Top 10 Alert!
Song#: 3264
Date: 09/12/1987
Debut: 41
Peak: 2
Weeks: 18
Genre: Dance-Pop, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: Madonna's third major film, Who's That Girl, was not a box office success, but its associated soundtrack became a #7 platinum album thanks to the #1 title track and this second single, which nearly topped the Pop chart. It would spend three weeks in the runner-up spot while getting to #1 Dance and #37 AC. The song was written by Stephen Bray and Madonna. Supposedly the lyrics were inspired by Madonna's relationship with her then-husband Sean Penn. Penn had a reputation for violent outbursts, especially towards the press, which culminated with Penn assaulting a photographer in the summer of '87. Penn would serve 33 days in jail for the incident. Madonna would file for divorce by the end of the year, but would later withdraw the request. The couple would finally divorce in '89.
ReduxReview: While this song was definitely better than "Who's That Girl," it still was just a basic Madonna track. It was as if "Into the Groove" and "Lucky Star" got together and had a baby. It's not a bad little tune with its heavier bass line and catchy chorus, but overall it was just an average Madonna track that was a hit at the time yet has kind of been forgotten about. I certainly wouldn't include it on a list of my favorite Madonna songs, however I don't mind listening to it when it rolls up on a playlist.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Another song on the soundtrack album, "The Look of Love," was released as a third single in a few territories. It was not issued out in the US. The song performed fairly well in some countries including the UK where it topped out at #9. The song was an original written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. It was not a remake of the Burt Bacharach/Hal Davis tune of the same name that they wrote for the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale. That song was first recorded as an instrumental by jazz musician Stan Getz in 1966. The vocal version was performed by Dusty Springfield and featured in the film. It would be released as a single and reach #22 on the Pop chart. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 would record the song in 1968 and their version reached #4. One other artist would make the Pop chart with the tune. A version by Isaac Hayes would get to #79 in 1971. It did not make the R&B chart. Madonna has said that "The Look of Love" was inspired by the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window. The loving look that James Stewart gave Grace Kelly in the film is what gave Madonna inspiration.
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Date: 09/12/1987
Debut: 41
Peak: 2
Weeks: 18
Genre: Dance-Pop, Soundtrack
Pop Bits: Madonna's third major film, Who's That Girl, was not a box office success, but its associated soundtrack became a #7 platinum album thanks to the #1 title track and this second single, which nearly topped the Pop chart. It would spend three weeks in the runner-up spot while getting to #1 Dance and #37 AC. The song was written by Stephen Bray and Madonna. Supposedly the lyrics were inspired by Madonna's relationship with her then-husband Sean Penn. Penn had a reputation for violent outbursts, especially towards the press, which culminated with Penn assaulting a photographer in the summer of '87. Penn would serve 33 days in jail for the incident. Madonna would file for divorce by the end of the year, but would later withdraw the request. The couple would finally divorce in '89.
ReduxReview: While this song was definitely better than "Who's That Girl," it still was just a basic Madonna track. It was as if "Into the Groove" and "Lucky Star" got together and had a baby. It's not a bad little tune with its heavier bass line and catchy chorus, but overall it was just an average Madonna track that was a hit at the time yet has kind of been forgotten about. I certainly wouldn't include it on a list of my favorite Madonna songs, however I don't mind listening to it when it rolls up on a playlist.
ReduxRating: 5/10
Trivia: Another song on the soundtrack album, "The Look of Love," was released as a third single in a few territories. It was not issued out in the US. The song performed fairly well in some countries including the UK where it topped out at #9. The song was an original written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. It was not a remake of the Burt Bacharach/Hal Davis tune of the same name that they wrote for the 1967 James Bond spoof Casino Royale. That song was first recorded as an instrumental by jazz musician Stan Getz in 1966. The vocal version was performed by Dusty Springfield and featured in the film. It would be released as a single and reach #22 on the Pop chart. Sergio Mendes & Brasil '66 would record the song in 1968 and their version reached #4. One other artist would make the Pop chart with the tune. A version by Isaac Hayes would get to #79 in 1971. It did not make the R&B chart. Madonna has said that "The Look of Love" was inspired by the 1954 Alfred Hitchcock classic Rear Window. The loving look that James Stewart gave Grace Kelly in the film is what gave Madonna inspiration.
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This was another by-the-numbers hit for Madonna. One need only look at the 'hits' that still get played, versus those (like this one) that were rarely heard after their chart run ended, to know how forgettable they really were.
ReplyDeleteTrue. It was a testament to her star power at the time that weaker material like this still got near the top of the chart.
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