Studio Album · No. 5
Erotica Songwriting Credits by Madonna
Produced by Madonna, Shep Pettibone, Andre Betts
Maverick / Sire Records
Dance-PopDeep HouseHip HopR&B
Artist
93%
Authorship
Holds writing credit on 13 of 14 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 13 / 14 documented
Who wrote the songs?
Scored across the 14 tracks with documented writers, by whether Madonna carries a lyricist or composer credit.
13 trackswritten by Madonna
1 trackoutside writers
Madonna's roles on this album
Share of the 14 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
Lyricist93%
Composer93%
Producer100%
Performer100%
By the Numbers
14
Tracks
6
Lyricists
3
Producers
6 million
Worldwide Copies Sold
1992
Released
Data Insight
Madonna co-wrote nearly all of Erotica with her two main collaborators on the record, Shep Pettibone and André Betts, who also produced it. The concept album about sex and desire is one of her most hands-on writing efforts, with the lone cover being 'Fever,' originally written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell. Betts brought a hip-hop and spoken-word edge to tracks like 'Did You Do It?,' while Pettibone shaped the house-driven singles.
Erotica, released October 20, 1992, is Madonna's fifth studio album and arguably her most provocative, arriving simultaneously with her art book Sex and establishing an entire aesthetic era built around BDSM imagery, queer sexuality, and radical self-determination. Madonna co-wrote 13 of the 14 tracks, primarily with Shep Pettibone and Andre Betts; the other is a cover of 'Fever.' The album was both a commercial success and a critical lightning rod. Singles included 'Erotica,' 'Deeper and Deeper,' 'Bad Girl,' and 'Rain.' The album fused house, R&B, and new jack swing.
Track Listing & Credits 14 tracks
Written by the artist
Written by outside writers
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Erotica
#3
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep PettiboneRobert Earl BellRonald Nathan BellDonald BoyceGeorge Melvin BrownRobert Spike MickensClaydes Charles SmithDennis Thomas | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards) |
| 2 |
Fever
|
John DavenportEddie Cooley | John DavenportEddie Cooley | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards) |
| 3 |
Bye Bye Baby
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Donna De Lory (Backing Vocals)Niki Haris (Backing Vocals)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 4 |
Deeper and Deeper
#7
|
MadonnaShep PettiboneTony Shimkin | MadonnaShep PettiboneAnthony Shimkin | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Donna De Lory (Backing Vocals)Niki Haris (Backing Vocals)Paul Pesco (Guitar)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 5 |
Where Life Begins
|
MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | Madonna (Vocals)Doug Wimbish (Bass Guitar)Andre Betts (Keyboard Bass, Drum Programming, Strings)Jerome Dickens (Guitar)James Preston (Piano)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Programming)Danny Wilensky (Saxophone) |
| 6 |
Bad Girl
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 7 |
Waiting
|
MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | Madonna (Vocals)Jerome Dickens (Guitar)James Preston (Piano, Synth Strings)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Programming, Additional Drums)Andre Betts (Programming, Drums, Synth Strings) |
| 8 |
Thief of Hearts
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 9 |
Words
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 10 |
Rain
#14
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Tony Shimkin (Drum Programming) |
| 11 |
Why's It So Hard
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Donna De Lory (Backing Vocals)Niki Haris (Backing Vocals)Tony Shimkin (Backing Vocals, Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming)Paul Pesco (Guitar)Joe Moskowitz (Additional Keyboards)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 12 |
In This Life
|
MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | MadonnaShep Pettibone | Madonna (Vocals)Donna De Lory (Backing Vocals)Niki Haris (Backing Vocals)Anton Fig (Drums)Glen Dicterow (Concertmaster)Jeremy Lubbock (String Arrangement)Sander Selover (Additional Programming)Shep Pettibone (Keyboards, Sequencing, Programming) |
| 13 |
Did You Do It?
|
MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | Madonna (Vocals)Dave Murphy (Guest Vocals)Mark Goodman (Guest Vocals) |
| 14 |
Secret Garden
|
MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | MadonnaAndre Betts | Madonna (Vocals)Doug Wimbish (Bass Guitar)Andre Betts (Bass, Synthesizer, Piano, Drums)James Preston (Piano)Danny Wilensky (Saxophone) |
Songwriter & Credit Spotlight 28 contributors
M
Madonna
Writer · Producer · Vocals
SP
Shep Pettibone
Writer · Producer · Keyboards
AB
Andre Betts
Writer · Producer · Keyboard Bass
AS
Anthony Shimkin
Writer
CC
Claydes Charles Smith
Writer
DT
Dennis Thomas
Writer
DB
Donald Boyce
Writer
EC
Eddie Cooley
Writer
GM
George Melvin Brown
Writer
JD
John Davenport
Writer
RE
Robert Earl Bell
Writer
RS
Robert Spike Mickens
Writer
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Frequently Asked Questions Erotica
When did Madonna release Erotica?
Madonna released Erotica on October 20, 1992 through Maverick, Sire, and Warner Bros. Records. It arrived alongside her Sex book and marked the most explicit phase of her career.
Did Madonna write Erotica herself?
Madonna co-wrote 13 of the 14 tracks on Erotica, most of them with her producers Shep Pettibone and André Betts. The one song she did not write is 'Fever,' a cover of the standard written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell.
Who produced Erotica by Madonna?
Erotica was produced by Madonna together with Shep Pettibone and André Betts. Pettibone handled the house-influenced singles while Betts produced the more hip-hop and spoken-word oriented tracks.
Who wrote the song Erotica by Madonna?
The title track 'Erotica' was co-written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, and the writers of Kool & the Gang's 'Jungle Boogie' share a composer credit because the song samples it. It reached number three on the Billboard Hot 100 as the album's lead single.
Is Fever by Madonna a cover?
Yes, 'Fever' on Erotica is a cover of the song written by Eddie Cooley and Otis Blackwell, first popularized by Little Willie John and later Peggy Lee. It is the only song on the album Madonna did not co-write.
How many copies did Erotica by Madonna sell?
Erotica has sold over 6 million copies worldwide. It is certified 2× Platinum by the RIAA in the United States.