Photo Source: Dens 54 Remixes



My name is Dita, I'll be your mistress tonight...



Our final posting for the Madonnathon Song of the Day is one which I should've thought of but I can't take credit for. I was speaking with my friend Rich yesterday and he asked me when I was going to end the Madonnathon. I told him soon, perhaps even yesterday. I mean, I could go on forever with all that's she's got out there, but I think a week's been enough, and so here we are.



He suggested that I should put "Erotica" as my Song of the Day...of course, it's that first line that got him his moniker: "My name is Dita." I actually call him Dita more than I call him Rich, so there ya go, lol.



Anyway, the video for this song goes kind of hand in hand with Madonna's publication of her "Sex" book, and for a spell put her in the doghouse with many for the risque themes. It's too bad, though, because the album "Erotica" was definitely one of her best and it didn't get as much attention as it could have because of the controversy. Oh well, we love it anyway!



Check out my review of the "Erotica" album right here.











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Photo Source: all about Madonna



Zephyr in the sky at night I wonder

Do my tears of mourning sink beneath the sun



I love this song! It has an ethereal quality, like many of the songs on the album of the same name, but only in an uplifting way. It's the perfect song for a beautiful day such as today, so take a look and a listen and go out and have yourself a great day!











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Photo Source: People





"Bye, Bye Baby" is one of the many great songs on Madonna's "Erotica" album, and yet I don't think I've ever seen it as a single or even featured anywhere, but it is catchy and lyrically cool. Luckily, YouTube had this clip of her performing the song from the "Girlie Show Tour," so check it out...













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Photo Source: The Original Material Girl





This one's one of the first videos Madonna ever made and I remember doing all of the steps right along with her whenever I watched it, hehe. Enjoy!











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Photo Source: Gerard's Madonna Page



Today's Madonnathon "Songs of the Day" are probably some of her less known tunes, except by her diehard fans. They're from the 1996 film version of the Broadway musical, "Evita," and I love them in a different way than I love other Madonna songs. Joe and I first rented the movie when it came out on DVD and we both loved it. I soon bought the album and the two of us sang practically the entire score along to the CD over and over again.



The soundtrack to the film has many wonderful songs, and most of them are of course typical Broadway, in that they work to tell the story of our heroine. The score was written by Andrew Lloyd Weber, the most classic of Broadway composers. Songs such as "I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You," "The Lady's Got Potential," and "Good Night and Thank You" are wonderfully written and fun to sing along to, but these are the lesser known tunes from "Evita."



The songs featured here today are two of the most well-known from the original score, as well as one that was written especially for the movie version. I also threw in my own personal favorite, "Another Suitcase in Another Hall," which segues the story from little Eva's hard knocks to her eventual personal success, all before she meets Colonel Peron.



Buenos Aires



This is one of the most up tempo and popular songs on the soundtrack, and comes at a time in the story when Eva moves to the big, wonderful city. Some of the dance sequences in the scene are spectacular!







Don't Cry For Me Argentina



Probably the most well-known song from "Evita," this version from the movie is downright dramatic, as our popular heroine publicly reveals her illness. It's quite different from some of the versions heard on the radio, but the chorus is yet the same.







Another Suitcase in Another Hall



Ah, my favorite! This melancholy tune about the struggles of trying to make it is wonderfully arranged and beautifully performed by Madonna.







You Must Love Me



This was an original song written especially for this movie version and it takes place at one of the saddest parts of the film.







So there you have it, four noteworthy songs from "Evita" as sung by the Queen, Madonna, who happened to win a Golden Globe for her performance. The rest of the soundtrack is just as good, and if you're a big enough Madonna fan, you've seen the movie and already know what I mean. You can pick up the soundtrack below by clicking the links for digital copies at iTunes or CD's at Amazon.









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Photo Source: Madonna Denmark



"Secret" was the first single off of the "Bedtime Stories" album and it picked right up where her previous gem "Erotica" left off, with smooth sounds and great lyrics. I love the hums and groove of this one, and the black and white video is cool, too! Enjoy Madonna's "Secret":!











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Photo Source: Scrape TV



I made it through the wilderness...



Ah, one of Madonna's classics! This was the first single off of her then very much anticipated second album (think of the all of the hype for Gaga's "Born This Way") of the same name. Though this one was comparable to the songs from her debut album, the rest of the album was the "Material Girl's" first musical reinvention of sorts, as she took on some of the producing chores for the first time and recruited Nile Rodgers' production skills as well. (Rodgers was a member of the disco band Chic previously and had been producing hit records for other artists such as Diana Ross and David Bowie, among others.)



