NoSauce

It’s a Generational Thing

Now I will say most girls and some boys I know love Madonna. If they don’t love her they appreciate/respect her for her innovation and originality and talent.

However I WORSHIP her. Like a Virgin was the first tape I ever bought in my entire life. I would listen to it over and over. I didn’t even know what Virgin meant - but my God I loved that tape. (coincidentally same day I got Like a Virgin I also got Wilson-Phillips Hold On…but that is neither here nor there) Like a Virgin was the soundtrack to my early life.

Sure enough 1986 rolled around and True Blue came out. Open Your Heart became my all time favorite song. (still is one of them) Papa Don’t Preach was my parent’s just don’t understand anthem. I felt like Madonna was talking directly to me. How did she know?! She just did.

Next up - Like a Prayer. That video. I didn’t understand it completely because I was so young, but I knew I loved every second of it. I loved that Madonna had brown hair like me. I loved how she had a choir. I loved every single thing about it. Songs like Express Yourself, and Cherish. All the sudden I had someone that understood me completely, and basically was singing my life’s theme song - or so I thought.

Next up is Erotica. I was just getting ready for high school. Fever was on this album. I have always loved Marilyn and now one of my favorites was singing Marilyn! Could it get any better!? Rain which was soulful and deep and with grunge on the rise I felt like it fit.

Next up was Bedtime Stories. I was in a super severe car accident in 1994 where I almost died. When I finally got out of the hospital and was laying at home, my good friend AB brought me over this CD (had migrated from tapes at that point) as I couldn’t go to the store to buy it. I listened to it on repeat for my entire recovery. When I hear any of those songs today, it’s bitter sweet for me.

Ray of light came out when I was in college - it was on at every party and heading towards dance-y music which was perfect for the late 90s. While this wasn’t one of my most favorites I appreciate it as it lead to Music which is beyond. Single-handedly she made ghetto-cowboy hot. Every girl on campus would walk around singing What It Feels Like For A Girl.

Skipping over American Life, heading to Confessions On A Dance Floor - I was working at my first New York Fashion House the day the CD was released. I was explaining to the wovens/outwear team I worked with that I couldn’t download it. I had to go to Virgin Records to buy the actual CD because I had to physically own it. They all agreed and the 4 of us walked at lunch and each of us bought our own copy. We listened to this album over and over and over at work. At home. Everywhere. Of all of her concerts I have seen to this day this is still my most favorite one.

After this is Hard Candy - and the latest to be released MDNA.

So while watching the Superbowl and basically flashing back over my entire life, I was mesmerized.

I love the Foo Fighters, I love Blink 182, I love Jay-Z, I love Journey, I love M83, I love a variety of music from a variety of artists, but none of these artists have ever impacted my life the way Madonna has.

So for the people that thought she was just okay - you must be either younger or older than I am. Because every girl out there, who is my age, was staring at the TV, just like they used to when they were 8, 11, 14, 18, 20 years old, and watching her videos. Thinking about how where they were the first time they heard those songs, and how amazing she is and praying that Madonna keeps making music forever.