Akini's Tribute to Madonna: [#1 Revealed!]

[JSparksFan]

From possible one-era wonder to bona fide hit-maker to Queen of Pop and the title of the most successful female recording artist in music history, Madonna has reinvented her sound and image, broken down gender barriers and redefined the meaning of being a woman in a male-dominated industry, established a legacy unrivalled by her peers, became the premier solo touring act selling out stadiums anywhere that human life exists, aided in restructuring the music video into a true art form of self-expression and a vehicle through which worthwhile discussions could be had, and single-handedly developed a blueprint that 95% of post-90s female pop stars would utilise in their pursuit of a fraction of her notoriety. She did all this, and still managed to remain under my radar until 2008!

It's been a journey with Madonna's music, and this countdown has really been some seven years in the making. However, after some growth and maturity (on my side), and some slight regression (on her side), this tribute is finally coming to fruition. So join me as I celebrate the career of the definitive pop titan, the ever-evolving, rarely reductive, scintillating superstar that is Madonna!

[crystalphoenix]

"It's time for the good times..."

I was still thinking this was on track for May-ish, so to find it already opened on April 3rd was a TRULY madgestic surprise!

For the poll, I went with Like A Prayer - partially just because that's the album I'd personally love to see produce the champion, but your response to my comment about the title track the other day makes me think that song's a likely contender. Unless I misunderstood, you also recently mentioned "Express Yourself" being among your M faves, and you had some kind words for "Keep It Together" too. If that beautiful banner is meant to provide some hints, it noticeably excludes Erotica, Music, American Life, Hard Candy, and MDNA (is that the "slight regression" to which you referred?) - which makes me feel even better about the LAP vote. Speaking of the banner, whether or not it's something you custom made, I very much appreciate how it's very much biased toward 80's Madonna. <3

[Erotica]

This is something I wanted to do too

[JakeP]

OMG i am so here for this.

This got me thinking what is my earliest memory of Madonna and it must've been when she performed Frozen on Top of the pops. It was only after the Ray of light album that i got more into Madonna's music and loved watching her early hits from the 80s and 90s when watching the music channels.

Confessions on a dancefloor was perfection. <3

[MusicLover88]

Akini's tribute to Madonna is a title I never thought I'd see

[Benny]

Looking foward to this, will you also include album tracks or only singles?

[Erotica]

OMG i am so here for this.

This got me thinking what is my earliest memory of Madonna and it must've been when she performed Frozen on Top of the pops. It was only after the Ray of light album that i got more into Madonna's music and loved watching her early hits from the 80s and 90s when watching the music channels.

Confessions on a dancefloor was perfection. <3

Mine is hearing Rain on the radio I think, though I am sure I heard songs like Like a prayer and so before that too, but Rain is always the first thing that comes into my mind and I also remember seeing the video on TV

[hun]

I think 'Frozen' will be #1

[JSparksFan]

Thanks for the interest, guys!

"It's time for the good times..."

I was still thinking this was on track for May-ish, so to find it already opened on April 3rd was a TRULY madgestic surprise!

For the poll, I went with Like A Prayer - partially just because that's the album I'd personally love to see produce the champion, but your response to my comment about the title track the other day makes me think that song's a likely contender. Unless I misunderstood, you also recently mentioned "Express Yourself" being among your M faves, and you had some kind words for "Keep It Together" too. If that beautiful banner is meant to provide some hints, it noticeably excludes Erotica, Music, American Life, Hard Candy, and MDNA (is that the "slight regression" to which you referred?) - which makes me feel even better about the LAP vote. Speaking of the banner, whether or not it's something you custom made, I very much appreciate how it's very much biased toward 80's Madonna. <3

The banner is actually custom-made, and it's a representation of my favourite images of Madonna, the ones that I consider to be among her most iconic, moreso than a reflection of my favourite eras/albums. There is some overlap between the two, though.

Your pick is a pretty solid one! We'll see what happens.

I think that question will be answered within the first few batches.

This is something I wanted to do too

Ah, you should do one then! I'd love to see what your Madge faves are.

OMG i am so here for this.

This got me thinking what is my earliest memory of Madonna and it must've been when she performed Frozen on Top of the pops. It was only after the Ray of light album that i got more into Madonna's music and loved watching her early hits from the 80s and 90s when watching the music channels.

