How Madonna Became Madonna: An Oral History

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Madonna released her self-titled album 37 years ago today. Read our oral history on the superstar's debut LP here

the album was the culmination of months of effort by diverse artists, photographers, executives and musicians. “The first new wave disco music,” as one of her friends described it, carried plenty in its DNA: bouncy R&B grooves; traces of the last gasps of the pre-AIDS Downtown NYC culture; and, of course, the force of personality of the future Queen of Pop.

She came by on that Monday and played me that demo. It wasn’t amazing. But this girl sitting in my office was just radiating star power. I asked her, “What are you looking for in this?” I always ask that, and the wrong answer is “I want to get my art out,” because this is a business. And Madonna’s answer was, “I want to rule the world.” The next step was getting her signed. I had to play [her demo] for Seymour Stein.I was in the hospital, hooked up to a penicillin drip.

I didn’t want her picture on the cover of the “Everybody” single, because I thought I could get a lot of R&B play on that record, because a lot of people thought she was black.I’d never heard of Madonna before then, and I didn’t get to listen to the music. Warner Brothers told me, “Do a scene of everyday people in the street.” So I clipped images from magazines, and threw them together for the collage.

We had a fun experience. There was no committee rendering judgment from on high, because she was brand new and frankly nobody cared about her that much. And she had a sense of direction.It was great – there wasn’t any infighting or any of that kind of shit. Reggie wrote two of the songs, “Borderline” and “Physical Attraction.” The rest were Madonna songs.

We had this really fun guitar thing on “Lucky Star,” and then she had a meltdown about guitarists – she related an experience where a rock guitarist she was sharing the stage with turned up his guitar, and upstaged her with volume. So we never completed that version.We finished the album, and I wanted another song. Something much more uptempo. I needed to get more money to finish the record. So Seymour said, “Take her down to L.A., have her meet the executives at Warner Brothers.

 

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LevitatingRemix

EpicDebut Madonna LuckyStar Holiday BurningUp Borderline SireRecords WarnerBrothersRecords ReggieLucas JohnJellybeanBenitez MarkKamins SeymourStein

With her best song, Borderline. 💜

A celebration in Pop History!

👑 👑 ❤ 👑 👑

Women Who I Love The Most Madonna Has Inspired me On Her- Self Titled Album! Even 37 Years Later Still Dance And Listen to This Album! Can't Wait for Madonna And DUALIPA Sing With MissyElliott !

The birth of one of the most important women in music

The birth of one of the most important women’s in music

Brava. 😚❤️

MadonnaLiteral1

Madonna did unfortunate things to our daughters.

Lol I thought it said self entitled.

Queen

Oh Yeah, Baby! 😀😍😘😳🔥💫👌💋💕

Madonna, Michael Jackson, George Michael, Bon Jovi were the soundtrack of younger days! 80s

queen

Don’t put oral and madonna in the same sentence. I’m at a dangerous age.

I still have mine! I remember this day 💜

Who cares.....

Not the first time 'Madonna' and 'Oral' have been used in the same sentence. (Still love her.)

God is a woman, her name is Madonna

37 years ago... holy moly

MadonnaNationX QUEEN👑❤️🔥

I’d rather read the vomit stains at the local pub....

Me reading the sentence, 'Read our oral history' with my COVID brain like

The most overrated musical “artist” of all time.

A star is born

“Seymour, she’s going to be bigger than Olivia Newton-John!”

The disrespect. She’s the QUEEN OF POP not just another “ superstar”, call her what she is. 37yearsofMadonna

QueeeeeN🤩♥️

QueenMadonna0 she's not just a superstar, she's the queen of pop 37YearsWithMadonna

There's the earth before and After MADONNA,she drew a line in history itself 👑🎤❤️❤️❤️🏳️‍🌈

the beginning of her legacy

The birth of an icon.

xteteczx Clássico incontestável

Icon of POP

Think Nile Rogers produced it and wrote a bunch of the tunes. Give *that* motherfucker an award.

Madonna needs to write a biography about her life and call it “If My Pussy Could Talk!”🤪😎

MAD0NNAARMY1 When all her magical journey started...

Living legend, Queen of Pop

beautiful

Rock'n'roll Fraud

A legend was born

History was made today!

MTF ?

Oral alright

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