Take A Bow

This is an exquisitely written, lushly arranged postmortem of a relationship. Few songs capture the essence of heartbreak and melancholy like this one does, both lyrically and musically, and make it so easy on the ears in the process.

Lyrically, the song is clothed in the language of the stage arts. The singer compares her ex-lover's romance of her to a "show" and a "masquerade," with him playing the "one lonely star." But "there's no one here, there's no one in the crowd" -- she's left him. She doubts the sincerity of her ex-lover's words to her: "Say your lines but do you feel them / Do you mean what you say when there's no one around." Evidently his words rang hollow because his love wasn't there; maybe his love had faded and he just couldn't admit it to her, or maybe he never genuinely loved her on a deep level. She is crushed because she always loved him, and he never reciprocated that love. He "took [her] love for granted" and broke her heart, so she's calling it quits: "The show is over, say good-bye."

There's a hint of bitter irony in the second verse, with its parting sideswipes "Hide behind your smile, all the world loves a clown" and "You deserve an award for the role that you played." The singer, perhaps, is too overcome with sorrow to manifest her bitterness as rage, so instead she resorts to flinging sardonic barbs at her ex-lover.

But what really boosts this song to the highest echelon is the arrangement, which hits all the right notes. The languorous melody, spare bass line, muted synths, background vocals echoing key lines -- breaking up never sounded so sad, yet at the same time, so soothing.

I hesitate to categorize this as a breakup song, because it is no ordinary breakup song; it is one of the most beautiful songs I've ever heard, period. I think this song is perfect for listening to as night falls at the end of a long day, leaving us to reckon with ourselves. It's a reminder that words and appearances only go so far; in the end, it's what we do and who we are inside that counts.

This song is truly about letting go of the person who is destroying you. So beautiful.

When I broke up with my girl friend. The one thing she pointed out all the time to me was "do you mean what you say when theirs no one around." I felt bad for all of this but it always seemed like a game to her. She had to win. "you deserve an award for the role that you played." It does it is meant to serious but to be sarcastic. Our stage and audience was our friends. And I can't help but think about the major roles some of them played in breaking us up. I've just been running my mouth. peace out sorry Katie

i love this song. especially the line, "say your lines but do you feel them...".

There are many different interpretations and meanings about Take a Bow 1. One of Madonna's best and saddest ballads. 2. Inspired by Shakespeare. 3. An emotional and heartbreaking Madonna performance. 4. A Brilliant Detroit Ciccone Blues. 5. Her biggest hit ever-Seven weeks at #1 on top! 6. One of the best #1 hits of the last 20 years. 7. Heartbreak lyrics about unrequited love and doomed romance. 8. Another brilliant Madonna ballad about her mother's sad death. 9. Evita Prelude #4-Madonna's Audition/Letter/Video for Evita. And Finally-10. Take a Bow was the song that revived and saved Madonna's career. The song named Take a Bow is a beautiful Ciccone/Peron/Simpson ballad that has one of the saddest hooks/refrains/choruses of any Madonna tune. She is All Still Wet with sad Ciccone tears running down her face. In Take a Bow, Madonna Weeps, Sobs and Cries-"Take a Bow/Night Is Over/One Lonely Star/How was I to know you'd break my heart?/I've always been in love with you/I guess you've always known it's true/You took my love for granted/Why oh why?/This show is over say goodbye!"-an angry reply and payback to her critics who said the erstwhile and former Material Girl/Sex Object-now Evita/mother/international citizen/brilliant torch diva-was indeed over. With Take a Bow, Madonna more or less set the record straight. She was now affecting all of us in a quieter way, did things in a simpler way without fanfare, distractions or controversy. From Take a Bow all the way up to MDNA-for Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, it has been all about the music so that a little ray of light will forever shine through brightly. Because of Take a Bow, Madonna was never the same again. Lucky for us-her fans-neither are we. Both her fans and Rock Critics are her Lucky Stars. Go ahead Madge, Take a Bow! Madonna Forever-In the evidence of your ballad brilliance!

THis is my fav madonna song! i kno all the words by heart. its so ironic and sad

I love this Madonna song and I loved the video too. My line was "wish you well I cannot stay you deserve and award for the role that you played" There are so many guys like the one in this song and I agree with her.

This is my favorite Madonna song too! This is by far her best song (IMO).

i'll have to say this is my favorite madonna song as well! it's like he's one of those people that choose to play with people's minds for his own amusement. he took her love for granted just because he knew he could.

I love and agree completely with drewdc's imterpretation. Being an actor myself (and a fan of Shakespeare, no less - "all the world's a stage" comes from As You Like It, by the way) makes me enjoy it even more.

But the main thing I came here to say was that the opening piano reminds me of the opening of Vanessa Williams' "Colors of the Wind" from Disney's Pocahontas, which, coincidentally, also came out in 1995. They're clearly different melodies, but I swear each song's opening reminds me of the other. Both songs are great, though.