Madonna

1958–1978: Early life

Madonna Louise Ciccone was born in Bay City, Michigan, on August 16, 1958. Her father, Silvio "Tony" Ciccone, worked as an optical and military engineer, as well as a physicist, for Chrysler Defense and later General Dynamics Land Systems; her mother, Madonna Louise (née Fortin), was an X-ray technician. Tony's parents were Italian emigrants from Pacentro, while her mother was of French-Canadian descent. Since Madonna shared her name with her mother, family members referred to her as "Little Nonnie". Madonna was raised in the Detroit suburbs of Pontiac and Avon Township (now Rochester Hills), alongside her two older brothers, Anthony and Martin, and her three younger siblings, Paula, Christopher, and Melanie.

1979–1983: Career beginnings, rock bands, and Madonna

In 1979, Madonna entered a romantic relationship with musician Dan Gilroy. During this period, she searched for job opportunities in publications such as Variety, Backstage, and Show Business, leading to a successful audition as a backup singer and dancer in Paris for French disco artist Patrick Hernandez. With Hernandez's troupe, she traveled to Tunisia and several disco-oriented European countries before returning to New York that same year. Madonna relocated to an abandoned synagogue in Corona, Queens, where Gilroy and his brother Ed resided and practiced. The group slept in the basement and used its meeting space both to rehearse and record music for their band, Breakfast Club, for which Madonna sang and played drums and guitar.

Influences

When initially starting her career, Madonna's primary musical inspirations were Debbie Harry of Blondie and David Bowie, whose Diamond Dogs Tour concert was the first performance she ever attended. Madonna has cited Nancy Sinatra as one of her idols and said that her song "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (1965) left a strong impression on her. As a young woman, she sought to expand her artistry through literature, art, and music, developing a particular interest in classical compositions. She identified Baroque as her preferred style and admired Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Frédéric Chopin, praising the "feminine quality" in their work. Among Madonna's other principal influences are Chrissie Hynde, Aretha Franklin, Patti Smith, Karen...

Musical style and composition

Madonna's work has been the subject of critical analysis and debate. Robert M. Grant, author of Contemporary Strategy Analysis (2005), observed that her musical career is a continual process of experimentation with new sounds and images. In Pop Goes the Decade: The Eighties, Thomas Harrison described her as "an artist who pushed the boundaries" of what a female performer could achieve, both visually and lyrically. Professor Santiago Fouz-Hernández observed that, while not possessing a particularly powerful or wide-ranging voice, Madonna expanded her artistic range through diverse musical, lyrical, and visual styles, "all with the intention of presenting herself as a mature musician".

Cherish

"Cherish" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, and was released by Sire Records as the album's third single on August 1, 1989.

"Cherish" was built around the themes of love and relationships, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet being one of the major inspirations. The track also included a line from "Cherish" by the 1960s band the Association.

Background

"Cherish" was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, and released as the third single from Like a Prayer (1989). The song is built around the themes of love and relationships, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet one of its major inspirations. Madonna was reading Romeo and Juliet during the breaks during rehearsals for Speed the Plow, a Broadway show in which she was starring in 1988. On the third day of the Like a Prayer recording sessions, she presented Leonard with the lyrics of "Cherish", and explained that she had written the song "one sunny afternoon by the beach", but later confessed that it was actually written in her make-up room. "I wrote it in a superhyper-positive state of mind that I knew was not going to...

Composition

"Cherish" is a doo-wop style pop shuffle song and opened the second side of Like a Prayer. It begins with the sound of synths and keyboard and Madonna repeatedly singing the words "cherish, cherish". This is followed by the sound from drum machine, as percussion and guitars accompany her voice. During the bridge, Madonna sings the line "Cupid please take your aim at me", as the keyboard sound becomes pronounced. The drum changes its rhythm and Madonna moves into the chorus, "Cherish the joy/of always having you here by my side", accompanied by background vocals and a bass guitar. The second verse continues in the same way, with Madonna singing the line "Romeo and Juliet/they never felt this way I bet/So don't underestimate my point of...

Critical reception

Wayne Robins from Newsday believed that "Cherish" exemplified the "kind of random pop we'd get if [postmodern author] William Burroughs were the program director of a Top 40 radio station." Burt compared the song and Madonna's delivery of the lyrics with the dialogues spoken by Shakespeare's Juliet, and found similarity in the, "Sweet so would I, Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing" from the play, with the lyrics of "Cherish". Allen Metz, one of the authors of The Madonna Companion, felt that "Cherish" as the opening song of the B-side of Like a Prayer, reaffirmed the sweet and happy romanticism that was missing from the A-side of the album adding, "As much a child of pop as of the church, Madonna is restored by music's healing...

Music video

"Cherish" was promoted by a black-and-white music video that was directed by Herb Ritts and was filmed on July 22, 1989 at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. Its world premiere took place on MTV on August 21, 1989. Ritts was one of Madonna's preferred photographers at that time and so she asked him to direct the "Cherish" video. Ritts reportedly tried to talk her out of it by saying, "But I'm a still photographer. I don't know anything about film." Undaunted, Madonna replied simply, "Well you have a few weeks to learn." The director practised with a Super 8 film camera while working on a job in Hawaii and after returning confirmed to Madonna that he could helm the video. "Two weeks later, I was filming 'Cherish'. I directed it and...

