MADONNA FRIDAY: WHAT IT FEELS LIKE FOR A GIRL

Madonna is a tough chick. What It Feels Like for a Girl is a sweet song. The video for the song, however, is anything BUT. The third single from Madonna's #1 album, Music, What It Feels Like For A Girl is one of the highlights of the disc. It reached #23 on the Hot 100 in the Spring of 2001. The song itself finds Madonna talking to her fella about how the world is different and if he wondered what it feels like for a girl...... in this world. Starting off with a sample from the movie The Cement Garden using the voice of actress  Charlotte Gainsbourg, the song rolls along at a lilting pace, drawing you in seductively to every line. BUT when Madonna was ready to make a video, she took that girl power and amped it up to 11 by using a pulsing, mostly instrumental version of the song and, with then-husband Guy Richie, producing a video with such violent images it was banned from MTV. Now this was controversial because overt sexuality and male violence was never a problem for MTV before, but to see a woman taser a man or run into a car or light a gas station on fire... well that was too hot for tv! Ha. The video is amazy, to say the least, and I love the old woman who plays her grandmother that she rescues form the "Ol Kuntz Guest Home" (hilarious) in her car with the plates that say "PUSSY" and "CAT". I truly think this video is one of the best ever made. Take a look at Madonna's What It Feels Like for a Girl.

THE #1 SONG 30 YEARS AGO TODAY WAS....

......Time After Time by Cyndi Lauper. In 1984 Cyndi Lauper was THE female pop star. Her debut album, She's So Unusual, was a bona fide hit, changing the game in pop music, especially for women, and her single Girls Just Want To Have Fun had already burned up the charts earlier that year. Instead of releasing another dance floor burner, Cyndi and her label decided to show her versatility and release a ballad as her second single. Time After Time was a smash and topped the chart on June 9, 1984, staying there for two weeks and proving that A) Cyndi was no one-hit wonder and B) the girl had chops. The song is an absolute classic and has been covered by countless artists. Time After Time was also nominated for Song of the Year at the 1985 Grammy Awards, at which Cyndi took home the trophy for Best New Artist. Unlike other 80s ballads, Time After Time is ageless and seems to transcend all musical styles to remain fresh as ever 30 years later. Here is Cyndi Lauper's timeless classic, Time After Time, the #1 song on the Billboard Hot 100 exactly 30 years ago today.

NEW VIDEO: LANA DEL REY: SHADES OF COOL

Lana Del Rey has a thing for daddies, sugar and otherwise. Here is the new video for the second single from Ultraviolence, which I reviewed today (look it up, bitch), Shades of Cool. In the video Lana and her father lover are taking in the sights and sounds of their luxurious life together. The song and the video are gorgeous, as per usual with Del Rey's visual output. Watch and love.

REVIEW: LANA DEL REY - ULTRAVIOLENCE

Lana Del Rey's songs are like the musical equivalent of a pout, and that's a good thing. I love her moody, atmospheric sound. Her debut album and it's extension, Born To Die: Paradise Edition, is among one of the finest collections of songs in the past few years IMO. There is always a lot of pressure to follow up a well-received, successful album. Lana's had a couple of very impressive soundtrack hits with the Grammy nominated Young & Beautiful from The Great Gatsby and the reimagining of Once Upon A Dream from Maleficent. Both are prefect for those projects and kept Del Rey in the headlines while she worked on her follow up. Well, Ultraviolence is here and I'd say it was worth the wait. There is still that pouty little bitch present on these songs, especially in rock-tinged first single West Coast and the hipster ode Brooklyn Baby, but she is smothered in 70s psychedelic California sun. There is a maturity in the music on Ultraviolence that was only hinted at with Born To Die. There is a sexy, adult voice coming through on songs like Sad Girl, Shades of Cool and the title track. Opening track, Cruel World, could fit quite well on Beck's amazing Morning Phase album. It is haunting and beautiful and opens the set with the perfect tone. Most songs sound as if they are daring Quentin Tarantino to put them in a film. Pretty When You Cry could lay over any scene in Kill Bill with its Hotel California-esque feel. Fucked My Way Up To the Top is a tongue-in-cheek song about getting there by any means possible with its repeating chorus of "this is my show" and is supposedly inspired by a female singer who criticized Lana for being fake, then stole her sound and became successful with it. WHO? There is still a lot of sex, violence, religion and fashion thrown in to keep the kids interested, but this is definitely an evolution in Lana Del Rey's signature sound, proving she is more than a one-note entertainer. So head over to iTunes and check it out for yourself. It's not exactly a summer dance album, but you can chill by the pool to this one.

NEW GOLDFRAPP VIDEO: JO

It's no secret that I am a Goldfrapp fanatic (I would call us GoldFAPPs, if I had my way) so imagine my excitement at the announcement of a new single and the release of the video for the beautiful, haunting song Jo. This song about a murderess is dark and lovely and Alison's voice is angelic as always. The video is a work of art. Goldfrapp recently announced the upcoming release of the deluxe edition of the amazingly rapturous album Tales of Us which will include their short film of the same name and the live audio of the concert that was taped live for each of the showings in select cities. The film will also be made available separately on iTunes. The set will be available July 8th. Enjoy!

