Unbelievable - 30 Years Ago - Stay '81

The other day as I was blogging the Peter Cunningham photographs of Madonna, I put 1982 in the tags. 1982 - as I've done a gazillion times before - ! - But it's 2011! Wow, in one year Madonna has professionally been with music for 30 years! Those pics are older than most of her fans! It's unbelievable. She's unbelievable.

For Madonna, she's been at it since 1980. And this gem was on the demo tape that got her signed to Sire Records in 1982. Its the early version of Stay (the Virgin version produced by Nile Rodgers is a mixture of this and Don't You Know?) and it was recorded in 1981.

It was mentioned in both Rolling Stone (Madonna Goes All the Way - November 1984) and in Michael McKenzie's Lucky Star book.

Ever since I knew there were early versions, I was dying to hear them. I didn't get to hear them until 1996 when Stephen Bray released them, but it was well worth the wait and one of my all-time favorite Madonna recordings.

Extra - Pre-Madonna CD

In 1996, Stephen Bray released a CD that contained the demos (plus others) that got Madonna signed to Sire Records. Ever since her star was born, fans heard about the 4-track demo that contained early versions of Stay, Burning Up, Ain't No Big Deal and Everybody. It was the greatest little gift fans ever got.

Emmy and the Emmys - Bells Ringing

Bells Ringing is a song that was featured on Madonna's studio demo tape with her band, Emmy and the Emmys from 1980. Bells Ringing is seriously in my top 5 all-time favorite Madonna songs. I love her voice, the lyrics, the song, everything.

Emmy and the Emmys was Madonna on lead vocal and guitar, Stephen Bray on drums, Gary Burke on bass and Mike Monahan on guitar.

Without ado, here's Bells Ringing. Enjoy!

True Blue 45

The True Blue 45 and single artwork.

Ah, the True Blue 45. Mesmerizing. Blue vinyl (!!!) with a b-side of Ain't No Big Deal - originally set as her first single, the song that really got her signed to Sire Records. First properly produced by Mark Kamins then produced by Reggie Lucas for the Madonna album but discarded last minute and then replaced with Holiday. It had been previously released a few years earlier on a rare Warner B-Sides Album called Revenge of the Killer B's prior to the release of Like of Virgin. If you're interested, I posted about it HERE.

Anyway, Ain't No Big Deal got its proper release here on the 45 and the masses got to hear the very Motown sounding song, a perfect companion piece to True Blue - which hearkened the Sixties girl groups. True Blue was the third single off Madonna's True Blue album and written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. This glorious piece of retro sounding pop candy reached number 3 on the US Billboard charts and the top ten around the globe.

Jellybean - Wotupski Record - 1984! This is the Real Deal for the Real Fans, not this new breed of nit-pick'n fuck twats.

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Fantastique on every level. I've had this album since the day it was released in 1984. SIDEWALK TALK BABY!!!

On the inner sleeve of The Record, I've highlighted all the people that worked with Madonna and was in her circle back then. Nile Rodgers playing guitar here on "Was Dog a Doughnut" - he and Madonna were still working on Virgin at the time, Shep Pettibone is thanked as is Paul Oakenfold. Fred Zarr and Michael Hutchinson are from the first album.

Martin Burgoyne designed this record art. Stephen Bray is all up and through - and for those of you FREAK'N out over the liner notes being fuck'd up on Celebration - his name is misspelled on the same page! To this new breed of chronic complainers - get a fuck'n grip - you were poop'n in your diapers - when THE REAL DEAL was happening. If you can't take it then or now, go to your P. Abdul as you did then or to your Joanne today. But not here dear, is that clear dear?

Ok, back to the REAL DEAL. Danceteria, Mark Kamins, Erica Bell, Bags, Seymour Stein, Mark Bego (Madonna Bio) - everyone from the early days is here.

Madonna signed her Virgin album to Jellybean with Goo Goo Ga Ga and Jellybean did it here with Goo Goo Gaa Gaa to her.

IT'S A CELEBRATION!!! always. Enjoy. xo

Madonna talks about "The Process & Creation of The Virgin Tour". December 1985

the music building

recording "like a virgin" - sound on sound magazine - classic tracks "like a virgin" - nile rodgers

http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/sep07/articles/classictracks_0907.htm