TWENTY NINE

 

 

You'll See

 

I've mentioned the 'Something to Remember' album a few times now and finally we reach the single that launched the album, 'You'll See'. A typical Madonna ballad that matched the tone of the other songs on the ballad best of perfectly, You'll See reminded the world of a Madonna that they had begun to forget... the Madonna that just made a strong pop ballad with no need for controversy or hype... or was it actually for hype after all? At the time there was a strong speculation that this was a cynical move to get the public to forgive the sex obsessed tones of her early to mid 90s output and that the track was deliberately as many worlds away as she could possibly get from that image. Whatever the reason, it performed well and provided a much needed moment of tranquility to her cannon at this point while providing her with the time she needed to completely reinvent herself again for the next era...

TWENTY EIGHT

 

 

Devil Wouldn't Recognize You

 

Hard Candy's musical stylings were simply not to my taste and I recall being pretty appalled as I listened to it in the car for the first time. Until I got to this which just stood head and shoulders above everything else on the album, in fact I wish it was on something else as I've not listened to it anywhere near as often as I would have done otherwise. Obviously it's essentially a Justin Timberlake single with Madonna singing it, in fact is it basically an outtake from FutureSex/LoveSounds? Anyway, who cares, JT's singles are usually pretty f***ing fabulous and this would have fitted in perfectly. Again, my only grumble is how on earth this wasn't a single!!! Presumably she was concerned about the obvious comparisons but I really do think this would have been a huge hit for her and made the second half of the album campaign a real success.

ps... apologies for the inclusion of the vile Television X granny porn image in the video still above, I know nobody ever needed to see it again...

I was never as big of a fan as everyone else was when it came to 'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You' but, in recent times, I've really grown to love it. It's essentially like the 'Masterpiece' moment on MDNA or the 'Ghosttown' moment on Rebel Heart. Speaking of which, I'm very happy the latter has already made a high appearance on your countdown. Certainly the best song to come from this current era (not to say the rest hasn't been great though) and I really hope Heart/Radio 2 give it heavy-rotation with perhaps a TV performance so that it can at least become a Top 40 hit.

TWENTY SEVEN

 

 

Bedtime Story

 

From Justin to Björk. I think the main thing I remember about this track is being really surprised after buying Bedtime Stories that there was a track that so obviously sounded like another artist... Björk is amazing and I love pretty much everything she's recorded but back then Madonna was Madonna and she paved her own way and sounded like nobody else other than Madonna. This was quite the surprise in that sense and while it sounded a little out of place in the context of the album, it wormed it's way into my affections and I found myself really appreciating it more and more... and then the single came and the ridiculous amount of amazing remixes that accompanied it, it really was a remixer's wet dream and played straight to the heart of a dance music obsessed dandyjuniorstar in the mid nineties.

I was never as big of a fan as everyone else was when it came to 'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You' but, in recent times, I've really grown to love it. It's essentially like the 'Masterpiece' moment on MDNA or the 'Ghosttown' moment on Rebel Heart. Speaking of which, I'm very happy the latter has already made a high appearance on your countdown. Certainly the best song to come from this current era (not to say the rest hasn't been great though) and I really hope Heart/Radio 2 give it heavy-rotation with perhaps a TV performance so that it can at least become a Top 40 hit.

I really hope so too, it seems to be well liked by most people so if it manages to actually reach a wider audience then it could actually stand a chance of doing well. I think a proper hit is probably out of the question but it could potentially be a slow burning low top 20 / top 30 hit maybe?

 

'Devil Wouldn't Recognise You' is brilliant - not only the best on 'Hard Candy' for me but my favourite album track from her (i need to stop these hyperbolic posts, but this is a fact for me and she brings out my very LOVING side so i can't help it). It sticks out like a sore thumb on the album, mostly because it is so much better than everything that surrounds it.

 

'Bedtime Story' is another that sticks out on the album it's from, but here because it's so completely out-there and disjointed from what surrounds it. Which is a huge compliment of course because it's a beastly track in all the right ways and a brave choice of single. The video too... wow.

Glad you approve! Although I feel like the thread may now have peaked for you with your favourite single and album tracks now out... although rest assured that they are both still 10/10 moments for me too. ^_^

 

Oh and please DO go hyperbolic, hyperbolic is pretty much always a good look *.*

Edited March 20, 201510 yr by dandystar

TWENTY SIX

 

 

La Isla Bonita

 

The final one for this evening is the final release from True Blue (and final #1 to boot) from her most successful era for singles. Whilst I'm not overly sold on the album tracks now, it's undeniable that the singles from this album represented Madonna at her very best across five completely different sounding styles. The thing that always strikes me about La Isla Bonita is just how well she carries this song off, in other less madgestic hands this would be pure novelty but somehow she makes the hooks shine with the production, she really could turn her hands to absolutely anything and make it work. (if you're reading this Madonna, sorry for mentioning your hands :( ) - so yeah, this is just a perfect example of a carefree summery pop song and it's all the better for having no complicated undertones to it.

Edited March 20, 201510 yr by dandystar

WHAT a run there, all amazing, though I'd have You'll See, Bedtime Story and La Isla Bonita about 15 places higher and the other 2 about 15 lower.

 

You'll See really is one of her very best ballads I think. From the incredible look in the video, which might be the best she's ever looked (competing with Bad Girl) and the glorious vocals and just general simplicity, yet perfect execution. La Isla Bonita is, of course, an absolute JAM. It's perfect for summer and just so much FUN, something which latter day Madonna lacks in a lot. It says a lot that she tried to recreate it almost wholesale just a few months later (and yes, controversially, I think almost as good).

