live to tell
surprised by how many of these songs i know well
― what is your beef with the mac? (electricsound), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:05 (fifteen years ago) link
open your heart. it just makes you feel like you can do anything
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:07 (fifteen years ago) link
otm
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:09 (fifteen years ago) link
I mean, that vocal. Who says she can't sing?
Same goes for "Live To Tell."
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:10 (fifteen years ago) link
Madonna can sing, she just sometimes has issues singing live due to dancing complications and having kind of a tin ear. I like her both pre- and post-voice lessons.
― HI DERE, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:11 (fifteen years ago) link
I'm not very technical, but I like Madonna's singing a lot. I like the tone of Madonna's voice and the way she "lives" the song. She just can't project much live, but in the studio it's great.
― LeRooLeRoo, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 00:51 (fifteen years ago) link
that's all we need.
Anyone want to defend the album tracks? The remixed version(s) of "Where's the Party?" on You Can Dance are incredible.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 01:13 (fifteen years ago) link
live to tell is madonna's best song
― Gukbe, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 01:15 (fifteen years ago) link
I'll be boring and go with "Live to Tell." Agree with Alfred about "where's the party" remix.
Anyone want to defend the album tracks?The one non-single track I always loved was "Jimmy Jimmy," which I assume sounds at least almost as good as I remember it sounding (I can't even remember the last time I listened to this album in full.)
― sw00ds, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 01:19 (fifteen years ago) link
Live To Tell, but Papa Don't Preach a very close second.
HATE La Isla Bonita with fiery passion, though.
― Johnny Fever, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 01:26 (fifteen years ago) link
"Jimmy Jimmy" has a great sound - goes on a little long I think and the story's not much to linger over, but I just love the recording.
"La Isla Bonita" is the one track on this that really clicks with me, for whatever reason.
― Doctor Casino, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 02:57 (fifteen years ago) link
Every single song on here is awesome in a manner Madonna hasn't reached on any of her other albums. There are higher highs on her other albums but nothing beats the overall consistency of this one.
PS: "White Heat" pwns
― HI DERE, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 03:19 (fifteen years ago) link
Love the title track at the time. Maybe still do to some extent, but I have now started to realise how great "La Isla Bonita" is, so that one was my pick.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 04:14 (fifteen years ago) link
There are higher highs on her other albums but nothing beats the overall consistency of this one.
Yes. "Like a Prayer", which also had her highest ever highs, does.
― Geir Hongro, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 04:15 (fifteen years ago) link
Live to Tell is her best song, seconded
― Joe, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 04:23 (fifteen years ago) link
This was her last album with all good singles.
― billstevejim, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 04:25 (fifteen years ago) link
I love the title track so much. Remember the video? So hot! But yeah, really strong album as a whole.
― Euler, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 04:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Bedtime Stories also had all good singles IMO.
― HI DERE, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 05:02 (fifteen years ago) link
Papa Don't Preach was one of the first songs I ever learned how to sing. :)
― Disco/Very (Roz), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 05:22 (fifteen years ago) link
Open Your Heart by leaps and bounds
Where's the Party is a great tune
― double bird strike (gabbneb), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 05:33 (fifteen years ago) link
Her best album.
― ilxor, Tuesday, 3 February 2009 06:15 (fifteen years ago) link
I voted with my eyes closed.
yes, absolutely spot on!!!
xp, this is a very solid album
― winstonian (winston), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 06:31 (fifteen years ago) link
one of wee winston's first cassette purchases
i'm gonna vote with geir. even at the time i felt like "true blue" got overlooked because all anyone wanted to talk about was "papa don't preach." and then the "live to tell" video was everywhere all the time. (song makes me think of chris penn now, which makes it sad.) but "true blue" nailed that new-wave-motown vibe as well as anyone did in the '80s.
― paper plans (tipsy mothra), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 06:41 (fifteen years ago) link
yeah, better than most, even, i'd say!
― winstonian (winston), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 07:15 (fifteen years ago) link
i'm gonna vote with geir.
You didn't if you went for "True Blue". ;)
― Geir Hongro, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 03:49 (fifteen years ago) link
oh yeah. well, i voted with the geir of 1986. old-school geir.
― paper plans (tipsy mothra), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 04:40 (fifteen years ago) link
Title cut's my least-favourite, too - sick to fucking death of that chord change...
