Madonna

[Carol Baynes]

I've dug out all my old Madonna records this week, as well as a fair few new ones. I finally got around to buying "Confessions..." and I love it. Love it Love it Love it!!! I'm dancing in my bedroom again. I feel like I'm 12 years old!

I'm not sure why any of this is significant, but I hadn't really taken Madonna back to my bosum for some years...so many memories of growing up, and perhaps because I feel I'm finally turning out alright (I think) I see that young me listening to the "Like a virgin" LP and quite like her. Madonna was my icon, and in jaded adulthood, and after years of wider musical education, she still has a place. I was a huge fan, you see, and probably overdid it on her back then.

Only when I'm dancing can I feel this free, but at night I don't lock the doors anymore.

Besides, I was raised a Catholic- who else was I going to listen to?

We've said it all before but it'd be nice to start a new Madonna thread. Any thoughts at the moment?

[Captain Tancredi]

Can't say I've ever really been a fan as such- I suspect that for straight guys in the early days it was just a case of watching her in case she got her kit off, and I just get irritated with people who are obviously trying to provoke a reaction all the time.

I did own 'Music' for a while, though (largely because of the 'Beautiful Stranger' video) and it seemed fun. At some point The Project will no doubt get around to her in one form or another.

[Simon R]

I've never heard of her.

[Carol Baynes]

Can't say I've ever really been a fan as such- I suspect that for straight guys in the early days it was just a case of watching her in case she got her kit off, and I just get irritated with people who are obviously trying to provoke a reaction all the time.

I did own 'Music' for a while, though (largely because of the 'Beautiful Stranger' video) and it seemed fun. At some point The Project will no doubt get around to her in one form or another.

Rubbish!- I know lots of straight guys who love her music, especially the ones who grew up with her in the '80s when they'd be teenagers.
But is she, or was she, trying to provoke a reaction all the time? What about the MUSIC recorded then that you can listen too long after the media hype?!

[P-Bal]

Didn't she have a hit song called Get Into The Groove?

[Carol Baynes]

Didn't she have a hit song called Get Into The Groove?

Yes, she did, P-bal.

Anymore funny questions? Might as well get them out of the way early. Maybe I ought to tell Simon all about her while I'm at it?

[Simon R]

Carol, what did you honestly expect? You've just posted on another thread to say how us discussing Madonna put you off her. Fair enough that's your view and I can sort of see why you might say that but do you really think that's a comment likely to lead to healthy debate?

There's a thread about her recent "Confessions Tour" DVD started a few months ago a few pages or so back if you want to see some more valid comments from myself and others.

[Captain Tancredi]

Rubbish!- I know lots of straight guys who love her music, especially the ones who grew up with her in the '80s when they'd be teenagers.
But is she, or was she, trying to provoke a reaction all the time? What about the MUSIC recorded then that you can listen too long after the media hype?!

Carol, you should know by now that my opinions on music are generally an even balance of style and ignorance! Whatever I actually say, it's based on no sample bigger than myself, and not having listened properly to one of her records until I bought 'Music' some seven years ago I don't have any history with her.

Incidentally, I didn't listen to any music at all in my teenage years- between the ages of 11 (when I stopped buying singles) and 17 (when I dug out all my classical tapes for A-level revision), things were pretty much silence.

[Pip Madeley]

I've got a fair few Madonna songs in my collection, her longevity is assured.

"Get Together" is the best thing she's done for years.

[Wayne]

She's been around for even longer than anyone thinks.
She was a real icon in ancient babylonia:

[Simon R]

Carol or Madonna?

[Pip Madeley]

Whoever it is, they've got a winky woo in that pic.

[Carol Baynes]

Carol, what did you honestly expect? You've just posted on another thread to say how us discussing Madonna put you off her. Fair enough that's your view and I can sort of see why you might say that but do you really think that's a comment likely to lead to healthy debate?

There's a thread about her recent "Confessions Tour" DVD started a few months ago a few pages or so back if you want to see some more valid comments from myself and others.

Whoah! That wasn't meant as an insult to you guys! It wasn't meant that way. I could never feel drawn into conversation about her, and I'm not sure why (although obviously now I feel quite happy with it).
I missed the "Confessions"" thread, I have to say.


