Say which flavour you like and I'll have it for you: Suedey's Madonna top 50 (1 Viewer)

Bluejeans said:
Don't STONE me, but it's not much of a song.

File under 'highly overrated'. I do think the video is showing its age too sadly. I remember thinking it wasn't 'all that' at the time actually.

Apologies to all the Madonna fans
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Disagree. It's very much got a conventional structure actually as a song. It's the lyrics and articulation that are unusual.

Off topic: You remind me of a previous poster who used to post here!
 
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13. Oh Father (Like a Prayer, 1989; Something To Remember, 1996)
UK chart position: 16
Key live performance: Blond Ambition Tour 1990​

Similarly to other songs in the top 15, ‘Oh Father’ has often featured in my top 10 in the past. It is just quite difficult at this point as most songs are 10/10 really. Anyway, ‘Oh Father’ is perhaps the rawest and most personal of all the songs on Like A Prayer. The ominous intro that follows on from the jolly string outro of ‘Dear Jessie’ is perhaps one of her greatest album transitions. And then comes her raw vocal and her assertion of ‘You never loved me’. It is as literal towards her father as it is metaphorical to all male authority figures, and this is emphasised by the video: another Fincher masterpiece which, at times, can be quite difficult viewing. And for those of us who have had, shall we say, challenging relationships with our families this song does resonate.

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It was only performed at the Blond Ambition Tour in 1990 as part of a medley with ‘Live To Tell’ in the religious section of the show – but what a performance! It was released as a single in the USA, where it broke her consecutive string of top 10 singles. We somehow inexplicably got it in 1996 as the second single from Something To Remember – a bizarre choice in my opinion not just for a single but even for inclusion on that compilation. But if it is testament to how much she loved it, then I wouldn’t complain much further.

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Erotic, one of extremely few reasons that makes me miss my ipod or cds. I wish it was available on Spotify, or as a new Erotica single also including You Thrill Me. :disco:


As for Oh Father, I’ve always found it boring and lacking a tune. It’s certainly no Hurt (by Xtina).
 
RaspberrySwirl said:
Erotic, one of extremely few reasons that makes me miss my ipod or cds. I wish it was available on Spotify, or as a new Erotica single also including You Thrill Me. :disco:
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We can use the cage
I have a lot of rope
I'm not full of rage
I'm full of hope
This is not a crime
And you're not on trial
Bend over, baby,
I'm gonna make you smile

:horny:
 
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12. Drowned World/Substitute For Love (Ray of Light, 1998; GHV2, 2001)
UK chart position: 10
Key remix: BT & Sasha’s Ashram Mix
Key live performance: Drowned World Tour 2001​

I still remember the first time I played this on my Sony discman. The atmospheric intro and the ‘You see---’ stopped me right in my tracks before she even sang the now-iconic “I traded fame for love/ Without a second thought”. As an album opener, it is up there with the very best scene-setters there are. As a song, it is pretty relentless in the way it just builds and builds, until it gets to that thunderous middle-8 where she soars. It came with a pretty decent remix package when it was released in the UK and Europe (the US didn’t get it), and it managed a decent No. 10 peak over here – partly thanks to the mild controversy surrounding the video.

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It has, quite rightly, become a live staple and one of her signature songs in my opinion – not ‘signature’ with the general public or in terms of commercial performance, but it defines her in the same way that, say, “Human Nature” does. It opened the Drowned World Tour in understated fashion where she emerged from the mist, a sharp contrast to her usual bombastic intros, which I think really served to emphasise the power of the song itself. I loved the version from the Confessions Tour as well, but I also really enjoyed the recent outing at the somewhat maligned Tears of a Clown show.

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a phenomenal, emotional, exhilarating TRIUMPH of a song. that explosive middle 8, followed by the iconic mmmmm harmonising, is so stupendously great. and so Madonna.
 
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11. La Isla Bonita (True Blue, 1986; The Immaculate Collection, 1990; Celebration, 2009)
UK chart position: 1
Key remix: extended remix
Key live performance: Girlie Show Tour 1993 ​


Surprised? Well don’t be. “La Isla Bonita” is one of those effortlessly flawless Madonna pop songs that she just makes sound so easy to construct and perform. This is another sentimental childhood favourite of mine – as I already said, True Blue was the first album I ever bought, and I was totally obsessed with the entire album at the time (yes, even ‘Jimmy Jimmy’) but “La Isla Bonita” just felt so special. Musically, it marks her first flirtation with Latin culture, which was to continue throughout her career.

