Joan of Arc
Madonna Lyrics


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Each time they take a photograph
I lose a part I can't get back
I wanna hide, this is the part where I detach
Each time they write a hateful word
Dragging my soul into the dirt
I wanna die
I never admit it
But it hurts

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, yeah

I can't be superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

One little lie I can ruin my day
Words are like weapons they betray
When I am afraid, one word of kindness it can save me

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, yeah

I can't be superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

Being destructive isn't brave
They couldn't say it to my face
One day I won't care
But for the moment I'm not there
I'll just close my eyes, and let you catch me now

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, oh yeah

I can't be superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now




Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not Joan of Arc

Overall Meaning

"Joan of Arc" is a song by Madonna, released in 2015 as part of her thirteenth studio album, "Rebel Heart." The song has a central theme of feeling vulnerable, persecuted and misunderstood, much like Joan of Arc, the French heroine who led the French army to victory over the British during the Hundred Years' War. Madonna connects with Joan's story in a very personal way, expressing her own struggles with public scrutiny and judgment.


The lyrics describe Madonna's feelings of being constantly photographed and criticized by the press. Despite her fame and success, she still feels like she is not the Joan of Arc figure that everyone expects her to be. She tries to detach herself from the public scrutiny by hiding and keeping her emotions to herself. However, she finds solace in her lover, who provides her with the support and kindness that she needs to overcome her fears.


The chorus expresses her desire to be held and comforted, rather than being a superhero who is invincible. She acknowledges that she may be only human, but the love of her partner can make all the difference. She ends the song by saying that no matter what anyone does or says to her, she will not go down without a fight.


In summary, the song "Joan of Arc" is a confession of Madonna's vulnerability and struggle with the public's scrutiny. It is an ode to her personal hero, Joan of Arc, and a plea for kindness and understanding from the world.


Line by Line Meaning

Each time they take a photograph
Every time someone takes a photo of me, it feels like a part of me is being lost forever


I lose a part I can't get back
I feel like the photo steals a part of my soul that I can never reclaim


I wanna hide, this is the part where I detach
In response to the photo being taken, I want to retreat and disconnect from the situation


Each time they write a hateful word
Whenever someone writes something cruel or hurtful about me


Dragging my soul into the dirt
It feels like they are attacking the very core of who I am


I wanna die
It hurts so much that sometimes I wish I was dead


I never admit it
I would never let them see how much they are affecting me


But it hurts
Regardless, the pain is real and intense


I don't wanna talk about it right now
I don't feel like discussing the situation


Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I just need someone to comfort me while I let out my emotions


I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I am not as strong and fearless as Joan of Arc just yet


But I'm in the dark, yeah
Right now, I feel lost and uncertain about how to navigate the situation


I can't be superhero right now
I am not capable of being strong and invulnerable at this moment


Even hearts made out of steel can break down
Even the strongest and most courageous people have moments of vulnerability and weakness


I'm only human
I am not perfect or invincible, I am just an ordinary person


Anything they did to me, said to me
Regardless of what they have done or said to me


Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
The presence of the person comforting me is enough to help me overcome the negativity


Even when the world turns its back on me
Even if everyone else abandons me or judges me harshly


There could be war but I'm not going down
I refuse to give up or be defeated, even in the face of adversity


One little lie I can ruin my day
A single falsehood or unkind word can destroy my mood and ruin my entire day


Words are like weapons they betray
Words can be incredibly powerful and hurtful, just like weapons


When I am afraid, one word of kindness it can save me
In moments of fear and vulnerability, a simple act of kindness can help me find strength and hope


Being destructive isn't brave
Hurting others or vandalizing things is not a courageous or admirable act


They couldn't say it to my face
The people who are criticizing me would never have the courage to say it to my face


One day I won't care
One day, the opinions of others won't matter to me as much as they do now


But for the moment I'm not there
Right now, I am still dealing with the pain and frustration of being criticized


I'll just close my eyes, and let you catch me now
I am willing to let go and trust that the person comforting me will support me and keep me safe




Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Madonna Ciccone

Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
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Most interesting comments from YouTube:

@user-op4qi9om5z

*****   Being an artist is more than a lot of things, so which one will you pick if you were ever talented and smart enough to become one? Let me know when you make it, otherwise you have no rights to say or judge in this matter! And who's supporting all the dancers and production people on her tour, you? or maybe you think if Madonna charged $50 for her tickets, she would still be able to afford it all? Oh that sure is enough to maintenance her image and you know one of things that drawn people to her??!! Don't swear at Hermès, because you can only afford Old Navy, hate the game don't hate the players, hate yourself for being in a different tax bracket!