It lost my vote to "West End Girls" in the 1986-#1's poll, so I'll give it the consolation prize here and go with "Live To Tell".
― Myonga Vön Bontee, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 08:15 (fifteen years ago) link
live to tell is really quite moving. or at least definitely the closest i've ever come to being moved by madonna. so that one
― Charlie Howard, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 12:42 (fifteen years ago) link
ya, that one
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 14:51 (fifteen years ago) link
live to tell is the only song on this album I like
― akm, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:18 (fifteen years ago) link
waht
I mean, I'll give you "Jimmy Jimmy" and "La Isla Bonita", but "Open Your Heart"? "White Heat"? "Where's The Party"? "Papa Don't Preach"?
― nosotros niggamos (HI DERE), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:20 (fifteen years ago) link
Anyone who dislikes or dismisses "Open Your Heart" needs medication and white screens.
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago) link
yes it's pretty undeniable
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" may likely feature the best band performance on any of her albums. It just sounds so ... live. The drums are incredible and actually have some character, which is unusual for such a huge '80s uber-production.
― Josh in Chicago, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:48 (fifteen years ago) link
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:51 (fifteen years ago) link
La Isla Bonita. May well be my favourite song of hers.
― DavidM, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:51 (fifteen years ago) link
it's got horns, xp
― double bird strike (gabbneb), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:52 (fifteen years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" for me, with "True Blue" pretty close behind.
With such joyful, bouncy pop on the menu I just don't have the patience for the faux-anguish of "Papa Don't Preach," let alone the slow and (to me) comparatively dull "Live to Tell."
― Ye Mad Puffin, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 16:59 (fifteen years ago) link
Live to Tell is all about texture and flow, and her damn voice
― Surmounter, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 17:08 (fifteen years ago) link
if you're in the right (wrong) mood, it can absolutely melt you.
This album is pretty much flawless.
― Live from the Witch Trials (SeekAltRoute), Thursday, 5 February 2009 03:21 (fifteen years ago) link
i don't know, I like plasticy early 80's madonna more than this album which just sounds like bad reverbed drum sounds and mid-80's schlock and seriousness.
― akm, Thursday, 5 February 2009 06:34 (fifteen years ago) link
(which, admittedly, live to tell is the epitome of, but it does such a good job of it the rest of the album seems superfluous and just doesn't measure up)
― akm, Thursday, 5 February 2009 06:35 (fifteen years ago) link
Although I do like "True Blue" to some extent, I feel the main problem about it is that it sorts of tries to be both of those incarnations, and doesn't really succeed at either. "Like a Prayer", on the other hand, was a fantastic album and her best ever, because it concentrated on that "seriousness" and was a great melodic pop album without, with the exception of a couple of the lesser tracks, ever trying to be "dance".
And, I think, part of the problem here is Pat Leonard. Patrick Leonard is a fantastic songwriter and pop/ballad producer, but he is really sucky at dance stuff. Madonna has never had better dance producers than Jellybean and Reggie Lucas, at least not until her work with William Orbit. Pat Leonard did a really great job at the pop stuff, but never quite managed the dance tracks.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 5 February 2009 12:36 (fifteen years ago) link
Which may also be my problem with "Open Your Heart". Surely it's a great song, and I like it and all. But it probably would have worked better with somebody else than Patrick Leonard producing it.
Madonna has never had better dance producers than Jellybean and Reggie Lucas, at least not until her work with William Orbit.
Ahem, Shep Pettibone *cough*
― Alfred, Lord Sotosyn, Thursday, 5 February 2009 12:51 (fifteen years ago) link
Never liked what he did with her. Unmelodic and boring.
― Geir Hongro, Thursday, 5 February 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago) link
Vote "Papa Don't Preach" here because I sort of have a thing for voting for obvious third-placers.
― Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Sunday, February 15, 2009 2:50 AM (Yesterday) Bookmark
lol
― half troll half biscuit (The Brainwasher), Monday, 16 February 2009 00:12 (fifteen years ago) link
Can I confess I voted for Jimmy Jimmy because of the silly dance my sister and her friend made up to it?
― Madchen, Tuesday, 17 February 2009 14:52 (fifteen years ago) link
aw cuet
― Lots of praying with no breakfast! (HI DERE), Tuesday, 17 February 2009 15:08 (fifteen years ago) link
What can I say? I know my history.
