Singer, who’ll perform at halftime, reverts to bubble-gum pop of her early singles; MIA and Nicki Minaj help out
Has Madonna, at 53, turned into Sporty Spice in her prime?
That’s the athletic persona — and the peppy sound — she adopts for her new video and song, “Give Me All Your Luvin’.” Surrounded by pumping cheerleaders and worshipful football players, Madonna shimmies and preens through the clip. Though she’ll debut the song live this Sunday, during a time when half the country ducks into the kitchen to replenish the bean dip, here Madonna acts like she’s the Super Bowl’s central figure, an icon even football heroes must bow before.
Oh, and for some reason, she’s wheeling a baby carriage at the start of the clip and, later, nursing a (plastic) baby. Luckily, she winks through every twist and turn, making clear the clip’s tone: camp.
It’s the right stance for the song. “Give Me” breaks rank with the cool and sophisticated dance songs that marked Madonna’s excellent last CD, “Hard Candy.” Instead it’s a pure snap of bubble gum, closer to an early single like “Burnin’ Up” than any of her more recent club hits. Only the rap cameos from the quite camp Nicki Minaj, and the less so M.I.A., tell us what decade we’re in. Similarly, Madonna pushes aside the more womanly voice she has used since “Evita,” in favor of the yap and squeak of her early days. She even makes lyrical reference to her early ’80s single, “Lucky Star.”
“Luvin'” doesn’t have that song’s pop perfection. It’s just a trifle. But it’s a fun one, brimming with a kind of humor Madonna could always use more of.
jfarber@nydailynews.com