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)
Illuminati
Madonna Lyrics
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It's not Nicki or Lil Wayne
It's not Oprah and Obama
The Pope or Rihanna
Queen Elizabeth or Kanye
It's not pentagrams or witchcraft
It's not trying to s-stack for cash
Black magic or Gaga
Riding on a golden cat
The all-seeing eye is watching tonight
That's what it is, truth and light
The all-seeing eye is watching tonight
Nothing to hide, secrets inside
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's the enlightenment that started it all
The founding fathers wrote it down on a wall
And now the media's misleading us all
Turn right into wrong
It's time to dance and turn this dark into something
So let the fire burn, this music is bumping
We're gonna live forever, love never dies
It starts tonight
Behind the curtain of the new world order
It's not platinum encrypted corners
It's not ISIS or the phoenix, pyramids of Egypt
Don't make it into something sordid
It's not Steve Jobs or Bill Gates
It's not Google of the United States
It's not Bieber or LeBron
Clinton or Ban
Or anyone you love to hate
The all-seeing eye is watching tonight
That's what it is, truth and light
The all-seeing eye is watching tonight
Nothing to hide, secrets inside
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
You know that everything that glitters ain't gold
So let the music take you out of control
It's time to feel it in your body and soul
Come on, let's go
We're gonna dance and turn this dark into something
So let the fire burn, this music is bumping
We're gonna live forever, love never dies
It starts tonight (tonight, to-tonight, tonight, tonight)
It's like
It's like
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
Like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati
Everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati
In "Illuminati," Madonna dismisses various popular beliefs about who might be a part of the so-called "secret society." She denies that it's celebrities like Jay-Z, Beyonce, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Oprah, Obama, Rihanna, Queen Elizabeth, or Kanye who are part of the Illuminati. She also denies that they are involved in witchcraft, black magic, or pentagrams, and is adamant that it isn't related to fashion labels like Gucci or Prada. Instead, she claims that the Illuminati are something more significant, and she refers to the all-seeing eye, implying that it's a symbol of the organization. She also states that they are the "enlightenment that started it all" and that the "founding fathers" scribed this on the wall so that it would be perpetuated.
Madonna then calls for a change, urging people to dance and turn the dark into something positive and says they'll "live forever" because love never dies. She brazenly declares that the Illuminati is shining like everybody in this party, implying that everyone in the room is in on the conspiracy. The song's music video portrays several famous individuals, including Lady Gaga and Kanye West, and makes various cryptic references to the idea of a secret society controlling the world.
Line by Line Meaning
It's not Jay-Z and Beyonce
The Illuminati is not made up of famous celebrities like Jay-Z and Beyonce
It's not Nicki or Lil Wayne
The Illuminati is not composed of rappers like Nicki Minaj or Lil Wayne
It's not Oprah and Obama
The Illuminati does not include powerful figures like Oprah Winfrey or Barack Obama
The Pope or Rihanna
Even the Pope and Rihanna are not members of the Illuminati
Queen Elizabeth or Kanye
Not even the Queen of England or Kanye West belong to the Illuminati
It's not pentagrams or witchcraft
The Illuminati is not associated with pentagrams, witchcraft, or any other mystical practices
It's not trying to s-stack for cash
The Illuminati is not using its power and influence to become wealthy
Black magic or Gaga
The Illuminati is not involved in black magic or associated with the artist Lady Gaga
Gucci or Prada
The Illuminati is not concerned with materialistic things like designer brands Gucci and Prada
Riding on a golden cat
This line is probably just a meaningless reference to glamour and luxury
The all-seeing eye is watching tonight
The Illuminati's symbol, the all-seeing eye, is present and vigilant
That's what it is, truth and light
The all-seeing eye represents the Illuminati's pursuit of knowledge and enlightenment
Nothing to hide, secrets inside
The Illuminati operates in secrecy, but they have nothing to hide because their secrets are a part of their enlightenment
It's like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati (whoa whoa whoa whoa)
At this party, everyone is confident and proud like members of the Illuminati
It's the enlightenment that started it all
The Illuminati's pursuit of knowledge and wisdom is what led to its creation
The founding fathers wrote it down on a wall
The principles of the Illuminati were written down by its founders as a reference for future generations
And now the media's misleading us all
The media is not accurately reporting on the work and progress of the Illuminati
Turn right into wrong
The media is twisting the truth and creating confusion
It's time to dance and turn this dark into something
The Illuminati uses music and dance to uplift people and turn negativity into positivity
So let the fire burn, this music is bumping
The energy from the music is powerful and contagious, spreading like fire
We're gonna live forever, love never dies
The Illuminati believes in the eternal nature of love and the potential for human beings to achieve immortality through enlightenment
It starts tonight
This gathering is the beginning of a new enlightenment for those in attendance
Behind the curtain of the new world order
The Illuminati operates in secrecy and is behind much of what happens in the world today
It's not platinum encrypted corners
This line is a bit unclear, but it could mean that the Illuminati is not motivated by greed or the acquisition of material wealth
It's not ISIS or the phoenix, pyramids of Egypt
The Illuminati is not associated with terrorist organization ISIS, nor with ancient Egyptian pyramids or mythological creatures like the phoenix
Don't make it into something sordid
The Illuminati is often misrepresented in popular culture, and this line is a plea to not turn it into something unwholesome or vulgar
It's not Steve Jobs or Bill Gates
Even successful entrepreneurs like Steve Jobs and Bill Gates do not belong to the Illuminati
It's not Google of the United States
This line is a reference to conspiracy theories that Google is part of the Illuminati, but it denies that claim
It's not Bieber or LeBron
Celebrities like Justin Bieber and LeBron James are not members of the Illuminati
Clinton or Ban
Even political figures like Bill Clinton and Ban Ki-moon are not part of the Illuminati
Or anyone you love to hate
The Illuminati is not composed of hated or despised individuals, as some conspiracy theories suggest
You know that everything that glitters ain't gold
Not everything that appears to be valuable or desirable is actually worth pursuing
So let the music take you out of control
The music is so powerful and energizing that you will feel like letting yourself go and living in the moment
It's time to feel it in your body and soul
The music is not just about hearing it, but feeling it in every part of your being
Come on, let's go
This is a call to action, inviting everyone to join in the celebration and enlightenment
Like everybody in this party, shining like Illuminati
Everyone at the party exudes the confidence and pride of the Illuminati
Lyrics © CTM Outlander Music LC, Universal Music Publishing Group, CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC, Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, CTM Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Ernest Brown, Jacques Webster, Kanye West, Larry Griffin, Madonna Ciccone, Maureen McDonald, Michael Dean, Tobias Gad
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
M C
She's part of it 💯
Amberrr love
Yup
Darth Vader
Aren't we all, though?
Chris Lee Carey
This performance on the rebel heart tour was breathtaking
Sandra M. D.
Demonic.
Carlos Andrés Ramírez Benítez
She is a fucking genius. There's no other word to describe her ability to write lyrics so ironic, so shocking, so transgressive, so brave... She makes us think about our contemporary myths, about age, sucess and genre, and pushes boundaries about what pop artists are supposed to do in music industry.
leneya
bot
Ano Nyme
what?
Kenneth León
De las mejores de Rebel Heart!
Daniel García
The final version really beats the demo! Love this.