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BuzzJack Music Forum _ Madonna _ 'True Blue' • album discussion

Posted by: Hauspital* May 10 2020, 06:41 PM



A place to discuss Madonna's 3rd studio album 'True Blue'. Released in 1986.

1. Papa Don't Preach
2. Open Your Heart
3. White Heat
4. Live to Tell
5. Where's the Party
6. True Blue
7. La Isla Bonita
8. Jimmy Jimmy
9. Love Makes the World Go Round

What are your thoughts on this album? Share any opinions, memories, favourite songs, or just discuss it anytime you're re-listening!

Posted by: Hauspital* May 10 2020, 06:41 PM










Posted by: dandy* May 10 2020, 08:35 PM

This is where she got really very good indeed. Every track is pretty decent, albeit some of the album tracks are very of their time.

Such an insanely good set of singles too, even the title track has its place.

Posted by: Hauspital* May 10 2020, 08:46 PM

I agree Dandy*. This is the start of the flawless run of albums that was to come throughout the rest of the 80s, 90s and early 00s. wub.gif

The singles are all incredible and the album tracks help to create a great and very consistent listen.

Posted by: Liam.k. May 14 2020, 09:48 AM

Madonna definitely found her stride with this album! Her songcraft had developed and matured, dealing with more substantial messages, and her vocals are much stronger and allows her to sell the songs in different ways. Of course, the main body of the album is about fun, love, fantasy and freedom, but everything feels like it's been pushed into another gear.

The set of singles are fantastic, each offering something different yet they all tie together perfectly.

Posted by: Jonjo Jun 9 2020, 04:42 PM

Looking at the tracks which I'm familiar with, this is already her best album! LMAO. The singles run is flawless. Just by the first part of the album, you can tell this was the point where Madonna truly became the Madonna we all know/are aware of now. The 1-2 punch of PDP and OYH (two of her VERY best for me)... *.* Was 'Live To Tell' the lead single? If so... a brave choice. It very much feels like a 4th single from the album to sell the album kinda single, but I guess those kinds of strategies weren't as heavily incorporated back then. It makes me so sad that she (not sure about fans but I assume they feel similar?) doesn't like the song 'True Blue'. </3 A fave! But I think it's mainly down to being one of the first Madonna songs I actually knew was a Madonna song.

My Ranking:
1. Papa Don't Preach
2. Open Your Heart
3. True Blue
4. La Isla Bonita
5. Where's the Party
6. Live to Tell
7. White Heat
8. Jimmy Jimmy
9. Love Makes the World Go Round

Agreed that the album tracks are very of the time, but they're a lot of fun! The singles were definitely the right choices, I probably would've ordered them differently, but that's more in a "hindsight" thing and I don't know what the strategy was for singles back then as much as I think I know them now laugh.gif I'd probably listen to this album again out of my own choice tbh. It's really good!

Album Rankings:
01. True Blue
02. Madonna
03. Like A Virgin

Posted by: dandy* Jun 9 2020, 05:10 PM

Live To Tell was from a movie soundtrack so was released to coincide with that, I always think of Papa Don't Preach as being the true lead single - a little bit like how American Pie isn't regarded as the first single from Music.

Glad this one connected with you more! It's definitely one of her strongest albums and probably the most pop out of the lot too. I love all the singles, even True Blue has its place when I'm in the right mood for it. I also like the album tracks, they haven't aged particularly well but they're sufficiently fun and are a joy to listen to, the types of things that make you smile

Posted by: vibe Jun 9 2020, 05:29 PM

My F M album

This 5 singles
The artwork

Iconic

Posted by: HausofGhibli Jun 10 2020, 08:10 PM

So happy you enjoyed this album Jonjo! It's my favourite 80s album from her and the first sign of the Madonna that I love and idolise today in terms of the musical output!

Where's the Party is my favourite album track here, so i'm glad it's the same for you too dance.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. Jun 11 2020, 12:56 PM

'True Blue' the song is quite schmaltzy, especially for Madonna, but there's something so charming about it. It's possibly bottom-placing out of the album's singles but definitely not miles behind. It is a shame it's been so neglected over the years, but the performance on the Rebel Heart Tour was a lovely surprise and I consider it one of my favourites of the tour!


Posted by: HausofGhibli Jun 11 2020, 05:30 PM

The Rebel Heart performance of the song was nice! It worked really well with the arrangement chosen. I just don't return to the original much apart from when I listen to the album as a whole. The other singles (particularly the trio of Papa, Open and La Isla) just overshadow it so strongly!

