30 years today since Madonna's first single

[songanddanceman2]

Love her or loath her (waits for Namo) it's hard to deny that its pretty impressive that she has been around for a long time and is still doing well today.

Here is a video of Madonna's first ever performance of her first ever single under Sire Records. The song of course is Everybody

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_tGEYHKGWSE

[Jordan Catalano]

Y'know I'd give anything to have been in New York when she was first coming up.

30 years......wow.

[songanddanceman2]

It's crazy, watching that performance as well I'm not sure how many would have predicted that she would still be around in 30 years.

[FindingNamo]

By the release of the third album people realized she was in it for the long haul.

[rosscoe(au)]

And she still can't sing live

[songanddanceman2]

She's not the greatest singer period but i think her live singing is pretty good when she is not bouncing around the stage, even when she is bouncing around and singing live i really appreciate that. Auto correct on her voice on the first 3 songs on the this current tour is a bit much though, though to be fair the songs themselves on the album are made to sound like that effect. When she drops that however for songs like Masterpiece on the tour or Express Yourself and I'm a Sinner she sounds great..

I really liked when she sang live on SNL
Bad Girl
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sCnNb41UoE8

Fever
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SmkR3ajrx9U&feature=relmfu

[Jordan Catalano]

Since Streisand won't do it, I hope Madonna puts out a Broadway album.

Which Broadway songs would you guys like to hear her cover??

For me it would have to be

TOMORROW
UNUSUAL WAY
AIN'T NO PARTY
LOSING MY MIND

[FindingNamo]

I just LOVE the first two sentences of sandd's post two posts above this one. All that's missing is a "WOW! All these terrible examples of her, shall we say, lack of assets, yet the whole world still adores her!"

[songanddanceman2]

Namo for once, just once stop being an a*****e. I have always said she is not the greatest singer, hell she has said it herself. Many of the greatest pop/rock acts are not the best singers in the world, she can sing but she ain't ever gonna be a Celine Dion. And yes the fans love her because she brings so much to the table, knock her down, insult her all you want, but to stay in this industry for 30 years and to have the impact she has had is undeniable.

I have never known ANYONE in 25 years of been a fan of hers who apparently hates her so much talk about as often as you do......maybe Fox News, it's f*****g strange.

Let's (for once) try and keep this positive, 30 years is an incredible achievement, there are plenty of other Madonna threads you can work your issues out in.

[Jordan Catalano]

I'm going to watch A CERTAIN SACRIFICE tonight to celebrate.

[songanddanceman2]

lol that film should never be watched

[Playbilly]

Calm down songand-toolongascreenname. You knew what people are going to say when you started the thread. Don't act surprised by detractors. 30 years, nice. Congrats. Just don't invite Cher, Mick, or, Barbra to the party.

Move along folks, nothing to see here.

[Jungle Red]

This is my favorite performance of one of my favorite songs.
"Soone or Later"

[FindingNamo]

That WAS a great performance. The crowing achievement of her career.

You know, 50 years ago this week The Beatles released their first single. It's always been fascinating to me that Madonna never really talked much about her influences when she was starting to hit. She was like the Sex & The City characters, she sprung up in the Big Apple, fully formed, with absolutely no acknowledged musical past. She would eventually come to acknowledge a few of her contemporaries when she was in the chart stratosphere, but never mentioned loving *anything* growing up, or feeling a calling because some performer or group inspired. No Stones, no Beatles, no singer songwriters, no punk, nothing. Recently I saw her mention something about "punk" and it just rang hollow after all these years of being something else. The "not a singer, she said so herself" that her fans ALWAYS quote.

You know what I would respect her if she would do. She should let Cirque du Soleil design a show around her recordings, she should appear in it and do double dutch, and monkey bar jumping and dance with a troupe and not even bother to lip synch. Just celebrate her catalogue and the creation of the songs her voice was placed on top of and let Cirque continue the creation on top of that. THEN she would be helming a totally honest project that played to what she's interested in: showing off her aerobic acumen, dance routines, and being a ring mistress. Maybe, MAYBE, let her sing one ballad live on a stool. Let it be her Mrs. Norman Maine moment.

She should do it. MADONNA VOGUE by cirque du soleil.

[Jordan Catalano]

I would give anything to see her in a show where it's just her and a microphone and hear her perform her ballads and some slower versions of popular songs. An "intimate evening" type of thing. She can even wear pants if she wants to.

[FindingNamo]

Now, you've followed her long enough. Has she ever given a single indication that she's interested in that sort of thing. Didn't the clips from the French disaster show, once again, that "intimacy" is not Madonna's strong suit (in any sense of the word)?

[Jordan Catalano]

No, of course it'll never happen. I was just saying I would love it. Same as I'd love for the new Jake Gyllenhaal/Hugh Jackman movie to be produced by COLT.

[songanddanceman2]

Oh Namo your post about Madonna not naming her influences in the first few years of her career is hilarious. First of all she did an interview in a magazine in the mid 80s where she talked about the music she listened to growing up and her inspirations, she named Led Zeplin, Nancy Sinatra, Th Supremes and loving Elvis etc.

You also have to remember she was not looking to be a pop star but a dancer and has named her dance influences as a teenager such as Martha Graham (in the same article as above she talks about having a photo on her wall in her first New York place)

[songanddanceman2]

Madonna performed Everybody last night to mark the 30th anniversary at her show in San Jose
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nBfW5pTLStg

[FindingNamo]

"Oh Namo your post about Madonna not naming her influences in the first few years of her career is hilarious."

Really? Hilarious? Really? Because, I wasn't talking about the mid-'80s, I was talking about 30 years ago, when I was working in a record store and we noticed an influx of very young and often Latino gentlemen who appeared asking for the new "Everybody" 12 inch. Most of them seemed to think she was Latina. And I am talking about how she appeared seemingly out of nowhere sounding something like Teena Marie and how she ended up on American Bandstand and chatting about "world domination" but never about what it was that fueled her fire musically. So basically, it looks like she eventually name-checked a few things from her mom's record collection and the thing that every mainstream American high school student in the US listened to: Led Zeppelin. THAT was what inspired her to create "Everybody?" Really?

I mean, I guess it's worth celebrating her 30 years in the industry she used as a fall back when being in the Martha Graham touring company didn't bring her quite the world domination she wanted, but really, the kind of music she made? It was the fastest way to accomplish a goal? Really, it's like saying, "I was so influenced by Black Sabbath, here's my performance of 'I'm A Little Teapot' on toy piano."

I just think it's interesting. I really think she should just stop making new recordings unless she has some passion for it (not evident at all on the past three albums) or just create a dance showcase. OBVIOUSLY she can get asses in seats. Do a spectacle and give up on pretending it has anything to do with singing.