STACK #189 Jul 2020

FEATURE MUSIC

Rodgers himself should play guitar on the record. Result! Since Rodgers partied hard, recording sessions for Like A Virgin kicked off in the afternoon. This also suited Madonna, who recalled, “It was impossible for me to reach there at morning.” On his in-studio chemistry with Madonna during these sessions, Rodgers has gushed: “When we did that album, it was the perfect union, and I knew it from the first day in the studio. The thing between us, man, it was sexual, it was passionate, it was creativity... it was pop.” Although she wasn’t required at all of the sessions, Madonna was present for every minute of recording as well as the entire mixing process. Audio engineer Jason Corsaro comments: “Nile was there most of the time, but she was there all of the time. She never left.” And Madonna’s still hard at it, despite acknowledging in her aforementioned acceptance speech that, for female artists, “to age is a sin”: “People say that I’m so controversial, but I think the most controversial thing I have ever done is to stick around.”

that that wasn’t where she was coming from. [Laughs] But I think she really got a kick about the fact that I thought that, because she signed my Erotica album, “To Quentin – It’s about love, not d-ck. Madonna.” Like A Virgin was Madonna’s first #1 album on the Billboard 200, becoming the first by a female artist to sell over

were the two extreme images of women I had known vividly, and remembered from childhood, and I wanted to play with them. I wanted to see if I can merge them together – Virgin Mary and the whore as one and all. The photo was a statement of independence: if you wanna be a virgin, you are welcome. But if you wanna be a whore, it’s your f-cking right to be so.” Amen. Remember the opening scene of Reservoir Dogs ? The action takes place in the booth of a diner where a besuited gang analyses Like A Virgin ’s lyrics over breakfast. Mr. Brown (played by the film’s director, Quentin Tarantino) presents his case that “the entire song” is “a metaphor for big d-cks”. When Margy Rochlin asked Tarantino to share Madonna’s assessment of his take on the song during an interview, the filmmaker had this to say: “After she saw the movie, she wanted to meet me. So I met her at Maverick, her film company. She told me Above: Madonna and Nile Rodgers at the Grammys [date unknown] Right: Diana Ross, Nile Rodgers, Madonna and “Jellybean” at Paradise Garage Club (NY), early-mid ‘80s

five million copies in the States, and this Diamond-certified record remains one of the best-selling albums of all time. Madonna wrote six songs on Like A Virgin , five of which she co-wrote with her ex-boyfriend Steve Bray. The title track became Madonna’s first #1 single in Australia and the U.S. (among other territories). After a difference of opinion with Reggie Lucas midway through the recording of her debut self-titled record resulted in the producer being let go (with John “Jellybean” Benitez taking over), Madonna wanted to produce Like A Virgin herself, but her label declined. Madonna said of the situation: “Warner Bros. Records is a hierarchy of old men and it’s a chauvinist environment to be working in because I’m treated like this sexy little girl. I had to prove them wrong, which

DEEPER INTO DETAILS

• Madonna chose Nile Rodgers to produce Like A Virgin due to his work with Chic and her muse David Bowie (Rodgers produced Bowie’s 1983 record Let’s Dance ). • The title track’s three-note, Giorgio Moroder-esque synth bass is borrowed from the Four Tops’ I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch) . • Originally recorded by Rose Royce, Madonna’s cover of Love Don’t Live Here Anymore , which appears on the album, was recorded with a live orchestra. According to Rodgers, Madonna was overcome with emotion and shed real tears during the take “but [he] left it on the record”. • A homage to Motown music, Shoo- Bee-Doo tips its hat to the songs of ‘60s girl groups such as The Shirelles and The Crystals. • Into The Groove , which was recorded for Madonna’s 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan and featured on the Like A Virgin reissue, was Madonna’s first UK #1. Although this song was only available in the US as the B-side to the 12” version of Angel (the third single to be lifted from the album), it was honoured by Billboard as ‘80s Dance Single Of The Decade.

meant not only proving myself to my fans but to my record company as well. That is something that happens when you’re a girl. It wouldn’t With the approval of Warner Bros. executives, Nile Rodgers was eventually recruited to produce Like A Virgin . Rodgers enlisted former Chic bandmates – bassist Bernard Edwards and drummer Tony Thompson – for the sessions, and, in exchange for their help, Edwards insisted happen to Prince or Michael Jackson.”

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