Me neither Liam !! That was such a highlight

Just one of many weird and bad decisions made by her/her team recently :')

Let the music take control

 

 

145. Everybody // Madonna // 6.344

144. Dark Ballet // Madame X // 6.346

143. Don't Stop // Bedtime Stories // 5.962

142. I'd Rather Be Your Lover // Bedtime Stories // 6.385

141. The Look of Love // Other (80s) // 6.406

 

The debut single from Madonna's debut album, Everybody drops out! In the early stages of her career, this is the song that gave her a middling break, although it failed to chart or dent the world. It remains iconic for being her first moment as an artist, but it hasn't aged too well for you guys! Secondly, we lose the final promo single released off Madonna's latest album. Dark Ballet received a music video and was produced by Mirwais - it was influenced by one of her favourite films (and my own favourite film) 'A Clockwork Orange'. It's very experimental and zany and reflects the more deranged side of the album, exploring the distorted world in which we find ourselves in. 'Bedtime Stories' which has been doing incredibly well so far, takes a double-loss here as it loses Don't Stop and I'd Rather Be Your Lover. The former is led by strings while the latter shows Madonna seeking the unattainable as she becomes sister, mother, friend and even brother to get what she wants. Finally The Look of Love from 'Who's That Girl' was the third and final single released from the soundtrack. It's inspired by (another favourite film) 'Rear Window' and is a haunting, yet understated ballad.

 

Madonna: 4/8

Like A Virgin: 4/9

True Blue: 7/9

Like A Prayer: 9/11

Other (80s): 6/10

I'm Breathless: 1/12

Erotica: 9/14

Bedtime Stories: 8/11

Evita: 2/13

Ray of Light: 13/14

Other (90s): 7/12

Music: 11/13

American Life: 10/11

Confessions On A Dancefloor: 12/15

Hard Candy: 7/13

Other (00s): 2/5

MDNA: 6/16

Rebel Heart: 8/25

Madame X: 14/18

Other (10s): 0/3

 

80s: 30/47

90s: 40/76

00s: 42/57

10s: 28/62

Dark Ballet is definitely the most distinctive song in that bunch. I still really like half of it but I still really wish the classical part either didn't exist or was a different classical track so that it sounded less gimmicky. The opening sections are great though and I love that it explodes into something after the piano breakdown, just not that! The video was great too.

 

Dark Ballet is such a unique track and every time I listen to it I come away with different feels. It's probably a bit too absurd for my liking, especially the BLOWING but I love the Kubrick influence and how bold a statement it is. The video is amazing ofc.

Yes there are times when I think I enjoy it too - but then I could listen the next day and completely cringe. I'm glad it exists though, I'd far rather have something that distinctive than another less interesting track. I think it was probably the song that I most struggled to rate in the whole thing.

Dark Ballet is a highlight of Madame x for me

 

Everybody should be higher

 

 

'Has to Be' is actually one of my favourite songs to have left so far! :o Of the 102 songs that have departed, I only gave four of them a score of 8 or more, and that was one of them (with an 8). Maybe it helps that it didn't have a "just a bonus track" connotation for me, seeing as I heard it on the same day I heard a lot of the other Ray of Light tracks for the first time ever.

 

Kind of surprised to see 'Everybody' as low as this! I mean it's not a major favourite of mine so I'm not gutted it's out, but I'd probably have it just outside of the Top 100 rather than in the 140s.

 

I found 'Dark Ballet' difficult to rate too. It was one of the strongest examples of "I really like elements of this song and dislike other parts"... I settled for 6.5 in the end.

 

(When it comes to standard track lists) I'm interested to see if Ray of Light or Confessions on a Dancefloor retain all their tracks the longest!

I love 'Dark Ballet'! It is an unusual track and I can see why it would be polarising to the more causal fans but I'm surprised it's not had a better reception here. Not that it's a particularly bad one though and I know it seems we're in agreement in terms of appreciating what she's doing with the track. The video is definitely conceptually and visually beautiful. I hope to see the Madame X videos regarded as classics in future years - I think they already are now but having time on their side will just reaffirm that.

 

Kind of surprised to see 'Everybody' as low as this! I mean it's not a major favourite of mine so I'm not gutted it's out, but I'd probably have it just outside of the Top 100 rather than in the 140s.

