Madonna

[manloveuk]

Every so often I'm reminded how lucky I am that my love of this woman and her music began in '84, just as she was taking off, and honestly, throughout 1985 especially, the pace was utterly, frenetically relentless. She was everywhere, all of the time, with everything. At this time of the year in '85, radio was still playing Into The Groove and Angel, Gambler had literally left the top 40 last week after its two-month run while Dress You Up crashes in at #12 this week ahead of lodging itself in the top 10 throughout Christmas and New Year into mid-January. During which time the newly released The Virgin Tour was flying off the shelves, we had all of the 'review of the year' shows and countdowns, so Like A Virgin, Material Girl, Crazy For You, Into The Groove, Holiday, Angel, Gambler and Dress You Up are all back in heavy rotation as were clips of her Live Aid performance, Desperately Seeking Susan and the Now That's What I Call Music tv ads with Dress You Up on telly every few hours. Exhuastingly exhilirating pop magnificence. I will always feel very blessed to have been there, and there's been nothing like it by anyone since.

Listening to Gambler now and all the memories of this time of year 37 years ago come flooding back. It sounds every bit as breathtakingly brilliant now as it did back then.

...and worth noting, in Dress You Up's final week in the top 40, Borderline re-enters at #15, staying in the charts until the end of March and giving us a mere four weeks respite until the arrival of Live To Tell proudly heralding the True Blue era through to mid-'87.

Relentless.

 

[heartmightmelt]

I can't believe the day has finally came. "Gambler" might even be my favourite 80's Madonna song.


(It's been four years since the video went up on her channel which raised my hopes so much)

 

[LOTF]

SCREAMING. Not her jumping on the Back That Up trend when it's died down already. Wonder if she'll officially release it and, if that happens, I wonder if it will kinda revive it.

 

[MrWonderfulPop]

 

[Firewalker]

Side note - that's a horrible illustration of Madonna......

Looking more like Tina Yothers there.

 

[Reinventor]

"At her personal request"! Thought she forgot she had a song named Gambler. Now I'm getting my hopes up to see that performed live on the next tour!

 

[bazayer]

SCREAMING. Not her jumping on the Back That Up trend when it's died down already. Wonder if she'll officially release it and, if that happens, I wonder if it will kinda revive it.

I'd be here for it to be honest but it needs to the be the Pharrell produced version and not the Madame X version.

 

[boy toy]

I think the song got remasters for this release. On Apple Music, it shows it as Hi-Res Lossless and Apple Digital Master. Everybody 40th has these same labels. (All the other recent reissued singles simply show Lossless)

 

[Celestial Mosaic]

I am so happy to see this song available and in such great quality. I had bought the Vision Quest soundtrack on iTunes ages ago as it was Album only and ti was so quiet and LQ.

 

[AshtrayHeart]

Finally having Gambler available on streaming and simply just now accessible digitally without having to get my vinyl out is really a huge moment and a big tick off my Madonna want list, my Madonna singles collection playlist is becoming more and more definitive, especially after all the Erotica EPs we've just received.

 

[WhatKindOfKylie?]

Gambler, what an bop! The remaster is amazing they have done of it too.

 

[freeheadmess]

That's the first time I've heard Gambler! Probably the only Madonna single I'd ever not heard. Very 80's very fun!

 

[blod]

Gambler is a very Flashdance/ Coco from Fame empowerment bop (a good thing).

 

[bazayer]

Exciting tease from the Billboard article

So why now for this long-awaited debut? “It was Madonna’s personal request,” according to a representative at Rhino. It’s the latest release in the ongoing catalog campaign announced in 2021. While “Gambler” is the final Madonna reissue from Rhino/Warner in 2022, Rhino promises “more fun things to look forward to in 2023” and that “Gambler” is “just a small glimpse of what fans can expect” next year.

 

[blod]

Exciting tease from the Billboard article

So why now for this long-awaited debut? “It was Madonna’s personal request,” according to a representative at Rhino. It’s the latest release in the ongoing catalog campaign announced in 2021. While “Gambler” is the final Madonna reissue from Rhino/Warner in 2022, Rhino promises “more fun things to look forward to in 2023” and that “Gambler” is “just a small glimpse of what fans can expect” next year.

Physical reissues now plEASE!

 

[idratherjack]

Amazing to finally have Gambler on streaming, it's Top 10 Madonna for me. I'd say it's her most forgotten 80s single despite being a Top 5 hit, having never appeared on a studio or compilation album. It's such a bop and this new remaster is great (I bought the Vision Quest soundtrack off iTunes and it's so quiet on there).

This will be me for the rest of the day

 

[johnoclock]

Hey You is credited to Madonna/Mirwais/Pharrell on the Live Earth CD though. Thankfully it can't be placed next to the 80s solo written anthems (and Shoo-Be-Doo).

I Love NY from I'm Going to Tell You a Secret is the last song, and first since Gambler, only credited to Madonna.

Hey You is credited to solo Madonna on the publisher's website and that's the citation Wikipedia (where I got the tidbit) had

https://web.archive.org/web/20150219054951/http://www.warnerchappell.com/song-details/WW008801988000

 

[Vasilios]

So bad Mirwais Pharrell said nope I’m out

 

[boy toy]

Hey You is credited to solo Madonna on the publisher's website and that's the citation Wikipedia (where I got the tidbit) had

https://web.archive.org/web/20150219054951/http://www.warnerchappell.com/song-details/WW008801988000

I remember something about this song being written by Madonna and produced by Pharrell? This was just before Hard Cardy came out so it probably spilled from those sessions? Mirwais involvement is strange but who knows, maybe the seed of the song came from the American Life sessions?

 

[beautifulmorning]

I remember something about this song being written by Madonna and produced by Pharrell? This was just before Hard Cardy came out so it probably spilled from those sessions? Mirwais involvement is strange but who knows, maybe the seed of the song came from the American Life sessions?

The lyrics come from a song produced by Mirwais. The demo is out there. It’s a dance track. I think it’s “Keep the Trance”.