Madonna’s “Sex” Book And “Erotica” Album Turned 20 This Week

Gramma is getting UP THERE in age, huh? Actually, this anniversary makes ME feel old. No betraying my age, but I will confess that I was dancing around to the sleazy club beats of Erotica on a…this hurts to type…Sony Discman. Look, you knew I wasn’t some wet-behind-the-taint twink co-writing this blog.

Yesterday marked the day Madonna’s one-two punch (her hyped-to-hell Sex book and it’s companion album - Erotica) hit us in the face (and wallets) 20 years ago. It was probably the apex of Material Yenta’s shock-til’-you-drop with controversy career assault. She really hasn’t hit those screaming heights of attention-whoring since those halcyon weeks in 1992. It seemed like a daily occurence when she was shoving her pussy in all of our faces, dallying with Vanilla Ice in her mylar-wrapped (think of the children!) coffee table book’s over-sized pages, and embarking on “The Girlie Show” tour as “Dita.” She was your mistress that night.

Remember when MTV would only play the “Erotica” video very early in the morning or very late at night? Weird.  Cuz’ it’s over on YouTube just as plain as day and the only really controversial aspect of it now is watching Ms. Isabella Rosellini frolicking with Madge in the surf. Because it makes you wonder just how much her Ingrid Bergman’s daughter’s ass got paid to go slummin’!

Madge has TRIED to stay somewhat shocking (go here for deets on all the kinda sad antics she’s pulled on her current tour), but the thing is – there isn’t really much for a almost Nana-aged superstar to bowl us over with nowadays. My advice? Leave that rebellion to the kids coming up behind you, and perhaps focus on the music a little more? I’m a giant Madge fan, but I can barely name more than two songs off MDNA. Oh, how I long for the days of “Deeper and Deeper” and the title track and that one song she had on Erotica about how eating pussy doesn’t make you fat.

Follow the break for pics from Sex and a look back at the “Erotica” video. Skinhead lesbians tying Madge up! Interracial writhing with Naomi Campbell and Big Daddy Kane! TOE SUCKING! That was some kinky shit back in the day.

- J. Harvey