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Posted by: HausofTravis Oct 6 2016, 07:41 PM

HELLO and welcome to the latest feature to hit the Madonna forum. Over the next few weeks, we will be collectively finding out our favourite Madonna ballad!

At this stage all you have to do is search back through her back catalogue and nominate between 3 and 10 ballads.

Now obviously we might all have different definitions for a ballad but if we stick to the definition of: "a slow sentimental or romantic song." we should be ok! Regardless of what inidividuals might think though, if the song gets enough nominations it will be put through, but please don't take the piss If there are any songs that WILDY go against the idea of a ballad, we might have to omit them, but I'm sure it won't come to that and we can always discuss ones we are not sure about in this thread If in doubt think EMOTION~

So grab your tissues, get listening and NOMINATE

Posted by: HausofTravis Oct 6 2016, 07:42 PM

I HAVE SO MANY TO CHOOSE FROM.

Not my official nominations yet but 'Oh Father', 'Rain' and 'Intervention' HAVE to get a look in here <3

Posted by: dandy* Oct 6 2016, 08:04 PM

Oh gosh, this will be interesting!

I don't really think of her as a ballad artist and yet she actually does them so very well indeed. Oh Father is a must for me but so would I'll Remember, Forbidden Love (if that counts?), Intervention, Crazy For You, Live To Tell and Ghosttown too for that matter.

Posted by: Bonq Oct 6 2016, 08:25 PM

i hope Love Don't Live Here Anymore isn't done TOO badly. its unfairly ignored

Posted by: Qween Oct 6 2016, 08:35 PM

ONLY TEN?? Goodness me I will need to be both tactical and ruthless with my list it would seem

Posted by: Bonq Oct 6 2016, 08:38 PM

Does Where Life Begins count?

Posted by: Joe. Oct 6 2016, 08:49 PM

Oh Father
Power of Goodbye
Crazy For You

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 6 2016, 08:51 PM

I'd say so.

My way of defining a Madonna ballad is asking myself whether it would appear on Something to Remember. 'Where Life Begins' would in terms of sound, although probably not lyrically.

Posted by: No Sleeep Oct 6 2016, 10:21 PM

Crazy For You
The Power of Goodbye
Rain
Take A Bow
You'll See
I'll Remember
Promise To Try
What It Feels Like For A Girl
Live To Tell
Frozen

So hard I did have Secret but on second thought it isn't really a ballad

Posted by: TheSnake Oct 6 2016, 10:33 PM

Crazy For You >>>> all other Madonna ballads.

The music is so emotive in this one, the vocal is great too.

Posted by: notfurlong Oct 6 2016, 11:11 PM

Live to Tell MUST win, all these years and it's still absolutely exquisite

Bal remind me to do noms if I never return to this thread

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 7 2016, 10:13 AM

I just tried to make a list of Madonna ballads so that I don't miss anything out when compiling my Top 10 - I ended up with over 50 songs and at least half of them could quite easily be among my favourites! Like John says, I'm going to have to be brutal!

Presumably the Confessions one? I was a bit stuck on that one; I'd personally be inclined to say it was but I'd get arguments that it wasn't.


Again, I'd say it was but can see both sides.

Posted by: Nick F1 Oct 7 2016, 10:50 AM

Milles Away
The Power of Goodbye
Rain
Take A Bow
You'll See
Frozen
Ghosttown

Posted by: Jaÿ Oct 7 2016, 01:44 PM

Crazy For You
Frozen
Ghosttown
I'll Remember
Live To Tell
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Rain
Take A Bow
The Power of Good-Bye
You'll See

Posted by: Addy K!ng Oct 7 2016, 02:47 PM

I don't think Frozen is really a ballad, no?

Take A Bow
You'll See
This Used To Be My Playground

Posted by: Regina Oct 7 2016, 05:06 PM

Ghosttown
Intervention
You'll See
Oh Father
Rain
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
You'll See
The Power of Good Bye

Posted by: Bonq Oct 7 2016, 05:57 PM

omg can someone remind me to do this pls

Posted by: Addy K!ng Oct 7 2016, 06:00 PM

I am just reminding you to do this!!!

Posted by: Bonq Oct 7 2016, 06:02 PM

thanks x

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 7 2016, 09:27 PM

Definitely a ballad, I'd say!

Posted by: Addy K!ng Oct 8 2016, 04:08 AM

I guess so...I looked up on Wiki and it says 'Musically constructed as a mid-tempo electronica ballad,'.

Posted by: Bonq Oct 8 2016, 12:27 PM

Frozen is literally her worst song

Posted by: vibe Oct 9 2016, 08:51 AM

Crazy For You
Ghost town
Live to tell
Oh Father
Joan of arc
Masterpiece
You'll see
Rain

Posted by: HausofTravis Oct 9 2016, 07:39 PM

Lmao there's trolling and then there's this. ;o

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 9 2016, 09:00 PM

I'm so happy to see 'Crazy for You' get so many votes. I think Madonna has more complex ballads in terms of both sound and theme but that's not always to say they are as effective as this is. I feel all sentimental the moment the intro kicks in and the lyrics describe beautifully what i imagine the experience of being in love is like. It's also one of the many times Madonna has made an 80s production appear timeless due to her delivery.

