EP 7 - Madonna (1983)

[00:00:00] Speaker A: Just mediocrity. Mediocracy. [00:00:03] Speaker B: Mediocrity. [00:00:04] Speaker A: Okay, that's not how it should be pronounced. It should be pronounced mediocracy. Thank you. [00:00:08] Speaker B: It's mediocre. Nelly reinventing the English language. [00:00:12] Speaker A: Thank you. Just like how Q is too early in the Alphabet. Do you believe that too? I'm so glad somebody spoke the truth. I saw it on Twitter one time. [00:00:21] Speaker B: A, B, C, D, E, T, H, H, A, K, L, M, N, O, [00:00:24] Speaker A: P, Q, R, S. It should be in the near with the other freaks. Like, with Y. [00:00:29] Speaker B: Like X. Yeah. [00:00:31] Speaker A: You know, way too early. [00:00:33] Speaker B: What are we talking about? Nelly. [00:00:34] Speaker A: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Taylor. No Madonna. What song? [00:00:59] Speaker B: Hello, hello, hello, hello. [00:01:01] Speaker A: Welcome to Diva Decoded. [00:01:04] Speaker B: Okay, so it's gonna be a bit of a different energy this week. [00:01:08] Speaker A: We're both a little under the weather. [00:01:10] Speaker B: Nelly has gotten two minutes of sleep. [00:01:13] Speaker A: Cam gave me Covid. [00:01:14] Speaker B: I did. [00:01:16] Speaker A: No, he did not. [00:01:16] Speaker B: Sorry. I have a runny nose, so I may sound a little bit sexier than usual. [00:01:20] Speaker A: Oh, God. [00:01:21] Speaker B: So, Nelly, what album are we gonna be doing today? [00:01:25] Speaker A: We're gonna be covering Madonna debut album. [00:01:30] Speaker B: So this album is from 1983. How do you feel about this album, Nelly? [00:01:36] Speaker A: I think it was good. Yeah. I was listening to it and I was like. I was surprised. I recognized more songs than I thought I would. [00:01:44] Speaker B: I liked more than I thought I would. [00:01:46] Speaker A: Yeah. I was like, you know what? This is a vibe. I would. I would dance to this. Not one of my favorites just because I'm like, I guess I'm just biased against Madonna. I'm not the biggest Madonna fan. [00:01:58] Speaker B: What's your. What's your question? Qualms with Madonna? Because I like Madonna, but I'm not, like, a mega fan. But I know of her, and I could list all her albums off the top of my head. By the way, she's one of the people I have that superpower for. [00:02:11] Speaker A: But interesting. I just like. Like, I would have to go into Google again. But, like, I just know she's a little bit of a weirdo when it comes to, like, being in the industry and, like, having lawsuits. Not lawsuits. Or just, like, people being like, she's stealing my. She's stealing my stuff, she's motif. So I'm like, I have my own little qualms with her. And it's just. I don't know, she just screams and then she'll respond in peak white woman fashion. [00:02:37] Speaker B: And it's like, okay, what do you mean? What would she mean? [00:02:42] Speaker A: Every single time she's critiqued, she finds a Way to be like, give her white woman tears. Or be like, oh, well, I'm making excuses for everything. And you're like, no, actually it's valid for people to critique the fact that you literally. Oh my God. Yeah, abba. Oh my God, abba. There was an entire thing with her. They were like, you stole our bit. [00:03:02] Speaker B: Oh, that's for, that's for. What's the song? Hung up. [00:03:09] Speaker A: And so like that was like the first instance in which like people were like. Cuz she's like, well, but wouldn't she [00:03:14] Speaker B: need to get the sample cleared? Like, how do you just not get the sample cleared? [00:03:18] Speaker A: I. No idea. I don't know if it was that. It was like she cleared it, but she didn't credit them. Oh, something like that. I don't know. [00:03:26] Speaker B: It is very sample heavy because every time I hear ABBA song, I start to sing every little thing that you say or do. So. Yeah, I don't know, it's. I mean, that's. That's true. But like, I like Madonna, but she is kind of a bitch. But like, I do like her. I just think, like, I just remember hearing this story where she met the writer of Like a Virgin for the first time at a party. And he came up to her and he was like, oh my God, like I finally get to meet you. You know, I'm the one who wrote Like a Virgin. I was looking forward to meeting you so much. And she looked at him and said, and now you have, and walked away. [00:04:10] Speaker A: You see what I mean? Like, it's. I mean, you'll find that with a lot of artists or whatever, but like, I don't know, something just throws me off about her, but I still vibe to her music. [00:04:21] Speaker B: She's Madonna, you know, Like, I just. [00:04:23] Speaker A: And I don't, I don't know, like, I don't. My controversial, my hot take is that like, I don't know if I would label her as the Queen of Pop. [00:04:31] Speaker B: Is that what she's known as? Yeah, I think like, the thing is, I don't know whether to be like, yeah, be like unapologetic or to be like, oh, I don't know if I like you. You know what I mean? But like, I listened to Madonna, but like, I don't know, she still faced her shit in the industry. I think she got like raped or some shit just to get producers to work on her music. [00:04:59] Speaker A: She got assaulted. [00:05:01] Speaker B: Wait, so you know about that? [00:05:02] Speaker A: I did, I did know about that, yeah. [00:05:04] Speaker B: Okay, well, what, what was your knowledge of that? [00:05:06] Speaker A: Oh, just as much as what you said. Just, like, I knew that she was assaulted. Assaulted in order to advance to where she needed to be. And that's the thing. It's just, like, such a sad and harrowing reality for a lot of artists. A lot of female artists. [00:05:20] Speaker B: Yeah. Because whether she's a bitch or not, that shouldn't have to happen. You know what I mean? Like, that's really unfortunate. [00:05:26] Speaker A: And that's. I don't. Obviously, I don't excuse that because it's like, you know, these things are very damaging and, like, can very much hurt a person. But