― Nurse Detrius (Eric H.), Tuesday, 17 February 2009 15:09 (fifteen years ago) link
"Live to Tell" woulda been my vote.
I associate "Isla" w/ the horrible office job I had the summer it was a hit.
― Dr Morbius, Tuesday, 17 February 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago) link
haha so when I lauded the video for "True Blue" in this thread, I didn't realize that she'd made one with her in it (which is just ok). I meant the following one, which evidently was the winner of an MTV contest:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yZMkrGPkI8M
― Euler, Sunday, 19 June 2011 20:55 (twelve years ago) link
Come on baby, MAKE MY DAY
― PΓ☼LΞG☼ (prolego), Sunday, 19 June 2011 21:22 (twelve years ago) link
― lex pretend, Monday, February 2, 2009 7:07 PM (2 years ago) Bookmark
^^
― Heady Snobbin (Pillbox), Sunday, 19 June 2011 21:37 (twelve years ago) link
THIS IS A BUST
― The burrito of ennui (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 22 August 2015 17:26 (eight years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" is the greatest song in the history of the universe
― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:11 (six years ago) link
young girls with eyes like potatoes
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:13 (six years ago) link
HEY THAT SONG IS GREAT TOO
― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:13 (six years ago) link
AND SO ARE POTATOES
― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:14 (six years ago) link
i had la isla bonita in my head & then i saw this thread revive it was kismet
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:24 (six years ago) link
My wife says she and her friends used to replace "THIS IS A BUST!" with "THIS IS MY BUST!"
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:43 (six years ago) link
Wait ... “Open Your Heart” didn’t win this poll?!
― "Minneapolis" (barf) (Eric H.), Saturday, 17 February 2018 19:58 (six years ago) link
No, instead it is one of the greatest songs ever which won, a song which BY COINCIDENCE (really) I talked about in a podcast that went up yesterday
https://www.megaphonic.fm/mixtape/6
― Ned Raggett, Saturday, 17 February 2018 20:00 (six years ago) link
If anyone has not seen "At Close Range," you should, immediately, depressing though the movie may be. That song practically has a co-starring role.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 17 February 2018 20:07 (six years ago) link
Lex OTM way, way, way upthread - when the intro kicks in on 'Open Your Heart' it's so fucking energising.
I can't complain about the top two - prefer the follow-up far more, though.
― Full of bile and Blue Nile denial (Turrican), Saturday, 17 February 2018 20:14 (six years ago) link
I had a chance to write at length about "Papa Don't Preach" last summer: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/americanexperience/features/songs-of-the-summer-1986/
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 17 February 2018 20:17 (six years ago) link
WUTCHOWT
― Squeaky Fromage (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 17 February 2018 21:27 (six years ago) link
I'm really enjoying Ned's discussion on this podcast, btw. I'm only up to the "Live to Tell" part, but great discussion on Madonna (and also Kermit the Frog!).
― Dangleballs and the Ballerina (cryptosicko), Sunday, 18 February 2018 03:20 (six years ago) link
The interviewer is typical of a certain generational divide that I've noticed: as someone young enough that Madonna, for him, is Confessions on a Dance Floor, he's unable to conceive of Madonna as anything other than "a gay artist." But, like Ned, my experience of her, at least up until the Erotica era, was that pretty much everyone I knew was into her.
― Dangleballs and the Ballerina (cryptosicko), Sunday, 18 February 2018 03:23 (six years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" is the greatest song in the history of the universe― droit au butt (Euler), Saturday, February 17, 2018 2:11 PM (eight hours ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink
This was my conviction for the longest time, but I have failed to connect with it in recent years it's weird
― trife's rich padgett (rip van wanko), Sunday, 18 February 2018 03:31 (six years ago) link
Thanks for linking "A Different Corner" and "Live to Tell," Ned.
― morning wood truancy (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Sunday, 18 February 2018 04:59 (six years ago) link
Opposite for me. I always considered it a good single, but in recent years it's become untouchable brilliance.
― Johnny Fever, Sunday, 18 February 2018 07:15 (six years ago) link
It's far from my favourite thing on here, but the "why oh why" hook in 'Jimmy Jimmy' is pretty neat! Also, 'Where's the Party?' is a jam.
