Justifying our love: An hour of Madonna’s greatest non-hits
Image: Graphic: Natalie PeeplesPhoto: Frank Micelotta Photo: Gie Knaeps Music Features power hour
Madonna is modern pop’s original icon, someone whose music and influence will be shared, enjoyed, and debated for decades to come. A capital-S “Star” back when such a thing meant ubiquity without the aid of the internet, her style and substance were inseparable, the forward-thinking approach to both being an integral aspect of her popularity and acclaim over the course of four decades. Superlatives are a given: She’s the bestselling female recording artist of all time, the record holder for most No. 1 tracks on the Billboard charts, and winner of seven Grammys, to name a few. Madonna is a hitmaker with an almost unparalleled knack for finding the cultural zeitgeist, each new release seeming to bring at least one or two songs destined for entry in the pop hall of fame. From “Holiday” to “Like A Prayer,” “Take A Bow” to “Hung Up,” her Billboard chart-toppers are earworms of the highest order.
But a gift for creating radio hits is only half the story. Madonna’s legacy endures not just because of a string of Billboard smashes; she has earned her place in music history by crafting albums that aren’t the usual pop-artist offering of several singles intermixed with a bunch of listless filler. Her albums are carefully curated assemblages of music, often arranged around several musical and conceptual themes that drive each new release. The deep cuts can be just as potent and moving as the internationally renowned hits, which is why we’ve decided to put together this Power Hour of Madonna’s lesser-known works. The rules were simple: No No. 1 Billboard hits, nothing that even entered the Top 40 in the Hot 100 chart. Hell, we even (mostly) avoided songs that appeared on other charts, like Dance Club Songs, where she was a constant presence, or anything released as a single at all. So consider this a chance to get to know the Madonna only her fans know: the artist with a bevy of musical delights lying in wait for those curious enough to unearth them. Here’s 60 minutes’ worth to get you started.
“Think Of Me” (1983)
Right from the start, Madonna announced herself as a major new force in pop music. “Everybody” was the track that landed her a record deal, and became the first single off her eponymous debut. But despite the almost instant smash success of the initial hits—“Holiday,” “Borderline,” “Lucky Star”—the entire album is full of party-ready anthems. “Think Of Me” is a signature example, the thick bass synth bouncing along underneath a handclap rhythm tailor-made for early ’80s dance floors. It’s got a catchy, sing-along refrain, and is filled with lyrics that capture the essence of her initial appeal, a mentality and bravado that became the attitude of empowerment she brought to so many of her fans: Enjoy me while I’m around, because we both know I’m too good for this.
“Over And Over” (1984)
Following the massive success of her debut, Madonna wanted to produce her sophomore LP, Like A Virgin, herself. But when her label wouldn’t allow it, she called upon Nile Rodgers, collaborator of popular music’s other great chameleon, David Bowie. She did get to co-write more than half of the album’s songs, however, including “Over And Over.” Next to tracks like “Material Girl” and “Like A Virgin”—mega-hits that introduced the world to the provocateur Madonna would become—“Over And Over” feels like a footnote, sure, but the fact that a song this ecstatically catchy was never even released as a single is testament to Madge’s surplus of energy and ideas in this era.
“Where’s The Party” (1986)
On True Blue, Madonna became Madonna. Not only was she finally able to co-produce and co-write from album start to finish, but she matured significantly as an artist in every regard. And by incorporating classical and Latin influences into her synth-heavy dance pop, she reached her widest audience yet: True Blue went to No. 1 in an unprecedented 28 countries. Among the few songs here that weren’t huge hits, “Where’s The Party” stands out as yet another perfect ’80s pop confection: the buoyant synth lines, Madonna’s bright, raspy delivery of its anthemic chorus. Very much in the sexy, self-assured feminine mold Madonna herself first cast, “Where’s The Party” is about a woman reclaiming her right to play as hard as she works—a philosophy that’s defined the artist’s own career.
“Promise To Try” (1989)
Her primary contributions to pop can be found on the dance floor, but the Material Girl was no slouch when it came to the ballad game, either. Despite a voice even she admitted couldn’t compete with some of the volcanic singers found among her contemporaries, she knew how to use it to maximum effect. Like A Prayer’s “Promise To Try” exemplifies the affecting nature of her best slow-burn work: The song finds her addressing her own 5-year-old self, bereft in the wake of the loss of her mother. It’s a moving and heartfelt elegy that showcases Madonna’s talent for making highly individual stories feel accessible and universal, a lyrical skill that would serve her well through the years, never more successfully than in later chart-topping ballads like “Take A Bow.”
