Express Yourself (Madonna song)

This article is about the 1989 single by Madonna. For other uses, see Express Yourself.

"Express Yourself"
Song
B-side	"The Look of Love"

"Express Yourself" was the second single from Madonna's multi-platinum selling 1989 album Like a Prayer. It was composed and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, with additional production and remixing by Shep Pettibone (Pettibone did another remix a year later, the "Shep's Spressin' Himself Remix"). The extended mixes from this single also appeared on Remixed Prayers.

Song information

"Express Yourself", written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, was released as a single on May 9, 1989. In Europe, the song hit the number one spot, where it stayed for three weeks, and Japan and the US saw it go to number two; it was generally a top-five hit around the world.

Of all of Madonna's songs, "Express Yourself" perhaps contains the clearest message. The song is one of female empowerment, urging women never to "go for second-best" and to put their love "to the test".

"Express Yourself" was released in France only as a maxi-single due to the fact that previous single "Like A Prayer" was still very successful there during the summer of 1989. The Warner Bros plans were to skip "Express Yourself" in favor of "Cherish", without even serving the song to radio stations. However, French radios decided to play the song, which caused many stations to create their own edit versions of the song from the mixes featured in the maxi-single. The song was not eligible to chart in the French "Top 50" (France official singles chart), for "Express Yourself" was only available under a limited amount of maxi-singles, .

In 1989, Madonna performed "Express Yourself" at the MTV Video Music Awards; the song went on to win several awards that night. Madonna later went on to incorporate that choreography into her Blond Ambition Tour in 1990, which she opened with the Non-Stop Express remix of "Express Yourself". She also performed "Express Yourself" during The Girlie Show Tour in 1993 and the Re-Invention Tour in 2004.

American Idol's season one winner, Kelly Clarkson, performed "Express Yourself" for her audition.

Music video

File:ExpressYourself Still.jpg

Still from 'Express Yourself'.

Upon its release, the music video for "Express Yourself", the premise of which is that of the Fritz Lang classic film Metropolis, generated a great amount of attention in the media. In the video, directed by David Fincher, Madonna is seen as the epitome of femininity, residing with her cat high above the masculine world of hard work and steam, at once protected and isolated by her surroundings and "chained" to her desires. An older man seems to be in control of the entire situation and keeps a watchful eye over the young male workers (and over Madonna). Eventually, the queen of pop, dressed in a man's suit (that supposedly is from the movie Dick Tracy which was being filmed the same time as the video was), the jacket of which she briefly opens to expose her bra, and grabbing her crotch, bursts forth into the male-dominated world. When the other workers are involved in a boxing match for the entertainment of the older man, a young worker, who earlier saw a vision of the stars eyes, meets with a now-naked and seemingly vulnerable Madonna. The pair kiss and fall to the floor in an embrace. The clip ends with a quotation from the film: "Without the heart, there can be no understanding between the hand and the mind".

"Express Yourself" was filmed in April 1989 at Culver City Studios in Los Angeles, California.

• Director: David Fincher
• Producer: Gregg Fienberg
• Director of Photography: Mark Plummer
• Editor: Scott Chestnut
• Production Co: Propaganda Films

List of official mixes

• Album Version (4:37)
• 7" Remix (4:30)
• Local Mix (6:20)
• Remix/Edit (4:50) - Promo Only
• Non-Stop Express Mix (7:57)
• Stop and Go Dubs (10:49) ++
• Q-Sound Mix / The Immaculate Collection Mix (4:02) +
• Express Yourself (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin Himself Re-remix) (9:31)

Additional production and remix by Shep Pettibone for Mastermix Productions.
Edited by Shep Pettibone.
+Mixed by Shep Pettibone and Goh Hotoda.
++At 6:25, the dub stops and the Remix/Edit Instrumental (4:24) begins.

Tracklisting

File:Express Yourself Promo.jpg

"Express Yourself" Promo CD

File:Japanese Express Yourself.jpg

Japanese 3" CD

US 7" Vinyl Single (Promo Only)

1. Express Yourself (7" Remix) 4:30
2. Express Yourself (Remix/Edit) 4:50

US 7" Vinyl Single

1. Express Yourself (7" Remix) 4:30
2. The Look Of Love (Album Version) 4:03

US 7" Vinyl Single "Back To Back Hits"

1. Express Yourself (7" Remix) 4:30
2. Cherish (Fade) 4:03

US 12" Vinyl Maxi-Single

1. Express Yourself (Non-Stop Express Mix) 7:54
2. Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:40
3. Express Yourself (Local Mix) 6:20
4. The Look Of Love (Album Version) 4:03