Confessions on a dancefloor was perfection. <3

My first Madonna memory came an entire decade after yours. I hope you enjoy the countdown!

Akini's tribute to Madonna is a title I never thought I'd see

I assure you, it's a tribute I didn't expect to come together as quickly as 2017. I figured I'd get through Céline's discography first, but Madonna had the advantage of her recent work being more to my liking than Céline's.

Looking foward to this, will you also include album tracks or only singles?

Album tracks will be included.

Mine is hearing Rain on the radio I think, though I am sure I heard songs like Like a prayer and so before that too, but Rain is always the first thing that comes into my mind and I also remember seeing the video on TV

Ah, "Rain" is a fabulous first impression to have.

I think 'Frozen' will be #1

Let's see.

[JSparksFan]

My goal was comprehensive coverage of Madonna's discography, but even with a list of 192 songs, I suspect that there may be a few gems I missed along the journey. I plan to compose write-ups for the Top 100, so numbers 101-192 will be revealed in four separate, write-up-free, ratings-attached batches starting now.

192. Mer Girl - 5.2/10



191. Isaac - 5.7/10



190. Shanti/Ashtangi - 5.7/10



189. Secret Garden - 5.7/10



188. I'm Going Bananas - 6/10



187. Don't Tell Me - 6/10



186. Amazing - 6/10



185. B-Day Song - 6.1/10



184. Gone - 6.1/10



183. Paradise (Not for Me) - 6.1/10



182. Messiah - 6.2/10



181. Body Shop - 6.2/10



180. Future Lovers - 6.2/10



179. I'm So Stupid - 6.2/10



178. Nobody's Perfect - 6.2/10



177. Did You Do It? - 6.2/10



176. What It Feels Like for a Girl - 6.2/10

[crystalphoenix]

The banner is actually custom-made, and it's a representation of my favourite images of Madonna, the ones that I consider to be among her most iconic, moreso than a reflection of my favourite eras/albums. There is some overlap between the two, though.

I think that question will be answered within the first few batches.

Ah, that makes sense. Well chosen and beautifully done, sir!

Ha, well, so far it's looking like you consider Music to be her ultimate regression 6/10 (11 if we count "American Pie") from the album already gone!

Didn't expect this to be a totally comprehensive countdown, but it certainly speaks to your appreciation and respect for M's work that you took the time to rate literally everything. Bring it on!

• "Mer Girl" is a surprising selection for dead last. Granted, it's not a track that I particularly enjoy listening to either, but I've seen it highlighted before for its raw, personal lyrics. It certainly has some memorable, disturbing imagery: "and I smelled her burning flesh, her rotting bones, her decay..." Kind of an odd way to end an album that I thought was (at least partially) about the positive impact of becoming a mother. Of course, if the bottom of the barrel still gets 5.2/10, that seems to speak pretty highly of M's catalog.
• I find "I'm Going Bananas" charmingly crazy, but I can totally see how people would just find it obnoxious and grating. So silly, so playful, so loco, so fun. I'd actually consider it one of the highlights from I'm Breathless. For better or worse, it certainly stands out! ;)
• "Don't Tell Me" as the absolute lowest-ranking single is a real shocker I'm not too mad about it, since my primary association with the track is how it was massively over-played at a time when I listened to the radio quite regularly, so it's only in recent years that I've slowly started to form thoughts/feelings about it other than "I don't want to f**king hear it again."
• "Amazing" is a strong contender for my favorite Music moment (along with "Impressive Instant" and "Runaway Lover"), so it hurts my heart to see it gone already. Speaking of gone, I quite enjoy "Gone" and "Nobody's Perfect" too.
• "Paradise (Not For Me)" definitely belongs this low. I was just playing it last night for the first time in a LONG time, and I'd forgotten how utterly unlistenable it is. The total lack of a melody is bad enough, but the vocal distortions throughout are just...no.
• "Messiah" brings to mind "Spanish Eyes" (mostly due to the "I light a candle..." line) - and it just makes me want to listen to that instead.
• "Body Shop" is so cute, but I'm pretty sure I'm in a very small minority for being totally charmed by it. It's funny, since I'm not a car fanatic at ALL (though I can always appreciate terrible puns), but I'd actually rank this among my Rebel Heart faves. Super light, bouncy, and catchy.
• "Did You Do It?" is really...something. I mean, I can't think of any other albums that include a track that's essentially by completely different artists and samples another track from the same album. It strikes me as so totally random, and I can kind of appreciate it for that alone (though I'm sure it wasn't random at all, and a highly-calculated move by Madge, but I sure don't understand why.) It does have some pretty great lines, and the ending legitimately makes me smile.
• **Sigh** Typical misogynist gay man can't handle the truth M's spilling in "What It Feels Like For A Girl" Kidding aside, I'm truly confused as to why this is so low. You've definitely loved other female empowerment anthems ("Run The World (Girls)", "That's My Girl", and a ton of even more obvious examples I'm forgetting right now), so what went wrong here?