I'll save a discussion of the album for some other time, but in the meantime here's the original video for Madonna's "Like a Virgin," which is iconic in and of itself, replete with Venetian gondolas and Mo's slithery moves beneath bridges...







The song "Like a Virgin" has undergone many musical reinventions of its own. Aside from the original video, Madonna has performed the song many times over, beginning with that infamous performance of the song at the VMA's in a wedding dress and BOY TOY belt buckle in 1984.



Madonna at the VMA's in 1984







During the "Who's That Girl Tour" in 1987, Madonna performed the song in an almost comical way, she and her dancers coming out dressed in Vaudevillian attire, slowly removing their costumes to reveal black corsets underneath. Towards the middle of the song, she breaks into a short rendition of the Four Tops "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie Honey Bunch)" and finishes off when her groom joins her on the stage for a last dance and of course a kiss.



Who's That Girl Tour







One of my favorite renditions of "Like a Virgin" was the one Madonna did on the Blond Ambition Tour in 1990. For this one, she slows it down to a Middle Eastern groove and works her way up literally to a climax by the end. This one almost got her in big trouble when she performed it in Toronto, as seen in the "Truth or Dare" film. Check this one out:



Blond Ambition Tour







"Like a Virgin" was given yet another appearance at the VMA's in 2003, when Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera redid the song a la 1984 as an intro to Madonna's "Hollywood." The trio was joined by Missy Elliot, giving a snippet of her then hit "Work That," and of course the most controversial moment of this performance was the KISS! Take a look:



2003 VMA's







Finally, we have Madonna's horse riding themed version of the song from the 2006 Confessions Tour. There's some very cool choreography here as Madonna rides a mechanical horse on a makeshift outer stage, up close and personal with her audience. I must say, she also looks fabulous in this one!



Confessions Tour







Well there you have it, Madonna's many incarnations of "Like a Virgin." I hope you've taken the time to watch at least a couple of them. If you're a diehard Madonna fan like I am, then I know you did. If you don't already have "Like a Virgin," you can pick it up at either iTunes or Amazon by clicking the links below and stay tuned as our Madonnathon continues...









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On Tuesday, August 16th Madonna will be 53 years young, and since she's currently in the studio working on her long-awaited follow-up to "Hard Candy," I thought this would be a good time to celebrate with a Madonna Marathon, or a Madonnathon if you will. Yes, folks, for the remainder of the month of August, we will be featuring some of the many great songs from the talented superstar's catalog. So if you're a Madonna fan, stay tuned for some all time favorites, cool clips, and some gems from years past.





Photo Source: Coverlandia



"Frozen" was the lead single off of Madonna's groundbreaking 1998 album "Ray of Light." For the album, Madonna worked with renowned deejay/producer William Orbit (with whom it is rumoured she is working with again) to create a whole new electronic/ambient sound, and this song is a perfect example of that sound. It's mystical and melancholy, beautiful and poignant all at the same time, and it's one of my favorite Madonna tunes of all time.



The video features wickedly cool special effects, with our star as a mystical, witch-like creature who morphs into several different shapes throughout the video, including cool replications of herself. The video was shot in monochrome blue in the Mojave Desert and won the VMA for "best special effects."



So sit back, relax, and enjoy "Frozen":













I welcome any suggestions for Madonna songs that you would like to see featured, so if you like, please leave a suggestion in the comments.



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Today's "Song of the Day" is one of my favorite Madonna songs. Not that it's a rareity with me, but it's one of her songs that I immediately liked the very first time I heard it. It was recorded for the soundtrack of the second of three Austin Powers' movies, "The Spy Who Shagged Me," (I wish they'd do another one of those!) and Mike Myers is in the video as the title character.

Since it's Friday, I wanted to do a song that's fun and happy, and this one certainly fits the bill. So enjoy "Beautiful Stranger":







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Boy am I tired! This has been the longest, dreariest week I can remember in a long, long time. It has been raining for what seems like forever, and as I said the other day in my W is for Weather post, your mood can be affected by the weather around you, and so…



Breaking down

Lately it seems like everything around me is breaking down. First it was the dishwasher, then the vacuum, and now the dehumidifier. I’ve got a broken window in my basement and I’m trying to be calm about all of it, but it’s not easy. If I end up leaving my house in the near future, and end up doing it as a short sale, then whatever money I spend will just be for naught, like money down the drain. Grrrrr!!!!!

