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

MADONNA FRIDAY: 5 MORE VIDEOS THAT MADE MADONNA A GAY ICON

Last week I gave you five videos that, IMO, helped make Madonna THE gay icon of a generation. Here are five more that certainly didn't hurt that effort. It's Pride Weekend here in NYC and you can bet your best bottom that Madonna will be blasting from video screens and speakers all around the City. From her dance moves to her outfits, Madonna slays her gays with every move. Enjoy these five videos and try not to gag too much. HAPPY PRIDE!!

MADONNA FRIDAY: FIRST SINGLES FROM ALL 80s ALBUMS RANKED

Madonna was undoubtedly the biggest female pop star of the 80s, and arguably the biggest of all pop stars, so every time she was gearing up to release a new album we couldn't wait to hear the lead single. Here I have put together the lead singles from all of Madonna's full length albums for you from Madonna (1983) to Like a Prayer (1989). Some of the most exciting, legendary singles in pop music history. So which one was the greatest lead single? In determining this ranking I took into consideration not just which was my favorite song, but how well it represented what was in store for the album, sonically and tonally, and the impact it had on me personally during the era of Madonna's career it kickstarted. I'm complicated. Read below to find out which song fits where, bitch. I'm not just going to list them for you, lazy!! Happy Madonna Friday.
4. Everybody (Madonna) - Though Everybody was released in October '82 and Madonna, the album, wasn't released until July '83, Everybody was officially the first single and its success on the Dance and Club charts was the reason Madonna was able to record her debut full-length album. Even though Everybody is an absolute joy, it didn't quite kick the album into high gear. That honor would go to third single Holiday, which was Madonna's first Hot 100 hit (#16) and moved the newly released album up the chart.

3. Live To Tell (True Blue) - Live To Tell, though officially considered the lead single from True Blue, was ACTUALLY released as a song from Madonna's then-husband Sean Penn's film At Close Range. She wrote it with Patrick Leonard and presented it to Sean for his birthday to help promote the film. It was released right before the album True Blue though and is considered its first single. I LOVE this song. It is dark and moody and one of Madonna's best vocal performances. The only thing that keeps it from being higher on this list is that it doesn't exactly set up the album True Blue as a whole. True Blue is brighter, sunnier and more of a summer album in total than the tone of Live To Tell lets on. Papa Don't Preach, the second single, was a much better representation of what was to come with True Blue.

2. Like A Virgin (Like A Virgin) - As far as setting up an album, it doesn't get (very) much better than this. With the help of producer Nile Rodgers, Madonna combines sound, concept and style all in one hard hitting, sexy punch to set up one of the most iconic albums of the 1980s and of her career. Like A Virgin was naughty, shocking, ironic and. most importantly, iconic from the moment we first heard it. It was the perfect introduction to follow up singles Material Girl, Angel and Dress You Up. There is only one better.

1. Like A Prayer (Like A Prayer) - I mean......COME ON! There is no way to better kick off an album than with a great melody, a perfect beat and a gospel choir. Am I right, ladies? Like A Prayer dwarfed in scope and sound all other previous first singles and set up what was her highest artistic achievement of the 1980s. The album, the single and all following singles (Express Yourself, Cherish, Oh Father, Keep It Together) form as perfect an era as perfect could be. Like A Prayer set the bar for lead singles from that point on, her greatest lead single of the 80s.

MADONNA FRIDAY: MADONNA'S #1 SINGLES RANKED

Madonna has had twelve #1 singles on the US Hot 100. I know, not nearly enough, but what can you do? I would like to list them, 12 to 1, in order of my favorite #1 singles. This is like choosing your favorite child. No. It's harder. Some children are obviously superior to others, right? THIS IS MY SOPHIE'S CHOICE!!!Okay. Madonna has scored #1s in the 80s, 90s, and 00s, so there is a long history to get through here. Buckle up, bitches. Here they are, Madonna's #1 singles ranked. Happy Madonna Friday!!

