(Album cover by Greg Ladanyi)
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Today I'm going to review Who's That Girl, the soundtrack album to the film of the same name (read my review for it here).
Are you ready? Let's go!
Who's That Girl was released on July 21, 1987, two weeks before the movie. It features nine songs, four of which are by Madonna.
Madonna said about her tracks: "I had some very specific ideas in mind, music that would stand on its own as well as support and enhance what was happening on screen and the only way to make that a reality was to have a hand in writing the tunes myself....The songs aren't necessarily about Nikki or written to be sung by someone like her, but there's a spirit to this music that captures both what the film and the characters are about, I think".
Madonna said about her tracks: "I had some very specific ideas in mind, music that would stand on its own as well as support and enhance what was happening on screen and the only way to make that a reality was to have a hand in writing the tunes myself....The songs aren't necessarily about Nikki or written to be sung by someone like her, but there's a spirit to this music that captures both what the film and the characters are about, I think".
The album was a far bigger hit than the movie, selling around 5,5/6 million copies worldwide and the three songs released as singles (all by Madonna) achieved critical and commercial success.
Who's That Girl was basically marketed as a Madonna album despite her only performing four tracks out of nine. The cover artwork also showed her name only.
Who's That Girl was basically marketed as a Madonna album despite her only performing four tracks out of nine. The cover artwork also showed her name only.
(Madonna photographed by
Alberto Tolot)
REVIEW
Who's That Girl: The album begins with Who's That Girl, the lead single, written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. Musically the song is another tribute to Hispanic culture (following La Isla Bonita) and the lyrics describe an irresistible girl: "You try to avoid her, fate is in your hands / she's smiling, an invitation to the dance / her heart is on the street, tu corazon es suyo / now you're falling at her feet / you try to get away but you can't". This girl's personality can be both good and evil. How does she "trap" people like that? Is she irresistibly lovely? Or is she an evil entity taking people's lives? She could also be Nikki Finn or maybe Madonna herself doing an introspective analysis, who knows?
The dance-pop production and the "spanglish" chorus are misleading, this song is deeper than people think.
Commercially, Who's That Girl became a woldwide hit, peaking at #1 in the US (Madonna's sixth number one there) and the UK. It also received a nomination for "Best Original Song" at the 1988 Golden Globe Awards and a nomination for "Best Song written for Visual Media" at the 1988 Grammy Awards.
Causing a Commotion: The second single released from the album, Causing a Commotion is a synthpop gem written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. The lyrics of the song perfectly describe the relationship between Nikki Finn and Louden Trott: "You met your match when you met me / I know that you will disagree it's crazy / but opposites attract, you'll see / and I won't let you get away so easy". Their relationship is conflictual, lively and complex, they're different from each other but their personalities are equally strong: "I've got the moves baby, you got the motion / if we got together we'd be causing a commotion". They make the perfect match by complementing each other.
The dance-pop production and the "spanglish" chorus are misleading, this song is deeper than people think.
Commercially, Who's That Girl became a woldwide hit, peaking at #1 in the US (Madonna's sixth number one there) and the UK. It also received a nomination for "Best Original Song" at the 1988 Golden Globe Awards and a nomination for "Best Song written for Visual Media" at the 1988 Grammy Awards.
Causing a Commotion: The second single released from the album, Causing a Commotion is a synthpop gem written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. The lyrics of the song perfectly describe the relationship between Nikki Finn and Louden Trott: "You met your match when you met me / I know that you will disagree it's crazy / but opposites attract, you'll see / and I won't let you get away so easy". Their relationship is conflictual, lively and complex, they're different from each other but their personalities are equally strong: "I've got the moves baby, you got the motion / if we got together we'd be causing a commotion". They make the perfect match by complementing each other.
Causing a Commotion was a critical and commercial success, peaking at #2 in the US and #4 in the UK.
The Look of Love: The only ballad on the album, The Look of Love is a unique track in Madonna's discography. It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard and it is an atmospheric, melancholic, exotic pop ballad about the eyes of a loved one: "Should have left you standing right where you stood / should have let you go, should have had the sense to know / like a train you'd come and I'd lose my place / now I'm on this trip, I took a fall from grace". This song can have many interpretations but I personally think it deals with surrendering to the power of love.
The Look of Love was released as the third and last single from the album. It received critical praise, with many critics naming it the best song on the album and became a commercial success in Northern Europe, entering the top 10 in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. It was not released in the US.
24 Hours: The album proceeds with this funky tune by Duncan Faure. One of my favorites on the album, it tells of someone who's looking forward to seeing his lover: "I can't wait another day to have you here / I'm afraid if I wait too long you might disappear". A very straightforward but still catchy song.
Step by Step: Another absolute jam, Step By Step is a funky number by Club Nouveau, who had a smash hit earlier that year with their version of "Leon on Me".
Step by Step is a hymn to life and tells the listener to live it step by step, without getting lost in the negativity that might creep around: "I'm not looking for trouble, but it seems to keep following me / I get up and move on the double, look at my face and what you see? / You might say that I'm a little crazy / but I'm just being me / you know that I ain't got no worries / this is my life and I'm finally free / and I'm taking it step by step".
Turn It Up: The albums keeps on playing and here comes a Hi-NRG track by Michael Davidson. The song was produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the famous british trio who ruled the worldwide charts between the late 1980's and the early 1990's, producing hits for Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Bananarama and Donna Summer.
Lyrically, the song is a declaration of love. The singer wants the voice of his lover to overpower the chaos around him: "There's lots of smoke around / the sound of war machines / I feel so scared, I just can't stand it / I feel like crying / And when you scream in my ears / I know that you'll come back to me, dear".
The song was released as a promo single and became a big dance hit around the world, also peaking at #15 on the US Dance Club Songs Chart.