So close and yet so far

School is winding down very quickly and this time of the year is especially draining for most teachers. In the grand wisdom of the New York State Education Department, we teachers are no longer required to teach as of about late April on. Why, you may ask. Well, the operative word here is “testing.” These poor kids and us poor teachers are taking and administering all sorts of test after test after test, and that’s not even counting the final exams in the middle of June. There’s no time to teach, only do what you can to prepare for and have the kids take the tests. Again, grrrr!!!!!

A-Z and Z-A Bloggers Challenge

Well, I’m almost at the end of the A-Z Challenge…just one letter to go: “Z.” The only thing is, I’m having trouble thinking of a topic for the letter and since I’ve got to delve right back into the Z-A Challenge, I’ve got to think of two! Any suggestions?

So much to do, so little time

I think that what’s making me even more tired is that I’ve definitely bit off more than I can chew, especially with writing. I love writing for all the sites that I write for, but I can’t seem to get stuff out often enough, at least effectively. I love writing for this blog, for it gives me an outlet to write anything and everything I want, but even lately I haven’t had the time to update it like I want to. I don’t exactly know the answer, but hopefully once school is done, I can focus more and be more efficient.

I’ve stopped publishing Pop Music News Weekly on Y!CN, though I would like to keep it going here somehow. I especially would like to cover the iTunes and Billboard Charts of the week because I find them interesting. We’ll see…

In the meantime, I’ve been neglecting my house in favor of writing lately. I wish I could afford a maid, but that’s just not possible, lol. I don’t know how to fix all of these things I have to do, and between the weather and that, I guess I’m feeling a little crappy (and that’s not even mentioning my allergies!).

On the lighter side…



Word on Twitter Tuesday was that Madonna was headed to Chicago to do a spot on Oprah’s big finale. The reports were confirmed later, but that’s not what excited me. Supposedly during the show, she announced that she is indeed, finally, working on a new album. I think that this is the longest time she’s ever gone between albums and now I’m officially excited. I’m needing new Madonna!



Saturday night marks the season finale of Saturday Night Live, as well. The guest host will be Justin Timberlake and the musical guest is Lady Gaga. Justin’s been on before and he’s been hilarious every time and Gaga…well Gaga. It’s gonna be a cool show so set your DVR’s.

I think I’ve done enough babbling for one night. Here’s a special wish from Terence Trent Darby and me for Mother Nature. Ciao!





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I've been trying hard to think of a "V" topic to discuss and I came up with a few ideas, but then I was listening to Madonna and...

'Vogue' was THE song back in the day, and it was recorded at a time when Mo was at the very top of her game. Vogueing was a dance that was popular around gay clubs during the late 80's and it involved many of the movements you see in the video.

The 'Vogue" video is awesome! It was shot in black and white and the production on the piece is absolutely stellar, as is the very cool choreography. The song is infectuous and hit the top spot on Billboard's Hot 100 Charts. But this video is not all there is to say, I mean see, of 'Vogue.'

The year it was out, Madonna and her troupe performed the song live at the MTV Music Awards. They were dressed in French Provincial costumes and they put a whole new spin on the tune. The choreography was very different and just as excellent. I added a video of that one, too below, so check it out! So, "what are you looking at?'..."


"Strike a Pose"

Now, where were we? Ah yes, "don't just stand there, let's get to it, strike a pose there's nothing to it. Vogue!"


Madonna - Vogue by zocomoro





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Today's "Song of the Day" is a Madonna song, of course. After my last entry, how could I not? I was trying to think of something different from Madonna to post here, something I've never posted before, so I figured I'd do this one, a collaboration with Justin Timberlake and Timbaland off of Mo's last full studio album, 'Hard Candy.'

'4 Minutes' was the first single off of the 2008 album (Madonna is LONG overdue!!!), and is another great, up tempo song that showed the world that she can still play with the pop stars of today. You go girl! Check out '4 Minutes':


Madonna - 4 Minutes by WBRNewMedia



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The letter “M” is an easy one for me, at least this first time around:

M is for Madonna

I have been a Madonna fan since day one! When she first started getting played on the radio back in 1982-83, I was a young student at Fordham University in the Bronx and I was just beginning to develop my love for dance, R&B, and the then new rap music. The hot New York radio stations back in the day were KTU, Kiss FM, and WBLS, and I’d spend my days and nights getting to know the latest songs to hit the dance floors around the nation and I was loving it.



