1. Everybody* (1982) Madonna's first music video. Not particularly exciting. There're no bendy Madonna moments I've come to know and love from the recent years. The song's not that great either to be fair. A bit lacklustre somehow. Annie's song, Greatest Hit, that samples Everybody is a much better piece of pop. Not released in UK 2. Burning Up (1983) As Andrew says, 'It's already 10 times more exciting than the last one!' A more energetic song gets a more energetic video. A very 80's Madonna dances about in a dark room, before moving to an empty road and prostrating herself (clothed thankfully, this is no Sex book). There are a lot of 'cutting-edge' video effects... Not released in UK
3. Lucky Star (1984) A punk-looking Madonna has a good dance in a bright white room to one of her first hit singles (apparently the video for Holiday, 1984, #2 was so bad it was never released!), and then along come a couple of backing dancers, very infrequently - they might as well not have turned up. #14
4. Borderline (1984) Looks like the budget stretches to a few more extras here. And dancers who last longer than 10 secs of screen time. There's a plot to this one I think, as far as I can gather a photographer spots Madonna on the streets and then takes her back to his studio to take a few arty (i.e. black and white) shots of her. Her new-found fame, on the cover of Gloss, which I assume is about paint, brings her attention from a street kid. This is Madonna in full-on rebellious youth mode. #2
5. Like a Virgin (1984) Madonna is being stalked by a lion in Venice. As you do. I don't remember either of these mentioned in the song! Maybe it's the very first time the lion has touched Venice? It's difficult to watch/listen to this after Moulin Rouge! When she's not being suggestive in a wedding dress on a bed she's gyrating in a gondola. #3
6. Material Girl (1985) Not just a plot, there's a scene with dialogue at the beginning of this one! Then on to Madonna in Marilyn Monroe-mode in an excellent MGM-style musical dance number. I really like this one, and it's a great song. #3
7. Crazy For You (1985) Taken from the Vision Quest soundtrack, this one has clips of the movie throughout, as these sort of things usually do. As usual, they don't add much to the song, just act as promotional material. According to the cast list, Madonna appears in the movie as a club singer, so I'm not sure if her bits of the video are taken straight from Vision Quest or not. Not an exciting one this. But the song's good. #2
8. Angel* (1985) I'm not sure what happened with this one, the video just seems to be clips of her previous videos to one of Madonna's more forgettable early tracks. #5
9. Into The Groove (1985) Another movie-clip montage masquerading as a music video. At least Madonna actually had a starring role in Desperately Seeking Susan and so it feels like a bit less of a clip-fest than Crazy For You. Another fantastic song. #1
10. Dress You Up* (1985) This commits the other sin of music videos besides movie clip-fests, this is a live video taken from Madonna's Virgin Tour. There's something so unimaginative about such videos, and they're often the basis of videos for those singles that are the final release that an artist puts out and can't be bothered with. Oh look this is the last release from Like A Virgin... Yawn. #5
11. Gambler* (1985) The second and final single from the Vision Quest soundtrack, this song doesn't feature on any of Madonna's studio albums or best ofs, either The Immaculate Collection or Celebration. It's a catchy, fun pop song, so I don't know why it doesn't get any attention - alas the video is another collection of movie clips. #4
12. Live To Tell (1986) First single from True Blue, this song and video showcases a more dramatic Madonna, who looks a bit like Evita here in a bit of spooky foreshadowing. What are Sean Penn and Christopher Walken doing in this video? Oh, apparently their promoting their movie, At Close Range. No, me neither. These bits cheapen the rest of the video a bit. An amazing song either way. #2
13. Papa Don't Preach (1986) From the opening of the song I'm expecting a car advert... Madonna's changed her hair, and she's showing us scenes from her life. I think. Interestingly, this video looks like it's made up of film clips starring Madonna, interspersed with the lady herself dancing in the spotlight in a darkened room. It all gets a bit serious towards the end when Madonna tells her papa about her pregnancy. I'm not sure why, she doesn't look like a teenager... #1
14. True Blue (1986) Oh look, it's all blue! Like the song! Madonna and her backing singers/dancers are in a '50's setting, complete with retro diner. Studio based, this one lack the realism of Papa Don't Preach. Oh look, the sun has actually burst out of the sky in the background! Someone's taking the lyrics to this one literally. Andrew can't believe this got to number 1, and it is a bit unlikely off the back of that video. #1
15. Open Your Heart (1986) Out of the studio this time. Now she's gone a bit Liza Minelli - no, wait, the black wig's fallen off. Oh, she's an exotic dancer, being watched by sleazy men. Is Madonna saying you should open you heart rather than your legs? Because she's mostly doing the latter. Maybe she's a lonely stripper who just wants to be loved? Aww, how cockle-warming. Now she's in a suit, dancing with a young boy and cantering off into the sunset with him. Hmmm. #4
16. La Isla Bonita (1987) The fifth and final release from True Blue, this one gets a proper video! As it deserves. I like Madonna's red flamenco dress, but she needs to watch it around all those candles. There are lots of Mexicans (?) dancing outside her window, and Madonna-with-slicked-back-hair is getting tearful in her cold bedroom, while flamenco-Madonna goes out to dance in the street too. Not sure what the message is here, but I enjoyed the song. #1
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