12. Take A Bow (#1 for 7 weeks, 1995)

11. Who's That Girl (#1 for 1 week, 1987)

10. Music (#1 for 4 weeks, 2000)

09. Justify My Love (#1 for 2 weeks, 1991)

08. This Used To Be My Playground (#1 for 1 week, 1992)

07. Crazy For You (#1 for 1 week, 1985)

06. Like A Prayer (#1 for 3 weeks, 1989)

05. Like A Virgin (#1 for 6 weeks, 1984/5)

04. Papa Don't Preach (#1 for 2 weeks, 1986)

03. Live To Tell (#1 for 1 week, 1986)

02. Open Your Heart (#1 for 1 week, 1987)

01. Vogue (#1 for 3 weeks, 1990)

MADONNA FRIDAY: ALL MADONNA'S PREVIOUS ALBUMS RANKED

Madonna's an album-artist. She does not release an album with one or two good singles and the rest are throw-aways (cough cough -- Rihanna -- cough cough), she has always put thought and effort into making an entire album to communicate a statement of her art. This is my personal ranking of all of her albums released prior to Rebel Heart (come on!! Rebel Heart was JUST released this week. I can't rank it yet!!), including I'm Breathless, which some consider a soundtrack even though IT'S FUCKING NOT!! It's okay. I'm calm. This ranking is based on successful singles, album tracks and longevity/level of enjoyment received by each album as a whole, so some of the later albums don't quite get a fair shake because they haven't been around as long. This is for now, March 12, 2015: My ranking of Madonna's albums from Madonna to MDNA. Enjoy.

13. Hard Candy (2008) Don't get me wrong, Hard Candy has some great songs. One of these albums had to be last on the list, and Hard Candy is taking that place because it doesn't seem like a Madonna album. While her name is all over the writing credits, the production is pretty heavy-handed by Timbaland and Justin Timberlake. The best tracks on the album are definitely by Pharrell, like the breezy The Beat Goes On, the joyful Heartbeat and the inexplicably-relegated-to-bonus-track Ring My Bell.  While Candy Shop and Dance Tonight are successful collabs with Timbaland and Timberlake, some of the other material, like Voices or Devil Wouldn't Recognize You, seem to lose Madonna in the mix. That the LAST thing one wants from a Madonna album. Also Spanish Lesson is pretty unforgivable. I mean..... But, ending on a very positive note, Miles Away is a heartbreaking precursor to her soon-divorce from Guy Richie and takes on a much more emotional tone when listening to it now. The list goes on...

12. MDNA (2012) Madonna's hype machine was gearing us up for another Ray of Light by her re-pairing with William Orbit and promising some introspective songs. While MDNA is a good album, Ray of Light it is not. Sure, there are signs of the electronic loveliness the pair made, like on the beautiful Falling Free or the Beautiful Stranger-esque I'm A Sinner, but the real meat of the album is some of Madonna's most exciting music since Confessions. I'm Addicted is right up there with some of the Queen's best dance songs of all time and Girl Gone Wild shows that Madonna is not slowing down, especially with its athletic, boy-candy video, her sexiest since Vogue. Turn Up the Radio, which should have been the first single instead of Give Me All Your Luvin, is a return to the girlish sound of Causing A Commotion and Into the Groove. One of the best tracks is I Don't Give A... with a killer verse by Nicki Minaj and some bad-ass lyrics about the hardest working woman in music. MDNA also made it clear, after the confusion on Hard Candy, that Madonna was back in the driver's seat and calling the shots when it came to her sound.

11. American Life (2003) Not since Erotica has a Madonna album received so much backlash, and for what? People perceived the album to be overtly political and, being released just post-9/11, much of American Life was taken out of context. Of course, it didn't make it easy when the video for the title track featured a fashion show of partially amputated war veterans and supermodels strutting a runway and a GWB look-alike lighting a cigarette with a grenade, but the song itself is actually just about fame and power. Aside from the hype, the album is really one of Madge's most laid back, almost folksy efforts. Had the album been lead by the awe-inspiring ballad Nothing Fails, this conversation about her being "un-American" might not have ever happened. That song alone is the finest example of the power of Madonna's songwriting. "I'm not religious, but I feel so moved it makes me want to pray". The album was received MUCH better oversees, with most singles going top 10 and in some cases #1, like Love Profusion and Nothing Fails. Lack of promotion and the fact that second single, Hollywood, failed to crack the Hot 100 (a first for Madonna) didn't help its chances in America. Still, I think hindsight shows that American Life is a well-written, passionate, personal album that stands the test of time musically.

