Monday’s One Song picks
New week, new One Song picks from Madonna fans around the world here at MadonnaTribe.com today. If you want to share your favourite “One Madonna Song” with fellow readers please send your writing at share@madonnatribe.com. Thank You!
• I’m sure many Madonna fans find it tough to pick just one song. Well, I’ve decided on ‘Oh Father‘ because it brings me back to my school days listening on my ultra expensive walkman and holding back my tears.. even after the 256th time! The joy I find in the song is the melancholy music arrangement (yeah, I’m contradicting myself here..) thanks to the brilliant co-writer and producer, Pat Leonard. The sweeping piano intro thugs neatly into my heartstrings and I’ve never heard Madonna sounding as vulnerable as this in any of her previous records (LDLHA from LAV was NOT vulnerable in my opinion..). Oh Father was also brave for her to release as a single and I applauded her for that as it doesn’t sound like anything in the charts at that moment. Paula Abdul was ruling the airwaves and thank god Madonna didn’t need to compete. Stalled at a respectable No.20 in the Billboard Hot 100 in 1989 (the single that broke her record-breaking string of Top 5, Oh Father remains one of my favourites til this day. Oh and the video was as groundbreaking as the song (chartwise) itself! Altogether now… ‘yoooooooou caan’t huuuuuuuuurt me nnnnow….’
I dedicate this song to.. ta dah! my dad..
Thanks for your time.
Ross Mingoo
The Netherlands
•
If I had to pick one Madonna song, without a second of hesitation, I would always pick American Life, my ultimate, all time favourite Madonna song. (And I understand that I?m probably alone in that opinion!!!). I don?t think it?s the best song she?s ever wrote, I don?t think its her best studio vocal, I don?t think it?s the best produced song, I don?t even think it?s the best song she?s released, but there?s something about the song that I love.
I think it’s her most daring single to date in terms of experimentation, her most personal, and probably the one with the most important message. For me, the song is about Madonna evaluating what?s important in her life, and I see that as Madonna trying to get her listeners questioning what truly is important in their lives, and showing that at the end of the day, chances are both her and her listener will have more or less the same list ? illustrating that the ?American Dream? really doesn?t bring happiness. And I think that?s a rather strong message.
Looking back, I find it strange she rapped on the song, not because I think it?s a horrid addition to the song, but it?s more or less what most successful songs had on them back in 2003: a rap. I suppose it?s a quiet bitch about how its doesn?t matter what the rap is about, but as long as there is one on a song, it has potential to chart well (and in America it was her best charting solo single until Hung Up!)
Although it was painfully obvious she wouldn?t perform the song on her Confessions Tour, I still hope she?ll perform it again one day. Stuart is really good at remixing, and after seeing what he did with Erotica in 2006, Deeper and Deeper in 2004, they are basically ?new? songs. I hope he?ll remix American Life one day, and that Madonna will love it enough to want to perform.
I only became a fan in 2002, and the first time I saw Madonna live was 2004, and she sang my favourite song. I?m grateful she performed it on RIT (and that I saw it!), because as it stands my guess would be quite a lot of fans haven?t seen their favourite song sung live, for one reason or another, which isn?t really something I suppose I?ll ever understand?
Kevin (Menime123)
Sunderland, UK.