In just a few days the world will get to experience Madonna’s latest record Confessions II. It will be the fifteenth studio album of her career, but today we turn our minds back to the release of the third album in her discography, an album which established the singer as a global superstar.
Madonna released True Blue on this day in 1986. The album marked a significant change in the singer’s sound and image, and cemented her continued domination of the charts.
By 1985, Madonna was emerging as one of the decade’s biggest new artists. Her self-titled debut album, released in 1983, had been a slow burner. While her debut single Everybody did not initially perform strongly, subsequent singles Burning Up, Lucky Star and Borderline became successes.
Her second album, Like a Virgin, propelled her to global superstardom. The title track topped charts worldwide, alongside hits such as Dress You Up, Angel and Material Girl. Madonna-mania followed, with fans adopting her distinctive fashion style.
Soundtrack appearances further boosted her profile. Crazy for You and Gambler appeared on the soundtrack to the film Vision Quest – retitled Crazy for You in Australia – in which Madonna also made a cameo. She later starred in the film Desperately Seeking Susan and scored another major hit with Into the Groove.
In April 1985, Madonna embarked on her first tour, The Virgin Tour, performing 40 dates across the United States over three months.
At the Live Aid concert in July 1985, Madonna faced early controversy after previously taken nude photographs resurfaced in magazines. During her performance introduction by Bette Midler, Madonna delivered a memorable on-stage remark and performed new song Love Makes the World Go Round, giving audiences an early preview of her next album.
The album’s lead single, Live to Tell, served as the theme for the film At Close Range starring her then husband Sean Penn. The accompanying video revealed a dramatic shift in her image. Gone were the layered accessories and midriff-baring outfits, replaced by a more understated look, featuring blonde coiffed hair and a conservative dress.
When the album’s second single Papa Don’t Preach arrived in early June 1986 the singer had undergone another transformation, with her hair cropped short and blonde, and her figure looking more athletic, this was the first major transformation of Madonna’s career, many more would follow.
The song generated a lot of controversy. Conservative critics declared it was an advertisement for teenage pregnancy, while the Executive Director of Planned Parenthood in New York said the song would undermine efforts to encourage responsible birth control. Actor Danny Aiello, who appears in the video playing Madonna’s father, later released a answer song called Papa Wants the Best for You.
The title track, True Blue, drew inspiration from 1950s doo-wop. Its video featured actress Debi Mazar and dancer Erika Belle, both close friends of Madonna. Mazar would also appear in the video for Music and also turned up in one of her most recent songs Danceteria.
Open Your Heart became the album’s fourth single. Originally written by Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson with Cyndi Lauper in mind, the song was ultimately offered to Madonna. She revised the lyrics and collaborated with director Jean-Baptiste Mondino on the iconic video. Although Madonna was the first to record the track, Venezuelan singer Melissa released a Spanish-language version titled Abre Tu Corazón three months before the album’s release.
The fifth and final single, La Isla Bonita, was initially offered to Michael Jackson for his album Bad, but he declined. Madonna and Patrick Leonard reworked the song, introducing Spanish musical influences that would recur throughout her later work.
Several tracks recorded during the True Blue sessions were not included on the album. Spotlight, written by Curtis Hudson who penned early hit Holiday, later appeared on the 1987 remix collection You Can Dance. Each Time You Break My Heart was given to British singer Nick Kamen, with Madonna producing and contributing backing vocals. Kamen also recorded Tell Me, another track from the same sessions.
The album marked the first time Madonna had writing credits on every track of an album, although many of the songs were already well developed by writing teams by the time they reached her. She added her flair to each to make it work for her.
It also saw the beginning of her collaboration with writer and producer Patrick Leonard. Leonard has served as the music supervisor on her Virgin Tour, and soon after the tour wrapped they headed into the studio. Leonard would collaborate with Madonna on many future albums including the soundtrack to her film Who’s That Girl, Like a Prayer, I’m Breathless, and Ray of Light.
Richard Marx and Jackie Jackson appear as a backing vocalists on the track White Heat, while Siedah Garret provides backing vocals on several tracks. Acclaimed drummer Jonathan ‘Sugarfoot’ Moffett, and percussionist Paulinho da Costa also feature on several tracks.
The album’s cover was shot by Herb Ritts, who had a long association of working with Madonna. The image is remarkably similar to another cover Ritts shot just a few years earlier, Olivia Newton-John’s Physical.
The album topped the charts in Australia, the United States, the United Kingdom and many other countries. It become on of the best selling albums of all time with in excess of 25 million copies sold, Madonna’s only album to push more units is her 1990 compilation The Immaculate Collection.