Crazy for You

"Crazy for You" is a song by American singer Madonna from the soundtrack to the 1985 film Vision Quest. Written by John Bettis and Jon Lind, it was produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez and released as a single by Geffen Records on March 2, 1985.

The song was commissioned by Warner Bros. Pictures music executive Joel Sill for a romantic scene in the film, in which Madonna also makes a brief appearance as a nightclub singer.

Background

Following the success of Flashdance (1983), which grossed over $200 million at the box office, Jon Peters and Peter Guber produced D.C. Cab, which was a critical and commercial failure. Their next project, and their first with Warner Bros. Pictures, was an adaptation of Terry Davis' 1979 novel Vision Quest. Directed by Harold Becker, the film—also titled Vision Quest—stars Matthew Modine as Louden Swain, a high school wrestler from Spokane, Washington, who falls in love with Carla (Linda Fiorentino), an older woman renting a room in his father's house. Joel Sill, Warner Bros. Pictures music vice president, was given the task of putting together the soundtrack. Phil Ramone, who had worked with Peters and Guber on Flashdance, was hired as...

Recording

"Crazy for You" was recorded twice, with the version heard in Vision Quest differing from the one that was ultimately released as a single. The first recording took place in Los Angeles in November 1983, with Ramone producing. Bettis recalled that the session "didn't go all that well", seemingly confirming his and Lind's initial doubts about Madonna's suitability for the song. Left "depressed" by the results, they worried that "Crazy for You" would be dropped from Vision Quest altogether. The recording was nevertheless retained for Madonna's nightclub performance in the film, although neither Bettis nor the singer believed it sounded like a hit.

Composition

As her first ballad, "Crazy for You" marked a stylistic departure from Madonna's earlier dance-oriented releases. Described as a pop ballad with torch song influences, it has also been characterized as a power ballad. Tom Breihan of Stereogum described its sound as "dance-pop rendered in a ballad context". The song's rhythm evokes the hazy atmosphere of a lounge club, while its arrangement opens with an oboe and a sliding electric guitar chord, motifs that recur throughout the track. The verses feature a relatively sparse accompaniment of synthesized bass, harp and a single-note guitar figure. Author Rikky Rooksby observed that a fuller rhythmic arrangement emerges only shortly before the refrain, which develops gradually rather than...

Release

According to the Los Angeles Times, there were "enormous arguments" between executives at Warner's record and film divisions over the release of "Crazy for You". Vision Quest had originally been scheduled for release in March 1984, but delays in post-production postponed its premiere for almost a year. During that time, Madonna's popularity grew considerably with the success of "Holiday", "Borderline" and "Lucky Star", while her second studio album, Like a Virgin, was released several months before the film. By the time Vision Quest premiered in February 1985, Like a Virgin topped the albums chart, its title track had recently left the top position of the Billboard Hot 100, and "Material Girl" was climbing the chart.

Express Yourself

"Express Yourself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989, by Sire Records.

The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). "Express Yourself" was the first song that Madonna and co-producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for Like a Prayer.

Background

"Express Yourself" was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer, on May 9, 1989, with "The Look of Love", from the 1987 film soundtrack Who's That Girl, on its B-side. When Madonna started work on Like a Prayer, she considered many options, and thought about the musical direction for it. She had certain matters on her mind, including her troubled relationship with her husband Sean Penn, her family, her lost mother and even her belief in God. Madonna thought about lyrical ideas for the songs on topics that, until then, were personal meditation, never to be shared with her public so openly and pointedly. She came to the realization that as she and her fans were growing up, and it was time for her to move away...

Composition

"Express Yourself" begins with the sound of percussion instruments, as Madonna entreats the listener: "Come on girls, do you believe in love? 'Cause I got something to say about it, And it goes something like this." Handclaps and drum beats start as Madonna moves into the chorus of the song, with a thick vocal texture and high-pitched background singing. The chorus is aided by instrumentation from a saxophone and percussion. Madonna then sings the first verse of the song, as a violin sound is added after she finishes the bridge, "Make you feel like a queen on the throne, make you love it till you never come down", a male voice repeating the last line. A synthesizer is played after the second verse as Madonna continues chanting the words...

Critical reception

"Express Yourself" received mainly positive reviews from critics. J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography called the song a "funky dance anthem" and reacted positively to its message of a "female call-to-arms in communication and self-respect." Stephen Holden of The New York Times observed that Madonna repudiated the philosophy of her previous single "Material Girl" (1985) in "Express Yourself", which he described as "a 30-year-old's view of life unshadowed by rebellion and lingering lapsed Catholic pain." In another article from the same newspaper, Carn James declared it as one of her most exuberant songs. Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, authors of Madonna's Drowned Worlds, complimented the lyrics...

Development and release

The music video for "Express Yourself" was directed by David Fincher and filmed in April 1989, at Culver Studios in Culver City, California. It was produced by Gregg Fienberg, under Propaganda Films, with editing by Scott Chestnut, principal photography by Mark Plummer, and Vance Lorenzini as the production designer. It had a total budget of $5 million ($12.99 million in 2025 dollars), which made it the most expensive music video in history at the time it was made, and currently the third most expensive of all time. The video was inspired by the Fritz Lang classic film Metropolis (1927), and featured an epigraph at the end of the video from the film: "Without the Heart, there can be no understanding between the hand and the mind".

