Customer Reviews

I'm Going to Tell You a Secret (W/Dvd)

5 star:		(53)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(22)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(8)

 

 

I'm Going To tell You A Secret is another documentary from the most successful female recording artist in history the one and only MADONNA. For anyone who has seen Madonna Truth or Dare (Blonde Ambition Tour 1990) you know how entertaining Madonna can be. If you are looking for a Truth or Dare part 2 you are going to be disappointed. This is Madonna 14 years later (Reinvention Tour 2004) and she is not pushing the boundaries of sexuality as she did in the early 90's. What Madonna is doing is what we all at one point in our lives or another do, and that is question the purpose of our lives and that we try to be better people. At times I do miss the early sexual in your face Madonna, but like Madonna me and many other fans have grown up and are older and we have different interests. There comes a point in your life when you start to look beyond the surface and want to know more about the big picture. I will be forever grateful that I was one of those kids that got to see and grow up with Madonna and watch her push all those boundaries and define the music and MTV era like no one before or since. Now days it is hard to find someone who is as daring, truthful, outspoken or original as she was and still is. What will separate Madonna from other stars is that she keeps going. She may be drug down in the dirt for releasing what some call a bad album or bad movie, yet she will bounce back and amaze the hell out of you with a record breaking album (Confessions on A Dance Floor hit #1 in over 40 countries) and release a tour that goes beyond what a tour is supposed to be by stimulating your mind and senses. She is human and like all of us she will have her ups and downs. What makes her a true artist is that she does what she wants and creates the art she wants, and you can either join her along for one amazing emotional journey or you can stay behind and watch. I'm Going To Tell You A Secret is a great documentary and it shows no matter how rich and famous you get there is more to life than just that. I will not ramble any more but encourage anyone who has an open mind and who is looking to be touched by the human spirit and be inspired to be a better person and less judgmental to check this movie out!

The DVD will contain the documentary movie IM GOING TO TELL YOU A SECRET and it includes live and stage performances of the songs below:

Vogue
American Life
Mother and Father
Nobody Knows Me
Music
Hollywood (Remix)
Lament
Like A Prayer
Holiday
Imagine

Below are the songs included on the CD

The Beast Within
Vogue
Nobody Knows Me
American Life
Hollywood (Remix)
Die Another Day
Lament
Like A Prayer
Imagine
Mother and Father
Susan MacLeod/Into The Groove
Music
Holiday
I Love New York (Demo version)

For some strange reason Madonna or her people choose to not include the Directors Cut of the AMERICAN LIFE video and the DVD does not include the full versions of the songs only the edited versions. I for one am upset as are many other Madonna fans. The press release gave us fans false information on this DVD/CD set. Also save yourself a ton of money and buy this at Walmart Super Center (not online just in store) I only payed $16.97 compared to the $23.99 retail price. Thank God I did not pay full price or I would be really upset. I love Madonna but because of this misinformation I give this set 4 stars instead of the 5.

I don't understand why this CD is generating so many bad reviews. I agree that people who aren't big Madonna fans probably won't enjoy the documentary...however, why would a non-Madonna fan buy her film anyway?! That makes no sense to me! Anyway, anyone who loves the Material Girl will surely enjoy watching her latest documentary. However, the CD is the best part of this compilation. I've seen Madonna in concert several times, and the Re-Invention World Tour was by far my favorite experience. Live Madonna recordings are few and far between, and the fourteen songs on this CD are of incredible quality and make me want to get up and dance every time I listen to them! In addition to many of Madonna's greatest hits ("Vogue," "Like a Prayer," "Die Another Day"), the CD includes a great version of John Lennon's "Imagine," which was one of my favorite aspects of the Re-Invention Tour.

My only real complaint is that there aren't enough songs on this CD. I am especially disappointed that the version of "Material Girl" Madonna performed on tour isn't included on the CD, but oh well.

The bottom line is that this album is a must for all Madonna fans! I can't wait for the Confessions Tour album to come out in 2007.

