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)
Let It Will Be
Madonna Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
About success, about fame
About the rise and the fall
Of all the stars in the sky
Don't it make you smile?
Let, it will be
Just let it be
Now I can tell you
About the place I belong
You know it won't last long
And all those lights they will turn down
Let, it will be
Oh, let it be
Just let it be
Won't you let it be?
Now I can see things
For what they are really are
I guess I'm not that far
I'm at the point of no return
Just watch me burn
Let, it will be
Just let it be
Oh let it be
Let, it will be
Just let it be (Just let it be)
Let, it will be
Oh let it be (Don't you let it be?)
Oh let it be (Won't you let it be?)
Now I can tell you
The place that I belong
It won't last long
The lights they will turn down
(Oh let it be)
Oh let it be
Oh let it be (Won't you let it be?)
Oh let it be (You've got to let it be)
Oh let it be (Everyone can see)
Oh let it be (Let, it will be)
Just watch me burn
Oh let it be
Just let it be
Won't you let it be?
Won't you let it be? (Just let it be)
Oh let it be (Let it will be)
Just let it be (Don't you let it be?)
Won't you let it be? (Won't you let it be?)
Now I can tell you (Oh let it be)
Tell you, tell you (Just let it be)
About success, about fame
Won't you let it be? (About fame, about fame)
Won't you let it be?
Oh let it be
Just let it be
Won't you let it be?
In "Let It Will Be," Madonna reflects on her own journey to fame, acknowledging the transience of success and the inevitability of decline. In the first verse, she speaks of the rise and fall of stars, hinting at the fleeting nature of stardom. She encourages the listener to accept this impermanence with a smile, urging them to let it be.
The second verse focuses on Madonna's own experience, as she contemplates the inevitable end of her time in the spotlight. She admits that she belongs to a world that won't last long, and that eventually, the lights will turn down on her. Again, she implores the listener to accept this reality and let it be.
The final verses are more introspective, as Madonna reflects on the clarity she has gained about life and success. She declares that she can now see things as they really are and admits that she may have passed the point of no return. Throughout the song, there is a sense of resignation, but also a sense of wisdom gained through experience. Madonna is accepting of her fate, but also reflective and contemplative.
Line by Line Meaning
Now I can tell you
Madonna is now at a point where she can speak from experience.
About success, about fame
She can speak about the highs of being successful and famous.
About the rise and the fall
She can also talk about how these stars rise and fall over time.
Of all the stars in the sky
She can speak on behalf of all celebrities.
Don't it make you smile?
She asks the listener if they find joy in the topic of fame and success.
Let, it will be
Madonna advises us to let things be and not try to control everything.
Just let it be
She repeats this advice to emphasize it.
Won't you let it be?
She asks the listener to also follow this advice.
About the place I belong
Madonna talks about her personal situation and place in the world.
You know it won't last long
She recognizes that her current situation won't last forever.
And all those lights they will turn down
The attention and fame she has now will eventually fade away.
Now I can see things
Madonna has gained perspective and understands things better now.
For what they are really are
She sees things for what they truly are, beyond their outward appearance or facade.
I guess I'm not that far
She realizes that she is closer to the truth than she previously thought.
I'm at the point of no return
She has reached a stage where there is no going back to how things were.
Just watch me burn
Madonna is willing to take risks and face the consequences that come with it.
Just let it be (Just let it be)
She repeats the refrain again.
Oh let it be
She passionately urges us to let things be.
Don't you let it be?
She questions if the listener is able to let things be.
Won't you let it be?
She repeats the previous question.
The place that I belong
She reminds us of her specific situation once more.
(Oh let it be)
A repeated reminder to let things be.
You've got to let it be
She conveys the urgency of letting things be.
Everyone can see
She emphasizes that this is something that everyone can understand and agree upon.
Tell you, tell you (Just let it be)
Madonna rephrases the advice to let things be.
Won't you let it be? (About fame, about fame)
She ends the song with a final plea to accept things as they are.
Oh let it be
Another reminder to let things be.
Just let it be
A final repetition of the advice.
Won't you let it be?
The song ends with the same question it began with, reinforcing its central message.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: . MADONNA, STUART PRICE, MIRWAIS AHMADZAI
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song