Madonna Singles

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"Like a Prayer": frothy and profound, both at once; easily her best, one of the greatest ever made by anyone

M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 07:56 (twenty-one years ago) link

MM is OTM.

Borderline - heartbreaking, striving, powerless yet still hopeful. And *that* keybd line. Keep pushing me, keep pushing me....
One of the ten best singles ever made.

Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 08:46 (twenty-one years ago) link

Vogue - narcissism as spirituality, hollywoodism as religion, star-worship as self-love, and a groove so deep that brown or yellow people didn't even mind being left out of that "doesn't matter if you're black or white" line

Vic (Vic), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 09:04 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Crazy For You"--the theme to the prom seduction of your dreams, or my dreams anyway. Also one of the ten greatest power ballads ever.

M Matos (M Matos), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 09:06 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'll Remember- because it was forgotten on the recent compilation, and because it evoked every-M-hating person in mid-90s to pause for a second and say "i like this song, just not HER"

Vic (Vic), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 09:31 (twenty-one years ago) link

'Open Your Heart' - looking out over the Thames at the lights and bridges, waiting for her. It's Friday night and it really matters.

Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 10:41 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Material Girl"- takes the Madonna/whore complex, shits on it, and then goes out and spends $400 on shoes.

Dom Passantino (Dom Passantino), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 10:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

'Into the groove' - one of the best songs about pop.

James Ball (James Ball), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 11:02 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Ray of Light," which demonstrates that the greatest synth sound on Earth belongs to an electric guitar, and has a vocal about 30 times richer and subtler than it has to be, just because she CAN.

Douglas (Douglas), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 11:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Open Your Heart". The Crossroads DVD commentary tells me it's Britney's favourite also.

Graham (graham), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 11:51 (twenty-one years ago) link

Take A Bow vs This Used To Be My Playground? i can't decide...both great

Into The Groove is the greatest American pop single of the 1980s

Cherish - for years one of the few grossly saturated sunny day pop songs i not only tolerated but actually liked

Bedtime Story is the best collision of Madonna, Bjork, Nellee Hooper and Mark Romanek imaginable (and thats pretty damn good i reckon)

Like A Prayer - can't add much to hats already been said - classico

Deeper And Deeper - fuck it lets wear our moms clothes, drink cocktails and go to the rollerdisco

stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 12:52 (twenty-one years ago) link

a groove so deep that brown or yellow people didn't even mind being left out of that "doesn't matter if you're black or white" line

what about us pinksters?

stevem (blueski), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 12:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Live to Tell". Can anyone else hear Neil Hannon doing a cover of this?

"Dear Jessie" Concept pop classic.

Lynskey (Lynskey), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 13:35 (twenty-one years ago) link

My three faves

1. "Angel" - smooth bouncy synthline, sly cooing vocals, I fall in love every time I hear it.
2. "Cherish" - perfectly executed dollop of confection, crisp & effervescent energy sustained all the way through.
3. "Into The Groove" - the original 12" version has so much more of the groove than the one on Immaculate Collection.

zaxxon25 (zaxxon25), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 13:59 (twenty-one years ago) link

As most of the choices I would have made have already been made, a vote for "Die Another Day" here. Seriously. First song from her in years that reminded me how good she can be.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 14:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

my top 5 (in no order):

1)borderline
2)live to tell
3)lucky star
4)crazy for you
5)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

(1) "Burnin' Up"
(2) "Papa Don't Preach"
(3) "Into the Groove"
(4) "Justify My Love"
(5) "Live to Tell"

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

Die Alex, die! Die vilely!

Dr. C (Dr. C), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:27 (twenty-one years ago) link

:::sigh::::

What is it now, Doctor?

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:39 (twenty-one years ago) link

Die BIG!

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

Maybe he can't stop thinking of that great movie VisionQuest it was associated with.

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:49 (twenty-one years ago) link


C'mon...."Crazy for You" is *SUCH* a yawnsome, generic song....rife with Hallmark sentimentality and that fuckin' reed instrument in the beginnig? IT'S CRAP! Sorry, Doc.

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 15:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

Why has no one yet mentioned HOLIDAY?!

