Madonna’s bridges with Stephen Bray were the best of her career.

 

I don’t often play this track but I thoroughly enjoy it when I do.

I welcome it back to a live setlist!

This is such an earworm! I love how carefree and whimsical it sounds - you can't beat this 80s Madonna energy :music:

 

11. Love Makes the World Go Round

 

Concluding the True Blue album, Love Makes the World Go Round is our focus this week. Having previously worked with Patrick Leonard on the Virgin Tour, she asked him to collaborate on a song for the Live Aid performance of 1985 - this song evolved from that and then became the album's closing number.

 

Leonard had previously been involved with Madonna’s Virgin Tour as musical director, and when Madonna agreed to participate in Live Aid in the Summer of 1985, she asked him to collaborate on a new song for the performance, which evolved into Love Makes The World Go Round. The song was originally intended to be the lead single from the album! It deals with an anti-war and anti-poverty sentiment while offering escapism from the troubles of the world and valuing love as the remedy for this.

 

What are your thoughts on this uplifting number from 1986?

I have a soft spot for LMTWGR but thank god it never was the intended lead single.

Also glad it wasn't the lead single, and it works great as the album closer. I finish the album feeling so overjoyed and hopeful about everything - an album that lifts me up no matter how low I am feeling :heart:

I'm wondering if it was just a very early candidate for lead single, especially after the positive reception I assume it received at Live Aid, and it was dropped as the writing sessions for the album continued. 'Live to Tell' was obviously written later and I feel like 'Papa Don't Preach' was too, both of which are much more progressive in theme and sound.

 

Anyway, it's a fun song with a nice sentiment, not one of my favourites but it makes for an uplifting close.