Madonna

[David_X]

The "my father used to go to work I used to think he was a jerk" is perfectly fine by me, it's Madonna embracing the childish element to the song and speaking her thoughts as a five year old would.

And It's strange, because i've never thought of there to be a particularly solid part in American Life, it all seems to work so well.

Apart from I'm So Stupid, which is rather dull apart from the mind bendingly random scream near the beginning.

Are you me? I have the exact same instincts about American Life as well.

If I was you it would make looking in the mirror a very confusing affair.

 

[debord]

I was not bloody taking the piss when I said American Life is my favourite Madonna album! It's chuffin' brilliant and I love nearly every second.

Oh 'ology, I respect your opinion and I too rather enjoy American Life, but I'm amazed that it is anyone's favourite. I don't think it even makes my top 5, infact. For it's fantastic moments it has a few cringeworthy ones. Have you heard Like A Prayer?

I've heard the song, not the full album. Although I have been lent old Madge albums by firends in order to widen my musical horizons, and while some of it is good music, I don't think I was around at the right time to appreciate it.

I'm too modern, I think it's a failing of mine.

Neither was I! Well not really. I'm not that old, you know.

I think her first four albums are a much more coherent experience when enjoyed in full, and have far fewer clangers. That said, some of my favourite Madonna 'moments' are from her later work. Erotica, her other underrated release, has some great songs - but some shit ones too.

More coherent that what? I think both 'Ray of Light' and 'Music' are clanger-free (they have their slighter tracks but nothing that is actually bad like 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore' or 'Love Makes The World Go Round') and very coherent. And 'Confessions...' too, actually. Even tho my preference for 'Hard Candy' is well documented.

 

[vasilios]

I was not bloody taking the piss when I said American Life is my favourite Madonna album! It's chuffin' brilliant and I love nearly every second.

Top 3 Madonna album for me too. The other two? Ray Of Light for sure and True Blue, with Like A Virgin very close.

For some reason, Like A Prayer, while it was such a nice period to be a Madonna fan, it was when I started to like other music freely - as opposed to forcing myself to like only Madonna haha - so while I appreciated it, there were a lot of pop music around too and it felt a bit gloomy and too personal. And growing up in the normalest of normal families, I could not relate to the family struggle themes I guess? I remember buying the patchouli - smelling tape before a school disco and then going listening to it going... 'is that it? Where are the bouncy pop moments?' It was the height of PWL masterpieces, the UK Pop scene produced amazing pop every week, American pop like Paula Abdul, Martika, Expose, Jody Watley, Debbie Gibson was amazing too, the dance scene of Inner City, Coldcut etc and I wanted more of that, while Madonna was into her mature phase. Repeated listens made me love Till Death, Cherish, Oh Father and Keep It Together and the Shep Pettibone remix saved the single release of Express Yourself and combined with understanding that the matureness and depth of the album sealed Madonna's fate above the Paula Abduls of the pop world and saved her carreer while taking it to the next level.

....But I still don't love it as an album though it's THE Madonna album to like.
I prefer the first 3 albums unashamed pop passion. OK, Shoo Bee Doo needs to be erased from Earth.

 

[ManilaChinchilla]

The "my father used to go to work I used to think he was a jerk" is perfectly fine by me, it's Madonna embracing the childish element to the song and speaking her thoughts as a five year old would.

And It's strange, because i've never thought of there to be a particularly solid part in American Life, it all seems to work so well.

Apart from I'm So Stupid, which is rather dull apart from the mind bendingly random scream near the beginning.

Are you me? I have the exact same instincts about American Life as well.

If I was you it would make looking in the mirror a very confusing affair.

It would be a good one.

I always wanted Nobody Knows Me as a single. Spurred on by being featured on the Reinvention Tour.

 

[Daneeeboy]

I was not bloody taking the piss when I said American Life is my favourite Madonna album! It's chuffin' brilliant and I love nearly every second.

Oh 'ology, I respect your opinion and I too rather enjoy American Life, but I'm amazed that it is anyone's favourite. I don't think it even makes my top 5, infact. For it's fantastic moments it has a few cringeworthy ones. Have you heard Like A Prayer?

I've heard the song, not the full album. Although I have been lent old Madge albums by firends in order to widen my musical horizons, and while some of it is good music, I don't think I was around at the right time to appreciate it.

I'm too modern, I think it's a failing of mine.

Neither was I! Well not really. I'm not that old, you know.