Then one day this song started being played in heavy rotation all over the place. The song was called ‘Everybody’ by a fresh new artist named Madonna and I couldn’t get enough of it. As soon as it was made available I headed on down to Crazy Eddie’s on Fordham Rd. to pick up the 12-inch single. To my dismay, the cover had not a trace of this curiously intoxicating singer’s face, only a scene of a New York street with lots of cityscape extras. At least I’d had the song all to myself to play over and over again…


Madonna - Everybody by foxysoul

Soon after ‘Everybody’ came another 12-incher: a two-sided one featuring the songs ‘Physical Attraction’ and on the B-side, ‘Burning Up.’ Of course with the release of these new songs, Madonna’s race to the top of the charts was only beginning to pick up steam. This cover featured an Andy Warhol-like paintings of Madonna a dozen times over, yet it was still hard to tell what she looked like. At first, many assumed she was African American, mostly from the vibe of her music, but on this one it was at least clear that she was white and blonde.



Not long after the second single was released, Madonna’s first full album, complete with an up-close facial portrait of the young singer on the cover, was unleashed on the world and the rest is history. Of course, to cover Madonna’s entire career from that first CD all the way to the present day would take pages upon pages of text, not any sort of project for a blog entry. But as I wrote recently on Y!CN, Diana Ross was my first diva, and I used the word “first” because once Madonna came along, it has been all about her ever since.



Check out a review of Madonna’s classic debut album by me on Y!CN right here.

Ever since that time, Madonna’s been with me through all my ups and downs, for almost 30 years now. I can associate periods in her career with the times in my life…

I remember the first time I heard ‘Like a Prayer,’ my all time favorite Madonna song, on the radio when I was working as a bank teller in Massapequa. A couple of radio jocks on Hot 103.5 radio station (now Hot 97), their names were Stevens and Gridnik, locked themselves away in the studio playing their own version of the song before its much anticipated premiere, thereby ruining its authentic debut. They played the song over and over again, and it was a very similar sound to the real one. The two were fired for the stunt.


Madonna - Like A Prayer (Live) by Schutzengerl1205

And then there was the ‘Who’s That Girl’ Tour, the one that followed the terrible movie of the same name and the one where she sported the worst hairdo of her career. It was during this tour that I first saw her in concert, with my ex, Joe (see “Remember Me”).

Joe and I were both big Madonna fans, and her music played backdrop to many memorable times during our twenty-plus years together. I remember like it was yesterday that time in Italy when the skies were dark and the wind was howling over the sea and Madonna’s ‘Sky Fits Heaven’ played in the background. It was something I always think of when I hear that song. (Check out “A Defining Post”)

Madonna even played a role in Joe and my afterlife…well, the afterlife of our breakup. About a year after our relationship ended, Madonna had gone on tour to promote her latest (and last!) CD, ‘Hard Candy.’ He, I and our friend Rich all took a ride to Jersey to see her at the Prudential Center. That proved to be another night I’ll never forget, although for different reasons. The awkwardness of our relationship at that point provided an uncomfortable backdrop to a memorable show.

There’s so much more I can say about Madonna, but that’ll be for another time. For now, take a last look at one of my favorite Madonna videos, ‘Bedtime Story’:


Madonna - Bedtime Story by matsou75

and remember...

M is for Madonna, my inspiration and my comfort...

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Madonnalicious, a website dedicated entirely to the Material Girl, just tweeted this little tidbit:

Madonna's True Blue album gets covered

PS I Love You, Young Galaxy, Winter Gloves and You Say Party! are some of the acts appearing on 'True Blue,' a free digital covers album of Madonna's 1986 smash album released this week through Paper Bag Records...Paper Bag Records announced Sunday via Twitter of a 'Post-Record Store Day gift for y'all....' The album celebrates the Canadian label's eighth anniversary.

Even though 'True Blue' is not one of my favorite Madonna albums, it does contain several great songs and I think it's cool that its been redone. So check out the blog post here and get your FREE downloaded copy of the 'True Blue' tribute album. You can also pick up the original (if you don't already have it!) at iTunes by clicking the link below:



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I'm posting this one from my room in Harrah's in Atlantic City, and therein lies the reason for today's choice. I'm not sure how many of you will remember this one. 'Gambler' is Madonna's other song from the movie soundtrack to "Vision Quest" (the first being the more popular 'Crazy for You'). This was Madge's first foray into motion pictures. It was made around the same time as "Desperately Seeking Susan," and was released a little earlier if memory serves me.