[JakeP]

My first Madonna memory came an entire decade after yours. I hope you enjoy the countdown!

!!!

How old are you Akini? I'm guessing you're referring to 4 minutes as that was 10 years after Frozen. I was born in 1988 so i was too young at the time to know big Madonna songs like Like a prayer, Vogue and This used to be my playground. I didn't even get into music properly until i was about 8 years old anyways, and that was from discovering The chart show on Saturday mornings.

[Erotica]

these are too low well most of them maybe, but I love these ones very much :
191. Isaac - 5.7/10
190. Shanti/Ashtangi - 5.7/10
187. Don't Tell Me - 6/10
183. Paradise (Not for Me) - 6.1/10
176. What It Feels Like for a Girl - 6.2/10

[MusicLover88]

Paradise and Gone <3

[Carbon]

omg can't believe some of these songs are at the bottom. they're imho some of her very best. Gone, Paradise, What It Feels Like, Messiah, Mer Girl, ... I am flabbergasted!

[JSparksFan]

Thanks for the comments, guys!

Ah, that makes sense. Well chosen and beautifully done, sir!

Gracias, señor!

Ha, well, so far it's looking like you consider Music to be her ultimate regression 6/10 (11 if we count "American Pie") from the album already gone!

There will be an albums intermission before the Top 10, but, yeah, it's not looking good for Music at all. And oops, I forgot about "American Pie". That's fine, though. It wouldn't have made a dent in the top half of the list anyway.

Didn't expect this to be a totally comprehensive countdown, but it certainly speaks to your appreciation and respect for M's work that you took the time to rate literally everything. Bring it on!

I always do comprehensive countdowns as tributes, but I've never done on for an act with such a voluminous catalogue! I think Mariah's countdown consisted of 137 songs, and this is more than 50 songs lengthier than that one.

• "Mer Girl" is a surprising selection for dead last. Granted, it's not a track that I particularly enjoy listening to either, but I've seen it highlighted before for its raw, personal lyrics. It certainly has some memorable, disturbing imagery: "and I smelled her burning flesh, her rotting bones, her decay..." Kind of an odd way to end an album that I thought was (at least partially) about the positive impact of becoming a mother. Of course, if the bottom of the barrel still gets 5.2/10, that seems to speak pretty highly of M's catalog.

Well, given my history with Ray of Light, it's not surprising that I think her weakest song ever is from that LP. The song is just way too slow, and I can usually only stomach songs like it if it builds to some satisfactory climax, which Madonna never got around to adding, I guess.

• I find "I'm Going Bananas" charmingly crazy, but I can totally see how people would just find it obnoxious and grating. So silly, so playful, so loco, so fun. I'd actually consider it one of the highlights from I'm Breathless. For better or worse, it certainly stands out! ;)

Yeah, it's one of the songs from that soundtrack that I'm sure would've worked great in the context of a play or film, but, as a standalone song, without the context of a stage production backing it, it's just too much to digest.

• "Don't Tell Me" as the absolute lowest-ranking single is a real shocker I'm not too mad about it, since my primary association with the track is how it was massively over-played at a time when I listened to the radio quite regularly, so it's only in recent years that I've slowly started to form thoughts/feelings about it other than "I don't want to f**king hear it again."

Thank goodness it never made it to radio here.

