Before we do anything lets just take in the cover art for the single which I think is fantastic:
Madonna looks like she is on the piss, out to have indiscriminate casual sex with a stranger and smoke large cigars (perhaps in a suggestive manner). In other words, Madonna is on a night out. I love how this gets across her love of dance and her rhythm and also like someone who is slightly out of it. Brilliant.
The song itself is bouncy, joyous and a tad generic. But the good parts : thumping bass, catchy chorus, tongue in cheek lyrics make it stand out as a fantastic piece of club pop and one of the most enjoyable things Madonna has done in ages.
The lyrics are as underdeveloped as ever and her delivery is at times stupidly fast. I smell a lyrical top 5 coming on
5: "Lets get this started, no more hesitation" :
Madonna uses the word hesitation for the billionth time in a song. She obviously hopes that the word hesitate will become her new conical bra style trademark.
4: "If it makes you feel good, then I say do it" :
Is this what Madonna says everytime she does a 3 hour workout?
3: "Are you drunk or are you sober? Think about it, doesn't matter":
This is the philosophical dilemma faced by every person in a club who decides to suck face with someone completely drunk, feels bad about it and then decides that they don't care because they haven't kissed anyone in ages and if there were really going to start questioning their motives they probably wouldn't have had that last double vodka and redbull, wouldn't have hurled abuse at the girl at the cloakroom, wouldn't have told their friend that their pencil skirt does make them look bloated and probably wouldn't have spent their last five euro on said vodka/redbull. Isn't amazing how one lyric can so much? Beautiful.
2: "Haven't I seen you somewhere before? You look familiar"
Parts in pop songs where popstar speak instead of sing are usually entertaining and/or amazing. The spoken word part in "Celebration" is fantastic and is the sexiest Madonna has sounded in years. This lyrics is great for how it makes it sound like Madonna is prowling the club for that cute guy from last week but also the idea that she sees a photo of herself from 1983 and asks that same question.
1: "I guess I didn't recognise you without your clothes on"
Yet another amazing speaking part, I'd imagine this is aimed at Madonna's on/off boy toy Jesus "I'm quite frequently pictured in my underwear" Luz. I can picture M saying this to Jesus everytime he turns up to her house for a visit and is wearing more than just a smile. "Why aren't you naked?" Madonna barks "Because its cold out and I could get arrested?" retorts Jesus. "Fair enough" replies Madonna "I might just reference this moment in an upcoming song of mine, thanks for the inspiration".
Celebration may not be a "Like A Prayer" style classic but it is incredibly good fun and you will find yourself throwing shapes to this on the dancefloor within the next few months.
