Rescue Me
Lyrics
I'm talking, I'm talking
I believe in the power of love
I'm singing, I'm singing
I believe that you can rescue me
With you I'm not a little girl
With you I'm not a man
When all the hurt inside of me comes out
You understand
You see that I'm ferocious
You see that I am weak
You see that I am silly
And pretentious and a freak
But I don't feel too strange for you
Don't know exactly what you do
I think when love is pure you try
To understand the reasons why
And I prefer this mystery
It cancels out my misery
And gives me hope that there could be
A person that loves me
Rescue me (Rescue me)
It's hard to believe
Your love has given me hope
Rescue me (Rescue me)
It's hard to believe
I'm drowning, baby throw out your rope
With you I'm not a fascist
Can't play you like a toy
And when I need to dominate
You're not my little boy
You see that I am hungry
For a life of understanding
And you forgive my angry little heart
When she's demanding
You bring me to my knees
While I'm scratching out the eyes
Of a world I want to conquer
And deliver, and despise
And right while I am kneeling there
I suddenly begin to care
And understand that there could be
A person that loves me
Rescue me (Rescue me)
It's hard to believe
Your love has given me hope
Rescue me (Rescue me)
It's hard to believe
I'm drowning, baby throw out your rope
Love is understanding
It's hard to believe
Life can be so demanding
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
Stop me from drowning
Baby I'll do the rest
Rescue me (Rescue me)
Your love has given me hope
(Your love has given me hope)
Rescue me (Rescue me)
I'm drowning
Baby throw out your rope
(Baby throw out your rope)
Rescue me (Rescue me)
Your love has given me hope
(Your love has given me hope)
Rescue me (Rescue me)
I'm drowning
Baby throw out your rope
(Baby throw out your rope)
Ooh ahh, ooh ahh, love is understanding
Ooh ahh, ooh ahh, love is understanding
Love is understanding
It's hard to believe
Life can be so demanding
I'm sending out an S.O.S.
Rescue me, rescue me
It's not my business to decide
How good you are for me
How valuable you are
And what the world can see
Only that you try to understand me
And have the courage to love me for me
I believe
(I believe in the power)
I believe that you can rescue me
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I believe
(I believe in the power)
I believe that you can rescue me
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I'm singing I believe
(I believe in the power)
I believe that you can rescue me
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I'm singing, I'm singing, I'm singing
(I believe in the power)
I believe that you can rescue me
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I'm talking, I'm talking
(I believe in the power)
I believe in the power of love
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I'm talking, I'm talking
(I believe in the power)
I believe in the power of love
(I believe that you can rescue me)
I'm singing, I'm singing, I believe
(I believe in the power)
I believe that you can rescue me
(I believe that you can rescue me)
Hey hey, hey hey
(I believe in the power)
R.E.S.C.U.E. me
(I believe you can rescue me)
Only you can rescue me
Hey hey, hey...
(I believe in the power)
(I believe you can rescue me)
(I believe in the power)
(I believe you can rescue me)
Credits
Written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone
Produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone
Mixed by Shep Pettibone and Goh Hotoba
Keyboards and programming by Peter Schwartz
Additional programming by Joe Moskowitz
Background vocals by Dian Sorel, Catherine Russell and Lillias White
Album
Single
After the success of Justify My Love, Rescue Me was released on February 12, 1991 in the US. Since Europe had the re-release of Crazy For You, Rescue Me followed a bit later on April 7, 1991.
The song showcases Madonna's typical spoken vocals. Though often over-looked due to lack of a music video and live performances, it still was a top 10 hit, reaching #9 in the US (Gold), #3 in the UK and #4 in Canada. In Japan and Australia it was good for respectively #11 and #15. On the Hot Dance / Club Play it peaked at #5.
Video
After finishing her Blond Ambition Tour and releasing Justify My Love (with all the commotion surrounding the controversial video), Madonna was busy with movie projects and other stuff, so she lacked the time to make a video to support Rescue Me.
Since Rescue Me was never performed live, there couldn't be a live performance video either, so it became one of the few Madonna singles without a video. However, some music channels showed a video compiled of different live performances.
Tour
Madonna caused quite a stir when she posted a clip of Rescue Me during the rehearsals for her Madame X Tour. It would make the first ever performance of the song since its release 28 years earlier. However, in the final setlist, it was reduced to some of the words, which were spoken during one of the interludes. In a stunning choreography by Damien Jalet, a row of performers dressed in black and white convulsed gracefully at the lip of the stage to irregular breaths.