I've come to realise what a bop 'Gambler' is in recent times, but it is still pretty basic which stops it going higher than a 7/10 for me and I can see why it is placed so low.

 

I'd rather 'Girl Gone Wild' was even lower but I realise it does have its big fans so not quite being rock bottom is fair.

 

Likewise to 'Gambler', 'Everybody' has really grown on me; just love that production and the song's lyrical theme has been the basis to many great Madonna songs.

 

'Love Profusion' is much better than people give it credit for. The album is pretty consistent so it's hard to call it a highlight as such, but it's got a lovely melody and vocals, particularly emphasised following three more jolty and edgy tracks on the album. I find it hard to defend the video though, although it's not exactly offensive.

 

'Bad Girl' is the first really casualty for me. Love the twinkly piano melody at the start, the vocals, the lyrics, just the whole package really. As Jark says, the "Bad girl, drunk by six..." line is full of poignancy. At least it is up one full point with its average; slowly but surely making its way to a more deserved position.

Love Profusion is beautiful what are you guys hearing? As Liam says it's so inoffensive, not sure how it attracts the hate.

Its a pile of w***.

I kind of like 'Love Profusion', but it is a bit jarring so I can see why it's not so favoured. I bought the single of that, but only for a remix of 'Nobody Knows Me' which was on it.

Plus the video that looks like a tampon commercial for middle aged women, no ta Madge.

 

:lol:

 

And the dress she wears is hideous.

I'm sorry but DRIPPY BOLLOCKS is not, nor should it ever be, what Madonna is about. In the long career of stellar ballads (and midtempo's) that she's had, to come out with THAT 20 years into your career is....staggering. I mean, in hindsight, not so much given the last few years but at the time it was hands down her worst single (WIFLFAG I like less, but was a strong single choice all the same).

I still remember the uproar that ensued when it was blocked from the top 10 by The Cheeky Girls. :lol:

Yes it entered at number 11

I was surprised it peaked there

omg my comment was deleted.

Good.

I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me

 

 

56. Human Nature 6.74

57. Bedtime Story 6.7

58. Burning Up 6.68

59. You Must Love Me 6.67

60. This Used to Be My Playground 6.65

 

Kick-starting the Top 60 is the often too unnoticed and underrated This Used to Be My Playground. It lyrically deals with how we often seek solace by reminiscing to when we were younger (or to times where they were so positive and innocent that they felt like youth) and recalling how simple and care-free things were, but acknowledges that this leads to the dilemma of holding onto the past or choosing to let go and move forward, no matter how difficult that path may be. I find it quite convenient that the song's position in her discography is straight after the introspective and past-focusing Like a Prayer album and right before the grown up, sexual Erotica, due to my interpretations of the song. It also holds such beauty and pain in the melody and vocals, much like all her ballads really, but there's something particularly heartbreaking about this one and even I must admit that I don't appreciate this as much as I do than when I properly focus on the song.

 

From one underrated gem to another, You Must Love Me was the first single taken from the Evita soundtrack. It's widely-established that Madonna took vocal lessons in preparation for her role as Evita Perón and I think it shows inextricably in this song - I can't believe she could ever or has ever since been able to sing that delicately high. I believe this song's placing in the musical comes as Evita realises she's dying and no longer able to do the things she was once capable of doing, which makes her wonder "how can [she] be any use to [her husband] now", before she finally concludes that he must love her if he is still by her side. If you haven't already, do check out both the Oscars and Sticky & Sweet Tour versions!

 

Burning Up was Madonna's second and final pre-breakthrough single (seems so odd to think Madonna was once an underground artist!) and saw her take on an edgy, punky sound with electric guitars and a more fierce attitude in her vocals. The song lacks the big, pop chorus that are a recognisable aspect of Madonna songs, which may be why it ranks in these lower regions, but it established Madonna's courageous demeanour and the rock sound has been the basis of many of her song's reinventions for touring, such as 'Ray of Light', 'Hung Up' and 'Material Girl'.

 

Potentially Madonna's most un-commercial single (easily a unique moment in her discography), Bedtime Story is like the musical equivalent to meditation. It's a trip into the unconsciousness, rejecting the restrictions of language and reasoning, with the lack of conventional lyrics and song structure allowing an entrancing, but somewhat disturbing, instrumental to be the driving force of the song. It's incredibly artsy and to an extent weird, which makes it pretty easy to accept the song was written by notorious freak Björk (I joke). I've always found this song hard to like despite my best intentions but, although I must say it has grown on me significantly enough to reward it a 6/10, I've also always been able to appreciate it as a single body of work and as a stepping stone towards the Ray of Light album.

 

Released immediately after the song above, Human Nature does quite the opposite and emphasises the importance of words and being able to speak your mind without restrictions or censorship. It's Madonna's response to the media and critics who shunned her during the Erotica/SEX period by rejecting her point of view or twisting it into an entirely different meaning. It makes this song particularly relevant today now that Madonna faces backlash for embracing sexuality in her 50s. The song is full of iconic lyrics, from the refrain of "express yourself, don't repress yourself", the sarcastic "oops, I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex" and the comical "I'm not your bitch, don't hang your shit on me", plus the more urban, hip-hop inspired melody suits the song so well.

Wtf at the chihuahua spanking in the 'Human Nature' video?! :lol:

 

http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lpvb46bwNA1qfgkudo5_r1_250.gif

^ !!

 

Bedtime Story is the first major MAJOR casualty. It's absolutely BRILLIANT and an easy easy highlight on an otherwise meh album. Fantastic video too - totally warped and disturbed. *.*

'Burning Up' is the first major casualty for me, it's one of her best singles. You can hear her raw passion and desire to achieve and become a force to be reckoned with in the world. You can sense her ambition to become what she actually became.

 

"I'm not the others, I'll do anything. I'm not the same, I have no shame, I'm on FIRE" :wub:

Edited March 18, 20169 yr by mr_pmt

Human Nature that low? do f*** off

Have to agree, Human Nature is the first one to fall that I've been surprised by ~ it's definitely one of her highlights from the mid 90s period and does the whole sex thing as well as she ever managed.

Human nature far too low !!!

There's quite a few good songs going out now, but this is Madonna, there's a particular song in the next batch that I really love.

 

The only one I don't love here is This Used to Be My Playground, everything else here I'd given 7 - 9 for. Burning Up, You Must Love Me and Bedtime Story are all great!

Burning Up should be about 40 places higher, it's AMAZING. Bedtime Story I'm not at all surprised about, it's obviously amazing but it's quite unique in her discography and the orbital remix is everything.

Some great songs here and some definite highlights in her discography =

 

This Used To Be My Playground = Another forgotten gem, so beautiful and moving, yet so underrated and should be higher.

 

You Must Love Me = Been listening to this again recently and forgotten at how lovely and moving it is, wish I'd given it a higher rating now, but oh well, seems rather forgotten now.

 

Burning Up = This was in the top 40 in the last rate, and now it's taken a total tumble, such a great early Madonna track, while may not be quite the classic, it's still fab.

 

Bedtime Story = Took me a while to get into this, didn't like it for years, but love the video though, so weird and wonderful, just like the song and the fact that Bjork wrote it, you can definitely see her singing this as well. May not be very mainstream, but Madonna has always pushed boundaries and took risks and adventures, some worked, some didn't, but that's life.

 

Human Nature = It's funny that how well this is remembered, and yet upon release it wasn't exactly a big hit, I remember the label wanted 'Don't Stop' as the 4th single, but Madonna pushed for this, and it does work lyrically and plus I also think it's that music video that's made this song so well remembered.