Posted by: Nina West Jun 14 2020, 04:33 PM

Here's my track by track review for True Blue this masterpiece that not only made Madonna into a credible artist, but became her most defining moment in her career.

Papa Don't Preach
Well let's kick things off with an almighty BANG! with a perfect serving of 80's pop, from its opening into of suspense-laden strings arrangement, that already shows not only a different sound, but a more mature side to Madonna than her previous 2 offerings. Madonna's vocals are really strong (probably the strongest she's ever sounded up to this point). The song's taboo subject matter is what really distinguishes the song, as it's dramatic production gives it a sense of urgency & sensitivity, all the makings of a classic Madonna track.

Open Your Heart
Another belting track that is more of a straight forward love song with a continuous percussion filled structure with some well paced grooves & a memorable chorus, while the verses are a little weak in the presence of the music & chorus, everything balances out neatly into another brilliant number.

White Heat
This is our first foray into the non-single tracks on the album with its slick mid-tempo groove that samples dialogue from the 1949 movie of the same name & used effectively here & adds an extra kick to this really strong track that fits right into the brilliance of this album.

Live To Tell
The album's lead single that offers a break from the up-tempo numbers with this slow brooding yet gorgeous ballad with prominent percussion & keyboard, synth, and electric guitar flourishes throughout, this has to be one of her boldest lead single's of her career, a very risky move that thankfully paid off as this has to be not only one of the most riveting songs on the album, but of her career also.

Where's The Party
Back to the more upbeat sound now with this feel-good anthem which celebrates the many virtues of escapism from the mundane. Completely fun, frothy & very catchy with its joyful production, this is easily the best non-single track on the album & a firm standout moment.

True Blue
The fun & campy title track that's probably the weakest out of all the singles on here which feels very paint by numbers, but the 50's dop-wop throwback style does give it an extra kick that gives it that authentic feel with some brilliant upbeat melodies that makes this a pretty fun time overall.

La Isla Bonita
Up next is this little Cuban/Pop masterpiece, that's probably the crowning moment of this album, a feast of percussion, Spanish guitar, and great vocals from Madonna. It’s a simple song, but the switch to this genre really makes this a TIMELESS CLASSIC.

Jimmy, Jimmy
Well every album has to have one...a DUD! that is. A fast paced, uptempo, lowkey filler track that does have some enjoyable flashy synths, it just fails to go anywhere interesting or exciting.

Love Makes The World Go Round
The album closes with this carnival sounding track which has a simplistic yet well-intentioned clarion call for unity and understanding. Originally intended as the lead single (THANKFULLY it wasnt) as it's firmly album material & does end the album nicely even if it's not much outside of its lyrical content, plus could have be a bit shorter in length as this tends to drag on a bit.



Posted by: HausofGhibli Jun 15 2020, 07:22 PM

Great reviews there! Agree about your praise for 'Where's the Party' cheer.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. Jun 30 2020, 03:52 PM



Did not realise that second fact! Odd that it hadn't happened prior to 1986.

Posted by: HausofGhibli Jun 30 2020, 06:04 PM



Happy birthday to her first masterpiece (of many) cheer.gif party.gif

Posted by: HausofGhibli Oct 4 2020, 03:21 PM

True Blue has been shortlisted for BBC Radio 2's - Sounds of the 80s, Ultimate Album.

The results will be revealed by Gary Davies in a Sounds Of The 80s Ultimate 80s Albums countdown special, on Radio 2 and BBC Sounds from 8pm on Friday 9 October.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2HXwW7yy2T2tw4YqlDXvBJZ/your-ultimate-80s-album-vote

Posted by: Road Salt Mixer Dec 20 2020, 03:29 PM

Papa Don't Preach and La Isla Bonita are still great, better than a lot of chart pop music that was around in the charts at the time imo. True Blue (the song) is still good but not quite as good as PDP and LAB in my opinion.

Posted by: Nina West Dec 21 2020, 08:24 AM

My Ranking =

1. La Isla Bonita
2. Papa Don't Preach
3. Live To Tell
4. Open Your Heart
5. True Blue
6. Where's The Party
7. White Heat
8. Love Makes The World Go Round
9. Jimmy Jimmy




Posted by: Bjork Dec 21 2020, 09:36 AM

was Love Makes The World Go Round really intended as the lead single?
doesn't sound like single material at all

Where's the party is the only semi-decent album track in here, the rest of non-singles are pretty bad

Posted by: Liam.k. Dec 21 2020, 09:54 AM

QUOTE(Bjork @ Dec 21 2020, 09:36 AM) *
was Love Makes The World Go Round really intended as the lead single?
doesn't sound like single material at all

I'm guessing it was just penciled in as lead single in the early stages of the album, particularly after being performed at Live Aid. I'm sure as the writing sessions continued, it became clear that there were better songs on offer.