10. Ray of Light (1998) History shows that Ray of Light changed Madonna personally, revitalized her career and took music in a new direction. The introduction of electronic music into pop can be traced directly to Madonna and William Orbit's collaboration on this album. Kicking off with Drowned World/Substitute for Love, it was obvious that Madonna was spiritually, musically and vocally a new woman. Singles Frozen and Ray of Light are two of her most loved hits of all time and the album is packed with passionate songs, full of bleeps and blurbs provided by Orbit. Nothing Really Matters and The Power of Goodbye both deserve a lot more attention and praise than they have been given, and try a better dance party punch than Swim and Skin. Also is Little Star the first electro-lullaby? I think so, and it's gorgeous. Ray of Light was a game changer.

09. Music (2000) Music continued on the path set by electronic-pop Ray of Light, but started off with one of the most playful, joyful songs Madonna had released since the 80s, the title track. Music, the single, became a phenomenon and topped the charts for four weeks in late 2000. Experimenting even further with EDM, the albums features one of Madonna's most ambitious and urgent tracks with Impressive Instant. Jittery, manic and brilliant, the tune was Madonna's pick for a single after the amazing Don't Tell Me and the sensual What It Feels Like For A Girl. When the record company refused, Madonna did not promote the album any further and refused to do a video if they released Amazing as a single. Still, Music is a wonderful collection of experimental songs that are unlike any other Madonna tunes. The electronic ballads like Nobody's Perfect, Paradise (Not For Me), Gone and I Deserve It are among her most powerful. The album hit #1 in 23 countries upon its release.

08. Bedtime Stories (1994) Following the uproar and (unreasonable) backlash of her masterpiece Erotica, Madonna took a much softer, more R&B turn on her follow up, '94's Bedtime Stories....with the exception of one standout track. Human Nature skewered her critics and answered their jibes with pronouncements of "I'm not sorry" and "Oops. I didn't know I couldn't talk about sex" to a hard, New Jack Swing beat that put most mid-90s R&B to shame. The rest of the album was soulful and, in some cases, very personal. Lead single Secret is smooth and sexy while songs like Inside of Me and Love Tried To Welcome Me showed a soft, vulnerable side of Madonna. The funk of I'd Rather Be Your Lover is offset with the fist inkling of what was to come with Ray of Light on the electronic Sanctuary and the Björk-penned Bedtime Story. Of course, the biggest hit off the album and the biggest ballad of Madonna's career was the sweeping Take A Bow, which stayed at #1 on the Hot 100 for 7 weeks in the Winter/Spring of 1995.

07. Madonna (1983) Without a doubt one of the most exciting debut albums by an artist of her generation. Madonna had a strong handle on her career from the get-go and it shows on her first full length effort. Her self-penned Lucky Star is as funky and addictive as anything on the radio at the time and Borderline was a genre-jumping pop hit. Holiday pretty much single-handedly brought dance music to the masses after disco had supposedly died. The entire album plays as a long, continuous dance party from Burning Up to Physical Attraction to Everybody and we've never stopped moving to it. Sure it sounds a little light in places compared to her future work, but there is a strong sense of self, even on this first record by an aspiring pop star. All women in the business were put on notice: Madonna is here.

06. I'm Breathless (1990) Though considered by most to be a soundtrack, I'm Breathless only features three songs from the film Dick Tracy and there was an ACTUAL soundtrack produced for that film that Madonna's songs were not on. So fuck those people!! Madonna took the three songs penned for her by Stephen Sondheim and expertly crafted, with the help of frequent collaborator Patrick Leonard (among others) some of her most stylized and fun songs of her career. Taking inspiration from jazz and cabaret, Madonna made a sexy novelty hit out of Hanky Panky (taking it to #10 on the Hot 100) and, of course, wrote one of, if not THE, most enduring and timeless dance songs of all time with Shep Pettibone, Vogue, which, FYI, was originally intended as a B-side for her Like A Prayer song Keep It Together until her record company asked her to develop it more. The rest is dance history, girl. Her lovely handling of the Sondheim pieces, Sooner or Later, What Can You Lose and More, highlight an artist who could deliver serious material and with emotional depth, shown in her Oscar performance that year when Sooner or Later took home the statue. I'm Breathless is an impressive pet project that ended up being a big worldwide hit, selling over 7 million copies.