I think her first four albums are a much more coherent experience when enjoyed in full, and have far fewer clangers. That said, some of my favourite Madonna 'moments' are from her later work. Erotica, her other underrated release, has some great songs - but some shit ones too.

More coherent that what? I think both 'Ray of Light' and 'Music' are clanger-free (they have their slighter tracks but nothing that is actually bad like 'Love Don't Live Here Anymore' or 'Love Makes The World Go Round') and very coherent. And 'Confessions...' too, actually. Even tho my preference for 'Hard Candy' is well documented.

Sorry, no I meant the first 4 albums are a more coherent experience if you start with Madonna and end with Like A Prayer. So more coherent than listening to them in isolation.

 

[debord]

Ah. Well I'm not sure I would even agree with that. I think Ray Of Light/Music/American Life are a rather coherent trio and 'Confessions/Hard Candy' are two sides of the same coin, if you know what I mean. But yes in terms of a progression from A to B then I guess the first 4 are more of a traceable journey.

Wow I started disagreeing and then ended up kind of agreeing. Amazing.

 

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

My favourite Madonna song of all time is One More Chance.

 

[Hot_Mess29]

I love 'Hollywood' but I really want that vma mix of it (without missy elliot). Oh and 'sorry' is all sorts of amazing.

 

[xolondon]

It seems to me that Imperial Phase One is Madonna through to Like A Prayer. When she was queen of the world. I am not sure there is a Phase Two exactly - it''s easier to judge album by album.

I think her finest song is Like A Prayer in terms of quality and impact on pop culture, but my favorite? Oy. Uptempo is Vogue and ballad is Crazy For You. I will change my mind in a few days.

 

[Fish Finger]

My favourite Madonna song of all time is One More Chance.

Well that's a damn lie.

 

[xolondon]

My favourite Madonna song of all time is One More Chance.

This shocks me Jody! Really? Not even You'll See?!

 

[debord]

I love 'Hollywood' but I really want that vma mix of it (without missy elliot). Oh and 'sorry' is all sorts of amazing.

If I remember correctly it's based on Jacques Lu Cont's Thin White Duke remix (ie Stuart Price).

 

[debord]

Or even 'Duck' mix

 

[Fish Finger]

It seems to me that Imperial Phase One is Madonna through to Like A Prayer. When she was queen of the world. I am not sure there is a Phase Two exactly - it''s easier to judge album by album.

I think her finest song is Like A Prayer in terms of quality and impact on pop culture, but my favorite? Oy. Uptempo is Vogue and ballad is Crazy For You. I will change my mind in a few days.

I'd say Imperial Phase was 1990/91 - Vogue, Blond Ambition, Justify My Love, Immaculate, In Bed With Madge... Holiday and Crazy For You re-issues going top 5 without offering anything new whatsoever.

 

[vasilios]

My favourite Madonna song of all time is One More Chance.

Are you David Foster or whoever Celine Dion-friendly person was it that wrote it?

 

[debord]

Jody is just trying to wind me up cos he knows I hate that song with a passion.

 

[Milly-Molly-Mandy]

As if Dewhore, it's my favourite Madonna Song, eva.

 

[vasilios]

It seems to me that Imperial Phase One is Madonna through to Like A Prayer. When she was queen of the world. I am not sure there is a Phase Two exactly - it''s easier to judge album by album.

I think her finest song is Like A Prayer in terms of quality and impact on pop culture, but my favorite? Oy. Uptempo is Vogue and ballad is Crazy For You. I will change my mind in a few days.

I'd say Imperial Phase was 1990/91 - Vogue, Blond Ambition, Justify My Love, Immaculate, In Bed With Madge... Holiday and Crazy For You re-issues going top 5 without offering anything new whatsoever.

I think that Phase, Phase 2 (1990/91 - Vogue, Blond Ambition, Justify My Love, Immaculate, In Bed With Madge... Holiday and Crazy For You re-issues going top 5 without offering anything new whatsoever) was like that because of the Phase 1, before it, the one that made M a POP Supestar and then Phase 2 cemented that and took her to the next Proper Superstar Phase.

 

[absintheboy]

my favourite Madge Vadge song from the 80s is Borderline or Cherish and as for "other Madonna", What if feels like for a Girl, the Above and Beyond and Oakenfold remix is pretty awesome.

 

[ManilaChinchilla]

I'm in a very 'Take a Bow'-ish mood.