track 4: like a virgin

I know, I know, how surprising, a homosexual writing about Madonna. Look, we're not going to get all crazy here. It's hard to write something about someone who has already had everything you can imagine written about them. I'm not going to talk about her being some brilliant artist (although she has to be some kind of mastermind), a great singer (I don't think she is) or the second coming (because that's Kylie). But let's face it, she's one of those few who has gone from pop star to superstar to icon. Whatever you think about what she does, you have to admire the fact that she's risen up with a hell of a lot of determination and yeah, hard work. She's been doing this for 27 years now and has managed to stay current and just as vital as she was when she began. I don't think that's something you can say about any of her peers- and let's face it, there are exactly two other people in that iconic category: Michael Jackson and Prince. Above all, and in the simplest of terms: I just like her music.

I remember quite clearly hearing "Borderline" and Madonna for the first time. I was in my babysitter's van with her sons and my brother. She had left us in the van with the radio on while she went into some store. I was sitting upside down in the front passenger's seat when the song came on. I thought it was Irene Cara. I loved it. I collected the 45s of "Borderline" and "Lucky star" and wore them out. Our babysitter had cable television, which at the time was something so exciting and new. MTV! MTV playing music videos! I remember watching the video for "Do you really want to hurt me?" by Culture Club and thinking "she's pretty!" Oh, little Ricky... Madonna was all over MTV and I loved her.



In November of 1984 Madonna's second album, Like a Virgin came out. At some point, I had saved up my allowance and was going to get the album at last. I am sure that it was all I could talk about, because even to this day discs that make music or movies play make me very, very excited. My dad did not approve. In fact, I'm pretty sure that he told me I was not to buy the album. Friday night, International Mall, Camelot Music. I disobeyed. An "Angel" I was not. Although now I can totally understand not wanting your 10-year old to buy an album with a song called "Like a virgin." I don't think I was punished, beyond probably an admonishing "Oh, Ricky..." However, for years I would associate buying Like a Virgin with my parents divorce, because as I remember, that night after our trip to the mall was when they sat us down and gave us the news. It was definitely the beginning of a rocky time in my life. But Mom assures me that had I not purchased a Madonna album, the outcome would have been the same. In the spring of 1985, when my dad had moved out, I remember him calling to see if we wanted to go to the movies with him one weekend. I don't know if I was mad about the whole divorce thing or if it was just me being the selfish prick that I can be, but I said to him, "The only movie out that I even want to see is Desperately Seeking Susan and you hate Madonna!" I was only eleven, but I think that's the meanest thing I ever said to my dad.



Surprisingly, all of these associations didn't stop me from liking Madonna any less. I had the poster for Susan on my bedroom door. I wanted that jacket so bad. I have most of the 45s for her singles from the first three albums, including a blue 45 for "True blue" that I loved. To this day the smell of patchouli oil makes me think of my cassette of Like a Prayer (still my favorite Madonna album). Oddly enough, when Erotica came out on October 20, 1992, my dad gave me a ride to Spec's in South Miami, where I bought the CD the day it came out. But I didn't listen to it until I was home and alone. On March 3, 1998, the day Ray of Light was released, I listened to every previous album while I waited for UPS to deliver my copy. I would listen to "Frozen" on repeat play forever, picturing the spectacular video by Chris Cunningham. Since then, I've been less enthusiastic about Madonna's music. It wasn't until 2008's Hard Candy that I truly loved an album more than just a few select songs, but whatever may come, and as much as I might roll my eyes at myself for being such a stereotypical 'mo, I know that her music is always going to be part of me.