Deeper and Deeper - Live Performances

Live Performances

The very first live performance of "Deeper and Deeper" was during The Girlie Show World Tour in 1993. It was the second song of the disco segment of the show. The David's Klub Mix of the song was used. It was performed after the energetic and disco-inspired performance "Express Yourself" for which Madonna and her back up dancers and singers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory appeared on stage wearing disco inspired blouses designed by Dolce & Gabbana with bell bottom disco pants and afro wigs. The intro to "Deeper and Deeper" was connected to the ending of "Express Yourself". The performance began with a dancers dressed up as a fan jumping on stage and Madonna screaming "security" after which the dancer ripped off his shirt and shorts to reveal his true identity as one of Madonna's dancers. During his review of the concert Jon Pareles of the New York Times stated that: "The core of the show takes place in a disco stage setting with glittering Mylar curtains and mirrored balls. Madonna and the dancers, wearing wildly patterned neo-1970's halters and bell-bottoms, romp through "Express Yourself" and "Deeper and Deeper" - songs about freeing desire -". Towards the end of this performance Madonna and her dancers started taking off their shirts and jackets and sexually caressing each other as if starting an orgy, that gave way to the next performance "Why's it So Hard".

"Deeper and Deeper" was not included on a Madonna tour until 11 years later on the Re-Invention World Tour in 2004 as the second song of the Circus-Cabaret segment of the show. Unlike the performance of The Girlie Show, the version of "Deeper and Deeper" performed on the Re-Invention Tour was a slow, more jazz oriented version. It featured Madonna wearing a red and white striped showgirl outfit while her back up singers and dancers Donna De Lory and Siedah Garrett - who replaced Niki Haris- wore black and white ones. Critics praised this performance, with many of them praising Madonna's ability of turning "...1992's Deeper And Deeper into a cabaret-style lounge number..." and praising her vocals during the song. On her review of the concert Liz Smith complimented Madonna's ability of reinventing the sound and message of the song, from a dance disco song to a ballad." After the slow performance of "Deeper and Deeper" Madonna started the energetic tango-inspired performance of "Die Another Day" which was followed by the Evita ballad "Lament" which featured Madonna strapped on an electric chair. The song was also rehearsed for Madonna's seventh concert tour, the Confessions Tour, but ultimately was not performed.