Today in Madonna History: May 11, 1993

madonna-fever-video-2 550

On May 11 1993, the music video for Fever premiered on MTV. The video was directed by Stéphane Sednaoui.

Today in Madonna History: May 10, 1986

On May 10 1986, Live To Tell peaked at #2 on the Top 100 Singles chart in the UK.

Today in Madonna History: May 9, 1985

On May 9 1985, Madonna and Rosanna Arquette appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, promoting their film, Desperately Seeking Susan, with photos by Herb Ritts.

Here’s a snippet from the interview featured in the magazine:

Rosanna has expressed resentment over the insertion into the movie of a Madonna song backing a quickly rewritten scene in which the Susan character gyrates around a New York club. A video clip using the unreleased tune, “Into the Groove,” spotlights Madonna. “It does take things out of context a bit,” says Madonna, “kinda calls attention to another facet, but…” What that “but” means is, it sells tickets, chumps. Still, it’s become an issue…

“Yeah, really?” says Madonna. “Who’s it become an issue with – besides Rosanna?” Her laugh is quick and not unkind. Insiders say the song found its way into the film on its own virtues. “Susan Seidelman was not out to make a pandering rock & roll movie,” says executive producer Michael Peyser, 31, who worked on Susan after serving as associate producer on Woody Allen’s film The Purple Rose of Cairo. One of the music coordinators, Danny Goldberg, had no time to compile a soundtrack LP when the film’s release date was pushed up, but in talks with MTV execs, he paved the way for “Into the Groove” to air, even though the song might never show up on vinyl.

Madonna is not naive about the studio’s gambit: “I have a big audience of kids for my music, and you know how they use soundtracks to push movies – I think they’re using me in the same way, and it’s really a drag, because I’m trying to establish myself as an actress, not as a singer making movies. But I’ll be happy if it becomes a commercial success, simply because it’s a different kind of movie than most of what’s out now. There are a few formulas people have been using the past five years, with Flashdance and Breakin’ and all that stuff; this movie is like a return to those simple, straightforward caper comedies Claudette Colbert and Carole Lombard made in the Thirties. They give you a taste of real life, some poignance, and leave you feeling up at the end – none of that adolescent-fantasy bullshit.”

Today in Madonna History: May 8, 2006

madonna-im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-dvd-1 madonna-im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-dvd-2 madonna-im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-dvd-3 madonna-im-going-to-tell-you-a-secret-dvd-4

On May 8 2006, Warner Bros. announced that Madonna would be releasing her Jonas Åkerlund-directed documentary I’m Going to Tell You a Secret as a DVD/CD package on June 20.

“It’s sort of a circle around three families: the family of the people I work with, the family that I live with, and the family of man, the world that I live in.”

“It’s about the trials and tribulations of putting a show together, the struggle to balance my life as an entertainer with my life as a mother, and it’s also about the world, my politics, my belief systems, my philosophy, about where I feel my place in the world is.”

Today in Madonna History: May 7, 1995

On May 7 1995, Madonna’s Bedtime Story debuted at #40 in New Zealand. The single peaked at #38 the following week and then left the charts after three weeks.

Today in Madonna History: May 6, 1998

M25.hr madonna-ray-of-light-mario-testino 550 1998 - Ray of Light by Mario Testino 550 1998 - Ray of Light by Mario Testino 550 3

On May 6 1998, Ray of Light was released by Maverick Records. The title track from her seventh studio album was issued internationally as the album’s second single.

Ray Of Light is based on a track called Sepheryn by Curtiss Maldoon, and was included on their 1971 self-titled album. In 1996, Christine Leach, Maldoon’s niece, recorded her version of the track with William Orbit. Leach said she had always loved Dave Curtiss and Clive Maldoon’s work and noted that Sepheryn had a dream-like quality. Leach revised the chorus melody while Orbit provided new music for the song. After Madonna heard Leach’s version of the track, she immediately took to it and began reworking its lyrics.

Maldoon said he “couldn’t believe it” after he heard it, and was pleased with what Madonna had done with his original composition. Madonna said about the song: “It’s totally out of control. The original version is well over 10 minutes long. It was completely indulgent, but I loved it. It was heartbreaking to cut it down to a manageable length.”

Madonna’s original unedited version was set to be included on a remix album titled Veronica Electronica that was initially discussed as a follow-up to Ray Of Light, but plans for the collection apparently never made it past the drawing board.

Today in Madonna History: May 5, 2009

madonna-met-bunny-1 madonna-met-bunny-2

On May 5 2009, Madonna attended The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala Ball with Jesus Luz (boyfriend), Guy Oseary (her manager) and her publicist Liz Rosenberg.

Here’s what Marie Claire had to say about Madonna’s MET appearance:

Madonna blows minds with bunny ears! Madonna was back to her attention-grabbing best last night, stepping out for her first red carpet appearance with toyboy lover Jesus Luz at The Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Costume Institute Gala ball. And it wasn’t just the arm candy that got tongues wagging. The Queen of Pop brought out her 80s side, taking the evening’s dress theme – The Model As Muse: Embodying Fashion’ and running with it. Dressed in a navy blue ruched Louis Vuitton mini dress, thigh-high black boots and the black fingerless gloves of old, Madge completed her ensemble with a teal-coloured hair piece tied around a top knot. The style chameleon’s get-up didn’t put off beau of the moment though, as 22-year-old toy-boy, Jesus Luz, showed up at fashion’s most stylish annual bash, looking super suave in a slick black dinner jacket and waited attentively as the flashbulbs went into overdrive for his date. The pair has frequently been spotted out and about in New York in recent weeks but last night was the couple’s first outing as a confirmed item and the duo couldn’t have cared less about the ensuing gossip.