Since Madonna brought Sam Smith on stage to perform their song 'Unholy' at the 2023 Grammy Awards, fans have been eagerly anticipating a collaboration between the two artists.
Finally, that moment has arrived, as they have released a new single titled 'Vulgar.' However, the track has not been without its share of controversy.
The sexually explicit lyrics in the song have left many people shocked, and as a result, the musical duo continues to face criticism.
Despite the questionable lyrics, Madonna does make references to some of her iconic songs from the past, adding a touch of nostalgia to the track.
At one point in the song, Madonna sings, "Let's get into the groove, you know just what to do." This line serves as a nod to her 1985 hit 'Into the Groove' from the movie Desperately Seeking Susan.
But following that, the song takes a more explicit turn, with Madonna singing: "Boy, get down on your knees 'cuz I am Madonna. If you f*** with Sam tonight, you're f****** with me. So, watch what you say, or I'll split your banana. We do what we wanna, we say what we've gotta. We're sexy, we're free, and we feel vulgar."
Another lyric bears a striking resemblance to Taylor Swift's 'Karma': "Vulgar is beautiful, filthy, and gorgeous/ Vulgar will make you dance, don't need a chorus/ Say we're ridiculous, we'll just go harder / Mad and meticulous, Sam and Madonna."
The remainder of the song features Smith and Madonna assertively instructing their listeners to comply, with Smith proclaiming, "Say our f****** names."
Concluding the song with a memorable closing line, Madonna boldly sings, "Do you know how to spell my name? B**** Go f*** yourself. You heard me, b****! Say our f****** names!"
As 'Vulgar' was released to the public on Friday (June 9th), Smith expressed their admiration for Madonna on Instagram.
"VULGAR is a song that is very special to me."
"Me, the QUEEN, and a group of some of the most talented people I know, got in the studio the day after the Grammys and we created this piece of music."
"The creativity was pure and the energy was alive. I'm so excited to share this with you sailors!! VULGAR IS BEAUTIFUL!! Out everywhere now."
"Love you @madonna."
Prior to the release of the collaboration, Smith shared their anticipation during an interview with Zane Lowe on New Music Daily on Apple Music 1, stating, "Vulgar is one of the most exciting songs I've been a part of."
