Customer Reviews: Read 75 more reviews...
 An unexamined life is not worth living..... February 12, 2006
19 out of 25 found this review helpful
Hey, guys, I bought this CD when it first came out in 1990 and I have never stopped enjoying it! The song set shows us the kinky Madonna who likes spankings in the bedroom, lusts after super tough and danger-loving detectives like Dick Tracy, wants many millions of dollars, and gets way turned off while nevertheless reluctantly sticking by (at least for the moment) a "Cry Baby Guy." There is the very fine and bittersweet ballad "Something To Remember." The CD ends with one of her best songs ever, "Vogue." "Vogue" is both a fun dance number and a homage to the greats of yesteryear's Hollywood where everyone had glamour "on the cover of a magazine." She sings "They had style, they had grace, Rita Hayworth gave good (...)" (I was never able to make out that last word with certainty so in case it's a naughty word I am choosing to blank it out with stars. hehehe GRIN Note: Congratulations go to Vanna (I assume this Vanna is Vanna White) who makes the "A" list despite not being from yesteryear's Hollywood.
Even though this CD was manufactured in 1990, which was when I bought it, after 16 years the sound quality has not diminished one bit. I can listen to it both on my portable CD player and my stereo in the house and everything (except that one word about Rita Hayworth) is crystal clear and the musical arrangements sound as fresh and crisp as they ever did. Indeed, the music was inspired by the movie Dick Tracy and some of it was taken from the movie itself. Awesome! Madonna's voice is in great form and the musical accompaniments and effects are very well done. For instance, at one point near the end they made a sound as if you were listening to an old 78 rpm record on which the needle was stuck--and then someone, presumably Madonna herself, slides the needle across the vinyl record to stop the needle from being stuck. The song (entitled "Now I'm Following You") then quickly goes into a more distinctly modern beat--very good sound effects there!
The front cover art work has a picture of Warren Beatty looking lustfully at an abundantly sexy Madonna: the allure of sex and danger goes into the artwork as well. The front cover can be removed and opened up into a small booklet (at least it could be when I bought this CD) with a few very well done still photographs from the film Dick Tracy. If you then open the cover further you essentially get a "centerfold" photo of Madonna wearing a sexy silver gown that covers just enough of her chest. If you like Madonna photos, this photo is one of the better ones of her as she looked when she was a few years younger than she is now. (OK, OK, 16 years younger than she is now. SMILE)
Even the CD itself has nice artwork on the side where there is no music data recorded. Great artwork overall!
So, if you're a Madonna fan, just getting into Madonna, or a fan of dance music from the early 1990s, this CD truly is for you! The CD is a nice companion to the movie Dick Tracy, too.
Back to a bygone age May 16, 2004
17 out of 19 found this review helpful
For this album, Madonna goes back in time to a completely different musical age - the 1940's, when pop music was very different, although the 1940's style is obscured somewhat by a 1990's production. This is a light-hearted album, more in keeping with (though very different from) the song-and-dance music that Betty Grable did than the pop music of Dinah Shore or Jo Stafford. Some songs are covers of songs from that period but most are original songs written in the style of the time, even including some novelty songs that you either love or hate. Madonna's big hit of the time, Vogue, was added to the album to help sales but it doesn't really blend in.
Stephen Sondheim composed three of the songs, these being Sooner or later, More and What can you lose - a duet with Mandy Patinkin. Madonna's performances on these songs are impressive. Of Madonna's own songs, Hanky panky and Vogue were huge hits but the outstanding song is Something to remember, which later became the title track of a compilation of her ballads. He's a man and Back in business are also wonderful. I also enjoyed Cry baby but I can imagine that some people will not like this at all. Madonna did not write the two other original songs - I'm going bananas (a slightly silly but entertaining novelty song) and Now I'm following you parts 1 and 2 (a lot of fun but definitely not a novelty).
I had to play this album a few times before I really appreciated it, but I liked it more with each listen. Although this album is just for fun, Madonna's covers of the Sondheim songs suggest that she could record a serious jazz album if she ever wants to.
This is not like any of Madonna's other albums so some of her fans may not like it. At the same time, I'm not sure that it will win her any new fans. Nevertheless, this is a fascinating album that proves just how versatile Madonna really is.
BUY THIS AMAZING CD July 16, 2000
10 out of 10 found this review helpful
"I'm Breathless" is the most experimental album Madonna has ever made. Then again, Madonna is all about reinventing herself and taking risks (unlike some of her contemporary female rivals who churn out the same formula over and over). This album is also her most underrated. Which is a shame because this album is absolutely amazing. The 40's themed songs and the Cuban-Flavored "I'm Going Bananas" are great, catchy, and theatrical. The songs also adds to and reveals information as to who Breathless Mahoney is (Madonna's character in DICK TRACY). Hence, the reason why this album is called "I'm Breathless". The album gives us a musical biography of this exciting character's life. Madonna does very well with all the songs...and she successfully rises up to the challenge of singing THREE songs by one of the most BRILLIANT Broadway composers of the 20th Century, STEPHEN SONDHEIM. Again, let's see her contempories take up a challenge like that. And, to top herself, Madonna ends the album with "Vogue". Surprisingly, "Vogue" fits in nicely in this 40's sounding album. In conclusion, this album, along with "Ray of Light", "Erotica", and "Like a Prayer", is a must-have for Madonna fans and people who want to hear what "creative experimentation" and "pushing the boundaries of your artistry" sounds like.
Has Madonna ever sounded better than on this album? January 27, 2000
9 out of 9 found this review helpful
I agree with most of the other reviews. This album is one of Madonna's most underated and overlooked, yet it's probably her best(along with "Like A Prayer"). Her voice sounds absolutely incredible on tracks like "More", "What Can You Lose" and "Sooner Or Later", and she displays her unmatched versatility by reminding us of her "helium-voiced" past with the fun tracks "I'm Going Bananas" and "Cry Baby". But really, check out "More" to hear an incredibly impressive vocal from Madonna. She sings this one flawlessly, and it's a tough song to sing! There isn't one bad song on this album, every single track is a gem. Also impressive is the way "Vogue" is seemlessly appended to the album, by immediatley following the dance track, "Now I'm Following You Part II". I don't think I need tell anyone how great "Vogue" is, do I?To sum up, buy "I'm Breathless" if you want to hear Madonna's finest vocal moment(Yes, even more impressive than her "Evita" vocals in my opinion), and some very, very classy songs.
Tons of fun from Madonna (and good music, too) October 7, 2000
5 out of 5 found this review helpful
I'm a huge fan of Madonna's - always have been, always will be. But that doesn't mean that I'm not critical of her music or that I like everything she does. But 'I'm Breathless' is one of her most whimsical, charming albums ever, and I think it shows what a lot of us know - but many don't - that Madonna is a talented singer/song writer who has a pretty wide range of capabilities.As songs 'from' and 'inspired by' Dick Tracy, this album is full of music from another era, one that happily suits Madonna's voice and sense of humor. Some of the music is plain silly, some is sexy, but it's all good, and among the slower numbers are a bunch of real toe-tappers - not typical Madonna dance music (although Vogue is on the CD), mind you. Steven Sondheim wrote several of the songs, including the marvelous 'Sooner or Later,' and his music blends in well with Madonna's, making it really cohesive despite the normally very different styles of the songwriters. All in all, this is a terribly fun CD, and one that's full of good, catchy songs. Who would have thought that the Material Girl, who epitomized the '80s and '90s, could transport you back to the '40s? This album is really for anyone - for people who love Madonna, for people who love this type of music or for people who just want a fun, different kind of album to that will entertain them. Buy it!
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