Posted by: Hotlady Dec 21 2020, 06:51 PM

1. True Blue
2. Open Your Heart
3.Live To Tell
4.La Isla Bonita
5.Where The Party
6.White Heart
7.Jimmy Jimmy
8.Papa Don't Preach
9.Love Make The World Go Round

I just love the song off that album.

Posted by: Santa Haus Dec 21 2020, 09:23 PM

I can see why 'Love Makes The World Go Round' would've been pencilled as lead single. It's gloriously uplifting pop and would have been a huge radio smash. Obviously the actual era went on to be bigger than anyone's expectations regardless, but yeah, I can see why it was considered as a single in the early days of the album's conception!

Posted by: Bjork Dec 22 2020, 07:00 AM

love reading the stories behind the songs...

was reading how La Isla Bonita was originally a song that had been offered to Michael Jackson for his Bad album but rejected
well it's not that different to his Liberian Girl song to be fair...

Open Your Heart had been written for Cyndi Lauper and originally called Follow Your Heart

Live to Tell was a Leonard instrumental intended for a film score that got rejected and Papa Don't Preach was an Elliott song

so many rejects

Posted by: Santa Haus Jan 3 2021, 12:33 AM


rotf.gif

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn Jan 3 2021, 10:22 PM

Omg. The subject of that song is the same age as me. 🤯

Posted by: Santa Haus Jan 17 2021, 07:13 PM

Onto this one today and Madonna's first masterpiece album~

1. Open Your Heart
2. Papa Don't Preach
3. La Isla Bonita
4. Live to Tell
5. Where's the Party
6. True Blue
7. Love Makes the World Go Round
8. White Heat
9. Jimmy Jimmy

The singles from this album are some of her absolute best. I always held Open Your Heart as the favourite from it, but I think Papa Don't Preach is forever edging closer and closer to taking its crown! Right now, I have kept the former on top because of my affections for it over the years. Both are brilliantly crafted pop songs exploring great themes with simplicity and charm. La Isla Bonita is another special song. It really hit me one time when I was pining after someone that wasn't quite nearby to me and the song made me think of what life could be like being miles away and in love. The scorching hotness of the song is often imitated but never matched. Then Live To Tell is such a special moment on the album. A complete stop-you-in-your-tracks moment where she commands you to listen. The beautiful vocals, powerful lyrics and cinematic vibe of the song is something special.

Where's the Party ranks as my favourite album track! I find it totally joyous and in an album where I find so much escapism, this is one of the tracks that allows that most effectively. My favourite lyric of the whole album is "I'm not living in fear, I'm just living in chaos" - it's such a great lyric about finding a way out of the doom and gloom and even if it's chaos around you, embrace it and find that special party place. wub.gif Also "Don't want to grow old too fast, don't want to let the system get me down. I've got to find a way to make the good times last" is another one that sticks with me. Another great album track is found in Love Makes the World Go Round. No idea how the era would've played with this as the lead but I think it could've been a giant success too given how universal and radio-friendly it is! A great song, and although quite saccharine, it toes the line between cheesy and poptastic well and is just on the right side. Another joyous, escapist moment on a great, fun-filled album! True Blue the song has a sweet, endearing charm to it. She has rarely sounded more carefree and sprightly. I am not the song's biggest fan but it is the perfect representation of the album's sound and a great title track. White Heat is one of the few filler moments on the album, although I do like it. The film inspirations are cute and a nice touch and it adds to the retro vibes of the album. Another filler is Jimmy Jimmy and even though it's ranked last here, I do still enjoy it but something has to be bottom! </3

What an album! Her first real masterpiece of an album and one that still sounds as incredible today as i'm sure it did 35(!) years ago! They really don't do it like this anymore. Right down to the iconic album cover (her best one). Pure love!

Albums ranking
1. True Blue
2. Madonna
3. Like A Virgin

Posted by: vibe Jan 17 2021, 07:37 PM

WTP would have also been a hit if released as the 6th single.

This album is def her first masterpiece.

