LiveToTell86 said:

Well,as you know,2 CDs isn't enough to include everything.Some hits are gonna be left off this compilation.

Earlier,we were discussing the 'Like A Virgin' album and so I pulled that CD out and listened to it yesterday You know what would have made this album much better? If you removed the two last songs ("Pretender" and "Stay") and replaced them with "Ain't No Big Deal" and "Don't You Know".These tunes are great and when they didn't make the first album,Madonna should have re-worked them with Niles Rodgers and placed them on the second album.Instead,these songs were treated like unwanted stepchildren.

SoulAlive said:

"Shoo Bee Doo" should be the first to go.

Earlier,we were discussing the 'Like A Virgin' album and so I pulled that CD out and listened to it yesterday You know what would have made this album much better? If you removed the two last songs ("Pretender" and "Stay") and replaced them with "Ain't No Big Deal" and "Don't You Know".These tunes are great and when they didn't make the first album,Madonna should have re-worked them with Niles Rodgers and placed them on the second album.Instead,these songs were treated like unwanted stepchildren.

"Ain't No Big Deal"

Moonbeam said:

I kinda like that song and the album needs at least two ballads,so I'm gonna keep that one,along with "Love Don't Live Here Anymore".

"Over And Over" is a weak song,but I can live with it Really,it's just the last two songs that truly suck.

Earlier,we were discussing the 'Like A Virgin' album and so I pulled that CD out and listened to it yesterday You know what would have made this album much better? If you removed the two last songs ("Pretender" and "Stay") and replaced them with "Ain't No Big Deal" and "Don't You Know".These tunes are great and when they didn't make the first album,Madonna should have re-worked them with Niles Rodgers and placed them on the second album.Instead,these songs were treated like unwanted stepchildren.

"Ain't No Big Deal"

nothing is going to make Ain't No Big Deal any better. she recorded like 4 versions of it for the debut single and album and if we got the best one of the bunch for release as a b-side, then it's just not a good song.

SoulAlive said:

Over and Over is great! the last 2 tracks are fine. Shoo-Bee-Doo and Dress You Up are what suck.

Latest Rumor: This is the final tracklist,according to Warner Spain

Disc 1---
Everybody
Holiday
Lucky Star
Dress You Up
Material Girl
Like A Virgin
Into The Groove
Who's That Girl
Crazy For You
Open Your Heart
Papa Don't Preach
La Isla Bonita
Live To Tell
Like A Prayer
Express Yourself
Hanky Panky
Vogue
Celebration

Disc 2---
Erotica
Deeper And Deeper
Rain
Take A Bow
Bedtime Story
You Must Love Me
Ray Of Light
Frozen
Music
Don't Tell Me
American Life
Die Another Day
Hung Up
Get Together
Miles Away
4 Minutes
Revolver


I like this tracklist alot more than that rumored Japan tracklist.Neglected hits like "Who's That Girl" and "Dress You Up" are included,which would make many fans happy.

The only song that I would remove is "Hanky Panky",a novelty hit that really doesn't need to be here.Replace it with either "Causing A Commotion" or "Justify My Love" and this set would be perfect.

SoulAlive said:

Also, where is "Beautiful Stranger". Easily more memorable than "Hanky Panky". But "Who's That Girl" and "Dress You Up"....very nice! And "Get Together" over "Sorry"....I don't know! "Secret" is not on there but "Bedtime Story" is? No way it's real.

VinnyM27 said:

well, why not, since Miles Away will be on it as well. I loved it from the very minute, but it's ahrdly a hit.

graecophilos said:

Well, thematically "Miles Away" will bookend "Everybody" as her first and last singles. Of course, neither of them really belong, but I'm resigned to seeing a botched track list anyway.

Moonbeam said:

I kinda like that song and the album needs at least two ballads,so I'm gonna keep that one,along with "Love Don't Live Here Anymore".

"Over And Over" is a weak song,but I can live with it Really,it's just the last two songs that truly suck.