In the movie, Madonna plays a singer much like her real self in a nightclub. Her only part is performing the two songs on stage, but of course at the time she was just beginning to build up steam and so I probably saw the movie a half-dozen times. 'Gambler' is an up tempo track, similar to other fast-moving songs she did at the time. Maybe it'll bring back a few memories. Check out 'Gambler':



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Happy Saturday everybody! Today is the first of a ten day vacation for me. Spring Break is always the best of the yearly breaks that we get in school, if not only for the weather, and since my Christmas and winter breaks totally sucked, I’m going to make for it this time, for sure. Instead of venturing out into the city last night as I normally would do on the first night of a long vacation, I went to the Bunkhouse again for their ‘Da Bunk Fridays.’ All in all I had a great time and my visit gave me the inspiration for today's “E” post…

E is for Express Yourself

In the gay world, youth and beauty are everything. If you’re not young and beautiful, you’re nothing, especially here on Long Island, where the young ones are as pretentious as their parents. Now I’m no slouch for someone my age. I think I carry myself off pretty well. I’m in shape, I look a lot younger than my real age, and I believe I dress pretty well. I understand many of the workings of life, and I can see the parallels between generations.

As I made my way around the bar last night, I couldn’t help but take notice of how the young ones dress these days. There seems to be no one particular style that everyone adheres to…a hoodie here and there, a few Mohawks, and an occasional oddity or two. Many my age refuse to give these kids props for dressing the way they do. They think they're just plain weird. I disagree.




Other than the particular styles I mentioned, people dress in a wide variety of styles, just as it was when I was their age. I saw people wearing sunglasses in the dark, a couple of guys in nice shirts and ties, and a few young ladies looking very nice in pretty dresses. Dressing is a means to express yourself and what we choose to wear is an extension of who we are as a person. Individuality is one of the spices of life and I celebrate it, not demean it.

I particularly admire those who take care in dressing the way they feel, without worry of what others think. It’s their way of expressing themselves and I say they should. In the early 1980’s when I was first introduced to clubbing, I partook in the latest fads, too. I had two pairs of parachute pants that I wore endlessly, one in black and one in red, I wore ear cuffs, and I even had a blond tail once. I'm sure anyone reading this post can remember something 'crazy' they once sported. It's totally normal and totally cool!


Parachute pants from the 80's

So, for those folks with the nose rings and tattoos, the strangely colored t-shirts and such, I say bravo. Show the world who you are. Express yourself!




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“Traveling down this road
Watching the signs as I go
I think I'll follow the sun
Isn't everyone just
Traveling down their own road
Watching the signs as they go
I think I'll follow my heart
It's a very good place to start”

I posted these words on my Facebook page earlier tonight. They’re from Madonna’s song “Sky Fits Heaven,” which is from her 1998 “Ray of Light” album. To me, it’s one of her best albums and this is one of my favorite tunes off of it. As I listened to the words for the umpteenth time, something clicked inside of me.

For a long time I’ve been thinking about this blog and how to define it. Many of my friends who run blogs all have a niche they write in. My niche has been hard to define. For months, my tag line has been “I’m just a regular guy trying to get through life…” Well, yeah, that’s true, but how am I getting through it? What’ exactly is my journey and how and why do I share it here? The answer for me lies within these lyrics.

We all travel down our own roads. I believe that probably more so than most, and I live my life in my own way, never worrying about conforming to expectations. I am always following the sun, looking for my own happiness, whatever that may be and I’m not usually afraid to try. Of course, signs are all around us, all around me as I travel down the road of my life and more often than not it is my heart rather than my head that I follow. Whether or not things go the way that I want them to, I’ll never waver in my journey, and for that I’ll have no regrets.

So what is this blog about? It’s about me. It’s about all of the things and the people and the places that I encounter along my way, and the signs that I choose whether or not to obey. Right or wrong, I am me, and I’m living my life the best way I know how. In a way, I’m slowly painting a picture of the landscape of my life through the words and images I share here, and I hope it serves others somehow.

I’m going to continue to share myself with those of you who continue to read this blog. I’ll continue to share the songs and the music I love so much. I’ll continue to talk about the people in my life who help to shape what it is and what it will become, good or bad. And I’ll continue to impart my feelings on the world as I see it, for its troubles and its beauty. This is my long-awaited mission statement.