• "Amazing" is a strong contender for my favorite Music moment (along with "Impressive Instant" and "Runaway Lover"), so it hurts my heart to see it gone already. Speaking of gone, I quite enjoy "Gone" and "Nobody's Perfect" too.

I'll revisit it to see if I made a mistake.

• "Paradise (Not For Me)" definitely belongs this low. I was just playing it last night for the first time in a LONG time, and I'd forgotten how utterly unlistenable it is. The total lack of a melody is bad enough, but the vocal distortions throughout are just...no.

Yay! I'm glad we agree on this!

• "Messiah" brings to mind "Spanish Eyes" (mostly due to the "I light a candle..." line) - and it just makes me want to listen to that instead.

*Screams*

• "Body Shop" is so cute, but I'm pretty sure I'm in a very small minority for being totally charmed by it. It's funny, since I'm not a car fanatic at ALL (though I can always appreciate terrible puns), but I'd actually rank this among my Rebel Heart faves. Super light, bouncy, and catchy.

The production just doesn't work for me at all; it sounds almost primitive, and the chorus is definitely sub-par.

• "Did You Do It?" is really...something. I mean, I can't think of any other albums that include a track that's essentially by completely different artists and samples another track from the same album. It strikes me as so totally random, and I can kind of appreciate it for that alone (though I'm sure it wasn't random at all, and a highly-calculated move by Madge, but I sure don't understand why.) It does have some pretty great lines, and the ending legitimately makes me smile.

It's weird how absent Madonna is from the song; I think I would've liked the song if the male/female responsibilities were more equally shared, which is actually a great segue into this next point...

• **Sigh** Typical misogynist gay man can't handle the truth M's spilling in "What It Feels Like For A Girl" Kidding aside, I'm truly confused as to why this is so low. You've definitely loved other female empowerment anthems ("Run The World (Girls)", "That's My Girl", and a ton of even more obvious examples I'm forgetting right now), so what went wrong here?

Two things:
(1) I love the idea of the song. The opening monologue about how it's degrading for a boy to look like a girl because men think being a girl is degrading is a powerful statement to make, and I was ready to embrace the song on the basis of that intro alone, thinking she was really going to explore that subject matter from the perspective of women are in all respects equal to their main counterparts, perhaps giving a few personal examples of how she herself was able to survive in such a male-dominated industry. The song just never takes me there ( )
(2) I don't think it's a female empowerment anthem at all. Sure it speaks about the male/female imbalance of power, but - and maybe this is just me being one-dimensional in my thinking of what a female empowerment anthem should sound like - even the melody is tame, and I just wanted something more brash after hearing that opening line.

!!!

How old are you Akini? I'm guessing you're referring to 4 minutes as that was 10 years after Frozen. I was born in 1988 so i was too young at the time to know big Madonna songs like Like a prayer, Vogue and This used to be my playground. I didn't even get into music properly until i was about 8 years old anyways, and that was from discovering The chart show on Saturday mornings.

I'm 21, and, yes, it was "4 Minutes" to which I was referring. I was actually 11 before I really got into music, and that was thanks to Jordin Sparks (American Idol winner) in 2007...so it's been a decade since I became a real music fan.

these are too low well most of them maybe, but I love these ones very much :
191. Isaac - 5.7/10
190. Shanti/Ashtangi - 5.7/10
187. Don't Tell Me - 6/10
183. Paradise (Not for Me) - 6.1/10
176. What It Feels Like for a Girl - 6.2/10

I hope we're more in sync for this next batch.

Paradise and Gone <3

If those are the only two you love, good to know that there aren't too many of your faves crashing out at this stage.

omg can't believe some of these songs are at the bottom. they're imho some of her very best. Gone, Paradise, What It Feels Like, Messiah, Mer Girl, ... I am flabbergasted!

Perhaps they're slow burners that I'll appreciate in a few years' time.

