the middle eight of "deeper and deeper" really is the most perfectly told story within the song - you have no idea where she's going with it, it's so finely paced and each line only moves it forward a tiny bit, it's like when you're lost and drunk in an unfamiliar club and you're pushing your way through the bodies, and then "AND I'M NEVER GONNA HIDE IT AGAIN" is the moment when you just fall into the dancefloor, the place you're meant to be
then, the flamenco drop
that actually definitely is my favourite moment in all of pop music ever
― r&b morcilla (lex pretend), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
wouldn't supporters of that record even admit that, in 1992, she'd crawled up her own ass and was indulging in immense Madonna-ness to the point of alienation of her typical chart pop fans?
Nah. It's her Low.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
Because it's fucking amazing, xps
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
beautiful stranger sounds like "the joy of cola"
― billstevejim, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:34 (eleven years ago) link
but wouldn't supporters of that record even admit that, in 1992, she'd crawled up her own ass and was indulging in immense Madonna-ness
no
the title track maybe
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:35 (eleven years ago) link
"fever" should come at -20 or something, in accordance with its temperature - the iciest thing ever
― prolego, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:35 (eleven years ago) link
lex I'll give you $10 if you change your dn to flamenco drop
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:35 (eleven years ago) link
r&b flamenco drop
doesn't tim finney have a long otm post about deeper and deeper somewhere on ilm that we can drop on the haters and be done with this already
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:36 (eleven years ago) link
erotica was chart pop! house beats were all over the charts in the early 90s, my first ever music purchase was a 40-strong compilation of them, and those beats were my first mainstream chart love
― r&b morcilla (lex pretend), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:36 (eleven years ago) link
does anyone else's copy of the Like A Prayer vinyl album still smell of Patchouli? mine *just about* does. pretty amazing since it was a release-day purchase.
― piscesx, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:36 (eleven years ago) link
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, March 11, 2013 8:35 PM (1 minute ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
i need no encouragement
― r&b morcilla (lex pretend), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:37 (eleven years ago) link
if Erotica had come packaged with a smell it would be of sweat-moist dancefloor dick
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:37 (eleven years ago) link
lex otm, at any rate. the sheer brassy desperation of the delivery of "mama couldn't be aaaaaaaaaaaaaaall wrooooooooooong" the first time the chorus comes around still makes me thrill. what a great song.
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:38 (eleven years ago) link
uh, "daddy" of course. o_O at me.
it basically sounds like Shep Pettibone stuck a microphone up his ass and then Madonna sang some lyrics into itDJP, that's the second time you made me LOL tonight about something poopy. The first time was something about a wet fart I believe.
Re: 'Beautiful Stranger': the dananadanana hook > the high acid-bubbly synth in the bridge > the low acid-bubbly synth in the verses >>>> the whole of Erotica.
― ArchCarrier, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
http://i.imgur.com/I6rEpVP.jpg
02. "OPEN YOUR HEART" from True Blue (1986) [44 votes, 1,167 points, 2 first place votes]
http://i.imgur.com/iMONiew.jpg
01. "INTO THE GROOVE" from the single Into the Groove (1985) [48 votes, 1,330 points, 6 first place votes]
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
righteous
― C: (crüt), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:39 (eleven years ago) link
hurrah!
― Ismael Klata, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:40 (eleven years ago) link
the dananadanana hook
ripped off from Love's "She Comes In Colors."
Still, one of my favorite Madonna songs.
― Tarfumes The Escape Goat, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:40 (eleven years ago) link
i like #3 better than #2 better than #1 but still #1 feels most right of all
― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:40 (eleven years ago) link
Great ending--if "Holiday" wasn't going to be there, that's the next best 1-2.
― clemenza, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
Can we talk about how the first couple minute of the 12" extended version of "Open Your Heart" is almost Balearic? Yum.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
can we talk about my poor subject-verb agreement
i am calling all of you Erotica haters "Bitch" to the sound of breaking glass in my head
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:41 (eleven years ago) link
both too low!