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 14 2016, 11:39 AM

Are we calling 'Secret' a ballad or is it too mid-tempo?

Posted by: HausofTravis Oct 14 2016, 05:11 PM

Gosh some of these are difficult. I would say yes.. if enough people choose it, I wouldn't veto its inclusion!

I really need to get my list sorted Will plan it this weekend ~

Posted by: Tombo Oct 14 2016, 06:27 PM

Frozen is an incredible song but I don't really see it as a ballad.

Posted by: mr_pmt Oct 14 2016, 09:26 PM

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 16 2016, 01:39 PM

Thanks!

Same here - I've got my playlist sorted so I'll set a night aside to listen to them all and rank.

Posted by: HausofHorrors Oct 26 2016, 11:00 AM

Ok my nominations are definitely coming today. Putting the deadline for this as Friday with the next round opening on the weekend.

GET YOUR NOMS IN PEOPLE

Posted by: Josh. Oct 26 2016, 11:06 AM

Not sure these will count so feel free to veto anything

Crazy for You
Masterpiece
You'll See
Rain
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
This Used to Be My Playground
Secret
I'll Remember
Frozen
Ghosttown

Crazy for You to win tho pls <33333

Posted by: HausofHorrors Oct 26 2016, 11:10 AM

They look good. Thanks Josh

Posted by: HausofHorrors Oct 26 2016, 12:18 PM

MY NOMS:

Oh Father
The Power of Goodbye
Rain
Promise To Try
Live to Tell
Ghosttown
Intervention
Frozen
Secret

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 26 2016, 04:52 PM

I was about to post my Top 10 last night but I want an extra day JUST to make sure I'm happy with it.

Posted by: Qween Oct 26 2016, 06:08 PM

You'll See
Crazy For You
Love Don't Live Here Anymore
Easy Ride
Ghosttown
Paradise (Not For Me)
The Power Of Good-Bye
Pray For Spanish Eyes
Live To Tell
Oh Father

SO TOUGH

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 26 2016, 06:21 PM

Yes at 'Easy Ride' John!! That's currently in my Top 10 too. A great message to end the American Life album and some great lyrics.

Posted by: Qween Oct 26 2016, 09:47 PM

It's typical Madonna ballad really (and I mean that in a very positive way). On the surface it's quite simplistic, but once you listen to it with the production and melody it really comes to life and is so much more than the sum of its parts.

Posted by: pippa Oct 27 2016, 03:46 PM

You'll See
Crazy For You
Power of Goodbye

Posted by: HausofHorrors Oct 27 2016, 08:14 PM

Thanks for the nominations guys. Still ~24 hours to go

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 28 2016, 01:30 PM

REALLY hard but I think I've decided on this:

Devil Wouldn't Recognise You
Easy Ride
Frozen
Intervention
Live to Tell
Love Tried to Welcome Me
Nothing Fails
Oh Father
Take a Bow
You'll See

Honourable mentions to 'Crazy for You', 'Ghosttown', 'Gone', 'Paradise (Not For Me)', 'Pray for Spanish Eyes', 'Promise to Try' and 'The Power of Goodbye' which all made my final cut and could all potentially be Top 10 depending on my mood. It feels like leaving them out makes it seem like I don't find them as great but the truth is that pretty much all Madonna ballads are special in their own right. I don't think she's ever released a stinker of a ballad. As John said above, the thing about her ballads is that they are elevated beyond what they would seem on paper when you listen beyond a superficial level.

You can tell I've been listening to American Life lots since the rate with three tracks appearing in my Top 10!

Posted by: Tyler Oct 29 2016, 08:35 AM

The Power of Goodbye
Frozen
Crazy For You
Miles Away
Live To Tell

Posted by: notfurlong Oct 29 2016, 11:51 AM

thanks for the reminder Haus!! tough but here we go:

Live to Tell
Oh Father
Love Tried to Welcome Me
I'll Remember
Don't Cry for Me Argentina
The Power of Good-Bye
To Have and Not to Hold
Nothing Fails
Intervention
Easy Ride

Posted by: dandy* Oct 29 2016, 11:55 AM

Oh I almost forgot about this...

I'll Remember
The Power of Good-Bye
Intervention
Oh Father
Paradise (Not For Me)
Crazy For You
Live To Tell
Ghosttown
Forbidden Love - (Confessions one)
You'll See

Posted by: liamk97 Oct 29 2016, 12:45 PM

What I love about this is that it's given songs that don't usually get a look in a chance to shine. That's not because they're just not good enough compared to other songs but, I think, more because her big pop moments are just so huge, inescapable and undeniable - I always find that when faced with a pop number and a ballad, there's a tendency to side with the former.

'I'll Remember', for instance, is a song that's getting quite a bit of love here, despite not actually recalling any vocal appreciation elsewhere. It's one of her weaker ballads (or at least, the weakest from Something to Remember) for me, although it's easily a solid effort all the same and one that holds a great message.

Posted by: HausofHorrors Oct 30 2016, 08:46 PM

CLOSED~ Thanks for all the votes