"Dear Jessie" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer. It was released as the fifth single from the album on December 10, 1989, by Sire Records. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song was inspired by Leonard's daughter Jessie. The release of "Dear Jessie" was limited to the United Kingdom, certain other European countries, Australia and Japan. The track is composed more like a children's lullaby rather than a pop song and features strings, synthesizer and strummed acoustics. A change in tempo occurs during the breakdown, where instrumentation from trumpets is included. Lyrically, the song evokes a psychedelic fantasy landscape, in which pink elephants roam with dancing moons and mermaids.
Upon its release, "Dear Jessie" received mixed reviews from critics, who complained about the overdone fantasy imagery of the song, but complimented its composition. Other reviewers likened the composition and performance to the style of The Beatles. The track was a moderate success commercially, reaching the top 10 in the United Kingdom and Ireland and the top 20 in Germany, Spain and Switzerland. The music video of "Dear Jessie" combines live action and animation, portraying a little girl waking up in bed and interacting with fantasy characters. Madonna appears in the video only as an animated, Tinker Bell-type fairy.
Read more about Dear Jessie: Background, Composition, Critical Reception, Chart Performance, Music Video, Track Listing and Formats, Credits and Personnel, Rollergirl Version
Famous quotes containing the words dear and/or jessie:
“Vivie: Oh! have I been behaving unconventionally? Praed: Oh no: oh dear no. At least not conventionally unconventionally, you understand.”
—George Bernard Shaw (1856–1950)
“He doesn’t want you for friends, that’s why he did it. You see, when guys have been in the line as long as we have, you find out it’s no good to make friends, ‘cause when a friend gets it—well, it’s rough on you. The buddies that come with you you’re stuck with, but you don’t make no new ones. It’s the dyin’ truth.”
—Gil Doud, U.S. screenwriter, and Jessie Hibbs. Johnson (Marshall Thompson)