AlexdeParis said:

Everybody doesn't belong? are you shitting me?

graecophilos said:

Well, thematically "Miles Away" will bookend "Everybody" as her first and last singles. Of course, neither of them really belong, but I'm resigned to seeing a botched track list anyway.

ehuffnsd said:

No. Hey, I love "Everybody," but it doesn't belong on this collection when it will undoubtedly push out a more deserving and important song.

AlexdeParis said:

there is a song that is more important than the song that she gave to Mark Kaminis to play at the Danceteria? The song that got her signed to Sire? Her first single?

There would be no Madonna without Everybody, and Dance and Sing Get Up and Do Your Thing set the mantra Madonna has repeated over and over on every album since?

Yep, plenty of them.


It was the start, but it's what came after that made her a star. And as you said, the theme is echoed through a lot of her music anyway.

AlexdeParis said:

i think it was a glaring omission on the IC and i'm glad it'll be on this on for future generations to enjoy.

VinnyM27 said:

well, why not, since Miles Away will be on it as well. I loved it from the very minute, but it's ahrdly a hit. Still, surely casual fans will not know all chart positions, and if they happen to like Miles Away, it doesn't matter how well or bnad it charted.

SoulAlive said:

Over and Over is great! the last 2 tracks are fine. Shoo-Bee-Doo and Dress You Up are what suck.

errant said:

We didn't. The '81 version is the best by far and the b-side version is definitely the worst IMO.

My least favorite songs on LAV are "Pretender," "Stay," and "Love Don't Live Here Anymore," but I find them pleasant filler overall. I love everything else. "Shoo-Bee-Doo" is great and "Over and Over" could've been a single.

That being said, I definitely think they should've added at least "Into the Groove" to the remastered version, but I think that song is one of the biggest selling points of TIC.
[Edited 8/12/09 7:12am]

graecophilos said:

I'll give you "Everybody" and "Miles Away" (although is that confirmed by pages of the possible booklet?) but "Hanky Panky" over "Beautiful Stranger" I really question.

VinnyM27 said:

am i the only living M fan that likes Hanky panky???

AlexdeParis said:

Like A Virgin is a strange album, its her most cynical album (followed shortly by True Blue) in a lot of respects - an all out statement of declaration - she was gonna become huge and that was that. She wanted the big pop hits with the multiple hooks, and she couldnt have found more perfect songs than Like A Virgin, Material Girl & Dress You Up to convey her style and attitude to the masses....yet she had nothing to do with writing them.
I think Nile Rodgers is hugely talented, and his production, and Bernard Edwrds & Tony Thompsons playing on the record gave it so much punch - but it also feels so contrived in a lot of ways. Nile once said this album was one take musicianship on their part, and it kind of shows - its pop by numbers.

I think it took about 2 months to record, and had she taken a little more time with it - she'd have had Crazy For You, Gambler, Into The Groove to add to it. I loooove Shoo-Bee Doo, one of her most bubblegum compositions, but the album could have done without Love Dont Live Here Anymore. I remember Nile saying in interview that it pissed him off that everyone underestimated her integrity towards R&B music, but LDLHA doesnt go a long distance to making us think otherwise.

CrozzaUK said:

no, work on they album was much longer!

M and Stevie Bray wrote the songs in 1983 and reworked others for the album.

To this day Nile Rodgers praises the album and I believe he even said it's her best album ever.

When he said a lot of the songs were recorded in one take it was not meant dismissive, he is rather porud of that.

Anyway, they started to work on the album in early 1984 and it took about 4 months. In July 1984 she already wanted to release it, but because of the success of Borderline they waited til it fizzled out.

Into The Groove does not really belong there since it was written two years after the other M/Bray songs.

The three main songs were indeed LAV, DYU and MG. They helped to shape her image.

LDLHA is a characteristic choice from Nile Rodgers. It sounds like all the Chic ballads.

I still have mixed feelings on the album. Side A is great. LAV, Angel, MG, Over & Over is okay, LDLHA well...

It's side B that lacks of great songs. DYU is an excellent opener, but Pretender and Stay are horrible, just awful and Shoo-Bee-Doo I find not as bad as people say, still it's a filler.

So, the two songs that really ruin the album are the last ones.