My wife really likes Madonna. For her birthday I plan on buying her the top Madonna songs of all time from a reputable on line music store. She has a Samsung A920 phone with a 1 gig memory card that I’ll load up with the songs(how many songs can fit on a 1 gig memory card anyway?). That way she can listen to her music while she’s at work. I found this site that rated some of Madonna’s songs. My question is do you think that this list is any good? Are there any songs that you think should be on the list? Do you have an alternative list?
Also, where would one go to get these songs? Back in the day I downloaded my fare share of songs using P2P, but I now admit that that was wrong. I now would like to buy these songs legally. Any suggestions on what is the best site? I don’t have an ipod or anything apple. Any suggestions are greatly appreciated.
I’m not the world’s biggest Madonna fan, but I’d say that the Immaculate Collection, plus “Dress You Up,” “Take a Bow”, “Ray of Light,” “Beautiful Stanger,” and “Don’t Tell Me” should just about do it. If your wife is a big fan, ask her to make you a Madonna mix CD and see what she chooses!
Also, I’ve got the Samsung A950 with a 256 mb memory card, and I’ve got something like 8-10 albums ripped to it. You should be able to fit plenty on that 1 gig card.
FYI, that list is a piece of crap. This Used To Be My Playground? Angel? Um, No. Let me repeat - no, no, nononono, NO.
Madonna’s songs are on iTunes (with much fanfare, I might add - he got her to videoconference with the shareholders on the day it was announced. She was still in a sling from her accident, pretty doped up, and told everyone her then-forthcoming album, Confessions On A Dancefloor, was going to be titled “Revenge Of The Broken Arm”). I know you don’t have “anything apple”, but you can get iTunes to work with mp3 players. If you anticipate problems, PM or email me and I can help you out with that.
Here is a handful of essentials, in my opinion (for what it’s worth, I’ve been a fan since I could walk - over 20 years now):
Burning Up
Lucky Star
Material Girl
Like A Virgin
Dress You Up
Papa Don’t Preach
Open Your Heart
Live To Tell
Where’s The Party
La Isla Bonita
Spotlight
Like A Prayer
Express Yourself
Promise To Try
Cherish
Oh Father
Vogue
Hanky Panky
Erotica
Bad Girl
Waiting
Secret
Bedtime Story
Take A Bow
I’ll Remember
Don’t Cry For Me Argentina
Lament
I Want You
You’ll See
Drowned World/Substitute For Love
Ray Of Light
Nothing Really Matters
Frozen
To Have And Not To Hold
Mer Girl
Don’t Tell Me
What It Feels Like For A Girl
Gone
Hollywood
Nobody Knows Me
Love Profusion
Nothing Fails
Die Another Day
Easy Ride
Hung Up
Let It Will Be
Jump
How High
Like It Or Not
Good solid bonuses:
Nobody Knows Me - (I’m Going To Tell You A Secret soundtrack)
Hollywood - (I’m Going To Tell You A Secret soundtrack)
Future Lovers/I Feel Love - (Confessions Tour soundtrack)
Like A Virgin - (Confessions Tour soundtrack)
Erotica/You Thrill Me - (Confessions Tour soundtrack)
Superpop (silly but fun)
Your Honesty
Frozen (Stereo MC’s Mix)
Ray Of Light (Liquid Mix)
What It Feels Like For A Girl (Above & Beyond Radio Edit)
There is also unreleased material floating around, which is great if you know where to find it (nudge nudge wink wink). There is one b-side called Liquid Love that is absolutely ESSENTIAL and some of the demos from tour rehearsals that are like auditory gold to any fan - they even have cute offhand comments and lyrical flubs.
WOW. thanks kung fu lola. seeing as itunes seems to be the only place that carries Madonna’s songs, i guess that that is the place i’m going.
since i have a gig to work with, do you suggest any albums that are all around good. i figure i can buy two or three albums and just fill in the rest with songs that i download Separately.
oh and one more thing, my wife is a fan of the 80s and early 90s stuff.
I second Hampshire’s recommendation of *The Immaculate Collection * for her older stuff and Greatest Hits Vol.2 for the newer stuff. Throw in I’m Breathless (the Dick Tracy music), and you’re golden.
(I still vaguely remember the first time I heard Madonna: I think the year was 1984 – 1983? – and the song was “Borderline.” I’ve been a fan ever since, though I’m picky about her newer stuff.)
OK, I mentioned a lot of these songs on my previosu list, but I will break it down for you to make it more digestible.
The Greatest Hits collections are a great place to start indeed.
However, for the love of all that is holy, please use the ALBUM versions of What It Feels Like For A Girl, Ray Of Light, Don’t Tell Me, La Isla Bonita, and Open Your Heart, because the IC and GHV2 versions are chopped up all to hell - and not very well I might add.
Full albums worth including:
Madonna
Like A Virgin (only if she is HARDCORE for the 80’s stuff, though. Some people find it too shrill and synth-y)
Like A Prayer
Ray Of Light
Confessions On A Dance Floor
Songs you won’t find on Hits collections but are effing great:
Burning Up
Bad Girl
To Have And Not To Hold
Easy Ride
Gone
Where’s The Party
Dress You Up
*Nobody Knows Me (Especially the live versions)
Personally, I would stay away from True Blue, American Life, and I’m Breathless because they are uneven at best and awfully twee at worst.
For something novel, consider The Royal Philharmonic Does Madonna. It’s not the exact title, but it got your attention! It’s [whoops, if I don’t finish this post it’s because an earthquake is starting] a pleaseant interpretation of the music, not just a rehashing of the songs without vocals. The Amazon reviews are spot on.
Kung fu lola, have you heard this collection? If not, you must add it to your collection. Well worth the money. And while I’ve got your virutal ear, may I ask if there are any Japanese releases I should consider? They’re pretty expensive, but I’ll be glad to get 'em if they’re worth it.
Yes, I do have it, but it’s actually called something different. Lovely title you put there, though - if anyone could take on the entire Royal Philharmonic, it would be M.
Honestly, the Japanese releases usually just have cruddy repetitive remixes or sub-standard b-sides, BUT if you ever find a Limited Edition of Ray Of Light, snap that baby up, those things are gold. Just check to make sure it’s the 2-CD set, not the single-disc in a fancy sleeve.
PS, I am glad your proto-natural disaster nipped itself in the bud.
Thanks for the suggestion. Next time I’m at Tower Records, I’ll cruise by Madonna’s section. And thanks for the concern; I’m in the top floor of the hotel so any tremor seems to be magnified.
Honestly, between you, me, and the “quick reply” button, now that M’s albums are so readily available on iTunes, rehearsal demos for M’s tours and studio demos of tracks that didn’t make an album’s final cut are where it’s at - they’re the hot tracks, and tons of them have leaked.