“Waiting” (1992)
Kicking off with one of the hip-hop-style drumbeats that defined her early ‘90s musical output, “Waiting” captures the languid, sensual vibe of 1992’s Erotica without sacrificing the easy pleasures of a good hook. The attention lavished on her concurrently released Sex book and the discussions about Madonna’s frank explorations of sexuality (and sexual imagery) in the press blitz for the album and art book overshadowed the accompanying music, which is a shame—in hindsight, Erotica is a captivating record, its fusion of house rhythms and trip-hop vibes with her pop sensibilities making for a different kind of Madonna record. As with Justify My Love, she was pushing the boundaries of her sound in new directions, ones that adapted and were influenced by then-current reinventions in club music.
“Sanctuary” (1994)
After the controversy and press circus surrounding Erotica, Madonna refocused her sound and image to be warmer and more accessible. “I’m going to be a good girl, I swear,” she noted coyly in publicity for follow-up Bedtime Stories. Even with contributions from Babyface and Björk, the 1994 record remains fairly underrated in Madonna’s catalog, but “Sanctuary” is a known fan favorite. On the album, the song bleeds into “Bedtime Story,” but in many ways “Sanctuary” feels more organic than its more popular, Björk-penned successor. Having co-written the track, Madonna is much more at home in its melodies and sensual spoken word, and her performance turns what is otherwise a retread of earlier musical themes into a time-tested deep cut.
“Sky Fits Heaven” (1998)
On Ray Of Light, however, Madonna took the avant-electronica of “Bedtime Story” deeper and, with the help of producer William Orbit, found her own expression of it. For all her costume changes over the years, Madonna made a lasting evolution on Ray Of Light, a meditation on new motherhood and newfound spirituality that unexpectedly became one of the best—and bestselling—records of her winding career. “Sky Fits Heaven,” in which Madonna famously adapts a poem by Max Blagg, got a remix by Sasha and Victor Calderone that landed on the dance charts, but the original production is a wonder itself, a transcendent union of Orbit’s experimental European club aesthetics and Madonna’s mainstream pop mastery.
“Impressive Instant” (2000)
Two years after the introspective Ray Of Light, Madonna naturally sought to switch things up, but no one could’ve predicted she’d go from ascetic Geisha to Auto-Tuned cowgirl. The chaotic, carefree Music, which incorporated country and rock influences into the artist’s dance pop, was heavily driven by the choppy production techniques of Mirwais Ahmadzaï. And “Impressive Instant,” which did eventually travel to the top of the dance charts, is a frankly bonkers cut of thumping club euphoria. Not many people can pull off a line like “I like to singy singy singy / Like a bird on a wingy wingy wingy,” but Madonna does it here. In fact, her playfulness is contagious, inspiring the exact kind of surrender Ahmadzaï and she adopted when making it: “Oh, fuck it, let’s just have fun.”
“Love Profusion” (2003)
The fourth and final single from 2003's little-loved American Life, “Love Profusion” technically hit the dance charts, but given it failed to even crack the Hot 100, we’re granting it a pass. And with good reason: While the whole record was initially a bit of a misfire critically and commercially (“misfire” being relative, as the album still eventually went platinum in the U.S.), its luster has been burnished in recent years by a reevaluation of a bold left turn in her pop sound. With a focus on guitars and embrace of the folktronica style, it may have initially confused fans expecting Madonna to continue her dance-floor, arena-ready beats from Music, instead going introspective again (and even political) for a concept album picking apart the scrum of American pop culture—and her place in it. “Love Profusion,” with its strumming chords and thrumming electro beats, is the best of the bunch.
“Get Together” (2005)
Like “Love Profusion,” “Get Together” performed well on dance charts but didn’t crack the Billboard Hot 100, even though it was released as the third single from the epic, beat-driven Confessions On A Dance Floor. Though Madonna had remained a constant on the turntables over the last two decades, regardless of her music’s many different directions, the Stuart Price-produced Confessions was the first explicit, front-to-back dance record from her in ages. “Get Together,” from the album’s lighter first half, is another fan favorite, with an easy, cathartic build and almost meta lyrics, which call back to “Holiday,” “Secret,” and more recently, “Impressive Instant”’s musing on love at first sight.
