page_title: Joan of Arc (Madonna song)
section_title: Composition and lyrics
hierarchical_section_title: Joan of Arc (Madonna song) / Composition and lyrics
context_page_description: "Joan of Arc" is a song recorded by American singer and songwriter Madonna from her thirteenth studio album Rebel Heart. It was written by Madonna, Toby Gad, Maureen McDonald and Larry Griffin Jr., with production being done by Madonna, Gad, AFSHeeN and Josh Cumbee. The song's demo was leaked onto the internet on December 17, 2014, with twelve other tracks from the album. Its final version was released on February 9, 2015 with two other tracks on the iTunes store. "Joan of Arc" is the eighth track on Rebel Heart and has similarity to the demo version, but with a lift in its tempo during the chorus. It is a guitar-led pop and electro-folk ballad, with drums and guitars being added as the song's instrumentation.
  Lyrically, the song uses the metaphor of Joan of Arc to explain that even strong people have fragile hearts and can break down, showing that the air of self-confidence that someone can carry through an entire life may be just a shield for insecurities. The lyrical content present on the song was compared to her compositions during her previous albums, Like a Prayer and Ray of Light, especially "Drowned World/Substitute for Love" from the latter.
context_section_description: "Joan of Arc" was written by Madonna, Toby Gad, MoZella and Symbolyc One (S1), with production being done by Madonna, Gad, AFSHeeN and Josh Cumbee. Gad was also responsible for programming, additional backing vocals and the song's instruments, which were also played by AFSHeeN, Cumbee, Stephen Kozmeniuk, Dan Warner (guitar) and Lee Levin. The track was engineered and mixed by Demacio "Demo" Castellon with Gad and Angie Teo. "Joan of Arc" is a guitar-led pop and electro-folk ballad, which starts acoustic, similar to its demo version, but having a "new beat that lifts the BPMs considerably" in the chorus, with the added drums and guitars "turning [it] into a mid-paced radio-friendly pop [song]," but preserving the "string-laden bridge and acoustic denouement." Madonna's vocals were considered "hushed, vibrato-tinged", and "the rawest that [her] voice has sounded since 'Ray of Light' during the opening lines.
  Lyrically, the confessional song talks plainly and plaintively about the detachment and loneliness that  Madonna feels in the face of the press, with the singer lamenting: "Each time they write a hateful word / dragging my soul into the dirt / I wanna die." John Marrs of Gay Times compared the lyrical content of the song to Madonna's "Drowned World/Substitute For Love" (1998) explaining that the lyrics are essentially autobiographical as well as talks about how her outspokenness had led to the media trying to "hurt her". It also talks about how although Madonna is tough at heart, she still feels the "negativity" of the media. The chorus, which features skittering drums and strings, has Madonna simply saying: "I don't wanna talk about it right now / even hearts made out of steel can break down." In an interview for The New York Times, Madonna explained her admiration for Joan, her conviction as well as her commitment. She also confessed that the lyrics elaborated how the singer is still hurt by any negative words.
caption: On the song, Madonna compares herself to Joan of Arc to explain that even strong people have a heart and can break down.
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