Paradise (Not For Me) was the first collaboration between Madonna and
Mirwais. The song was recorded in 1999 to be featured on Mirwais'
album Production. It gave
fans a first glance at the new style approach that Madonna was taking
for her new album. Only later was decided that this song was in
fact to be included on the Music album.
For Madonna's album the track was slightly re-arranged; the instrumental
part in the middle of the song is longer than the version on Mirwais' record.
Tour
On
the Drowned World Tour,
Paradise was used as an interlude so Madonna could go backstage
for a costume change. However, she appeared on screen in a beautiful
Manga-inspired video. Meanwhile four white cocoons were hanging
on the ceiling. When they burst open they revealed four butt-naked
(except for a string) dancers, hanging upside down. As the song
continued, they slowly climbed into upward position and came down
on stage. With the words 'There is a light' the dancers uncovered
a reddish glow in their mouths.
Madonna created a beautiful intimate moment on the Confessions
Tour by adding Paradise to the setlist right after Drowned
World. Yitzhak Sinwani joins her, introduced by Madonna as
"my friend Isaac", adding a different comment about
him on each show. They perform the song as a duet with Madonna
playing the acoustic guitar and Isaac singing the originally French
parts in Yemenite, while the screens show a beautiful tree with
pink petals that are slowly falling down, making the humble rendition
a special highlight of the show.