“She’s Not Me” (2008)
With an old-school disco spirit, there’s an immediacy to “She’s Not Me” that announces Madge’s intention to continue to rule the dance floors of the world. Hard Candy as a whole had an R&B focus—unsurprising, given it’s largely a series of collaborations with Timbaland, Pharrell Williams, and Justin Timberlake—but as opposed to singles like “4 Minutes,” this track doesn’t stray far from its disco/house roots, and showcases Madonna as the still-reigning queen of fizzy, strobe-light club concoctions. At six minutes in length, it exceeds the pop-music mandate for brevity, but that’s house music’s influence. And besides, as Madonna announces halfway through the song, “I know I can do it better.”
“Gang Bang” (2012)
By 2012 Madonna had done it all, and in many cases more than once. No artist, however, had ever done a $120 million promotion deal with Live Nation, and probably no one ever should’ve. Madonna’s first album under the agreement, MDNA, was written in the aftermath of her divorce from Guy Ritchie and should’ve been charged with emotion; instead, it was largely soulless and overproduced, its marketing much more inspired than its music. One big exception is the Orbit track “Gang Bang,” which finds Madge in full method mode as she delivers a Tarantino-inspired tale of lover’s revenge widely interpreted as a dig at her filmmaker ex-husband’s own gangster obsession. Ignoring the dubstep drop, “Gang Bang” shows Madonna at her experimental best.
“Devil Pray” (2015)
The Southern influence rears its head once more on “Devil Pray,” a track from 2015’s Rebel Heart that combines elements of rootsy country-rock with contemporary pop in a manner that recalls nothing so much as Miley Cyrus, albeit with a touch of early Shakira (seen in the mix of Latin pop and Middle Eastern flourishes). Indeed, there are moments in the song when it feels as though Cyrus could’ve sung it—the line “Yeah, we could do drugs and we could smoke weed and we could drink whiskey” certainly feels more casual than Madonna’s usual M.O.—but overall, the track benefits from the grainy texture of the singer’s voice in her later years, which adds a layer of rueful experience to the lyric. Once it erupts into pure synth-aided bliss, however, it belongs to Madonna alone, a reminder of her songwriting savvy even more than 30 years after she first captured our hearts and ears.
110 Comments
Madonna always reminds me of the best of my childhood.
A hip-thrusting sixty year old in her underwear? You had a weird childhood.
A) She wasn’t in her 60s when we were kids
B) Would you make this comment about Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, Prince (if he was still with us) etc.? There’s always one who has got to come with the sexist “ugh sexy grandma is gross” comment. You guys have been doing it for 20 years and it’s tired.
They aren’t making themselves out to be sex symbols, though. Madonna still is. And Madame X is just not working.
Listen if YOU don’t find her sexy, that’s your business, but considering she never has any problems attracting new boyfriends there are lots of people who do. Sexiness has always been part of her pop persona, is she supposed to give that up because she doesn’t make your particular dick hard? She’s got a pretty amazing body for a 60 year old, and can wear whatever the fuck she wants at any age since she’s fucking Madonna.
Iggy Pop is still out here not wearing shirts when he performs, should he give up something that’s intrinsic to his personality because he’s crossed some subjective age line?
Again, men never get these types of criticisms. Lenny Kravitz is 55 and recently posted this picture. Is he not trying to be sexy?
Again, men never get these types of criticisms. Lenny Kravitz is 55 and recently posted this picture. Is he not trying to be sexy?*looks at picture**grunts* “… bunk”
Lol same
He’s also succeeding. Damn.
It might not be working for you but the critics are calling it the best album on 2019 so far and it’s working for many of her fans.
Price was a purposeful sex symbol until the day he died.Jagger struts like a rooster, for fucks sake.So what are you talking about?
Prince wasn’t making himself out to be a sex symbol, really? Also I think you’d have to put Jagger in that category too. And Iggy Pop has been performing shirtless for his entire career (and I think sometimes pants-less).
I’m pretty sure Mick Jagger will consider himself a sex symbol at least 5 years after he croaks.
uhhhh…Prince and Mick Jagger aren’t making themselves out to be sex symbols? Do we exist in separate, briefly overlapping, universes?
You know Prince played with a guitar shaped like a penis, right?
Mick Jagger, Iggy Pop, & Prince weren’t “making themselves out to be sex symbols” – What??!!
They aren’t making themselves out to be sex symbols, though.