Matt DC (Matt DC), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:01 (twenty-one years ago) link

i can't decide whether this thread is easy to answer or not. the woman's got so many great singles, that it's hard to pick just one. but i'll have to add my vote for "like a prayer", "open your heart" and "into the groove". and also add "dress you up" and "express yourself"... i've got a terrible memory for singles and stuff, but those really stand out.

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

1. "Secret"
2. "Don't Tell Me"
3. "Crazy for You"

weasel diesel (K1l14n), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:08 (twenty-one years ago) link

Don't Tell Me: Proof that Joe Henry just needs some French-disco-pop-whatever production, dancebeats and a gender change to not suck.

goldarn it, Killian just stole mah fire!

Anthony Miccio (Anthony Miccio), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

Did anyone other than me gain an appreciation for Madonna only after Drop Nineteens covered 'Angel'? 'Into The Groove' is my favourite now.

Bryan (Bryan), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:17 (twenty-one years ago) link

Did anyone other than me gain an appreciation for Madonna only after Drop Nineteens covered 'Angel'?

Long Fin Killie's is better. ;-)

Ned Raggett (Ned), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:19 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Open Your Heart" dropped right at the onset of my first serious crush... and it became the official theme song of this new, heady, intoxicating and heartbreaking feeling.

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

they played "... and you can dance for INSPIRATION" the other night when we went bowling. it's just fantastic. that said, i prolly rather "true blue" and most of all: "live to tell." one of the best ballads EVAH made.

nathalie (nathalie), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 16:49 (twenty-one years ago) link

Justify My Love - for its shameless Public Enemy riff. And THAT video.
Erotica - for the fabulously gnarled, gritty production. And THAT video!
This used to be my playground - utterly brilliant, oft overlooked song. Perfectly sang, beautifully understated.

russ t, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 17:07 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Justify My Love - for its shameless Public Enemy riff"

Did I miss something? What Public Enemy "riff"?

Alex in NYC (vassifer), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:12 (twenty-one years ago) link

I'm sure PE swiped it from somewhere, but they did it first--on It Takes a Nation..., short instrumental track

Oops (Oops), Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:15 (twenty-one years ago) link

"Into the Groove" is the best of 'em all. I need to search out the 12" version now!

original bgm, Wednesday, 5 February 2003 19:21 (twenty-one years ago) link

Not sure if PE nicked the riff, but the whole bassline in Justify my Love, the very first chords - they were from that short track on It takes a nation of millions to hold us back.

russ t, Thursday, 6 February 2003 10:30 (twenty-one years ago) link

no Madonna (and Lenny Kravitz, co-producer) did--PE is '88, "Justify" is '90

M Matos (M Matos), Thursday, 6 February 2003 11:53 (twenty-one years ago) link

i think Russ meant P.E. ALSO nicked it, assuming its an old funk loop ala 'Funky Drummer'

stevem (blueski), Thursday, 6 February 2003 12:03 (twenty-one years ago) link

Justify My Love also has best-ever Madonna B-Side, the "Beast Within Mix" where Madonna reads from the book of revelations over a tabla'd-up remix!

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

"Bad Girl" is BORING.

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

five years pass...

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

lol i like the way that song sounds, at least

horseshoe, Friday, 24 February 2012 20:26 (twelve years ago) link

Please take them all back

dead-trius (Eric H.), Friday, 24 February 2012 20:26 (twelve years ago) link

"love tried to welcome me" is some dark dark bleakness wrapped up in soft seductive sade-soul

^^^^^^^^^

Erotica is def. her most consistent album. I barely ever listen to Ray of Light anymore so maybe i'm being a bit unfair on it but in my head it seems so washed-out and anxious to please by comparison.

POXXV:

Deeper & Deeper
Bad Girl
Lucky Star
Into The Groove
Take A Bow
Vogue
Like A Prayer
Open Your Heart
Justify My Love
Burning Up
Get Together
Like A Virgin
Waiting
Everybody
Live To Tell
Die Another Day
Love Tried To Welcome Me
Papa Don't Preach
Hung Up
Something To Remember
Frozen
Borderline
Hung Up
Erotica
Secret

Tim F, Friday, 24 February 2012 22:01 (twelve years ago) link

I listened to ROL last Tuesday and had trouble accepting her pompous singing this time 'round.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 24 February 2012 22:06 (twelve years ago) link

Yeah that too.

