Born and raised in Michigan, Madonna moved to New York City in 1978 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing as a drummer, guitarist, and vocalist in the rock bands Breakfast Club and Emmy, she rose to solo stardom with her debut studio album, Madonna (1983). She followed it with a series of successful albums, including all-time bestsellers Like a Virgin (1984) and True Blue (1986) as well as Grammy Award winners Ray of Light (1998) and Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005). Madonna has amassed many number-one singles throughout her career, including "Like a Virgin", "La Isla Bonita", "Like a Prayer", "Vogue", "Take a Bow", "Frozen", "Music", "Hung Up", and "4 Minutes".
Madonna's popularity was enhanced by roles in films such as Desperately Seeking Susan (1985), Dick Tracy (1990), A League of Their Own (1992), and Evita (1996). While Evita won her a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress, many of her other films received poor reviews. As a businesswoman, Madonna founded the company Maverick in 1992; it included Maverick Records, one of the most successful artist-run labels in history. Her other ventures include fashion brands, children's books, health clubs, and filmmaking. She contributes to various charities, having founded the Ray of Light Foundation in 1998 and Raising Malawi in 2006.
With sales of over 300 million records worldwide, Madonna is certified as the best-selling female recording artist of all time by Guinness World Records. She is the most successful solo artist in the history of the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and holds the record for the most number-one singles by a female artist in Australia, Canada, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom. With a revenue of U.S. $1.5 billion from her concert tickets, she remains the highest-grossing solo touring artist of all time. Madonna was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2008, her first year of eligibility. She was ranked as the greatest woman in music by VH1 in 2012, and as the greatest music video artist of all time by MTV in 2003 and Billboard in 2020. Rolling Stone also listed Madonna among the 100 Greatest Artists of All Time and the 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time.
Studio albums
Madonna (1983)
Like a Virgin (1984)
True Blue (1986)
Like a Prayer (1989)
Erotica (1992)
Bedtime Stories (1994)
Ray of Light (1998)
Music (2000)
American Life (2003)
Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005)
Hard Candy (2008)
MDNA (2012)
Rebel Heart (2015)
Madame X (2019)
Best Night
Madonna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
You can be my man tonight
It's gonna be like this, that's right
Give you love that you'll never forget
The city is our playground tonight
We're gonna be like gangsters tonight
We don't give a damn if it's wrong or right
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
Lose your self-control, we can go wild
Show you what it means to feel alive
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
We don't have to speak that much
I hear you when I feel your touch
Whisper in my ears, make me blush
Feel the chill when we kiss, don't forget
All you had is dreams, don't hold back
All the fantasies you ever had
Just do what you like, go ahead
Close your eyes, make a wish, no regrets
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
Lose your self-control, we can go wild
Show you what it means to feel alive
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
Surrender to the pleasure (wanting)
When we breath in together (waiting)
It's either now or never (for you)
This feeling will take over
No sex tapes, no camera (wanting)
Just you and me together (waiting)
Repeat it like a mantra (for you)
I'm in love, I'm in love
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
Lose your self-control, we can go wild
Show you what it means to feel alive
I'll make this the best night of your life
I'll make this the best night of your life
In her song "Best Night," Madonna invites her lover to be fearless and indulge in their wildest desires without reservation. The lyrics encourage listeners to let go of their inhibitions, embrace pleasure, and live in the moment. She asserts her desire to create an experience that her lover will never forget and promises to make that evening the best of their life.
Madonna invites her lover to call her "M tonight" and act like gangsters as they conquer the city. The focus is not on what could go wrong but on the present and the delight that comes with losing control. The chorus repeats the promise to create the best night of their lives, encouraging the listeners to surrender to their pleasure and feel alive. The lyrics emphasize the importance of being in the moment, forget about the judgments that others might cast, and experience the moment to the fullest.
Overall, "Best Night" is an upbeat, empowering song that encourages listeners to live without fear and to seize the moments that life offers. It invites us to celebrate pleasure and to indulge our innermost desires.
Line by Line Meaning
You can call me M tonight
Madonna is referring to herself as 'M' for the night.
You can be my man tonight
Madonna is addressing her male partner for the evening, telling him that he can assume the role of her man for the night.
It's gonna be like this, that's right
Madonna is affirming that her plan for the night will unfold exactly as she wants it to.
Give you love that you'll never forget
Madonna promises to provide her partner with a memorable and unforgettable experience.
The city is our playground tonight
Madonna is emphasizing that the entire city is available for exploration on this night.
We're gonna be like gangsters tonight
Madonna suggests that they will be wild and free, acting without regard for societal norms or expectations.
We don't give a damn if it's wrong or right
Madonna is indicating that they will prioritize their own desires over societal expectations of right and wrong.
Lighten up, we won't have no regrets
Madonna is encouraging her partner to relax and enjoy the night, with no regrets for any choices they make.
I'll make this the best night of your life
Madonna reiterates her promise to give her partner an unforgettable experience.
Lose your self-control, we can go wild
Madonna is suggesting that they should abandon any sense of self-control and allow themselves to go crazy in the moment.
Show you what it means to feel alive
Madonna wants to provide her partner with an experience that will make him feel truly alive and in the moment.
We don't have to speak that much
Madonna suggests that they needn't rely on verbal communication to understand each other.
I hear you when I feel your touch
Madonna implies that she can understand her partner's thoughts and feelings through physical touch.
Whisper in my ears, make me blush
Madonna is asking her partner to say something provocative or intimate in her ear.
Feel the chill when we kiss, don't forget
Madonna wants to emphasize that the passion between them should not be taken for granted, and should be appreciated in its intensity.
All you had is dreams, don't hold back
Madonna encourages her partner to pursue his fantasies and not hold back or be afraid to experience new things.
All the fantasies you ever had
Madonna affirms that any and all of her partner's fantasies are valid and worthy of exploration.
Just do what you like, go ahead
Madonna wants her partner to act on his desires and pursue what he wants out of the night.
Close your eyes, make a wish, no regrets
Madonna's partner should take a moment to reflect on what he truly desires, and then pursue that with no regrets or reservations.
Surrender to the pleasure (wanting)
Madonna is suggesting that both she and her partner should give themselves over to their pleasure and desire.
When we breath in together (waiting)
Madonna wants to encourage a sense of intimacy and connection between herself and her partner.
It's either now or never (for you)
Madonna emphasizes the importance of seizing the moment and acting in the present.
This feeling will take over
Madonna suggests that they will both be consumed by their feelings and their passion for one another.
No sex tapes, no camera (wanting)
Madonna affirms that this experience is private and personal, something to be enjoyed without sharing it with the world.
Just you and me together (waiting)
Madonna reiterates that the experience is between the two of them and no one else.
Repeat it like a mantra (for you)
Madonna suggests that they should repeat their affirmations and intentions for the night like a mantra, focusing on their mutual desire for one another.
I'm in love, I'm in love
Madonna confirms that she is deeply in love with her partner in the moment.
Lose your self-control, we can go wild
Madonna encourages her partner once more to abandon his self-control and pursue his desires without reservation.
Show you what it means to feel alive
Madonna emphasizes that the experience she will provide will be one of intense sensation and vitality.
I'll make this the best night of your life
Madonna's promise to provide an unforgettable and life-changing experience remains unchanged.
Lyrics © CTM Outlander Music LC, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, CTM Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Hipgnosis Songs Group, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: THOMAS WESLEY PENTZ, MADONNA L. CICCONE, TOBY GAD, MAUREEN ANNE MCDONALD, JAMES NAPIER, ANDREW FITZGERALD SWANSON
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song