Your username makes me think you’re being ironic, but the points you make are really valid.I’m don’t know what to say, other than yes is it lazy to through the old grandma tag at Madonna.
I mean, I’m not a huge fan of her recent stuff and think she’s done some really dumb and problematic things (like recently wearing native dress to an award show and saying the n word), but the sexist/ageist stuff really gets to me and it’s been going on since she turned 40. There’s lots to criticize her for, this ain’t it.
Also: Prince not making himself out to be a sex symbol? Yes, the guy who jerked off his guitar, wore assless pants, who literally changed his name to a sex symbol, and whose final 3 singles were RocknRoll Love Affair, Screwdriver, and Xtralovable wasn’t trying to be a sex symbol.
I mostly agree with what you’re saying, but…The cover for Hard Candy. There comes a time when you should stop making your crotch the focal point of your album covers. I’m not sure when that time comes, but I think it’s slightly after you’re born.
“There comes a time when you should stop making your crotch the focal point of your album covers. I’m not sure when that time comes, but I think it’s slightly after you’re born.”Not a fan of the Rolling Stones, I’m guessing…(or just not aware of the album Sticky Fingers)
No, not really. And definitely not a fan of that album cover, yuck.
I’d say the same thing if they were dancing in her underwear, too!
I’d say the same thing if they were dancing in her underwear, too!
Now I can’t get the image of Prince and Mick Jagger dancing around in Madonna’s underwear out of my head.
Yeah, apparently Prince wasn’t making himself out to be a sex symbol.
Grow up! Madonna has been around for 40 years – she was successful when she was younger too.
Yeah. “Take A Bow” is sort of filed in my brain as “actual magic in song form” because it came along at about the time I was really becoming conscious of music as something more than background.
Yeah… that song (and video) transmitted a kind of enchantment that just did not quit.
Plus the toreador in that music video… Yow.
o gawd yes. the entire video was just a swoon and a half. Madonna wrapping her legs around the tv set during the bullfight.
I love that she’s still creating controversy. Right here, in this thread. If Madonna ever had a divine purpose, it was to cause heated arguments about the role of women’s sexuality in entertainment. A conversation we would not even be having if it weren’t for her compelling psychological need to push boundaries.My favorite Madonna song is “Human Nature,” for personal reasons. Not sure how obscure that is. I devoured everything she did in the 80s and 90s regardless of what was playing on the radio. The albums Bedtime Stories and Something to Remember (compilation) are pretty much perfect.
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“Love Profusion” fucking slaps. Shout out to Estée Lauder’s commercial for the “Beyond Paradise” fragrance (dir. Luc Besson, 2003) for introducing me to it.LOVE PROFUSION GANG WE OUTCHEA!!!
Madonna is modern pop’s original iconEh, I’ll allow it, since you used the qualifier “modern,” so that rules out Elvis and maybe The Beatles, and also since Jacko is 1) dead, and deux) probably a child abuser.
Michael Jackson career dates back to late 60’s, so he wouldn’t count as modern if the Beatles don’t.
True, but Jackson’s ‘70s and ‘80s stuff had much more direct influence on post-2000 pop than the Beatles’. But I think Madonna still wins that race.
The “King of Pop” that emerged from Thriller onward is as different from Jackson 5-era Michael Jackson or even Off the Wall-era Jackson as he is from Frank Sinatra.Also, I said “maybe” about The Beatles.
Fair point, though child star MJ is still an icon of sorts. At least in terms of Motown’s prominent stars of 60’s and 70’s.Madonna became “modern pop’s original icon” from Like A Virgin onwards, post ‘82 Thriller. Though it’s not exactly clear when AVC is stating “modern pop” started. 🙂
jesus quibbling christ…
She’s … the record holder for most No. 1 tracks on the Billboard chartsMariah Carey: “Excuse me, what?”(Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr: Here Here!)
… and winner of seven GrammysAretha Franklin: “What a shame I couldn’t inspire her to win 10 more, so she wouldn’t be that far behind my number of wins …”
(*cough* I meant ‘Hear! Hear!’)
(kinja duplicate post – can’t completely delete it – nothing to see here)
*cough* PAYOLA *cough*
Nah, that is actually accurate… but they should have probably been clear. Madonna has the most No. 1s on all the Billboard charts combined. She has 12 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Hot 100 (compared to Mariah and Elvis’ 18, and The Beatles’ 20.), 8 No. 1 albums on the Billboard 200 (Mariah has 6), and 46 No. 1 songs on the Billboard Dance Chart (compared to Mariah’s 17).