I agree with another reviewer that this was a missed opportunity. Madonna has never released a live recording and if ever there was a concert of her's to release a live cd of, it is Reinvention. I actually thought so as I was leaving the show two years ago. This was essentially a greatest hits tour that spanned her entire career and she sounded AMAZING!!! It seems that it would have been an inexpensive and easy way to feed a hungry audience. And put more cash in Madonna's pockets! They already put the effort into creating this cd, why not a double cd of the entire concert?! There wasn't a bad song in the show but to include the interludes over songs like Burning Up was a mistake. Plus, The Beast Within is already on the Justify My Love cd single from years ago. It's essentially the same recording. BTW- she is totally lip synching Vogue and Nobody Knows Me. She re-recorded the vocals for the tour, which sounded great, but that is so not her live voice on those songs. She never sounded better live, though, as she did singing Lament. Incredible!!! Anyway, love her, have loved all her shows, but very disappointed that we didn't see a release of this enitre show on DVD and CD. She should have done what Coldplay did a couple years ago with their tour.

The CD: 3 Stars; the DVD: 4 Stars

Upon righting her career after the underwhelming "American Life" album with the very enjoyable "Confessions on the Dance Floor", Madonna now issues her first live album in her 20+ year career, released just in time to coincide with the start of the "Confessions" tour in the US.

"I'm Going To Tell You a Secret" is a CD-DVD combo. The CD (14 tracks, 66 min.) is a baffling choice for Madonna's first live album. The problems are many: almost half the tracks are from the mediocre "American Life" album, and they're just not great; of the other "greatest hits" tracks, too many are reworked quite substantially from their original form, taking away from the enjoyment, such as in "Like a Prayer" and "Holiday" (notable exception: a terrific "Vogue"); and then there is the horrible cover of John Lennon's "Imagine". "I Love New York" is a studio "bonus" track, and quite good.

The DVD (140 Min.) is a different story altogether. It's not a concert film, but rather an account of the 2004 "Re-Invention" tour. I was amazed that Madonna gave so much access to private moments with her family, in particular her 2 kids, who appear frequently in the documentary. Other interesting aspects include the comments from Madonna's dad, and her frequent reflections on religion, which really shape his documentary. Not so good is the actual concert footage, with a non-stop barrage of different camera angles (literally about once every second or two, just dizzying, and greatly talking away from the enjoyment of watching it). But overall, I found the documentary quite interesting.

I saw Madonna in concert when she did her infamous 30 min. set at Coachella this year. What fun that was. It's unfortunate that the live CD of "I'm Going to Tell You a Secret" doesn't reflect the live Madonna experience in a better way...

Are you a fan? Don't think twice, go ahead and buy it! The CD is wonderful and the documentary is out of this world. She has changed and what a change! :)

Timed to coincide with her disco-fied Confessions World Tour, Madonna's CD/DVD package "I'm Going To Tell You a Secret" is worthwhile for fans of the legendary entertainer. The CD contains her first-ever live album, while the DVD sports a 2 hour documentary chronicling her 2004 Re-Invention tour in addition to various bonus materials.

Some fans may be reluctant upon viewing the tracklisting of the CD. However, despite its rather limited 14-song setlist the concert album is high-quality and, most importantly, captures the energy of the stage show.

Madonna has always been known more for her the pop sensibility of her songs and the quality of her performances than for particular vocal prowess, but she tackles her material with ever-abundant confidence and a sense of purpose. Her 1985 gem "Into the Groove" sounds quirky with a Scottish bagpipe intro, while her 2003 Top 40 hit "American Life" from underrated album of the same name packs as much political punch and cultural awareness as it did three years ago. Also, no one could go wrong covering John Lennon's endearing "Imagine."

The biggest highlight, however, is "Nobody Knows Me," which sounds light years better in a live setting and shows great wisdom with its life-affirming lyrics.

"No one's telling you how to live your life/But it's a setup until you're fed up/It's no good when you're misunderstood/But why should I care what the world thinks of me?/I won't let a stranger give me a social disease."

