Billboard Woman Of The Year" Speech Lyrics in English Madonna
Below, I translated the lyrics of the song Billboard Woman Of The Year" Speech by Madonna from Spanish to English.
These English lyric translations are not yet verified.
First of all I wanna uhm, I
First of all I wanna uhm, I
Wanna say thank you to Labyrinth
Wanna say thank you to Labyrinth
That was an
That was an
Amazing, amazing performance can I
Amazing, amazing performance can I
Put this down?
Put this down?
Sorry, seriously it's better this way
Sorry, seriously it's better this way
I always feel better with something
I always feel better with something
Hard between my legs
Hard between my legs
I stand before you as a doormat I mean
I stand before you as a doormat I mean
As a female entertainer thank
As a female entertainer thank you
You for acknowledging
You for acknowledging
My ability to continue my career
My ability to continue my career
For 34 years in the face
For 34 years in the face
Of blatant misogyny, sexism
Of blatant misogyny, sexism
Constant bullying
Constant bullying
And relentless abuse when I started
And relentless abuse when I started
There was no internet
There was no internet
So people had to say it to
So people had to say it to
My face there were very few
My face there were very few
People I had to clap back at
People I had to clap back at
Because life was simpler then
Because life was simpler then
When I first moved to New York
When I first moved to New York
I was a teenager it was 1979 and New
I was a teenager it was 1979 and New
York was a very scary place in the
York was a very scary place in the
First year I was held at gunpoint
First year I was held at gunpoint
Raped on a rooftop with a knife digging
Raped on a rooftop with a knife digging
Into my throat and I had my
Into my throat and I had my
Apartment broken into and robbed so
Apartment broken into and robbed so
Many times I just
Many times I just
Stopped locking the door in
Stopped locking the door in
The years to follow, i lost almost every
The years to follow, I lost almost everything
Friend I had to AIDS or
Friend I had to AIDS or
Drugs or gunshot people were
Drugs or gunshot people were
Dying of AIDS everywhere it wasn't
Dying of AIDS everywhere it wasn't
Safe to be gay
Safe to be gay
It wasn't cool to be associated
It wasn't cool to be associated
With the gay community
With the gay community
As you can imagine
As you can imagine
All these unexpected events not only helped
All these unexpected events not only helped
Me become the daring woman
I became the daring woman
That stands before you
That stands before you
But it also reminded me that
But it also reminded me that
I'm vulnerable and in life
I'm vulnerable and in life
There is no real safety
There is no real safety
Except self-belief and an
Except self-belief and an
Understanding that I'm not the owner
Understanding that I'm not the owner
Of my talents i'm not
Of my talents I'm not
The owner of anything everything I have is a
The owner of anything everything I have is a
Gift from God and even the
Gift from God and even the
Shitty fucked up things
Shitty fucked up things
That happened to me, that still happen to me
That happened to me, that still happens to me
Are also gifts to teach me
Are also gifts to teach me
Lessons and make me stronger
Lessons and make me stronger
I'm receiving an award for being
I'm receiving an award for being
Woman of the year
woman of the year
So I ask myself 'what can I
So I ask myself 'what can I
Say about being a woman in
Say about being a woman in
The music business? What can I
The music business? What can I
Say about being a woman?'
Say about being a woman?'
When I first started writing songs
When I first started writing songs
I didn't think in a gender-specific way i
I didn't think in a gender-specific way i
Didn't think about feminism i just
Didn't think about feminism i just
Wanted to be an artist i
Wanted to be an artist i
Was of course inspired
Was of course inspired
By Debbie Harry and Chrissie
By Debbie Harry and Chrissie
Hynde and Aretha Franklin
Hynde and Aretha Franklin
But my real muse was David
But my real muse was David
Bowie he embodied male and
Bowie has embodied male and
Female spirit and that suited me
Female spirit and that suited me
Just fine he made
Just fine I made
Me think there were no rules but I was wrong
I thought there were no rules but I was wrong
There are no rules if you're a boy
There are no rules if you're a boy
If you're a girl
If you're a girl
You have to play the game what
You have to play the game what
Is that game? You're allowed to
Is that game? You're allowed to
Be pretty and cute and sexy but
Be pretty and cute and sexy but
Don't act too smart don't
Don't act too smart don't
Have an opinion don't have an opinion
Have an opinion don't have an opinion
That is out of line
That's out of line
With the status quo at least
With the status quo at least
You are allowed to be
You are allowed to be
Objectified by men and dress like a slut
Objectified by men and dressed like a slut
But don't own
But don't own
Your sluttiness and do not, I repeat do not
Your sluttiness and do not, I repeat do not
Share your own sexual fantasies with
Share your own sexual fantasies with
The world be what men want you
The world be what men want you
To be, but more importantly, be
To be, but more importantly, be
What women feel comfortable with you being
What women feel comfortable with you being
Around other men and finally
Around other men and finally
Do not age because to age is a
Do not age because to age is a
Sin you will be criticized you
Without you will be criticized you
Will be vilified and you will definitely
Will be vilified and you will definitely
Not be played on the radio
Not be played on the radio
When I first became famous
When I first became famous
There were nude photos of me in
There were nude photos of me in