Mariah has the record for most #1 singles on the Billboard Hot 100. Madonna has the record for all Billboard charts in total, thanks to all those dance floor singles.
No, that’s not true. The Beatles have 20 #1 hits on the Billboard Hot 100. Mariah Carey has 18.
I’ll have to restrain myself or this could take a while. Sanctuary
and She’s Not Me are nice choices. Love Profusion and Get Together are all-time
greats. Shoo-Bee-Doo is lovely. Secret Garden is great. Amazing (record label
wanted be a single and they were right) is fun, classic her and Falling Free is an all-time great.
Amazing absolutely should’ve been a single.
“Secret Garden is great.”This was the first song that popped into my head when reading the title of the article. The Erotica album is linked with Madonna’s stunts but it was a pretty solid record
The lyrics to Falling Free give me goosebumps.
“Into the Groove” from Desperately Seeking Susan, which was never released as a single in the US and so never charted (it was the B-side to the single “Angel”) is my favorite Madonna song
Yeah it’s a fantastic song
Same. It has her best elements: elevated club music with direct lyrics that capture that feeling. (see also, “Get Together”)
It was a #1 US Dance hit, which they said they were trying to avoid. But yeah, it’s great.
But Impressive Instant was also a #1 Dance Hit, which they included on this list. Anyway, truth be told I understand the decision to not include Into the Groove on this list, because it does feel like it must have been one of her biggest hits!
Yet it’s regarded as one of her classic songs.
That’s interesting. Our local top 40 station played it SO much, I always assumed it was meant to be a single.
I finally saw “Desperately Seeking Susan” a few weeks ago, and I enjoyed the hell out of it. It had one of Rosanna Arquette’s best performances, made great use of NYC locations, and even reminded me of Jacques Rivette’s “Celine and Julie Go Boating.” (I would be very surprised if Susan Seidelman had not watched that a few dozen times before filming.) And it was consistently funny. It may be Madonna’s best screen appearance (low bar, I know, but she’s good in it).
I think Desperately Seeking Susan is underrated & have been wanting to see Celine & Julie Go Boating for a while, which is hard to find in the US. That is an interesting comparison
The Sonic Youth cover is pretty good too.
I love that song. When I was young I was obsessed with the movie too. I wanted that jacket so badly.
If anything from Rebel Heart deserves to be on this list, it’s “Joan of Arc”, not “Devil Pray”.
HeartbreakCity too
I loved Bedtime Stories. I know Sanctuary is a fan favourite so deserves a place on this list of non-singles, but I always thought Inside of Me was the album standout. My personal favourite from that album is Love Tried to Welcome Me – the strings do it for me.Also, I’m not sure it qualifies, but I loved her version of Marvin Gaye’s I Want You. on her Something To Remember album (I’d call it my favourite Madonna album, but that feels like cheating since it’s also a compilation). Doesn’t hurt that it features Massive Attack, who I love. Not sure why this wasn’t a single:
Thank you for mentioning “I Want You,” which was originally from the tribute album, “Inner City Blues: The Music of Marvin Gaye.” The orchestral arrangement that accompanies Massive Attack’s trip hop sound is just lovely. The track was supposed to be officially released as a single, but legal problems between Motown and Madonna’s record label did not make it possible, which is such a crying shame.
It is lovely – and I was happy the album included the orchestral version of I Want You (which is breathtakingly beautiful) as well as the would-have-been-a-single version.I Want You is my favourite Marvin Gaye song, and one would think that would make me whine that “no one else can do the song justice!” but I totally loved Madonna’s version – and Robert Palmer’s as well. Actually, now I think about it, it’s odd that Motown wouldn’t let Madonna release it as a single, but Robert Palmer had no such problems.
I cannot for the life of me find this song on iTunes.
I cannot for the life of me find this song on iTunes.Which song? (the beauty of Kinja is it can be hard to keep track of which comment is in response to which)
Oh, yes of course, the comments do end up looking like a big jumble, don’t they! I was referring to your posted video of Robert Palmer’s Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You. I can’t seem to find it on iTunes as I wanted to purchase it after seeing the video.