Holiday

"Holiday" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her 1983 self-titled debut album. Written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder of the group Pure Energy, the track was produced by John "Jellybean" Benitez.

Originally intended for Pure Energy, the demo was rejected by their label and later offered to other artists before Benitez brought it to Madonna, who was seeking an additional song for her album. Recording took place at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City, with minor modifications to the original demo, including a piano solo by Fred Zarr.

Background

"Holiday" was written and composed by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens-Crowder, former spouses and members of the group Pure Energy. The song originated from a keyboard chord progression developed by Stevens-Crowder, who initially conceived it as a ballad. After hearing the progression, Hudson developed the melody, contributed the bassline and the hook "Holiday, celebrate", while Stevens-Crowder later added the line "It would be so nice". Hudson stated that the lyrics were inspired by the negative news and social tensions of the time and were written in approximately thirty minutes.

Recording

Produced by Benitez, "Holiday" was recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios in New York. Even though he had previously worked as a remixer, Benitez later recalled that the song marked his first production "from scratch". Warner Bros. gave him one week to complete the recording, informing him that if he could finish the song by the following Friday, "you can make the album". Benitez recalled laboring "night and day" to complete the track before the deadline. Working from Pure Energy's demo, the production largely retained its original arrangement and instrumentation. Benitez assembled the musicians and translated the demo's ideas into the final recording, reportedly vocalizing individual parts to guide the performers.

Composition

Musically, "Holiday" is a dance-pop song built around a repeating four-bar chord progression and an electronic groove driven by synthesizers, percussion and funk-influenced guitar work. The track opens with a chord sequence that author Rikky Rooksby compared to Cyndi Lauper's "Time After Time" (1984). Its arrangement combines "cascading" synthesized strings, electronic handclaps, a prominent Moog bassline and a Chic-inspired guitar line reminiscent of Nile Rodgers' playing style. The percussion has been described as "Latin disco", while the keyboard textures recall the early work of Prince. Structurally, the song places greater emphasis on its central hooks than on a conventional verse–chorus form format. Built around the repeated refrains...

Release

Prior to its commercial release, Benitez debuted "Holiday" at the Fun House and later supplied a copy to Larry Levan for play at the Paradise Garage, where it gained exposure in New York's club scene. Although "Lucky Star" was initially promoted as the A-side of a promotional double-sided release pairing the two songs, "Holiday" entered the Dance Club Songs chart on August 27, 1983 and received stronger club support. Its success prompted Sire to release it as Madonna's third commercial single and as the lead single from her debut album on September 7, 1983.

Into the Groove

"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer Madonna, featured in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. Written and produced with Stephen Bray, it was inspired by the dance floor and Madonna's attraction to a Puerto Rican man.

Built around synthesizers, drum machines, and double-tracked vocals, the song features sexual innuendo and serves as an invitation to dance. Originally written for producer Mark Kamins, Madonna later decided to use the track in a film scene that required a dance number, though it was not included on the official soundtrack.

Background and recording

"Into the Groove" was written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray in 1984. Living in Manhattan's East Village at the time, Madonna said she rushed the writing process, motivated by her attraction to a Puerto Rican neighbor. Inspired by the liberating nature of the dance floor and her background as a dancer, she described the track as a reflection of self-expression through music. The track was initially conceived for Cheyne, a teenage protégé of DJ Mark Kamins, with a demo funded by Kamins himself. Around the same time, director Susan Seidelman cast Madonna in the film Desperately Seeking Susan, drawn by her growing profile in New York's downtown music scene. While filming a scene at Danceteria, a dance song was needed, and Madonna...

Composition and remixes

Musically, "Into the Groove" has been described as a dance-pop track characterized by its upbeat tempo, synth-driven production, and layered vocals. The song opens with a spoken line from Madonna, followed by a drumbeat and prominent synth bassline. Its refrain features double-tracked vocals and heightened treble, while a counterpoint synth line adds contrast to the main melody. In the bridge, "Live out your fantasy here with me", Madonna sings in a lower vocal register, complementing the higher main vocal. According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., the song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 116 beats per minute, in the key of C minor, and follows a chord progression of Cm7–B♭/C–Cm7–A♭.

Critical reception

"Into the Groove" has received widespread critical acclaim since its release. Early praise came from NME, which ranked it as the 18th-best single of 1985, and from author Rikky Rooksby, who called it Madonna's "first great" song. Critics hailed its infectious energy and dance-floor appeal: J. Randy Taraborrelli emphasized its "infectious" quality, while Clive Barker and Simon Trussler identified it as the first disco anthem of the 1980s. David Browne described it as an "ebullient, wonderfully pushy hit", and Toby Cresswell praised its blend of pop sensibility and subcultural allure. Writers such as Dawn Keetley and John Pettigrew called it "mesmerizing", and Stacia Proefrock from AllMusic highlighted its mass appeal despite critical...

Music video

No official music video was filmed for "Into the Groove". Instead, a promotional clip was assembled using scenes from Desperately Seeking Susan, with its lyrics aligned to the film's visuals. The video was created by Doug Dowdle of Parallax Productions, a company known for producing movie-related music videos during the 1980s, and was added to MTV during the week of March 30, 1985.

Justify My Love

"Justify My Love" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; Kravitz also handled the production alongside André Betts.

