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)
He's a Man
Madonna Lyrics
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Makes Dick a dull dull boy, career gets in the way.
Square jaw, ooo, such a handsome face,
Why do you have to save the human race?
Life of crime, no it never pays,
Clean up the streets and make your secret get-away.
All alone, in your room with your radio,
Chorus:
You're a man with a gun in your hand,
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't take time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
Ah, ah, ah, man with a gun
All boss and no brains,
Bullies and thugs, they take up all your time in vain.
Can't let go, someone cries and you hear the call,
Who's gonna catch you, don't good guys ever fall?
(chorus)
All alone, in your room with your radio,
No one to hold you, I would never let you go.
(chorus, with last line:)
'Cause I can show you some fun
(spoken) And I don't mean with a gun. No.
You are a man with a gun in your hand;
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't take time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
Ah, ah, ah, man with a gun, take it out of your hand;
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't make time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
In Madonna's song "He's a Man," the lyrics describe a man who prioritizes his career over his personal life, leaving him feeling lonely and empty. The first verse sets the scene, with the line "All work and no play, makes Dick a dull dull boy, career gets in the way." The second verse makes references to the man's responsibilities as a crime-fighter and the toll it takes on him. The song's chorus encourages the man to take a break from work and spend time with his loved ones, with Madonna singing, "If you don't take time, it's not nice, so here's my advice: take your love on the run."
The song has an overall theme of balance and the importance of maintaining personal relationships outside of one's career. Madonna encourages the man to take breaks and prioritize his relationships, rather than being solely focused on work. The chorus repeats the line "man with a gun," which can be interpreted both literally and metaphorically. In the context of the song, it could mean the man who is fighting crime, or it could symbolize the man who is always in control and never lets his guard down.
Line by Line Meaning
All work and no play,
Makes Dick a dull dull boy, career gets in the way.
If you focus solely on work and neglect leisure time, it will make you dreary and uninteresting. Career obsession can impede other aspects of life.
Square jaw, ooo, such a handsome face,
Why do you have to save the human race?
You possess a manly aura and aesthetics, but why do you feel the urge to save humanity?
Life of crime, no it never pays,
Clean up the streets and make your secret get-away.
Being a criminal has terrible consequences. Purge the streets of evil and make a swift, covert escape.
All alone, in your room with your radio,
No one to hold you, had to let her go.
You are by yourself listening to music in your bedroom. You had to part ways with someone special, and no one is there to comfort you.
You're a man with a gun in your hand,
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't take time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
Ah, ah, ah, man with a gun
As a man who holds a firearm, fighting an incessant battle of morality can become tedious. It is impolite if you don't allocate time for yourself. Therefore, take a romantic escapade with me. I want to be that person who accompanies you. Man with a gun.
All boss and no brains,
Bullies and thugs, they take up all your time in vain.
If you merely act dominant without any intellectual aptitude, it's meaningless. Bullies and crooks monopolize your time.
Can't let go, someone cries and you hear the call,
Who's gonna catch you, don't good guys ever fall?
You cannot release your grip. Some person is weeping, and you sense their distress. Who is going to bail you out when you need assistance? Are virtuous individuals incapable of tumbling?
'Cause I can show you some fun
(spoken) And I don't mean with a gun. No.
Because I can demonstrate how to have a good time. (Spoken) And I am referring to something other than a firearm. Absolutely not.
You are a man with a gun in your hand;
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't take time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
Ah, ah, ah, man with a gun, take it out of your hand;
You hold a gun; however, continuously fighting the battle of morality tiresome. You must spend time relaxing; otherwise, you will regret it. My recommendation is to go on a romantic adventure. Oh please, allow me to be that person for you. Man with a gun, put it down;
Waging a war between good and evil can be a bore.
If you don't make time, it's not nice,
So here's my advice:
Take your love on the run,
Oh God, let me be the one.
Engaging in an eternal conflict between morality and immorality can become monotonous. If you don't allocate time for leisure activities, it is impolite. Thus, my suggestion is to have a romantic getaway, and please let me join you.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, 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