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Madonna (album)

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Untitled

Madonna is the self-titled debut album by singer Madonna, released on July 27th, 1983 (see 1983 in music). The album was remastered 2001 (see 2001 in music) and released with two bonus remixes.

The album is also known as The First Album outside of the United States.

Track listing

  1. "Lucky Star" (Madonna) - 5:37
  2. "Borderline" (Lucas) - 5:20
  3. "Burning Up" (Madonna) - 3:45
  4. "I Know It" (Madonna) - 3:47
  5. "Holiday" (Hudson, Stevens) - 6:10
  6. "Think of Me" (Madonna) - 4:54
  7. "Physical Attraction" (Lucas) - 6:39
  8. "Everybody" (Madonna) - 6:02
  9. "Burning Up" [12" version] (Madonna) - 5:59 (Remastered version only)
  10. "Lucky Star" (Madonna) - 7:15 (Remasterd version only)

Release history

File:The First Album.jpg
Cover of the European reissue 1984, retitled The First Album

After the successful release of her first two singles "Everybody" and "Burning Up", Warner Bros. Records gave Madonna the permission to create her first album. Though New York DJ Mark Kamins had discovered Madonna and produced "Everybody", she decided to work with Warner producer Reggie Lucas for the rest of the album. They started recording "Lucky Star", a song written by Madonna, and "Borderline", which was a composition by Lucas. Soon both realised they did not get along very well. Lucas produced the album his way, while Madonna complained that she had different concepts and ideas. She took the finished, but unsatisfactory album to her friend John "Jellybean" Benitez, who remixed and rearranged the entire album.

File:Madonaluckystaroriginalcover.gif
The original artwork for the album under the name "Lucky Star".

The song "Ain't No Big Deal" was originally intended to be included on the album. However, Stephen Bray, a former boyfriend of Madonna's and collaborator on the song had sold the song rights to another label, leaving Madonna and her producers to find another song. The song that made it onto the album was "Holiday," written by Curtis Hudson and Lisa Stevens. "Holiday" had originally been offered to, but turned down by, a previous members of The Supremes, Mary Wilson. The inclusion of "Holiday" proved to be a good choice, however. The song reached number sixteen on the Billboard "Hot 100".

The artwork that was featured on the original release of the album started the public’s fascination with Madonna. On the cover she has short-cropped, platinum hair and stretches a dog chain roughly around her throat (that says baby "Dita"). Most importantly though, Madonna's navel is prominent on the inner sleeve of the album, which became one of her trademarks.

The album was originally titled "Lucky Star", after one of the songs that appear on it. It is unknown why the title was changed but the original artwork created for the album was scrapped and a new, darker direction was taken. The original artwork was released as a rare LP in South Africa and contained a 3:41 version of "Burning Up". [1] The item has since become a must have item for Madonna record collectors.

In September 1985, the album was re-issued outside of North America under the name "The First Album", using different artwork.

Madonna dedicated the album to her Father. The album was re-issued in 1992, and a remastered version was released in 2001.

The remastered version of the album included the original track listing as well as two dance mixes that were previously only available as B-Sides. The release also coincided with her 2001 sold-out "Drowned World Tour".

Critical response

"Madonna" received mostly positive reviews from critics, but led to many comments on her "girlish hiccup" sounding voice. Don Shewey, in a review for Rolling Stone Magazine, called the album "an irresistible invitation to the dance.” Sigerson also comments on Madonna's voice calling it sometimes "irritating as hell,” but one that grows on you. Madonna's simple pop lyrics were also praised, mostly for being so catchy and bare. [2]

In a review for the All Music Guide, Stephen Thomas Erlewine, stated that Madonna's debut album "set the standard for dance-pop for the next 20 years" due to its combination of "great pop songs with stylish, state-of-the-art beats.” He called the album, with its near-perfect pop songs and production "utterly irresistible" and "a terrific, nearly timeless, listen.”[3]

Album credits

Personnel

Production

Design

Chart performance

The album did quite well in the charts reaching the Top 10 in Australia, France, Portugal, the UK and USA. In total the album spent 168 weeks on the Billboard charts in the United States. In October 2000, it was certified 5 times Platinum in the USA, while selling over 8 million copies worldwide.

Chart (1983) Peak
Position
Australia albums chart 10
Austria albums chart 15 (2 wks)
Brazil albums chart 6
Canada albums chart 19
France albums chart 8
Germany albums chart (as the First Album) 28
Italy albums chart 8
Portugal albums chart 5
UK albums chart 6
USA Billboard Top 200 8
USA Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums 20

Certifications

Note: Certifications are based on the number of shipped copies and not the number of copies sold.

Country Certification
Australia 3x Platinum
France Platinum
Germany Gold
Singapore Platinum
UK 3x Platinum
USA 5x Platinum

References

For charts and certifications:

  • "Chart Performance of Madonna Records - A Compiled History". MLVC.ORG - Charts. link - last accessed on December 11, 2005.
  • "Madonna Tribe News: Pier Pinto's Charts Updates". Madonna Tribe News. link - last accessed on December 11, 2005.


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