I was a teen, actually almost a non-minor, when Madonna appeared on the scene and I became an instant fan. I've seen her live and I bought all her albums (and later, cassettes, and later, CDs.) As I got busy bearing babies my interest in pop with its shallow lyrics and focus on partying waned so I was disinterested in her last couple of albums. My music playlist contained Disney, Raffi, Tom Chapin, and other kid's songs. When my oldest was tweenaged we put away the nursery rhymes and even the Star Wars movie theme music and turned to country. It was tamer than pop, back then, and was a good segue into the real world of music.
Finally three years ago, with a new car with free Sirius radio, I turned to Sirius 80s on 8 for a year, at which point I tired of hearing the same old, same old songs played over and over (enough is enough with Hungry as a Wolf for goodness sake). For the last two years I've listened to the current pop music with my kids, some which shocked me at first and some is a complete turn off. It's easy to change the station when something utterly rivolting comes on.
I figured this year for the Superbowl we'd have Lady Gaga. I can't imagine why we didn't. But Madonna is back on the scene. It makes total sense that she'd appear now since pop of the same style as the 80s is so popular again and I swear sometimes that Lady Gaga is just recycling Madonna's style. Madonna has a new album, so this show served to promote it. Madonna's back and at it strong, taking the world's largest stage as her marketing tool. I'm actually glad to see she still has spunk in her.
I recall Madonna interviewed by Oprah when Madonna's daughter was about six years old. She said that her daughter watched no television or movies and had never heard Madonna's music or seen anything that Madonna produced. Madonna said she was sheltering her daughter from all those influences. Madonna thought it was better for a child's development to not see those things.
I agreed with her but I found that so hypocritical since Madonna's strong presence in the entertainment industry found its way into many young girl's lives, how dare she feel that she wanted her daughter raised without any of the influence that she had on other people's children? Madonna was made wealthy through her work which included many controversial and sexual exploits in her music videos and bringing to the mainstream in entertainment things which were formerly taboo. Some said Madonna was a corrupting force to youth.
I wondered how long Madonna could keep up the sheltering of her daughter Lourdes. Madonna's new album release could not be kept from her daughter, obviously. Lourdes is 15 now. As a mother I wonder how Madonna as mother dealt with her original desire to shelter Lourdes to where she is today. I just read online that Lourdes has a clothing line and is getting her driver's license soon. Well, maybe someday we'll have a book to share the story of Madonna's mothering journey...
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I watched most of the Superbowl (in between talking to new Texas acquaintences) and was rivoted to Madonna's half time show. These four things I'll say.
The worshipping of Madonna by today's pop stars was a complete turn off to me, showing she's the queen and they are below her, and the Madonna as high priestess was bothersome because I'm used to her singing that song mostly naked and now she donned the full robe to show that she has a position among religious leadership whose in charge.
I was impressed by her dancing and personally I can barely walk in heels let alone dance in them so good for her, she is in great shape. Madonna looked so young that it was almost scary because I noted it seemed the top half of her face never moved! When singing songs with emotion the eyebrows and forehead should move, and we should see forehead creases and movement around the eye muscles.
I am not a fan of various injectable substances that do things to women's faces to alter one's appearance or to paralyze the muscles; I don't know what Madonna's done but I was hoping we'd get to see Madonna age gracefully. I just hope she doesn't have plastic surgery on her face which will make her look like someone she is not. And please Madonna, don't inject your lips with anything either. Please?
Here is an article that further deconstructs the half time show published in The Telegraph.
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To further my kid's entry into the mainstream of music I took them to their first rock concert a few months ago. We drove a whopping three miles and saw my old favorite 80s rock band, Def Leppard play right here in our town. They liked it, although they didn't know all the music. The audience was tame and included more than a few middle aged preppy men who read their Blackberry's during the show. There were a few degenerates who were drinking heavily and drunk, so it was a good way for me to show my sons what drunk people look and act like, and they came to their own conclusions that it was gross and a bit scary.
Oh, and lest you wonder if my kids will turn out to be complete nerds or dorks, my fourteen year old is moving along the typical developmental stage of moving away from music his parents approve of. I'm more musically liberal so liking classical rock is not rebellious enough for him. It isn't rebellion if Mom actually likes AC/DC or Ozzy Osbourne, so he likes to listen to alternative rock. My eleven year old shows some independent rebellion by liking some hip hop music that my husband and I can't stand, like Eminem. (Not that we promote it or let him buy all of it, some things just cross the line.)