because all the madonna singles I own just offer mostly uninspired edits and remixes.

i don't think I've ever heard a madonna b-side

or michael jackson for that matter but I don't own any of his singles, did he do any?

and why doesn't she do any (like prince)? most artists have some and seeing as she's released more singles than most it's disappointing if she doesn't have at least a few.

no. maybe one. maybe.

Has to Be... great B-side of Ray of Light

Unfortunately,Madonna has been really stingy with her unreleased songs and she rarely uses an outtake for a B-side.But there are a few of her singles that feature rare songs that didn't appear on the albums...


"Ain't No Big Deal" (B-side of "Papa Don't Preach" outside of the U.S.),1986.

"Supernatural" (B-side of "Cherish" single),1988

"The Beast Within" (appears on the "Justify My Love" maxi-single),1990

"Up Down Suite" (B-side of "Rain" single),1993

"Let Down Your Guard" (B-side to the U.K. single of "Secret" in 1994.Excellent song!)

"Has To Be" (B-side of the "Ray Of Light" single) 1998

"Cyberraga" (B-side of "Music" single) 2000


There are also a number of songs that appeared only on movie soundtracks or charity albums (such as her version of "Santa Baby" and a song called "Freedom").Hopefully,one day there will be a massive,multi-disc Madonna box set that includes,in addition to all the hits,many of these rare tracks.
[Edited 10/5/04 2:39am]

DavidEye said:

Just an FYI: Supernatural can be found on the charity album Red Hot & Dance as well!

DavidEye said:

The Beast Within is considered a remix of Justify My Love, however - not a B-Side.

DavidEye said:

"Ain't No Big Deal" is also on the True Blue U.S. 12" single. I think it was an outtake from her first album.

JediMaster said:

That "Supernatural" is a remix, which I didn't prefer but it's up to the listner. The original is one of the most fun pop songs Madonna has ever done while the remix is done by dance hall guys (Sly and Robbie) and isn't as light (or dancable).

VoicesCarry said:

Yes its a b-side mix of justify my love but on all offical releases and productions since it has just been listed as The Beast Within. So I agree with listing it as a seperate song.

Don't forget that Vogue was going to be the b-side for Keep it Together

VinnyM27 said:

Indeed. The original is much better than that remix. She hasn't had a lot of great B-sides, but my two faves are Supernatural and Let Down Your Guard. That Up Down Suite was sort of a cheat B-side. It was basically a dub of Goodbye to Innocence, which later appeared on a charity album.

ehuffnsd said:

Wrong. On the US CD5, it is "Justify My Love (The Beast Within Mix)". We're talking about the original single release (on which it might have been a B-side), not any reissues or compilations released since.
[Edited 10/5/04 14:24pm]

I love "Let Down Your Guard"

wasn't it only available on the japanese cd single to "Secret"?

There's also a cd called "Pre-Madonna" and it has 2 early versions of "Ain't No Big Deal" as well as early versions of "Burning Up" "Everybody" and my favorite "Crimes Of Passion"

i love has to be (which, by the way, was the last track on my version of ray of light) and supernatural. beast within is hot but i need to be in the mood for it...those drums and that beat...its almost hypnotic.

Clubkid said:

The Euro singles had it. The Secret - Remixes disc from japan doesn't have it.
[Edited 10/5/04 15:26pm]

VoicesCarry said:

I have a euro-single of Secret and all it has are remixes.... i feel ripped off....

DAMN YOU MADONNA!

Clubkid said:

Secret had CD 1 and CD 2 releases all across Europe. Pt. 1 had:

1. Secret (Edit) 4.30
2. Let Down Your Guard (Rough Mix Edit) 4.33
3. Secret (Instrumental) 5.04
4. Secret (LP Version) 5.03

CD2 just had 5 versions of Secret, including some Junior Vasquez mixes (does yours have Junior's Soundfactory Dub?).

