Reply With QuoteAdore both 'Burning Up' and 'Power Of Goodbye', its in my top 3.
I loved the BLATANT "Homage" of the Hollywood video
Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna Madonna
Adore both 'Burning Up' and 'Power Of Goodbye', its in my top 3.
MY SUGAR IS RAW
3. (11) Vogue
From the album "I'm Breathless" (1992)
So GET UP ON THE DANCEFLOOR....
It has been a recent revelation. It's only since I went to the RIT that it finally clicked. This is what it all sums up to. This is where the circle begins and ends with Madonna. This, for me, is her signature tune. I said it as much on Moopy a few months ago. Probably her biggest worldwide hit (though isn't that "Music" now, ODDLY enough ?), it has the everything that sums the woman up- an awful lot of style, a massive dollop of something she has stolen, a cry to hit the dancefloor, a massive nod to the gay scene, a sizeable amount of namedropping, no shortage of sass, a little nod to equality in the lyrics and frankly, just a LITTLE bit of RIDICULOUSNESS.
But this is a BEHEMOTH of a song. I still don't believe the story that this was written as a bside to "Keep It Together". Lets face it- she would never have wasted this for one and for two, when did she EVER give us a BSIDE ? A massive hit, it was THE soundtrack of 1990 for me and about a billion others and still turns up in gay clubs to this day. It is actually the gayest song ever written. And that INCLUDES the likes of "YMCA" and "I Will Survive". The general public loves it, the fans love it (listen to the reaction when it appears at ANY Madonna show) and it still sounds fucking great today. Both the lyrics and music are perfect. The RIT version played it straight- no reinventions here, and frankly that's because it didn't need to. It all fits into place- a hinrg dance beat, a simple few chord bassline and just the odd PARP on the sax. But nothing overtakes the lady herself. Just listen to it- she doesn't SING, she COMMANDS you. "VOGUE" she spits, "GET UP ON THE DANCEFLOOR" she orders, "DON'T just stand there LET'S get to it, strike a pose, there's NOTHING TO IT, VOGUE" she demands. Dare you defy her ?
Its fucking simplistic modern genius and, with no superlative spared, one of the all-time amazing, standout, phenomenal, perfect, classic pop singles of our time, a song so good even the haters can't hate it, it deserves every accolade given- it just amazes me its taken me QUITE this long to see it...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
VOGUE is snapping at the heels of DEEPER AND DEEPER in the ROOEY MADGE HOT 100
GENIUS
I ALMOST forgot
Bette Davis
WE LOVE YOU
It's been too long, it's been too long...
I would say it is one of her BIGGEST well known songs, i mean, on any TV how, if there is a fashion show sort of thing, you are GUARANTEED to hear VOGUE
Oh well, no point FANNYING about, we know what the #1 is...
2. (2) Paradise (Not For Me)
From the album "Music" (1998)
I can't remember, when I was young...
Perhaps the weirdest thing she EVER did. And almost the best. I have said this before, but if you don't like this, then I don't think we would get on. It's an astounding piece of music. I remember where I first heard it- on the Jo Whiley show. She was pissing her dirty little knickers over it as well. It took me ages to track "Production" down (in my pre-internet ordering days) and when I finally did I wallowed in this over and over again...until the day it got NICKED at uni and I never got the fucker back. I was so pleased when it turned up on "Music"...
God, I'm listening to this now and I have chills running up and down my spine. It's got everything- I can't tell you how much I can listen to this OVER and OVER and OVER again and not get bored. I still don't really have any clue what its about either. Some people have said suicide. I really don't know. Certainly some of the lyrics allude to her favourite subject of late- fame. Its probably all just made up nonsense she made on the spot but I'd like to think it was somewhat deeper and deeper than that. I love the lyrics to this and particularly the French bit-
"Encore une fois, je ne vois pas, qui sont les anges, surement pas moi
Encore une fois, je suis cassée, encore une fois, je n'y crois pas..."