05. Like A Virgin (1984) Madonna's first #1 album and the start of Madonna-mania. MTV pretty much had taken over America and the "M" might as well have stood for Madonna. With the perfect fourgy of singles in Like A Virgin, Material Girl, Angel and Dress You Up, LAV changed the sound and look of music, especially for women in pop, forever. Madonna enlisted Nile Rodgers to produce her second album, which resulted in a more full, slick, soulful and mature sound than her girlish debut. She even rocked her first cover with Love Don't Live Here Anymore.  Like A Virgin and it's singles established the star that Madonna was soon to become, the icon of our generation.

04. Confessions On A Dance Floor (2005) After the disappointing sales of American Life Madonna regrouped and changed direction to a full-on, dance floor burner......sort of. Yes, the music on Confessions On A Dance Floor was undeniably set in the disco, but the lyrics were just as personal and, sometimes, dark as they were on American Life. Songs like Jump, How High, Isaac and Forbidden Love were all deep, lyrically personal songs. Of course Madonna gave us some fun-loving gems like Hung Up and the immaculate Get Together as well so we could dance with abandon. Confessions hit #1 in 40 countries upon it's releasing, securing a place in the Guinness Book of World Records, and it's supporting tour (my fave) placed Madonna back in the good graces of the huddled masses. Confessions On A Dance Floor is a standout of her '00s output.

03. Like A Prayer (1989) As pure and perfect as True Blue was, Like A Prayer drawfed it in terms of scope. The album delved into what was underneath the star to divulge some of her most personal work to date. Opening with possibly the greatest one-two punch in pop history with Like A Prayer and Express Yourself, LAP came out swinging and didn't let up. Does it get better than that? She dealt with divorce (Til Death Do Us Part), abuse (Oh Father), family (Keep It Together), the death of her mother (Promise to Try), love (Cherish) and loss (Spanish Eyes) all in the context of 10 songs and established herself as a true artist. As Rolling Stone so aptly put it, Like A Prayer is "as close to art as pop music gets."

02. True Blue (1986) Coming off of the huge success and first #1 album of her career (Like A Virgin) Madonna had a lot to prove. Instead of repeating herself, for the first of many times, Madonna reinvented. She cut off the crazy hair, tightened her body and put together an absolute arsenal of hits. True Blue stands as one of her most commercially successful albums of all time, selling over 25 million worldwide, boasting three #1 songs with Live To Tell, Papa Don't Preach and Open Your Heart, and placing the remaining singles -- True Blue, La Isla Bonita -- in the top 5. It was a step in a more serious, mature direction for Madonna and this is the album that truly made her a superstar. There was no doubt after True Blue that Madonna was an icon.

01. Erotica (1992) A masterpiece of cold sexuality. Madonna released Erotica in response to the press being obsessed with her sex life, so she released the album, the SEX book and Body of Evidence to lay all of this to rest. Here is all of her, presented as the fantasy YOU have created. Erotica, on top of it's aggressive sexual nature, was also a stunning mix of dance floor gems, longingly beautiful ballads and introspective musical essays. Bad Girl and Rain are the best ballads of her career and Deeper and Deeper, Thief of Hearts and Bye, Bye Baby, among others, are a tour de force of pop perfection. Her cover of Fever is electric and coldy-sexual,  while Why's It So Hard and In This Life show depth and despair pouring out of Madonna. Even the lesser know tracks like the funky Waiting, the speed-of-light Words and the ode to oral sex Where All Life Begins are truly stunning, sometimes shocking, works of art. There is not a single song on this album that doesn't deliver. This album only seems to get better with time and, with the current resurgence of 90s house (including Madonna's own Rebel Heart) Erotica stands as the perfect example of an artist at the top of her game.

