Masterpiece

I'm not entirely sure, but I got the feel that this was about being in love or in a relationship with someone who's "perfect" or seems perfect. She sympathizes with him because she knows what it's like to be placed on a pedestal, but it's also hard for her to be with someone who's so flawless. Either way, she sticks by him. I'm not positive...that's just the feel I got from it.

Being that this song was written for the film "W.E." that Madonna directed, I think Masterpiece is about someone being in love that is too perfect and too highly regarded to have the time or possibility for a genuine relationship, as was the case for King Edward VIII and his American lover Wallis Simpson. Though I do feel it extends beyond that one circumstance.

Madonna begins the song by comparing whomever she speaks of to the Mona Lisa. A painting as famous as the Mona Lisa could never be taken off of display, as it is one of the Louvre's finest pieces and one that probably draws in the most tourists. Madonna compares this fact to her lover: they're "impossible to move" as "everyone [comes] to see [him]." Thus, the time that is required for a true, intimate relationship between Madonna and her companion can never be achieved, as his presence is nearly always needed by others due to his highly regarded status.

Madonna is cognizant of this fact, but she refuses to simply move on, as she "will not renounce all hope" and remains "right by [his] side, like a thief in the night...". She knows that it is hard "to always be the chosen one" despite the fact that he is "'the look but please don't touch me' type."

Perhaps Madonna chooses to stay because, "After all, nothing's indestructible." Maybe one day her lover's status will not be as important as it once was, and she will finally be able to live and love in harmony with her masterpiece. But then again, this possibility of destructibility applies to their relationship too - it could dissipate before this occurs, if it ever even does occur. But Madonna is willing to take the risk - she remains like "a thief in the night... [she] stand[s] in front of a masterpiece."

I think this song is about falling in love, but it seems like it is one-sided love. It's like watching someone and knowing that he/she is too perfect to be with you, but still having some hope, maybe in the end never having courage to confess it.

There I Have Said It! Masterpiece is Madonna's best song in years. Her Ladyship sings and cries this beautiful ballad with a knowing mixture of optimism and sadness. In Masterpiece, Madonna worked her blood, sweat and tears off in this song. I for one am glad it ended up on MDNA and I'm also glad it's being played on the MDNA Tour. Finally, Masterpiece is exactly that, a Madonna tune that lives up to its name-Madonna is capable of singing beautiful songs of heft, grit and substance. There is a lot more to Madonn than just media controversy, sex antics and shock value! The Madonna I know is one of vulnerability, humanity, imperfection and grace-and Masterpiece proves it! The best song from her later golden years-Masterpiece proves that Madonna can hold her own and in some cases-be the best Rock Balladeer of all time. Madonna Louise Ciccone is legend-"A rare and priceless work of art" -that ever will be. Advantage: Madonna. Match point, Madonna wins.

The song seems to be about a person who's in love with someone they - along with others - view to be perfect. There are high expectations placed upon this person and the one who is in love with them sees that and sympathizes with them ("it can't be fun to always be the chosen one"). The narrator seems to have some self-esteem issues by being with this person; they feel that they're imperfect either in looks or as a person and that the one they love is much better than them in some way. I get the feeling that the person that's in love with this figure of perfection is loyal and will always stay by their side with the hope that they can be with them in a closer relationship. They hope to 'steal' this person away to have for themselves one day ("like a thief in the night"). This doesn't necessarily mean that the love is one-sided - although that could be the case - but that the admiring one feels they love the other person more. Yet, I think the "look but please don't touch me" part might mean that the one they love has feelings for them back but keeps them at arm's length for some reason. Or that because of how high the person they love has been placed above others, they feel it's hard to connect with them on a personal level/can't reach them. Maybe they even feel it'd be a form of sacrilege to try to be close to this person because of how much they think highly of them.