Images from "American Life," the Video Madonna Won't Release
The Memory Hole, April 2003

The first video, "American Life," from Madonna's new album of the same name will not be released. Her official Website contains the following notice:

MADONNA PULLS NEW AMERICAN LIFE VIDEO "OUT OF RESPECT FOR ARMED FORCES"

Madonna has decided to withdraw the video for her new single "American Life" which has been the subject of rumors and misinformation.

... The video includes lots of militaristic images, including a mushroom cloud, a jet dropping bombs, pseudo-refugee children, and the singer herself in various uniforms. It ends with Madonna tossing a grenade into the lap of a George W. Bush lookalike. He picks it up and lights a cigar with it, since it's really a lighter (hardy-har-har).

The video was already being played in Germany, and perhaps elsewhere, when Madonna decided to scrap it. Thus, bootleg copies have been floating around the Net, and Websites that posted them have received threatening letters from Madonna's label, Warner Bros. (I'm sure that it's still available on peer-to-peer (P2P) networks, though.)

The artist released the following statement:

" I have decided not to release my new video. It was filmed before the war started and I do not believe it is appropriate to air it at this time. Due to the volatile state of the world and out of sensitivity and respect to the armed forces, who I support and pray for, I do not want to risk offending anyone who might misinterpret the meaning of this video." [...]
- posted by ARYABHATT @ 10:20 am