"Erotica" by Madonna (1992, Maverick/Sire/Warner Bros.)

"Erotica" album cover

       Still at the height of her career, Madonna began work on her fifth album in November 1991, seven months after promotion for her first compilation, "The Immaculate Collection" ended.
       Hoping to gain more royalties and artistic freedom, Madonna co-founded Maverick Records in April 1992, which she became the first artist to sign to.  A deal was made with Sire Records to form a dual contract which would allow her to release albums for both labels at once, and Warner Bros. Records became the distributing label for Maverick.  This also renewed her contract with Warner Bros. which had expired after, "The Immaculate Collection", for six more albums.
      Recording finished in August, and in October, "Erotica" was released as the lead single off of her fifth album of the same name, released that month.  In November, "Deeper and Deeper" was released as the second single, and in February 1993, "Bad Girl" was released as the third single.  In July, "Rain" was released as the fourth and final single.  She embarked on, "The Girlie Show World Tour" from September to December.
      Her first album to feature a Parental Advisory sticker, the album charted at #2, while the singles charted as follows: "Erotica" (#3), "Deeper and Deeper" (#7), "Bad Girl" (#36) and "Rain" (#14), making the title track the most successful, but still falling short of her previous successes.
      This album was her third to feature collaboration, on the track, "Did You Do It?" which features rappers Mark Goodman and Dave Murphy.

TRACKLISTING:

1. "Erotica" (Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Anthony Shimkin)
2. "Fever" (John Davenport, Eddie Cooley)
3. "Bye Bye Baby" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
4. "Deeper and Deeper" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
5. "Where Life Begins" (Madonna, Andre Betts)
6. "Bad Girl" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
7. "Waiting" (Madonna, Betts)
8. "Thief of Hearts" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
9. "Words" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
10. "Rain" (Madonna, Pettibone)
11. "Why's It So Hard" (Madonna, Pettibone, Shimkin)
12. "In This Life" (Madonna, Pettibone)
13. "Did You Do It? (feat. Mark Goodman & Dave Murphy)" (Madonna, Betts, Pettibone)
14. "Secret Garden" (Madonna, Betts)