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)
Is This Love
Madonna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
In this house of games you never you show your cards
You claim madness it's become convenient
I don't wanna hear your angry words again
You hear voices taunting you to leave me
Then you're sorry you hold me in your arms
You have demons, nothing can control them
Is this love, I think not
I wanna get off this merry-go-round
History will repeat itself
And I won't let you take me down
Treat me like a curse then tell me I'm your savior
I'm living with the stranger I used to know so well
Waiting for your answer is a kind of torture
Could I grow accustomed to this kind of hell?
You hear voices taunting you to leave me
Then you're sorry you hold me in your arms
You have demons, nothing can control them
Who can blame you if you're not in charge
Is this life, I think not
I wanna get off this merry-go-round
History will complete itself
And I won't let you break me down
I'd like to get to know you
You could warm up your hands on my heart
I've got so much to show you
But for now it's just Bon D' Accord
In the song "Is This Love", Madonna is questioning whether the love she is experiencing with her partner is real or just a facade. She is uncertain if her partner is being truthful with her, as he never shows his true emotions or intentions. Madonna describes living with a stranger who she used to know so well, and feels tortured waiting for his answer. Her partner is depicted as having inner demons that he cannot control and that cause him to hear voices and act impulsively. Despite his harmful behavior towards her, Madonna wants to get to know him better and hopes to prove to him that their love can be real.
Throughout the song, Madonna uses the metaphor of a merry-go-round to symbolize the cyclical and tumultuous nature of her relationship. She wants to break away from this pattern and not let history repeat itself by being constantly hurt by her partner's actions. While she longs for a deeper connection with him, she recognizes that she cannot continue to cling on to something that will only cause her pain in the end. In the chorus, she repeats the question "Is this love?" and ultimately comes to the conclusion that it is not.
Overall, "Is This Love" is a powerful reflection on the uncertainty and pain that can come with being in a tumultuous relationship. Madonna's depiction of her partner's inner demons and her struggle to understand the authenticity of their love is both relatable and heartbreaking.
Line by Line Meaning
How can I be sure you're telling me the truth
I don't know if I can trust what you say
In this house of games you never you show your cards
You hold back and keep secrets, like you're playing a game
You claim madness it's become convenient
You use your mental health issues as an excuse for your actions
I don't wanna hear your angry words again
I'm tired of your constant arguing and outbursts
You hear voices taunting you to leave me
You're torn between your own thoughts and what others may be telling you to do
Then you're sorry you hold me in your arms
You regret hurting me, but it still keeps happening
You have demons, nothing can control them
You're dealing with inner struggles that you can't overcome
Who can blame you if you're not in charge
It's understandable that you can't always control your thoughts and actions
Is this love, I think not
This doesn't feel like a healthy, loving relationship
I wanna get off this merry-go-round
I want to break free from this cycle of pain and confusion
History will repeat itself
The same problems and mistakes will continue to happen in our relationship
And I won't let you take me down
I won't let you bring me down with you
Treat me like a curse then tell me I'm your savior
You alternate between treating me badly and acting like I'm the only good thing in your life
I'm living with the stranger I used to know so well
You've changed so much that I don't feel like I know you anymore
Waiting for your answer is a kind of torture
I'm left in limbo, not knowing what you're feeling or what you'll do next
Could I grow accustomed to this kind of hell?
I'm not sure if I want to continue dealing with this pain and uncertainty
Is this life, I think not
This is not the kind of life I want to live
History will complete itself
The same problems and issues will keep coming up and repeating themselves
And I won't let you break me down
I won't let you destroy me and my sense of self-worth
I'd like to get to know you
I still have hope that we can work things out and build a stronger relationship
You could warm up your hands on my heart
I'm willing to give you a chance to open up to me and show your true feelings
I've got so much to show you
I have a lot of love and affection to give, if you're willing to accept it
But for now it's just Bon D' Accord
But for now, we'll just have to agree to disagree and move forward without each other
Contributed by Leah J. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Trent Totally
Her voice is spectacular here.
Sarah Coradi
I actually really like this, even though it's unreleased. I do hear not only Voices from the Sticky and Sweet album, but also Easy Ride from American Life. I wonder if this song would have been after Easy Ride has she kept it in the album
alexe.
Hard Candy, not Sticky and Sweet
Darío Sotto
When I listen to Hard Candy I listen to this song instead of Voices, because it's one of the very few songs by Madonna I don't like much 😅
LoveAge
Pure GOLD!!
Luna Garcia
This is my favourite for American Life and unreleased.
chefboyardeeman
it sounds like it was supposed to be released on the American Life album..its mostly the acoustic parts and orchestral soundscape that gives it away..
Sunny Sunshine
Beautiful
Joao Carlos
Better than voices
Alan Balvin
Living with Madonna most be a very difficult thing for a man, men not seem to be able to stand by a successful and changing woman