Madonna - Like a Virgin
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Free Music Notes for Like a Virgin
Free Music Review: Next to Thriller, Probably The Quintessential '80s' Album
Hit: 5 Stars
Although her 1983 self - titled debut was a hit, Madonn had to wait until December of 1984 before she was a superstar. When "Like A Virgin" reached # 1 and stayed there for 6 weeks, the world was ready to welcome a new pop superstar. 1985's "Like A Virgin" welcomed her into the world of music, knocking Prince's "Purple Rain" from # 1 after 24 consecutive weeks at the top. Yielding 5 top 5 singles, Madonna had arrived.The album opens with its other massive hit, the bright and fun "Material Girl", her tribute to Marilyn Monroe in a way. It remains one of the best '80s' pop songs. It also went to # 2, unable to unseat "One More Night" by Phil Collins. "Angel" (# 5) is a great and upbeat. Next comes the moment we've all been waiting for. From its heavy synthesized intro to its breathy close, the title track might as well be the best song of the 1980s', summing the decade up (in musical terms) in just over three minutes. "Over And Over" is a rapid - paved dance number sure to have you on your feet. Following is her soulful cover of Rose Royce's "Love Don't Live Here Anymore" that is so beautiful, you can't help but wonder why they waited 11 years to release it as a single (a remixed version peaked at # 78 in 1996). "Dress You Up" was another big hit. It's not really anything special, but it's still a fun and harmless little pop song. "Shoo - Be - Doo" is a nice slower number. "Pretender" is a bit of a downer, but the album closes on a high note with "Stay", which has a mesmerizing chorus.
"Like A Virgin" was the album that blew everyone away. Madonna had emerged from Detroit and proven herself a durable pop artist with moe than just a few tricks up her sleeve.
Free Music Review: Dedicated to virgins--but wonderfully lacking innocence!
Hit: 5 Stars
As other reviewers before me have very perceptively noted, this IS without doubt one of the best albums of the 1980s. It did shoot Madonna to fame and she deserved every bit of her success! Listening to the first four songs "Material Girl," Angel," "Like a Virgin," and "Over and Over," I felt young, excited, optimistic and happy as I did all twenty years ago when I first heard these wonderfully infectious songs! (It encourages you to reminisce about the good old days, too--as well as the materialism of the '80s! GRIN) Following them is the torchy pop ballad "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," which Madonna performs very well. "Dress You Up" is yet another tune that immediately became a global hit for "The Material Girl." "Shoo-Bee-Doo" is a slower ballad that goes well after the faster paced "Dress You Up." This album also includes very, very good songs like the slower "Pretender" and the song "Stay." The listener then gets the added plusses of extended dance mixes of "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl." The sound quality is excellent throughout the entire remastered CD! The liner notes include the lyrics to all the songs and there are a few great shots of Madonna taken at that time, too. A real plus for Madonna fans!
Not only is this one of her greatest albums, this CD would also be an excellent introduction to the newcomer who wants to see what Madonna could produce at such an early point in her career. I strongly recommend this remastered CD as a great addition for Madonna fans who only have the original CD or the vinyl album. Only regret: "Into The Groove" isn't here! Hey! To improve this incredible CD even further, can we use this as a springboard to remaster it yet again as something even more awesome (although there's not too much room to go higher)? Only time will tell.....GRIN
Free Music Review: Like a Virgin (1984)
Hit: 5 Stars
-Like a Virgin (1984)-
Released back in 1984, this is the album that made Madonna the icon she is today. It had gone on to become her biggest selling studio album in the US, selling well over 10 million copies, and peaking at #1. The title track is one of the 80s most recognizable songs, and along with it's controversial video, gave Madonna her first US #1 hit, where it stayed for 6 weeks. Other big hits from the album include "Material Girl" (which is probably best known for it's Marilyn Monroe inspired video) (#2), "Angel" (#5), and "Dress You Up" (#5), all of which are very catchy and upbeat.
