The “Material Girl”

I have to confess I’ve never been a fan of Madonna. She and I never connected. It could be that while she was delivering “Material Girl” I was delivering babies. Whatever the reason, last night’s performance was no different. She and I were out of step and it left me flat. I also felt very uncomfortable with what I heard coming from the mouths of the younger generation after the fact.

The Super Bowl Committee’s choice of half-time performers always seems to be lacking in common sense. I can’t help but wonder if they chose her for her sponsorship connections. Was she not giving Vogue and Pepsi a plug? Did they pay her so she could perform for free? Whatever the reason, what bothered me, at least as much as the music, was the hollow, me-centeredness of the show. She did not and does not represent the fifty something women that I know!

Those immersed in our culture are probably jumping up and down and yelling “you go girl!” (an expression I’ve come to despise). But, because nothing else grabbed me, I became fixated on worrying about whether or not she was going to losing her balance or turn her ankle (which she almost did!). I applaud her physical condition, (although I wonder what her feet felt like today!). I don’t understand why it is necessary for a seasoned performer to sacrifice her wisdom in favor of the latest, greatest fad.

Some say Lady Gaga is a Madonna knock off. Last night, it appeared to be the other way around. The comments that ran like wildfire on social media from the younger set were painful and embarrassing but not without merit. Do Mick Jagger and Madonna represent our generation?  Are they the best of what we have to offer both in music and human beings? I don’t think so. Give me Bruce Springsteen and Tina Turner any day.

I watched with deep admiration as sixty year old Tina strutted her stuff across a massive stage, in high heels and mini-skirt with grace, agility and style. I have seen her perform a half-dozen times and every time she moved me to tears, lifted me up and made me want to be a better person. She has always had something to say to women and it came from the depth of her soul. I have been equally inspired and changed by Bruce’s artistry. I watched him slide across the stage on his knees while singing his brains out, just a few minutes after he had brought me to tears with “My City of Ruins”. Those two performers make me proud of our generation. They have made a difference. They have and continue to make the world a better place.

 

Last night’s performance was, for me, hollow and empty, “a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury signifying nothing.” Maybe it spoke to you, but regardless of Madonna’s youthful looking shell, she doesn’t reach my heart, nor do I want to be like her.

Tina performed at the Super Bowl in 2000. Without the benefit of modern technology she was able to fill up and power up the stadium.