- the use of "cassée" being my favourite. It can mean "broken". It can also mean "fucked"...
It doesn't stop there- her voice takes on a whole ethereal feel- not just cause of the subtle vocodering here and there but listen to the way she croaks out the "I...can't...remember..." in the middle of the song. Its wonderful.
We shouldn't forget that this song was actually "Mirwais featuring Madonna" long before she put it on "Music" and he shouldn't be forgotten here. The instrumentation and production (excuse the pun) are wonderful. Witness the violins at 4'44 as they finally reach crescendo and take on a life of their own, like they are echoing all the pain and hurt the song has been about up until now and growing darker by the second. And then it all dies down again, her voice and everything else gradually receeding until in the end we are left with just the bubbling bassline and electro squiggle again that the song opens with...
A masterpiece of epic proportions but still not number one. Well that is no surprise. I don't think there is anything left to say about this song, so I'm not going to. As Emma predicted about three years ago, here it be. In ALL its glory. The best song of all time. Over and out...
1. (1) Like A Prayer
From the album "Like A Prayer" (1989)
Let the choir sing...
...
Last edited by Sheena; 11-07-2006 at 10:22 PM.
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Someone on the NATION said its about her rape, or the subject of rape..i guess that figures, but what the hell, a blinding number
Originally Posted by Dr Lecter
I dont think ANYONE knows other than speculation
I kinda LIKE IT THAT WAY
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Impeccable chart overall. Every song's a WINNER!
Splendid countdown
I would love to do a proper one, but im no good at the commentary
An excellent coundown Sheena! Though how anyone CAN'T have Into The Groove at #1 is beyond me... I fell in love with the song the moment I heard it, and despite a lack of a needle for my 20-year old record player I still have the 12" that I bought on the day the song was released. And I'll never part with it either!
Superb thread and impecible Top 5; 'Paradise' is her most breathtaking compisition.. those strings... its almost as though they are yearning.. its just sublime and bizarrely sends me to sleep (!)try it! not even a monster hangover or allergy-riddled nose would endure, eventually succumbing to that lush arrangement. Its beautiful
though the arrangement (and indeed the inclusion) on the current tour is a travesty ! Fucking ISSAC !!
MY SUGAR IS RAW
Oh MY, I ALWAYS say the strings are "yearning"...and everyone LAUGHS at me
It's been too long, it's been too long...
well done SHEENS, a really good read.
my top 5 would be:
1. like a prayer
2. papa don't preach
3. la isla bonita
4. vogue
5. into the groove
I'm a pineapple, she's a palm tree
As always, a fabulous countdown, a JOLLY GOOD read and full of INSIGHT.
MOTIV8 VOCAL SLAM
Good to see 'Burning Up' so high... Probably my FAVOURITE Madge number these days... My occasional dislike of COTD has seen me proper enjoy her proper early stuff and 'Burning Up' is about the BEST thing she did back then... Maybe because you rarely if NEVER hear it... Same with 'Dress You Up'... LOVE IT.
*echoes ALL the accolades*
Incidentally, I heard "Paradise" used as, er, incidental music on some Flegmish show just the other night. Which was nice.
Hey go get the doctor
Doctor came too late...
How ODD
It shouldnt be CHEAPENED in such a way
Well, unless it was "The Kim Gevaert Story", in which case CARRY ON my BELGIAN FRIENDS
It's been too long, it's been too long...
Nice read, some early Madonna tracks wouldn't feature in my Madonna top 50 but in general the same songs would be part of it too. I think I'd rank "I Want You" slightly higher.
The boy is mine
What a brilliant read. I adore your top 4, at least three of them would be in my top 10 and "Vogue" wouldn't be far off. Not a fan of "Burning Up" or "I Want You", though.
Good to see "Sorry" so high, quite surprised it made your top 10 though it is utterly brilliant
Great list overall!
I might JUST be persuaded to do a NEW UPDATE OF THIS OLD SHIT sometime soon
How different things would be now...
It's been too long, it's been too long...
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