Madonna: The First Album

(L to R: Album-#8 US, #6 UK, Everybody-#3 dance, Burning Up-#3 dance, Holiday-#16 pop, Lucky Star-#4 pop, Borderline-#10 pop)

As it's between albums and I can't think of anything else to write about, I'm going to be starting a new series reviewing Madonna's studio albums.

Madonna (The First Album- UK Title) 1983

The album was recorded in New York under the direction of DJ Mark Kamins, who discovered Madonna in the club Danceteria (where she would sit in the corner reading a book instead of mingling). Her rough demos were hits in his club, and she was signed to Warner/Sire and began recording with Reggie Lucas, who was booted off the project after Madonna was dissatisfied with his productions. She then brought in her boyfriend Jellybean Benitez to remix the tracks, and it was during these last sessions that she recorded her hit Holiday. Madonna wrote every song on the album, except for Holiday and Borderline. Curiously, she is credited as the original writer of Physical Attraction, but Reggie Lucas was later given sole credit.

The sound of the album, disco and dance, was a risky move for its time. Disco was declared dead a few years earlier, yet as always Esther had the foresight to be the first in an era defined by synthpop. Bridging the gap between disco and dance was a departure for Madonna, who had spent her first few years in New York as the guitar player (she didn't play well) and lead singer of the New Wave bands Emmy and the Breakfast Club. Madonna's image--thrift store clothing, crucifixes, and loads of jewelry--was influenced by her friendships with artist Andy Warhol and Keith Harring, as well as her Catholic childhood and personal love of freedom.

Sparkling, cascading synths start out opening track Lucky Star, which contained lyrics based on the classic children's poem Starlight Starbright. It's dance beats were instantaneous and unrelenting. Borderline showcases the urgency of Madonna's vocals and has synthesized xylophone chimes. Burning Up, Madonna's foray into New Wave, has prominent guitars backed by a dance track. I Know It is a buoyant dance track with oscillating synthesized piano chords. Holiday, Madonna's signature song, starts out softly then lifts off into a celebratory, carefree dance track with repetitive, though festive lyrics. Think of Me is more disco than dance, but with electronic pulsating beats. Physical Attraction shares the same synthesized harpsichord-like chiming with Borderline, but has a memorable clapping beat. Everybody closes the album with pulsating electronic noises and spoken word sections that call everybody to the dance floor.

Madonna is successful because of its structure: fireworks of synths and simple, repetitive, and memorable lyrics. Madonna's eponymous first album is one of her best, unparalleled in its effervescence. Madonna's voice is high pitched, almost squeaky. There is a sense of urgency and exuberance, a carefree joie de vivre. She sounds simultaneously in control yet pining at the same time. For me, this is a special album because it's innocent. She's at the beginning of her career, and wasn't pushing a message beyond having fun. Naive but inviting, it's a celebration of fun.

Madonna's first music videos were made during this period. Everybody is a simple video of Madonna dancing in a lighted dance studio. Burning Up was another budget affair, but contained cutting edge effects of the day (Madonna's mouth magically multiplies on a door), and features Madonna on a road begging for her lover. Holiday was deemed too cheap to be released, and thus the embarrassment never surfaced. Lucky Star is one of her best loved videos. Madonna dances in a white room in black clothing. Borderline was the first widely aired Madonna video, and was a hit especially with the teen demographic. Madonna dances around in New York City waiting for her lover to respond.