It's 30 years this month since 'Secret' debuted on the charts and served as the lead single to Madonna's sixth studio album 'Bedtime Stories'. Originally composed with Shep Pettibone under the title 'Something's Coming Over Me', the song was reworked into an R&B song comprising of acoustic guitar, strings and hip-hop beats. It was accompanied by a music video that showed Madonna - with a Jean Harlow inspired look - as a nightclub singer in Harlem, New York City. Several remixes were created by Junior Vasquez to keep the song current in dance clubs 'Secret' was a commercial success, although less impressive as previous lead singles, reaching #5 in the UK and #3 in the US.

 

Share your thoughts and memories below!

The audio message Madonna recorded for the internet alongside a snippet of the song:

 

 

Welcome to the 90s version of intimacy. You can hear me. You can even see me. But you can't touch me"

 

"Often imitated, but never duplicated... or should I say often irritated"

 

'Secret' is also one of the few Madonna singles that had a new song for the B-side that never made an appearance on a studio album:

 

It's definitely all about the Junior Vasquez version for me.

A true classic, and one of her best songs on her discography imo

It's such an amazing video.

One of my favourite Madonna songs for the early / mid 90's! It's such a vibe.

The song, the remix , the change of direction . Dallas Austin really is an amazing producer!

It’s probably Madonna’s most subdued lead single, both as the song and the overall package, but I think it’s a real stunner. Love Madonna’s lower register and the arrangement of the song, the hums and harmonies are heavenly. Probably a 10/10 for me.

 

The Junior Vasquez remix is one of my favourites too. I’m also intrigued as to what the Shep Pettibone demo sounded like. Suppose it’s not likely to leak after all this time but maybe it will be released when/if these album reissues happen.

 

The few tour performances we’ve had of this are great. She should perform it more!

 

 

Agree with every word Liam :wub:

Secret is not and never has been a fave of mine.

 

I think the first impression was that it was too subdued and wouldn't do anything to win fans back after the Erotica fallout. A #5 peak in the UK didn't help.

 

But Bedtime Stories is probably the only time I went off Madonna a bit... and I still bought all the CD formats etc of all the singles.

 

Looking back, I now love the Bedtime Stories album, but Secret is one of the songs that I would actually skip.

The Junior Vasquez remix is one of my favourites too. I’m also intrigued as to what the Shep Pettibone demo sounded like. Suppose it’s not likely to leak after all this time but maybe it will be released when/if these album reissues happen.

 

Socials are saying "we've got a secret" and to check back soon. The accompanying photo shows "Something's Coming Over"... So you might just get your wish!!

Re-release incoming!?

I think this is such an underrated gem. I get why it didn't do amazingly well in the charts but I think it's held up much better than most of the mid 90s r&b sounds have. I love how funky the guitar is in the second half and the whole thing just has a perfect relaxed vibe to it, genuinely a 10 for me and stands out as something different in her back catalogue.

Was this seen as being an underperformance at the time?

 

I'm only interested as I wasn't following at the time, and I've never heard any discussion around it being perceived as such!

I'm inclined to say it was. Even more so when it fell to #10 in week two. She had set a really high bar up until this point though so it was a tough record to keep up. I'd say that the tone was more that she was on a decline that had begun with Erotica

Was this seen as being an underperformance at the time?

 

I'm only interested as I wasn't following at the time, and I've never heard any discussion around it being perceived as such!

I know what you mean, I can’t say I’ve ever seen discussion about it being an underperformance even though it was less successful than previous leads. Like Dandy said, the idea of Madonna’s success being on the decline started with Erotica so perhaps it was never expected to do any better than it did.

 

I wonder how Take a Bow would have faired as lead single? Clearly it would still have been a huge success in America but I wonder about other markets.

I know what you mean, I can’t say I’ve ever seen discussion about it being an underperformance even though it was less successful than previous leads. Like Dandy said, the idea of Madonna’s success being on the decline started with Erotica so perhaps it was never expected to do any better than it did.

 

I wonder how Take a Bow would have faired as lead single? Clearly it would still have been a huge success in America but I wonder about other markets.

 

Take A Bow suffered from being released in the Christmas market of 1994. I think it would have done better had it been released in January.

 

I wonder if Secret will ever go Silver. It was an airplay #1 back in 1994.

 

Top 200 Best Selling Singles of 1994:

 

83 Secret - Madonna (Maverick) 135,000

138 Take A Bow - Madonna (Maverick) 81,000

 

 

Take A Bow suffered from being released in the Christmas market of 1994. I think it would have done better had it been released in January.

 

I wonder if Secret will ever go Silver. It was an airplay #1 back in 1994.

 

Top 200 Best Selling Singles of 1994:

 

83 Secret - Madonna (Maverick) 135,000

138 Take A Bow - Madonna (Maverick) 81,000

The sales got downgraded as Secret was on 117k in 2008. Think it’s probably far away from Silver, it wasn’t in Madonna’s Top 40 most streamed for the UK. Only does 15k streams worldwide on a daily basis.

Not one of my favourites but the junior Vasquez remix really elevates the song!

I don't get this take that the Junior Vasquez mix elevates the song at all, yet I've seen it mentioned lots of times over the years. It does transform it, I'll give you that, but it takes it from being an interesting change in direction and pace from Madonna and turns it into a pretty generic dance track production - which isn't to say I don't like it, it's perfectly okay for what it is, but it isn't as good as the original imo.