The singles, videos, artworks are all ICONIC

Posted by: Santa Haus Jan 17 2021, 08:32 PM

QUOTE(vibe @ Jan 17 2021, 07:37 PM) *
WTP would have also been a hit if released as the 6th single.

This album is def her first masterpiece.

The singles, videos, artworks are all ICONIC

Agred with all of this! I would have loved 'Where's the Party' to have been a single, with a completely fun-filled party music video wub.gif

Posted by: dandy* Jan 17 2021, 10:20 PM

Pretty much agree with every word there Bal - although Papa Don't Preach was always my favourite, only to be overtaken by Open Your Heart in recent years - but that does mean that I think my ranking matches yours almost exactly. Live To Tell and La Isla Bonita are pretty equal in my affections so they could switch on any given day.

Your albums rank is in the right order too so far happy.gif

Posted by: Nina West Jan 21 2021, 07:11 PM

Here is my track by track review of Madonna's 3rd studio album 'True Blue'. I have posted one of these before, just with a few tweaks, so enjoy.





Papa Don't Preach
Well let's kick things off with an almighty BANG! with a perfect serving of 80's pop, from its opening into of suspense-laden strings arrangement, that already shows not only a different sound, but a more mature side to Madonna than her previous 2 offerings. Madonna's vocals are really strong (probably the strongest she's ever sounded up to this point). The song's taboo subject matter is what really distinguishes the song, as its dramatic production gives it a sense of urgency & sensitivity, all the makings of a classic Madonna track.

Open Your Heart
Another belting track that is more of a straight forward love song with a continuous percussion filled structure with some well paced grooves & a memorable chorus, while the verses are a little weak in the presence of the music & chorus, everything balances out neatly into another brilliant number.

White Heat
This is our first foray into the non-single tracks on the album with its slick mid-tempo groove that samples dialogue from the 1949 movie of the same name & used effectively here & adds an extra kick to this really strong track that fits right into the brilliance of this album.

Live To Tell
The album's lead single that offers a break from the up-tempo numbers with this slow brooding yet gorgeous ballad with prominent percussion & keyboard, synth, and electric guitar flourishes throughout, this has to be one of her boldest lead singles of her career, a very risky move that thankfully paid off as this has to be not only one of the most riveting songs on the album, but of her career also.

Where's The Party
Back to the more upbeat sound now with this feel-good anthem which celebrates the many virtues of escapism from the mundane. Completely fun, frothy & very catchy with its joyful production, this is easily the best non-single track on the album & a firm standout moment.

True Blue
The fun & campy title track that's probably the weakest out of all the singles on here which feels very paint by numbers, but the 50's dop-wop throwback style does give it an extra kick that gives it that authentic feel with some brilliant upbeat melodies that makes this a pretty fun time overall.

La Isla Bonita
Up next is this little Cuban/Pop masterpiece, that's probably the crowning moment of this album, a feast of percussion, Spanish guitar, and great vocals from Madonna. It’s a simple song, but the switch to this genre really makes this a TIMELESS CLASSIC. Imagine how different this track would have sounded if Michael Jackson hadn’t turned it down initially for his ‘Bad’ album. Thankfully Madonna snapped it up, tweaked the lyrics & the rest is history.

Jimmy, Jimmy
Well every album has to have one...a DUD! that is. A fast paced, uptempo, lowkey filler track with a fun hook which quickly becomes overused, along with some enjoyable flashy synths. On the whole it just fails to go anywhere interesting or exciting.

Love Makes The World Go Round
The album closes with this carnival sounding track which has a simplistic yet well-intentioned clarion call for unity and understanding. Originally intended as the lead single (THANKFULLY it wasnt) as it's firmly album material & does end the album nicely even if it's not much outside of its lyrical content, plus could have be a bit shorter in length as this tends to drag on a bit.



Posted by: Liam.k. Jan 27 2021, 07:35 PM

'Papa Don't Preach' remains my favourite but all five singles are so strong and special in their own way. There's a distinction between the singles and album tracks but I think they're all worthy of a place on the tracking list and complete the fun, escapist vibe of the album. I agree that 'Where's the Party' is top album track, it's got hooks galore! The 'You Can Dance' version is my go-to.