1. Material Girl (10/10)
2. Angel (9/10)
3. Like a Virgin (10/10)
4. Over and Over (10/10)
5. Love Don't Live Here Anymore (10/10)
6. Dress You Up (10/10)
7. Shoo-Bee-Doo (9/10)
8. Pretender (9/10)
9. Stay (10/10)
10. Like a Virgin [Extended Dance Remix] (8/10)
11. Material Girl [Extended Dance Remix] (8/10)
With this album, Madonna proves why she's become the biggest female artist in history. Other than the singles, you have great songs like "Over and Over", which is one of Madonna's best dance songs, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore", which proved that Madonna could make excellent ballads, and "Stay", which like "Over and Over" is one of Madonna's best dance songs. "Shoo-Bee-Doo" and "Pretender" are also great, but not some of my favorites. The remixes of "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl" are also quite good, but I still prefer the originals. All in all, a great sophomore album, and one of the classic albums of the 80s.
My Top 5 off of the album are...
5) Like a Virgin
4) Love Don't Live Here Anymore
3) Stay
2) Material Girl
1) Over and Over
Free Music Review: Rise to an 80's Icon
Hit: 5 Stars
While Madge was very popular with her first album (1983), it was in 1984 when she released the #1 smash hit "Like A Virgin" that the entire world stopped to pay attention the the 25 year old. With her tough-girl lyrics which showed a woman could be sexual and still in control, she became an icon for young liberal girls everywhere. The CD was #1 for weeks and eventually went on to sell over 10 million copies in the States alone.
Matiriel Girl- Remains a very famous song today and has some of the most clever lyrics about not wanting a man who dosen't have the credentials she wants, although the music video told a rather non-matirielistic story.
Angel- Another top 5 hit for Madonna, and her singing in the song is just excellent.
Like A Virgin- Such a naughty title for a song, and talks about how great it feels to fall in love with someone at the beginning. It's like being a virgin again.
Over and Over- Pure 80's fun about not giving up.
Love Don't Live Here Anymore- A song that would be released as a single more than a decade later in Madonna's career, this song while not a great song in itself, showed how she could really sing. You can almost hear the loneliness in her voice.
Dress You Up- The fourth and final top 5 hit from the CD, this is the album's true gem. This is one of the greatest pop songs of all-time.
Shoo-Be-Doo- A song which shows off Madonna's vocal talent, but has some cheesy lyrics and not one of the best.
Pretender- A fun song about a man who's a pretender, a fake, a fraud. I love it.
Stay- I can't comment much on this one, as it didn't make much of an impression on me.
Like another reviewer said, this is next to Michael Jackson's "Thriller" CD as for great 80's albums. Madonna owned 1984-85.
Free Music Review: The Virgin Comes...
Hit: 5 Stars
The album that made Madonna a star did so because of 3 things. The title, the cover, and it was when we finally realized who Madonna was, and that alone could make her a star. Her sexy, powerful, rebellious personality and the Boy Toy belts and writhing on MTV make this album the landmark it is today. Other than that, it's just really fun music to listen to.
Material Girl: 5/5 It's irresistably fun and the message is in your face shallow, proving that subtlety is the only way to preach.
Angel: 5/5 It took me awhile to get over Madonna's Satanic cackle at the beginning of this track, but I gave in eventually and love every second.
Like A Virgin: 4/5 As a Madonna fan it may be blasphemous to say so, but I don't really care for this song. I like it much better in the sexy, oriental version she used on her Blonde Ambition tour.
Over and Over: 5/5 You just can't help loving it. Or making silly puns based on it.
Love Don't Live Here Anymore: 5/5 This is the only song on the album that has any real emotional strength. In fact, it is still one of Madonna's most empassioned recordings. I love it.
Dress You Up: 5/5 Is this song about a transvestite? If it is, I'm impressed. It manages to be open-minded and entertaining at the same time. If not, it's still open-minded, which is just fine.
Shoo-Bee-Doo: 3/5 This is the only song that Madonna wrote solo, and it's my least favorite. She's written good songs alone before like "Burning Up" and "Everybody" but this one's lame.
Pretender: 5/5 There's nothing intelligent to say about this.
Stay: 5/5 Or this
If you can't handle the fact that she's gonna talk about sex, Madonna's not your woman. So go make babies somewhere else.