Madonna Album: “Like a Virgin [Remaster]”

Madonna's second release, "Like a Virgin," made her a superstar and moved her from pure dance to a more pop- and R&B-tinged sound. Released in 1984, everything about this CD is superb. Madonna's voice was much improved from her debut (although still a bit thin compared to her later vocals), and the production by Nile Rodgers is first-rate. The first single, "Like a Virgin," was a mega-smash, logging 6 weeks at #1; it would be 7 years before another song had that many weeks at #1 - Bryan Adam's "(Everything I Do) I Do It For You." The song even made the Top 10 on the R&B chart! At the time, the song was a bit scandalous but today it's pretty tame. However, anyway you look at it, "Like a Virgin" is a great pop song. The video was also her first high-budget effort; although her writhing in a Venice gondola and being seduced by a man in a lion's mask are more than a bit silly, it's also a gorgeous video.

Three subsequent singles were released and made the Top 5. "Material Girl" became an anthem of sort. The video may have featured an actress spurning the advances of a wealthy lothario in favor of a poor, truck-driving Keith Carradine, but the message of the song suggested the opposite - Madonna proudly proclaimed her love of fame and power. The song helped make Madonna the Marilyn Monroe of the 80s, and gave her the dreaded nickname she tried vainly to abandon for many years. The third single was a bit of a surprise to me - "Angel." It's a beautiful song, but not as catchy or immediate as a number of other songs on the CD. It peaked at #5. "Dress You Up" was the final release, making it to #5. Shockingly, the song was included in the "Filthy Fifteen" published by Tipper Gore's Parent Music Resource Center, presumably for the rather tame reference to "velvet kisses." It's a terrific pop song that's not the slightest bit profane.

"Love Don't Live Here Anymore" is another highlight - a lush remake of the Rose Royce 70s hit. I loved the song when "Like a Virgin" was initially released and wanted it released as a single. However, Madonna subsequently remixed the song and included it on her 1996 ballad collection (Something to Remember); the song was belatedly made the chart, although it sputtered out at #78. "Shoo-Bee-Doo" is another terrific song - it combines seamlessly a 60s girl group sound with 80s pop. Arguably the most dance-oriented song is "Over and Over," and it's very good. "Stay" has a great drum-loop unusual for a Madonna song. Finally, "Pretender" is arguably the weakest of the bunch, but still a pretty decent song.

Overall, the songs are much more diverse on "Like a Virgin" than on her first record, "Madonna." Her growth as an artist really started here and would continue over the next two decades. Although "Like a Virgin" is probably not Madonna's best CD, it ranks right up there, particularly if you like the more "pop" side of her music. Most highly recommended.

Madonna did not experience a sophomore slump with this album - in fact this is the one that launched her into pop superstardom!

Her risque performance of the title track on the MTV awards show heightened anticipation for the album and the clever video for MATERIAL GIRL (a song with a strong opening drum beat & bass backing) helped cement her place as an icon.

I've found though that my favorite tracks are the ones that Madonna co-wrote or wrote by herself:

SHOO BEE-DOO - ballad that begins with a sweet acoustic vocal from Madonna and kicks into a doo-wopish sound; I can't hear this track enough even to this day;

OVER & OVER - love the lyrics of this song "and if at first you don't succeed, here's some advice that you should heed - you get up again, over & over..."

ANGEL - whispery vocals on this mid-tempo track

I also give Madonna props for taking on a classic r&b track, LOVE DON'T LIVE HERE ANYMORE - she really sings her heart out and although not as good as the original, she surely made it her own

The only song that I really don't like is PRETENDER and while STAY is ok, I just don't like it as much as I love tracks 1 - 7. Just as with her debut, listening to this album transports me back to a happier time in my life and I can't help but smile as I reminisce while listening to the music.

This was the album that turned Madonna into a star. The first album was good, but this is a definite improvement.

1. Material Girl- One of her signature songs. Also one of her catchiest, even if it's quintissential 80's A

2. Angel- A nice song. Kinda dumb, but great music and singing. B+

3. Like A Virgin- THE signature song. It is always really fun to listen to, and has the point that even Britney's first didn't. A

4. Over And Over- My favorite song on the album. Definitely made for the clubs, and one you can't help but dance to. A+

5. Love Don't Live Her Anymore- Not a song many Madonna fans will like, but I love it. Her vocals are the best on this song, and a very soulful take. A-

6. Dress You Up- A little too dumb, but other than that, it is flawless. B

7. Shoo-Be-Do- Perhaps the worst song, even though it's still very nice, and easy to relax to. B-

8. Pretender- It's a very good song, but extremely forgettable. My least favorite song. C

9. Stay- A great way to end the album. The chorus will be in your mind long after the song has stopped playing. A-

This is THE Madonna album to have. If you don't know which album to get first, get this one.

Like a Virgin being Madonna's 1984 and her 2nd studio album was her major breakthrough with such major hits as Like a Virgin and Material Girl. Other tracks that stand out on this realeas are Love does not live here anymore and Into the groove. The booklet is really nice with two fine photographs of Madonna looking very stylish in different outfits. The lyrics are very easy to read and it has a nice list of whom played and what they played on each track. 4/5.

Many people have made speculations that an artist's second album is the album that will make or break that artist's career. I don't believe that statement, but it would appear here that Like A Virgin made Madonna's career. I think the reason for this would probably be because Madonna did more than just dance music for this album. She expanded her horizons to music further than the simple dance songs on Madonna. Here, Madonna moved on to pop, ballads, but still stayed with dance here and there.

The album starts with Material Girl, though it would just seem to be pop, it was really controversially speaking out about the materialistic mentality that our world holds. Angel was a dancy pop song with sweet lyrics and a very addictive hook. Like A Virgin, one of Madonna's better remembered songs, was pure mid to up-tempo pop, with dance synth thrown in. Over And Over, one of the more fast paced songs on the album was too fast for dance, but suitable to just be called pop. Love Don't Live Here Anymore was a less than mediocre ballad in my opinion because it held extremely underpowered acoustics and beats, however, it was sung with too much of an overstatement: bottom line, it mis-matched. Dress You Up is a fun song with dance synth and a rising pop sound to it. Shoo-Bee-Doo is a semi-ballad and I hated it because the lyrics are cheesy and it sounds like Madonna was confused as to whether she was singing a ballad or a pop song. Pretender is my favorite track on the album because it's dance beat was so perfect for its time. Stay had the perfect beat and lyrics for the closing track, not too slow, but meaningful.

I consider Like A Virgin to be a good album, however, I felt hesitant to give it five stars because the sounds were too mixed for me to say whether I like everything or nothing on the album, but it was good overall.