Tim F, Friday, 24 February 2012 22:09 (twelve years ago) link

ROL gets either overrated or underrated i find - when i'm in the mood for it it's really very satisfying, particularly the aqueous jacuzzi ballads like "to have and not to hold" (where her smoother vocal timbre really works) or the ones with massive banging beats like "skin" or "sky fits heaven" which overpower how pompous she is.

lex pretend, Friday, 24 February 2012 22:26 (twelve years ago) link

yeah i wouldn't say it's her BEST album b/c the high points are, in general, quite as high as on some other albums. but it is consistently engrossing.

i think it sold really poorly compared to her prior records right?

and yeah once she really started enunciating i find her records harder to take.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 24 February 2012 23:04 (twelve years ago) link

xpost

i was talking about erotica.

lots of xposts.

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Friday, 24 February 2012 23:04 (twelve years ago) link

I have a soft spot for many Madonna tracks, but I'd definitely say that 'Like A Prayer' was my favourite of hers. It's that fucking bassline, man!

Turrican, Saturday, 25 February 2012 01:39 (twelve years ago) link

i think it sold really poorly compared to her prior records right?

ROL? It's her best-selling US album post-LAP.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 25 February 2012 02:23 (twelve years ago) link

It did everything she wanted, and it happened to coincide with the golden age of Soundscan sales: not only is it her best-selling album of the last twenty years but it's now regarded as an aesthetic touchstone.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 25 February 2012 02:24 (twelve years ago) link

'Ray Of Light' was a massive success here in the UK too, and if I remember it marked the point where a lot of indie kids started taking her seriously, because of the link with William Orbit.

Turrican, Saturday, 25 February 2012 02:31 (twelve years ago) link

if I remember it marked the point where a lot of indie kids started taking her seriously

I was in grad school, and it was the first Madonna studio album (to be fair they owned the two comps) my friends bought and regarded as a Serious Recording.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 25 February 2012 02:35 (twelve years ago) link

how young are you people?

flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Saturday, 25 February 2012 03:34 (twelve years ago) link

young enough to have digested every Billboard of the last sixty years.

Exile in lolville (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 25 February 2012 03:36 (twelve 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

one year passes...

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 (eleven years ago) link

two years pass...

think this 12" single from 1988 was more than worthy of a mention

Madonna - Spotlight
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kSbgcr4fvk0

Campari G&T, Thursday, 21 July 2016 23:20 (eight years ago) link

two years pass...

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 (six 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 (six 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 (six 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 (six 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 (six 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 (six years ago) link

one year passes...

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

two years pass...

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 (two years ago) link

Well, that was cute.

peace, man, Friday, 19 August 2022 11:49 (two years ago) link

Glad she didn't try to french anybody.

peace, man, Friday, 19 August 2022 11:50 (two years ago) link

Yeah, it’s refreshing to see her do something cute.

The self-titled drags (Eazy), Friday, 19 August 2022 13:38 (two years 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 (two years 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 (two years ago) link

I can think of several:

White Heat
Where’s the Party
Skin
Impressive Instant
Swim

castanuts (DJP), Wednesday, 24 August 2022 02:14 (two years 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 (two years 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 (two years 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 (two years ago) link

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PBtcD7qmpPw

birdistheword, Wednesday, 24 August 2022 04:30 (two years 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 (two years 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 (two years 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 (two years ago) link

yeah that’s what i meant

scanner darkly, Sunday, 28 August 2022 05:59 (two years ago) link

More super album tracks:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R1Vm72XDljI

Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 28 August 2022 20:53 (two years ago) link

The best B-side:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8uCTFJbwUI

Elvis Telecom, Sunday, 28 August 2022 22:23 (two years 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 (two years ago) link

"You're just jealous CUZ YOU CAN'T BE ME

Malevolent Arugula (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 29 August 2022 00:52 (two years ago) link


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