Buy Like A Virgin (the album) here (Amazon GB)
Read all my #LikeAVirgin30 posts here
Original UK release date: 18th February 1985
UK singles chart peak: 3
US singles chart peak: 2
#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...
Material Girl:
Now that Like A Virgin (the single) had taken the UK (and USA) by storm, all eyes were on Madonna to see what she would do - and what would happen - next. On this side of the pond at least, despite the media hullabaloo around the lead single from her second album, this hadn't translated into album sales. Like A Virgin (the album) had risen as high as thirteen on the UK album chart but was on a downward run by the time the second single - Material Girl - was announced. It was these album sales that must have been seen as granting Madonna "enduring artist" legitimacy and as her next single was announced there must have been a sigh of relief that the album started flying off the shelves once more. It was an absolutely great choice for the second single. Although Madonna didn't write this second single, it felt absolutely integral to the message she was bringing. She wanted success therefore she was attracted to successful people. Those now-instantly recognisable synths were manna from the pop gods, ushering in a song that was the perfect marriage between theme and sound. I loved the robotic nature of the "living... in a material word" vocal, became smitten with the bassline and that irrepressible refrain. I found it impossible not to strut around the bedroom, lip-syncing into a hair brush each time it came on the radio.
Adding to the appeal of the song was the iconic video - Madonna giving true Marilyn Monroe realness. There was no denying that our Lady Madonna had a knack for creating compelling visuals and she was two for two with both singles from the parent album. The film this clip was based on (Gentlemen Prefer Blondes) had been a staple in my household growing up so seeing Madonna's musical version was a real treat. To me, she was like a young Alexis Carrington Colby from Dynasty - the opulence of control and power just emanating from her. It made me even more obsessed with the song and I would spend hours trying to perfect the dance routine and shimmering movements. Even at age 10 I was glued to the top 40 each week so the week it was released onto record shelves in the UK, I dutifully listened for where she would debut and was quite excited that the song raced right in at number 24. While chart topping debuts are the norm nowadays, back in the 80s it was more normal to debut further down the chart before strutting up to your peak position - indeed, only one song entered the UK top 40 higher that week; (the admittedly brilliant) Kiss Me by Stephen Tin Tin Duffy.
I'll confess that I was disappointed that Britain couldn't even get Madonna to perform Material Girl on Top Of The Pops, but that just meant extra time to view the eye candy video. It didn't stop her leaping to number five in her second week before nestling for a two week stay at its eventual UK peak of number three. Stateside, it went one better by climbing all the way to number two (held off the top spot by REO Speedwagon's "Can't Fight This Feeling" and Phil Collins' "One More Night"). Once again, my older brother bought the 12" single which meant when he was at Scouts I was able to quickly record onto cassette the extended Jellybean dance remix - gazing in awe at the "strictly limited edition" sticker that adorned his purchase (possibly because it came with a free 'personality poster'. Ooo la la). It is notable that the single also propelled the album into the UK top ten for the first time - reaching a new peak of number eight. Greater album sales would be achieved in good ol' Blighty when a single that wasn't even on the album was released. But that is another story for another day.
UK chart run ~ 24-5-3-3-7-11-16-31-44-66
No comments:
Post a Comment