Ah, OK. Not sure which country you’re in (I’m in the UK) but here’s a link to the track on US iTunes:
https://music.apple.com/dk/album/medley-mercy-mercy-me-i-want-you/699605656?i=699605773It’s from his album Don’t Explain so depending on where you are, if that link doesn’t work for you, you may want to search for the album instead.As with many artists I love, his biggest hit, Addicted To Love (with the iconic video with those models swaying behind him in all black ‘playing’ guitar) really isn’t representative of his best work. His Know By Now record was one of the first CD singles I bought as a kid. His music has a special place in my heart – whatever genre, it’s always soulful, passionate, authentic, underrated. Unfortunately I never got to see him live before he passed away Oh, there’s a great live performance of Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You he did on the Arsenio Hall show:
Oh gawd yes Palmer is a very singular and stylish artist, always loved his music!Thanks for the links! I’m in the US. As it turns out, Don’t Explain and Know By Now are not available in the US iTunes store. The link you provided brought me to the Danish iTunes store, and although I was able to peruse the music, when I tried to DL some songs I was notified that my US Apple ID/password is not honored there – and I was summarily redirected back to the impoverished US store. Unforch, it appears that a largely reduced catalog is all that’s available to US consumers.That Arsenio Hall Show performance is simply stellar! Mercy Mercy Me/I Want You is such an evocative piece of blatant cultural appropriation*, don’t you think? And did that really air 30 years ago??? Seems like it was just yesterday that Palmer was top of the charts… 😮
*just kidding i think LOL
I can’t remember anything from that Marvin Gaye album except for Madonna’s and Neneh Cherry’s cover of “Trouble Man”. They’re two of my all-time favorite covers.
Yeah, +1 for “I Want You”, with an extra +1 to whoever did her hair in this video because this is an absolutely stunning look for her.
Love Tried to Welcome Me is haunting and wonderful.
Yup, an underrated track on an already underrated album. I love how it unhurriedly draws you in, there’s like a full minute of the orchestra before Madonna’s singing actually starts. Also, the orchestral version of I Want You similarly has a (mostly) wordless first minute of strings. Huh – guess I have a type when it comes to Madonna songs I go crazy for …… or songs in general I’m in love with. I’m obsessed with Moloko’s Over and Over and that also has a full minute of majestic orchestra before the beat drops and vocals kick in. And now I’m imagining it sung by Madonna, and it kind of works!
Thanks for sharing this! Great song. I had never listened to Moloko before. I have a weakness for music with orchestral arrangements, especially strings.
Bedtime Stories has got to be my favourite album as well, though Bedtime Story is my all time favourite song (and video!). Not until years later that I found out Björk had written that song (with Nellee Hooper and Marius de Vries, who helped Björk reach brilliance in her early solo years).That song is just magnificent, even 25 years later (and I am still considering to have the line ‘let’s get unconscious’ above the bed).
I’m a huge Bjork fan (her concert at the Royal Opera House in London years ago is still the most memorable I’ve ever been to, hands down) and while I really liked (and still like) Bedtime Story, I have to admit that I would have preferred it if sung by Bjork. It sounds too much like Bjork – like Madonna doing a (perfectly polished) studio-karaoke-version of a Bjork song – and I always found that distracting. Even the intonation of the repeated “let’s get unconscious ho-NEY, let’s get UN-con-scious” is very Bjork-like, and would flow more naturally if sung by Bjork, and always made me wish I could hear it in Bjork’s gruffer, power-house voice, as opposed to the smooth tone Madonna sings it in.(I’m not against people doing Bjork songs per se – sometimes I prefer the covers. I think I’ve listened to Corinne Bailey Rae’s Venus as a Boy more than I have the original, and I am absolutely in love with Obadiah Parker’s rendition of Who Is It (Carry My Joy on the Left, Carry My Pain on the Right).)Thinking about it, the closest actual Bjork song I can think of to Bedtime Story is maybe Hidden Place, as far as the hypnotic beats go (but I may change my mind in 5 minutes if I think about that longer …)
