On the way back from DC, Brandon and I had a three-hour Madonna singalong. So, I was thinking of doing a list of my favorite Madonna songs, which actually may have gotten too complicated. Her videos are also some of the best, and I’m feeling nostalgic, so here are my favorites, in order.
Express Yourself: this should be made into a Broadway musical
Bedtime Story: gives me nightmares
Hung Up: I want that boombox
Music: Ali G!
Like A Prayer: remember all the controversy?
Nothing Really Matters: remember when she had her geisha fetish? More like a geisha zombie fetish.
Deeper and Deeper: I liked her flapper-disco look.
What It Feels Like For a Girl: banned!
Open Your Heart: she’s so understanding of children. When they want to see a peep show, she makes it happen.
Bag Girl: moral is: if you are a hooker, you will be murdered
My take:
1. Vogue (love the dancing, the black & white, the fashion, and the song)
2. Express Yourself (glorious visually, she looks fantastic)
3. Music (love the inserted animated sequence and how they hid Madonna’s pregnancy)
4. Frozen (Dark and mysterious–basically the cover of Evanescence’s first album 4 years early)
5. Like a Prayer (Daring and iconic)
6. Cherish (Mermen aside, the video is beautifully shot)
7. Open Your Heart (Best True Blue video)
8. Oh Father (All of the Like a Prayer videos are fantastic, even this one–the sewn lips always freaked me out as a kid)
9. Papa Don’t Preach (unfolds like an ’80s movie)
10. Ray of Light (a day in the life)
Most innovative:
Borderline (one of the first videos to tell a linear storyline)
Material Girl (re-creates a film scene)
Like a Prayer (pushed the limit)
Express Yourself (pushed the budget)
Cherish (Herb Ritts, welcome to the video world)
Justify My Love (Made MTV cross its legs)
Bedtime Story (another expensive one, this time with computer effects)
Frozen (When she turns into a flock of birds–so cool)
Ray of Light (Cinematography in a day)
Comment by ww_adh — May 26, 2007 @ 6:34 am
I was waiting for you to let me know your thoughts. HA! I remember the mermen from Cherish.
I thought about Ray of Light, but it just doesn’t have enough Madonna outfit changes.
I’m not so gaga over Vogue. Maybe I don’t love the song all that much. I also like her post-2000 stuff a lot. I think I actually starting appreciating Madonna more.
Comment by ihatewheat — May 26, 2007 @ 7:30 am