Like A Virgin - Madonna (CD 2001)

Madonna was a minor celebrity after the release of her 1983 self-titled debut album. Then, in 1984, her second album, Like A Virgin, was released, and she became a superstar. Who doesn t know the mega-hit title track or "Material Girl," even 20 years after this CD s release? Unfortunately, even though Like A Virgin is still one of her biggest sellers, there are some problems with it. First of all, there s not much of a change in her material; most of these songs could easily have been on her debut. With the exception of the gorgeous Love Don t Live Here Anymore, all of the songs are dance-pop like her previous album. It's obvious that Madonna just went with what would be commercially successful, but hey, it worked, and she's one of the few '80s artists who are still around today.

Material Girl - 3:56
The CD begins with a song that almost everyone has heard at least once Material Girl. The song is about the value of material possessions, but the video, interestingly enough, has Madonna choosing a guy who doesn t have a lot of riches. This song gave Madonna her Material Girl nickname, which has endured for years, and she has said that she might not have done this song if she had known how it would affect her image. But anyway, this is a catchy little song, with an instantly recognizable beat and Madonna s chirpy vocals.

Some boys try and some boys lie but
I don t let them play (no way)
Only boys that save their pennies
Make my rainy day

Angel - 3:53
Angel begins with the sounds of a keyboard and Madonna giggling in the background. If you were to read the lyrics, you might think this was a slow ballad, but it s actually more of a dance tune. Speaking of the lyrics, they re not really anything to marvel at ( You re an angel/ You re an angel baby/ You re an angel/ You must be an angel ), but Madonna does deliver vocally. This is not a masterpiece, but it s still a good song.

Walking down a crowded avenue
Other faces seem like nothing next to you
And I can t hear the traffic rushing by
Just the pounding of my heart and that s why
You re an angel

Like A Virgin - 3:35
The title track was a huge hit for Madonna, and you can still hear it on the radio today. It is pretty strange to think that her performance of this song at the first MTV Awards was considered controversial, but it was, and this is the song that got Madonna noticed, and she hasn't stopped causing controversy since. The song is dated, but Madonna s innocent-sounding voice and the catchy mid-tempo beat make it one that will never go away.

Like a virgin, hey
Touched for the very first time
Like a virgin
With your heartbeat next to mine

Over and Over - 4:09
"Over and Over" is a fitting name for this song because the lyrics repeat themselves over and over. If you don't find this so irritating that you want to break the disc, then maybe you'll like the song for the music, which consists mainly of those synthesizers that pop up on almost every '80s song. Or maybe you'll like it because Maddy sounds like she's having fun when she sings. Or maybe you'll like it because it's just so damn catchy.

You try to criticize my drive
If I lose, I don't feel paralyzed
It's not the game, it's how you play
And if I fall, I get up again now

Love Don t Live Here Anymore - 4:45
Now we reach the only song that really has any substance on this disc, "Love Don't Live Here Anymore." This beautiful ballad was largely ignored until Madonna released it on her ballad collection, Something to Remember, over ten years later. Madonna's voice is fantastic in this song, and she really sounds like she's yearning for her lost love. The music includes the ubiquitous synthesizers, but there's also some bass, drums, and guitar. This is one of Madonna's best ballads and easily the best on this CD.

Love don't live here anymore
Just emptiness and memories
Of what we had before
You went away
Found another place to stay
Another home

Dress You Up - 3:58
This next song is quite a change from the ballad we've just heard, but it's still enjoyable in its own right. The lyrics were probably controversial for their time ("Feel the silky touch of my caresses/ They will keep you looking so brand new"), but now this is just a harmless, entertaining song. The infectious synthesized beat and the simple lyrics make this one of the more forgettable of Maddy's songs, but one that's pure fun to listen to.

Shoo-Bee-Doo - 5:14
"Shoo-Bee-Doo" starts with a beautiful piano and Madonna singing slowly and softly. Unfortunately, things speed up, and we can abandon the hope of hearing another slow song on this album. Even though the chorus is pretty mindless, it's almost impossible to get those "shoo bee doo bee doo ooh la la"s out of your head. This song is way too long, but there's also a nice sax solo about halfway through.

Pretender - 4:28
As soon as this song starts, those synthesizers kick in, and you know you're listening to an '80s song. "Pretender" seems to me like something straight from Madonna's first CD, maybe because the lyrics are about "Physical Attraction," which is the title of one of the songs on her debut. Lyrically, "Pretender" isn't that great, and the music is just various synthesized sounds, but this is still a fun, upbeat song.

Stay - 4:04
The album closes out with a song that sounds like all the others on this disc a dance-pop song that relies heavily on synthesizers. The lyrics are about Madonna wanting a great lover to stay with her, and the chorus can get stuck in your head. Musically, there's not much here besides the synths, but that's no different than most of the songs on Like A Virgin.

Like I said earlier, most of the songs on Like A Virgin sound like the ones from Madonna s debut. There are almost no slow songs on here, and most of the music comes from synthesizers. And there are obviously some filler tracks on here, which is not good when the album only has nine songs to begin with. But this CD is worth owning to hear Love Don t Live Here Anymore and some of Madonna s most well-known singles. While her debut was successful, this is the one that really made her a star. And you gotta love her dedication of the album to the virgins of the world.

LH 2004

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