It was released as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection on November 6, 1990, by Sire and Warner Bros. Records.

Background and release

By the end of 1990, Madonna was ready to release her first greatest hits collection, titled The Immaculate Collection, after becoming the biggest female singles artist in history, with the most number-one and top-ten hit songs by a woman in both the United States and the United Kingdom. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, the release was "much more than a mere collection of Madonna's biggest-selling and most popular songs". The singer regarded it as a "proud landmark" of her career, which had progressed upwards since she broke out in the music scene in 1983. Following the completion of 1990's Blond Ambition World Tour, Madonna began rushing the project, aiming to release it in time for the year's...

Composition

"Justify My Love" was written by Kravitz and Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; he also produced the song alongside André Betts. It was recorded by Henry Hirsch, David Domanich, Andy Cardenas, and Josh Cuervokas at Waterfront Studios in London, and Unique Recording Studios in New York City. Ted Jensen mastered the song at Sterling Sound Studios, while it was mixed by Shep Pettibone and Goh Hotoda at Guerilla Studios in London. The mixing was done in QSound, which at that time was a new audio filter to create a three-dimensional sound effect. This was employed on all of Madonna's past hits present on The Immaculate Collection.

Release and banning

The video was set to premiere on MTV's "Madonnathon" weekend event, of which it was going to be the main attraction. However, the network suddenly announced that it could not be broadcast; on November 29, 1990, MTV's correspondent Kurt Loder explained the reasons: "When MTV programming executives got their first look at the video's steamy bed scenes, gay and lesbian snuggling, S&M and briefly bared female breasts, they decided they couldn't air it." The channel's executives also said in a statement, "We love Madonna; we've had and will continue to have a terrific relationship with her. We respect her work as an artist and think she makes great videos. In its current form, this one is just not for us". It was rejected by its standards...

Reception and analysis

Caryn James from Tampa Bay Times considered Madonna's music videos for "Express Yourself" and "Papa Don't Preach" (1986) more controversial, but deemed "Justify My Love" as her most pretentious, stating: "The feminist message of Justify My Love is that Madonna can control a career as shrewdly as any man." Camille Paglia, writing for The New York Times, called Madonna "a true feminist" and deemed the video "truly avant-garde, at a time when that word has lost its meaning in the flabby art world". Nevertheless, she stated that MTV was right to ban it, as "parents cannot possibly control television, with its titanic omnipresence" and that "it does not belong on a mainstream music channel watched around the clock by children". On the other...

Like a Prayer

"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the album's lead single on March 3, 1989, by Sire Records.

Written and produced by both Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

Background and inspiration

Madonna had not recorded any music throughout most of 1988. Following the critical and commercial failure of back-to-back big-budget films, Shanghai Surprise (1986) and Who's That Girl (1987), she acted in the Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow. However, the unfavorable reviews once again caused her discomfort. Following a tumultuous marriage to Sean Penn, the couple filed for divorce in January 1989. Madonna had also turned 30, the age at which her mother had died, and thus the singer experienced more emotional turmoil. The song functioned as a form of creative coping with the early death of her mother and as a lasting tribute to her memory. Madonna commented in the March 1989 issue of Rolling Stone that her Catholic upbringing struck...

Recording

Madonna wanted to have gospel music as part of "Like a Prayer", with virtually no instrumentation, only the sound of an organ and her singing. She started experimenting using just her vocals, prior to the bridge being composed. After the full song was finalized, Madonna and Leonard decided to record it alongside a choir around September 1988. Both of them met with Andraé Crouch and vocalist Roberto Noriega, and signed their choir to provide background vocals. Crouch scrutinized the lyrics as he wanted to "find out what the intention of the song might be. We're very particular in choosing what we work with, and we liked what we heard". At Jonny Yuma Recording, he got his choir together and explained to them what they needed to do during the...

Composition and lyrics

"Like a Prayer" is a pop rock, dance-pop, and gospel song that also incorporates elements of funk. According to the sheet music published in Musicnotes.com, the song follows a time signature of common time, and is composed in the key of D minor, with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute. Madonna's vocal range spans from A3 to F5. "Like a Prayer" starts with a Dm–C/D–Gm/D–Dm chord progression in the intro. The original album version features bass guitar by Guy Pratt doubled by an analog Minimoog bass synthesizer, while the 7-inch edit version has a different bass part played by Randy Jackson. "Like a Prayer" was also remixed by Shep Pettibone for the 12-inch single release; a re-edited version of Pettibone's remix is featured on...

Critical reception

Following the release of "Like a Prayer" on March 3, 1989, it received widespread acclaim from critics, journalists and academics. J. Randy Taraborrelli commented that the song "deserved every bit of the curiosity it generated. While being devilishly danceable, the song also shows Madonna's uncanny ability to inspire strong, conflicting emotions during the course of a single song, leaving the listener scratching his head for answers—and craving for more." Stephen Holden from The New York Times, while writing about Madonna's re-invention of her image, observed how her sound had changed from the "simple blaring dance-pop to the rich, fully rounded pop of 'Like a Prayer'". Lucy O'Brien felt that the most remarkable aspect of "Like a Prayer"...

Like a Virgin

"Like a Virgin" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album of the same name (1984). Written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly and produced by Nile Rodgers, it was released as the album's lead single on November 6, 1984.

