A Ray of Light in Madonna's Music Career

Ray of Light remains fresh and enjoyable approximately eleven years after its debut. The songs have a heartfelt resonance that many of Madonna's albums hint at but don't fully embrace. Ray of Light is filled with songs that speak to life. Themes of love, sex, family and spirituality make appearances throughout the album, sometimes straightforward and sometimes more subtly. In many ways, Ray of Light is Madonna's most engaging, mature, and honest work. While the songs have memorable rhythms and lyrics, the commerciality of the album is minimized and the shock value Madonna is known for almost nonexistent.

Madonna is often heralded as the Queen of Reinvention, but this album, like most of her work, is simply her search to find herself and her place in the world in which we live.

In Drowned World/Substitute for Love, Madonna explores the price of fame. Anyone who has ever sacrificed for something they thought they wanted only to learn it wasn't what they'd imagined can identify with the message.

Swim examines the state of the world and the things humans do to one another. In this plea for the world to look at itself and to change, Madonna seems to suggest the world's only option is to undergo a rebirth.

Another call for people to change is made in Ray of Light. The song encourages people to reconnect with the things that matter in life by slowing the pace of life. The dance beat creates an interesting juxtaposition to the message of slowing down.

Candy Perfume Girl is a thinly veiled, metaphorical exploration of physical desire. It's so hauntingly beautiful, the listener can imagine herself as a "candy perfume girl".

Skin questions why we all say the same things over and over. As the listener gets carried away on the rhythm, the absurdity of the lines we use and the odd comfort of those lines in communication become entangled.

Nothing Really Matters explores a transition form a state of selfish living to accepting and embracing a life beyond one's own desires. Lyrics talk about how what we put into the world determines what we get out of the world.

Sky Fits Heaven explores a theme Madonna seems to address over and over throughout her career - how to live life the right way. Different but related concepts converge in this song about each individual finding, recognizing, and embracing the right way to live.

Shanti/Ashtangi is easily the weakest song on the CD. I can't get past the first few words before frantically searching for the skip button.

At first listen, Frozen seems to be about longing for a romantic love interest. A closer listen though speaks to people who are unable to open themselves to love of any kind. The song questions how people can find love and happiness in life when all they focus on is material consumption.

The Power of Goodbye embraces how letting go of the familiar can be freeing. The Power of Goodbye reminds listeners that change can be healthy, productive even.

To Have and Not to Hold is a song with a theme as old as poetry itself - unrequited love. Touching lyrics about being close but not together - or possibly together but not close - are backed by music that seems to cry the tears suggested by the lyrics.

Little Star is a lullaby that fits well with the other songs on the album. It's lyrics speak to people of all ages with a message to be true to one's self as well as to be one's best self.

Mer Girl reminds listeners of Madonna's well known grief for her beloved mother. The song tracks an attempt to escape grief and pain through running. The metaphorical run of Mer Girl creates an image both beautiful and visceral in the way it surrounds the listener's senses along the journey.

Ray of Light contains songs that are as relevant today as they were when Madonna released the CD in 1998. The songs are strong, beautiful, haunting, and deeply emotional. They're spiritual without being religious, beautiful and meaningful without being maudlin, honest and realistic without being hopeless. Somehow they manage to be grounded and take the listener on a fantasy ride at the same time. Overall, Ray of Light is filled with songs that address life while making the listener long to listen again. The songs set a tone of floating above the fray and being immersed in it all at once. Engaged and thoughtful, Ray of Light has staying power and will appeal to a variety of people.

Ray of Light is available at www.amazon.com, www.itunes.com, www.madonna.com, www.barnesandnoble.com, and http://music.msn.com.