― fact checking cuz, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:42 (eleven years ago) link
most of the Erotica singles drastically underperformed in the US pop charts; "Erotica" (3) and "Deeper and Deeper" (7) were the only ones to crack the top ten, "Rain" stalled at 14 and "Bad Girl" barely scraped into the charts at 36, while "Fever" and "Bye Bye Baby" didn't chart at all
so, while there was definitely stuff in the pop charts mining this territory, most people over here were turning towards someone else besides Madonna for it
very righteous and well-deserved 1-2
― Darth Icky (DJP), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:42 (eleven years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" my #1.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:42 (eleven years ago) link
Perfect 1-2!
― skip, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
"into the groove" is the greatest song of all time.
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
Into the Groove was my #1 and Open Your Heart was #7, though it could easily have been higher.
recap
50. "WORDS" from Erotica (1992) [7 votes, 136 points]49. "I'LL REMEMBER" from the motion picture soundtrack With Honors (1994) [6 votes, 142 points]48. "THE POWER OF GOOD-BYE" from Ray of Light (1998) [8 votes, 144 points]47. "KEEP IT TOGETHER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [9 votes, 148 points]46. "DIE ANOTHER DAY" from the motion picture soundtrack Die Another Day (2002) [7 votes, 149 points](TIE) 44. "WHITE HEAT" from True Blue (1986) [7 votes, 161 points](TIE) 44. "SECRET GARDEN" from Erotica (1992) [7 votes, 161 points]43. "WAITING" from Erotica (1992) [8 votes, 189 points]42. "WHO'S THAT GIRL" from the motion picture soundtrack Who's That Girl (1987) [11 votes, 194 points]41. "PHYSICAL ATTRACTION" from Madonna (1983) [10 votes, 195 points]40. "CAUSING A COMMOTION" from the motion picture soundtrack Who's That Girl (1987) [11 votes, 201 points]39. "RAIN" from Erotica (1992) [11 votes, 217 points]38. "BEDTIME STORY" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [13 votes, 238 points]37. "TRUE BLUE" from True Blue (1986) [12 votes, 240 points, 1 first place vote]36. "GET TOGETHER" from Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) [11 votes, 246 points, 1 first place vote]
35. "EROTICA" from Erotica (1992) [12 votes, 263 points]34. "DON'T TELL ME" from Music (2000) [15 votes, 284 points]33. "MATERIAL GIRL" from Like a Virgin (1984) [14 votes, 307 points, 1 first place vote]32. "MUSIC" from Music (2000) [16 votes, 309 points]31. "LIKE A VIRGIN" from Like a Virgin (1984) [17 votes, 334 points, 1 first place vote]30. "TILL DEATH DO US PART" from Like a Prayer (1989) [16 votes, 337 points]29. "EVERYBODY" from Everybody 12"/Madonna (1982,83) [15 votes, 344 points]28. "SECRET" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [16 votes, 349 points]27. "LA ISLA BONITA" from True Blue (1986) [18 votes, 367 points, 1 first place vote]26. "WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL" from Music (2000) [19 votes, 378 points]25. "FROZEN" from Ray of Light (1998) [18 votes, 381 points]24. "TAKE A BOW" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [20 votes, 403 points]23. "ANGEL" from Like a Virgin (1984) [18 votes, 409 points]22. "BAD GIRL" from Erotica (1992) [17 votes, 415 points]21. "OH FATHER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [18 votes, 424 points, 1 first place vote]
20. "BEAUTIFUL STRANGER" from the motion picture soundtrack Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me (1999) [17
votes, 435 points, 1 first place vote]19. "EXPRESS YOURSELF" from Like a Prayer (1989) [21 votes, 457 points]18. "CHERISH" from Like a Prayer (1989) [22 votes, 463 points, 1 first place vote]17. "HUMAN NATURE" from Bedtime Stories (1994) [21 votes, 465 points, 1 first place vote]16. "DRESS YOU UP" from Like a Virgin (1984) [24 votes, 553 points, 1 first place vote]15. "JUSTIFY MY LOVE" from The Immaculate Collection (1990) [26 votes, 567 points]14. "HUNG UP" from Confessions on a Dance Floor (2005) [26 votes, 600 points, 1 first place vote]13. "PAPA DON'T PREACH" from True Blue (1986) [29 votes, 602 points, 1 first place vote]12. "RAY OF LIGHT" from Ray of Light (1998) [26 votes, 615 points, 1 first place vote]11. "CRAZY FOR YOU" from the motion picture soundtrack Vision Quest (1985) [31 votes, 670 points, 1 first place