The documentary, which includes many electrifying performance excerpts, gives an all-access pass to her 2004 tour from its very beginnings, complete with dancers' auditions and the creation of the concept for "The Beast Within," each night's opening sequence. Madonna also talks religion (in an enriching, non-preachy way), family, literature and, of course, music.

Her husband director Guy Ritchie is featured interviewing a fan about Madonna's husband, mischievously not identifying himself, while her children, father and stepmother are also shown, revealing touching moments that give unique insight into the entertainer.

Most touching of all, however, is her interaction with the dancers. Any aspiring professional dancers. Any aspiring professional dancer would appreciate this documentary, as it gives a realistic view of the pain and glory of a dancer's life. The intense emotions that overcome them the night of the final show becomes real for the viewer, who has been along for the journey as well.

Overall, Madonna entertains and, perhaps for the first time, truly keeps it real. Viewers will not only see that this woman is in her prime both spiritually and in her artistry, but will come to appreciate the unseen heroes that help make her shows the extravaganzas they are.

So Many people are Comparing Madonna's "Tell you a secret" Documentary to her "truth or dare" documentary and most are saying that they like truth or dare better. Thats really a shame and shows you the negative state that the world is in these days(which "secret" actually seems to address). First off these documentaries couldnt be further apart but I think the new Documentary really shows how far Madonna has Grown Both Professionaly and as a Human Being. truth or dare , while Yes, in some ways was More entertaining and yes was more comical, also showed what a Spoiled, Immature and Inconsiderate person Madonna was back in those days. Dont get me wrong, I have always loved Madonna but back in her early days, she wasnt a nice person and she admits that herself. The New Movie has alot of special moments, Madonna, with her children, husband, father are really great moments that show a tender side of Madonna. and While some people are turned off by Madonna's talking about kabala, I find it fascinating how religion has changed this woman and I think that at least with this Documentary, madonna does have something important to say and that there are a great deal of Positive messages in this film as aopposed to truth or dare. My favorite part of the film is when Madonna is in a prayer circle for her last concert with her dancers and she talks about how one of the dancers(i think his name is sean) she actually cut during the auditions but when she saw him crying in the hallway, she changed her mind and hired him for the tour, that one act right there shows you how far she has come as a human being, the old madonna never would have done that. In fact, in truth or dare, she didnt seem to care about her dancers at all, usually berated and made fun of them(a couple of the dancers in truth or dare actually SUED madonna because she didnt pay them for the documentary footage), she treats her dancers alot different in this film. I also like the part when during one of her concerts she Praises MICHAEL MOORE and dedicates a song to him, this was brave to do because back in 2004, it was risky to praise Michael Moore During a Concert, Linda Ronstadt did the same thing and got kicked out of the Las Vegas Hotel she was playing at! it doesnt surprise me that this dvd/cd hasnt sold well(debuted on billboard at #33 and in its second week plunged to #107) while the truth or dare dcoumentary was a huge hit. lets face it sex and sleaze will always sell. This Documentary, all you get is positive messages and Spiritual growth, Oh well!

The live album is fantastic and I enjoyed it very much. It included many classic songs by Madonna. I did not enjoy her documentary though but since this is a 2 disc set I did not take off a star for that.

On June 20th, 2006, Madonna had released her seventeenth album entitled, I'M GOING TO TELL YOU A SECRET. This album, a live album I might add, is the soundtrack to Madonna's second tour documentary of the same name, and this album is pure amazing. Both the documentary and this live album (which both appear here) are of Madonna's sixth 2004 world tour: THE RE-INVNETIONG TOUR. I doubt any of you Madonna fans out there will be disappointed. I am in no way near being disappointed in this album.

THE BEAST WITHIN
From the single JUSTIFY MY LOVE (1990). This was the opening number of the concert, featuring a video of Madonna in different images of a video entitled, X-Static Process, the same title of a track on Madonna's album, AMERICAN LIFE, in which The Re-Invention Tour supported. This is a great track and it is one of the remixes of Madonna's ninth #1 hit, "Justify My Love.

