Don't Tell Me (Madonna song)

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"Don't Tell Me"
"Don't Tell Me" cover
Single by Madonna
from the album Music
Released November 2000 (non-U.S.)
January 2001 (U.S.)
Format CD single
CD maxi single
Cassette single
7" single
12" single
Recorded 2000
Genre Pop, Dance
Length 4:39
Label Maverick
Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Madonna
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Joe Henry
Producer(s) Madonna
Mirwais Ahmadzaï
Chart positions
  • #1 (Canada)
  • #2 (Latvia)
  • #4 (US, UK)
  • #7 (Australia)
Madonna singles chronology
"Music"
(2000)
"Don't Tell Me"
(2000/2001)
"What It Feels Like for a Girl"
(2001)

"Don't Tell Me" is a song by American singer Madonna from her 2000 album Music. The song was released as a single in November 2000 in Europe and in January 2001 in the United States. Audio sample .

Contents

[edit] Song information

The track was originally written by Joe Henry, Madonna's brother-in-law. He recorded the track on its own, simply called "Stop", which was released on his 2001 album Scar. His wife, Melanie, sent a demo of the track to her sister, who recorded her own version with the help of Mirwais Ahmadzaï.

"Don't Tell Me" caused a lot of confusion among customers who bought Music when it was released in 2000; because of its chopped-up guitar instrumentation, many thought it was a disc-malfunction and returned the CD, only to learn later that it was intentional. The guitar part of the song samples "Sweet Home Alabama" by Lynyrd Skynyrd.

[edit] Music video

Madonna in Don't Tell Me music video. (Audio sample of the song (help·info)
Enlarge
Madonna in Don't Tell Me music video. (Audio sample of the song 

The music video for "Don't Tell Me" was shot by Jean-Baptiste Mondino. In it, Madonna walks in front of a screen showing the desert, wearing plaid and denim. Soon she is accompanied by four male dancers and she dons full a cowgirl costume, executing a choreographed line-dancing routine. The choreography was done by Alex Magno, who also collaborated on the Drowned World Tour. The tour designers Dsquared and Arianne Phillips also designed her cowgirl costume in the video.

[edit] 2001 MTV Movie Awards

At the 2001 MTV Movie Awards, Jimmy Fallon and Kirsten Dunst performed the song after the introduction of The Mummy Returns parody. The most shocking part of the performance was when Fallon puts a handful of sand into his pants. After that, dancers came out and were wearing costumes from the remake of Planet Of The Apes.

[edit] Versions and remixes

  • Album version, 4:40
  • Radio edit/edit, 4:10
  • Remix produced by Thunderpuss (Chris Cox and Barry Harris)
    • Thunderpuss club mix, 7:53
    • Thunderpuss radio mix, 3:40
    • Thunderpuss' 2001 Hands in the Air anthem, 10:20
    • Thunderpuss' 2001 Hands in the Air radio mix, 4:26
    • Thunderpuss' 2001 Tribe-A-Pella, 8:31
    • Thunderdub, 8:53
  • Remix and additional production by Richard Vission and Chico Bennett
    • Vission remix/Richard Humpty Vission remix, 7:52
    • Vission radio mix / Richard Humpty Vission radio mix, 3:48
  • Remix and additional production by Tracy Young
    • Tracy Young club mix / Tracy Young club mix 1, 11:01
    • Tracy Young club mix 2, 11:08
  • Remix and additional production by Timo Maas and Martin Buttrich
    • Timo Maas mix, 6:56
  • Remix and additional production by Victor Calderone
    • Victor Calderone Sensory mix, 6:48
  • Remix and additional production by Dave Audé
    • Dave Audé Funk mix, 7:57

[edit] Charts

"Don't Tell Me" peaked at number four on the U.S. charts and spent eight weeks in the top ten. It made gains at radio for three months consecutively (her longest-growing hit since "Take a Bow"), and also spent a long time on the club-play chart. Despite spending only one week at number one (most of her recent dance hits have spent at least two, and "Music" five), it managed fourteen weeks on the chart, out-lasting "Music" and tying with "Ray of Light" as Madonna's longest running club hit since "Bedtime Story" in 1995. In addition, "Don't Tell Me" is Madonna's biggest hit on the Adult Top 40 chart, where it peaked at number four, making it her only top five single on that chart.

In March 2001 the single was certified gold. With this twenty-fourth gold record, Madonna tied with The Beatles for the second spot of most gold records in the United States.

The song was also a huge hit around the world, peaking in the top five in many countries. In the United World Chart "Don't Tell Me" peaked at number one for 2 weeks. It went to number one in Canada and number four in the United Kingdom. It also went to number one in Ireland, and stayed in the key position for three weeks. The single is often referred to as one of the most successful Madonna singles in Ireland.

[edit] Chart peaks

Year Single Chart Position
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Adult Top 40 4
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 1
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Hot Dance Music/Club Play 21
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 1
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Top 40 Adult Recurrents 2
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Latin Tropical/Salsa Airplay 38
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Rhythmic Top 40 21
2000 "Don't Tell Me" The Billboard Hot 100 4
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Top 40 Mainstream 4
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Top 40 Mainstream 27
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Top 40 Tracks 6
2000 "Don't Tell Me" Top 40 Tracks 26