Steinberg conceived the lyrics after emerging from a difficult relationship and beginning a new one, drawing on the sense of renewal he experienced at the time. Musically, "Like a Virgin" is a dance-rock song built around a synth-bass groove, guitar and drums, with an arrangement drawing on Motown and the sound of Rodgers' band Chic.

Background

"Like a Virgin" was written by Billy Steinberg and Tom Kelly. Steinberg came up with the lyrics one day in 1983 while driving through his father's vineyards in the Coachella Valley, after ending a bad relationship and beginning a new one. He said his writing process was "stream of consciousness [...] I just get out my pen and my pad of paper and I just start writing". The expression "like a virgin" came from the sensation of feeling "shiny and new" and adapting how his new relationship was making him feel in comparison to the last one. Steinberg then brought the lyrics to Kelly without having a melody in mind. Kelly initially wanted to focused on the lyrics' earnest qualities and approached the song as a ballad, but Steinberg felt that the...

Recording and release

Producer Nile Rodgers was initially less enthusiastic about "Like a Virgin" than Madonna. He did not consider the title phrase a particularly strong hook or an "all-time catch phrase", and initially opposed recording the song. Four days later, however, Rodgers realized that the song was still stuck in his head and, after apologizing to Madonna, suggested that they record it after all. Recording took place in April 1984 at the Power Station studios in New York City. Rodgers sought a tougher, more "streetwise" sound than Madonna's previous dance-pop recordings, assembling a rhythm section with himself on guitar, his Chic bandmate Bernard Edwards on bass, and former Chic drummer Tony Thompson on drums.

Composition

Musically, "Like a Virgin" has been noted a dance-rock song built around a synth-bass groove, guitar and drums. The song opens with two hooks: a three-note bass motif reworked from the Four Tops' "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" (1965), and a chordal guitar stab derived from Chuck Berry. The bass is doubled by synthesizer, creating what Spin magazine described as the foundation of the song's "disco-funk groove". Ed Masley of The Arizona Republic pointed out to similarities between the bassline and that of Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" (1983). Rodgers' guitar enters with four sharp strums of the same chord across two measures.

Lyrical meaning

Lyrically, "Like a Virgin" uses virginity as a metaphor for the feeling of renewal brought about by a new relationship. The song opens with Madonna declaring that she "made it through the wilderness", describing herself as having been lost until finding a new lover. Stereogum characterized this imagery as conveying a "lovestruck euphoria", with the relationship leaving her feeling "shiny and new". In the refrain, she compares this emotional renewal to feeling "like a virgin" and "touched for the very first time".

Live to Tell

"Live to Tell" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986), and also featured in the crime drama At Close Range, starring her then-husband Sean Penn. Originally composed as an instrumental by Patrick Leonard for the film Fire with Fire, the piece was rejected by Paramount, prompting Madonna to adapt it for At Close Range.

She wrote the lyrics, added melodies and a bridge, and co-produced the track with Leonard. Lyrically, the torch song in the form of a pop ballad explores themes of deceit, mistrust, and trauma rooted in childhood.

Background

In mid-1985, after completing the Virgin Tour, Madonna began working with musician and producer Patrick Leonard, who had served as the tour's musical director. The two first collaborated on "Love Makes the World Go Round", which Madonna performed at the Live Aid benefit concert in July. Around this time, she married actor Sean Penn, whom she had met on the set of her "Material Girl" music video. Leonard, meanwhile, was aiming to transition into film scoring and composed an instrumental piece intended for Paramount's 1986 film Fire with Fire. However, the studio rejected the track, feeling it did not fit the film's tone.

Composition and release

Musically, "Live to Tell" is a torch song in the form of a pop ballad. According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., it is composed in the key of F major, set in common time with a moderate tempo of 112 beats per minute. Madonna's vocals are characterized as throaty, spanning nearly one octave from F3 to D4. The lyrics have been noted for their vague yet foreboding tone, with interpretations ranging from emotional apocalypse to themes of deceit, mistrust, and childhood trauma. Critics and biographers, including Allen Metz, Carol Benson, Rikky Rooksby, and Boston.com's Scott Kearnan, have suggested the song alludes to carrying the weight of past secrets or abuse.

Critical reception

"Live to Tell" has been acclaimed since its release. AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it a "tremendous ballad that rewrites the rules of adult contemporary crossover", while colleague Stewart Mason noted it was "unlike anything [Madonna] had recorded up to that point". Mason further stated that it was the first of several "dramatic" ballads in her career that showcased her genuine vocal talent, calling it one of her strongest vocal performances. Stereogum's Tom Breihan described the track as "planetarium music", filled with "pure head-blown '80s sci-fi awe", and applauded Madonna's ability to communicate emotion through tone and phrasing. Despite giving True Blue an overall negative review, the Record-Journal's Jim Zebora singled...

Music video

The music video, directed by Foley, features intercut scenes of Madonna singing against a dark backdrop with footage from At Close Range, reflecting the inner turmoil of Penn's character. Styled as a minimalist portrait, the video marked a departure from the Madonna's previous visuals, emphasizing subtle glamour inspired by Golden Age icons like Grace Kelly and Marilyn Monroe. She appears in a demure floral dress, with elegant, refined makeup, and described the change as a conscious effort to "clean herself off" after growing tired of flashy jewelry and heavy accessories. It was also the first of her videos to eschew dance routines in favor of a more introspective, narrative-driven approach.