 

Bedtime Story is another CLASSIC. It's so Un-Madonna, but despite what a lot of people think I actually think she brings a pop sensibility to it than Bjork might not have done. It's still cold and all about the production (and indeed the IMMENSE Orbital Remix) and of course the mindf*** video.

 

I think without Timbaland's plodding production Devil could be genuinely incredible, but it all sounds half assed and lazy and been there, done that. The song deserved so much better.

Thank you John - glad you approve of the general direction. Have either of the two album tracks you're hoping to see appeared yet?

 

As for La Isla Bonita and the other track a few months later, I'm afraid that one will be nowhere near making this one!

 

TWENTY FIVE

 

 

Human Nature

 

Starting this evening's instalment is Human Nature, the final single from Bedtime Stories and the one that took longest to grow on me. In fact it took until the single's release before I really got on board and now I have done so much that it's landed in the top 25. As a package, this one just works. Right through from the lyrics and message to the styling and choreography in the video... the only slight problem with the message is that she of course tried to persuade us she was sorry a mere year later as mentioned in the You'll See comments. Favourite bits of this one, it's the "oops, I didn't realise I couldn't..." bits and the fabulously stripped back bit towards the end.

Edited March 21, 201510 yr by dandystar

Thank you John - glad you approve of the general direction. Have either of the two album tracks you're hoping to see appeared yet?

 

As for La Isla Bonita and the other track a few months later, I'm afraid that one will be nowhere near making this one!

 

Not so far. I'm holding out hope for ONE of them though, the other not so much.

 

Haha, what about the JOYOUS basic anthem that followed it up? I unashamedly love it, though I also rank Gambler as one of her top 5 80's singles so maybe I'm not the best judge.

Human Nature *.*

 

I FREQUENTLY (in text based conversations) use the ''Oops, I didn't know we couldn't talk about *DOORSLAM*'' bit

TWENTY FOUR

 

 

Live To Tell

 

Madonna doesn't half do ballads well and Live To Tell is one of her very best. Aside from a couple of obvious examples, I think the reasons she excels so much with them is she generally steers clear of the simple 'oh i love him so very much and we're going to get married and I will be a princess' style and instead opts for a sense of loss, longing or regret instead. Live To Tell is the perfect example, she sings about a love lost with some fella or another whilst also hinting at some dark secret behind the whole affair... although Madonna claims the lyrics remind her of her parents, which I find a little scary to say the least. Favourite bit of this one is the line if I ran away, I'd never have the strength to go very far... - such a beautiful line that perfectly describes the feeling of being stuck in an exhausting relationship and the difficulty there is to actually leave it.

TWENTY THREE

 

 

The Power of Good-bye

 

Gosh it's painful having to leave some of these tracks out of the top 20. Urgh. Seriously, would anyone else have this many highs to their name?!! Anyway, I have to put this up next despite me really loving it to pieces. I guess in some ways this is a more modern take on what I said about Live to Tell just now, it's her late 90s take on a ballad, one that focuses on beauty with an undertone of sadness and lyrical bleakness. William Orbit's production on this is fantastic, the bubbling synth lines, occasional bleepy noises and the addition of a simple acoustic guitar made something so very refreshing from her. J'adore.

TWENTY TWO

 

 

Papa Don't Preach

 

THOSE STRINGS in THAT INTRO *.* An absolute Madge classic and one of her signature songs, let's just get that out of the way with first. As a song, this is undoubtedly better than many of those still to come but it just misses the top 20 for me due to me never having a 'moment' with it (that sounds dodgy(!) but I know what I mean...) - it's definitely an extremely well crafted track though and, for me, this is the moment in her timeline that she really became a star with lasting appeal.

The Power Of Good-Bye is INCREDIBLE, easy top 5 material for me, was my very favourite for a long time actually. I just love how effortless her vocal is, it's relatively accessible lyrically, whilst not being basic, and the production is 10/10 (as with most of the album, obv).

 

Same goes for Live To Tell, basically, on a much smaller scale.

Although of course Live To Tell did give rise to this amazing performance (and I think I actually prefer this updated version too)

 

 

Stuart Price really did work WONDERS for her, on all fronts

'The Power Of Goodbye' is so so amazing. It really hit me about 7-8 years ago properly when I was going through a situation which related to it so perfectly and it's stuck with me ever since.

'Human Nature' used to be one of my least liked tracks from Madonna - I suppose my younger self wasn't too keen that it wasn't typical, catchy pop music - but I've grown to really appreciate and like it. Absolutely fantastic lyrics - "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me" as well as the mentioned "oops, I didn't realise I couldn't..." lines; I just love how sassy and mocking they are.

 

'Live to Tell' was also one I wasn't ever that keen on but, again, that was due to completely missing the point and the beauty of it. Like most great Madonna ballads, it is open to interpretation so that you can apply your own experiences and thus make it personal to you. As John kindly reminded, the Confessions version is incredible, as is the Blonde Ambition version - I love her delivery of that with the famous 80s Madonna vocals. Gorgeous. :wub:

 

'The Power of Goodbye' is essentially a piece of art; just doesn't get anymore glorious and stunning. I agree that 'Papa Don't Preach' is the song that first showed that Madonna was here to stay (I think Like a Prayer firmly established that) and is one of the best of the 80s.