| "Human Nature" | ||||
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| Single by Madonna | ||||
| from the album Bedtime Stories | ||||
| B-side | "Sanctuary" | |||
| Released | May 5, 1995 | |||
| Recorded | 1994 | |||
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| Length | 4:54 | |||
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| Madonna singles chronology | ||||
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| Music video | ||||
| "Human Nature" on YouTube | ||||
"Human Nature" is a song by American singer Madonna included on her sixth studio album Bedtime Stories (1994). It is an answer song to the backlash Madonna endured for the sexually explicit projects released in 1992, particularly her fifth studio album Erotica, and the coffee table book Sex. Written and produced by the singer and Dave Hall, "Human Nature" samples Main Source's 1994 track "What You Need", thus its writers Shawn McKenzie, Kevin McKenzie and Michael Deering are also credited.
In Australia, New Zealand and most European countries, the song was released as the album's fourth and final single on May 5, 1995; in the United States, a release was issued one month later, on June 6. An R&B song with hip-hop influences, the lyrics see Madonna lashing out at her detractors, referring to her interest in "taboo" subjects as mere human nature. Upon release, it was well received by critics, who applauded its catchiness and unapologetic tone. "Human Nature" had a weak commercial reception in the United States, peaking at number 46 on the Billboard Hot 100; nonetheless, it reached the second position of the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The single fared better in the United Kingdom, where it reached the top-ten.
Directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino, the accompanying music video features the singer and a troupe of dancers in bondage-inspired gear, and was praised for its humorous tones. Madonna has performed "Human Nature" on five of her concert tours, the most recent being the Celebration Tour of 2023—2024. Influence of the song's unapologetic feminist theme and music video has been noted in the work of contemporary female artists.