Lucky Star

"Lucky Star" is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1983 self-titled debut album. Written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, it was later remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez after creative differences arose between the singer and Lucas during the recording sessions.

A medium-paced dance-pop song, its lyrics compare a lover to a guiding star through celestial imagery and a refrain adapted from the nursery rhyme "Star Light, Star Bright". Released as a single in Europe in September 1983 and in the United States in August 1984, "Lucky Star" became Madonna's first top-five hit on the US Billboard Hot 100.

Background

By late 1980, Madonna was performing with Dan and Ed Gilroy's band Breakfast Club, first as a drummer and later as a guitarist, appearing at downtown Manhattan venues such as CBGB. Although she enjoyed the exposure, tensions arose as her ambitions and growing stage presence increasingly clashed with the group's dynamic, leading her to leave the band. In November, she reunited with Stephen Bray, a former boyfriend and drummer from Ann Arbor, and the pair formed the band Emmy. After securing a showcase at Max's Kansas City in 1981, they attracted the interest of Gotham Records, but negotiations collapsed when the label pushed for a rock-oriented sound while Madonna insisted on pursuing dance music. Immersed in New York's club scene, she...

Recording

"Lucky Star" was recorded at the Sigma Sound Studios in New York. Although Kamins expected to produce, Sire instead hired Warner Bros. producer Reggie Lucas. Rosenblatt explained that Madonna needed a producer with greater experience developing vocal performances, and "[Mark's] strength was grooves"; he also felt Lucas, who had recently worked with Stephanie Mills and Roberta Flack, could bring an "R&B feel" to Madonna's dance-oriented material. Personnel working on the song included Lucas and Ira Siegel on guitars, Dean Gant and Fred Zarr on keyboards, and Gwen Guthrie, Norma Jean Wright, Brenda White, Chrissy Faith, and Madonna herself on backing vocals.

Composition and release

"Lucky Star" was written by Madonna, and produced by Reggie Lucas. Musically, it has been noted as a medium-paced dance-pop song that opens with shimmering programmed glissandos before giving way to "crystalline" guitar lines, synthesizer textures, and a "chugging" bassline. Its "sparse" arrangement combines electronic drums reinforced by handclaps, bubbling synthesizer bass, and guitars that progress from clean post-disco riffs to more distorted tones.

Critical reception

Initial reviews of "Lucky Star" ranged from positive to mixed. Daryl Easlea and Billboard's Brian Chin both considered it the strongest song on the album, while Cash Box praised Madonna's "distinctive vocals and lyrical knack". Robert Matthew-Walker praised "Lucky Star" as a "cumulative, hypnotic" opening number and an "excellent first track", a sentiment later echoed by Rolling Stone and Slant Magazine. NME described the song as "half Stacy Lattisaw, half Marilyn Monroe", noting it had a stronger beat than "Everybody", and Roger Le Lievre of The Ann Arbor News called it a "gem", praising its lush sound and comparing it to the early work of Stephanie Mills. Mark Bego described the track as "bright" and "optimistic", Simon Gage and Lisa...

Material Girl

"Material Girl" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album, Like a Virgin (1984). Written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans and produced by Nile Rodgers, it was released as the album's second single on January 23, 1985.

Brown conceived the song while driving and subsequently completed it with Rans; Madonna selected it for the album after being attracted to its ironic concept and wordplay. A synth-pop song with new wave, disco and reggae influences, "Material Girl" features prominent synthesizers and robotic male backing vocals.

Background and release

"Material Girl" was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans. Brown had previously achieved success as a recording artist during the disco era and had frequently collaborated with Rans on lyrics. In 1984, John "Jellybean" Benitez remixed Brown's single "They Only Come Out at Night" in New York. Following the session, Brown joined Benitez, Madonna and Freddy DeMann—who managed both Brown and Madonna—for dinner, followed by a Michael Jackson concert and an after-party. Shortly afterward, DeMann and his business partner Ron Weisner asked Brown to write a song for Madonna.

Composition and lyrical interpretation

Musically, "Material Girl" has been described as synth-pop by Billboard and Entertainment Weekly, while The A.V. Club characterized it as a "slick new wave disco" song. Stephen Holden from The New York Times additionally noted elements of reggae in its pop arrangement. The production is driven by synthesizer figures and a strong backbeat, with the Simms Brothers providing deadpan, robotic backing vocals that repeatedly chant the hook "living in a material world". According to Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, Madonna begins the song in the "little-girl" voice associated with her earlier work, before shifting after the first verse to a "richer, more mature sound" for the refrain, accompanied by a denser instrumental texture....

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews of "Material Girl" were mostly positive, with several critics focusing on Madonna's vocal delivery. Susan Parker of The Macon Telegraph described it as a "cute, catchy, Eartha Kitt-like song", while Rick Shefchik of the Jacksonville Daily News felt that Madonna's high, "innocent" delivery contrasted with the "sex-goddess image" projected by "Like a Virgin". Debby Miller of Rolling Stone similarly noted the singer's "little-girl voice", but detected an "undercurrent of ambition that makes her more than the latest Betty Boop". Cash Box praised the song's danceable backbeat and sense of humor, noting that Madonna sounded less "squeaky" than on her previous recordings. In an unfavorable review, Russell Smith of The Dallas...