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Some of you will know that the original demo version of this song was originally touted to Michael Jackson for his Bad album, but he rejected it. It landed in Madonna’s lap and with a few alterations became one of her biggest hits to date. Fun fact: in the streaming era, “La Isla Bonita” is her highest viewed YouTube music video with over 400 million views to date.

It is, of course, a live staple of hers alongside ‘Holiday’ and ‘Like A Prayer’ when it comes to the ‘catalogue songs’ – sometimes to the detriment of others. But it always gets the crowd going and I’d say at this point I’d be happier if she retired ‘Like a Prayer’ rather than ‘La Isla Bonita’. My favourite live version is from the Girlie Show, particularly the finale.

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Oh fuck yes the Girlie Show version..from that initial confusion of “why the fuck is she singing I’m Going Bananas” and then it segues into that intro and the crowd realise and goes mental and then she doesn’t let up for the whole song..and yes that ending ....
 
Suedey said:
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12. Drowned World/Substitute For Love (Ray of Light, 1998; GHV2, 2001)
UK chart position: 10
Key remix: BT & Sasha’s Ashram Mix
Key live performance: Drowned World Tour 2001​

I still remember the first time I played this on my Sony discman. The atmospheric intro and the ‘You see---’ stopped me right in my tracks before she even sang the now-iconic “I traded fame for love/ Without a second thought”. As an album opener, it is up there with the very best scene-setters there are. As a song, it is pretty relentless in the way it just builds and builds, until it gets to that thunderous middle-8 where she soars. It came with a pretty decent remix package when it was released in the UK and Europe (the US didn’t get it), and it managed a decent No. 10 peak over here – partly thanks to the mild controversy surrounding the video.

​


It has, quite rightly, become a live staple and one of her signature songs in my opinion – not ‘signature’ with the general public or in terms of commercial performance, but it defines her in the same way that, say, “Human Nature” does. It opened the Drowned World Tour in understated fashion where she emerged from the mist, a sharp contrast to her usual bombastic intros, which I think really served to emphasise the power of the song itself. I loved the version from the Confessions Tour as well, but I also really enjoyed the recent outing at the somewhat maligned Tears of a Clown show.

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@Moderator I want to report this post for not placing the song in its right place; ie #1.
 
Drowned World is one of the greatest album openers ever. The beautiful ethereal emergence of the music, the mood, the lyrics

I traded fame for love
Without a second thought

I mean you know from the OFF that she’s not playing on ROL :disco:
 
Honestly there are better album tracks on True Blue than La Isla Bonita :D

I love it, but i love it entirely in a nostalgic, essential 80s moment kind of way.
 
funky said:
Drowned World is one of the greatest album openers ever. The beautiful ethereal emergence of the music, the mood, the lyrics

I traded fame for love
Without a second thought

I mean you know from the OFF that she’s not playing on ROL :disco:
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Oh I see I’ve just repeated everything Suede said. Sorry.
 
for me La Isla Bonita is the best-aged single from the first three albums. it's completely transcendent of the period in time it was released. there's something about the vibe - warm and sultry, but melancholic and longing. it shifts between feelings and keeps you on your toes but all the while wraps you up in its calm beauty.

I remember being at the Rebel Heart tour in Amsterdam (first and to date only time seeing Madonna) and feeling like, for the first time in the show, every single person in the stadium was singing with her. the audience came to life, it gave me chills.

again the Immaculate Collection edit is my go-to. 11+/10.
 
Oh and Oh Father is fabulous. Unusually I prefer it in the context of the STR album, it’s such a strong end of album moment. I know it’s an important part of LAP though

probably the song so far I expected to be Top Ten. Looks like we’re going to get a couple of surprises at the top end.
 
I literally have no idea what's going to be top 10. I'm more excited than I should be!

I know you won't mind me saying @Suedey, but FUCK YOU, I've got Celebration on and am enjoying every second. I did skip 4 Minutes. What a dated racket!
 
