Today in Madonna History: March 21, 1989

March 21, 2022 By sonicboy19 in 1989, March Tags: Herb Ritts, Like A Prayer (Album), Oh Father, Patrick Leonard, Prince, Stephen Bray, Stephen Thomas Erlewine 6 Comments

On March 21 1989, Madonna’s Like A Prayer album was released.

Written and produced by Madonna with Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray and Prince, the Like A Prayer album was considered to be a major artistic leap forward for Madonna, and was certainly her most personal offering to date at the time of its release.

Allmusic’s Stephen Thomas Erlewine offered this 5-star (out of 5) review of the album:

Out of all of Madonna’s albums, Like a Prayer is her most explicit attempt at a major artistic statement. Even though it is apparent that she is trying to make a “serious” album, the kaleidoscopic variety of pop styles on Like a Prayer is quite dazzling. Ranging from the deep funk of Express Yourself and Keep It Together to the haunting Oh Father and Like a Prayer, Madonna displays a commanding sense of songcraft, making this her best and most consistent album.

Happy 33rd anniversary to one of our favorites – the phenomenal Like A Prayer!

Today in Madonna History: November 14, 2004

November 14, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 2004, November Tags: Die Another Day, Joni Mitchell, Michel Colombier, Mirwais, Prince, Remix Videos, Serge Gainsbourg 2 Comments

On November 14 2004, Michael Colombier – the composer/arranger who produced the beautiful string arrangements for Madonna’s songs Die Another Day, Don’t Tell Me & Easy Ride, and composed the soundtrack for Swept Away (perhaps the film’s most memorable attribute) – passed away at age 65.

Colombier was one of the most prolific and versatile French musicians of his generation. Besides his career as a film composer scoring over 100 feature, cable and television films since the early 1960’s – Colombier was a prolific songwriter and arranger who worked with artists such as Joni Mitchell, Prince, Serge Gainsbourg, The Beach Boys, Herbie Hancock, Air, Barbra Streisand & Earth Wind And Fire.

As a film composer, Michel Colombier scored many French and American films, including The Golden Child, Ruthless People, New Jack City, How Stella Got Her Groove Back and The Money Pit. His background in jazz was evident in the majority of his film scores, and his ability to compose original score music that merged seamlessly with pop songs made him the perfect composer for 1980’s films with song-heavy soundtracks, including White Nights, Against All Odds and Purple Rain (which won a Grammy Award as well as an Academy Award for Best Original Score).

Today in Madonna History: September 27, 2002

September 27, 2021 By Jay in 2002, September Tags: Die Another Day, Don't Tell Me, Easy Ride, Joni Mitchell, Live Videos, Michel Colombier, Mirwais Ahmadzaï, Nothing Fails, Prince, Serge Gainsbourg 2 Comments

On September 27 2002, the theme and title-track for the twentieth film in the James Bond franchise, Die Another Day, received its world premiere on New York radio station Z100. The song had been due to hit the airwaves on October 10th, but when Z100 got their hands on the track ahead of schedule they immediately added it to their heavy rotation playlist. Other stations quickly followed suit, prompting an early but very strong debut at #41 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the U.S. and becoming the chart’s highest first-week entry of the year.

Die Another Day was written and produced by Madonna and Mirwais with string arrangement by the late, great Michel Colombier. After being introduced to Madonna through Mirwais, Colombier arranged strings for Madonna’s 2000 hit Don’t Tell Me, scored her film Swept Away and arranged the American Life tracks Nothing Fails and Easy Ride. Colombier sadly lost a brief battle with cancer in 2004, leaving behind a legacy of celebrated collaborations with the likes of Serge Gainsbourg, Prince and Joni Mitchell, to name only a few.

Madonna’s Bond theme was first performed during 2004’s Re-Invention Tour, where it became a visual showstopper with its ambitious and impressively executed tango-influenced choreography.

Today in Madonna History: May 4, 2016

May 4, 2021 By Jay in 2016, May Tags: Like A Prayer (Album), Like A Prayer (Single), Prince 1 Comment

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On May 4 2016, Madonna tweeted about her long-time friend and Like A Prayer collaborator, Prince:

“It’s been 7 hours and 13 days since you took your love away……….all the flowers you planted died when you went away……….Nothing Compares 2 U.”

Today in Madonna History: January 28, 1985

January 28, 2021 By sonicboy19 in 1985, January Tags: American Music Awards, Presenter, Prince 1 Comment

On January 28 1985, Madonna and Huey Lewis presented an award to Prince & The Revolution. Madonna was also nominated for Favorite Pop/Rock Female Artist at the 12th annual American Music Awards at the Shrine Auditorium, in Los Angeles, California.