Who is the master?
Who is the slave?
[Verse 1: Madonna]
Treat me like a curse
Then tell me I'm your savior
I'm living with a stranger
I used to know so well
Waiting for your answer
Is a kind of torture
Could I grow accustomed to this kind of hell?
[Pre-Chorus: Madonna]
Are you walking the dog?
'Cause that dog isn't new
Are you out of control?
Is that dog walking you?
Haven't you had enough?
Now your time is up
Baby, show me your hand
[Chorus: Madonna]
Voices start to ring in your head
Tell me, what do they say?
Distant echoes from another time
Start to creep in your brain
So you claim madness like it's convenient
You do it so often that you start to believe it
You have demons so nobody can blame you
But who is the master and who is the slave?
First, you say you'll love me
Then you wanna leave me
Then you say you're sorry
You play the game so well
I bought your illusion
You're the greatest salesman
How could I refuse you when you sold it to yourself?
[Pre-Chorus: Madonna]
Are you walking the dog?
'Cause that dog isn't new
Are you out of control?
Is that dog walking you?
Haven't you had enough?
Now your time is up
Baby, show me your hand
[Chorus: Madonna]
Voices start to ring in your head
Tell me, what do they say?
Distant echoes from another time
Start to creep in your brain
So you claim madness like it's convenient
You do it so often that you start to believe it
You have demons so nobody can blame you
But who is the master and who is the slave?
About
“Voices” is the closing track on Madonna’s Hard Candy.
It’s a trip-hop inspired track about being controlled and playing mind tricks.
The song interpolates some lyrics from “Is this Love (Bon D'accord)”, an unreleased track that Madonna wrote for Hello Suckers!, a musical she was working on with Luc Besson that was later scrapped.
It also contains vocals from Justin Timberlake who produced the song but is not credited as a featuring artist.
Q&A
Find answers to frequently asked questions about the song and explore its deeper meaning
The “Devil Wouldn’t Recognize You” and “Voices” were both written in my first, like, chunk of writing time with Justin.
–via TrakTV (2008)
“Voices”, that was really another, you know, kind of like talking about people that we knew who, once again, could trick you into thinking one thing about them but actually they were something else. You know, it’s, people who play mind games and you know, go on ego trips.
–via TrakTV (2008)
- 1.Candy Shop
- 2.4 Minutes
- 3.Give It 2 Me
- 4.Heartbeat
- 5.Miles Away
- 6.She’s Not Me
- 7.Incredible
- 8.Beat Goes On
- 9.Dance 2Night
- 10.Spanish Lesson
- 12.Voices