― Le Baton Rose (Turrican), Thursday, 25 October 2018 19:21 (five years ago) link
the jimmy jimmy “why oh why” hook is pure bliss. peak girl-group madonna.
everything written about “open your heart” in this thread is otm, except for the fact that it didn’t win, which is not otm.
― fact checking cuz, Friday, 26 October 2018 21:02 (five years ago) link
"Open Your Heart" man
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 19 October 2023 19:59 (six months ago) link
open your heart. it just makes you feel like you can do _anything_
― brimstead, Thursday, 19 October 2023 20:22 (six months ago) link
Listen to how Madonna rewrote this damn thing:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LbpqItgBGdo
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 19 October 2023 21:16 (six months ago) link
“I’ve had to work much harder than this for something I want, don’t try to resist me” is one of the all time great pop lyrics - especially in the context of a song that works pretty damn hard.
― Tim F, Thursday, 19 October 2023 21:43 (six months ago) link
in 5th grade (1986, the year of our lord madonna) i let myself get talked out of performing a dance to “open your heart” for a school concert & i regret it to this day
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Friday, 20 October 2023 03:44 (six months ago) link
:(
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Friday, 20 October 2023 11:36 (six months ago) link
this is my favorite thread revival in years.
― fact checking cuz, Saturday, 21 October 2023 16:09 (six months ago) link
This album is awesome, and 14 years later the poll results stand.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 21 October 2023 17:40 (six months ago) link
Incredible mix, one of the best extended 12"s of an 80s tune
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AvvnGsqtZA4
― piscesx, Saturday, 21 October 2023 20:58 (six months ago) link
otm`
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:03 (six months ago) link
I have the clearest memory of listening to this on my Walkman on a trip with my fam. Jimmy Jimmy was my fave and I was Madonna that year for Halloween lol
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:16 (six months ago) link
whyoh why oh whyoh why
― hat trick of trashiness (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:19 (six months ago) link
Oh why Oh why Oh why
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:20 (six months ago) link
it's so underrated
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:21 (six months ago) link
Personally I would have added a wig but my mom made me the lace dress by hand nd drew on my mole.
https://i.ibb.co/WDt7BWH/Screenshot-20231021-222257.pngpost a pic
― Benson and the Jets (ENBB), Saturday, 21 October 2023 21:24 (six months ago) link
fab u lousi remember going over to my friend’s house when I was 10 - her older cousin Mandy from the city was visiting Mandy answered the door at like noon on a Sunday in full Madonna. Like, FULL madge:arms full of silver & rubber bracelets massive earings, loads of necklaces & crosseshair scarf jacket over layered tank tops & tube skirt electric blue lycra leggings studded high heeled ankled bootsTHE. WORKSshe chewed gum & smelled like 10 cans of hairspray & i didn’t know whether to fall to thr ground or pee or both i was so in aweand for like 2 years that was basically how she dressed her name was Mandy & she is still like a god to
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 21 October 2023 22:15 (six months ago) link
me
― werewolves of laudanum (VegemiteGrrl), Saturday, 21 October 2023 22:16 (six months ago) link
I think this is a really uneven album - half of it's great, half of it not-so-good - but worth owning just for the cover, probably my favorite portrait of Madonna.
― birdistheword, Saturday, 21 October 2023 23:09 (six months ago) link
I guess that's fair, tbh. But the best songs are so good the rest are almost like bonus tracks.
― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 21 October 2023 23:12 (six months ago) link
True. This is why she's really a singles artist to me, which is not a bad thing to be at all, it's just how she performs best as a recording artist.
Also, another thing about the cover: I've never seen an original pressing unopened, but IIRC it was packaged in blue plastic wrap with the title adhered to it as a sticker, and when you removed it, you're left with a textless gatefold portrait. I didn't grow up with vinyl, but when your albums typically have that kind of thoughtful design, I can see the appeal from a non-audiophile perspective.
― birdistheword, Saturday, 21 October 2023 23:16 (six months ago) link
the album cover is a fabulous photo
― brimstead, Sunday, 22 October 2023 00:01 (six months ago) link
My vinyl copy bought at the time with my birthday money isn’t a gatefold, but it was perhaps different in the UK.
― Madchen, Sunday, 22 October 2023 06:03 (six months ago) link