VOGUE
From the album I'M BREATHLESS (1990). Madonna had officially opened the show with this classic hit tune. Coming out of the bottom of the stage, dressed in a white corset (blue in the U.K. and some U.S. shows), black shorts, knee-length stillettos, complete with an 1800s French-styled ponytail. Amazing performance.

NOBODY KNOWS ME
From the album AMERICAN LIFE (2003). Great performance.

AMERICAN LIFE
From the album AMERICAN LIFE (2003). The way she fused the album version together with the Headcleanr Rock Mix of this classic 2003 hit was just brilliant. Awesome song. This performance was started with the sound of war and helicopter sounds, with television sets wheeled out on stage. Madonna enters the stage wearing army fatigues (can we say, "Cause we are living in a military world and she is a military girl") and performs this amazing song.

HOLLYWOOD (Remix)
Original version from the album AMERICAN LIFE (2003). This was actually a dancers interlude, where Madonna was changing outfits. All the dancers, in front of 1920s French-like circus set, dance to different variations (representing national heritages or talents) of this song.

DIE ANOTHER DAY
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack, DIE ANOTHER DAY (2002). This song, with Madonna dressed up as 1920s circus vamp, was performed brilliantly, where Madonna and each male dancer had danced the tango, where she ended the song as being strapped into the electric chair by her dancers.

LAMENT
From the original motion picture & motion picture soundtrack, EVITA (1996). After being strapped in the chair, Madonna sings this beautiful ballad, with so much passion, as if she were still trying to portray the infamous Argentinan leader, Eve Duarte de Perone. Great performance. If you hadn't noticed this yet, the original album version was sung by both Madonna and Antonio Banderas. In this performance, Madonna only sings her verse of the song, and the rest of the song just plays out instrumentally.

LIKE A PRAYER
From the album LIKE A PRAYER (1989). This song, with Madonna dressed in a black vest, black slacks, high-heels, and a hair-net, is nothing less than perfect. Madonna calls this song, "...The No-Sitting-Down Song...". Great performance of this 1989 classic.

MOTHER AND FATHER
From the album AMERICAN LIFE (2003). This was a great song and it was performed brilliantly with a few lines of "Intervention", a song that was also featured on Madonna's 2003 album, AMERICAN LIFE.

IMAGINE
Originally recorded and performed by John Lennon. Madonna had decided to include this on the tour's setlist, for she felt (and still feels) that we all need to end all this hatred and start bringing peace into this world. Madonna performs John Lennon's hit so beautifully, that I well up everytime I hear it.

SUSAN MacLEOD/INTO THE GROOVE
"Into The Groove" from the original motion picture DESPERATELY SEEKING SUSAN (1985). The intro for this song was started by a Scotish band, complete with bagpipes, leading Madonna to enter the stage, wearing a black & white flannel kilt, and a (COUNTRY HERITAGE) Do It Better black-tee. This is a great song and Madonna, with the GAP Choruses, complete with Missy Elliott's on-screen appearance, make this performance a spectacle. Just so you know, in the first month or two of the tour, the black-tee Madonna wore read, KABBALISTS Do It Better. Her Philly shows had her wearing ITALIANS Do It Better. Her Britain shows had her wearing BRITS Do It Better. Her Ireland shows had her wearing IRISH Do It Better, and so forth.

MUSIC
From the album MUSIC (2000). With a DJ in a club-lighting pyramid, Madonna, with so much energy, performs this club-techno smash hit. Love it.

HOLIDAY
From the album MADONNA (1983). A song from the album that started it all. Madonna, for the first time, performed this song with a completely different arrangement. The arrangement in this performance is just pure amazing and it does nothing but get me up off my a** to dance.

I LOVE NEW YORK (Rock Version)
This was an early version of the song that is now on Madonna's 2005 album, CONFESSIONS ON A DANCE FLOOR. This song was not done live on The Re-Invention Tour. It was put here, for it was included on the documentary.