A friend of mine, fellow writer Jolie Du Pre, has been posting daily acknowledgements on Facebook of the people in her writing circle who she appreciates, and this was what she posted today:

April 4 - John Myers is a kind and gentle soul who always makes me smile. What more can I say? He's just cool like that.



What more can I say? I guess I must be doing something right! Thanks to Jolie for putting this out there. The feeling is totally mutual! And thank you to all who’ve been reading this blog. The daily hits have been increasing steadily and I can’t believe that I’ve gotten this far with a blog. I really appreciate it and I hope you continue to read and continue to enjoy my music, my stories, my opinions and all the rest of my reactions to the signs as I travel down my road, and thank you especially to Madonna for putting these wonderful words to song and for inspiring me always!



A little side story about the song:

There was a day back in June of 2000 when Joe and I were in Italy for the first time. We were staying at a villa on the Amalfi Coast overlooking the Tyrrhenian Sea and we had just arrived a couple of hours before. The sky was dark and overcast, very menacing, and I was filming the view from our terrace. In the video, you can hear the equally haunting music of the song in the background of the video.

I always think of that mystical day every time I hear the song. It fit extremely well with the scene and I only wish that I could share it here, but it was 2000 and so it was on videotape. Maybe one day I’ll figure out a way to do it!

Here are the lyrics to "Sky Fits Heaven":

Sky fits heaven so fly it
That's what the prophet said to me
Child fits mother so hold your baby tight
That's what my future could see

Fate fits karma so use it
That's what the wise man said to me
Love fits virtue so hold on to the light
That's what our future will be

[Chorus:]

Traveling down this road
Watching the signs as I go
I think I'll follow the sun
Isn't everyone just
Traveling down their own road
Watching the signs as they go
I think I'll follow my heart
It's a very good place to start

Traveling down my own road
Watching the signs as I go
Traveling down my own road
And I'm watching the signs as they go

Traveling, traveling
Watching the signs as I go

Hand fits giving so do it
That's what the Gospel said to me
Life fits living so let your judgments go
That's how our future should be

[chorus]

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Happy Monday evening all! I say happy because as you already know, I think that once Monday’s over at least the week is one more day towards the weekend and that always brings just a little bit o happiness to my attitude. Today was a good Monday…it went by fast, thank goodness and now the rest of the week’ll be a piece of cake. Riiiiggghhhhtttt!!!!??? LOL! Anyhoo, on with the day’s topic…

GaGa and Madonna



As I told you in this morning’s post, I finally wrote my piece yesterday on Lady GaGa and Madonna and I’m still waiting for word back on it. I really worked hard on the piece and I have a good feeling about it, so we shall see!

In the meantime, I posed the question to Facebook and Twitter friends yesterday about whether or not Lady GaGa had the potential to be the next Madonna and I got answers from both sides of the fence. Here’s a sampling:

On the no side:

Kayla: Absolutely not! Madonna came and shocked the music scene with controversy but she pulled it off by appearing to not give a damn. It didnt seem intentional, it was a this is who i am and i just dont care thing. For gaga the shock value doesnt apply. Not only are we all pretty jaded, but theres no conviction behind gaga. Shes simply doing it for the attention and that kindof thing just doesnt last. I like her music at times but she will never be a madonna.

Karen: Personally I think she's a freak. To put her name in the same sentence as Madonna is almost sacrilegious. I don't think she'll ever have the charisma, longevity or reach she had and still has. In 20 years people will ask, "Who?" upon hearing her name if they hear it at all. I just realized I never typed her name either. Lol

Rose: I agree with the others. Madonna was being Madonna. Gaga is doing what she does strictly for the attention. Madonna was not acting or seeking attention. She was simply being who she is. Gaga is trying to be Madonna. I believe that within the next 5 years, Gaga will simply be gone from the spotlight with another Madonna wannabe in her place. Madonna will live on forever, but Gaga will fall out of stardom.

Reet: No. I think L G is a trendy fad that will fade out like bell bottoms did in the 70's. She's a Madonna- wanna- be.

On the positive side:

Chrissy: i think she has the capability of being the next madonna. she is an intelligent, and witty business woman. i think if she has the longevity to be around in say 20 years, she will graciously name madonna as one of the musicians that paved the way for her. i think right now in 2011, we cant compare the two. madonna is a legend. (in my book:-]) i hope gaga will have her staying power.