I also think it's, like, fair to also still critique her as a person. [00:05:37] Speaker B: Yeah, no, it's definitely not. She's not exempt of everything because of. Because she's Madonna or whatever. [00:05:43] Speaker A: So it's important to talk about. Just, like, that's, like, a prime example of how predatory the music this is. It really is. And it's, like, so sad. I'm like. I know of, like, even, like, personal stories of people of a similar degree, like, think these things happening to them or them not being able to advance to where they need to be because of. Because they're trying to assert their autonomy. It's so sad. It's really, really sad. So all that to say, I do respect that. I do, and I do, and I send my. I send my love in my regards to that. But Madonna, you're still a weirdo. I'm sorry. You're a little bit of a weirdo. [00:06:21] Speaker B: She is a bit odd, and she looks kind of crazy now, but honestly, I'm gonna be real. I love her music. She's a good diva. She has had some banger videos, some banger songs, and she's iconic. You can't deny that. And I think we should get into the album. [00:06:45] Speaker A: Why this album, cam? [00:06:48] Speaker B: Because we. It was eight tracks. We needed an album to do, and we wanted to cover Madonna. Yeah. [00:06:56] Speaker A: Like, I'm like, obviously, like, you can't do divas and then not include Madonna, knowing that she is labeled as the Queen of Pop. [00:07:03] Speaker B: She is. She is very iconic. And I always tend to like artists in the early years, like, when they're more fresh and can kind of just do what they want. And. [00:07:15] Speaker A: I know, but I kind of like, four minutes to say the world. [00:07:19] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, you do. That is a good. You know, Madonna. What's cool about Madonna is that she. There's so many different versions of her almost from, like, different eras in her career, and just her literally completely reinventing herself because she feels like a Completely different person from this debut era to the Hard Candy era with four minutes. Or even the Ray of Light era. [00:07:43] Speaker A: When she kissed Drake. [00:07:44] Speaker B: Oh, yeah, that too. And he was like, gross. [00:07:47] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:07:49] Speaker B: But anyway, cute. [00:07:53] Speaker A: How do we feel about this album? [00:07:55] Speaker B: I. [00:07:55] Speaker A: Okay. This album I liked. I vibed with. I think this is a. I think this is a stellar debut. Listening to it, I'm just, like. I recognize more songs than I thought I would, and, like, these are songs that I'm just, like, you can still hear, like, every day. Like, it's not. I wouldn't consider it Momentary Magic. I know our ratings will come later, but, like, I think I'm just, like, this is. A lot of these songs are timeless and just have, like, a freshness to it that is just, like, recalls. So graciously calls us back to a time in which neither of us were born, but makes me feel nostalgic in that, too. [00:08:32] Speaker B: Yeah, I almost feel, like, more nostalgic for things like, before, like, from the 90s. I was born in 01, but I think it's just because I remember for Back to the Future 2001, you. Baby, I'm very young. What. What year were you? [00:08:48] Speaker A: 99. [00:08:49] Speaker B: 99. Okay. 90s. [00:08:51] Speaker A: As a 90s baby. My. [00:08:54] Speaker B: I. No, but when. When I was a kid, I always loved, like, 90s stuff. I could watch Full House and shit and all that. And I think it's because. So I was obsessed with Back to the Future when I was a kid. And for the 80s, they obviously did it like the 80s, but for the 50s, they actually kind of made it more like the 40s. Like, they pushed back a little bit further just to make it a bit more nostalgic. And that was kind of, like, a clever tactic in terms of, like, the styles and stuff to make it feel further away than it really was at the time. So I think, like, that's kind of. That's why I feel nostalgic for things from that time period. Like, just because it's kind of. It's kind of enhancing what you grew up with, pushing it a little bit further than what it really was. [00:09:38] Speaker A: No, that's so true. Cause I'm, like, having four older siblings also helped me feel that sense of nostalgia, too, because I grew up with this music, right? Like, I didn't. I would hear the music from my time, like, in school, like, with my peers, but, like, at home, I was watching, like, MTV music and, like, these music videos with my siblings, right? And, like, so a lot of these old songs I was already familiar with because of like, I have to credit my siblings. Thank you, guys. Thank you so much. [00:10:10] Speaker B: Yeah, and don't forget Sister Act Part two. Or Sister act two. That's all I gotta say, because you bring it up every fucking episode. We'll see. [00:10:19] Speaker A: If I bring. We'll see if I bring her up this one. [00:10:22] Speaker B: You probably will find a way, but we'll see. So, yeah, I. What I think about this album, I really like this album. [00:10:28] Speaker A: I can't believe you said Sister Act Part two. [00:10:30] Speaker B: I know. I knew it was Sister act two as well, because, yeah, I like this album. I think it surprised me. I think there were songs that were pretty timeless and like their 80s nostalgia. Nostalgia. But I think there were some songs that were, you know, when some things are just 80s, but they're cringe because they're 80s. Like, there's like the cool 80s, like, oh, this is so cool. Nostalgic. And then there's like, oh, cringe. Like, this is like so, like 80s. I don't know, like corny. Like corny. And like a little bit like. Yeah, I guess maybe corny would. Tacky. Tacky. [00:11:07] Speaker A: Tacky. Like, is it like the feeling that you get. Okay, you know what? You said tacky, but it's like, if it's corny is like the feeling that you get when you watch Full House. [00:11:15] Speaker B: No, I mean, I like, I like. For me, I really like nostalgia, so I