Found this on Twitter earlier:


Posted by: vibe Jan 28 2021, 06:59 AM

Ha she really studied the video

Posted by: Bjork Jan 28 2021, 08:54 AM

Live to Tell is still the best song in the album in my opinion and might be my #1 Madonna song up with Into the Groove

not sure if back in the day Live to Tell was regarded as the 1st single from the album... when it was released I kinda saw it as a stepping.stone single between albums/soundtrack single... don't think Live to Tell was released and was like oh this is single 1 from. my new album True Blue, but maybe I'm wrong

Posted by: Liam.k. Jan 28 2021, 10:06 AM

I think 'Live to Tell' was written specifically for At Close Range but was decided to launch the album with too. It was definitely part of the album by the time of the single's release as Madonna was going to name the album after it. 'Papa Don't Preach' was the first single released that had come from the actual album sessions and the album was released a couple of weeks after, so I can see a case for it being considered the lead single, especially when pretty much every other Madonna album has been released off the back of one single.

Posted by: Among Haus Jan 31 2021, 12:04 PM

QUOTE(Liam.k. @ Jan 27 2021, 07:35 PM) *
Found this on Twitter earlier:


First time seeing this too! mellow.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. Feb 9 2021, 04:55 AM

I was so confused to see "Jimmy Jimmy" trending on Twitter but turns out it's something football related lol.

Posted by: dannjohn Feb 9 2021, 10:07 AM

i've honestly been obsessed with 'live to tell' this week for some reason... like not triggered by anything just... its such a great song?

Posted by: Dante77 Mar 4 2021, 09:33 AM

Such a brilliant pop album (and surely the greatest of Madonna's album covers) - this was the album that I first heard when I was a little boy. The love I have for La Isla never really went away. My top 5 are near-perfect pop songs...

1. La Isla Bonita
2. Live To Tell
3. Papa Don't Preach
4. True Blue
5 Open Your Heart
6. Jimmy Jimmy
7. Love Makes The World Go Round
8 Where's The Party
9 White Heat

Posted by: Among Haus Mar 4 2021, 05:24 PM

QUOTE(Dante77 @ Mar 4 2021, 09:33 AM) *
Such a brilliant pop album (and surely the greatest of Madonna's album covers) - this was the album that I first heard when I was a little boy. The love I have for La Isla never really went away. My top 5 are near-perfect pop songs...

I think i'd agree with the bold part! wub.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. May 27 2021, 11:51 AM

This photo popped up on my Facebook feed and it's instantly one of my favourite Madonna photos. A stunning, classic Hollywood look. heart.gif


Posted by: HausofArgento May 27 2021, 04:18 PM

QUOTE(Liam.k. @ May 27 2021, 12:51 PM) *
This photo popped up on my Facebook feed and it's instantly one of my favourite Madonna photos. A stunning, classic Hollywood look. heart.gif


Stunning photo! Every photo from this era is "iconic" in every sense of the word - I know that gets thrown around a lot, but she literally looks like a timeless icon in them.

Posted by: Liam.k. May 28 2021, 03:40 PM

Yeah 'timeless' is definitely the word, that whole look will never get old. I've found a full photo here along with other gorgeous shots from the era:


Posted by: Hotlady May 28 2021, 06:30 PM

Madonna truly terrific in those photos. Wow. I really love it a lot.

Posted by: Bjork May 29 2021, 07:49 AM

incredible album cover for sure

Posted by: HausofArgento Jun 30 2021, 05:35 PM

Happy 35th anniversary to this incredible album! cheer.gif



"Get ready for more ‘True Blue’ surprises coming soon!" ohmy.gif - I hope this is something in terms of physical formats such as vinyl re-releases and not just the rest of the singles being upgraded to HD videos etc. w00t.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. Jun 30 2021, 08:09 PM

Happy 35th to 'True Blue'! heart.gif

A couple of anniversary articles here:




Posted by: HausofArgento Jun 30 2021, 08:48 PM

She has changed some of her profile pictures on her social media accounts to the album cover! 💙

Posted by: Liam.k. Jun 30 2021, 09:21 PM

QUOTE(HausofArgento @ Jun 30 2021, 06:35 PM) *
"Get ready for more ‘True Blue’ surprises coming soon!" ohmy.gif - I hope this is something in terms of physical formats such as vinyl re-releases and not just the rest of the singles being upgraded to HD videos etc. w00t.gif

I'm not expecting anything as significant as that but I could maybe see them uploading a 35th anniversary digital edition like they did for 'Like a Prayer'.

