Retro Spins: Madonna - Like A Virgin

Before I start this, let's just get the obvious out of the way. We all know this album is going to be solid. It catapulted Madonna into super stardom and remains one of her most highly successful albums of all time. So let's not all act surprised by me stating the obvious that Like A Virgin is fantastic.

I mean, if you're here asking, "Who's Madonna," I have to ask, "What rock have you been living under?"

This is not the first time I've listened to this album, and in truth, it probably won't be the last - If I have many more years ahead of me that is. Because I probably can't share much with anyone reading this post that they don't already know. So instead I'll discuss my version of preference.

Unlike other albums, which I look to have the original USA version of, when listening to Like A Virgin, I favor the 1985 UK re-released CD. The reason being, this versions includes a bonus track, Madonna's 1986 smash hit, Get Into The Grove.

This song was originally written and recorded for the purposes of being used in the film, Desperately Seeking Susan, also starring Madonna. However, it was never included on the film's soundtrack, nor on the singer's 1986 follow up album, True Blue. Though a CD singles did get released in foreign countries, for USA fans with no connections to the UK or Germany, a vinyl single was your only option.

To further amplify the scarcity of a digital version of the song, it wasn't included on the 2001 remaster of the USA released album and when it got included on the singer's 1986 compilation album, You Can Dance, it was in an eight (plus) minute remixed format. You could finally get the song on a CD in the USA on The Immaculate Collection, released in 1990, and I suppose, for what it's worth, that's an acceptable album to have. That is, if you're in to greatest hits.

For me, and long story short, I suggest you just stick with the 1986 UK re-released version. You not only get the song, but also the entire Like A Virgin album.

Well, it appears that this post turned into a long winded breakdown of one song, and one that wasn't even on the original album at that. Oh well. For what it's worth, Like A Virgin is a fantastic album. It has its hits, big ones, but also its misses. Songs like Over And Over, Love Don't Live Here Anymore, Shoo-Bee-Doo, Pretender and Stay don't really do it for me, but they're so outweighed by Material Girl, Angel, Like A Virgin and Dress You Up, that you really don't tend to care. At least I didn't.

If you collect any form of physical media music, this is an album that should definitely be in your collection - Just get the UK re-released 1986 version. You know, if I haven't beaten that point in hard enough yet. 

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