I'M BREATHLESS: MUSIC FROM AND INSPIRED BY THE MOTION PICTURE DICK TRACY - 1990
1. He's A Man
2. Sooner Or Later**
3. Hanky Panky
4. I'm Going Bananas
5. Cry Baby
6. Something To Remember
7. Back In Business
8. More**
9. What Can You Lose**
10. Now I'm Following You Part 1
11. Now I'm Following You Part 2***
12. Vogue*
Produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
* Produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone
** Produced by Madonna and Bill Botrell
*** Produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard and Kevin Gilbert
One of Madonna's most ambitious and daring projects, I'm Breathless is a concept album that explores the character of Breathless Mahoney, Madonna's character in Dick Tracy. Although only three songs were actually from the film, the remaining tracks are old-fashioned show-tune sounding songs ranging from power ballads (He's A Man) to comical numberslike Cry Baby and I'm Going Bananas, to dance hall fluff like Now I'm Following You Part 1 and ecen devotes an entire song to Breathless' love of a good spanking (Hanky Panky). A mature, but fun work that moves beyond its concept to a rich, compulsively listenable album that eventually sold 5 million copies worldwide on the strength of only two singles and positive reviews, despite its odd sounds coming from a disco queen
He's A Man - Madonna finally assumes the role she was born to play: a siren leading a man away from the straight and narrow in this swanky opening number with strong vocals and attitude.
Sooner Or Later - One of Stephen Sondheim's contributions to Dick Tracy is this slow-burning treat that deservedly won the Oscar for best original song. Its a rare delight to hear Madonna wrap her voice around such a fabulous torch song. You better believe she means it when she says "No one I've kissed babe/Ever fights me again" and there's no mistaking it: sooner or later we're hers on platter.
Hanky Panky - Many radio stations refused to play this ode to spanking. A comment on Breathless' love of abuse, not Madonna's, who told Carrie Fisher in Rolling Stone that she hated it. Fun and memorable, this #10 hit (#2 in the UK) makes a strong argument that "There's nothing like a good spanky/ ... So give it up honey, cause I want it!"
I'm Going Bananas - Madonna cracks up for this ridiculous, funny song literally about going bananas. The flammenco beats add to the hysteria of this two minute song we can all relate to.
Cry Baby - Poor Madonna. Her boyfriend is a big sissy in a song that would have worked had it been edited down like I'm Going Bananas, but at four minutes, its somewhat of a chore.
Something To Remember - A track that lives up to its name, this aching ballad of letting go is another near-perfect ballad for Madonna. Best line: "Say that happiness cannot be measured/And a little pain can bring you all lifes little pleasures/What a joke".
Back In Business - A cynical love letter to the underbelly of life, Back In Business rips into a high energy chorus that reaffirms to things that we already knew about Madonna: "I'm gonna get my way" and "I'm here to stay!" Bonus: Sampling of Breathless' classic line "You don't know if you want to hit me or kiss me." She gets that a lot.
More - Material Girl with a pedigree, More is an album highlight. Sondheim's second track is a witty and verbally tricky tune that Madonna owns through sheer force of will and attitude, especially in the climactic final moment: "Each possesion you possESS/Helps your spirits to soar/That's what soothing about exESS/Never settle for something LESS/Something's better than nothing YES!/But nothings better than MORE!"
What Can You Lose - Mandy Patinkin sounds like a nice contrast to Madona until he decides to turn the song into a scales exercise and Madonna tones herself down to compensate and the vocals are a nasty combination. Sad, since Sondheim's third song has a gorgeous piano arrangement to make up for the routine lyrics.
Now I'm Following You Part 1 - Any song with a warblin' Warren Beatty is good for some intentional laughs, and this dance hall standard-sounding rune seems to show Madonna overstepping the album's coceit to the point of beig ridiculous, but then along comes
Now I'm Following You Part 2 - which adds the necessary beats and scratchy remix hooks to prove that Madonna still gets the joke. Whew! She was cutting it close for a minute there. Highlights: Beatty counting either the budget or the grosses of his film, Madonna chanting "Dick", and Cry Baby's sobbing boyfriend mixed with Madonna's ecstatic moans (a sort of set-up for Erotica?).
Vogue - If this sing doesn't make you get up on the dance floor, then nothing will. Intended as a kick-ass b-side to Keep It Together, it instead became a huge #1 smash all around the world (3 weeks in the US, 4 in the UK, 5 in Japan). It started a dance-floor craze and continued Madonna's commitment to exhalting the dance floor as a near-spiritual plane of existence. There's not choice: when she says it, you must "Strike a pose"! David Fincher (Express Yourself) again directed a Madonna classic with this black and white masterpiece. Vogue is purely a performance piece with Madonna striking various breathtaking poses of Dietrich and others while dancing up a storm with her Blond Ambtion dancers and her back writhing in a corset is one of her most unforgettable video images yet.
Go Ahead To THE IMMACULATE COLLECTION - 1990
Go Back To LIKE A PRAYER - 1989
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