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".

Great dancetunes for this summer

I have been doing a little pop-digging, and found some great dancetunes to play this summer.

1. Lady Gaga Vs Ace Of Base & Kalomira - Return Of Alejandro (Robin Skouteris Mix)
This is one of the more succesfull mash-ups I have heard in a while. It contains a mash-up between Lady Gaga, Ace of Base and Kalomira.



2. Madonna: Dance 2Night [Bray's back 85 remix]
This is rather a fun remix project. Experimenting with Madonna's album "Hard Candy", the remix project tried to get a tune back resembling an 80's sound. I think this song in particular did a good job, meshing the two decades.



3. M.I.A: Xxxo
M.I.A. is releasing her new album in July and I can't wait. This is an album to anticipate and look forward to this summer. She is one of the more interesting artists out there, and I love how it always take time and many listens to really get into her music. Her first single from the upcoming album is "Xxxo". It took me a couple of listens to get hooked. By then, I was hooked.



4. Robyn: Fembot
Swedish Robyn is also releasing a new album, "Body talk pt. 1" a little week from now. Fembots have feelings too....



5. Rox: I don't believe
In an entirely different genre than the previously more electronic bits, Rox is bringing retro on the dancefloor, from her upcoming album: Memoirs.

Eurovision song contest

Tonight is Eurovision song contest, and even though I know it is completely faux pas to say this if you are a musiclover, I love to watch it. Throughout the years it is increasingly reflecting political, cultural and georgraphical situations in Europe. i love the cultural and musical diversity, reflecting how many cultures Europe consists of, and I love that every year I can get to watch a show and yell laugh and diss the performances, and mostly complain about the Russian mob countries coming to take over the show. It is a full blown two-three hour laugh of wacked out crazy bad performances, with bad costumes or the lack hereoff (semi nude women) bad choreography.
Here are some of the worst this year:

This song is from Armenia, and I am wondering whether it has a hidden message. I am sure it is not an apricot stone in her hand that needs watering??? I am surprised that Armenia would let a song like this with a blatant message like Madonna's "secret" pass the country lines:



This song is from Georgia, and I got so distracted by the horrific strangeling choreography that completely took over the song. And has nothing to do with the song.



This song is from Slovenia. Is this a joke?



I suspect this song, from Germany will win tonight:



Even though it could be cool if Denmark won:

Miike Snow

This weekend a friend of mine drew my attention to Swedish band Miike Snow. Already getting airplay with their soon-to-be smashhit "Animal", Miike Snow has the similar sound of a soft Hot Chip. For me it was love at first listen, especially the song: "Song of no one". Listen to it here

Miike Snow consist of Andrew Wyatt and the guys behind producing team Bloodshy & Avant who has produced smashhits like Britney Spears' "Piece of me" and "Toxic" and songs from Madonnas "Confessions on a dancefloor".

Jump on the "Animal" train with the video below:



Get free downloads of Miike Snow remixes and Miike Snow mash-ups with Vampire Weekend and Passion Pit from their recordlabel here