Thursday, August 16, 2007 It Only Comes Once A Year...
Today is not only the anniversary of Elvis Presley's death in 1977, but it also marks the 49th birthday of the greatest woman in music, the Queen of pop; Madonna.
Almost half a century...
For 25 of those 49 years, she has been one of the most recognisable faces in the world, and probably THE most recognisable face in the world of pop, regardless of how many looks or hairstyles she has adopted.
And for most of that time, she has been the woman I've looked up to and admired like she were part of my family. So I thought it would be stupid for me not to commemorate her arrival anniversary on the website.
Here are some choice YouTube clips to celebrate...
Madonna as one of the dancers in Patrick Hernandez's disco classic "Born To Be Alive." Can you spot her?
Australian music guru Molly Meldrum on the show Countdown, in what was Madonna's first ever Australian television interview. Incredibly cute.
"Gambler" - the greatest up-tempo Madonna single of all time. I have constant fights in my own head (and have done for about 10 years or so) as to whether "Gambler" or "La Isla Bonita" have been her greatest single of all time. The result alters every couple of days, depending on my mood. The "you can't stop me now, I'm on the road baby I know how" bit totally rocks as hard as it did the very first time I heard it.
The now infamous Madonna Pepsi commercial. If you don't know the story behind the Madonna/Pepsi saga, visit this fantastic website, which will fill you in.
That interview with David Letterman. Not at all staged. No.
"Keep It Together" live at the Blond Ambition Tour, one of my favourite live Mo performances.
Mo & Ro's excellent interview on the terrible Arsenio Hall show. Classic Mo & Ro stuff. 4:35 - Rosie's reaction to a fly; comedy gold.
The making of the "Human Nature" video clip. Low quality, but definitely a great watch.
"Rainbow High" from Evita.
Clips/bloopers from the shoot of Madge's Max Factor advert from 1998.
The theme song & opening titles for canceled TV Show Wonderland. Madonna & William Orbit produced/performed the theme for the show which barely survived its second episode.
"La Isla Bonita" at the Drowned World Tour. This is either her best or at least second best live performance of all time. I can't decide between this and the Live Earth version...
The original, 'banned' "American Life" video clip.
"Mother & Father" at the Re-Invention Tour. Not as good as the performance used in I'm Going To Tell You A Secret, but that one doesn't seem to be up on YouTube :(
"Let It Will Be" live at the Confessions Tour, 2006. Absolutely lovvvvvve everything about this performance.
"La Isla Bonita" with Gogol Bordello at Live Earth, 2007.
1:20 PM | xolondon said... You NAILED THIS ONE Adem. The best Madonna blogpost I have seen in ages and ages. There are things here (The Human Nature piece) I have not seen before! Also youhave some of my faves here - in the end I pick La Isla from DWT as the winner, purely for her happiness in that performance. Not to mention the guitar! Also agree with your other live clips, esp Let It Will be, which was probably the second best stage performance she has done. I was blown away by the energy she has and emits.
As for the La Isla DWT vs La Isla LE debate which goes on in my head on a bi-daily basis, today I prefer the DWT version, though I've no idea what tomorrow will bring.
It's like the ongoing battle of which of her albums I prefer (Like A Prayer vs American Life), and singles as well (La Isla vs Gambler vs Get Together).
