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Read all my #LikeAVirgin30 posts here
Original UK release date: 25th November 1985
UK singles chart peak: 5
US singles chart peak: 5
#LikeAVirgin30:
People far more steeped in Madonna history than I will be able to regale you with all the facts and figures surrounding actual living legend Madonna's second album, Like A Virgin. Her debut album had seen an exploration of falling in love, falling out of love and getting away from it all (Lucky Star, Borderline, Holiday), a trio of hit singles that had established the singer as a purveyor of fine pop-dance tunes in the post-disco era. These songs, and their success, only hinted at the pop culture phenomenon Madonna would become with Like A Virgin. The album was her Thriller - a body of just nine songs that sparked mass hysteria and frenzied adulation. From the iconic sleeve to the suggestive title, through to Niles Rodgers curated songs, everything about this album was right person-right songs-right imagery-right time. It all fell in line to become one of the defining albums of the 1980s. While the album and associated singles (including a few not on the album) topped charts around the world, it seemed that Great Britain was most taken with the then-and-forever Material Girl. Between November 1984 and December 1985, a whopping nine singles (including a couple of re-releases) made the UK singles chart top five. It was a thrilling time to be(come) a Madonna fan and ten year old me couldn't get enough of this beguiling goddess. #LikeAVirgin35 is a look back at all the album's singles as well as those Vision Quest soundtrack songs so indelibly associated with this era...
Dress You Up:
After the onslaught of four Madonna releases in as many months, Sire gave UK fans wallet a break by pressing pause on the accelerated release schedule. It meant that the final Like A Virgin song, Dress You Up, was released in time for the all important Christmas Number One race in the UK. While it was unlikely to ever be the seasonal number one that year (the honour went to Whitney Houston's Saving All My Love For You), even a top ten hit would guarantee the artist (and label) greater exposure and a higher level sales than a similar chart position would at any other time of the year. The single selection was actually a fine choice and, while arguably just a replica of the US market place schedule, fit the pattern of British seasonal releases nicely. It either had to be an out and out party track or a shimmering slice of emotion that people can immerse themselves into. This was one of the album's finest examples of the latter - Dress You Up's glorious declaration of love remains one of Madonna's most charming.
Despite being the same version as had appeared on the now-multi platinum Like A Virgin album, it didn't stop Brits rushing to the stores to buy the song. Personally, I had to wait until Christmas when a 12" was placed under the tree and I was able to discover the delights of the extended Formal Mix and Casual Instrumental Mix (which I could then sing - badly - along to). The song had a solid debut of number 12 before reaching its peak of number 5 a week later. It did dip to number 8 during Christmas Number One week of the sales chart but it lingered in the top ten well into new year - a clear indication that the song's melody enchanted more and more people as the weeks went by. Now some may cry that it was the label cashing in, but following the song with a re-release of Borderline (from Madonna's debut album) was actually quite canny. Just as the re-release of Holiday tapped into the vibe of Into The Groove, Borderline was certainly cut from the same cloth as Dress You Up and rightly became the enormous number two smash it was destined to be. Both songs closed an era of Madonna that left a footprint on a generation that hasn't been matched since.
UK chart run ~ 12-5-8-9-7-6-21-32-47-61-68
Borderline UK chart run (1984) ~ 74-70-56-58-78
Borderline UK chart run (1986) ~ 15-4-3-2-6-11-23-41-63
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