like that sort of thing usually. But there was just one song that really irked me and I went, this was a fucking, like, flop. No, no, I was like, this is a fucking hit. Like, this was a hit. [00:11:30] Speaker A: This was like, in your eyes, this is your. This is a flop. [00:11:33] Speaker B: Yeah, it was like, what is this song? But I mean, maybe it makes sense for the time, but should we just get into the track? I think we're tired and like, well, Nelly's tired. I'm sick today. So we're just kind of talking about what the fuck ever we want to talk about. [00:11:47] Speaker A: You know what? Actually, we're going to. We're going to switch topics. Let's just talk about how our day. Swear. [00:11:51] Speaker B: Yeah, I bartended last night. [00:11:54] Speaker A: I. No, let's do the checklist. [00:11:56] Speaker B: Okay. Okay. So. The first song on the album is Lucky Star. This was the fourth single on the album. What do you think? [00:12:12] Speaker A: Yeah, like, good. [00:12:14] Speaker B: I like it. [00:12:16] Speaker A: Okay. [00:12:17] Speaker B: I. I honestly, I get really confused between this one and Borderline. I think, like, I'm like, which is which? Like, I don't know if Glee did a mashup of these two. Maybe it Was open your heart and borderline or whatever. But no, that was borderline. I don't know, I just. For some reason these two kind of mesh into one for me. But I like them both. I really like them both. [00:12:36] Speaker A: This one, I'm just like, yeah, I can hear this in a winners, you [00:12:41] Speaker B: know, Like, I have heard this in a winner. [00:12:43] Speaker A: I probably are. Yeah, it's good. Like, I actually don't. I don't have any negative opinions about it, but I don't have any like, wow, fantabulous. Let's put this on a billboard. It's like, okay. Yeah, yeah. [00:12:57] Speaker B: I mean, like, it's cute. Like, I like listening to the song. I don't really know what more is there is to say about it. I think it sounds like this is like the cool, like 80s, like, you know, nostalgic but well done kind of song that I really liked. So, yeah, it's this one I've been listening to for a long time. And it's cute, but I don't really think there's that much to say about it, to be honest with you. [00:13:18] Speaker A: I had thoughts. I mean, had empty. No thoughts about this one. It's more so just like, okay, yeah, sure. I'd like, probably forget it's there. It's kind of like visible white noise. Actually not visible, just white noise. [00:13:33] Speaker B: I like it. To me, it's one of the better ones on the album. But like, yeah, I mean, this album's eight tracks, so. Yeah. [00:13:42] Speaker A: Next song, Borderline. [00:13:44] Speaker B: I like this one. I think the verses are better than the chorus. [00:13:48] Speaker A: This is my favorite song on the album. [00:13:49] Speaker B: Really? [00:13:50] Speaker A: Yeah. I love this song. You keep dancing my love over the borderline I don't think it's dancing my love but you know, I never know where it's Keep bump pushing my love over the bottom line. So good. I actually, this is. Yeah, I think this. I really do like that song, which is why, like when we're trying to decide on albums, this is what enticed me towards this album. I was like, oh my gosh, this has this song. [00:14:16] Speaker B: Yeah, Nelly. I think Nelly brought up Madonna because it was kind of impromptu, but we both were familiar with this album. And I brought up the debut, I think. [00:14:26] Speaker A: Yeah. Cuz originally I. I proposed like a virgin. Oh, yeah. You brought up this album like, or should we do debut? And I was like, okay. I was like, let me go check it out. And then I saw had Borden and I was like, yes. [00:14:37] Speaker B: Yeah. This one's like, it's kind of cute. Like I Don't know. I just. I feel like we're so boring today. But, like, I don't know what to say about this, but, like, I think this, the. The verse is something in your eyes making like it's pretty much as good as vocally Madonna will get. Like, she sounds so good, and, like, I just think it emphasizes the right parts of her voice. So, yeah, I think it's very cute. Very light and bouncy vocal as well. She was in her 20s at this time. She's, what, like, 85 now? Oh, okay. No, she's not. She's 64. [00:15:14] Speaker A: Oh, really? [00:15:15] Speaker B: Yeah. Oh, my God. That was a joke. [00:15:18] Speaker A: I actually believed that. That's the thing. I was, like, 85, and I was like, yeah, that's true. Yeah, she's 85. [00:15:23] Speaker B: No, she's 64. You know, she was just rushed to the hospital. [00:15:26] Speaker A: Oh, my. [00:15:27] Speaker B: She had a bacterial infection, but she's fine now. She got discharged, but. [00:15:30] Speaker A: Oh, my God. [00:15:31] Speaker B: Okay. She was unresponsive. Do you feel bad now about calling her bad things? [00:15:36] Speaker A: No. [00:15:38] Speaker B: Okay. [00:15:39] Speaker A: I hope you get better, though. Welcome back from our commercial break for intermission. Sorry, we. We took a. We took a small break to sniff [00:15:55] Speaker B: some hand sanitizer, and I have some paint, too. Yeah, we're messy today, bro. [00:16:01] Speaker A: Oh, my God. It's okay. It's okay. [00:16:03] Speaker B: So, yeah, borderline. It was cute. I don't know if it was this one in Lucky Star, which had, like, the first, like, biracial couple in a music video. [00:16:12] Speaker A: What? [00:16:12] Speaker B: Yeah, I think that's what I heard. What? I don't know if it was a black guy, but he might have been, like, Spanish or something interesting. [00:16:22] Speaker A: And it's with Madonna. [00:16:24] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:16:25] Speaker A: Wait, what? [00:16:26] Speaker B: Madonna did a lot of, like, stuff that was. Well, that would have been seen as controversial at the time, but now we look at and go, what was controversial about this? You know what I mean? I think we should move on to the next one, which is Burden Up. This one was definitely one of my favorites. I don't know