Now, some of the songs were taken out from the whole CD. Those songs that were left off of the CD were: "Frozen", "Express Yourself", "Burning Up", "Material Girl", "Hanky Panky", "Deeper And Deeper", "Bedtime Story (Video Interlude)", "Nothing Fails", "Don't Tell Me", "Papa Don't Preach", & "Crazy For You". But this CD is just pure amazing. This is a great buy. Below is the tour's full setlist.

MADONNA: THE RE-INVENTION TOUR 2004 Setlist:

Video Introduction: THE BEAST WITHIN
VOGUE
NOBODY KNOWS ME
FROZEN
AMERICAN LIFE
EXPRESS YOURSELF
BURNING UP
MATERIAL GIRL
Dancers Interlude: HOLLYWOOD (Remix)
HANKY PANKY
DEEPER AND DEEPER
DIE ANOTHER DAY
LAMENT
Video Interlude: BEDTIME STORY
NOTHING FAILS
DON'T TELL ME
LIKE A PRAYER
MOTHER AND FATHER (with a few lines of "Intervention")
IMAGINE
INTO THE GROOVE (with bagpipes introduction, & with Missy Elliott on video backdrop)
PAPA DON'T PREACH (wih "American Life" reprise)
CRAZY FOR YOU
MUSIC
HOLIDAY

I'm definitely reviewing this from the perspective of being a huge fan - and have seen several shows of Madonna's last two tours. I held off on purchasing this until a couple of days ago when I decided I needed something to "get my fix" once Confessions was over (LOL). I'm giving it 4 stars, but I'm not going to fawn all over it just because it finally got released. It deserves a bit of criticism.

The live CD:

First of all, this is the first ever full live CD release of at least a portion of a Madonna concert in her career. Its about time! Given that vocally her last 2 or 3 tours have been her best (perhaps RIT her absolute best) this was a good choice of shows. There are a handful of really stellar performances captured on this CD. Madonna's amazing rendition of "Like A Prayer" from the show is the real standout for me. "The Beast Within" leading into "Vogue" is the best opening ever for a Madonna concert, and especially for a fan, its great having this in a collection. Madonna's vocal performance of "Die Another Day" which segues to "Lament" from Evita is another highlight on here. But the one I keep listening to over and over is "Susan MacLeod/Into The Groove" which has bagpipes, drums, Missy Elliot - all thrown into a great remix of Into The Groove. It was definitely one of the highlights from the show and its captured in its entirety on this CD.

However, I am disappointed that they did not include the entire show on the CD - and there are some key tracks missing. "Nothing Fails" was one of Madonna's best vocal performances from the show yet its not here. And toward the end of the show she dedicated "Crazy For You" to all the fans that have stuck by her for the last 20 years and belted it out in all its glory - its not on the CD either. Instead they included the "Hollywood" interlude where Madonna doesn't even sing, the "Holiday" finale which was fun, but where a CD rendition doesn't do it justice, and "Nobody Knows Me", which was basically Madonna lip-synching (there were 2 such performances in the show). Fans may agree or disagree on some songs but I think most would agree that Nothing Fails and Crazy For You were essential. The only way to satisfy everyone - include the ENTIRE SHOW - which could have easily been done - especially when the CD is released 2 years after the fact!!

The DVD documentary:

I don't really have much to say about the documentary, other than its a lot more tame than Truth Or Dare. I really enjoyed it as a fan, but if you're not a Madonna fan it could go either way for you. However, the real valuable part of the DVD is the live performance clips. All I can say is - this tour was AMAZING - and must be seen to be believed!! Unfortunately, there's no special menu for just viewing these - in other words, no way to just view the concert. And again, only like 2/3 of the performances are included.

Unlike what a few others have said, I believe a live DVD of Re-Invention Tour would be WAY more valuable than this release - or better yet, we should've gotten it released with "Secret" at the same time. Its an absolute travesty that this concert has never been televised or fully released on DVD up to this point!