But insulting me isn't going to help is it? So I look liek a demon now do i?!

You can tell this bothered me due to the earliness of my post! I don't like falling out with people on here and don't intend to. Apologies if I offended any PS Maddonna fans before in the other thread- if I'd meant it that way I wouldn't have had the brass neck to start a thread! But if you respons with cryptic sarcasm I won't always get why and it makes it look like your being deliberatly arsey with me. But, again, sorry if it sounded like I was saying previous Madonna threads have been of no worth. They didn't drag me in, and didn't make me want to go back to Madonna's music- that's not saying they weren't decent threads or anything!

Enough said- if you want to talk about Madonna here you are. If you want to have an argument with me, try my mailbox.

[Milky Tears]

I might've heard of her and possibly own about 16 albums/40 singles. She probably peaked with 'Over The Borderline (Come On, Darlin)' way back in 1979/before she had a shave.

[Captain Tancredi]

Enough said- if you want to talk about Madonna here you are. If you want to have an argument with me, try my mailbox.

Hope you've emptied it first!

I think part of the reason why I said what I said may have been to do with the fact that when 'Erotica' first came out and was shown late night on Channel 4, I lived in a large student house with about 25 other guys and everybody was primarily interested in just how dirty it was going to get rather than appreciating the music...

One titbit which might interest, though, is that as part of the media studies component of my teacher training course, we had to watch the video of 'Erotica'.

[Carol Baynes]

Didn't Madonna say that there was a time in her career where she deliberatly showed ''everything' so that the press could then get back to the one thing that really mattered, which was her music?
Saying that, sex is as good a subject for songs as anything, and often is!

Just had a read of the "Confessions tour" thread a few pages back. It's very short, but was worth a read through, ta Simon.

[Simon R]

Whoah! That wasn't meant as an insult to you guys! It wasn't meant that way. I could never feel drawn into conversation about her, and I'm not sure why (although obviously now I feel quite happy with it).
I missed the "Confessions"" thread, I have to say.


But insulting me isn't going to help is it? So I look liek a demon now do i?!

You can tell this bothered me due to the earliness of my post! I don't like falling out with people on here and don't intend to. Apologies if I offended any PS Maddonna fans before in the other thread- if I'd meant it that way I wouldn't have had the brass neck to start a thread! But if you respons with cryptic sarcasm I won't always get why and it makes it look like your being deliberatly arsey with me. But, again, sorry if it sounded like I was saying previous Madonna threads have been of no worth. They didn't drag me in, and didn't make me want to go back to Madonna's music- that's not saying they weren't decent threads or anything!

Hi Carol. Thanks for the reply. No offence intended with the remark about the idol, merely a (failed!) attempt to lighten the mood on my part. No offence taken by me with the earlier comment now that it's been explained. I was quick to assume the worst alas and got all defensive.



Back to the subject in hand, I'm glad you re-discovered her magic. You should get the "Confessions" DVD if you want to see her and her new songs in action. Most of the album is performed and a smattering of oldies but goodies.

There's conflicting reports about what her next move will be music wise. She's been pictured entering the recording studio with Justin Timberlake and it's more or less confirmed that she's working with Timberland. The press claim she has a "hip-hop" album out later this year but a reliable fansite claims there's a 3CD/2DVD career spanning "Best Of" boxed set out so she could be working on new songs for that.

Personally I hope it's a new album and although Timberland's recent work with Justin and Nelly Furtdado is great I'm a bit dissapointed that she's jumping on such an obvious bandwagon. It's most likely an attempt to have a big hit in America which was about the only country in the world where none of the "Confessions" singles were major hits although the album was a number 1. I doubt it'll be proper hip-hop, more the commercial stuff like Nelly's album so it should be ok and I wouldn't mind a few ballads from her again.

Less likely is the rumour she's working with Annie Lennox on Annie's new album which also features Kelis and P!nk. Hmmm....

[P-Bal]

For the record, Madonna didn't have a hit single called Get Into The Groove, but then even she remembers not the correct title.

I'm indifferent to Mrs Ritchie in general.