[JSparksFan]

175. Love Song - 6.2/10



174. Buenos Aires - 6.3/10



173. Best Night - 6.4/10



172. Impressive Instant - 6.4/10



171. S.E.X. - 6.5/10



170. Wash All Over Me - 6.5/10



169. Love Spent - 6.5/10



168. Incredible - 6.5/10



167. I Deserve It - 6.5/10



166. Oh Father - 6.5/10



165. Spanish Lesson - 6.6/10



164. Candy Perfume Girl - 6.6/10



163. I Want You - 6.7/10



162. Holy Water - 6.7/10



161. Runaway Lover - 6.7/10



160. Hold Tight - 6.8/10



159. I F**ked Up - 6.8/10



158. I'm a Sinner - 6.8/10



157. Iconic - 6.9/10



156. Beautiful Killer - 6.9/10



155. Beautiful Stranger - 6.9/10



154. Eva's Final Broadcast - 7/10



153. Now I'm Following You (Part I) - 7/10



152. What Can You Lose - 7/10



151. Cry Baby - 7/10

[Storyteller]

I'm actually in shock to see Don't Tell Me so low it's probably in my top 10

[Erotica]

I especially like these:

172. Impressive Instant - 6.4/10
171. S.E.X. - 6.5/10
169. Love Spent - 6.5/10
166. Oh Father - 6.5/10
165. Spanish Lesson - 6.6/10
162. Holy Water - 6.7/10
158. I'm a Sinner - 6.8/10

[JakeP]

155. Beautiful Stranger - 6.9/10

I loved Beautiful stranger so much when this was in the charts. Me and my friends at school thought the music video with Austin Powers was amazing.

This seems more like an underrated gem these days.

[crystalphoenix]

Gracias, señor!

And yet you still ranked "Spanish Lesson" so low...

Well, given my history with Ray of Light, it's not surprising that I think her weakest song ever is from that LP. The song is just way too slow, and I can usually only stomach songs like it if it builds to some satisfactory climax, which Madonna never got around to adding, I guess.

I hear you. Although she's technically singing throughout, it feels more like spoken-word poetry (for nearly 6 minutes), which isn't quite my cup of tea.

Yeah, it's one of the songs from that soundtrack that I'm sure would've worked great in the context of a play or film, but, as a standalone song, without the context of a stage production backing it, it's just too much to digest.

If only she'd filmed a video for it. I was also thinking how the entire song is debatably a TAD racist, with her putting on that thick cliché Latina accent (and specifically for a song about going crazy - even if it's totally playful.)

I'll revisit it to see if I made a mistake.

Well, now that I see how you feel about "Beautiful Stranger" - to which "Amazing" is QUITE similar - I guess you got the rating/ranking "right" (as far as your tastes go, anyway.)

(2) I don't think it's a female empowerment anthem at all. Sure it speaks about the male/female imbalance of power, but - and maybe this is just me being one-dimensional in my thinking of what a female empowerment anthem should sound like - even the melody is tame, and I just wanted something more brash after hearing that opening line.

You've got a great point there, and I was thinking about that after I made that post - it really isn't an "anthem" at all. It doesn't get you all fired up, ready to take action against injustice - it's no "Express Yourself" - it just highlights/draws attention to BS double standards and inequalities. It's more of a...public service announcement (with some bite to it.) Still, I don't mind the mellowness fused with a critical message, and I would've thought the subject matter alone could've gotten it a bit further here.

