Material Girl

"Material Girl" is a song performed by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 30, 1984, by Sire Records, as the second single from her second album Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, and in its original form on the 2009 greatest hits compilation, Celebration. The song was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, while Nile Rodgers produced the track. Madonna explained that the concept of the song was similar to her life's situation at that time. According to her, the song was provocative, hence she was attracted to it.

"Material Girl" consists of synth arrangements with a robotic voice repeating the hook. The lyrics identify with materialism, with Madonna asking for a rich and affluent life, rather than romance and relationships. Contemporary critics have frequently identified "Material Girl" along with "Like a Virgin" as the songs that established Madonna as an icon. "Material Girl" was a commercial success, reaching the top-five in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Japan and United Kingdom. It reached the number two position on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, becoming her third top-five single there.

The music video was a mimicry of Marilyn Monroe's performance of the song "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend" from the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. The mimicked scenes are interspersed with scenes of a Hollywood director trying to win the heart of an actress, played by Madonna herself. Discovering that, contrary to her song, the young woman was not impressed by money and expensive gifts, he pretended to be penniless and succeeded in taking her out on a date. She has performed the song in four of her world tours, most of them being mimicry of the song and the video.

"Material Girl" has been covered by a number of artists, including Britney Spears, The Chipettes and Hilary and Haylie Duff. It has appeared in films like Moulin Rouge! (2001) and Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason (2004). Madonna has often remarked that she regrets recording "Material Girl" as the name became a pseudonym for her in mainstream media. The song has been labeled an empowering influence for women, and was the subject of debates.

Material Girl lyrics

Some boys kiss me, some boys hug me

 I think they're O.K.

 If they don't give me proper credit

 I just walk away

They can beg and they can plead

 But they can't see the light, that's right

 'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash

 Is always Mister Right, 'cause we are...

Living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

 You know that we are living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

Some boys romance, some boys slow dance

 That's all right with me

 If they can't raise my interest then I

 Have to let them be

Some boys try and some boys lie but

 I don't let them play

 Only boys who save their pennies

 Make my rainy day, 'cause we are...

Living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

 You know that we are living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

Living in a material world (material)

 Living in a material world

 (repeat)

Boys may come and boys may go

 And that's all right you see

 Experience has made me rich

 And now they're after me, 'cause everybody's

Living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

 You know that we are living in a material world

 And I am a material girl

A material, a material, a material, a material world

Living in a material world (material)

 Living in a material world

 (repeat and fade)