Iconic
Lyrics
(Mike Tyson:)
I'm the best that the world has ever seen (I'm the best ever)
I'm somebody you'll never forget 'cause I work hard and sweat and my tears (Can't be stopped)
I've never fallen again and if I did I'll come back
If you try and fail, get up again
Destiny will choose you in the end
If you don't make the choice
And you don't use your voice
Someone else will speak for you instead
What you want is just within your reach
But you gotto practice what you preach
You pay with sweat and tears
And overcome your fears
Never let the fire inside you leave
"I can't", "Icon", two letters apart
One step away from being lost in the dark
Just shine your light like a beautiful star
Show the world who you are, who you are
Yeah, there's another part of you no one sees
There's a burning fire that's underneath
Baby don't you know you were meant to be
Born to be, meant to be
Iconic
Iconic
Ironic
Iconic
Tell me I'm no good and I'll be great
Say I have to fight and I can't wait
Standing in the wings
A butterfly that stings
I will rise above 'cause it's my fate
"I can't", "Icon", two letters apart
One step away from being lost in the dark
Just shine your light like a beautiful star
Show the world who you are, who you are
Yeah, there's another part of you no one sees
There's a burning fire that's underneath
Baby don't you know you were meant to be
Born to be, meant to be
Iconic
Iconic
Ironic
Iconic
Born to be a superstar
That's exactly what you are
Born to be a superstar
That's exactly what you are
(Chance the Rapper:)
Alright
Firefly change when they catch ya
Wanna put ya in their net for their light glow
Yellow brick highway
Paparazzi piled up on the high road
They just turned the sun into a idol
They just want to see how high the sky go
Just to find out how it feel to fall back
Madonna said I remind her of Michael
Steady blowin' up my head
Blowin' up my head
Put it on your wall
Put me in the school book
Put me in your laws
Put me in the desk
And in the synagogues
Firefly glow when they catch ya
Wanna catch ya when ya lights go dim
Wanna turn you to a letter in they logo
Wanna stick you in a jar with a pen
You a icon
"I can't", "Icon", two letters apart
One step away from being lost in the dark
Just shine your light like a beautiful star
Show the world who you are, who you are
Yeah, there's another part of you no one sees
There's a burning fire that's underneath
Baby don't you know you were meant to be
Born to be, meant to be
Iconic
Iconic
Ironic
Iconic
Iconic
Iconic
Ironic
Iconic
Credits
Written by Madonna, Toby Gad, Maureen McDonald, Larry Griffin Jr., Chancelor Bennett, Dacoury Natche and Michael Tucker
Produced by Madonna, Toby Gad, Josh Cumbee and AFSHeeN
Co-produced by DJ Dahi & Michael Diamonds
Programming and instruments by Toby Gad, AFSHeeN and Josh Cumbee
Featuring Chance The Rapper & Mike Tyson
Additional backing vocals by Toby Gad
Album
Song
The demo of Iconic leaked in December 2014. The final version was released as part of a second pre-order release on February 9th, together with Hold Tight and Joan Of Arc. This is a completely reworked version and includes rap parts by Mike Tyson and Chance The Rapper.
Mike Tyson talked about his appearance in the song:
"Madonna calls you and tells you to come somewhere, you go. I didn't know what the hell I was going there for. I'm just there having a good time and hanging out with Madonna. She has her producer there and I go into the studio and I didn't know if she wanted me to talk or rap. I just go in there and start talking. I'm talking about my life and things that I have endured. I'm saying some really crazy stuff. It was really intense."
"When I did it, I think about being some guy like Mussolini and they're really arrogant, but you try to come from a positive perspective and be uplifting. You watch Mussolini on television — even though we don't understand what he's saying — he is so mesmerizing. I look at myself in that way.
"I know people may say 'this guy's a fascist' and all this stuff, but man, you can take positivity from watching him. No wonder why Hitler was attracted to him. This guy's a hypnotic figure. There's so much pride behind what he's saying. I'm not even Italian and I feel the pride he's projecting. He had that street swag; he was doing this stuff with his hands and moving his head before it was even hip-hop."
Tour
This self-referential track was the obvious choice to open her Rebel Heart Tour. An opening video mixed scenes from Madonna's Secret Project Revolution and new footage of M as a Joan of Arc-like warrior, heading an army to start a revolution. As these warriors, dressed like medieval Mongolian knights, gather on stage, Madonna emerges in a cage, lowered from the ceiling, wearing a glorious red and black gown by Arianne Phillips. She leads her warriors with their huge crosses across the catwalk in a fierce fighting choreography.