Background and development

The music video for "Material Girl" was filmed at the Ren-Mar Studios on January 10 and 11, 1985, and directed by Mary Lambert, who had previously directed Madonna's videos for "Borderline" and "Like a Virgin". Madonna had initially intended to work with French artist Jean-Paul Goude, but didn't like his ideas for the song. Unlike with "Borderline", where she had sought to align Madonna's character with her off-screen personality, Lambert felt that the singer had since attained enough star power to portray any image she chose. She subsequently wrote and storyboarded her own treatment for "Material Girl" shortly before Christmas 1984.

Open Your Heart

"Open Your Heart" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna from her third studio album True Blue (1986). Written by Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson, it was conceived as a rock and roll song titled "Follow Your Heart" for singer Cyndi Lauper, although it was never played for her.

At the time, Cole's management was working with Madonna's, who were looking for material for True Blue. "Follow Your Heart" was among the songs offered to the singer.

Background

"Open Your Heart" was written by Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson. Originally titled "Follow Your Heart", it was conceived as a rock and roll song with singer Cyndi Lauper in mind, although she never even got to hear it. The Temptations was reportedly considered for the song as well. "Follow Your Heart" was inspired by a health-food restaurant Cole knew in Canoga Park, Los Angeles. Him and Rafelson then spent a year "perfecting" the track, even though they tended to work at a faster pace; "for some reason this didn't really hit us as a hit song. We didn't give up. We just kept working on it", recalled Cole. A demo was recorded by the pair, which Tom Breihan from Stereogum described as a "pretty generic mid-’80s synth-rocker". Benett Freed,...

Composition and release

Personnel working on "Open Your Heart" included Jonathan Moffett on drums, Paulinho da Costa on percussion, and David Williams on guitars. Leonard himself was in charge of the keyboards. "Open Your Heart is a dance-pop song with rock and roll elements, and melancholic lyrics that talk about a woman determined to get a man to open up to her. According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., it is set in the time signature of common time, with a medium funk tempo of 112 beats per minute. The song is composed in the key of F major, with Madonna's vocals spanning from A3 to C5. It follows a basic sequence of F–E♭9–E♭/G–Gm7–F as its chord progression.

Critical reception

Critical feedback towards "Open Your Heart" has been positive. J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, deemed it one of her most "earnest" songs, and compared it to Aretha Franklin's "Respect" (1967), and Barbra Streisand's "A House is Not a Home" (1971); the author further added that it was a song people could "understand and latch on to, [which is] what makes [it] memorable". While author Daryl Easlea hailed it a "fabulous, muscular, anthemic" track, Stewart Mason from AllMusic said it marked "one of [Madonna's] most exciting grooves" up to that point. Erika Wexler from Spin named it an "appealing 'I'm going to get you' song", with a "shimmering" production that "effectively creates the expansive feel of...

Reception and analysis

The video was added to MTV the week of November 22, 1986. It received positive reviews from critics, with Matthew Rettenmund deeming it the singer's best up to that point, as well as the "first glimpse of how far [she] was willing to go to make cutting-edge artistic videos". Westbrook compared it to "Material Girl" (1985), as in both clips, Madonna plays a "role within a role; [she] gets her audience's attention with skin and flashiness, then assumes a warm, sweet pose at the end as if to say, 'It was all an act. I'm a good-hearted, sensitive person in real life'". From The New York Times, Vincent Canby described the video as "extraordinarily provocative [...] In a brisk, haikulike 4 minutes and 22 second, [it] presents Madonna as every...

Papa Don't Preach

"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986). It was written by Brian Elliot and Madonna and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray.

"Papa Don't Preach" blends dance-pop with elements of baroque, post-disco and classical music. Its lyrics tell the story of a teenage girl who confesses her unintended pregnancy to her father, pleading for him to withhold judgment while asserting her intention to keep her child.

Recording

"Papa Don't Preach" was written by Brian Elliot, who drew inspiration from conversations he overheard among teenage girls outside his North Hollywood recording studio, which had a mirrored front window frequently used by high school students. Describing it as a "love song, maybe framed a little bit differently", Elliot said the lyrics focused on a young woman facing a difficult life decision.

Composition

"Papa Don't Preach" has been noted a dance-pop song that incorporates elements of baroque pop, post-disco, classical music, and 1960s-inspired psychedelia. Written in the key of F minor, the song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 116 beats per minute. Madonna's vocal range spans from F3 to C5, and her performance is marked by a more mature and restrained delivery than in her previous singles. It follows a standard verse-chorus form structure and opens with an orchestral string introduction described as "Vivaldian" in character, setting a dramatic tone before transitioning into a synth-driven arrangement with programmed drums and bass.

Release

"Papa Don't Preach" was released as the second single from True Blue on June 11, 1986, in the United States, and five days later in most European territories. It was included on Madonna's compilations The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009).

Critical reception

"Papa Don’t Preach" was acclaimed. Rolling Stone's Davitt Sigerson praised it as the only song on True Blue with a hook as strong as Madonna's earlier hits, likening it to Michael Jackson's "Billie Jean" (1983). The Chicago Tribune deemed it "stunning", while AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine called it a "masterstroke". Entertainment Weekly's David Browne highlighted the unexpected emotional depth Madonna brought to the role of a pregnant teen, calling it a "perfectly conceived pop record". Peter Piatkowski from PopMatters described the track as an "idiosyncratic tune" that shares the maturity of Madonna's previous single, "Live to Tell".