You mean the Vespertine tour with the live orchestra, Icelandic choir, Matmos, Zeena Parkins, Tanya Tagaq and all? I saw that in Amsterdam – best concert ever indeed! (I saw her again for the Volta tour – awesome but not even close). Ever since been a fan of Tagaq as well. And of Ernst Haekel, whose imagery she used as projections.Honestly, I don’t think Björk’s voice would have been right for the song and Madonna’s suits it perfectly. Björk has a rawness which doesn’t feel right here for me. But I may be wrong – guess we will never hear it.Hidden Place works, though I am also thinking about remixes that give me a similar vibe, even though the songs are quite different… Headphones (Mike Vainio remix, on Telegram, though the original remains amazing as well and in my top 5 of her songs) and Anchor Song (Black Dog mix, single).Radiohead doing Unravel = raw perfection
You mean the Vespertine tour with the live orchestra, Icelandic choir, Matmos, Zeena Parkins, Tanya Tagaq and all?Yes, that’s the one. Although we didn’t get Tagaq in London. I also saw her again for the Volta tour, and I concur – awesome but not even close. And I saw her once between those two shows, i.e. between the Vespertine and Volta tours – although it wasn’t for Medulla because that hadn’t been released yet (it was the first time I heard Desired Constellation). Now that was a close second to Vespertine tour. It ended with pyrotechnics and Pluto.Honestly, I don’t think Björk’s voice would have been right for the song and Madonna’s suits it perfectly. Björk has a rawness which doesn’t feel right here for me.I hear what you’re saying about the rawness, but I think that’s what I personally would have preferred. Sometimes Bjork’s music is so immaculate and hypnotic that it needs vocals with some edge. Necessary roughness, if you will. I mean, a lot of songs on Vespertine sound like they are meant for a less-raw voice – but can you imagine what that album would be with someone with a technically smooth voice (Josh Groban, perhaps?). Still great but no bite. I felt like Bedtime Story was vocally missing some Bjork-bite.But as you said, this is just conjecture on my part. One day Bjork may surprise us and sing it at a concert and I’ll go “You know what, I was wrong, this actually does sound better with Madonna”.
omigod what a terrific, evocative selection. Thanks for posting the songs. Madonna’s been so prolific I tend to forget how much great pop can be found in her archive.
My fave Madonna non-singles are Love Song (with Prince) and Till Death Do Us Part (about the dissolution of her marriage to Sean Penn) from Like a Prayer, I Know It from her debut album, and White Heat from True Blue.
Here are my top 20 Madonna songs that were not singles but should have been:1. Where’s the Pary2. Heartbreakcity3. Sooner or Later4. I fu@ked up5. I Want You 6. Love Tried to Welcome Me7. Drowned World/Substitute for Love8. Love Spent9. Gang Bang10. In This Life11. Amazing12. X-Static Process13. Falling Free14. Promise to Try 15. I don’t give A…16. Skin17. Their of Hearts18. Sky fits heaven 19. Candy shop20. Joan of Arc
As a huge Sondheim fanatic and a slightly lesser Madonna fanatic, I love the three Dick Tracy songs she did–and did well (reportedly Sondheim made her cry because he worked her so hard to sing on key). Yet always forget about them in lists like this.
I loved Bedtime Stories when it came out and I always thought it was weirdly underrated. In some ways I think its sound was a little ahead of its time.
Ditto. After reading this article, and making my comments above also praising Bedtime Stories, I looked at the album’s wiki page, where I gleaned this interesting info:- Despite a considerably weaker debut than its predecessor, Erotica (1992), which opened at number two with sales of 167,000 copies, its chart longevity made Bedtime Stories outsell Erotica in the end- “Inside of Me” samples “Back & Forth” performed by Aaliyah, written and produced by R&B singer R. Kelly (so R Kelly made money off of sales of Bedtime Stories? How random!)
Wow, I didn’t realize Back & Forth was already out by then, how interesting!
“Timing” is a critical problem WRT the creation and dissemination of many forms of art.
The only nomination I have to add is “I’m Addicted”. I also liked her recent single “Medellin”, at least on one listen.
Too bad it was only one song from each album and no soundtracks. I would have included White Heat, The Look of Love, Dear Jessie, Something to Remember, Secret Garden, Inside of Me, I want You, Gone and Joan of Arc.
That 2005 “Confessions on a Dance Floor” album is full of bangers. “Jump” is really good too.
“She’s Not Me” is easily one of Madonna’s 3 worst songs ever. “Gang Bang” isn’t much better.
Wait, “Devil Pray” is the song about sniffing glue? That song sucks too.
You’re crazy. Wendy Melvoin’s grooving on that funky guitar is irresistible. Wendy!
This is super cool and very well curated. BUT. Nile Rodgers produced “Let’s Dance” and then didn’t work with Bowie again until “Black Tie, White Noise”. Not a frequent collaborator and basically his work with Madonna came on of the heels of Let’s Dance (as Madonna has always clearly been in love with David Bowie).
