1)borderline2)live to tell3)lucky star4)crazy for you5)into the groove.
all of those are among the best pop songs of all time.
― michael wells (michael w.), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:02 (twenty-one years ago) link
Always *H A T E D* "Crazy for You," as it sounded so cloyingly banal in the face of her other singles.
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:04 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:27 (twenty-one years ago) link
What is it now, Doctor?
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:39 (twenty-one years ago) link
Only joking Alex! But you...you (sniffs loudly) dissed 'Crazy For You'!! How can you?
― Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:45 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:01 (twenty-one years ago) link
and whoever (i'm sorry i can't recall your name) said that neil hannon should cover "live to tell".... well, that's genius! let's tie him up and make him do it.
― cecilia, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:05 (twenty-one years ago) link
― weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:08 (twenty-one years ago) link
goldarn it, Killian just stole mah fire!
― Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:17 (twenty-one years ago) link
Long Fin Killie's is better. ;-)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:19 (twenty-one years ago) link
To this day it's the only song that can recall that sort of giddiness in me.
― Aaron A., Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:46 (twenty-one years ago) link
― nathalie (nathalie), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:49 (twenty-one years ago) link
― russ t, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago) link
Did I miss something? What Public Enemy "riff"?
― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:12 (twenty-one years ago) link
― Oops (Oops), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:15 (twenty-one years ago) link
― original bgm, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:21 (twenty-one years ago) link
― russ t, Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:30 (twenty-one years ago) link
― M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:53 (twenty-one years ago) link
― stevem (blueski), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:03 (twenty-one years ago) link
Madonna's 90s/00s achievement - learning how to make GROWERS! "Frozen" grows on you like an iceberg on the horizon; "Music" just battered my defences down by repetition; "Die Another Day" only made sense when you tried to imagine dancing to it.
All the 80s singles are terrific, pretty much, but you knew that.
Bad Girl!
― Tom (Groke), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:13 (twenty-one years ago) link
Madonna's best singles: "Human Nature", "Bedtime Story", "Take A Bow", "Into The Groove", "Live To Tell". These five are BARELY (like, microscopically) above "Burning Up", "Borderline", "Lucky Star", "Holiday", "Open Your Heart", "Papa Don't Preach", "La Isla Bonita", "Keep It Together", "Like A Prayer", "Vogue", "Frozen", "Ray Of Light", "Secret", "Drowned World/Substitute For Love", "Don't Tell Me", "What It Feels Like For A Girl", "Die Another Day", "I'll Remember" and "I Want You", to the point where any of the above could be in the top five (especially "Burning Up"; in fact, replace "Bedtime Story" with "Burning Up" right now!).
― Dan Perry (Dan Perry), Thursday, 6 February 2003 14:16 (twenty-one years ago) link
I've always thought the early trilogy (troika?) of Holiday/Borderline/Lucky Star were her best work, and the reason she became huge in the first place.
The video for Borderline is a great example of her early style - she wasn't the first to cross underground disco with bubblegum pop, but she did it the best. This seems like a memento from a more innocent time, like the best Motown and old school girl group songs. I like how it's the work of a fun loving hipster gal who loves fashion and breakdancing, not the grandiose artistic statements she made later on in her career. Also - Madonna used to be hot. She looks like a cute college girl here, wearing the cutting edge fashions that all the high school girls tried to emulate in the 80s.
― redmond, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:22 (fifteen years ago) link
i knew this revive would be about Borderline, it just gets better with time.
your whole post is kind of OTM, but i have to say i think Like A Virgin sustained a similar feeling in an awesome way.
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:42 (fifteen years ago) link
This reminds me that i never really understood the plot for this video.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:43 (fifteen years ago) link
also, correction: Madonna used to be VERY hot.
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:44 (fifteen years ago) link
She becomes a model and cheats on him with the photog, he sulks, she dumps the photog when he acts like an ass, then goes back to her old boyfriend.
Yeah I was going to say Like a Virgin was when she does her first 'morph' from this hipster street creature to a more glamorous and slutty version of said hipster street creature. It's of course classic, but it's the Big Star move and not so underground.
― redmond, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:48 (fifteen years ago) link
but it's so damn kooky too, the whole LAV album
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:49 (fifteen years ago) link
i don't know what gets me more: the synths on Borderline or Like A Virgin
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:50 (fifteen years ago) link
'Borderline' is about the only Madonna single I can honestly say I love, as opposed to quite liking. 'Into the Groove' almost pushes out of that other category, but not quite.
