3/8/15

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 A56:06
1983Holiday04:06
1983Lucky Star03:39
1983Borderline03:58
1984Like A Virgin03:11
1984Material Girl03:53
1984Crazy For You03:46
1984Angel03:56
1985Into The Groove04:10
1984Dress You Up04:02
1986Live To Tell05:19
1986Papa Don't Preach04:09
1986True Blue04:18
1986Open Your Heart03:51
1986La Isla Bonita03:48
SIDE B53:28
1987Who's That Girl03:59
1987Causing A Commotion04:22
1987Spotlight06:24
1989Like A Prayer05:52
1989Express Yourself04:04
1989Cherish03:53
1989Keep It Together05:03
1990Vogue05:17
1990Hanky Panky03:59
1990Justify My Love05:03
1990Rescue Me05:32


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 A49:45
1994I'll Remember04:24
1994Take A Bow05:21
1995You'll See04:41
1995I Want You06:24
1985Crazy For You03:45
1992This Used To Be My Playground05:10
1986Live To Tell05:53
1995Love Don't Live Here Anymore04:54
1995Something To Remember05:04
1995Forbidden Love04:09
SIDE B50:37
1995One More Chance04:28
1992Rain05:29
1995Oh Father (alternate version)05:00
1989Love Song04:52
1994Secret05:05
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
1994Human Nature04:54
1990Hanky Panky03:57




1 comment:

  1. As a fan of the early years for Madonna, I totally endorse both of these mix-tapes.

    ReplyDelete