US 5" CD Single (Promo Only)

1. Express Yourself (7" Remix) 4:30
2. Express Yourself (Remix/Edit) 4:50
3. Express Yourself (Non-Stop Express Mix) 7:54
4. Express Yourself (Local Mix) 6:20

Brazilian 12" Maxi-Single (Promo Only)

1. Express Yourself (Album Version) 4:37
2. Express Yourself (7" Remix) 4:30
3. Express Yourself (Non-Stop Express Mix) 7:54
4. Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:40

UK 3" CD Single

1. Express Yourself (Non Stop Express Mix) 7:54
2. Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:40

German 12" Vinyl Maxi-Single

1. Express Yourself (Non Stop Express Mix) 7:54
2. Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:40

German 5" CD Single (Re-Issued)

1. Express Yourself (Non Stop Express Mix) 7:54
2. Express Yourself (Stop & Go Dubs) 10:40

Japanese 3" CD Single

1. Express Yourself (Album Version) 4:37
2. The Look Of Love (Album Version) 4:03

Japanese CD Mini-Album "Remixed Prayers"

1. Like a Prayer (12" Dance Mix) 7:55
2. Like a Prayer (12" Extended Mix) 7:26
3. Like a Prayer (Churchapella) 6:09
4. Like a Prayer (12" Club Version) 6:38
5. Like a Prayer (7" Remix Edit) 5:45
6. Express Yourself (Non-Stop Mix) 8:01
7. Express Yourself (Stop + Go Dubs) 10:52
8. Express Yourself (Local Mix) 6:27

Tracklisting as B-side

File:German 7 inches JML B.jpg

German "Justify My Love" B-Side

US CD Maxi-Single "Justify My Love"

1. Justify My Love (Q-Sound Mix) 5:00
2. Justify My Love (Orbit 12" Mix) 7:19
3. Justify My Love (Hip Hop Mix) 6:35
4. Express Yourself (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) 9:33
5. Justify My Love (The Beast Within Mix) 6:13

German 7" Vinyl Single "Justify My Love"

1. Justify My Love (Album Version) 4:58
2. Express Yourself (Remix Album Version) 4:02

German 12" Vinyl Maxi-Single "Justify My Love"

1. Justify My Love (William Orbit Remix) 7:13
2. Justify My Love (Album Version) 4:59
3. Express Yourself (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) 4:02 - Wrong labeled. It plays the "Remix Album Version"

Japanese 3" CD Single "Justify My Love"

1. Justify My Love (Album Version) 4:58
2. Express Yourself (Remix Album Version) 4:02

Japanese CD Mini-Album "Rescue Me (Alternate Mix)"

1. Justify My Love (Q-Sound Mix) 5:00
2. Justify My Love (Orbit 12" Mix) 7:19
3. Justify My Love (Hip Hop Mix) 6:35
4. Express Yourself (1990) (Shep's 'Spressin' Himself Re-Remix) 9:33
5. Justify My Love (The Beast Within Mix) 6:13
6. Rescue Me (Single Mix) 4:54
7. Rescue Me (Titanic Vocal) 8:16
8. Rescue Me (Houseboat Vocal) 6:58
9. Rescue Me (Lifeboat Vocal) 5:18
10. Rescue Me (S.O.S. Mix) 6:24

Charts

"Express Yourself" debuted at a high #41, the week of June 3, 1989, on the Billboard Hot 100 Singles Chart, and was in the Top 10 by the week of July 1, 1989, rocketing 13-6 that week, and eventually spending two weeks in the runner-up spot beginning on July 15, 1989. "Express Yourself" was kept from the top spot by Simply Red ("If You Don't Know Me By Now") and Martika ("Toy Soldiers").

Chart (1989)	Peak position
Australia ARIA Top 50 Singles	5
Austria	5
Canada	4
Eurochart Hot 100	1
Germany (Media Control)	3
Japan (ChartJapan)	2
Swedish Singles Chart	3
Switzerland	1
UK Singles Chart	5
China Top Singles	5
USA Billboard Hot 100	2
USA Billboard Adult Contemporary	12
USA Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	3
USA Billboard Hot Dance/Club Play Chart	1
USA Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales	1

Certifications

Country	Certification
Australia	Gold
UK	Silver
USA	Gold

References

For charts and certifications:

• "Chart Performance of Madonna Records - A Compiled History". MLVC.ORG - Charts. link - last accessed on December 11, 2005.