Sherri: Lady Gaga has something Madonna never had, a legitimate singing voice. Yes, I think she will continue to reinvent herself (ala Madonna) and stay relevant for years to come. She may be a strane bird, but she is super talented and here to stay!

And then there’s the politically correct:

Jordan: a quick thought... in this fast day and age of music with new one hit wonders daily and the lack of dollars flowing to the artists... I highly doubt that anyone can financially become iconic to continue to put out hits after hits... The music industry is evolving and until it gets a foothold on making money she is highly unlikely to make it...But in this great county anything is possible

First of all, I want to say that I appreciate all of your comments. They’re across the board just like I would’ve expected. In the piece, I played it objectively and concluded pretty much the same thing that Jordan says.

It’s funny, but there are two people in my life, my mom and my good friend Rich, who both actually guessed my topic before I could even tell them. There’s probably a couple more out there who would’ve done the same. I guess the people in my life know me pretty well, huh? LOL.

Seriously, my mom reminded me of the time way back in 1983 when I raved about this new singer who was the absolute bomb. The whole family took a day trip to Action Park in my dad’s van and I played the CD over and over again. Ever since those days, I can associate so many memories from my life with Madonna. I remember all of the controversies of her time:

-Rolling around on the floor in a wedding dress at the MTV Music Awards
-The “Like a Prayer” / Pepsi commercial ruckus
-The “Sex” book
-Flashing her boobies on “Truth or Dare”
-Faux masturbation to “Like a Virgin” on the “Blond Ambition” tour
-The steamy “Justify My Love” video

The list goes on and on. Some of the things my friends have said here about GaGa people were saying about Madonna back in the day. Madonna persevered, though, and she did it through her bread and butter: her music. GaGa’s music is the bottom line with her, too, and with that she’s on the right track, for sure.

I am a music aficionado of the biggest kind, and I try my best to keep up with the ever-changing music landscape. Lady GaGa is awesome! I’ve got her double set “Fame/Fame Monster” and I absolutely love the music! Her hits “Bad Romance”, “Poker Face” and “Just Dance”, to name a few are genuinely good, and so are some of the songs that weren’t hits. “Boys, Boys, Boys” and “Summer Boys” absolutely rock and “Teeth” is simply da’ bomb!

I do believe that of anyone out there who’s come after Mo, she’s the one with the most potential to go far, much further than Britney or Christina or any of those other Madonna wannabes. No, in all honesty I don’t think she’ll ever quite match the sphere of influence that Madonna’s had in her time, but she’ll definitely be around for a long, long time to come.


Hmm, can you spot any similarities here?

A final birthday wish for GaGa

As I also mentioned this morning, today is Lady GaGa’s 25th birthday, and so I’d like to present another video from her catalog. This is one of my favorites, and ironically it was also compared to Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” at the time it came out. Eh, who cares, right? Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and it’s not so bad to be a fan of both singers.. Enjoy “Alejandro” and for one last time, Happy Birthday GaGa!

PS – Check out a piece I did last year on GaGa. It was just after I’d downloaded her album and it’s a pretty good review of the songs if I say so myself! Here’s the link:

Goo Goo Over GaGa

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Rank 1. Oprah Winfrey

Power Rank : 1

Pay : $315.0 million

Category : Personalities

Pay Rank : 1

Web Rank : 5

Press Rank : 5

TV/Radio Rank : 1

Social Rank : 11

News that this coming season of The Oprah Winfrey Show will be her last helped the self-made billionaire garner more media attention than any other member of the Celebrity 100. Her Harpo production company, which spawned the careers of Dr. Phil, Rachel Ray and Dr. Oz, will introduce interior designer Nate Berkus this fall. Months later, the list's top-earner will add the lifestyle-themed Oprah Winfrey Network in partnership with Discovery Communications to her media empire.

Rank 2. Beyonce Knowles

Power Rank : 2

Pay : $87.0 mil

Category : Musicians

Pay Rank : 11

Web Rank : 2

Press Rank : 13

TV/Radio Rank : 9

Social Rank : 15

One half of the most famous couple in hip-hop, Beyoncé continues to expand her business empire beyond music. Endorsement deals with companies ranging from Nintendo to L'Oreal and her growing House of Dereon fashion line bring in millions of dollars per year on top of the $86 million she grossed from a 93-stop world tour.