if it would be my favorite. I. I don't think there's a particular standout to me, but this is definitely up there. I really liked the bass. I thought this song was very ahead of its time, and it reminded me of, you know, open your heart. Open your heart. What I love about that song and what I think is really ahead of its time, too, for that song is the bass, because it goes like. It's going really fast. So this is another one where it's. The bass sounds really good, and it kind of drives the song and makes the song for me. [00:17:15] Speaker A: Yeah, I think it has some nice layering. Like, I'm like. I think the layering is really cool. I really like it, though. [00:17:22] Speaker B: Really? No, I liked the deeper side to her voice. But also I thought, well, this one is a single, but I just thought, yeah, it was vocally. It was vocally good and. And showed you a bit of a different side from the last. The last two songs. [00:17:39] Speaker A: You know, I used to confuse her and Cyndi Lauper. [00:17:41] Speaker B: That's an easy thing to do. [00:17:44] Speaker A: I wonder if there's anybody else out there. Let me know. Message me. Let's start a fan club. Or. No, a support group. [00:17:50] Speaker B: Lily's tired. [00:17:53] Speaker A: No, this one, I just. I don't know. It just wasn't. It wasn't up there for me. I think it was because it was right after Borderline. I was expecting something else. I just. I adore Borderline so much. You keep dance. Sorry, wrong song. [00:18:06] Speaker B: What were you singing? [00:18:07] Speaker A: I was gonna say. You keep dancing, my love over the borderline. [00:18:10] Speaker B: Oh, my God. [00:18:11] Speaker A: I know, I know, I know. I'm a whole mess today, but I think. Yeah, no, I just. Like, this one just didn't really do it for me. I did like the layering, though. Like, it was nice. Is it syncopation? Syncopation? Would that be the right term? [00:18:25] Speaker B: Layering? [00:18:26] Speaker A: Different rhythms meshed together. [00:18:29] Speaker B: Together. I have no idea. [00:18:32] Speaker A: I think somebody fact check me. [00:18:34] Speaker B: Yeah. DM US @DIVA Decoded. If we can get that Instagram decoded dot com. [00:18:40] Speaker A: I still not Dot com. Yeah. Shall we move on to the next one? [00:18:44] Speaker B: Okay. I really liked Burning up, though. [00:18:46] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. Sorry. Do you have any more thoughts? [00:18:47] Speaker B: No, no. I just want to say I really liked it. The next one is called I Know it. I really liked this one. This is the first one that we're covering today that isn't a single. [00:18:57] Speaker A: Oh, yeah? [00:18:57] Speaker B: Yeah. Because there's five singles and eight songs on the album, so there's gonna be actually less album tracks than singles. [00:19:05] Speaker A: This one also doesn't do it for me. It just. I don't know what. It just kind of reminds me of Halloween. Like, it reminds me of, like, a Disney Halloween track. Like, I feel like Chyna Anne McLean could do a really nice cover of this. [00:19:18] Speaker B: Calling all the Monsters. [00:19:23] Speaker A: Like, did she not kill it, though? [00:19:25] Speaker B: She kind of did. [00:19:25] Speaker A: Like, she did, though. She really didn't have a moment. But anyways, I don't know. It's just, like. I don't know what it is about it that Makes me think of trick or treating. Did they used to. Maybe they used to play this at Value Village. I used to work at Value Village and, like, Halloween was, like, their Christmas, so, like, they would play a lot of Madonna songs. I don't know what it is. Maybe because it's because she's frightening and a freak. Okay, Sorry. I do hope that you're doing well. [00:19:52] Speaker B: Madonna, get better, girl. [00:19:54] Speaker A: We love you we do adore you. Sorry. I know that thought did not sound make any sense. All in all, that song just didn't really do it for much for me. It's not really memorable for me. Like, I'm, like, even listening to it, I was like, I actually don't even remember listening to this song. And I listened to this entire album. [00:20:09] Speaker B: I liked it. Like, it was. It was cool. It was maybe in my top five. Top five. [00:20:15] Speaker A: Okay. [00:20:16] Speaker B: It was cute. Yeah. Okay. Should we move on to the next song? [00:20:19] Speaker A: Yeah. [00:20:20] Speaker B: The next song on the album is Holiday. [00:20:23] Speaker A: Okay. There we go. Sorry. [00:20:25] Speaker B: Nelly said to me, holiday. What's Holiday? I was like, girl, you don't know fucking Holiday? [00:20:31] Speaker A: No. [00:20:31] Speaker B: You know. [00:20:32] Speaker A: He said, you said, if you don't know Holiday, you're. [00:20:34] Speaker B: Yeah. If you don't know Holiday, that's like. That is like the Madonna song from this album. [00:20:39] Speaker A: I think it's. I know the song. I don't know what it is about titles that just don't like. I'm like, you gotta sing it for me. [00:20:45] Speaker B: Holiday, Celebrate. If we took a Holiday, [00:20:54] Speaker A: That'll be our outro. [00:20:55] Speaker B: Yeah. So I think she has performed this one at every single tour that she's done. [00:21:00] Speaker A: Yeah. I can't imagine. Is this the closing song? [00:21:02] Speaker B: I think so, yeah. Yeah, I've heard that. I don't know if that's factual, but I'm pretty sure that's factual. [00:21:10] Speaker A: Does she tour? [00:21:12] Speaker B: Oh, my God. Yeah. Madonna. Madonna is, like, the biggest touring artist ever. I think she's about to start a. She was about to start a new tour and then the incident happened. [00:21:21] Speaker A: Sorry, I meant, like, she's touring. [00:21:23] Speaker B: Stool. [00:21:23] Speaker A: Stool. Still. I knew she toured, and I know she was the. The highest grossing. Oh, no. I think Taylor Swift actually surpassed her. [00:21:32] Speaker B: Yeah, but it was Beyonce. [00:21:34] Speaker A: No, surprisingly, I think it goes Taylor Swift. Madonna, then Beyonce. [00:21:38] Speaker B: Yeah. I'm. I'm not surprised because Madonna's had, like, been around a lot longer than Beyonce. [00:21:44] Speaker A: She has been around a lot longer, but Taylor Swift has not. [00:21:47] Speaker B: Do you like Taylor Swift? I don't think I've talked to you about this. [00:21:52] Speaker A: Not really. Really? No. I do Love her old music. Oh, my God. Give me a guitar and make me sing Enchanted. I will. [00:22:01] Speaker B: Okay. Say what you want about Taylor Swift as a person, but she's a damn good songwriter. She said she's. She's really talented. [00:22:08] Speaker A: She's a good songwriter. I don't think she's a great performer. [00:22:12] Speaker B: I like her voice. Like, I like it. Like, it's cute. [00:22:16] Speaker A: I don't know if there's anything to like about it. I think it's just like. I'm. Like, it sounds like she's speaking to [00:22:23] Speaker B: me personally, but, like, I don't know. I think. I think we need those pop things. You know what I mean? Like, it's kind of like Selena Gomez. Like, oh, my God, my voice just cracked. [00:22:32] Speaker A: I loved it. [00:22:34] Speaker B: I don't know, but I think we need those kind of singers for, like. I think. I think sometimes. [00:22:38] Speaker A: Yeah, I guess it's like a nice baseline to build off of, but, like, I just. [00:22:43] Speaker B: I don't know. [00:22:43] Speaker A: I guess my standards are just, like, skyrocketed. Just, like. Because I'm just like, I. I grew up. I grew up listening to vocalists in the church, you know, like, vocalists that came from church or just came from the south and, like, know how to sing down. Okay. So then when I hear, like, just mediocrity. Mediocracy. [00:23:03] Speaker B: Mediocrity. [00:23:04] Speaker A: Okay. That's not how it should be pronounced. It should be pronounced mediocracy. Thank you. [00:23:09] Speaker B: It's mediocre. Nelly reinventing the English language. [00:23:13] Speaker A: Thank you. Just like how Q is too early in the Alphabet. Do you believe that, too? I'm so glad somebody spoke the truth. I saw it on Twitter one time. [00:23:22] Speaker B: A, B, C, D, E, T, H, H, A, K, L, P, Q, R, [00:23:26] Speaker A: S. It should be in the near with the other freaks, like, with Y. [00:23:30] Speaker B: Like X. Yeah. [00:23:31] Speaker A: You know, way too early. [00:23:33] Speaker B: What are we talking about? Nelly. [00:23:35] Speaker A: Sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry, sorry. Taylor. No. Madonna. What song? [00:23:49] Speaker B: Please don't cut that out. I know. Yeah. Holiday. Iconic song. [00:23:56] Speaker A: Yeah. Like, that's it. Like, it's. Yeah. I love this one. I really do. [00:23:59] Speaker B: And I. I love the. Yeah. [00:24:02] Speaker A: Whenever I think of a song, I think this is what I didn't do. This episode. I just, like, started talking about, like, what I think about. Because I didn't think about anything else for any other song. But for this one, I do think of New Year's Eve. I'm like. I think of New Year's Eve like, the. Everybody's. It's not. The countdown is hours to go still. But, like, it's 8pm People are arriving at the party. [00:24:24] Speaker B: For me, the makes me think of this being played on a radio at a beach in like a 60s summer movie. Like, that's what. That's kind of visual I get from it. Just like it's very nostalgic and. And dated, but somehow it's still cute. Like, somehow it's still iconic and I like it. Yeah. [00:24:44] Speaker A: You know this one almost like, yeah, this is like, this is it. But I'm like, do you think that, like, this is the song that people think of when they think of this album? [00:24:52] Speaker B: Yeah, this one. This one. Lucky Star or Borderline would be it, but probably Holiday. Yeah. I only knew the debut album for Holiday for a long time until I got into the other singles. [00:25:05] Speaker A: Good job, Madonna. [00:25:06] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:25:07] Speaker A: Who wrote the song? [00:25:09] Speaker B: It was. Oh. All tracks are written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas. [00:25:14] Speaker A: Don't kill me. What? [00:25:16] Speaker B: What the fuck? [00:25:17] Speaker A: Oh my God, Madonna, you proved us wrong. I'm so sorry. Respect to you, woman. [00:25:21] Speaker B: No way. Okay, great job, Madonna. So shall we move on? The next song on the album is Think of Me. What do you think of this track? I personally think it's just like a cute pop song. [00:25:36] Speaker A: I was trying to think of what I think about the song. [00:25:40] Speaker B: I don't know. I just think it's my opinions. I think it's a cute pop song. Is it simple? Yes, there is. Throughout the whole song, there is a. A synth on a higher note going on the same note the whole song. And I think the bass helps it in the verses and stuff, and I think it's cute. But why are you. It's like one note, the whole song and then. But I don't know at the same time. This is a pop album. Pop music doesn't need to be that serious. You know, there are people like Whitney Houston or Mariah Carey or Sel who really sing, and then there's, you know, songs like this and albums like this where it's, you know, just not meant to be crazy. You know, I just think. I think sometimes pop music can be fun and simple, and I think that's okay. [00:26:35] Speaker A: It was at this song that I started to truly realize what you meant about Donna Summer's album. And I agreed at the time too, but I guess I just didn't agree to the same degree. But the idea of just it kind of being one note. So this song, along with two of the other ones that I was like, eh. [00:26:56] Speaker B: About. [00:26:56] Speaker A: I don't even remember the titles. Sorry, what titles were they? [00:27:00] Speaker B: I don't even know, I don't even know. [00:27:03] Speaker A: I find that they sound so similar. [00:27:06] Speaker B: They do, yeah. [00:27:07] Speaker A: And I'm just like. And I agree. I'm just like. I think with the vibe of pop and her. It being her debut as well, like, she's