Madonna has been in my countdown before, obviously, with both a ballad and a dance song. This time it’s another ballad from my favorite of her albums, Erotica. Bad Girl reminds me of so much. The arrangement of this song, to me, has become synonymous to the crashing waves on the rainy, cold shores of Montauk, where I’d stare out in sadness every time I’d spend that January weekend with Jan and the girls at Gurney’s Inn. I’d sit and reflect on what a terrible, calculating human I was. Without going into detail, that is what would go through my mind as I’d stare out the window of room 525 with the CD player on repeat (shocking), listening to Madge pour her emotions out.
From the historical writing archive. Original date: November 2, 2018. Recovered from local source material; editorial review is still in progress.