Live To Tell

I joined a group called "Admit It... You Cried When Madonna Sang "Live To Tell" On The Cross" on Facebook. Yes, I have to admit I cried... more than once. And it was actually the whole reason why I started getting a bit crazy about Madonna recently.

If you don't know the story, let me try to tell it. Last year, on Madonna's Confession tour, she performed one of her best works "Live To Tell". This song was considered as her first serious song (according to Wikipedia article).

However, the performance during the tour is a bit controversial: she started the song being "crucified" on a cross. Over her head, there was a big timer with number increasing very fast. Her vocal was much better than the time when the song was released (at least I feel). But I am sure most audiences were wondering what the timer was for just like what I did when watching the DVD. Finally, the timer stopped at 12,000,000. An africa kid's picture was projected onto the big screen along with "In Africa, 12 million children are orphaned by AIDS". Madonna walked down from the cross and sang the last part of the song. The screen now reads "20 million children will be without parents by 2010. Withou hlep, those children will die before they're 2". The screen then showed the kid's picture in fire. Words rised from fire saying "For I was hungry and you gave me food; I was naked and you gave me clothing; I was sick and you took care of me; And God replied, whatever you did for one of the least of my brothers... you did it to me. Matthew 25:34". The song finished in church bells and the urls to RaisingMalawi and ClintonFoundation.

Of course, there were a lot of negative responses. I don't believe in religion. But I do believe in faith and humanity. I think it was one of the greatest possible thing one could do. Mandonna took all the trouble and controversy to pass the message and raise awareness. Is it more important to worship a symbol or is it more important to actually do something?

There is a place called heaven and it is right here in moment like this.

I have a tale to tell
Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well
I was not ready for the fall
Too blind to see the writing on the wall

A man can tell a thousand lies
I've learned my lesson well
Hope I live to tell
The secret I have learned, 'till then It will burn inside of me

I know where beauty lives
I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives
The light that you could never see
It shines inside, you can't take that from me

The truth is never far behind
You kept it hidden well
If I live to tell
The secret I knew then
Will I ever have the chance again

If I ran away, I'd never have the strength to go very far
How would they hear the beating of my heart

Will it grow cold
The secret that I hide, will I grow old
How will they hear
When will they learn
How will they know