The Bomb!! The extensive guide to 25 of Madonna's hidden gems

So you are familiar with Madonna and so what. You have danced to "Hung Up" and "Music" and you sing a long to the oldies Like a Virgin and Like a Prayer. Being a huge Madonna fan myself, I have followed her music career and loved her music since I was ten... and then I even came in late in the game. Her music career contains a magnitude of treasures that never really made it out to the public, and I have found my favorites to guide you through. So here are the remixes, the live versions, the singles that stayed on the albums and some that never even made it to the studioalbums. Enjoy.

1. I love New York (Rock Demo).
When "I love New York" was first introduced, it wasnt as the disco version, most people would associate it with, as found on the Confessions album. It played in the documentary "I'm going to tell you a secret" and was included on the album. I love this version because it is so rocky and rough instead of the more clean disco version.
I love New York (Rock demo) can be found on "I'm going to tell you a secret".

2. Drowned World/Substitute for love.
This single never really made it to the wide masses and I wonder why. It made a huge impact on me when I first heard it. The opening song for the studio album "Ray of light", it made a clear distinction in tune and lyrics that Madonna previously never before had made.
Drowned World/Substitute for Love can be found on "Ray of Light".

3. Push.
This is just a smashing single, and I wonder why it was never released.
Push can be found on "Confessions of a dancefloor".

4. Sanctuary.
It took me many listenings before I fell in love with this song. But when I did, I fell hard. It is so weird, mysterious, and have a great beat.
Sanctuary can be found on "Bedtime Stories".

5. Easy Ride.
This is a wonderful ballad that is completely overlooked, and has driven me to tears several times because it is so relatable (at least to me...).
Easy Ride can be found on "American Life".

6. I want you.
I think this is a cool song, mostly because I was a teenager in the trip hop age, and I think the collaboration with Massive Attack on this tune is soooo goood!!.
I want you can be found on "Something to Remember".

7. Angel.
Now this tune is pure naive and eighties. And I have loved it since I was eleven. So it had to be on this list. So shush.
Angel can be found on "Like a Virgin".

8. Spotlight.
This is Madonna's version of Katy Perry's Firework. (Or rather more than likely the other way around.) It is a great eighties dance tune that never made it outside the remix album.
Spotlight can be found on "You can Dance".

9. and 10. Sorry remix and Sorry (Pet shop boys remix).
The first is a dub prelude and the second is a collaboration with Pet Shop Boys. Both were played on the Confessions Tour, and I love the way a song, that was popular enough on its own was reinvented.
Both songs can be found on "The Confessions Tour".

11. Heartbeat
I love this song, and when I heard it on the album "Hard Candy" I was certain this would be a smashing single. Yet it was never released.
Heartbeat can be found on "Hard Candy".

12. Erotica from Confessions Tour.
Now before you chew my head off because of the bad rep and bad associations that comes with Madonna and "Erotica" (if you are old enough to remember) let me just say that this version took me by surprise. Talk about a reinvention of a very questionable and for many, not very good song. This is disco-rized and dubbed and very very nice. She even added better lyrics to the song.
This version of Erotica can be found on "The Confessions Tour".

13. Forbidden Love.
I love this song, which is a tribute to her song "Forbidden Love" from Bedtimes Stories. (See below).
Forbidden Love can be found on "Confessions on a dancefloor".

14. Physical Attraction.
This is truly a golden oldie. One of the oldiest oldies in fact. It never made it as a single, however in my head it is a widely known song (or maybe its just in my head.) Nevertheless I would like to include it on the list, because it is pure eighties and very cool.
Physcial Attraction can be found on "Madonna".

15. She's not me.
I love this tune, and mostly because of the lyrics, but also because it has a sassy beat.
She's not me can be found on "Hard Candy".

16. Gambler.
Again and again I ask myself, why was this song never a hit in the eighties? It is the bomb! It was never released on any of her albums.
Gambler can be found on the soundtrack for the movie "Vision Quest".

17. Burning Up, 12'' Mix.
This is another oldie, however I like this slightly different version than the one that can be found on the studio album, because its less rocky and more disco, which I think suits the song more.
You have to dig around to find this version of Burning Up. Try a single with Physical Attraction on the b-side.

18. Nobody Knows Me.
This song is another peculiar product. But I love the weirdness of it.
Nobody Knows Me can be found on "American Life".

19. Music Inferno.
So everybody knows Music, and everybody has danced to it. But this tune takes it and mixes it with a sound of old disco tunes and her own old tunes. Very lovely.
Music Inferno can be found on "The Confessions Tour".

20. The Look of Love.
When I was eleven and I was sitting in the back seat of my parents car and we were driving late at night, I would always play this song in my walkman. It was mysterious like "the dark night" to me. Loved it ever since.
The Look of Love can be found on the soundtrack to "Who's that Girl".

21. Inside of Me.
One of the best songs on her much overlooked studio album Bedtime Stories. It has a trip hop beat that I like.
Inside of Me can be found on "Bedtime Stories".

22. Susan MacLeod/ Into the Groove
This is an example of how you can take one of the best dance songs ever (Into the Groove) and mix it with one the worst instruments ever (backpipes) and make it cool.
Susan MacLeod/ Into the Groove can be found on "I'm going to tell you a secret".

23. Candy Perfume Girl.
Love this tune, the lyrics are great and it never made it as a single.
Candy Perfume Girl can be found on "Ray of Light".

24. Lucky Star Confessions Tour.
Ok so I know I have referred to the Confessions Tour Album a lot, but it is indeed brilliant because it is reinventing many of her classics. Lucky Star being one of them, which fits in perfectly with the disco tunes.
Lucky Star can be found on "The Confessions Tour".

25. Forbidden Love.
This is the original that I referred to above. The song made a big impact on me, especially when during the song she whispers loudly "rejection".
Forbidden Love can be found on "Bedtime Stories".