I wouldn't have been surprised to see it rate even lower tbh! It seems to be considered dated by most fans but I personally love the production on the track. It's also a blueprint to the themes often expressed in Madonna's music and, whilst she's done better since, I still think the song can hold its own.

 

Sorry about the lack of results, I'll try get the next lot up in the morning!

These are my arms but they don't know tenderness

 

 

140. Veni Vedi Vici (feat. Nas) // Rebel Heart // 6.423

139. Shanti/Ashtangi // Ray of Light // 6.423 (higher top score)

138. Mer Girl // Ray of Light // 6.462

137. Love Tried to Welcome Me // Bedtime Stories // 6.462 (higher top score)

136. Where Life Begins // Erotica // 6.462 (more 9s)

 

Madonna delivers a rap origin story on 'Veni Vedi Vici', recalling her early days in New York through the titles of some of her biggest successes. The murmured verses are contrasted by the sweet, acoustic tone of the chorus and rapper Nas bears his own biography in a guest verse that shares similar strength and determination that's evident in Madonna's life. Here on in, this section sees 90s Madonna take a big hit, including a double loss for Ray of Light with what can be considered the two most unconventional offerings: 'Shanti/Ashtangi' is a hypnotising reciting of a Sanskrit hymn for which Madonna took elocution lessons to ensure her pronunciation was correct, whilst 'Mer Girl' is an eerie song-poem where Madonna confronts her mother's death. Madonna puts herself in the mind of a stripper she had met in the mournful 'Love Tried to Welcome Me' and creates a devastating backstory of someone so accustomed to heartache and pain that they don't know how to deal with love when they're faced with it. Finally, 'Where Life Begins' is a sensual slow-jam that boasts Madonna's exceptional wit and humour as she celebrates cunnilingus through dining room innuendo.

 

Madonna: 4/8

Like A Virgin: 4/9

True Blue: 7/9

Like A Prayer: 9/11

Other (80s): 6/10

I'm Breathless: 1/12

Erotica: 8/14

Bedtime Stories: 7/11

Evita: 2/13

Ray of Light: 11/14

Other (90s): 7/12

Music: 11/13

American Life: 10/11

Confessions On A Dancefloor: 12/15

Hard Candy: 7/13

Other (00s): 2/5

MDNA: 6/16

Rebel Heart: 7/25

Madame X: 14/18

Other (10s): 0/3

 

80s: 30/47

90s: 36/76

00s: 42/57

10s: 27/62

The only loss for me is Mer Girl that wold def be in my top 30.

 

Shanti is prob a little to high for my liking.

That's a lovely set. No huge standouts but all tracks that really compliment the albums they are in and work as solid album tracks.

The only loss for me is Mer Girl that wold def be in my top 30.

 

Sad to see Mer Girl so underrated in comparison to some of the other Ray of Light tracks.

 

It's one of those songs that you have to give your full attention to — every lyric is important. Perhaps her most impressive song in terms of being a storyteller? It really draws you in. I feel every word.

 

'Mer Girl' has always been my least favourite from Ray of Light but, trying to speak from an objective perspective, I'd say there's a good case for calling it the most underrated Madonna song. I re-listened to it last night and I did start to have a moment with it. You do have to give it your undivided attention as you say, blacksquare, and listen to the story Madonna is telling. Even though you know the basis of what the song is about, it is a hard one to properly understand; you come across lyrics and think "What does this mean? Does this symbolise something? Is it happy, is it sad?". Still, you do find yourself drawn in because of the way Madonna delivers the song. Perhaps this a lazy comparison but I got strong Bjork vibes from this, particularly 'Hyperballad' which is another song that I find both fascinating and confusing.

 

10 years of owning Ray of Light and I'm still discovering new production choices - I didn't realise there were those eerie noises behind the dialling tone at the beginning of 'Mer Girl'. Not sure how I didn't notice them before as they do get quite loud; perhaps I just didn't pay enough attention to this song and hadn't heard through headphones which pick up the sound better.

'Veni Vedi Vici' is one of my Rebel Heart faves - it could so easily be a song that's judged as youth-chasing or faceless but Madonna really puts her own stamp on it. I like the juxaposition of the low, dull tones of the verses to represent the grittiness of living in New York and Madonna's struggle compared with the sweetness and lightness of the chorus where Madonna happily declares "I came, I saw, I conquered". The self-references work surprisingly well too.

