Jump to content

Is I'm Breathless not considered a studio album because...


 Share

Recommended Posts

Who knows if is was her intention to consider it an album, no one really.  With so much going on - BAT / Dick Tracy it was not promoted as a stand alone album but it could have been.  I remember when it was released, people here were buying it as an album, not a soundtrack.  We have the "vogue" single to thank for that.  I get argued into the ground when I say that I'm Breathless is just as much as an album as the first 4 albums. As said above, the cover does indicate it was "inspired by the film".  That can be said of any of her albums, they were inspired by something or other. It will always be one of my favs. Aside from Evita, her voice was really "outside the box". Even when I play it for non-fans, they are amazed that it is Madonna

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Songs were "Inspired" by her character or the film.  However, "Vogue" wasn't intended to be in the movie DICK TRACY, so "no, not all songs were intended for the movie".  I don't think "Something To Remember" was either. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I created a mess with the other thread! Made many people angry!

Still, I repeat: I don't think that songs are Hanky Panky or STR, not even I'm going bananas or Cry baby, were ever intended to go in the movie. Some have a more direct inspiration, like He's a man (a personal favourite of mine) or Back in business. We should ask Pat Leonard!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think for me the main distinction is artist's intent and in this case, Madonna never intended it to be another studio album, it was never promoted as such ("Vogue" in fact was originally intended as a b-side to "Keep It Together", ie. to continue promotion of the "Like A Prayer" album). "I'm Breathless" would not come to life had it not been for the movie and that's what separates it from "Like A Prayer" and "Erotica" for example, whether all of the songs appeared in "Dick Tracy" or not is beside the point.

Either way, love the record - "Back To Business" is awesome, "More" always makes me smile and "Something To Remember" is a beauty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

45 minutes ago, kesiak said:

I think for me the main distinction is artist's intent and in this case, Madonna never intended it to be another studio album, it was never promoted as such ("Vogue" in fact was originally intended as a b-side to "Keep It Together", ie. to continue promotion of the "Like A Prayer" album). "I'm Breathless" would not come to life had it not been for the movie and that's what separates it from "Like A Prayer" and "Erotica" for example, whether all of the songs appeared in "Dick Tracy" or not is beside the point.

Either way, love the record - "Back To Business" is awesome, "More" always makes me smile and "Something To Remember" is a beauty.

Some very great and valid points.  I still don't really consider it a "soundtrack" simply because soundtracks for the most part feature the actual music from the movie.  Certainly, the argument will always stand because it does include some of the music, but it's not a 100% sountrack music from the film.  In the end, it would be Madonna who would really settle the argument. I would think Madonna would probably leave it open ended and say, "It's music inspired and from the film".  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am on the side of I'm Breathless is not one of her "official" studio albums but a partial soundtrack/ concept album. I love the album but it is very much tied into the whole Dick Tracy thing with it's 20's/ 30's style songs. Maybe it's more 30's. I have always been fascinated by those decades but can't quite distinquish one style from the other. I guess 30's would be more Art Deco, more ballads, slower? 

Of course Vogue is everything but it feels tacked on at the end of this album. The video helps but Vogue at the time and still today feels modern compared to the other songs. 

I remember when I heard the buzz about Madonna's new song Vogue and listening to the radio everyday in anticipation. Back then there were no leaks and I had no idea what to expect. I actually thought a song that came on once was it but no. I wish I could remember what song I mistook for Vogue. It was very exciting. 

I love this album and I think that era really suits Madonna so it sounds very natural for her to sing these songs. It also contains an absolutely beautiful love song among others called "What Can You Lose" that is entirely too short! I would love to hear an extended version of this song with more words. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Well Madonna has performed live some I'm Breathless tracks even more than the singles from the Bedtime Stories album:

Vogue

Sooner or Later

Now I'm Following You I & II

Hanky Panky

I'm Going Bananas

Wish she reconsidered playing Back in Business, More, and Something to Remember as they're standout tracks as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Officially it is a soundtrack. I think the confusion is more what Madonna intended. That is not clear at all, neither Madonna, her team or WB ever made a point of calling it a soundtrack at the time. So my assumption is it was a concept album, but at the same time she would have never released such an album if she had not done the movie, so it is easy to call it a soundtrack, since some songs appear in the film and the rest were written to tie in with the film (except Vogue) I also assume since the album sold the kind of numbers a soundtrack would they just decided to label it that way. I think it can be seen as either, though technically I would not call it a soundtrack.

She states specifically in the Jackie Brambles interview that was done around Feb/March 1990 and aired I think in July 1990, that she wanted some of the songs in the movie and she made alterations to certain songs as per Warren Beatty's request, something she would not have normally done, hence why the album took so long to put together. Madonna also stated that she wrote the songs during production of the movie. Except Vogue which I think was done well after shooting had finished and most likely after she had completed writing on all the I'm Breathless tracks.

So it seems she never intended all songs to be part of the soundtrack, but wanted a tie in at the very least.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@EnricoSo that gels with Madonna, as above she stated in 1990 she was writing songs for inclusion in the film, though she states she wanted some of the songs in the film, not all. Maybe they had so many numbers that were rejected that Madonna just decided to make an album out of them but she always considered it a soundtrack, as they were all written for the film initially.

The only other difference being that Madonna stated it took a long time (at that point it was the longest she had worked on an album, about 8 months) to make this album, due mostly to the fact that she was consulting with Warren about what was appropriate. I just can't imagine Warren would have ever been okay with Hanky Panky in the film, so I do wonder when the shift occured from them writing for the film to it being more a tie in/concept project.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Write here...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

 Share

×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

Terms of Use