What’s wrong.with having always clearly been in love with Bowiem
Honestly, I’ve been going through the deep cut tracks from Erotica in my head, and you could just put that whole album as some sort of bonus choice. There’s not a single song on there that isn’t either catchy, hypnotic, or unusually risk-taking. Very underrated in my book. (Rain might be the only one I’m iffy about, but that was definitely a single either way, so…)
At this point, I’d like to randomly tell everyone who doesn’t know already that Sonic Youth made a Madonna-inspired album as “Ciccone Youth” – check out “Into The Groovey”. Spoitfy says my other favorites from the album are “Macbeth”, “Children of Satan/Third Fig”, “Addicted to Love” (ala Robert Palmer), and “March of the Ciccone Robots”
It’s interesting that around the 4 or 5 album mark you can hear the local lessons really kick in. The high warbling of ‘Holiday’ gets replaced by the confident strength of ‘Live to Tell’. It’s really quite a progression.
I love “Think Of Me,” “Sanctuary,” “Love Profusion,” and “Get Together.”Others have mentioned “I Want You” with Massive Attack and Bedtime Story’s “Inside Of Me,” so I’ll champion some other deep cuts.1) “Little Star” from Ray Of Light
Two of my favorite tracks from Ray Of Light weren’t singles in the US, but were in the UK. “Drowned World/Substitute For Love” was a single with a video and everything, and “Little Star” was technically a double A-side with “The Power Of Good-bye.” But since this is based on US charts, I’ll go with “Little Star.”Maybe I’m just partial to sweet, sincere songs written to one’s children (i.e. Stevie Wonder’s “Isn’t She Lovely,” The Divine Comedy’s “Charmed Life,” and Adele’s “Sweetest Devotion.”).2) “Time Stood Still” from The Next Best ThingThe movie is terrible (legendary director John Schlesinger’s final film) and her “American Pie” cover was…a choice, but I still go back to this gorgeous William Orbit-produced ballad from the soundtrack to The Next Best Thing. I made the mistake of listening to this after a breakup. Oh honey…
3) “Easy Ride” from American LifeWith the exception of the woefully misguided “Die Another Day,” the back half of American Life is some of Madonna’s strongest, most personal work. But the album was mostly ignored after the lead single/title track didn’t exactly work (I still contend that if “American Life” had cut off before the rap verse with her saying “fuck it”—around 3:10—I think that would have worked so much better).“Nothing Fails,” “Intervention,” and “X-Static Process,” are all fantastic, but album closer “Easy Ride” is one of my all-time favorite Madonna songs and one of her most underrated.4) “Forbidden Love” from Confessions On A Dance Floor
The way “Forbidden Love” segues into “Jump” was probably my favorite moment when I first heard Confessions On A Dance Floor. On its own, it’s still a standout.
5) “Heartbeat” from Hard CandyHard Candy is where my interest in Madonna ends. I haven’t been a fan of anything since. I keep hoping for her to regain the magic that seemed to accompany every new re-invention, but I’ve just been underwhelmed.Since “She’s Not Me” was mentioned in the article and “Miles Away” charted on the US Dance Charts and the UK Singles Charts, I’ll pick “Heartbeat.”
+1 for Little Star, and the shout-out to Xstatic Process.I just remembered another underrated song – Be Careful with Ricky Martin. I always thought it sounded like it belonged on the Ray of Light album.(Yeesh! That movie looks beautifully shot but cringe-inducing-ly acted …)
I believe it WAS a RoL demo…
Forbidden Love with its late 70s Moroder-movie soundtrack inspired production is an all time fave song for me.
Skin, from Ray of Light, would have been as good an entry as Sky Fits Heaven.
SPOT ON for including Impressive Instant on this list. Will def give the rest of the playlist a whirl as a result.
Sky Fits Heaven plays really well live, especially in a club. Nice quick build to a big rumble at about thirty seconds. People knew it was Madonna but most of them had no idea what the track was. Good stuff.
Shout out to “has to be” from the Ray of Light B-side.i LOVE get together. such a classic.
I haven’t listened to Madonna much in a few years (I may have overdosed in my teens and twenties–I still have over 100 CDs as i used to buy all the singles, etc) and had forgotten just how much I loved Has to Be.
HOW IS “JIMMY, JIMMY” NOT ON THIS LIST
Hot take: American Life would have been a fairly well regarded album if she cut the embarrassing soy latte rap.