11-50 recap:

11. La Isla Bonita
12. Drowned World/Substitute For Love
13. Oh Father
14. Erotica
15. Power of Goodbye
16. Bedtime Story
17. I Want You
18. What It Feels Like For A Girl
19. Open Your Heart
20. Ray of Light

21. Hung Up
22. Papa Don’t Preach
23. Rain
24. Till Death Do Us Part
25. Borderline
26. Bad Girl
27. This Used To be my Playground
28. Burning Up
29. You’ll See
30. Express Yourself

31. Nothing Really Matters
32. I’ll Remember
33. Keep It Together
34. Impressive Instant
35. Dress You Up
36. Take A Bow
37. Spanish Eyes
38. Don’t Tell Me
39. Skin
40. Who’s That Girl?

41. Masterpiece
42. Sanctuary
43. Dear Jessie
44. Rescue Me
45. Angel
46. Joan of Arc
47. Promise to Try
48. Hollywood
49. Like A Virgin
50. God Control
 
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10. Deeper and Deeper (Erotica, 1992; GHV2, 2001; Celebration, 2009)
UK chart position: 6
Key remix: Shep’s Classic 12” mix
Key live performance: Girlie Show Tour 1993​

That intro! One of my all time favourites, and then the beats kick in and she jumps into the chorus and quite simply I am in homosexual heaven. Make no mistake – “Deeper and Deeper” is one of her best bangers. Philly house – check; random Latin interlude – check; “Vogue” reference – check; Sound of Music lyric appropriation – check; impassioned and yet technically imperfect Madonna vocals – check. It is simply a mammoth of a song that just keeps building and building. Had it not been for the backlash I am confident it would have been a number 1; or at least it would have gone top 3.

I could never talk about this song without mentioning that middle 8. It’s just made for losing one’s shit on the dance floor:

Someone said that romance was dead
And I believed it instead of
Remembering what my mama told me
Let me father mould me
Then you tried to hold me
You remind me what they said
This feeling inside, I can’t explain
But my love is alive, and I’m never gonna hide it again!

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I love the dark video with its Warholian references as well. She’s not the carefree disco diva of Confessions but she’s not the sour faced doom’n’gloom Madame X of ‘God Control’ either. The Girlie Show live version remains the definitive outing, with its nod to ‘70s era carefree sex followed by the comedown of HIV/AIDS in the ‘80s. The less said about the Rebel Heart Tour rendition the better.

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I do like Deeper and Deeper but FOR ME it was a bit generic dance which I didn't really hear from her again until Celebration.

It's a good song, but not an amazing Madonna song.
 
I liked the Rebel Heart VERSH :D it always feels slightly surreal that Madonna has this one massive Philly house banger up her sleeve, slightly lost among the better known singles from that period in time. in any other artist's career it would surely be a defining hit. and the audacity to interpolate her own huge smash hit from 2 years earlier :o QUEEN SHIT! I have a sense she's come back around to loving Deeper and Deeper. it's such a delicious groove. love how it builds into something FRANTIC and FRENZIED. and I don't find it generic in the slightest.

we're in all 11s territory here and I'm living.
 
Jark said:
I liked the Rebel Heart VERSH :D it always feels slightly surreal that Madonna has this one massive Philly house banger up her sleeve, slightly lost among the better known singles from that period in time. in any other artist's career it would surely be a defining hit. and the audacity to interpolate her own huge smash hit from 2 years earlier :o QUEEN SHIT! I have a sense she's come back around to loving Deeper and Deeper. it's such a delicious groove. love how it builds into something FRANTIC and FRENZIED. and I don't find it generic in the slightest.

we're in all 11s territory here and I'm living.
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Basically first wig is gone by the middle 8

Next wig reveal is the Spanish interlude

Third and final wig is "Vogue"

We're down to scalping territory really by the end of the song.
 
I mean I'm very happy for you Suedette for (nearly) finishing a countdown, but how hard could that BE ANYWAY?
 
I absolutely adore Deeper and Deeper and agrees with that wonderful write up.

The video is one of my favourite by her. Love the balloons and the no eyebrows looks, and the banana eating.
 
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