NEVER is enough!!! You'll never understand it, or you'd be rich already! She made her money through hard work and dedication, and that should be celebrated!!! Only a jealous poor person would use that against her!

She never "thrust" anything, you know how I know this? cuz you don't fucking know her! where did you get your info on all things Madonna???!!! She totally practices what she preaches, visiting and building schools in Malawi and donating money for water projects; by spreading love and good words through her works. And when was the last time you heard Madonna talking shit about other artists? even when the likes of Mariah and Elton John dissed her repeatedly??!! She might be a total "hypocrite" in her private life, but you don't fucking know her, so what do you know??!! 

She was fully naked in that book, how could she be "more nude" now??!! And why is it OK for Cher to be showing her butt checks, but not Madonna?

Do you understand the meaning of "desperate"? You wouldn't call Madonna that if you knew. What is Madonna "desperate" of? Money (the richest artist EVER)? Fame (some Granny from a farming village in some remote land knows who Madonna is, now that's the true measurement of FAME, the only other person had that kind of fame was Michael Jackson)? Success (the best selling female artist, most successful female artist, one of the top 5 most successful artists, two of the 12 top grossing tours in history, the only female on the top 10 list and sitting at number 4 spot being the only one had less than one year span, while others made more money due to longer touring schedule)  Love from her fans? (not just talking shit about other artists on YouTube, but who actually put their money where their mouth is) Attention? (again she has 100% attendance to her concerts, oh people most definitely notice her, the highest watched Super Bowel Half Time show (by pulling in more audience than the game itself unlike this year and last year) and she was the number one act people wanted to see during this year's Grammy Awards (43.87%, out of 22 acts she commanded almost half of the attention and excitement!) and the Brit Awards by a huge margin from billboard and other online polling; when Madonna shows up, it's an event!)

Stop talking shit about a decent person who's done more than your whole family line could ever have. You don't have to like her, but unless she is your BFF and you know her personally, you have no rights to judge her based on rumors, bullshit, speculations, or any other toxic channels you haters would draw your inspiration from!



@carlostjoost6926

Each time they take a photograph
I lose a part I can't get back
I wanna hide, this is the part where I detach
Each time they write a hateful word
Dragging my soul into the dirt
I wanna die
I never admit it
But it hurts

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, yeah
I can't be Superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

One little lie I can ruin my day
Words are like weapons they betray
When I am afraid, one word of kindness it can save me

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, yeah

I can't be Superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

Being destructive isn't brave
They couldn't say it to my face
One day I won't care
But for the moment I'm not there
I'll just close my eyes, and let you catch me now

I don't wanna talk about it right now
Just hold me while I cry my eyes out
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
But I'm in the dark, oh yeah

I can't be Superhero right now
Even hearts made out of steel can break down
I'm not Joan of Arc, not yet
I'm only human

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not going down

Anything they did to me, said to me
Doesn't mean a thing, 'cause you're here with me now
Even when the world turns its back on me
There could be war but I'm not Joan of Arc



@WhirledPeace

Oh my God....

Shivers....

I'm in Windsor across from Detroit... Last time I saw her I had glow sticks at her concert thinking the devil wouldn't recognize her..

This honesty.. This revelation.. Her growth..

Her music... Her heart..

Her transformation.. Melts my once frozen heart..

I don't need cheerleaders or bands to be convinced I love her music..I just needed this..her heart.

Sounds like she's getting stronger.. I'll do all I can to support that :)

Peace



All comments from YouTube:

@lauraashleykidd

"When I am afraid, one word of kindness, it can save me." 

SUCH AN IMPORTANT MESSAGE. 

@theautistic.teacher

So true.

@joseernestomartinezmeneses2529

Yes :)

@michaelharrigan338

So True one word one smile can save me

@r.j4449

I really cant believe that this woman has been around for more than 33 years and still doing great music and reinventing herself. She´s totally unique and I dont think there will be another Madonna.

@christiangolden1149

100%

@yogiy2675

Me too I have been adoring her looks and music since childhood and surprisingly I STILL ADORE HER ( no longer counted in youth myself) I am hoping to meet her in person but that's a fools dreaming...

@brandonaldaymachuse6669

There will definitely never ever be another Madonna. Ever.

@crtpitt3722

40 years in 2023 and I still love Madonna. ❤❤❤

@Lillipod1

She will have a lot of songs given to her. Pentagram there on her face in barbed wire.

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