― dubmill, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:50 (fifteen years ago) link
Borderline is my favourite too!
― Take You Down (I know, right?), Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:52 (fifteen years ago) link
I like how none of the Rihannas and Britneys and Pinks have yet to match the understated timelessness of her early stuff. It's like every new song and video that comes out has to be louder and glitzier and more over the top.
― redmond, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:53 (fifteen years ago) link
"Crazy for You" has that remarkable moment where Madonna, never much of a singer, lowers her voice down from its chirpy default to a more seductive rumble. That's the point where she shifts from kids' stuff to something richer.
"Live to Tell," though, is an amazing song, not least for its ambiguity. I love its haunting use in "At Close Range." I also love the Bill Frisell cover.
Also thoroughly love "Into the Groove," "Open Your Heart," "Borderline," "Burning Up" and that Bjork song. "Bedtime Story?" Some of those lost years ballads are pretty good, too, like "Rain."
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:53 (fifteen years ago) link
And Patrick Leonard=best writing partner? Oh, he also did "Who's That Girl!" Loved that one as a kid myself.
― Josh in Chicago, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Shep Pettibone was her best writing partner.
― Tim F, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:55 (fifteen years ago) link
Yes, I've always liked 'Live to Tell'.
― dubmill, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 14:58 (fifteen years ago) link
― redmond, Tuesday, December 9, 2008 9:53 AM (14 minutes ago) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink
was just thinking if only someone (if not madonna herself) would go back to this early sound.
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:09 (fifteen years ago) link
OTM. I published an essay on these very qualities.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:13 (fifteen years ago) link
*discussing these very qualities.
Stating the obvious here, but what a fantastic run of singles. No duds at all until 'Express Yourself'
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:51 (fifteen years ago) link
um, Express Yourself is so gooood
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:53 (fifteen years ago) link
And even that's not bad, just kind of charmless
― Ismael Klata, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:53 (fifteen years ago) link
geez no way! charmless my foot
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 15:55 (fifteen years ago) link
let's talk about Dress You Up for a second
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 16:46 (fifteen years ago) link
the crispness of that vocal line, the way it cuts
ouch
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 16:49 (fifteen years ago) link
"Angel"!
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 16:49 (fifteen years ago) link
just listened to it!! so great
― Surmounter, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 16:50 (fifteen years ago) link
ALL OVER ALL OVER
i ~love~ 'dress you up'
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 9 December 2008 16:52 (fifteen years ago) link
Wasn't it also the first (and last?) Madonna album to get a Grammy nod?
― dead-trius (Eric H.), Saturday, 25 February 2012 04:45 (twelve years ago) link
The vocals w/added harmonies in the last chorus of "into the groove" are strangely powerful. creates a more sensual tone.
― brimstead, Saturday, 24 August 2013 01:06 (ten years ago) link
think this 12" single from 1988 was more than worthy of a mention
Madonna - Spotlighthttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSbgcr4fvk0
― Campari G&T, Thursday, 21 July 2016 23:20 (seven years ago) link
a bunch of writing on a bunch of Madonna singles (I chose "Live to Tell" and "Papa Don't Preach" but almost went for "Express Yourself")
― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Sunday, 12 August 2018 21:08 (five years ago) link
a link would help http://www.thesinglesjukebox.com/?p=26058
― aloha darkness my old friend (katherine), Sunday, 12 August 2018 21:10 (five years ago) link
Soto's first sentence regarding 'Bad Girl' is so fucking OTM. That's one of her best ever songs, IMO - the production still sounds gorgeous and I don't even want to begin imagining it being sung in her post-Evita voice, which I don't find anywhere near as pleasant to listen to as her voice beforehand.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Sunday, 12 August 2018 21:19 (five years ago) link
Thank you.
We all did marvelous work, I must say.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 13 August 2018 01:44 (five years ago) link
I love reading reassessments of Madonna stuff, especially from different generational perspectives, and this is a good one. I should play her for my kids.
― Josh in Chicago, Monday, 13 August 2018 02:21 (five years ago) link
I suddenly have the urge to listen to Like a Prayer and Erotica back to back.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Monday, 13 August 2018 13:27 (five years ago) link
I decided to rank her closers.
― TikTok to the (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Tuesday, 28 April 2020 02:58 (four years ago) link
Can’t argue with your top picks, but I’d definitely throw “Secret Garden” in among those three. One of her most purely haunting and seductive tracks.
