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)
HeartBreakCity
Madonna Lyrics
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Fucked me up a little
You said I was your queen
I tried to give you everything
And now you want your freedom
You got just what you came for
A bit of fame and fortune
You said it was over
Wanted it to end
Then you had the nerve to say
That we could still be friends
You had a few secrets
I was never told
Now everyone's talking
And I'm the last to know
Now I'm in the middle of heartbreak city
'Cause I'm in the middle of a world not pretty
Your clever game got the best of me
But you ain't gonna get the rest of me
'Cause I'm in heartbreak city
You tore me into pieces
You didn't have no damn reason
I let you in my house
You helped yourself to everything
And left me with your mess
I curse the day we met
The memory is haunting me
I wish I could forget
You said it was over
Wanted it to end
Then you had the nerve to say
That we could still be friends
You had a few secrets
I was never told
Now everyone's talking
And I'm the last to know
I'm in the middle of heartbreak city
Now I'm in the middle of a world not pretty
Your clever game got the best of me
But you ain't gonna get the rest of me
'Cause I'm in heartbreak city
And it's not that pretty
In Madonna's song HeartBreakCity, the lyrics talk about the emotional pain and betrayal caused by a former lover. The opening lines, "Cut me down the middle, Fucked me up a little," express the physical and emotional impact that the end of the relationship had on her. She gave her all to this person, tried to make them happy and be the queen they wanted but in the end, they still wanted their freedom.
The second stanza describes the effect of fame and fortune on the relationship. The ex-partner got what they wanted out of the relationship, leaving Madonna feeling used and unwanted. She was unaware of the secrets they were keeping from her and now feels like the last to know, which causes her to feel like she is stuck in a world of heartbreak and pain.
The chorus repeats the phrase "I'm in the middle of heartbreak city" and "I'm in the middle of a world not pretty," emphasizing the intensity of the emotional turmoil that she is experiencing. The last lines in the chorus "Your clever game got the best of me, But you ain't gonna get the rest of me," suggest that despite the pain, Madonna will not let this relationship define or consume her.
Overall, Madonna's HeartBreakCity lyrics speak to the universal pain that a broken heart brings, while also empowering listeners to move on from toxic relationships and take control of their own lives.
Line by Line Meaning
Cut me down the middle
You hurt me to my core
Fucked me up a little
You messed me up emotionally
You said I was your queen
You claimed to love me and put me on a pedestal
I tried to give you everything
I did everything in my power to make you happy
And now you want your freedom
You want to break up and move on
You got just what you came for
You got fame and fortune out of our relationship
A bit of fame and fortune
You used me for your own gain
I'm no longer needed
You don't want me in your life anymore
You said it was over
You broke up with me
Wanted it to end
You were ready for the relationship to be over
Then you had the nerve to say
You had the audacity to suggest
That we could still be friends
That we could maintain a friendly relationship despite the breakup
You had a few secrets
You kept some things hidden from me
I was never told
You never informed me
Now everyone's talking
People are gossiping about us
And I'm the last to know
I found out about it after everyone else
You tore me into pieces
You broke my heart
You didn't have no damn reason
You had no good reason
I let you in my house
I let you into my life
You helped yourself to everything
You took advantage of me and what I had to offer
And left me with your mess
You left me to clean up after you
I curse the day we met
I regret ever meeting you
The memory is haunting me
I can't stop thinking about what happened
I wish I could forget
I wish I could erase you from my memory
I'm in the middle of heartbreak city
I'm in a place of great emotional pain
'Cause I'm in the middle of a world not pretty
I'm stuck in an unpleasant situation
Your clever game got the best of me
You outsmarted me and took advantage of my love and trust
But you ain't gonna get the rest of me
You won't be able to hurt me any further
'Cause I'm in heartbreak city
I'm still dealing with the pain of heartbreak
And it's not that pretty
It's a painful and unpleasant experience
Lyrics © Universal Music Publishing Group, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: PALOMA STOECKER, ASH POURNOURI, MICHEL FLYGARE, TOBIAS JIMSON, TIM BERGLING, VINCENT PONTARE, MAGNUS LIDEHALL, MADONNA, SALEM AL FAKIR
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song