ICONIC artist, Madonna – who recently secured her 12th UK no.1 album with ‘MDNA’ – has revealed Patti Smith’s acclaimed recording of ‘Gloria’, featured on her 1975 debut album ‘Horses’, as one of her key musical inspirations and influences.
Madonna particularly cites the song’s memorable opening lyric – “Jesus died for somebody’s sins, but not mine” – which Patti Smith added as part of a radical punk reworking of the original version written by Van Morrison in 1964 when he was with the band Them.
Madonna selected the lyric/song when recently invited to take part in HMV’s my inspiration campaign – where iconic artists and cutting-edge new talent are asked to share with fans the music or text that has most inspired them in their lives and in their recording careers.
The campaign began in 2006 when David Bowie selected a line from Syd Barrett’s ‘Gigolo Aunt’ as his inspiration, and since then many of our greatest artists ranging from Paul McCartney and Bob Dylan to Beyonce and Lady Gaga have taken part.
Madonna is the 300th artist to participate, and was especially invited by way of celebrating this special landmark. Along with the Patti Smith lyric choice, Madonna’s ‘my inspiration’ artwork features the celebrated photography of Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot.
Gennaro Castaldo, of HMV, comments: “As fans we all have a starting point in the music we love, so HMV began ‘my inspiration’ to discover the songs and artists that had most inspired our own heroes and icons in their musical journeys.
“We’ve been honoured to have some truly legendary artists take part in recent years, but we’re particularly proud and thrilled that Madonna has agreed to participate to celebrate our 300th landmark.
“Naturally, we were really intrigued to learn her choice, but should have guessed that, in Patti Smith, she’d go for another artist who has rewritten the rules and in ‘Gloria’ – a song that makes a powerful statement.”
Ends.
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Gennaro Castaldo
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+44 (0)20 7432 2033 / +44 (0)7801 194 139
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Contact: Gennaro Castaldo
Phone: +44 (0)20 7432 2033 / +44 (0)7801 194 139
Email: gennaro.castaldo@hmv.co.uk
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