Posted by: vibe Jul 1 2021, 07:48 AM

35 Years !!! Wow


Posted by: Dante77 Jul 1 2021, 11:15 AM

Surely one of the greatest album covers of all time?!!! The word 'iconic' gets overused, but in this case, the True Blue album cover is truly .....ICONIC

Posted by: HausofArgento Jul 1 2021, 05:00 PM

QUOTE(Dante77 @ Jul 1 2021, 12:15 PM) *
Surely one of the greatest album covers of all time?!!! The word 'iconic' gets overused, but in this case, the True Blue album cover is truly .....ICONIC

Absolutely!! It's an icon image of pop culture for sure and represents not only the music on the album and its era perfectly but Madonna as an artist throughout the first few decades of her career.

Posted by: Liam.k. Jul 2 2021, 12:44 AM

Patrick Leonard talks to https://eu.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/music/2021/06/30/madonna-producer-patrick-leonard-talks-true-blue-album-sean-penn-papa-dont-preach-open-your-heart/7798994002/ about 'True Blue':

QUOTE
“The music got more serious, so I think she got taken more seriously,” Leonard, who also co-wrote five of the album’s songs, told USA TODAY. “It was different, and to her credit, she took some chances that I don’t know most people would have. There were things in there that weren’t normal in pop music at the time.”

Leonard was 30 at the time “True Blue” was recorded, and previously served as the music director for Madonna’s “The Virgin Tour” in 1985. But their collaboration at a backyard barbecue on “Love Makes the World Go Round,” which would debut later that year at Live Aid before landing on “True Blue,” marked their first songwriting pairing.

Two of the album’s five singles – the string-laden teen pregnancy drama “Papa Don’t Preach” and sweet “True Blue” – were produced by Bray, who also co-wrote “Where’s The Party,” “Jimmy Jimmy” and the title track. Leonard said he and Bray would assist each other, but the two producers primarily “kept to our own little worlds.”

But even with different captains, the songs shared a common throughline.

“There’s a chemical thing that contributes to that ‘thing’ and why those records are what they are,” Leonard said. “They were relatively spontaneous for the most part. As legend has it, most of those vocals are the only time Madonna sang (the songs in the studio) and I can attest to that. It helped that neither she nor I are second guessers. Period.”

Calling from his home studio in Connecticut, Leonard shared memories of making the iconic work.

The first single, “Live to Tell,” was Madonna’s second ballad and followed the spirited hits “Into the Groove” and “Dress You Up”: “I know that there were some concerned parties, such as management, who thought it was a bit of a mistake as a first single. At that point in my career I wasn’t thinking about singles. I never really did think about singles. And there were other agendas in there, like Sean’s movie coming out, that conspired at the time. But it was a (gutsy) move for a first single coming off (dance hits).

(The longer story) is that I was trying to score a movie and my then-managers set me up with a director for his first movie and the music I had was ‘Live to Tell.’ I asked Madonna as a favor if she could write the lyrics because I figured it would give me a leg up (to get the job). As she was on her way to my house, my manager called and said they hired someone else. When she got there, I told her and she said, ‘Oh, well, Sean just made a movie so maybe it can be used in his movie.’ She sat on the floor with a legal pad, wrote the lyrics and we recorded it on an 8-track in my house… Sean Penn’s director, James Foley, loved the song. Madonna said, ‘Who is going to sing it?’ and we said, ‘You are!’ We just transferred the demo (and that’s the version on the record). Madonna also said, ‘And you can score the movie.’”

“Open Your Heart” was the fourth single from “True Blue” and became Madonna’s fifth No. 1 hit: “The demo of that song couldn’t be more different than how it ended up. It wasn’t aggressive 16th note synths. I don’t remember what it was, but I remember Madonna gave me the demo and I worked on it and she said “No, no, no.” So I redid the sequencing on the bass line because she wanted something aggressive. It was much better than where I was going with it.”

“La Isla Bonita” – the fifth and final single from the album - marked a stylistic shift for Madonna: “Quincy (Jones) called me and said, ‘I want to do something like Sade for Michael Jackson.’ He didn’t like (the song) so I showed it to Madonna and she liked it. I know that we sat around talking on the phone to a Hispanic housekeeper to get the translations correct. It wouldn’t have occurred to me to do anything like that with her. But she liked it. My take on this stuff is it’s a more visceral response than an intellectual one. In this moment, this feels good, let’s put a vocal on it, and you get this thing that works so well.”

“Where’s the Party” wasn’t an official single, but the fan favorite garnered plenty of radio play: “We probably could have kept going (with singles). There were four of us who made that record – Michael Verdick recorded and mixed it and he had great instincts about how it should sound – and it was so unified. If people bought the sound of the record and where she was going (musically), you were going to like (all of it). We wrote (‘Party’) while making the record. I think at that point we were all having fun.”

