The Iconic Madonna Song You Never Knew Was Inspired By Jennifer Grey
"Queen of Pop" Madonna has been entertaining us with her music and show-stopping tours for the over 30 years. Even though the living legend has ventured into fashion, acting, and skincare, her iconic songs are what have always kept her on top.
During a 2019 interview with iHeartRadio, the "Like A Prayer" hitmaker revealed how she got inspired to write and record one of her signature hits, "Vogue," in 1990. "[It] was inspired by walking into a nightclub, it may have been the Paradise Garage... and seeing the extravaganza crew, basically, voguing. I was like 'whoa, what the hell is that?' and it was the most amazing thing," Madonna said. Her most recent album, "Madame X," which dropped in 2019, was said to be heavily impacted by her lifestyle in Portugal. However, during a chat with NME, Madonna went into detail about what else helped her feel inspired. "The first group of friends I met were all musicians but they were from all over the world, not just Portugal. It was a melting point of so many different cultures and musical genres which started percolating in my brain," she explained. "I wanted to take the folk music I was listening to but make it more modern sounding, something you could dance to. I was first inspired by it, then I turned it into a challenge."
Madonna's back catalog boasts a ridiculous amount of hits, one of which was influenced by "Dirty Dancing" actor Jennifer Grey's personal life.
Jennifer Grey inspired Madonna's smash Express Yourself
During a televised interview on "The Drew Barrymore Show" on May 12, actor Jennifer Grey revealed that Madonna's big hit, "Express Yourself, was actually inspired by Grey herself.
"Is it true that 'Express Yourself' was written about you?" Barrymore asked Grey. The "Dirty Dancing" star said Madonna may have said that told different people it was actually about them but went on to explain how that revelation is very likely to be true. Grey detailed that Madonna had just broken up with her ex-husband, Sean Penn, and that Grey had also just split with Matthew Broderick. Grey admitted to being upset over her recent breakup and shared that Madonna, who she was good friends with at the time, threw her a "stripper party." While living in Laurel Canyon, Madonna told Grey that she had just created a new song and played it to her in her Mercedes car. "We get in the car, she closes the door, and she plays it to me. And she said, 'I wrote this, you inspired me,'" Grey said while noting that Madonna has "never said it publicly."
"Express Yourself" peaked at No. 2 on the US Hot 100 in 1989 and stayed on the charts for four months, according to Billboard. While Grey may have inspired the lyrical content, musically, Madonna took inspiration from The Staple Singers' song "Respect Yourself," per Genius.