vote]10. "VOGUE" from I'm Breathless (1990) [29 votes, 697 points, 2 first place votes]09. "HOLIDAY" from Madonna (1983) [30 votes, 753 points, 3 first place votes]08. "BURNING UP" from Madonna (1983) [29 votes, 756 points, 3 first place votes]07. "LUCKY STAR" from Madonna (1983) [32 votes, 805 points, 3 first place votes]06. "LIKE A PRAYER" from Like a Prayer (1989) [39 votes, 938 points, 2 first place votes]05. "LIVE TO TELL" from True Blue (1986) [35 votes, 970 points, 5 first place votes]04. "BORDERLINE" from Madonna (1983) [33 votes, 1,009 points, 7 first place votes]03. "DEEPER AND DEEPER" from Erotica (1992) [42 votes, 1,110 points, 8 first place votes]02. "OPEN YOUR HEART" from True Blue (1986) [44 votes, 1,167 points, 2 first place votes]01. "INTO THE GROOVE" from the single Into the Groove (1985) [48 votes, 1,330 points, 6 first place votes]
― Johnny Fever, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:43 (eleven years ago) link
ONLY WHEN I'M DANCING CAN I FEEL THIS FREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
NID
"deeper and deeper" takes the moral victory of getting the most #1 votes - realheadz know what's up
― prolego, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
thanks JF! Great pictures and presentation.
― skip, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
oh I don't doubt people were bored of Madonna, and the Sex book plus an album named Erotica didn't help; but she was due for a fall, and if she'd released a cookbook called Secrets of French Gastronomy and an album called Snails it woulda underwhelmed too.
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
I can live with that top 2, in that order.
Thanks JF, great work as ever - and loved the images.
And I enjoyed the arguments itt. But you are ALL wrong.
― Jeff W, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
12" of 'Open Your Heart' is all time classic.
― fun loving and xtremely tolrant (Billy Dods), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:44 (eleven years ago) link
"into the groove" encapsulates madonna and pop music and the entire experience of falling in love with, and staying in love with pop music, all at the same time
― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
lol i didn't vote for "into the groove" but it would've been #1 like five years ago? killed my own ability to enjoy that song
― emo canon in twee major (BradNelson), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
Thanks JF!!! Great poll!
― ArchCarrier, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
anyway amazing poll, a very good time
I'm in a hotel in Manhattan without any Madonna music :(
― the little prince of inane false binary hype (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
songs should always be about dancing
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
I'm now going to embark on a study of JF's color-coding of the images. Will report back later.
― clemenza, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:45 (eleven years ago) link
"from the single Into the Groove"not desperately seeking susan?
― billstevejim, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
not like "Vogue," though, gross
― horseshoe, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
one of dan's allies in erotica hatred holding up 'beautiful stranger' as superior is some instant karma in action
my ballot
1. deeper and deeper - 402. borderline - 363. i'll remember - 334. bad girl - 305. oh father - 286. justify my love - 267. live to tell - 258. don't tell me - 249. vogue - 2310. til death do us part - 2211. cherish - 2112. lucky star - 2013. take a bow - 1914. angel - 1815. open your heart - 1716. dress you up - 16 17. sorry - 1518. crazy for you - 1419. jump - 1320. white heat - 12
albums1. madonna2. like a prayer3. erotica4. confessions on a dance floor5. bedtime stories
videos1. borderline2. open your heart3. justify my love4. vogue5. papa don't preach
― balls, Monday, 11 March 2013 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
I mean for me, I was pretty deeply entrenched in the Deee-Lite album around this time period as well as discovering all of pop-breakthrough rave acts (The Shamen, The Prodigy, Altern8, the Lords of Acid crew, 2 Unlimited, etc), many of which were more closely tied to or informed by the industrial dance music I was already neck-deep in, so there wasn't really any reason for me to get interested in a Madonna album largely produced by a dude I'd already decided I hated
many xposts
― Darth Icky (DJP), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:46 (eleven years ago) link
I'M TIRED OF DANCING HERE ALL BY MYSEEEEELLFTONIGHT I WANNA DANCEWITH SOOOMEONNNNNE EEEEELLLLSE
― set the controls for the heart of the sun (VegemiteGrrl), Monday, 11 March 2013 20:46 (eleven years ago) link