Playboy and Penthouse magazine photos that
Playboy and Penthouse magazine photos that
Were taken from art schools where I
Were taken from art schools where I
Posed for back in the
Posed for back in the
Day to make money they weren't very sexy
Day to make money they weren't very sexy
In fact I looked quite bored i
In fact I looked quite bored
Was but I was expected to feel
Was but I was expected to feel
Ashamed when these photos came out
Ashamed when these photos came out
But I was not and this puzzled people
But I was not and these puzzled people
Eventually I was left alone because
Eventually I was left alone because
I married Sean Penn, and not
I married Sean Penn, and not
Only would he would bust a cap in your ass
Only would he bust a cap in your ass
But
But
I was off the market so for a while I was not
I was off the market so for a while I was not
Considered a threat years later, divorced
Considered a threat years later, divorced
And single sorry
And just sorry
Sean I made my Erotica album
Sean I made my Erotica album
And my Sex book was
And my Sex book was
Released i remember being the
Released i remember being the
Headline of every
Headline of everything
Newspaper and magazine and everything I read
Newspaper and magazine and everything I read
About myself was damning i was called
About myself was damning I was called
A whore and a witch one
A whore and a witch one
Headline compared me to Satan i
Headline compared me to Satan i
Said, 'Wait a minute
Said, 'Wait a minute
Isn't Prince running around
Isn't Prince running around
With fishnets and high heels and lipstick
With fishnets and high heels and lipstick
With his butt hanging out?' Yes
'With his butt hanging out?' Forks
He was but he was a man this
He was but he was a man this
Was the first time I truly
Was the first time I truly
Understood that women really did not have
Understood that women really did not have
The same freedom as men
The same freedom as men
I remember feeling paralyzed it took
I remember feeling paralyzed it took
Me a while to pull
Me a while to pull
Myself together and get on with
Myself together and get on with
My creative life get
My creative life gets
On with my life i took comfort in the poetry
On with my life I took comfort in the poetry
Of Maya Angelou, and the
Of Maya Angelou, and the
Writings of James Baldwin
Writings of James Baldwin
And in the music of Nina Simone
And in the music of Nina Simone
I remember wishing that I had
I remember wishing that I had
A female peer I could
A female peer I could
Look to for support camille Paglia
Look to support camille Paglia
The famous feminist writer, said
The famous feminist writer, said
That I set women back by
That I set women back by
Objectifying myself sexually i
Objectifying myself sexually i
Thought, 'so if you're a feminist
Thought, 'so if you're a feminist
You don't have sexuality
You don't have sexuality
You deny it' So I said 'fuck it i'm a
You deny it' So I said 'fuck it I'm a
Different kind of feminist i'm
Different kind of feminist I'm
A bad feminist'
A bad feminist
People say that I'm so
People say that I'm so
Controversial but I think
Controversial but I think
The most controversial thing I have ever
The most controversial thing I have ever
Done is to stick around michael is gone
Done is to stick around michael is gone
Tupac is gone prince is gone
Tupac is gone prince is gone
Whitney is gone amy Winehouse is gone david
Whitney is gone Amy Winehouse is gone David
Bowie is gone but I'm still standing
Bowie is gone but I'm still standing
I'm one of the lucky ones and
I'm one of the lucky ones and
Every day I count my blessings
Every day I count my blessings
What I would like to say
What I would like to say
To all women here today
To all women here today
Is this: Women have been so
Is this: Women have been so
Oppressed for so long
Oppressed for so long
They believe what men have to say about
They believe what men have to say about
Them and they believe they have to
Them and they believe they have to
Back a man to get the job done
Back a man to get the job done
And there are some very good
And there are some very good
Men worth backing
Men worth backing
But not because they're men
But not because they're men
because they're worthy as women
because they're worthy as women
We have to start appreciating our
We have to start appreciating our
Own worth and each other's
Own worth and each other's
Worth seek out strong women to
Worth seeking out strong women to
Befriend, to align yourself with, to
Befriend, to align yourself with, to
Learn from, to be inspired by
Learn from, to be inspired by
To collaborate with, to support
To collaborate with, to support
To be enlightened by
To be enlightened by
As I said before
As I said before
It's not so much about receiving this
It's not so much about receiving this
Award as it is having
Award as it is having
This opportunity to stand before you
This opportunity to stand before you
And really say thank
And really say thank you
You, as a woman, as an artist
You, as a woman, as an artist
As a human not only to
As a human not only
The people who have loved and
The people who have loved and
Supported me along the way
Supported me along the way
You have no idea you have no
You have no idea you have no
Idea how much your support means
Idea how much your support means
But to the doubters and
But to the doubters and
Naysayers and everyone who
Naysayers and everyone who
Gave me hell and said I could not, that
Gave me hell and said I couldn't, that
I would not, that I must not your
I would not, that I must not your
Resistance made me stronger, made
Resistance made me stronger, made
Me push harder
push me harder
Made me the fighter that I am today made me
Made me the fighter that I am today made me
The woman that I am today so thank you
The woman that I am today so thank you
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