics describe decapitation and murde ...
". * Brazilian singer
Gretchen Gretchen (, ; literal translation: "Little Grete" or "Little Greta") is a female given name of German origin that is mainly prevalent in the United States. Its popularity increased because a major character in Goethe's ''Faust'' (1808) has th ...
recorded a cover in 2012 with a music video using footages of her own acting career. * In 1994, Maxx sampled the beat in their song "Suddenly" released on their debut studio album ''
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''. * In 2020
Ingrid Chavez Ingrid Julia Chavez (born 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, actress, and visual artist. Early life Chavez was born on January 21, 1965, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Marietta, Georgia. She is of Mexican-American descent. ...
released her own version of "Justify My Love" on Bandcamp. In February 2022,
Ingrid Chavez Ingrid Julia Chavez (born 1965) is an American singer-songwriter, poet, actress, and visual artist. Early life Chavez was born on January 21, 1965, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and raised in Marietta, Georgia. She is of Mexican-American descent. ...
released a limited edition cassette with the 2020 version plus eight remixes.


Track listing and formats

US and UK cassette and 7-inch single; Japanese 3-inch CD single # "Justify My Love" (album version) – 4:58 # " Express Yourself" (remix album version) – 4:02 US Digipak CD maxi-single # "Justify My Love" ( Q-Sound Mix) – 4:54 # "Justify My Love" (Orbit 12-inch mix) – 7:16 # "Justify My Love" (hip hop mix) – 6:30 # "Express Yourself" (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) – 9:30 # "Justify My Love" (The Beast Within Mix) – 6:10 Canadian and Australian 12-inch single # "Justify My Love" (Orbit 12-inch mix) – 7:16 # "Justify My Love" (hip hop mix) – 6:30 # "Justify My Love" (The Beast Within Mix) – 6:10 # "Express Yourself" (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) – 9:30 European 12-inch and CD maxi-single # "Justify My Love" (hip hop mix) – 6:30 # "Justify My Love" (Q-Sound Mix) – 4:54 # "Justify My Love" (The Beast Within Mix) – 6:10 UK and European CD single; UK limited-edition 12-inch picture disc # "Justify My Love" (William Orbit Remix) – 7:07 # "Justify My Love" (album version) – 4:58 # "Express Yourself" (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) – 4:02 Digital single # "Justify My Love" ( Q-Sound Mix) – 4:54 # "Justify My Love" (Orbit 12-inch mix) – 7:16 # "Justify My Love" (hip hop mix) – 6:30 # "Express Yourself" (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) – 9:30 # "Justify My Love" (The Beast Within Mix) – 6:10 # "Justify My Love" (Orbit edit) – 4:33 Additional notes *A This is the remix album version included on ''
The Immaculate Collection ''The Immaculate Collection'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990, by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s, as well as two brand new tracks, ...
''.


Charts


Weekly charts


Year-end charts


All-time charts


Certifications and sales

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See also

*
Pazz & Jop Pazz & Jop was an annual poll of top musical releases, compiled by American newspaper ''The Village Voice'' and created by music critic Robert Christgau. It published lists of the year's top releases for 1971 and, after Christgau's two-year abs ...
* List of ''Cash Box'' Top 100 number-one singles of 1990 * List of ''Cash Box'' Top 100 number-one singles of 1991


Notes


References


Citations


Footnotes

* {{authority control Madonna songs Madonna video albums 1990 singles 1990 video albums Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles Cashbox number-one singles Censorship in the arts Obscenity controversies in music Songs written by Lenny Kravitz Songs written by Madonna Song recordings produced by Lenny Kravitz Song recordings produced by André Betts RPM Top Singles number-one singles Music video compilation albums Music videos directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino Number-one singles in Finland Sire Records singles Warner Records singles Black-and-white music videos American house music songs 1990 songs Music video controversies Songs based on poems Religious controversies in music