allowed to just literally just fuck around with some synths and just have some fun and make it poppy. And I forgive her for that. But I just think that, like, I can't imagine listening to the song. Like, for real. [00:27:26] Speaker B: For real. Yeah. I also think. First things first. Donna Summer, as much as I didn't love that album, like, I think I like this album better. No, I don't know about that. Actually. I think this album gets more of a pass than that album because this is an eight track album and I think that was 16 tracks. [00:27:49] Speaker A: Oh, yeah. [00:27:50] Speaker B: That was a long album. That's a big difference. You know what I mean? So. But yeah, so I don't know. But also I think. I think that album can just be fun and I could just listen to the songs I like and that's cute and that's what I've done. So, yeah, I don't know. But this is. This album can be one note sometimes and this song is literally one note. The whole song. Listen to the song and tell me it's not true. [00:28:17] Speaker A: He did spill. He did spill on that. He's right. He's right. I remember listening to this one and having to actually relisten to it. Cu. I'm just like. What did I just like? I. I thought. I just. I thought I listened to this two tracks ago. So I don't know, it just. It sounded very similar, in my opinion. [00:28:32] Speaker B: It did. [00:28:32] Speaker A: Tomato, tomato. [00:28:34] Speaker B: But it's kind of cute. Anyway, should we move on to the next song on the album? Physical Attraction? [00:28:41] Speaker A: I like this one. I think I like the background vocal so much. I liked it so much. It's like I can imagine her recording in the studio and her chin up. That's a good reaction, whatever the lyrics are. But I just. I like how stuck up it sounds in a way. I don't know. She sounds a little Delulu, like delusional. But it's just so fun. I think this one's so fun. And the background vocals sound so like barbershop. Yeah. In that. In that she's being supported by her girls. Not barbershoppy. [00:29:19] Speaker B: That's kind of a good word for it. I don't know. That put me in the 50s. [00:29:24] Speaker A: Yeah, sure. I'll keep that then. Yeah, yeah. [00:29:28] Speaker B: That's a nice way to put it. [00:29:29] Speaker A: I bet you can. [00:29:30] Speaker B: I thought this was too long. I thought it was like six minutes. [00:29:33] Speaker A: Yeah, it was very long. What are you doing? [00:29:36] Speaker B: I mean, it was kind of cute, but probably my least favorite on the album. Oh, no, actually, no, that's not true. This is not my least favorite on the album. To me, I think this is the most forgettable on the album for me. Just because you were talking about for the last track, Think of me how you're like, did I hear this already? That's how I feel about this one. This one is just like, I don't know, what can we write about for like a young pop girl? Okay, this like, I know Madonna wrote it too, but like. And kudos to her. But yeah, I don't know, I just think, eh, not my favorite lower tier for me. [00:30:19] Speaker A: I feel like as we're going through the album, my thoughts on the album are literally changing because I'm remembering that this is actually my second time listening to this album fully. Oh, yeah. But like, we'll discuss, we'll discuss. [00:30:31] Speaker B: Okay, should we move on to the final track on the standard edition of the album? Everybody, let's do. What do you think, Nelly? [00:30:39] Speaker A: I don't know why this reminded me of Grease. It reminded me of the hand jive scene, but like a minor key and she's like, I don't know, it sounded very seductress in that. And like Sandy when she comes with all the leather. So I'm just like, this sounds. I'm like, that's cool again. I also kind of forgot about this song. And then I'm like listening to it just now again and I'm like, okay, yeah, yeah, yeah. This one was. It was okay. [00:31:05] Speaker B: Okay. Is that all you have to say? Yeah. Okay. I just want you to state your opinions unbiased from me. So this is Madonna's debut single. This is her first single ever. Okay. And I remember like when I watched documentary about a documentary about Madonna. This was very popular in the clubs. That's what kind of got her started and kind of got her name out there. And I mean, I don't even think this was attached to an album when it came out because the album came out in 83. This came out in 82. This was the song on the album when I was talking about is tacky and it's kind of like cringe almost. I just thought it was very basic and I don't know everybody, like, I don't know, just very bland and not fun. I just don't think this song has aged Well, I think borderline Lucky Star Holiday. Those have aged well. Those have, you know, lasted the test of time. Yeah, I think this song shows its age the most out of any other song on this album. And this is my least favorite song on the album. [00:32:12] Speaker A: You know what? I. I can get behind that. I can get behind that. I'm glad that you gave that description beforehand because, like, I was trying to listen to what you were talking about with the other songs. I was just like, is it the song that he's talking about? In which it's like corny, whatever, but like, it's fitting for this one. It's tacky. [00:32:29] Speaker B: It's just very tacky and dated. And I mean, if you're into that, that's like, that's cute, but just not my thing. So this is my least favorite. So that is the standard edition of Madonna debut Bew Bew. There are some bonus tracks, burning up 12 inch mix and the Lucky Star New Mix. But we've already cover covered those songs, so we're not going to cover that today. So worldwide, the album has sold 10 million copies and it went to number eight on the Billboard 200. This is before Madonna was really big because, like, I feel like she really popped off in the main, in the mainstream for Like A Virgin. [00:33:11] Speaker A: Honestly, I have no concept of numbers when I hear 10 million. That sounds low to me, but