MADONNA FRIDAY: PAPA DON'T PREACH

In the very beginning Madonna was the ragamuffin girl with the bow in her hair, the piles of bright makeup and the torn tights. Much to the surprise of everyone in the music industry, Madonna did the very first of her MAJOR image changes when she popped up on screen with a pixie haircut and a very lean physique in the summer of 1986.  Papa Don't Preach was the first official single from her smash hit album True Blue (Live to Tell was out before the album as a track from the film At Close Range). The song caused controversy for it's "keeping my baby" stance and, for the first time, parents were praising Madonna for a pro-life message, while some women's organizations condemned Madonna for encouraging teen pregnancy. It's a story in a song! Madonna told the New York Times, "Papa Don't Preach is a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way. Immediately they're going to say I am advising every young girl to go out and get pregnant. When I first heard the song, I thought it was silly. But then I thought, wait a minute, this song is really about a girl who is making a decision in her life. She has a very close relationship with her father and wants to maintain that closeness. To me it's a celebration of life. It says, 'I love you, father, and I love this man and this child that is growing inside me'. Of course, who knows how it will end? But at least it starts off positive." The song reached #1 on the Hot 100, becoming Madonna's fourth song to top the charts. The song, along with the music video, are among Madonna's most memorable and important. Truly a classic by any standards, here is Madonna's giant hit from the summer of 1986, Papa Don't Preach

ADORE DELANO BREAKS DRAG RACE CHART RECORDS WITH TILL DEATH DO US PARTY

Adore Delano is not just your average drag queen, girl. She is a pop star too!! Adore's debut album, Till Death Do Us Party, has set a record for RuPaul's Drag Race alum by debuting at #59 on the Billboard 200 album chat, the highest of any Drag Race contestant, and sets a RDR sales record by moving 5,000 copies in it's first week. PARTY!! Adore also debuted at #3 on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart. What an amazing accomplishment!! Adore is an actual singer. As her real-life counterpart Danny Noriega she was in the Top 16 contestants of American Idol in 2008. Of course, other Drag Race contestants have hit the charts (see below), but I think Adore's success shows how much of an impact RuPaul's Drag Race is having on mainstream culture. Here are a list of other Drag Race contestants who have hit one of the Billboard charts since the show's debut. Of course, Ru has had her share of hits on the charts as well, but no one compares to Mama Ru. Don't get it twisted.

Season One: Nina Flowers: Ranny's "Loca," featuring Flowers - No. 15 on Dance Club Songs, 2010
Season Two: Sahara Davenport: "Go Off" - No. 35 on Dance Club Songs, 2012 Jessica Wild: Ranny's "You Like It Wild," featuring Wild - No. 30 on Dance Club Songs, 2011
Season Three: Raja: "Diamond Crowned Queen" - No. 35 on Dance Club Songs, 2011
Season Four: Willam: Has charted five entries on the Comedy Digital Songs chart thanks to parody singles of popular hits. In 2012, "Chow Down" (featuring Vicky Vox & Detox) and "Love You Like a Big Schlong" reached Nos. 12 and 25, respectively. The following year "Boy Is a Bottom" (featuring Detox and Vox) hit No. 6, "RuPaulogize" (featuring Sharon Needles) reached No. 14 and the "Blurred Lines" spoof "Blurred Bynes" (again with Detox and Vox) hit No. 5. Sharon Needles: The album "PG-13" reached No. 9 on the Dance/Electronic Albums chart, and also hit No. 186 on the Billboard 200. Needles also charted an entry on the Comedy Digital Songs chart with "RuPaulogize" (see Willam, above).
Season Five: Detox: Has charted three entries, with Willam (see above).
Season Six: Adore Delano (see above).

HOW IS LANA DEL REY'S NEW ALBUM SHAPING UP? LISTEN TO RELEASES SO FAR

Lana Del Rey, in my opinion, has a lot to prove on her new album, Ultraviolence, due June 17th. Her last effort, Born To Die, was brilliant, moody, trippy and gorgeous. Ultraviolence is sounding like a completely different animal so far, but in a really good way. There is more of a 70s, California influence on these songs and it's rocking my socks. Here are the already previewed songs for you to take in. Enjoy and get ready for an onslaught of amazing, bitches. Here is first single West Coast, second single Shades of Cool and two promo tracks Ultraviolence and Brooklyn Baby.

A LITTLE LATE: LEA MICHELE'S VIDEO FOR ON MY WAY

Looking as beautiful as ever, Lea Michele released the video for her second single from her debut album Louder on May 19th and I totally missed it!!! Here is the sassy video for the upbeat track On My Way. This is a great song with a great beat and emotional lyrics and Lea is has a rockin' ass, y'all!!! I'm sad that the album isn't getting more play, but that's okay. I will listen to it enough for all of you sorry mo'fo's. JK!!! But seriously, go buy her album or you are a complete dildo. Watch the sexy video below.