Posted by: Adelita Jul 24 2021, 01:43 AM

Agony to see this album cover, it looks like she's going to break her neck at any moment for pushing her head too far back.

Posted by: Bjork Jul 24 2021, 06:50 AM

Couldn't disagree more, might be the best album cover ever imho

Posted by: Dante77 Jul 29 2021, 01:15 PM

QUOTE(Adelita @ Jul 24 2021, 02:43 AM) *
Agony to see this album cover, it looks like she's going to break her neck at any moment for pushing her head too far back.


Funnily enough I'm in agony every time Gaga opens her fleshy neck to sing.... funny old world isn't Adelita !

True Blue is probably one the most iconic album covers of all time. Scrap that, it is the most iconic for me. Love it.

Posted by: HausofWillow Jul 29 2021, 01:25 PM

!!!!!

Posted by: Liam.k. Jul 29 2021, 01:51 PM

Coming at midnight:


Posted by: HausofWillow Jul 29 2021, 02:24 PM

You were spot on!

QUOTE(Liam.k. @ Jun 30 2021, 10:21 PM) *
I'm not expecting anything as significant as that but I could maybe see them uploading a 35th anniversary digital edition like they did for 'Like a Prayer'.


Posted by: vibe Jul 29 2021, 02:47 PM

not too fussed about anything on there

Posted by: -Jay- Jul 29 2021, 06:25 PM

New artwork! ohmy.gif But is it less agonising to look at? thinking.gif

Posted by: Tawdry Hepburn Jul 29 2021, 06:57 PM

QUOTE(Adelita @ Jul 24 2021, 02:43 AM) *
Agony to see this album cover, it looks like she's going to break her neck at any moment for pushing her head too far back.


What a fascinating imagination you have. laugh.gif laugh.gif

Posted by: Hotlady Jul 30 2021, 01:24 PM

I really like it a lot. It's amazing.

Posted by: HausofWillow Jul 30 2021, 01:36 PM


💙

Posted by: Liam.k. Jul 30 2021, 07:31 PM

iTunes:

#2 Chile
#2 Greece
#4 France
#4 Singapore
#5 Brazil
#5 Italy
#5 Malaysia
#5 Spain
#5 Sweden
#6 Netherlands
#7 Philippines
#8 United Kingdom
#8 Poland
#9 Mexico
#10 Australia
#10 South Africa
#13 Germany
#18 Hong Kong
#21 Belgium
#25 Canada
#29 Russia
#31 United States
#46 Qatar
#58 Switzerland
#182 Uganda

Posted by: slowdown73 Jul 30 2021, 11:53 PM

The digital reissue doesn’t interest me. I already have the CD reissue from a while back and will only buy if it’s on CD.

Posted by: Adelita Aug 8 2021, 01:56 PM

QUOTE(Dante77 @ Jul 29 2021, 10:15 AM) *
Funnily enough I'm in agony every time Gaga opens her fleshy neck to sing... .

It must be because you're not used to listening to female singers who can actually sing? whistle.gif

Posted by: -Jay- Oct 17 2021, 11:00 AM

View this post on Instagram

Today is National Album Day and this year its all about celebrating women in music! 💿❤️

I’ve loved so many albums by female artists over the years across so many different genre’s from Diana Ross’s The Boss (I still have the original cassette!), Janet Jackson’s Control (I could watch the music videos over and over), Kylie’s Rhythm Of Love (Kylie was the first concert I ever went to) and of course anything by Whitney!

Right through to some of my more recent favourite albums such as Nao’s ‘Saturn’, Kehlani’s ‘You Should Be Here’ and currently Laura Mvula’s ‘Pink Noise’.

But there is one album that stands out for having played a big part in me wanting to be a pop star and that album would have to be @madonna’s True Blue 💙

There is not one song on ‘True Blue’ that couldn’t have been a single and the 5 Madonna did release are to this day pop classics. ‘Live To Tell’, ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, ‘True Blue’, ‘Open Your Heart’ and ‘La Isla Bonita’ - these 5 songs themselves show what a masterpiece of pop this album really was! There is not one person who couldn’t sing along to these songs!

I even tried to recreate the True Blue cover for a photoshoot a couple of years back 😉 x

What is your favourite album by a female artist or group?

