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| "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" | ||||
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| Single by Madonna | ||||
| from the album Ray of Light | ||||
| B-side | "Sky Fits Heaven" | |||
| Released | August 24, 1998 | |||
| Recorded | 1997 | |||
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| Length | 5:09 | |||
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| Madonna singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" on YouTube | ||||
"Drowned World/Substitute for Love" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her seventh studio album, Ray of Light (1998). It was written and produced by Madonna and William Orbit, with additional songwriters including Rod McKuen, Anita Kerr and David Collins. McKuen and Kerr received the credits due to the usage of a sample from one of their songs, "Why I Follow the Tigers". "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" is an ambient pop song which lyrically describes Madonna's spiritual transformation to seek authentic love over superficial alliances.
"Drowned World/Substitute for Love" was released as the album's third single on August 24, 1998, worldwide, except in the United States. It became Madonna's seventh number-one single in Spain, while charting within the top ten in Iceland and the United Kingdom. The B-side of the single, "Sky Fits Heaven", reached number 41 on the US Dance Club Songs chart.
An accompanying music video was released for the song, featuring Madonna running away from the paparazzi until she arrives at home. The video faced strong reaction in the media due to the paparazzi chase sequences, a scenario similar to Diana, Princess of Wales's death in 1997. The song was performed in two of Madonna's tours, these being the Drowned World Tour (2001) and the Confessions Tour (2006). She also performed the track at the London stop of her Rebel Heart Tour (2015–16), in memory of Collins, as well as the Madonna: Tears of a Clown show in Melbourne.