Today in Madonna History: August 23, 1997

August 23, 2015 By in 1997, August Tags: , 1 Comment

evita-selections-from-tape-1 evita-selections-from-tape-2

On August 23 1997, Evita: Music from the Motion Picture (the highlights disc) debuted at #168 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums Chart in the USA.

The highlights disc included 19 tracks from the film, and was released on July 29 1997 in North America to help promote the home video release. The single disc was released in select markets around the world in 1996 at the same time as the double disc complete soundtrack, but not in North America.

Evita: The Motion Picture Music Soundtrack featured all 34 tracks from the film, and was released on November 12 1996.

The highlights disc didn’t perform very well in the late summer of 1997 because it was released a full 8 months after the original release. No single was released to radio to promote it, and most die-hard fans had already secured an imported version of the single disc soundtrack the previous year. Why it was released at all in July 1997 remains a mystery. Why the single-disc set wasn’t released in North America in November 1996 is a better question. Why not release the double-disc set (expensive) and the single disc set (average price of a CD at the time) and appeal to the largest possible group of consumers? That was the approach around the world, but not in North America, we can’t help but wonder why? – Jay

 

 

Today in Madonna History: August 22, 2009

August 22, 2015 By in 2009, August Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

madonna-celebration-1 madonna-celebration-2 madonna-celebration-3

On August 22 2009, Madonna scored her 55th Billboard Hot 100 hit with Celebration. The lead single from Madonna’s career spanning greatest hits collection of the same name debuted at #71.

Celebration was written and produced by Madonna, Paul Oakenfold and Ian Green, with additional writing from Ciaran Gribbin.

Billboard reviews Celebration:

Madonna’s latest single won’t start any new trends, but it does return the singer to her dance-floor roots. “Come join the party … ’cause everybody wants to party with you,” she sings on Celebration, the title track and one of a reported two new songs on her best-of set that’s due September 29. A notable assist comes courtesy of trance DJ/producer Paul Oakenfold, who co-wrote and co-produced the buoyant stomper. He supplies a surging beat that could easily have been lifted from the star’s Confessions On A Dance Floor period (Hung Up, Sorry) but can be traced even further back to her 1992 hit Deeper And Deeper. The melody, meanwhile, recalls her last single, 4 Minutes, in its urgency. Consider Celebration a score for Madonna’s retro-futuristic fan base and a nice bookend to her collection of chart glories.

Today in Madonna History: August 21, 1989

August 21, 2015 By in 1989, August Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

madonna herb ritts cherish videoMadonna_Cherish_Video_Set_10 550cherish video set

On August 21 1989, the music video for Cherish premiered on MTV in the U.S.  The video was the directed by Madonna’s frequent collaborator and friend, photographer Herb Ritts.

lyrics alternate cherish

While the single from the Like A Prayer album went on to become another hit single, it’s interesting to note that Madonna had previously written an entirely different song using the title Cherish. Her handwritten lyrics for the unreleased track – along with several others that have yet to surface in musical form – turned up at an auction in 2011.

Today in Madonna History: August 20, 1995

August 20, 2015 By in 1995, August Tags: , , 1 Comment

Human Nature UK Counter Display 2 550

On August 20 1995, Human Nature was released in Europe as the final single from the Bedtime Stories album.

In North America, Human Nature had been rush-released two months earlier in an attempt to re-engage radio programmers after a particularly poor reception to the Bedtime Story single – which had been virtually ignored by most stations who instead kept their focus on Madonna’s previous radio smash hit, Take A Bow.

Today in Madonna History: August 19, 1989

August 19, 2015 By in 1989, August Tags: , 1 Comment

cherish-cassette-single-1 cherish-cassette-single-2

On August 19 1989, Madonna’s Cherish single debuted at #37 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the USA.

Cherish
Give me faith
Give me joy, my boy
I will always cherish you
Give me faith
Give me joy, my boy
I will always cherish you

Today in Madonna History: August 18, 2002

August 18, 2015 By in 2002, August Tags: , , 1 Comment

swept-away-movie-poster

On August 18 2002, the official poster for Swept Away was released.

The film Swept Away, starring Madonna and directed by her husband, Guy Ritchie, would open on October 11 2002 in US theatres. The movie was initially titled Love, Sex, Drugs, and Money, and was based on the 1974 Italian film Travolti da un Insolito Destino Nell’Azzurro Mare D’Agosto. Adriano Giannini and Bruce Greenwood also starred in the film. In the film, Madonna played a socialite stranded on an island with a handsome, Communist sailor (Giannini).

Today in Madonna History: August 17, 1995

August 17, 2015 By in 1995, August Tags: , , , , 1 Comment

Madonna 37th Birthday Party Aug-17-1995 Miami 550Madonna 37th Birthday Party Aug-17-1995 Miami 2 550

On August 17 1995, Madonna attended a private party at the Delano Hotel in Miami, Florida in celebration of her 37th birthday.

South Florida daily newspaper the Sun-Sentinel covered the bash:

Last Thursday night one of the most famous women in the world had a glittering birthday party in what is probably by now one of the most famous hotels in the world. Madonna, uber pop singing sensation, strolled into the lobby of Miami Beach’s Delano Hotel for her big bash in a tight long pink Versace dress with a big smile on her face and a new beau on her arm.

Among the guests waiting inside were Gloria and Emilio Estefan, actor Andy Garcia, Cuban musician Cachao, Donatella Versace and Estefan protegee Albita, who sang a rousing Latino version of Happy Birthday. Ms Ciccone uncharacteristically stopped and chatted with the press, who had all been alerted about the private party, causing crowds to close down the surrounding streets.

Among her revelations were the favorite gift so far (a diamond-and-gold name bracelet from her beau, Carlito); and the pleasure she was getting from having her birthday party in her very own restaurant, the Blue Door, located in the rear lobby of the Delano. News of the party, with the chic new hotel as a stunning backdrop, was seen on every national entertainment and tabloid show in America, and perhaps the world.