Today in Madonna History: November 19, 1986

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On November 19 1986, Madonna’s Open Your Heart single was released.  Open Your Heart was the fourth single to be released from the True Blue album.

The single would eventually become Madonna’s fifth number-one hit on the Billboard Hot 100 (topping the chart on February 7, 1987).

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Today in Madonna History: November 18, 2000

On November 18 2000, Madonna’s Music maxi-single spent its final week at #1 on Billboard’s Hot Dance Music Maxi-Single Sales chart in the U.S. following an amazing eleven consecutive week run at the top of the chart.

Today in Madonna History: November 17, 1993

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On November 17 1993, Madonna arrived in Sydney, for the start of the Australian leg of her Girlie Show World Tour and it didn’t take long before she was making stirring up controversy over a gift she received.

Here’s a snippet of what ran in the Chicago Tribune the day after she arrived:

The didgeridoo is a long, tube-like wind instrument that is traditional among the Aborigines. Only men are allowed to play it.

Madonna, who offended some fans in Puerto Rico when she rubbed the island’s flag against her crotch, received a five-foot didgeridoo on her arrival in Sydney on Wednesday. It was a gift from the promoter of the Australian leg of her tour.

“The fact Madonna is a Westerner and the didgeridoo as a gift does not change the fact she should not be carrying it around,” said Badangthun Munmunyarrun, an Aboriginal elder.

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Today in Madonna History: November 16, 1994

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On November 16 1994, Madonna began filming Four Rooms in Los Angeles.

Madonna played one of the witches, Elspeth, in the first segment of the film called, The Missing Ingredient, directed by Alison Anders.  Other actresses playing witches in the coven included: Valeria Golino (Athena), Alicia Witt (Kiva), Sammi Davis (Jezebel), Lili Taylor (Raven), Ione Skye (Eva) and Amanda de Cadenet (Diana).

This beautiful illustration of Elspeth is by Sarah Hedlund Design.  Check out Sarah’s Facebook and webpage to see more of her amazing work! We have published Sarah’s version of Elspeth with her permission.

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Today in Madonna History: November 15, 1986

On November 15 1986, Billboard reported that a 6-track Madonna remix EP titled You Can Dance, initially scheduled for a 1986 pre-Christmas release, would be delayed until the following year to avoid affecting holiday sales of her still red-hot True Blue LP.

The article also mentions Madonna’s upcoming film, Slammer (later retitled Who’s That Girl), her track for Nick Kamen, the video for her next single, Open Your Heart, touring plans and more.

Stay tuned for a third and final installment on the You Can Dance delay…

Today in Madonna History: November 14, 1998

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On November 14 1998, Madonna was the subject of a press conference at the Grand Hotel in Stockholm, Sweden – her first visit to Sweden in 8 years.

Today in Madonna History: November 6, 1993

On November 6 1993, Madonna performed The Girlie Show to a sold-out crowd of 120,000 fans at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The Girlie Show Rio show ranks as one of the highest-attended single-artist’s ticketed concerts (excluding festivals) of all-time.