The Madonna Project: #2. "Like A Virgin" (1984)

In the history of pop music, no artist has stood out quite like Madonna. From her early days writing infectious songs that challenged societal norms, the fashion icon created a new definition of celebrity and in the process reinvented herself in such alluring ways. With The Madonna Project, the plan is to watch the chameleon grow and change over time, highlighting the various things that make her albums essential, or at least interesting to talk about. Over the course of 2020, this will be a look at everything from "Madonna" to "Madame X" (and possibly beyond) in an attempt to understand: why does Madonna continue to matter, and if that could ever possibly change. It's a tough call, but join me on a journey of finding out what makes her one of the most untouchable Gods of pop. 

Album: "Like a Virgin"

Release Date: November 12, 1984
Label: Sire Records, Warner Bros. 

Certifications:
-Australia (7x Platinum)
-Belgium (Platinum)
-Canada (Diamond)
-Finland (Gold)
-France (2x Platinum)
-Germany (3x Gold)
-Hong Kong (Platinum)
-New Zealand (5x Platinum)
-Spain (Platinum)
-Switzerland (2x Platinum)
-United Kingdom (3x Platinum)
-United States (Diamond) 

Total: 21 million sold internationally 

Singles:
-"Like A Virgin"
-"Material Girl"
-"Angel"
-"Into the Groove"
-"Dress You Up"

Awards:
N/A

Track List:

1. "Material Girl"
2. "Angel"
3. "Like a Virgin"
4. "Over and Over"
5. "Love Don't Live Here Anymore"
6. "Dress You Up"
7. "Shoo-Bee-Doo"
8. "Pretender"
9. "Stay"
10. "Into the Groove"

*NOTE: Listen to it here.
*NOTE: Listen to "Into the Groove" here.

Track Analysis

This section is a song by song breakdown in hopes of understanding what makes each song special in his catalog. Other things considered will include best song, most interesting standout, and other fields deemed relevant to the album.

Singles

Presented in order of appearance on the album.

"Material Girl"

When thinking of Madonna, there are few songs as ubiquitous as this one. After all, she is The Material Girl. While she tries to live that moniker down the older she gets, it's one of the inescapable charms. It doesn't hurt that it's one of the most bubbly songs about consumerism to ever exist. You can't help but get the chorus stuck in your head, especially as she creates one of the most echoic anthems of its kind since Marilyn Monroe sang "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend." It may be airheaded when compared to everything else she's done, but who's to deny that the clever sense of dominance she displays in the song isn't already establishing her as a queen of the genre? It's a catchy song and maybe one of her least meaningful, but that's not such a bad thing when what follows is an expansion of character that makes her more diverse than we'd ever give her credit for. If nothing else, this was underplaying what was to come.

"Angel"

The second song on the album produces the one single that's faded a bit with time (save for a recent use on Stranger Things). With that said, it's far from as disposable as the second-tier tracks of "Madonna." In fact, there's something fun to the bouncing instrumentation as she sings a love song about someone being an angel. It's got this haunting, New Wave approach that shows the small ways in which she's planning on becoming more eclectic with time. Most of all, her lower register allows for the song to have a seductive quality that is sometimes bashful, but always full of a personality that's already developed. It's a fun song that shows her gifts for making the idea of falling in love something tender and sweet. 

"Like A Virgin"

Most of what came before felt like it was building to this moment, the triumphant arrival of Madonna's wordplay. She would only continue to play with religious imagery in her work, but here she manages to use the idea of virginity in ways the tow around the idea of decency in music, and in the process develops a persona that will define the rest of her career. There's so much life in the song, where a simple "Hey" comes with a sense of eroticism that likely caused controversy. At the end of the day, it's just a well-crafted tune that is longing for your attention, and the fact that it feels dirtier than it is only shows how much power Madonna has as an artist over her spectators. 

"Dress You Up"

There is nothing wrong with this song. It's got every hook in place and will get you moving when you approach a dance floor. The only issue is that when compared to the other singles on this album, it's a bit too simple-minded in production. It has the familiar seductiveness in lines about dressing you up in my love "from your head down to your toes," but it's not much else. It's fun and captures what makes her great as a performer in her ability to draw the listener in during the verse before exploding on the chorus. It's just that halfway through all of the tricks have been heard and they're fine. Nothing really develops from there. As a second-tier hit, however, it's actually pretty great.

"Into the Groove"

In another song that's second-tier hit material, this one came later into the process than the others. It came on a reissue, which meant in some ways that it was an afterthought when compared to the other nine songs. That doesn't mean it lacks anything, even if it's more simple-minded than "Dress You Up" in what it wants to achieve. It's "Holiday" on ecstasy, singing lustfully about dancing together as a form of expression. It's goofy and it's hard not to underplay that even then it really gets the crowd moving. It works because the chorus has violent drums and bass only jolting the soul more, and in some ways, its simple theme only makes it more palatable to dance to.

Noteworthy Outliers 

Songs on the album that are interesting despite not being singles.

"Shoo-Bee-Doo"

While the outliers on this album range from solid to some of Madonna's most disposable work so far, this cut midway through the album has a sense of the performer to come. We've already heard "Material Girl" make her into the bubblegum star then "Like A Virgin" into a seductive soulstress of wordplay. Now we get a performer who feels like she's breaking into something personal, bearing her soul as her voice goes deeper inside herself, making such a silly title pave the way for meaning and depth. While it's not the only song on here to do so ("Love Don't Live Here Anymore"), it's the only original that feels like it has something more of substance to offer in giving a sense of Madonna as an individual, as an artist wanting to do more than dance. It's her calling card for longevity.

Closing Remarks

On one hand, this is exactly the door-busting album that it's sold as. It was more than an album, from the iconic artwork to the music videos and performances, Madonna albums now have storied legacies of artistry and controversy. The 21 million copies sold is a testament to her ascension into pop stardom, and it's hard to think that she'll only get more interesting from here. However, it's all a bit muddled when pulling back from the brilliant singles that grab the listener and form permanent residence in their head. The other songs are largely disposable, with the final stretch being arguably some of her least memorable work to date. While this continues to prove her gifts for the singles, it doesn't have enough. "Madonna" was an album, by comparison, that felt like every note was meticulously thought over. "Like A Virgin" only has that half of the time, likely due to the quick release after the first album. 

Up Next: "True Blue" (1986)

Album Rankings

This section is dedicated to ranking the albums from best to worst in hopes of finding which Madonna album is the best.

1. "Madonna" (1983)
2. "Like A Virgin" (1984)

Single Rankings

This section is dedicated to ranking the singles from each album in hopes of finding which one is Madonna's best song.

1. "Like A Virgin" - "Like A Virgin" (1984)
2. "Borderline" - "Madonna" (1983)
3. "Lucky Star" - "Madonna" (1983)
4. "Holiday" - "Madonna" (1983)
5. "Angel" - "Like A Virgin" (1984)
6. "Material Girl" -"Like A Virgin" (1984)
7. "Into the Groove" - "Like A Virgin" (1984)
8. "Dress You Up" - "Like A Virgin" (1984)
9. "Burning Up" - "Madonna" (1983)
10. "Everybody" - "Madonna" (1983)