Product Description

Not to take away from the two fine party albums that preceded it, but TRUE BLUE is arguably the first great Madonna album, the one on which she discovered that great soul music isn't just a beat; it usually requires delving into one's own soul. As originally released on LP, the album's first side, featuring a dizzying single about teen pregnancy ("Papa Don't Preach"), a perfect Tin Pan Alley pop song ("Open Your Heart") and the amazing "Live To Tell", a ballad on which she discovers, for the first time, the low end of her vocal range, is almost undoubtedly the finest album side she ever cut.
TRUE BLUE also includes "Where's The Party", a catchy throwback to the forget-your-cares dance pop of her debut album, and "La Isla Bonita", which represented the beginning of Madonna's fruitful obsession with Latin beats and culture. Five songs from the album, including the girl-groupy title cut, made the top five of the pop chart; three of them hit #1.

Track Listing

1. Papa Don't Preach
2. Open Your Heart
3. White Heat
4. Live To Tell
5. Where's The Party
6. True Blue
7. La Isla Bonita
8. Jimmy Jimmy
9. Love Makes The World Go Round
10. True Blue
11. La Isla Bonita

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #9829 in Music
• Released on: 2001-05-21
• Number of discs: 1
• Format: Original recording remastered

Amazon.co.uk Review
A quintessential 1980s pop artifact, Madonna's third album was a huge musical leap forward and ranks with Like a Prayer and Ray of Light in the top echelon of her works. Only the title track (a bit too obviously a 60s girl-group homage) and the fine-but-nothing-special "Jimmy Jimmy" slightly lower the quality bar. Most of the songs share a jittery dance-pop sound, edgy, distracted, and nerve- jangling but simultaneously invigorating and exhilarating and almost dangerously giddy--a perfect soundtrack for the mid-1980s. Highlights include the hedonist's credo of "Where's the Party", the subtle and pretty Latin pastiche "La Isla Bonita", and, towering above all, three stunning mega-hits. "Papa Don't Preach", with its gorgeous pseudo-classical strings intro, is a sumptuous airwaves banquet, as Madonna wrestles with the have-the-baby-or-give-it-up dilemma (abortion's not in the picture) in newly gritty tones. "Open Your Heart"'s marriage of jitter-pop and wistful melody underscores the singer's yearning but forceful stance ("You better open your heart to me, buster"). And "Live to Tell" is a riveting ballad, lushly melodic yet spare and haunting--a place, as the song says, where beauty lives. --Ken Barnes

Customer Reviews

The first album that made me buy a movie!
I love Madonna's music.

Even though she changes direction so often with both her sound and image,I ALWAYS buy her album without even reading reviews or listening to previews because I can almost GURANTEE I will love it(and you shouldn't listen to reviews all the time because the critics seemed to hate American life,but I personally think it is some of Madonna's best and most personal work).

And despite owning ALL of Madonna's albums...

I am NOT a crazy Madonna fan,who just blindly worships her like some idol.

I don't think she has anything close to one of the 'best' or 'strongest' voices in the music industry but I do think she has an incredibly versatile voice that seems to suit whatever she sings well.

True Blue is ONE of my favourite albums of her's(others are Madonna,American Life,The Immaculate Collection & Hard Candy).

Her is my opinion on each song individually...

1.Papa Don't Preach-This song is considered a Madonna classic,but it annoys me a little(I don't know why,maybe because of the Kelly Osborne association),sometimes I like it,sometimes I HATE it.
I'm going to give it 7/10

2.Open Your Heart-I absolutely LOVE this song.It excites me every time I hear it and reminds me of a certain someone!And it ALWAYS makes me want to dance and jump around!
10/10

3.White Heat-Since I only recently bought this album,I also only recently heard this song...and I am shocked it was not released as a single!
It has to be one of the most catchy Madonna songs ever!
I even bought the movie White Heat because of this song,because I was so intrigued as to was it was about!
10/10

4.Live To Tell-I believe Madonna has said this is her favourite out of all her songs.
I disagree!
While it is a powerful and moving song,to me it is also slightly boring and I must prefer her song Take a Bow(not on this album,but I think it is more moving).
7/10

5.Where's the Party-A fan favourite.
But I don't particularly like or dislike this song.
I didn't think it was very catchy or exciting.
6/10

6.True Blue-This is a very sweet song and great to listen to when you're in love or feeling incredibly happy.
Some might think it's a bit too girly or sickly sweet but personally,I love it!
10/10

7.La Isla Bonita-This is my Mother's favourite song,however I'm not incredibly enthusiastic about it,maybe it's because I've heard it SO many times.
I don't dislike it,but saying that,I don't love it either!
8/10

8.Jimmy Jimmy-Quite a fun track,not particularly memorable.
6.5/10

9.Love Makes the World Go Round-I don't mind this,but again it's not that memorable.
7/10

10.True Blue-This is a remix I'm not a fan of them,so I'll leave you to judge for yourself.

11.La Isla Bonita-See above!

Holds Up A Standard...
...That Madonna keeps up for the rest of her career!

1. Papa Don't Preach. 10/10
2. Open Your Heart. 10/10
3. White Heat. 9/10
4. Live To Tell. 10/10
5. Where's the Party. 8/10
6. True Blue. 9/10
7. La Isla Bonita. 10/10
8. Jimmy Jimmy. 8/10
9. Love Makes the World Go Round. 7/10

OVERALL GRADE: 10/10
With "True Blue", Madonna sets a standard higher than no one else had and has done!!!

HER BEST TO DATE !!! THE TRUTH I TELLS YAH :P
I HAVE NEVER LISTENED TO AN ALBUM AS ACCOMPLISHED AS THIS ONE IT IS A GREAT ALBUM FILLED WITH POWERFUL TRACKS AND ARTHOUSE BALLADS ALL OF WHICH YOU CAN MAKE UP A LITTLE JIVE TO/THE REMIXES ARE GREAT TOO.
ALL OF THE SONGS ARE GREAT HERE I JUST CANT PICK HER BEST TRACK FROM THE ALBUM, BUT I DO LOVE-TRUE BLUE, OPEN YOUR HEART, PAPA DONT PREACH, LIVE TO TELL, AND WHITE HEAT.
A GREAT ALBUM AND MY FAVORITE AND JUST AHEAD OF LIKE A PRAYER, THIS IS THE ALBUM THAT MADE HER AN ICON, A GREAT BUY :).
review-
Papa don't Preach-10+/10-fantastic track-bye bye bubblegum pop(one of my faves).
Open your heart-10*+/10-another one of Maddies greatest songs.
White Heat-10/10-very retro(think Dick Tracey/i'm Breathless only better)
Live To Tell-10/10-fantastic ballad.
Where's the party-9/10-a hint of bubblegum pop but not as extreme.
True Blue-10/10-fantastic song and very enjoyable.
La Isla Bonita-10/10-great beat/great song.
Jimmy Jimmy-10/10-a great tribute to James Dean/awesome beat.
Love Makes the world go around-9/10-strangely addictive.
fabulous