Rescue Me

"Rescue Me" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, the song was released as the second single from The Immaculate Collection on February 25, 1991, by Sire and Warner Bros.

Records. A dance-pop and gospel-house track, the song is accompanied by the sound of thunder and rain, with the lyrics talking of romantic love rescuing the singer.

Background and release

By the end of 1990, Madonna was ready to release her first greatest hits collection, The Immaculate Collection. According to J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography, the release was "much more than a mere collection of Madonna's biggest-selling and most popular songs". The singer relegated it as a "proud landmark" of her career which had progressed upwards since she broke out in the music scene in 1982. The collection had 15 of Madonna's previously released singles, along with two new songs, "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me". The former was released as the first single from the record, and was controversial due to its explicit music video which had been banned from airing on television.

Recording and composition

Madonna wrote and produced "Rescue Me" with Shep Pettibone, with whom she had worked on "Vogue". It was recorded at Axis Studios in New York City by engineer P. Dennis Mitchell, who was assisted by Curt Frasca and John Partham. Peter Schwartz played keyboards and did the programming on the track with assistance from Joe Moskowitz and Junior Vasquez. Tony Shimkin edited the song at Axis while Ted Jensen mastered it at Sterling Sound Studio. "Rescue Me" was mixed by Pettibone and Goh Hotoda at Soundworks Studio in New York. The mixing was done in QSound which at that time was a new audio filter to create a three-dimensional sound effect. This was employed on all of Madonna's past hits on The Immaculate Collection.

Critical reception

Larry Flick from Billboard magazine described Madonna's vocals as her "most potent to date" and Pettibone's production "stellar", while also complimenting the song's remixes, saying Pettibone "has outdone himself this time, creating several new versions that should suit a variety of formats... In any mix, 'Rescue Me' proves to be far meatier and long-lasting than the previous 'Justify My Love'." Taraborrelli described the track as a "standard, pulsating dance fare" noting it to be opposite of "Justify My Love". Rikky Rooksby found the "growling" vocals by Madonna to be "ill-advised" but was positive about the ending of the track with the sound of the rain and thunder. David Browne from Entertainment Weekly called the song as a "flimsy...

Vogue

"Vogue" is a song by American singer Madonna from her soundtrack album I'm Breathless (1990). Written and produced by herself and Shep Pettibone, it was inspired by voguing, a dance popularized in New York City in the late 1980s.

The song was released as the lead single from the album on March 20, 1990, by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records.

Background and release

By the end of the 1980s, Madonna had achieved a record-breaking 16 consecutive top-five singles on the US Billboard Hot 100 chart, more than any other act in history. However, her single "Oh Father" broke the string as it reached number 20, becoming her first single to miss the top 10 since 1984. The singer and her record company Warner Bros. decided to create a new song to be placed as the B-side of her next release "Keep It Together" to ensure that it would fare better on the charts. The label's head of dance music, Craig Kostich, approached producer Shep Pettibone to record a new track, as he had remixed some of her singles previously. Pettibone wrote and recorded the basic music for the song with a budget of US$5,000, and then sent it...

Recording and composition

"Vogue" was written and produced by Madonna alongside Pettibone and recorded in New York City. Keyboards, bass, and programming were by Fred McFarlane, while drums and additional programming were by Alan Friedman. Pettibone also handled mixing for the track at Can Am Recording studios in Tarzana, California. Greg Kostich was its executive producer. The song was edited by Tony Shimkin. Goh Hotoda was cast as the mix engineer for the track, with engineering assistance by Curt Frasca. Madonna's backup vocalists Niki Haris and Donna De Lory, in addition to N'Dea Davenport, provided background vocals to the song. "Vogue" was mastered by Stephen Marcussen at Precision Lacquer in Hollywood, along with all tracks present on I'm Breathless.

Background and development

The accompanying music video for "Vogue" was directed by David Fincher, who had previously directed Madonna's videos for "Express Yourself" and "Oh Father" (both 1989). The video was filmed on February 10–11, 1990 at Burbank Studios in Burbank, California. It was produced by Vicki Niles, under Propaganda Films, with editing by Jim Haygood, and cinematography by Pascal Lebegue. Fincher recalled that he convinced Madonna to release a video for "Oh Father", but although he was happy with the result, the single's performance on the charts did not meet her label's expectations. She was pressured by the company to rush with a video for "Vogue", and returned to him to direct the video. The visual was filmed in a total of 16 hours, as she was...

Reception and analysis

Initial reaction towards the video was positive. Edna Gundersen from USA Today called the visual "camp, glamour, sensuality and dress-you-up finery" and found Madonna's look in the video similar to that of Marilyn Monroe. Harriet Swift of Oakland Tribune shared a similar opinion, writing that Madonna had "never looked more like Marilyn Monroe than in this film, with her white-blond hair no rebelliously declasse dark roots showing this time", and considered that the clip was "so much slicker and more stylized than any other Madonna video", noting its "stylish camera angles, extremely sophisticated film editing and freeze-frame body posing", looking as if it "could have been photographed by the late Robert Mapplethorpe with its cool,...