MADONNA FRIDAY: LA ISLA BONITA

Madonna loves a Latin beat. She's had many songs inspired by latin flovor such as Borderline, Spanish Eyes, Love Makes the World Go Round, Deeper and Deeper, Take a Bow, You'll See, etc etc etc, but her most successful song in that genre, in my opinion, has to be La Isla Bonita. From her 1986 album True Blue, La Isla Bonita was the fifth and final single released on February 27, 1987 reaching #4 on the Billboard Hot 100, #1 on the Hot Dance Singles Sales chart and #1 in the UK, Canada, France, Germany, Switzerland, Belgium, Austria and the Eurochart for three weeks, becoming Madg'es fourth #1 on that chart. It is noted as the first heavily Latin influenced single by Madonna. Clearly one of Madonna's favorite among her back catalog, La Isla Bonita has been performed on almost all of her tours in different arrangements. The song has stood the test of time, feeling as fresh today as it did in 1986, and remains a favorite among Madonna's fans. FUN FACT: La Isla Bonita was previously written as a lament for the mythical Spanish island called San Pedro and was offered to Michael Jackson for his Bad album, but was turned down by Michael. While working with Patrick Leonard on the True Blue album, Madonna accepted it in Jackson's place and re-wrote the song's lyrics. The rest is history. So now, enjoy the "tropical..island breeze" of La Isla Bonita.

MADONNA FRIDAY: MY FAVORITE NON-SINGLE TRACK FROM EVERY MADONNA ALBUM

You're welcome! In case you are not a die-hard Madonna fan like myself, you may not know some of these songs. Well, mo'fo', you're about to get educated. OOOH, I love me when I get all rough. I would like to share with you my favorite tracks from each of Madonna's thirteen albums (I'm including I'm Breathless because everyone should) that was not released as a single.  Starting with her self-titled debut album, Physical Attraction is a sexy, girlish come on that was somehow not deemed appropriate for radio. From Like A Virgin I always really, really love Stay. It was adapted from a song Madonna wrote a few years before and closes out the album with a sexy urgency. White Heat is a standout track from True Blue, using old school gangster movies as a metaphor for love. The confessional tone of Like A Prayer yielded the beautiful, heartbreaking, emotional ode to Madonna's mother Promise To Try. I'm Breathless: Songs from and inspired by the film Dick Tracy opens with a bang thanks to the sassy, sexy He's A Man, a torch song for the ages, that fits right in with the songs penned by Stephen Sondheim for the film. Erotica was packed full of potential singles, but the most surprising omission for chart consideration is the brazen, tough Bye Bye Baby. Bedtime Stories contains one of Madonna's most luscious ballads ever with Forbidden Love. An electronic ballad (maybe the first) called Little Star holds a special place on Ray of Light as it was written about her then newborn (now 18 year-old) daughter, Lourdes. Even Madonna didn't understand why her record label wouldn't release the amazing Impressive Instant from the album Music, so she refused to promote any more singles from the album. Nobody Knows Me seemed obvious for release off of American Life, as did Forbidden Love (not to be confused with the track from Bedtime Stories) from Confessions on a Dance Floor, but both were passed over for other singles. 2008's Hard Candy had a slew of urban-friendly radio hits-in-waiting, but possibly the best was the Kanye-assisted, Pharrell produced Beat Goes On. Finally the raw power of Addicted from MDNA, in my opinion, should have been the album's first single. Okay, I hope I opened your eyes to some Madonna deep cuts. Listen below!!! Happy Madonna Friday!

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

MADONNA FRIDAY: MY RANKING OF ALL 65 OF MADONNA'S U.S. SINGLES

And do you NEED any other ranking? Here is my (current) ranking of all of Madonna's singles released in the United States to date. This order could change in the future according to mood, hunger, fever and because I damn well feel like it. Now this is JUST singles released in the US, so Into the Groove, Gambler, Dear Jesse, The Look of Love, Spotlight, Fever, Bye Bye Baby, One More Chance, Another Suitcase in Another Hall, Drowned World (Substitute For Love), Revolver and Masterpiece are NOT, I repeat, NOT eligible for this list. Madonna has released a total of 65 singles here in the US and I took my sweet-ass time to put them in order for you, so take your sweet-ass time and agree with me on every single one. Ha! JK!! Any true Madonna fan will take issue with my list, just as I have with all the (SOOO wrong) ones that I have seen. That's why we are Madonna fans; we express ourselves. See what I did there? I'm aware that my top two, in particular, are probably pretty controversial for Madonna fans, but I can't help it!! THEY'RE MY FAVES!!! Take a look below, click on links and watch a couple of videos. Happy Madonna Friday!!!

