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)
Words
Madonna Lyrics
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Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want anymore
You think you're so smart
You try to humiliate with your words
You think you're so chic
You write me beautiful letters
You think you're so much better than me
But your actions speak louder than words
And they're only words unless they're true
Your actions speak louder than promises
You're inclined to make and inclined to break
Words, they cut like a knife
Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want anymore
You think you're so shrewd
You try to bring me low
You try to gain control with your words
But your actions speak louder than words
And they're only words unless they're true
Your actions speak louder than promises
You're inclined to make and inclined to break
Words, they cut like a knife
Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want anymore
Friends they tried to warn me about you
He has good manners, he's so romantic
But he'll only make you blue
How can I explain to them?
How could they know?
I'm in love with your words
Your words
You think you're so sly
I caught you at your game
You will not bring me shame with your words
But your actions speak louder than words
And they're only words unless they're true
Your actions speak louder than promises
You're inclined to make and inclined to break
Words, they cut like a knife
Cut into my life
I don't want to hear your words
They always attack
Please take them all back
If they're yours I don't want anymore
Too much blinding light
Your touch, I've grown tired of your words
Words, words
A linguistic form that can meaningfully be spoken in isolation (words)
Conversation, expression, a promise, a sigh
In short, a lie
A message from heaven, a signal from hell
I give you my word I'll never tell
Language that is used in anger
Personal feelings signalling danger
A brief remark, an utterance, information (I've grown tired of your words)
Don't mince words, don't be evasive
Speak your mind, be persuasive
A pledge, a commitment, communication, words
The song 'Words' by Madonna is a bold and powerful anthem that speaks about the impacts of words on a person's life. The lyrics convey the singer's mistrust and disgust towards someone who is manipulating, humiliating, shrewd, and attempting to control her with words. Madonna emphasizes the cutting and profound effect that hurtful words can have on a person. The singer also differentiates between words and actions, suggesting that words alone are meaningless unless they are true, and it is our actions that speak louder than words.
The song's verses also suggest a dilemma the author is going through, where she is in love with the person's words despite the warning from her friends. But as the chorus repeats, she doesn't want to hear the person's words that always attack her. Instead, she wants the person to take back their words and actions that are only making her life worse.
The song's composition and Madonna's performance contribute to its powerful message. The song blends 80s pop with electronic and dance music elements, and Madonna's vocals are assertive, powerful, and emotionally charged.
Line by Line Meaning
Words, they cut like a knife
Lies and criticisms are hurtful and have a major impact on one’s life.
Cut into my life
The effects of the hurtful comments are serious and have long-lasting effects.
I don't want to hear your words
Request to stop speaking untrue words and insulting others.
They always attack
Lies and criticism are always intended to harm.
Please take them all back
The artist wants the other person to retract their hurtful comments.
If they're yours I don't want anymore
The singer doesn't wish to receive any more hurtful comments from the other person.
You think you're so smart
The singer perceives the other person as arrogant and manipulative.
You try to manipulate me
The other person is attempting to control the artist through untruthful and hurtful comments.
You try to humiliate with your words
The other person is using insults and damaging comments to embarrass the artist.
You think you're so chic
The other person believes they are more glamorous and sophisticated than the artist.
You write me beautiful letters
The other person uses flattery to conceal their true intentions.
You think you're so much better than me
The other person has an arrogant and condescending attitude towards the artist.
But your actions speak louder than words
The true intentions of the other person can be identified through their actions.
And they're only words unless they're true
Words only have an impact if they are truthful.
Your actions speak louder than promises
The actions of a person have more influence than their spoken promises.
You're inclined to make and inclined to break
The other person has a tendency to make promises but not follow through with them.
Friends they tried to warn me about you
The artist was warned by others about the untruthful nature of the other person.
He has good manners, he's so romantic
The other person was initially seen as charming and well-mannered.
But he'll only make you blue
Despite his charms, the other person's true nature is to bring sadness and pain to those around him.
How can I explain to them?
The artist struggles to explain the real intentions and behavior of the other person to their friends.
How could they know?
The other person conceals their true negative intentions well.
I'm in love with your words
The artist is attracted to the flattery and deceitful comments of the other person, even though they are hurtful.
You think you're so sly
The singer acknowledges that the other person is attempting to conceal their negative intentions through deceit.
I caught you at your game
The artist has discovered the true motivations of the other person.
You will not bring me shame with your words
The singer refuses to let the other person's insults and hurtful comments bring them down.
Too much blinding light
The singer is overwhelmed and bombarded with too many untruthful comments.
Your touch, I've grown tired of your words, Words, words
The singer is no longer impressed by the flattery and deception of the other person, and wishes to avoid further interactions with them.
A linguistic form that can meaningfully be spoken in isolation (words)
An opening line discussing the definition of words and language.
Conversation, expression, a promise, a sigh
Different forms that words can take, including communication and emotion.
In short, a lie
Summary statement implying that many words are untruthful or misleading.
A message from heaven, a signal from hell
Highlights the fact that words can have both positive and negative implications, depending on their intent.
I give you my word I'll never tell
Promising to keep a secret, a common phrase that can be hurtful if the promise is broken.
Language that is used in anger
Words spoken when a person is upset, often resulting in hurtful comments.
Personal feelings signalling danger
Indicates how a person can feel hurt or anxious as a result of deceptive or hurtful comments.
A brief remark, an utterance, information (I've grown tired of your words)
Acknowledging that words can come in many forms, including short statements and mere information, but that all can be hurtful if they are untruthful or negative.
Don't mince words, don't be evasive
A plea for the other person to be truthful and straightforward in their words, rather than concealing their true intentions.
Speak your mind, be persuasive
Encouragement to use words to convey real emotions and intentions, while also being convincing and impactful.
A pledge, a commitment, communication, words
A final summary statement listing different types of words and their implications, from offering promises and commitments to enabling communication between people.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Downtown Music Publishing, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: Shep Pettibone, Anthony Shimkin, Madonna Ciccone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Robert Cochran
on Die Another Day
The only good thing about that sucky film is this song