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Your Opinion on True Blue


50ft Queenie
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Since I got a bunch of interest in my Erotica thread, lets go for round 2 and talk about True Blue. If someone asked me what I thought of this album a few months ago I would say it is in her top 4 or 5 but recently I listened to it all the way through and my opinion has changed. I dont know what is is about this album, but for me there is just something missing that keeps it from being put at the level of say Erotica or Like a Prayer and I cant really put my finger on why that is. True Blue is a giant step up from Like a Virgin but sometimes I think it is slightly overrated and labeled a masterpiece. It feels really weird to say that because it is her best selling album and has so many classic songs. I remember how huge this album was in the 80's and the tour that went along with it, the image change really caused a stir and nowadays it seems to be very highly regarded by a lot of Madonna fans, or old school ones atleast. It is a very good album but every time I listen to it, something is holding True Blue back for me, one reason might be because the tracks feel very disjointed like there is no main themes driving the record. I want to know how its regarded by the rest of you, do you think of it as one of her best or have mixed feelings on it like me? Also despite my issues with the album, I will always regard Live to Tell as one of the greatest songs Madonna ever recorded which will stand the test of time and Papa Dont Preach is pretty great also.

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The first time I really loved Madonna without being a fan. All the singles, the video-clips, the remixed edits (including Where's The Party from You Can Dance), THE EXTENDED VERSION OF "OPEN YOUR HEART": Pure pop perfection. With Live To Tell she began to show her true potential. But the album has two problems, Jimmy Jimmy and Love makes the world go round. And that is the reason why the album is not perfect. Anyway, it was an incredible era.

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Essential, iconic and a 80s blockbuster. But terribly overrated at the same time, in my opinion. It's far from perfect and doesn't have the layers and little things to keep discovering with time that most of her other albums have. It's Madonna playing the pop game and achieving commercial perfection, but without her usual edge (except for "Live To Tell"). Also, the mid 80s production doesn't help much - but this happens with all 1986-1988 pop albums, to be honest, most of them sound terribly dated today.

I don't know, I guess you had to experience that era in real time to understand how big it was, maybe? :cute:

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I won’t have any bashing of this album except that Jimmy Jimmy is terrible so you bitches can calm down when you say it’s overrated- otherwise you might aswell say all her albums are overrated 

it’s the album that made her a superstar- the images, videos , remixes etc so how can it be overrated? If it wasn’t she wouldn’t be the legend she became 

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6 minutes ago, Drownedboy said:

Perfect one and an essential step on her carreer, but of course later works showed much more sides of her. But as for 1986, what she had to do and she did it perfectly. What a carreer this woman has had, lately sometimes I forgot it because of the Madame x era mess.

I fully agree with every single word. This record marks a fundamental step in her career. Iconic singles and videos. Weak songs: JJ and LMTWGR. Highlight: Live to tell, to date one of her best ballads.

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First album I heard, first album I bought, it stays dear to my hear.

Tell me which album has a better collection of 5 top class singles.

Live to tell is one of the most mature Madonna songs.

Papa and Open are Madonna at her best: provocative but with meaning, with a great sound and a great video which really deserve to be called art.

With La isla bonita she was ahead of that time.

I personally like Jimmy Jimmy because it reminds me of someone I used to know.

Love makes the world go round is cheesy but an acceptable closer in the spirit of the Live Aid.

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3 hours ago, Ziggy Stardust said:

Since I got a bunch of interest in my Erotica thread, lets go for round 2 and talk about True Blue. If someone asked me what I thought of this album a few months ago I would say it is in her top 4 or 5 but recently I listened to it all the way through and my opinion has changed. I dont know what is is about this album, but for me there is just something missing that keeps it from being put at the level of say Erotica or Like a Prayer and I cant really put my finger on why that is. True Blue is a giant step up from Like a Virgin but sometimes I think it is slightly overrated and labeled a masterpiece. It feels really weird to say that because it is her best selling album and has so many classic songs. I remember how huge this album was in the 80's and the tour that went along with it, the image change really caused a stir and nowadays it seems to be very highly regarded by a lot of Madonna fans, or old school ones atleast. It is a very good album but every time I listen to it, something is holding True Blue back for me, one reason might be because the tracks feel very disjointed like there is no main themes driving the record. I want to know how its regarded by the rest of you, do you think of it as one of her best or have mixed feelings on it like me? Also despite my issues with the album, I will always regard Live to Tell as one of the greatest songs Madonna ever recorded which will stand the test of time and Papa Dont Preach is pretty great also.

further to my post above I'd probably say the album hasn't aged but you have. As have I. This is the way of the world and idealistic follies of youth seem less potent when you realise the world isn't the optimistic fun fair you thought it would be. xx 

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I must add that her vocal work on this was very important: she sounds deeper but yet very sweet and girlie, a important side of her becoming the pop icon she was.

Also the Patrick Leonard magic changed her forever, without him we would not have Madonna in our lifes as we have her.

I always liked the lyrics of White heat, really about being brave and strong and about having the control of your path, a quinteessentisl madonna stament that I love.

Edited by Drownedboy (see edit history)
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The iconic look she had on the cover matches the vibe and sound of the entire album. A complete step up from Like a Virgin indeed. From what i recall there was drastic change on the set of synths used that separated it from LAV that made her sound more mature hence why she was immediately considered to be at the same level as MJ in a short amount of time and was barely compared to pop princess acts like Tiffany and Debbie Gibson (even after over a year later). Definitive of what the late 80's pop sounded like.

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The synths on this album are remarkable. It shares a lot of the DNA of Michael Jacksons Bad which was sonically brilliant. The same slap bass on Papa and some of the drums and synth sounds are pretty much identical. You can probably hear it most in Another Part Of Me. It's all so upfront and clearly audiable after the muddiness of a lot of Like A Virgin True Blue has the clarity of the debut turned up to eleven. The whole thing just pops off. 

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TRUE BLUE is LIFE!  It remains a masterpiece and the strongest evidence that Madonna belongs seated, front row, in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.   M was a Rock and Roll GODDESS on that album.  M was a badass and I loved the entire era down to the leather jacket, bleach blonde locks and fingerless gloves.  Gone was the Material Girl chirps, and the Like a Virgin sex kitten homage.  M was not thrashy on guitars ?yet but she became a Rock and Roll Icon during that era.   Madonna was hard for the first time, became equals to Prince and Michael Jackson, and surpassed every on e else on the global rock and roll stage.  #PapaDon’tPreach #OpenYourHeart #LiveToTell #WheresTheParty #TrueBlue #JimmyJimmy #WhiteHeat #LoveMakesTheWorldGoRound #LaIslaBonita

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White Heat would have been a big hit single.

The True Blue video is my least favorite look of all time. A Golden Girls cameo would have been beyond iconic. To this day, I cannot enter a CVS without hearing that song though. Every time. 35 years later. Impressive. Low key one of her longest lasting hits. Even people that don't like her love that song. And the same goes for pretty much all the singles.

 

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