God of Pop Culture

Billboard Magazine 1985

In today's day and age where pop culture reigns supreme and there is no need to know anything, Madonna - God of Pop Culture looms over all. We see her influences everywhere. We see wannabe's in abundance. We see people not only byting her style but even her myth and template for stardom. It's fascinating to know that in January of 1984 that she said she wanted to rule the world. Within pop culture, She is.

On Set of Material Girl

Gorgeous.

And Now They're After Me

'Cause everybody's...

Nile Rodgers "Material Girl" Guitar

From Nile Rodger's Facebook: Soft Core Guitar Porn: Not much to look at but it played Madonna's "Material Girl"

On the Set of Material Girl

Rehearsals.

It's nice though, you want it?

Material Girl 45

The Material Girl 45 and single artwork.

Madonna was beyond huge with Like a Virgin and the definite maturity from the first album is obvious but with Material Girl, the second single from Virgin, she entered new territory. It's so hard to separate the song from the video as they were the perfect marriage, but as I try to think back to when I first got the album in November of 1984, there was something about this song that was entirely different. There was an extreme cinematic tone about Material Girl long before the video came around and, interestingly, this is the song that opened the album. It was also a new voice for Madonna. She played a character. Her vocal performance would fit perfectly on I'm Breathless which would come 6 years later.

Nile Rodgers production is tight but I don't doubt that Madonna played a huge role in the Material Girl production. We have the members of Chic playing on this song but even with its strong drums and bass, its disciplined not loose. We can hear elements of the Borderline girl but also some Emmy, in her delivery. Let's not forget her next venture, Into the Groove, was produced by her and Stephen Bray. When she spoke about the first album Madonna, produced by Reggie Lucas, she said she knew more about production than she had thought. Possibly with the second album she still wasn't as confident as a producer and had more to learn but I can hear her touches here. The Like a Virgin album is different to anything Nile had done prior or after.

Although Material Girl has been completely played out, it's a superior and fascinating song, history aside. The little poodle barks she does are wonderful punctuation marks on the songs character.

25 years ago today - Madonna and Mary Lambert's 'Material Girl' Video

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The perfect marriage of song and video was presented to the world with the premiere of Madonna and Mary Lambert's Material Girl, 25 years ago today. Nothing in the video world has ever come close - although all have tried. It's difficult to imagine one without the other.

This was Madonna's first foray into the back catalog of Hollywood, creating the 'New Movie Star'. A star that came into our living rooms and for four and half minutes, gave us glamour, beauty, attitude, pathos, story, drama, sex, comedy - and myth. All delivered with the perfect soundtrack sung by the actress herself. For Generation X, Madonna is the greatest actress that has ever lived.

She had already given superb performances in two previous Mary Lambert 'films', Borderline and Like a Virgin. Madonna was a silent film star to a new generation that was on par with Theda Bara, Clara Bow, Gloria Swanson and Pola Negri.

It is here with Material Girl, that Madonna truly solidified her status as The New Movie Star. In fact, she is a composite of all the great stars.

Without further ado, Material Girl.

Happy 60th Birthday, Keith Carradine!!!

Forbes - #3 Madonna - The 2009 Celebrity 100

Power Rank 3
Pay $110 mil
The queen of pop's Hard Candy album tour became the top-grossing international tour of 2008, bringing in $280 million on 58 concerts in 17 countries. Keeping the 50-year old star's name in the papers: a reported love affair with allegedly juiced baseball slugger Alex Rodriquez, the end of her eight-year marriage to director Guy Ritchie, and trouble with her latest attempt to adopt a second African baby.

http://www.forbes.com/lists/2009/53/celebrity-09_Madonna_KMJ4.html

Madonna - Material Girl Dress up for grabs

The dress that Madonna wore in the 1985 "Material Girl" video is just one of the items being auctioned off during The Fame Bureau's Rock and Roll sale on April 28. The original costume including the long satin gloves has an estimate of £60,000-80,000. And how's this for a piece of Madonna history, you can also bid on her gold American Express card (cut in half of course) that she used during the late 1980s.

The auction also includes Beatles memorabilia, signed guitars and a never-heard before recording from Jimi Hendrix including tracks for his Electric Ladyland and the Dylan track 'Tears of Rage' The tapes are expected to sell for £100,000 - £150,000.

http://www.luxist.com/2009/04/22/madonnas-material-girl-past-up-for-sale/