• I'm honestly relieved to see "Love Song" this low - and the first LAP track to go! I thought Prince's inclusion would help it land at least a bit higher, but I'm glad you're as unimpressed with it as I am.
• Speaking of feeling glad, I'm also pleased to see most of the rubbish Rebel Heart Deluxe Edition tracks getting the boot already ("Best Night", "S.E.X.", "Messiah.") I place a lot of the blame on them for the album feeling never-ending at times.
• Is everything bar the title track from Music gone already? Yikes! I suspect you might see it as a period of regression for her, but I think it's a really refreshing breath of fresh air between the more serious, introspective, (and plodding) Ray Of Light and American Life. You don't seem too fond of...shall we say "quirky" Madonna ("I'm Going Bananas", "B'Day Song", "Spanish Lesson", "Cry Baby", etc.), and I guess "Impressive Instant" would fall under that umbrella as well (though that leaves me surprised that "Bitch I'm Madonna" has been spared.)
• Although I'm bummed to learn that Music is apparently her true dud in your eyes, "Love Spent" is probably the most disappointing drop-out thus far (though "Beautiful Stranger" gives it a run for its money, but I'll address that one later.) It's the clear highlight of MDNA for me, and it actually brings to mind Mariah's "Side Effects" - not in its lyrics or melody (well, I guess they do both address dysfunctional ex-husbands), but moreso in the sense that they both achieve the perfect blend of personal, reflective storytelling with earworm attributes. "Hold me like your money, tell me that you want me, spend your love on me..." As was my reaction to seeing "What It Feels Like For A Girl", I'm confused about what went wrong for you here. :-?
• I was shocked to see that JT isn't listed as a producer on "Incredible", because it could clearly benefit from a little editing. It's always stood out to me for having some of the poppiest potential on HC, but it just drags on for way too damn long.
• Sheesh, you're not here for Madonna talking about her mother OR father, are you? I guess I should fully expect to see "Mother And Father" in the next batch. Like "Mer Girl", "Oh Father" isn't a track I re-visit very often, but I appreciate it for what it is (and that she risked making it a single.) The video is considered among her most powerful.
• Aw, "Holy Water" is such over-the-top cheeky fun You GO girl for making a track all about your...uh...basement leakage at age 57! The whole thing just makes me smile, and is SUCH a perfect representation of her middle finger toward people's rules/expectations/limitations about how we, and women in particular, ought to behave. "Yeezus loves my p***y best...."
• "I F**ked Up" is among the better half of MDNA for me - though I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I am "Love Spent" (and it's admittedly harder to defend.) I guess I just like how it feels pretty honest, revealing, self-deprecating...while still catchy (and without a total lack of playfulness/levity, like some of her more tiresome introspective endeavors.)
• As I was saying above, "Beautiful Stranger" is a VERY strong contender for the most tragic loss yet It would probably make my Top 20. One of her very few pure-fun singles of the 90's, it was a glorious reminder that she still had a knack for luring us onto the dancefloor. Like Jake mentioned, the video/hilarious Austin Powers tie-in just added a whole 'nother layer of charm to yet another pop masterpiece.
• Pretty much everything I said about "I'm Going Bananas" applies to "Cry Baby" as well (I just like "I"m Going Bananas" a bit more.)

[MusicLover88]

RE your post above Akini: I do like more from the list, but the 2 I mentioned are 2 of my absolute faves!

[JSparksFan]

Thanks for the comments, gentlemen!

I'm actually in shock to see Don't Tell Me so low it's probably in my top 10

Wow! I hope none of your other nine favourites crash out before the Top 100.

I especially like these:

172. Impressive Instant - 6.4/10
171. S.E.X. - 6.5/10
169. Love Spent - 6.5/10
166. Oh Father - 6.5/10
165. Spanish Lesson - 6.6/10
162. Holy Water - 6.7/10
158. I'm a Sinner - 6.8/10

I remember liking "I'm a Sinner" more in 2012; I don't know why it grew off of me.

I loved Beautiful stranger so much when this was in the charts. Me and my friends at school thought the music video with Austin Powers was amazing.

This seems more like an underrated gem these days.

It's a solid video indeed! I love the car scenes.

• I'm honestly relieved to see "Love Song" this low - and the first LAP track to go! I thought Prince's inclusion would help it land at least a bit higher, but I'm glad you're as unimpressed with it as I am.

I'm actually not a big Prince fan; my sister likes his music, but I don't know that much from his discography beyond "Purple Rain", "When Doves Cry", and "Kiss", so he was never going to help Madge's rating much.

• Speaking of feeling glad, I'm also pleased to see most of the rubbish Rebel Heart Deluxe Edition tracks getting the boot already ("Best Night", "S.E.X.", "Messiah.") I place a lot of the blame on them for the album feeling never-ending at times.

Happy to see that we're more in sync with this set!

• Is everything bar the title track from Music gone already? Yikes! I suspect you might see it as a period of regression for her, but I think it's a really refreshing breath of fresh air between the more serious, introspective, (and plodding) Ray Of Light and American Life. You don't seem too fond of...shall we say "quirky" Madonna ("I'm Going Bananas", "B'Day Song", "Spanish Lesson", "Cry Baby", etc.), and I guess "Impressive Instant" would fall under that umbrella as well (though that leaves me surprised that "Bitch I'm Madonna" has been spared.)