[Carol Baynes]

Thanks for justifying my love, Si. x

I'm not keen on the idea of a Hip-hop album, but I'll give itthe time of day. A 3 CD best of sounds far more intersting, actually, especially since "The Immaculate collection" has is starting to look and sound a bit past it' sprime. Many of the "Immaculate" re-mixes have always grated on me, especially "Into the groove" and "Like a prayer" and "Express yourself" which are nowhere near as good as the original album and single cuts in my opinion.

I was thinking about my comments about past threads not involving me (choosing my words carefully here!) I think the Madonna I grew up with never feels like the Madonna being discussed. It's a weird one. I never saw her as a slightly ironic, camp icon or anything like that. It's difficult to put into words, so bear with me... I'm not saying most PS posters do either, but there's an element of that there- or something akin to it which I can't relate to. The whole huge, huge glittery showbiz thing I suppose, which is undeniably part of her marketing but can leave me cold. To me she's always been an edgier icon and a little bit raw and punk rock (seriously!). That's the Madonna I grew up with in the '80s and to me she'll always be partially stuck in that NYC club vibe. Saying that I loved her "Ray of light" stuff which was another side of her entirely.

[Captain Tancredi]

I can kind of see what you're on about- the way she presents herself these days is rather more polished and composed compared to the image when she was new, with all the very 1980s accessories and so on. (Sorry, but I don't quite know the words for what I'm trying to say) Similarly something like 'Material Girl' was quite a witty number when it first came out, but the world's changed and values have changed so that it wouldn't make half the impression today. Perhaps it's just the thing of reaching a certain level in the industry so that you can then go on to do the stuff you want to do.

[Carol Baynes]

For the record, Madonna didn't have a hit single called Get Into The Groove, but then even she remembers not the correct title.

I'm indifferent to Mrs Ritchie in general.

Pedantic to the last! Interesting fact- "Into the groove" (note correct title all) wasn't a hit in the US- I only found that out this week! It was the B-side to "Angel"- the Americans missed out a bit there as it wasn't even included on the "Like a virgin" LP (it was re-issued in the UK and Europe with the song included, although the current issue no longer has it).
It's not amongst her singles to sell more than 3 million though, and there have been a few of them.

"Hung up" has sold 8 million apparently, and it's not even an album!

[Carol Baynes]

I can kind of see what you're on about- the way she presents herself these days is rather more polished and composed compared to the image when she was new, with all the very 1980s accessories and so on. (Sorry, but I don't quite know the words for what I'm trying to say) Similarly something like 'Material Girl' was quite a witty number when it first came out, but the world's changed and values have changed so that it wouldn't make half the impression today. Perhaps it's just the thing of reaching a certain level in the industry so that you can then go on to do the stuff you want to do.

No, no...I don't think we do understand each other there (it's a theme in this thread ). I think her image is great, as regards fashion and personal style. It' smore part sof the cult that has grown up around her over the years. I can't really describe it. Perhaps, at the end of the day, everyone has their own Madonna.
Plus to say that her '80s output was not what she wanted to do Or infer as much) would be wrong, I think. I do think she's proud of that work.

[Simon R]

Plus to say that her '80s output was not what she wanted to do Or infer as much) would be wrong, I think. I do think she's proud of that work.

I think she's proud of her 80s output but wants to be seen as much for what she is now rather than what she was 10, 20 years ago. Hence why she usually performs more new songs than old classics in her concerts. Around the time of "Ray of Light" she seemed to want to distance herself from her early days and said she hated "Material Girl" and "Like a Virgin" and never wanted to sing them (or"Vogue") again yet a few years later she seemed to lighten up and was happily performing them again for the first time in years.

It was actually 25 years ago last week apparantly that she released her first single i("Everybody") in America and with her turning 50 next year now would be an apt time for some retrospective projects.

[Matthew T]

I read recently that she's working with Timbaland for her next album and a duet with Justin Trousersnake is on the cards. It could be good (I loveTimbalands' recent #1) but it could also be she-ite (I detest most modern r&b stuff).

[Carol Baynes]

Yeah, I can see how "Material girl" might have fallen out of her favour around "Ray of light", given the more spiritual selfless themes of the album.

Matt, Simon was just mentioning the Timba!land story. Sounds...interesting. I'm no fan of his though.