 

I believe 'Love Tried to Welcome Me' is my first 10/10 to leave, although I'm not too surprised by its placing as it doesn't seem to be recognised as a fave by many others. It's a really devastating song and it really resonated with me a few years ago.

 

'Where Life Begins' definitely deserves higher. I adore how witty and funny it is - who said Madonna didn't have a sense of humour? I think this has been missing from Madonna's more recent sexually-charged songs.

Oops I’ve missed like three pages of this!!

 

So many tracks I really like now have dropped out.

 

It’s getting to a stage now where I’m disagreeing with some whilst trying to find some others what are still in thinking how is that I’m still!

 

 

I wish you were standing here with me

 

 

135. Beautiful Killer // MDNA // 6.462

134. Amazing // Music // 6.464

133. Why's It So Hard // Erotica // 6.500

132. Forbidden Love // Bedtime Stories // 6.538

131. This Used to Be My Playground // Other (90s) // 6.538

 

First up, from the deluxe version of MDNA, we lose Beautiful Killer. Inspired by French cinema, Madonna and Martin Solveig, the song features a killer on the loose, and Madonna being tempted to play with the dark side and be snarled in by him. Next up Amazing, a track compared to 'Beautiful Stranger' offers a shift of pace in the Music album. Throughout the song she haunted by lost love - no matter how she is treated, sometimes love is blinding and just simply amazing. A simple song lyrically and at heart, but deep down it deals with a tainted love continually bringing itself back. Why's It So Hard almost fits in nicely after Amazing, as it questions love and its difficulties but moreso she turns to her fans and the listeners and questions her own place in the world of music. Bedtime Stories takes another hit as Forbidden Love is out. It's our least favourite song of same name - how will its namesake from Confessions fair? Finally, from the film 'A League of Their Own' This Used to Be My Playground falls out. The song was later included on her ballads compilation album and received critical and commercial success including a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song and reaching #1 in the US!

 

Madonna: 4/8

Like A Virgin: 4/9

True Blue: 7/9

Like A Prayer: 9/11

Other (80s): 6/10

I'm Breathless: 1/12

Erotica: 7/14

Bedtime Stories: 6/11

Evita: 2/13

Ray of Light: 11/14

Other (90s): 6/12

Music: 10/13

American Life: 10/11

Confessions On A Dancefloor: 12/15

Hard Candy: 7/13

Other (00s): 2/5

MDNA: 5/16

Rebel Heart: 7/25

Madame X: 14/18

Other (10s): 0/3

 

80s: 30/47

90s: 33/76

00s: 41/57

10s: 26/62

Finally, from the film 'A League of Their Own' This Used to Be My Playground falls out. The song was later included on her ballads compilation album and received critical and commercial success including a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Original Song and reaching #1 in the US!

Probably the most wtf moment out of Madonna's Billboard number ones! I wonder how well it's remembered over there now? When I see the title now, I always think about the Billboard interview Madonna did earlier this year where she seemed surprised it had even gone Top 10 (the same interview that reminded her of 'Rescue Me'). I like the song but I think it could do with a minute or so trimming off as it's a very slow song so sounds longer than it is. I like how the lyrics seem to bridge the gap between Like a Prayer and Erotica (childhood vs. adulthood, innocence vs. experience, reflection vs. progression).

 

'Beautiful Killer' is probably my favourite out of the Solveig tracks on MDNA. I'm wondering how it may have fared as a single - could have had a decent video and it would sound good on radio.

 

Not surprised Bedtime Stories 'Forbidden Love' falls out before the Confessions version, although they're actually pretty neck and neck for me! I love the production in intro and the way Madonna sounds on the song. It's obviously a very sexual song but I've always found it very relaxing and calming - I guess Madonna is persuading her lover to submit themselves to a risky love affair.

 

'Amazing' is very filler for me; I'm glad Madonna fought against it being a single. Same goes for 'Why's It So Hard' really.

Amazing I absolutely love it is Amazing !!!

 

Beautiful Killer I find overrated .

 

TUTBMP is okay

 

Whys It So Hard is underrated !

I had a mini-meltdown thinking it was the other (superior) Forbidden Love then...