Being that "Burning Up" is one of my favorite Madonna songs of all time, I purchased this album because the 12" remix of the single was available on CD for the first time in over two decades. When I pushed the play button on my compact disc player, I was truly amazed on the quality of the sound. If I only could use to words to describe the sound quality on this album I would choose "crystal clear." Truly, this remastered edition was a great idea and I was so elated to hear all of Madonna's great early hits from "Lucky Star" to "Everybody" again.

In addition to the "Burning Up" 12" remix, this remastered album also features a remix of "Lucky Star" remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez himself. Both remixes are amazing and the album brought back many memories growing up during the decade of decadence. If you are a true Madonna fan, you will want to add this album to your collection.


In the beginning...   May 22, 2001
duggalolly (beyond the waterfall)
14 out of 16 found this review helpful

These days, many people compare Madonna's early music to Britney Spears or the Spice Girls, but there really is no comparison. Today's bubble gum pop stars have a host of producers, songwriters, and stylists to create a cookie-cutter image for them that can be marketed to the mainstream. Madonna, however, was a very different story. At the time she recorded this album, Madonna was living in the ghettos of New York City, and hanging out at clubs that were largely populated by minorites. In other words, she was NOT part of the mainstream! In addition, most of the songs on this album began life as demos that Madonna wrote and recorded HERSELF in a tiny apartment without the help of a host of producers or marketing execs. She also had developed her own unique fashion sense. Madonna didn't have to consult a crew of stylists; even when she was penniless in New York, she had her own style down pat! Unlike today's manufactured pop princesses, Madonna was a true musical and visual artist at work, long BEFORE she signed a record contract.

That said, this album invented dance-pop as we know it. Highly synthesized and highly danceable, this was the style of music that took the 1980s by storm, and still exists today in many forms (including the electronica that Madonna currently dabbles in!). The album was revolutionary, because it brought the underground worlds of urban dance music and punk into the mainstream world of pop. The punk elements are heard in the scorching single "Burning Up", which prominently features an electric guitar and a rock-like bassline, but in a clubby, danceable song. Also, Madonna's personality comes through very strong on this album, so you never feel like you are listening to an anonymous "dance diva". Even on pedestrain fare like "I Know It" and "Physical Attraction", Madonna sings with so much conviction that you KNOW she means it!

When the album was first released, people assumed Madonna was African American, and her music was played primarily on R&B stations... she was not immediately accepted by the pop world, and was truly a cutting-edge "fringe" artist who redefined pop. In addition to being a great historical document, this album is worth buying because it's so much FUN! What party is complete without classics like "Holiday", "Everybody", or "Lucky Star"? These songs have stood the test of time, because, unlike Britney and Co., Madonna is an innovator, NOT an imitator, and she has been innovative since day one, as this album proves.


For the Spanish cops   August 29, 2008
snicko (penshurst, australia)
10 out of 11 found this review helpful

Many years back I woke up in the early hours on a Sunday morning in a park in Barcelona. I was still incredibly drunk. I had a few bucks in my pocket, my passport and a picture disc copy of Madonna's fist lp. Strangely I had no recollection of how I got the lp but it was enclosed in a record shop plastic bag, so i was sure I had not stolen the thing. The lp itself had a rather attractive topless photo of the singer looking somewhat like Marilyn Monroe.
Within my wallet was a basic map of the city and so I felt confident enough of finding my hotel......eventually. I was in no mood to move quickly or think much beyond finding an open cafe or at least walking in vaguely the right direction. During my slow meandering I noticed that the only people on the streets were me and the cops. All good folk were in bed, getting ready to go to church, on their way to church or at church. A cop with a strange metal helmet on eventually stopped me and asked for identification. When satisfied, he checked out my Madonna picture disc. As he smirked checking out the record I could not help but think he looked like a futuristic matador from the year 2050. My blood shot eyes and sex pistols t-shirt convinced me not to attempt telling "officer friendly" I was on my way to mass. He knew I was lost and so I showed him my hotel address. He invited me to follow him and I assumed we were going to my destination. We passed streets I recognized, this time without the pick pockets and prostitutes harassing passers by.
Eventually I walked into a local police station and was escorted to a recreation area towards the back of the station. Several male cops were drinking, smoking, and playing cards and generally relaxing. The Madonna record was placed on the turn table and suddenly every Spaniard knew English, belting out the lyrics. Understandably in the early 80's you couldn't walk 3 blocks without hearing a Madonna song. It certainly seemed like the Spanish cops took too her stuff like "bulls to a red rag." I had a few beers and staggered back to my hotel. I slept for many hours and on waking debated with myself about if I had dreamed about the interaction with the cops. I had these cheesy Madonna songs buzzing around my head.
Sometime later I answered a knock on the door and one of the cops down at the station shook my hand and returned my record. It had confirmed the experience had occurred.


the before and after review   December 21, 2003
Da Man (Pekin, IL)
6 out of 6 found this review helpful

Madonna's self-titled debut was released in July 1983

BEFORE:
Madonna Ciccone was a NY club sensation. Moving to NYC from Bay City MI with less than $50 to her name, Madonna slowly made her way up. Before the release of this album, she had already scored one huge dance single with Everybody, and was climbing the dance chart with Burning Up at the time of release.

AFTER:
While not an overnight success (when the album peaked, it had been out 15 months), Madonna's debut proved to be "the little album that could". Lambasted by critics at first, and at first resisted by a disco-backlashed radio environment. Madonna quietly crept into the nations conscience in 1984. Borderline, Holiday and Lucky Star have all become radio standards.

Madonna's debut is one of the greatest dance records ever. Released not too long after Flashdance began to make dance music accepted again, every single track off this album was played in clubs around the world in 83/84. There is no "substance" song on this that Madonna has added as she got older and wiser, but in the terms of this album, it was amazing. Like A Virgin was the blockbuster, but "Madonna" was a stronger album in my book, and it also lasted on the Billboard album chart for FOUR YEARS.

Every song is a classic on this. Still one of her best.