Bedtime Stories (Madonna Album) - Writing and Development

Writing and Development

The album began as a collaboration with Shep Pettibone, and was to be stylistically similar to Erotica. However, due to Madonna's wish to soften her public image, as well as her admiration for Joi's Pendulum Vibe album (which contained tracks produced by Dallas Austin), she decided to move towards a more R&B direction with a generally mainstream, radio-friendly sound. Madonna did thank Pettibone in the album sleeve notes for "understanding." It remains the last time Madonna collaborated with him.

The album is unusual in Madonna's long career as being one of the very few occasions where she collaborated with well-known, established producers (the other exceptions being Nile Rodgers on Like a Virgin, David Foster on Something to Remember and Timbaland, Pharrell and Nate "Danja" Hills on Hard Candy). The album features writing collaborations and production work by R&B producers such as Dallas Austin, known at the time for his work with TLC; Babyface, who had worked with Whitney Houston and Toni Braxton; Dave Hall, who had produced Mariah Carey and Mary J. Blige; and Nellee Hooper, who had produced Soul II Soul. Icelandic singer-songwriter Björk, meanwhile, co-wrote the title track with Hooper.

Several songs from this album found their way onto the cutting room floor for one reason or another, including "Your Honesty", which later surfaced on the 2003 EP Remixed & Revisited. "Freedom" was used for a rainforest benefit album titled Carnival! and "Let Down Your Guard" (rough mix edit) appeared on the UK and Australian CD single for "Secret". See the list of unreleased Madonna songs for details. "Forbidden Love" is an entirely different composition from another song with the same title on Madonna's 2005 album Confessions on a Dance Floor.