VoicesCarry said:

I definitely don't have Part 1.... I'll have to look when I get home... I want to say it had between 4 and 5 remixes of the song... i don't recall the single being a "part 2," but I have been wrong before.... A friend of mine had the single with the tracklist you mention above, and I would have sworn it was from Japan.... TO BE CONTINUED....


oh... and thnx for settling a 10 year mystery to me

Clubkid said:

Yeah, they weren't labelled as such. They just get CD1 and CD 2 designations from fans/retailers.

kinaldo said:

I didn't know that Madonna had any good A sides???

bds70 said:

Oh geez why can't you Madonna haters go troll somewhere else and let people have their conversations without such bullshit comments

VoicesCarry said:

Back Cover of the Girlie Show
The Beast Within

Inside the Re-Invention TourBook
The Beast Within

ehuffnsd said:

NOT the original single, however.

If it was designated a remix of the A-side on the original single, then it's not a B-side on the original single.

VoicesCarry said:

I'm not saying it is a bside... i'm just agreeing it should be listed as a different song

ehuffnsd said:

I think on the tour it was listed that way...just because the setlist named it like that. It is technically a remix of Justify my Love. If there ever is a b-side/rarity compilation however, it should definitely be included.

I think it needs to be examined what is really a b-side. It should be a song that is part of the single (45's - the flip side, CD's - extra tracks). They can't be remixes or extended parts of the songs. They can't be part of a complilation or end up on one. It should really be only available on the single or maxi single.

I can only comment on a few of these...

"Ain't No Big Deal" (B-side of "Papa Don't Preach" outside of the U.S.),1986. - Is from the first album or something...I never considered it a b-side as it later (or was it around the same time) it appeared on the outtake thing that came out.

"Supernatural" (B-side of "Cherish" single),1988 - Coming out before RH&D qualifies this one. SHe just didn't bother giving them anything new (not sure that many did). Putting on a compilation almost disqualifys it as you can get it on something else.

"The Beast Within" (appears on the "Justify My Love" maxi-single),1990 - I don't think this qualifies as stated before.

Clubkid said:

That's correct,it only appears on the single of "Secret" that was released outside the US.It's an outtake from the "Bedtime Stories" sessions.I think it should have appeared on the album instead of the uninspired "Don't Stop".
[Edited 10/6/04 0:16am]

Clubkid said:

There are also copies of that CD that are titled "In The Beginning".Same tracks,just a different song sequence.It's an interesting collection of early-80s Madonna demos and early versions of songs that made it onto her debut album.The song "Don't You Know" is simply fantastic,and it rivals MOST of the tracks on her first album!

superspaceboy said:

"Ain't No Big Deal" has a long history.It was recorded in the early 80s (1981,I think) and it was one of the four songs that appear on the demo tape that got Madonna signed to Sire Records in 1982.It was originally scheduled to appear on her debut album,but it was replaced by "Holiday".It was later given to some band called Barracuda and it was not until 1986 when fans were finally able to hear Madonna's version on the B-side of "Papa Don't Preach".The demo versions of this song surfaced on the 'Pre-Madonna' and 'In The Beginning' CDs that were released in 1997.


Madonna experts...feel free to correct me if I'm wrong,but i think this information is accurate

sextonseven said:

That's correct.I really think it should have appeared on her debut album.It could have replaced a song like "I Know It".Likewise,the song "Don't You Know" belongs on the debut album too.

SassyBritches said:

You must have the Japanese version of the 'Ray Of Light' CD which features "Has To Be" as a bonus track? I always get pissed when artists release a non-US version of an album,with additional tracks.This means that real fans have to shell out even more money just to buy an expensive import version.There are versions of the 'Music' CD that feature two songs that don't appear on the US version---"American Pie" and "Cyberragga".But anyway..."Has To Be" is an okay track,but it's not great and I can certainly see why it was left off the album.It's slow and uneventful,and not nearly as strong as the songs that made the album.