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)
In This Life
Madonna Lyrics
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Thinking about a friend of mine
He was only twenty three
Gone before he had his time
It came without a warning
Didn't want his friends to see him cry
He knew the day was dawning
And I didn't have a chance to say goodbye
In this life I loved you most of all
What for?
'Cause now you're gone and I have to ask myself
What for?
What for?
Driving down the boulevard
Thinking about a man I knew
He was like a father to me
Nothing in the world that he wouldn't do
Taught me to respect myself
He said that we're all made of flesh and blood
Why should he be treated differently
Shouldn't matter who you choose to love
In this life I loved you most of all
What for?
'Cause now you're gone and I have to ask myself
What for?
People pass by and I wonder who's next
Who determines, who knows best
Is there a lesson I'm supposed to learn in this case
Ignorance is not bliss
In this life I loved you most of all
What for?
'Cause now you're gone and I have to ask myself
What for?
People pass by and I wonder who's next
Who determines who knows best
Is there a lesson I'm supposed to learn in this case
Ignorance is not bliss
Have you ever watched your best friend die (what for)
Have you ever watched a grown man cry (what for)
Some say that life isn't fair (what for)
I say that people just don't care (what for)
They'd rather turn the other way (what for)
And wait for this thing to go away (what for)
Why do we have to pretend (what for)
Some day I pray it will end
I hope it's in this life
I hope it's in this life time
I hope it's in this life
I hope it's in this life time
Madonna's song 'In This Life' is a heartfelt tribute to two men, her friend who passed away at just 23 years old, and a fatherly figure in her life who had taught her valuable life lessons. The song is a reflection on the brevity of life and the importance of cherishing the people we love while we still have them.
The track opens with Madonna sitting on a park bench, lost in thought about her friend who had passed away too soon. She laments not having had the chance to say goodbye and expresses her love and sadness for him. She then transitions into reflecting on the life of a man who was like a father to her and the impact he had on her. She sings about his open-mindedness and acceptance, and how he taught her to respect herself as an individual. She also acknowledges the discrimination he faced for choosing to love who he loved.
The chorus repeats the line, "In this life I loved you most of all, what for? 'Cause now you're gone and I have to ask myself, what for?" This line encapsulates the overall message of the song, which is to live each day to the fullest and show love to the people we care about because we never know when they might be taken away.
Line by Line Meaning
Sitting on a park bench
Reflecting on life while sitting in a public area
Thinking about a friend of mine
Recalling a personal friend
He was only twenty three
The friend passed away at a young age
Gone before he had his time
The friend's death was unexpected and premature
It came without a warning
The death was sudden and unforeseen
Didn't want his friends to see him cry
The friend who passed away did not want to show his emotions openly
He knew the day was dawning
The friend who passed away knew his time was up
And I didn't have a chance to say goodbye
The singer did not have an opportunity to say farewell
In this life I loved you most of all
The singer had great affection for the departed friend
What for?
Questioning the reason for such intense feelings
'Cause now you're gone and I have to ask myself
The singer's friend is no longer present which causes them to wonder
Driving down the boulevard
The singer is traveling on a roadway
Thinking about a man I knew
The singer is reminiscing over a personal male acquaintance
He was like a father to me
The man had a fatherly role in the singer's life
Nothing in the world that he wouldn't do
The man was always willing to help and support the singer
Taught me to respect myself
The man taught the singer the importance of self-love
He said that we're all made of flesh and blood
The man taught the singer that all human beings are the same in essence
Shouldn't matter who you choose to love
The man imparted to the singer the view that all love is equally valid
People pass by and I wonder who's next
The singer is contemplating the uncertainty of life
Who determines, who knows best
The singer is contemplating the factors that determine one's mortality
Is there a lesson I'm supposed to learn in this case
The singer is attempting to discern the purpose of such experiences
Ignorance is not bliss
One cannot simply ignore such important issues
Have you ever watched your best friend die (what for)
The question asks whether the listener has experienced the same as the singer
Have you ever watched a grown man cry (what for)
The singer poses a question directed to the listener about the vulnerability of others
Some say that life isn't fair (what for)
The decision to ponder compels enquiry into the perceived unfairness of life
I say that people just don't care (what for)
The singer believes that others lack the empathy to acknowledge the significance of life
They'd rather turn the other way (what for)
The avoidance of responsibility by others is frustrating to the singer
And wait for this thing to go away (what for)
The singer is annoyed by the lack of free will shown by people in reacting to such issues
Why do we have to pretend (what for)
The misuse of pretence in such important issues is questioned
Some day I pray it will end
The eventual desirable outcome is fervently wished for
I hope it's in this life
The optimal time for such an occurrence is hoped to be soon
I hope it's in this life time
The optimal time for such an occurrence is hoped to be during the singer's lifetime
Lyrics © Downtown Music Publishing, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Shep Pettibone, Madonna Ciccone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song