Mixtape Monday: The MADONNA Collection

HERC ain't gonna lie - why start now, 850 posts in? -  he specifically dove into the bucket of mixtapes to fish today's featured mixtape out after reading a review of The Immaculate Collection over at The CD Project.  He is going to fudge a little however concerning the tape's unimaginative, embarrassingly bad taste title - hence forward as the equally unimaginative The MADONNA Collection.  The only image of the tape that MRS HERC approved for this family friendly site is the one below but rest assured Ol' HERC didn't scribble anything resembling song titles or anything else on the j-card, just that damn title on the spine and then on the A side label of the tape below:

HERC remembers the tape quite well - it was another favorite during day care and, later, school commutes with his kids. You'll have to ask them what their favorite Madonna song is but HERC is certain they will each have at least a couple ingrained upon their brains from constant exposure.  HERC puts the date of the tape circa 1991, possibly early 1992 before his thrid child came along.  The song selection is straight forward and lifted straight out of The Billboard Book Of Top 40 Hits - Madonna's first twenty-five Top 40 singles in chronological order with one substitution: the non-charting "Into The Groove" was included and "Oh Father" was deleted though in hindsight HERC wishes he'd left off "Live To Tell". And used original album or single versions instead of the Shep Pettibone remixes of every song on The Immaculate Collection.  So, basically HERC took the songs that were on The Immaculate Collection CD (which was mastered in QSound, an early attempt at creating 3D sound from stereo speakers) and inserted the eight other songs that should have been on an all-inclusive hits compilation.

The artwork above represent the discs HERC used in compiling The MADONNA Collection.  Here's the tape's tracklist and Spotify recreation:

			SIDE A		56:06
	1983		Holiday		04:06
	1983		Lucky Star		03:39
	1983		Borderline		03:58
	1984		Like A Virgin		03:11
	1984		Material Girl		03:53
	1984		Crazy For You		03:46
	1984		Angel		03:56
	1985		Into The Groove		04:10
	1984		Dress You Up		04:02
	1986		Live To Tell		05:19
	1986		Papa Don't Preach		04:09
	1986		True Blue		04:18
	1986		Open Your Heart		03:51
	1986		La Isla Bonita		03:48
			SIDE B		53:28
	1987		Who's That Girl		03:59
	1987		Causing A Commotion		04:22
	1987		Spotlight		06:24
	1989		Like A Prayer		05:52
	1989		Express Yourself		04:04
	1989		Cherish		03:53
	1989		Keep It Together		05:03
	1990		Vogue		05:17
	1990		Hanky Panky		03:59
	1990		Justify My Love		05:03
	1990		Rescue Me		05:32

But wait, there's more...

While looking for the tape above, HERC came across another mystery tape with a big purple Post-It note folded inside the cassette case in place of a jcard.  Based on those notes, HERC is placing this tape circa 1995 after the release of Something To Remember.  Judging from the name scrawled across it, he believes it was a specially-commissioned tape for Mikey.  HERC called the only Mikey he knows and asked him if he remembers requesting a tape of Madonna balladry back in 1995.  He did not.  Thirteen years later, she was inducted into Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame.  Coincidence?  Conspiracy?  Cover-up?

HERC spent some time listening to the tape itself, a sleek TDK SA-X 100 and can say that he did deviate from his original notes on the finished tape and did not include "Justify My Love".  He also used the 12" dance mix of "Like A Prayer" instead of The Immaculate Collection version he noted. Like the tape above, HERC essentially took one CD, in this case Madonna's ballad compilation Something To Remember and filled it out with other songs.  All discs used are pictured below:  

This second tape was a much tougher listen than the first tape and HERC is sure if he had to do it for himself, he would have put many different songs on there.  The inclusion of Madonna's collaboration with Prince was definitely a mistake (as was the recording itself - does anyone care for that song?) and Something To Remember does not get any plays these days.  Here's the tape's tracklist and Spotify recreation:

			SIDE A		49:45
	1994		I'll Remember		04:24
	1994		Take A Bow		05:21
	1995		You'll See		04:41
	1995		I Want You		06:24
	1985		Crazy For You		03:45
	1992		This Used To Be My Playground		05:10
	1986		Live To Tell		05:53
	1995		Love Don't Live Here Anymore		04:54
	1995		Something To Remember		05:04
	1995		Forbidden Love		04:09
			SIDE B		50:37
	1995		One More Chance		04:28
	1992		Rain		05:29
	1995		Oh Father (alternate version)		05:00
	1989		Love Song		04:52
	1994		Secret		05:05
	1989	*	Like A Prayer (12" dance mix)		07:50
	1987	*	Into The Groove (edit of You Can Dance version)		04:14
	1987	*	Holiday (edit of You Can Dance version)		04:48
	1994		Human Nature		04:54
	1990		Hanky Panky		03:57