How Madonna’s ‘Don’t Tell Me’ Predicted the Future
Madonna‘s “Don’t Tell Me” is not one of the more famous tunes in the Queen of Pop’s catalog. Sure, it was a hit but it wasn’t “Like a Virgin.” Despite this, “Don’t Tell Me” was way ahead of the curve in many regards. Several pop stars from the 2010s and 2020s owe a lot to it.
Madonna’s ‘Don’t Tell Me’ paved the way for a new genre
Like many great Madonna songs, “Don’t Tell Me” is deceptively simple upon the first listen. The tune features some acoustic country/folk strumming combined with electronic beats. It’s a simple combination, but no one had really done it before in popular music. Country and folk were seen as diametrically opposed to electronica, with the latter being overall more polished and less authentic.
However, the juxtaposition of styles paved the way for the modern genre of folktronica. Some of the stars of the 2010s owe a lot to folktronica. Most of Avicii’s hits were examples of that style. Furthermore, Ellie Goulding started out as a folktronica singer before moving in a more pop direction. In addition, more and more country singers started embracing electronica as time went on. Arguably, though, the greatest legacy of “Don’t Tell Me” had to do with its marketing.
How Madonna taught a lot of pop artists how to make country music
The Material Girl took on a cowgirl image when she promoted this single. It was a cheeky move, as she danced with a bunch of male backup dancers who took the stereotypical machismo of cowboys in a more homoerotic direction. No wonder the Queen of Pop has so many gay fans! At the time, the music video was a bit daring even if it wasn’t sexually explicit.
The way Madonna engaged was a touch irreverent. Since then, pop stars like Lil Nas X, Miley Cyrus, and Lady Gaga have adopted the aesthetics of country music in a similar way. “Old Town Road” is a country song for sure, but it’s still tongue-in-cheek. Perhaps the only way to cross the flashy world of pop with the dirt road vibes of country is for pop singers to bring some camp to the table.
How the writer of ‘Don’t Tell Me’ looked back on it
“Don’t Tell Me” was co-written by the producer Mirwais. During a 2020 interview with Variety, the producer discussed the legacy of “Don’t Tell Me.” “I think ‘Don’t Tell Me’ has remained since that time as an iconic song for several reasons,” he said. “We can call this song the very first ‘Folktronica’ or ‘Cyberfolk’ song. I think Madonna and I invented this style. And the magnificent music video made by Jean Baptiste Mondino helped to crystallize the ‘Electronic Cowboy’ image, which was something totally new at the time.”
Mirwais aid the tune was unique in the Material Girl’s discography. “This song is one of the very rare singles Madonna performs with no effects on her vocals, and on this, everyone noticed it,” he said. “I loved the jungle programming vibe, this is why I incorporated it on ‘Don’t Tell Me.’ It sounded very ahead of the times with its rolls.”
“Don’t Tell Me” is a great song and a textbook example of how to bridge genres with style.