Correct! I must warn you not to expect much of the title track's ranking either...

"Bitch I'm Madonna" is in this next batch, so I wouldn't say it's been spared. I guess having Nicki on the song helped it some.

• Although I'm bummed to learn that Music is apparently her true dud in your eyes, "Love Spent" is probably the most disappointing drop-out thus far (though "Beautiful Stranger" gives it a run for its money, but I'll address that one later.) It's the clear highlight of MDNA for me, and it actually brings to mind Mariah's "Side Effects" - not in its lyrics or melody (well, I guess they do both address dysfunctional ex-husbands), but moreso in the sense that they both achieve the perfect blend of personal, reflective storytelling with earworm attributes. "Hold me like your money, tell me that you want me, spend your love on me..." As was my reaction to seeing "What It Feels Like For A Girl", I'm confused about what went wrong for you here. :-?

I really dislike the vocal effect used throughout. I'm not even sure it's autotune, but it takes away from the song for me.

• I was shocked to see that JT isn't listed as a producer on "Incredible", because it could clearly benefit from a little editing. It's always stood out to me for having some of the poppiest potential on HC, but it just drags on for way too damn long.

Yeah, the production sounds way too dated for something that was recorded in 2008, and the song's length doesn't help things. The Can't get my head around it bits are catchy, though.

• Sheesh, you're not here for Madonna talking about her mother OR father, are you? I guess I should fully expect to see "Mother And Father" in the next batch. Like "Mer Girl", "Oh Father" isn't a track I re-visit very often, but I appreciate it for what it is (and that she risked making it a single.) The video is considered among her most powerful.

I quite like "Mother and Father" actually.

• Aw, "Holy Water" is such over-the-top cheeky fun You GO girl for making a track all about your...uh...basement leakage at age 57! The whole thing just makes me smile, and is SUCH a perfect representation of her middle finger toward people's rules/expectations/limitations about how we, and women in particular, ought to behave. "Yeezus loves my p***y best...."

Not only women, but ageing women in particular! Whilst watching the "Beautiful Stranger", it occurred to me that Madge was 41 at the time, and quite comfortably performing her on-stage strip tease and booty-popping in the car scene. I suppose that's tame in comparison to what she'd done before, and since, but I also like how she doesn't cave to the pressure to move away from the sex songs even during her middle age years.

• "I F**ked Up" is among the better half of MDNA for me - though I'm not as enthusiastic about it as I am "Love Spent" (and it's admittedly harder to defend.) I guess I just like how it feels pretty honest, revealing, self-deprecating...while still catchy (and without a total lack of playfulness/levity, like some of her more tiresome introspective endeavors.)

"I F**ked Up" just drags on for me.

• Pretty much everything I said about "I'm Going Bananas" applies to "Cry Baby" as well (I just like "I"m Going Bananas" a bit more.)

I can't place the accent Madonna's going for on "Cry Baby", but whatever it is, it doesn't work well. I do like the lyrics, though.

Judging by your avatar change, I think we'll have another huge disparity with this batch...

RE your post above Akini: I do like more from the list, but the 2 I mentioned are 2 of my absolute faves!

Ah, okay!

[JSparksFan]

150. Justify My Love - 7/10



149. Bitch I'm Madonna - 7/10



148. Unapologetic Bitch - 7/10



147. Like It or Not - 7/10



146. Little Star - 7/10



145. Bye Bye Baby - 7/10



144. Shoo-Bee-Do - 7/10



143. You'll See - 7.1/10



142. Into the Groove - 7.1/10



141. Superstar - 7.1/10



140. Some Girls - 7.1/10



139. Dear Jessie - 7.1/10



138. Think of Me - 7.1/10



137. Rescue Me - 7.2/10



136. More - 7.2/10



135. Sooner or Later - 7.2/10



134. Revolver - 7.2/10



133. Best Friend - 7.2/10



132. Gang Bang - 7.2/10



131. Dance 2Night - 7.2/10



130. How High - 7.2/10



129. Forbidden Love - 7.2/10



128. Drowned World/Substitute for Love - 7.2/10



127. Bedtime Story - 7.2/10



126. Promise to Try - 7.2/10

[Benny]

'You'll See' and 'Into The Groove' should be higher, especially the former.