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)
Hanky Panky
Madonna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Some girls, they like candy, and others, they like to grind,
I'll settle for the back of your hand somewhere on my behind.
Treat me like I'm a bad girl, even when I'm being good to you,
I don't want you to thank me, you can just spank me.
Some guys like to sweet talk, and others, they like to tease,
Don't slobber me with kisses, I can get that from my sisters,
Before I get too cranky, you better
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky)
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky.
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky).
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky guy.
Please don't call a doctor, 'cause there's nothing wrong with me,
I just like things a little rough and you better not disagree.
'Cause I don't like a big softie, [no], I like someone mean and bossy,
Let me speak to you frankly, you better
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky)
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky.
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky).
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky guy.
Oh, yeah.
What about? Yeah. That's an interesting, oh
My bottom hurts just thinking about it.
(She wants you to) Treat me like I'm a bad girl,
(She needs you to) Even when I'm being good to you.
I don't want you to thank me (don't thank her), you better
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky)
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky.
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky).
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky guy.
(Hanky panky) Oh, yeah
(Good spanky) Get the picture?
(Don't wanna cry, I just wanna)
That's the way I came into this world,
The doctor said, "Lady, she's a beautiful girl."
He gave me a spanky and the doctor smiled,
So give it up, honey, 'cause I want it.
Yeah.
(Hanky panky, good spanky, don't wanna cry, I just wanna)
The lyrics to Madonna's song Hanky Panky, from the album I'm Breathless (1990), are about sexual desires and fantasies. The song expresses the desire for rough and dominant behavior in a partner. The lyrics suggest a preference for being treated like a "bad girl," even when behaving. The song is interactive, with Madonna instructing the listener on what to do: "Come over here!", "Treat me like I'm a bad girl," "Don't slobber me with kisses," and "Let me speak to you frankly." She sings passionately about her love for hanky panky and spanky. These lyrics have been interpreted to mean that Madonna is challenging the traditional gender roles, and seeking to assert control over her sexuality in a male-dominated industry.
The song reached #10 on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart and became a dance club hit. The song was also a top 20 hit in several countries such as Canada, Australia, Germany, and the UK. The music video for the song features Madonna performing the song in a 1930s cabaret setting. The video was directed by David Fincher, who later directed seminal films such as Seven (1995) and Fight Club (1999). Madonna performed the song twice during her Blonde Ambition Tour in 1990, and the video was used as an interlude during her MDNA Tour in 2012.
Line by Line Meaning
Come over here!
The singer is inviting someone to come closer to her.
Some girls, they like candy, and others, they like to grind,
Different girls have different preferences when it comes to sex or seduction.
I'll settle for the back of your hand somewhere on my behind.
The singer is okay with some roughness and spanking during sex.
Treat me like I'm a bad girl, even when I'm being good to you,
The artist wants her partner to treat her rough and dominant, regardless of her behavior.
I don't want you to thank me, you can just spank me.
The artist doesn't want to be appreciated, but wants to be treated roughly.
Don't slobber me with kisses, I can get that from my sisters,
The singer doesn't want too much affection, as she is looking for rougher sex.
Before I get too cranky, you better
The singer warns her partner that she might get upset if her desires are not fulfilled.
Like hanky panky (hanky panky)
The artist is using the term 'hanky panky' as a euphemism for rough sex and spanking.
Nothing like a good spanky (good spanky)
The artist suggests that a good spanking is a pleasurable experience for her.
Don't take out your handkerchiefs,
The artist is telling her partner not to worry about her crying, as she just wants rough sex.
I don't wanna cry, I just wanna hanky panky.
The singer reiterates that she wants rough sex, not affectionate or emotional activity.
Please don't call a doctor, 'cause there's nothing wrong with me,
The artist is saying that her desires and sexual preferences are perfectly normal and healthy.
I just like things a little rough and you better not disagree.
The singer is warning her partner that she won't tolerate any objections to her preferences.
'Cause I don't like a big softie, [no], I like someone mean and bossy,
The singer is saying that she wants a dominant partner who can take control during sex.
Let me speak to you frankly, you better
The singer is using a direct tone to communicate her desires.
(She wants you to) Treat me like I'm a bad girl,
The artist wants to be dominated and treated as if she is naughty.
(She needs you to) Even when I'm being good to you.
The artist wants to be treated roughly, even if she is behaving well.
I don't want you to thank me (don't thank her), you better
The singer doesn't want her partner to show appreciation, but to act roughly and dominantly during sex.
(Hanky panky) Oh, yeah
The singer uses the term 'hanky panky' as a euphemism for rough sex.
(Good spanky) Get the picture?
The artist is asking her partner if he understands her desires.
(Don't wanna cry, I just wanna) That's the way I came into this world,
The artist is probably referencing the spanking that babies receive at birth, likening it to the spanking she desires during sex.
The doctor said, "Lady, she's a beautiful girl."
The artist recalls a moment from her birth, when the doctor commented on her beauty.
He gave me a spanky and the doctor smiled,
The singer recalls the doctor giving her a spanking at birth, which was probably a customary practice at the time.
So give it up, honey, 'cause I want it.
The artist is making it clear that she desires a rough and dominant sexual partner.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CTM Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Patrick Leonard, Madonna Ciccone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song