Sam Smith & Madonna, VULGAR | Track Review 🎵

Decorated pop musicians Sam Smith & Madonna collaborate on the shocking duet “VULGAR” which has its moments, but also feels ‘a bit too much.’   

“Vulgar / Speak, bitch, and say our fucking names / It’s Sam and Madonna.” 🫢!!! Well, the intro of 🎵 “Vulgar” sets the tone of the 🎙 Sam Smith and 🎙 Madonna collaboration, doesn’t it? It doesn’t take long for the first bomb – as in f-bomb – to drop, showcasing the vulgarity of this vulgar pop joint.  Given Smith’s unholiness, are we surprised by their vulgarity, particularly with one of music’s most controversial icons? Of course not. That said, if 🎵 “Unholy” were considered utterly devilish, “Vulgar” is far worse, doubling down with its explicit nature.

“Vulgar” features colorful production, courtesy of a star-studded team including Smith, 🎛 ILYA, Cirkut, Omer Fedi , and Ryan Tedder.  At times it is minimalist while at others it grows bigger in scope. The timbre is fitting for a fierce, risqué pop joint.  Most of the first verse belongs to Smith, who presents themselves confident AF. “Rich like I’m in the Louvre, got nothin’ left to prove,” they sing (rather rap), adding, “You know you’re beautiful when they call you vulgar.” Madonna is the more vulgar of the two parties, despite the fact Sam drops the initial f-bomb. In the second verse, she asserts, “Boy, get down on your knees ‘cause I am Madonna / If you fuck with Sam tonight, you’re fucking with me / So watch what you say, or I’ll split your banana.” Yeah, that would be hella painful!  They join forces for much of the bridge, where “Vulgar is beautiful, filthy, and gorgeous.” Of course, Madge also informs us how to spell her name: “B-I-T-C-H / Go fuck yourself, you heard me bitch / Say our fucking names.” Vulgar, indeed!

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So, what does one make of 🎵 “Vulgar”? On the positive side, I like the conception and the idea of it.  Sam Smith is free to be who they want to be personally and musically. I wasn’t offended by the infamous Grammy performance like some. Furthermore, the production on “Vulgar,” with a million cooks in the kitchen, is a selling point.  The lyrics, however, are unapologetic, lacking poetry and any semblance of substance. While the performances are jam-packed with personality, is anyone running to call this the crowning achievement of either artists career performances, let alone the top record in the catalog? It’s giving a mixed bag for me. Has its moments but ‘a bit too much.’

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🎙 Sam Smith & Madonna • 🎵 “Vulgar” • 🏷 Capitol / EMI • 🗓 6.9.23

[📷: Brent Faulkner/The Musical Hype; Capitol / EMI; OpenClipart-Vectors, PIRO via Pixabay]