I know that's high. [00:33:17] Speaker B: No, that is high. I think it's just because after Like A Virgin and True Blue and those albums were out, this was like another Madonna album to go and get when she was really popular. So I think probably the majority of these sales were from after. [00:33:32] Speaker A: Like, I know that, like. Cause I'm just like. I forgot which other album that we covered too. And like, I heard the amount of sales and I'm just like. I know in actuality it's a high number, but I have no concept of numbers. And I'm just like, oh, that sounds low. And I'm like, oh, wait, that's actually high. Anyways, anybody can teach me numbers, please? [00:33:47] Speaker B: Yes. And as for the single success, so everybody was the first single released from the album and it didn't chart on the Hot 100. It went to number three on the US dance chart. Burning up also went to number three on the US Dance chart. It was the second single. Holiday was the third single from the album and it went to number 16 on the Billboard Hot 100, which is amazing for her at the time. It went to number one on the US Dance charts. So this was One of the songs that really. I feel like everybody kind of was a whisper about who Madonna was, and Holiday was shouting it or maybe sang it at room tone, and then Like a Virgin was shouting it. Okay, this girl is. But people are already, like, dressing like Madonna after this album. All right, now, the fourth single from the album was Lucky Star. This was the biggest pop hit on the album, and it went to number four on the Billboard Hot 100, and it went to number one on the US Dance chart. Just like Holiday Borderline went to number 10 on the US Hot 100 and went to number four on the Dance chart. So pretty good for a first album. [00:34:59] Speaker A: You know what this feels like? [00:35:00] Speaker B: What? [00:35:01] Speaker A: You know, like, when you watch, like, class recitations, and there's one person in the group that was, like, carrying, like, carrying the group. Like, I'm just like, you know, you did your research, and there's a person just, like, smiling and nodding. Yeah, I feel like I'm smiling and nodding. [00:35:15] Speaker B: I love that for you. [00:35:16] Speaker A: Thank you. You always have the facts. [00:35:18] Speaker B: Well, I am looking at Wikipedia right now, so that's fine. [00:35:22] Speaker A: But, you know. You know, I love that. [00:35:25] Speaker B: Well, I. I know. Just compared to the second album, Like A Virgin, like, that was a. Just a different level of success compared to this album. Like, my parents said that when Madonna came out, people in school were dressing like her, and it was just very, like, she was. She was popular, and people were kind of getting an idea of what kind of star she would be. But when Like A Virgin came out, she was the top of the top. You know what I mean? Like, she was. This album made her a pop star, but Like A Virgin made her Madonna, you know, So I think that's interesting. But, yeah, so that is how well the album and the singles did. [00:36:07] Speaker A: Look at you, Madonna. [00:36:09] Speaker B: So what do we think of the artwork? [00:36:12] Speaker A: I think she looks really pretty in the book cover. I don't think there's anything spectacular about it. She looks like she's in sorrow. [00:36:22] Speaker B: In what? [00:36:22] Speaker A: In sorrow. Like she looks sad. [00:36:26] Speaker B: Oh, in sorrow. [00:36:27] Speaker A: Yeah. Which is, like, a little concerning. I'm like, who's behind the camera? But I think. Yeah, I don't think there's anything really spectacular about this one. But she looks pretty. [00:36:38] Speaker B: She does look good. I think that it aged better than some of her other album covers from the 80s. Like, there's who's that Girl? [00:36:48] Speaker A: Who's that? [00:36:49] Speaker B: And there's also True Blue, which I don't think that album cover aged particularly well. I think the 35th anniversary edition cover Was better. So, yeah, I think it's kind of timeless in a sense, which is nice. And I think it very much fits the album and it's just doing what it needs to do. It's showing a close up of her face. This is who Madonna is. I think a good debut album cover should be very clear as to who the artist is and what they look like. And I think most debuts are just the name of the person. Like Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Celine Dion. I guess hers was Unison, but her second album was called Celine Dion and [00:37:27] Speaker A: noted, I'm gonna do that for myself. [00:37:29] Speaker B: I love that for you. [00:37:30] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:37:30] Speaker B: Nelly de Virlos. [00:37:32] Speaker A: You said my last name perfectly. [00:37:35] Speaker B: I've heard it a few times. [00:37:36] Speaker A: He's like, I studied. [00:37:39] Speaker B: So, yeah, that's what we think about the album cover. Shall we rank the tracks? Do you want to rank them or do you want to do top three and bottom two? [00:37:48] Speaker A: Yeah, I think top three, bottom two. So my bottom two. It's going to be a little different this week for me because I don't know which one's fourth and which one's to be going. They're kind of just on the same ground for me. Fourth and fifth or, sorry, second, last and last. [00:38:03] Speaker B: Okay. [00:38:03] Speaker A: Cause they're just like on the same level for me. And that has to be burning up and think of me. Oh, I just had to. I just had to have Cam play a little bit of it for me because I was like, what song is that? And then I was like, oh, okay, sure. Yeah. Those are from bottom two. What about you? [00:38:20] Speaker B: I'd say my second least favorite would be Physical Attraction and my least favorite would be Everybody. You know, maybe a single version would be better than this. This says original version on the track listing. Sometimes 12 inch remixes are better. A song that I like way better in the single version is Opposites Attract by Paula Abdul because