65. American Pie (The Next Best Thing Soundtrack)
64. Hollywood (American Life)
63. Give It 2 Me (Hard Candy)
62. You Must Love Me (Evita Soundtrack)
61. Sorry (Confessions On A Dance Floor)
60. Give Me All Your Luvin' (MDNA)
59. Don't Cry For Me Argentina (Evita Soundtrack)
58. Love Don't Live Here Anymore (Something To Remember)
57. Miles Away (Hard Candy)
56. Turn Up The Radio (MDNA)
55. Take A Bow (Bedtime Stories)
54. Bedtime Story (Bedtime Stories)
53. Love Profusion (American Life)
52. Die Another Day (American Life)
51. The Power of Goodbye (Ray of Light)
50. Hanky Panky (I'm Breathless)
49. Who's That Girl (Who's That Girl)
48. Everybody (Madonna)
47. Human Nature (Bedtime Stories)
46. Nothing Really Matters (Ray of Light)
45. Burning Up (Madonna)
44. Celebration (Celebration)
43. 4 Minutes (ft. Justin Timberlake) (Hard Candy)
42. Borderline (Madonna)
41. Ray of Light (Ray of Light)
40. Rescue Me (The Immaculate Collection)
39. Dress You Up (Like A Virgin)
38. Keep It Together (Like A Prayer)
37. Deeper and Deeper (Erotica)
36. What It Feels Like For A Girl (Music)
35. Music (Music)
34. You'll See (Something To Remember)
33. I'll Remember (With Honors Soundtrack)
32. Erotica (Erotica)
31. La Isla Bonita (True Blue)
30. Girl Gone Wild (MDNA)
29. Nothing Fails (American Life)
28. Holiday (Madonna)
27. Beautiful Stranger (Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me)
26. Frozen (Ray Of Light)
25. Material Girl (Like A Virgin)
24. Hung Up (Confessions On A Dance Floor)
23. American Life (American Life)
22. Justify My Love (The Immaculate Collection)
21. Cherish (Like A Prayer)
20. True Blue (True Blue)
19. Secret (Bedtime Stories)
18. This Used To Be My Playground (Non-album single)
17. Don't Tell Me (Music)
16, Get Together (Confessions On A Dance Floor)
15. Crazy For You (Vision Quest Soundtrack)
14. Angel (Like A Virgin)
13. Lucky Star (Madonna)
12. Oh Father (Like A Prayer)
11. Like A Prayer (Like A Prayer)
10. Causing A Commotion (Who's That Girl)
9. Like A Virgin (Like A Virgin)
8. Papa Don't Preach (True Blue)
7. Live to Tell (True Blue)
6. Bad Girl (Erotica)
5. Open Your Heart (True Blue)
4. Express Yourself (Like A Prayer)
3.Vogue (I'm Breathless)
2. Rain (Erotica)
1. Jump (Confessions of a Dance Floor)

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. 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.

MADONNA FRIDAY: MADONNA'S ALBUM TRUE BLUE TURNS 25!

Technically it was yesterday, but this YEAR Madonna's amazing, classic #1 album True Blue turns 25!! Can you believe it!! Seems like only yesterday I was five years from being born listening to this album. What? Anyhoo... thought by many fans to be her finest work, True Blue was released June 30, 1986 and went onto to sell 24 millions albums worldwide, 7 million in the US alone, produced three #1 singles and two additional top 5 singles. Damn! Live To Tell, Papa Don't Preach and Open Your Heart hit the top spot while True Blue reached #3 and La Isla Bonita hit #4. Every song a classic and among her best. The album was also a shift in image, the first of many for Madonna, going from the tossled Boy-Toy era to the more sleek, mature look as featured on the album cover and in the videos for the album. It all worked, girl!! Let's just cut to the chase: here are the singles from True Blue for you to love. I can't believe it's been 25 years. Gawd, I'm old.