Join in and celebrate Woman in Music today in National Album Day 💿 talk about your favourite albums or even try and recreate the album cover like me 😂 x

@albumdayuk #NationalAlbumDay

~~~

cheeseblock.png the taste!

Posted by: CJK Oct 17 2021, 11:54 AM

My fave album by a female artist (or anyone else for that matter) is Ray of Light by Madonna.

I always thought Like a Prayer would be my 2nd place Madonna album, but it's tough to choose between that and True Blue.
That it spawned 5 iconic singles out of 9 tracks is quite outstanding. The first 7 tracks on the album are just incredible, and it really is only the last 2 that fall slightly into "filler" territory.

The image is legendary and the artwork perfect.

No wonder it took Madonna and cemented her superstar status.

(Love the recreation of the cover, BTW)

Posted by: spiceboy Oct 17 2021, 12:30 PM

My favourite Madonna album is Like a prayer but True Blue, Ray of light and Confessions are all on it's heels. Shania Twain takes the top honour for me with Come on over European edition which is my favourite album ever. Would love to get it on vinyl!

Posted by: HausofWillow Oct 18 2021, 04:38 PM

QUOTE(-Jay- @ Oct 17 2021, 12:00 PM) *
View this post on Instagram

Today is National Album Day and this year its all about celebrating women in music! 💿❤️

I’ve loved so many albums by female artists over the years across so many different genre’s from Diana Ross’s The Boss (I still have the original cassette!), Janet Jackson’s Control (I could watch the music videos over and over), Kylie’s Rhythm Of Love (Kylie was the first concert I ever went to) and of course anything by Whitney!

Right through to some of my more recent favourite albums such as Nao’s ‘Saturn’, Kehlani’s ‘You Should Be Here’ and currently Laura Mvula’s ‘Pink Noise’.

But there is one album that stands out for having played a big part in me wanting to be a pop star and that album would have to be @madonna’s True Blue 💙

There is not one song on ‘True Blue’ that couldn’t have been a single and the 5 Madonna did release are to this day pop classics. ‘Live To Tell’, ‘Papa Don’t Preach’, ‘True Blue’, ‘Open Your Heart’ and ‘La Isla Bonita’ - these 5 songs themselves show what a masterpiece of pop this album really was! There is not one person who couldn’t sing along to these songs!

I even tried to recreate the True Blue cover for a photoshoot a couple of years back 😉 x

What is your favourite album by a female artist or group?

Join in and celebrate Woman in Music today in National Album Day 💿 talk about your favourite albums or even try and recreate the album cover like me 😂 x

@albumdayuk #NationalAlbumDay

~~~

cheeseblock.png the taste!

This post is everything! Not just the Madonna loving but so many of my favourites mentioned too wub.gif Also her recreation of the iconic cover is great - what a stan ohmy.gif

Posted by: Liam.k. Nov 19 2021, 07:06 AM


Posted by: HausofGucci Nov 22 2021, 06:51 PM

Such a great video. Glad it's had the upgrade! happy.gif

Posted by: Hotlady Nov 22 2021, 07:01 PM

It's truly one amazing video. I really love it.

Posted by: Liam.k. Mar 17 2022, 07:25 PM

Revealed as the 37th best album cover of all time by Billboard:

QUOTE
Madonna’s third studio album, True Blue, was covered by a striking image of the diva photographed by celebrated photographer Herb Ritts. (He would later re-team with Madonna for both the You Can Dance and Like a Prayer covers.) Before his death in 2002, Ritts would also direct a number of music videos — including Madonna’s “Cherish” — and earn an MTV Video Music Award nomination.

https://www.billboard.com/photos/best-album-covers-of-all-time-6715351/8-43-fleetwood-mac-rumours-1977-album-art-billboard-1240/

Iconic. But not as good as 'If You’re Reading This It’s Too Late' by Drake... laugh.gif

Posted by: Highausakite Mar 17 2022, 09:56 PM

For me it is certainly one of the best of all time. Certainly one of the most iconic!

Posted by: Liam.k. Feb 22 2023, 06:51 PM

Apparently ‘La Isla Bonita’ digital single is getting released on Friday, although it seems to just be songs that are already available to stream (like the extended mix and its instrumental as well as the 10 minute version of ‘Open Your Heart’).

Hope we get a HD video with it too.

Posted by: Liam.k. Feb 24 2023, 01:32 AM


Posted by: Liam.k. Feb 25 2023, 08:49 PM

Album: La Isla Bonita - EP

iTunes:


#3 Spain
#7 Italy
#10 France
#23 Netherlands
#24 United Kingdom
#52 United States
#67 Canada
#98 Germany
#149 Australia

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