I don't know, it's just better. There's rap [00:38:47] Speaker A: top three for May 3rd. One for me is Lucky Star. Funny enough, that's still, for me, just like, good. That's a good song. But it's my third favorite on this album. Second being Holiday because it's just iconic and first being, you guessed it, borderline. I really do love borderline and I think it carries on this album for me. [00:39:11] Speaker B: It is good. That's funny. You put all the biggest hits. [00:39:14] Speaker A: I did because I'm just like. I kind of forget about everything else. [00:39:18] Speaker B: I'd say my third favorite would be Burning Up. I really liked Burn it Up. This time I wasn't expecting. I think I'm gonna listen to the 12 inch version and see if I like that better. Because single versions are usually better because they need to sell right. So they try to make them more catchy. Then I would say Holiday just because it's cute. I think it's fun, and I think it's breezy and cool. But, like, it's not my favorite from the album. I think Borderline is better. [00:39:49] Speaker A: Thank you. [00:39:49] Speaker B: I agree with you. Yeah. I think Lucky Star is definitely the weakest of those three singles. But, yeah, that's pretty much all I have to say about this. So. Yeah. Yeah, it's a cute pop album. It's a good debut. Cause it's not too overwhelming. [00:40:08] Speaker A: Yeah. It's not really in your face. It's more so just like, okay, we need something to get her out there that also is just fitting at the time. [00:40:22] Speaker B: Next. I think we grade the album, Cam. I don't know. I think this is hard because it's like, you know what? I'm gonna give it passable platinum. [00:40:31] Speaker A: Me too. [00:40:32] Speaker B: I think that's. I think that's a good description of this album. You know, it's. It's good. It's good. Yeah. Is it the best thing ever? Does she. No. Does she have way better albums? Yes. Yeah. [00:40:44] Speaker A: I'm like. Well, I mean, I feel like I'd have to listen to the other albums, but I'm just like. Though I like some of, like, the two songs that I like the most, I really do love. But, like, in comparison to the other songs, I'm just like, it just doesn't hold up. No, the other songs just don't hold up. And it just kind of like, [00:41:03] Speaker B: you know, I think it has its moments that I like. And I think I liked five out of the eight tracks, like, pretty. Like, I would listen to those, but I just think Madonna's done better. I think Like a Virgin is probably superior. And the singles are just huge, you know? Like a Virgin Material Girl, get into the groove. If you count Crazy for your as part of that album, it's definitely a part of the era. So I don't know. I just think that's a much stronger album. And True Blue as well, with Open your Heart. Isla Bonita. La Isla Bonita, Papa Don't Preach. I just think there's Papa Don't Preach. There are stronger. They're stronger ones. I'd say this is better than who's that Girl? Do you know who's that Girl? I don't who's that Girl? [00:41:49] Speaker A: I was thinking of who's that Girl by Eve. [00:41:51] Speaker B: Oh. Well, it was a sound like Madonna in the 80s tried to branch out into film. It was a soundtrack for the film. [00:42:00] Speaker A: Oh, I see. [00:42:01] Speaker B: And it didn't really. It wasn't. It wasn't flopped. I don't think it flopped. The soundtrack probably did pretty well. But the film did. [00:42:09] Speaker A: It flopped. [00:42:10] Speaker B: The film flopped, yeah. [00:42:11] Speaker A: Okay, well, kudos to you. You did it. You did the damn thing, girl. Good job. [00:42:17] Speaker B: Good job, Madonna. [00:42:18] Speaker A: Good job, Madonna. [00:42:19] Speaker B: Sorry. We kind of roasted you at the beginning. [00:42:21] Speaker A: We kind of did. But I do give respect to the fact that I'm like, you let this be your beginning. And then you're like, it only gets better from here. Cause she does. You have a lot better songs. If this was the only depiction of your talent, I think it would be a little bit more harrowing. [00:42:34] Speaker B: Yeah. [00:42:35] Speaker A: But I'm just like, it really does get better for you from here. [00:42:37] Speaker B: So I think at this time. Cause Cyndi Lauper came out this year as well, and it was. I think it would be very easy to kind of get them or put them in the same category. [00:42:48] Speaker A: You should be a history teacher. No, you should be a professor of pop culture. [00:42:54] Speaker B: I could probably do that. [00:42:56] Speaker A: You could do that really well. [00:42:58] Speaker B: Thank you. [00:42:58] Speaker A: Welcome. [00:42:59] Speaker B: That's what we're here for. This is Class seven, kids. [00:43:03] Speaker A: Well, buckle up. [00:43:05] Speaker B: So that was our episode on Madonna's debut album, Madonna. [00:43:10] Speaker A: Donna Madonna. [00:43:11] Speaker B: So thank you for listening to our podcast. [00:43:13] Speaker A: Thank you. Even though we were hella tired. [00:43:16] Speaker B: Sorry. It was kind of unhinged. But, you know, this is what you signed up for. [00:43:20] Speaker A: You did. And I know that everything else has a lot more structure and the vastity, but I think this one, we let this be a little bit more, you know, smooth. Not smooth. A little bit more soft. [00:43:30] Speaker B: A little bit more clunky. Yeah, a little bit more. That's okay. You know what? This will be a unique one. So. [00:43:39] Speaker A: Yeah, we'll put a content warning before this one. [00:43:42] Speaker B: Yes. [00:43:43] Speaker A: Thank you again for listening. [00:43:45] Speaker B: You have been listening to Diva Decoded. Okay. [00:43:49] Speaker A: Let's sing our favorite songs from the album. Okay. [00:43:52] Speaker B: You keep pushing my love over the borderline. [00:44:01] Speaker A: Beautiful. Like actually move to tears yeah. Thank you. [00:44:05] Speaker B: Bye. If we took a holiday Celebrate. [00:44:29] Speaker A: That'll be our outro. When you're editing this, remember this part, okay?