"Take a bow the night is over this masquerade is getting older, lights are low the curtains down, there's no one here (Babyface in the background: there's no one here, there's no one in the crowd)". One of my favourite songs of ALL TIME! The orchestral arrangement, the quiet storm feel, the allegory and symbolism of a break-up and the end of a play written in the poetry of the lyrics, the signature opening keyboard melody which makes you instantly recognize the song, the easy vocals that were clearly tailored for Madonna's voice, the lyrics, and don't even get me started on the fantastic music video...it's 22 years old but I don't think this song will ever fall victim to time. Kenneth Edmonds is an underrated GENIUS. Madonna informed him that she wanted a Whitney-like song, like "Exhale (shoop, shoop)" which was also written by Babyface. But because Babyface is a genius, he said "NO, do YOU" and together they created this masterpiece. Long live the '90s, long live the real Queen and long live Rhythm 'n Blues. I will never delete this song from my phone. This was THE break-up song waaay before Adele (good lord I'm so old), and I think this was the song that got Madonna more Black fans (without forcing herself on us). People and the media have always discredited this woman, but no matter what they try the quality of her discography will never be tarnished.