― Maria Edgelord (cryptosicko), Tuesday, 28 April 2020 03:27 (four years ago) link
"take a bow" too ffs
― mellon collie and the infinite bradness (BradNelson), Tuesday, 28 April 2020 03:33 (four years ago) link
"Mer Girl" is glorious, FUIUD
― DJP, Tuesday, 28 April 2020 14:07 (four years ago) link
Sounds good, looks fun:
Classroom Instruments: @Madonna, Jimmy, & @TheRoots perform “Music” 🎶 #FallonTonight pic.twitter.com/7DRjRsABRJ— The Tonight Show (@FallonTonight) August 11, 2022
― The self-titled drags (Eazy), Friday, 19 August 2022 04:19 (one year ago) link
Well, that was cute.
― peace, man, Friday, 19 August 2022 11:49 (one year ago) link
Glad she didn't try to french anybody.
― peace, man, Friday, 19 August 2022 11:50 (one year ago) link
Yeah, it’s refreshing to see her do something cute.
― The self-titled drags (Eazy), Friday, 19 August 2022 13:38 (one year ago) link
Can’t believe I missed this thread after 16 years lurking on this board. Just wanted to say that aside from all of the obvious choices, and I appreciate it’s not a single, but Pretender from Like a Virgin is Madonna’s most overlooked song. “You lie, you lie, you lie, you lie, I know all about your kind” is the most peak Madonna line ever.
― the article don, Tuesday, 23 August 2022 21:25 (one year ago) link
I've heard eight of her albums, and don't know if there's any non-single I'd really call a favourite. Maybe "Something to Remember".
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 01:40 (one year ago) link
I can think of several:
White HeatWhere’s the PartySkinImpressive InstantSwim
― castanuts (DJP), Wednesday, 24 August 2022 02:14 (one year ago) link
For a few years in the 1980s, there was a UK publication called the Rock Yearbook which featured articles, pictures, snippets of reviews from the UK papers, etc. The section on True Blue featured nothing but various reviewers' scathing comments on "Where's the Party?" I thought it unfair to single out the worst song on the album, but I'm glad someone likes it.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 03:19 (one year ago) link
Just bought the new triple disc cd on a total impulse and I'm pretty pleased with it. Feels like this is her best compilation? With the earlier classics theres a lot of "single versions" or mixes which dont fuck with the song too much but brilliantly remastered imo. Mid period stuff has a bunch of fun, cool, or interesting versions, and the 3rd disc is stuff I dont know and it's pretty much solid bangers.
― everything, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 03:59 (one year ago) link
I made my own Madonna compilation, thanks to a close friend who was a collector, and I boiled down god knows how many CD's into four packed and tidy CD-R's. Pretty much everything I really liked from Madonna was released as a single - in many cases, I would prefer a mix that was released on one of those single releases rather than the original album. The one big exception is "Secret Garden" from Erotica - from what I can tell, it's never been issued as a single, at least not in the U.S.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 04:29 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBtcD7qmpPw
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 04:30 (one year ago) link
Also re: two tracks from Music - "Impressive Instant" mentioned upthread and "Amazing" - the story is that the label wanted the latter to be the fourth single, Madonna wanted the former, and they wound up NOT releasing a fourth single, but actually both tracks HAVE been issued as promo-only singles. I do enjoy both regardless.
― birdistheword, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 04:34 (one year ago) link
it’s quite remarkable madonna didn’t make it to either of the 2010s polls
― scanner darkly, Sunday, 28 August 2022 04:10 (one year ago) link
is it? her output last decade is not well regarded by anyone really. madame x is endearingly weird but that's about it
― ufo, Sunday, 28 August 2022 04:27 (one year ago) link
yeah that’s what i meant
― scanner darkly, Sunday, 28 August 2022 05:59 (one year ago) link
My jam:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCRaq3t7X_Q
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 28 August 2022 09:27 (one year ago) link
More super album tracks:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Vm72XDljI
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 28 August 2022 20:53 (one year ago) link
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NpkOb6JRKHM
The best B-side:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8uCTFJbwUI
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 28 August 2022 22:23 (one year ago) link
Should have been a single in the US
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0kLbsB1ynaE
― Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 28 August 2022 22:24 (one year ago) link
"You're just jealous CUZ YOU CAN'T BE ME
― Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 29 August 2022 00:52 (one year ago) link