God Control
Lyrics
Everybody knows the damn truth
Our nation lied, and lost respect
When we wake up, what can we do?
Get the kids ready
Take them to school
Everybody knows they don't have a chance
To get a decent job
To have a normal life
When they talk reforms, it makes me laugh
They pretend to help, it makes me laugh
I think I understand why people get a gun
I think I understand why we all give up
Every day they have a kind of victory
Blood of innocents, spread everywhere
They say that we need love
But we need more than this
We lost god control
We lost god control
We lost god control
We lost god control
This is your wake-up call
I'm like your nightmare
I'm here to start your day
This is your wake-up call
We don't have to fall
A new democracy
God and pornography
A new democracy
People think that I'm insane
The only gun is in my brain
Each new birth, it gives me hope
That's why I don't smoke that dope
Insane people think I am
Brain inside my only friend
Hope it gives me birth each new
That dope I don't smoke, it's true
Everybody knows the damn truth
Everybody knows the damn truth, wake up
We got to wake up, wake up, wake up,...
We need to wake up, wake up, wake up,...
It's a hustle, yeah
It's a hustle
It's a con
It's a hustle
It's a weird kind of energy
A bizarre thing that happens to be
An abnormal fraternity
And I feel more than sympathy
We got to wake up, wake up, wake up,...
We need to wake up, wake up, wake up,...
People think that I'm insane
The only gun is in my brain
Each new birth, it gives me hope
That's why I don't smoke that dope
Insane people think I am
Brain inside my only friend
Hope it gives me birth each new
That dope I don't smoke it's true
Everybody knows the damn truth
Everybody knows the damn truth
We got to wake up, wake up, wake up,...
Wake up
A new democracy!
Everybody knows the damn truth
Our nation lied, we've lost respect
When we wake up, what can we do
Get the kids ready
Take them to school
Everybody knows they don't have a chance
Get a decent job
Have a normal life
When they talk reforms, it makes me laugh
They pretend to help, it makes me laugh
We lost god control
We lost god control
We lost god control
We lost god control
We lost god control
Wake up, wake up, wake up,...
Credits
Written by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai
Produced by Madonna, Mirwais Ahmadzai and Mike Dean
Backing vocals by Tiffin Children's Chorus
Album
Video
After several days of posting teasers, Madonna premiered the God Control video on June 26. The video, shot in NYC by Jonas Akerlund, takes a strong stand against gun violence and asks for gun control in the USA.
We see Madame X sitting behind a typewriter in a NYC apartment. She has writer's block, but the more she hears about a gun violence incident on TV, the more passionately and emotionally, she starts typing. In the meantime, we see Madonna dressed up as a disco queen, on a night out at a club that reminds of the famous Studio 54. Madonna goes out, but is being robbed at gunpoint in the streets. Her friends then pick her up to go and dance at the club. But a shooter abruptly ends the happy night by creating a blood bath. The events of the evening are told in reverse, starting with the bloody shooting.
The video reminds us of the shooting that happened at the Pulse club in Orlando in 2016, which left 49 people dead. The very graphic video caused a controversy but served as a reminder that this happens on a daily basis in the US and that only gun control can end this needless violence. Madonna reacted to the criticism by saying: "Does it make you feel bad? Good, 'cause then maybe you will do something about it."
Tour
Four days after premiering the music video, Madonna performed God Control for the first time at World Pride on Pride Island, New York. On the Madame X Tour, the song featured as opening track, right after the manifesto with words by James Baldwin. Madonna appeared as the captain of her rebel army, who appear on stage protesting and fighting against gun violence, police violence and injustice in general.