Best Thing Ever: The next track is a synth-funk number by Scritti Politti. It's a very "happy" sounding track and intentionally childish from a lyrical point of view: "Baby, baby your love is just about the best thing ever / tell me baby how 'dit get so good".
The production is the star of the show here.
Somehow I always forget how this song sounds like but when I play the album I end up enjoying it a lot.
Can't Stop: Our Diva is back! Can't Stop is an amazing dance-pop track written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. It's one of Madonna's best vocal performances as it showcases both her lower and upper register.
Madonna is in love with a guy who, unfortunately for her, is resilient to her "avances". Don't worry though, she won't give up: "I've tried and tried to get next to you / my friends say I'm blind, I'll never break through / but I don't give in so easily / this I know, just wait and see".
This song should have been released as a single, it would have become a hit for sure. One of Madonna's best album tracks ever.
El Coco Loco: How can we end a brilliant soundtrack album to one of the funniest and craziest movies of the 80's? With a crazy track, of course!
El Coco Loco is an ironic and energetic track with cuban elements written and performed by Coati Mundi (who plays Raoul in the movie). Lyrically, it basically describes Raoul himself: "From breaking legs to breaking hearts, I can do it all / I'm just a bad boy superstar / who stole the cookie and the cookie jar / it's rough being though / but I'm made of the right stuff".
This song cracks me up every single time I play it, I love it.
In conclusion...
Who's That Girl is a favorite of mine when it comes to soundtrack albums. It's one of those efforts that truly captures the soul of its parent movie. The city is New York, the year is 1987, an extravagant platinum blond haired girl steals a young lawyer's heart, the two end up facing sloppy and cartoonish villains and then fall in love. This album turns all of that into music.
I love you Nikki Finn....
"Let your body move to the music"
The Look of Love: The only ballad on the album, The Look of Love is a unique track in Madonna's discography. It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard and it is an atmospheric, melancholic, exotic pop ballad about the eyes of a loved one: "Should have left you standing right where you stood / should have let you go, should have had the sense to know / like a train you'd come and I'd lose my place / now I'm on this trip, I took a fall from grace". This song can have many interpretations but I personally think it deals with surrendering to the power of love.
The Look of Love was released as the third and last single from the album. It received critical praise, with many critics naming it the best song on the album and became a commercial success in Northern Europe, entering the top 10 in the UK, Ireland, Sweden, Denmark, Belgium and the Netherlands. It was not released in the US.
(Madonna in the music video for "Who's That Girl")
24 Hours: The album proceeds with this funky tune by Duncan Faure. One of my favorites on the album, it tells of someone who's looking forward to seeing his lover: "I can't wait another day to have you here / I'm afraid if I wait too long you might disappear". A very straightforward but still catchy song.
Step by Step: Another absolute jam, Step By Step is a funky number by Club Nouveau, who had a smash hit earlier that year with their version of "Leon on Me".
Step by Step is a hymn to life and tells the listener to live it step by step, without getting lost in the negativity that might creep around: "I'm not looking for trouble, but it seems to keep following me / I get up and move on the double, look at my face and what you see? / You might say that I'm a little crazy / but I'm just being me / you know that I ain't got no worries / this is my life and I'm finally free / and I'm taking it step by step".
Turn It Up: The albums keeps on playing and here comes a Hi-NRG track by Michael Davidson. The song was produced by Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the famous british trio who ruled the worldwide charts between the late 1980's and the early 1990's, producing hits for Rick Astley, Kylie Minogue, Bananarama and Donna Summer.
Lyrically, the song is a declaration of love. The singer wants the voice of his lover to overpower the chaos around him: "There's lots of smoke around / the sound of war machines / I feel so scared, I just can't stand it / I feel like crying / And when you scream in my ears / I know that you'll come back to me, dear".
The song was released as a promo single and became a big dance hit around the world, also peaking at #15 on the US Dance Club Songs Chart.
Best Thing Ever: The next track is a synth-funk number by Scritti Politti. It's a very "happy" sounding track and intentionally childish from a lyrical point of view: "Baby, baby your love is just about the best thing ever / tell me baby how 'dit get so good".
The production is the star of the show here.
Somehow I always forget how this song sounds like but when I play the album I end up enjoying it a lot.
Can't Stop: Our Diva is back! Can't Stop is an amazing dance-pop track written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. It's one of Madonna's best vocal performances as it showcases both her lower and upper register.
Madonna is in love with a guy who, unfortunately for her, is resilient to her "avances". Don't worry though, she won't give up: "I've tried and tried to get next to you / my friends say I'm blind, I'll never break through / but I don't give in so easily / this I know, just wait and see".
This song should have been released as a single, it would have become a hit for sure. One of Madonna's best album tracks ever.
El Coco Loco: How can we end a brilliant soundtrack album to one of the funniest and craziest movies of the 80's? With a crazy track, of course!
El Coco Loco is an ironic and energetic track with cuban elements written and performed by Coati Mundi (who plays Raoul in the movie). Lyrically, it basically describes Raoul himself: "From breaking legs to breaking hearts, I can do it all / I'm just a bad boy superstar / who stole the cookie and the cookie jar / it's rough being though / but I'm made of the right stuff".
This song cracks me up every single time I play it, I love it.
(Madonna photographed by
Alberto Tolot)
In conclusion...
Who's That Girl is a favorite of mine when it comes to soundtrack albums. It's one of those efforts that truly captures the soul of its parent movie. The city is New York, the year is 1987, an extravagant platinum blond haired girl steals a young lawyer's heart, the two end up facing sloppy and cartoonish villains and then fall in love. This album turns all of that into music.
I love you Nikki Finn....
"Let your body move to the music"
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