Madonna goes country – well…sort of. As with much of what she dabbles in, she manages to infuse the genre with her own personal stamp. While there are definately country/folk touches, there are also electronic touches, strings, and that awesome stop/start rhythm throughout that makes it something more than just a typical country/pop song. This is kind of an anthemic song for her as it sums up her fearlessness and tenacity so perfectly. So many times she has been written off or it has been stated that she is too old to do something and this is her answer to those detractors – she’s not going anywhere and she’ll continue to make her own decisions and she and only she will decide when she is done. She seems to really have a kindred songwriting spirit in her brother-in-law, Joe Henry – their collaborations always excite and surprise (Could they please work on a whole album together now!). As much as you can feel his influence on her in their songs, you can also feel her essence shining through as well. I really cannot hear anyone else singing this song and making it sound so convincing. My favorite part is when the music drops out and her layered vocals are isolated for the “Tell me love isn’t true” lines and then the strings swell up around her before the beat kicks back in – magic!

What do you think of this song? Can’t wait for it to start or want it to stop?