Rank 3. James Cameron

Power Rank : 3

Pay :$210.0 mil

Category : Directors,

Producers

Pay Rank : 2

Web Rank : 20

Press Rank : 9

TV/Radio Rank : 21

Social Rank : 81

As the director of the highest grossing film of all time, Cameron is definitely "king of the world." Avatar has earned $2.7 billion at the box office alone and has changed the way Hollywood makes films. In the near future almost every studio blockbuster will be released in 3-D. Cameron is already at work on Avatar 2.

Rank 4. Lady Gaga

Power Rank : 4

Pay : $62.0 million

Category : Musicians

Pay Rank : 22

Web Rank : 1

Press Rank : 4

TV/Radio Rank : 13

Social Rank : 1

A newcomer to the Celebrity 100, Lady Gaga broke down the door to fame with outlandish outfits and quirky videos, including one that featured her and Beyonce poisoning an unappreciative boyfriend. Bringing in an estimated $31 million with a 106-date tour that grossed $95 million, Lady Gaga is also a marketer's dream, teaming up with Polaroid, Virgin Mobile, Monster Cable and Viva Glam.

Rank 5. Tiger Woods

Power Rank : 5

Pay : $105.0 mil

Category : Athletes

Pay Rank : 7

Web Rank : 35

Press Rank : 6

TV/Radio Rank : 7

Social Rank : 34

Tiger Woods' fall from global sports icon to tabloid fodder was stunning. He saw Accenture, AT&T and Pepsi drop him as a pitchman, but he remains the highest-paid athlete in the world thanks to huge deals with Nike, Electronic Arts and Upper Deck. Nike built a $650 million (sales) golf business from scratch on Woods' back. His fledgling golf course design business has been hurt by the economic downturn, as all three courses he's worked on have experienced major delays.

Rank 6. Britney Spears

Power Rank : 6

Pay : $64.0 mil

Category : Musicians

Pay Rank : 20

Web Rank : 3

Press Rank : 24

TV/Radio Rank : 15

Social Rank : 2

Not long ago, most of the entertainment world had written Britney Spears off as a celebrity flameout. But over the last year Spears logged the fifth highest-grossing tour in the world, bringing in $130 million in gross box office receipts by playing 98 dates. High-profile endorsement deals with Elizabeth Arden and Candies' prove that the public expects Spears to stay in the spotlight for good.

Rank 7 : U2

Power Rank 7

Pay $130.0 mil

Category Musicians

Pay Rank 3

Web Rank 11

Press Rank 18

TV/Radio Rank 54

Social Rank 28

The world's biggest rock band, U2 launched a massive world tour in 2009 that has brought in more than $311 million in gross box office receipts. Each tour stop brings in $10 million in gross ticket sales. Add in lucrative merchandise sales, heavy radio play and a steady-selling back catalog, and you have the highest-earning band on the planet.

Rank 8 : Sandra Bullock

Power Rank 8

Pay $56.0 mil

Category Actresses

Pay Rank 25

Web Rank 17

Press Rank 21

TV/Radio Rank 6

Social Rank 62

With two hit movies (The Proposal and The Blind Side) and an Oscar win, Bullock should have been sitting on top of the world. She is financially. With $56 million she's the highest-earning actress. But a messy breakup with cheating husband Jesse James turned her into tabloid fodder. Bullock overcame adversity with news of an adoption and a public return at the MTV Movie Awards.

Rank 9 : Johnny Depp

Power Rank 9

Pay $75.0 mil

Category Actors

Pay Rank 14

Web Rank 16

Press Rank 22

TV/Radio Rank 34

Social Rank 21

Depp zooms close to the top of our list this year thanks to his work as the Mad Hatter in Tim Burton's 3-D update of Alice in Wonderland. The Disney film has grossed $1 billion at the worldwide box office, making Depp the only actor to headline two $1 billion films. Depp also landed a big upfront payday for The Tourist. Costarring Angelina Jolie, the film is a rare case these days of two big stars getting big bucks.

Rank 10 : Madonna

Power Rank 10

Pay $58.0 mil

Category Musicians

Pay Rank 24

Web Rank 4

Press Rank 3

TV/Radio Rank 16

Social Rank 33

The Material Girl isn't quite ready to cede her spot in pop music's hierarchy to Lady Gaga or Britney Spears just yet. The 52-year-old singer had the fourth highest-grossing tour of 2009, bringing in $6 million a night and $138 million overall. An episode of the Fox hit sitcom Glee, which featured cast members singing several of her songs, added to her already high profile and cushioned her significant earnings from publishing royalties.

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