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TRACK RECORD

Madonna, Music And The Movies: From Desperately Seeking Susan To W.E.

By Dan Avery February 4, 2012 at 5:55pm
W.E. hit select theaters this weekend and, though it wasn’t eligible for an Academy Award, “Masterpiece,” Madonna‘s  musical contribution to the movie, snagged a Golden Globe and will also appear on her upcoming album, MDNA. (We’d like to see some DJ remix the song and give it an interesting dance-club beat.) This got us thinking about Madonna’s other soundtrack songs—and there have been many. Some are films she starred in, others aren’t. But in every case she captured the spirit of a movie and turned out a memorable pop song that stands on its own. So today we’re running through the films that have used Madonna songs, from Desperately Seeking Susan and With Honors to Austin Powers and Die Another Day. Do you have a favorite? Is there one we missed? Strike a pose in the comments. Click through for a look at Madonna songs in the movies Photo: The Weinstein Group
  http://youtu.be/ZrLJXp3nYiE “Into the Groove,” Desperately Seeking Susan Considered by many to be Madonna‘s first breakout single, “Groove” appeared in Susan Seidelman’s 1985 film but not its official soundtrack. (Madge originally penned another song, “Desperately Seeking Susan,” but it was scrapped in favor of “Groove.”) This wouldn’t be the last time a Madonna song that helped launch a movie was omitted from the soundtrack. Girl can’t catch a break!  
“Beautiful Stranger,” Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me Not only is “Stranger” the perfect accompaniment to this bubbly, retro spy comedy, but the video acts as a mini Austin Powers episode. Madge is giving us sexy 007 realness as a dangerous agent who has Mike Myers under her spell. Oh behave!  
“Hanky Panky,” Dick Tracy Technically, this Top Ten hit wasn’t included in Warren Beatty’s 1990 comic-strip movie—like “Vogue,” it only appeared on I’m Breathless: Music From and Inspired by the Film Dick Tracy. But it’s always been a fave so we’re including it here. Side note: The Stephen Sonheim-penned “Sooner or Later” did appear in the film and nabbed a Best Original Song award at the 1991 Oscars.  
“Die Another Day,” Die Another Day The title track from the James Bond flick sees Madonna in electroclash mode, and the video features her as a badass bitch, literally beating herself up. Of course, this was years before Britney tried to pull the same stunt in “Hold it Against Me.”
http://youtu.be/x5KZEvLAFok “Live to Tell,” At Close Range Madonna recorded this song for then-husband Sean Penn’s thriller, At Close Range.  It wouldn’t be the last time life and art merged for her, but it was the first time the world got to see the more serious side of the Material Girl.  
“Crazy For You,” Vision Quest One of Madonna‘s best early efforts, “Crazy” appeared in this Matthew Modine movie about a high-school wrestler, as did the lesser known song “Gambler”. Madge even got a cameo in the movie as—get this—a singer.  
http://youtu.be/wUefFs8V-dY I’ll Remember, “With Honors” This is one of those cases where the song outshined the movie: “I’ll Remember” hit Number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, but the Honors was seen by critics as derivative and clumsily politically correct. Maybe it would’ve fared better if they’d given Madge a cameo as a sexy grad student? Side note: With Honors was directed by Alek Keshishian, Madonna‘s collaborator in Truth or Dare and W.E.
“This Used to Be My Playground,” A League of Their Own Though “Playground” scored Madonna a Best Song nomination at the Golden Globes, once again the most famous song in a Madonna movie wasn’t included in the film’s official soundtrack. And she was good!  
“You Must Love Me,” Evita Specially composed for the film version of Evita, this pop ballad marked the first time Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber had teamed up in over a decade. It ended up taking home both the Oscar and the Golden Globe for Best Original Song. Guess they did love her.  
http://youtu.be/2XQeLJUK0Uk “Who’s That Girl,” Who’s That Girl? Okay, so this screwball flick wasn’t exactly The Philadelphia Story—or even Something Wild. But the title track still gets our butt to the dance floor. And looking at it now, Madonna‘s androgynous style in the video is one of the best we’ve seen her adopt. By the way, anyone know where we can buy a pet cougar? That shit is fierce!

http://youtu.be/kOmvYWh9eT8

“American Pie,” The Next Best Thing

Madonna took this Don McLean classic and made it her own in 2000 by trimming some lyrics, adding electronic beats and incorporating backing vocals from her Best Thing co-star Rupert Everett. In the accompanying video she again led the way, including gay and lesbian couples in the video years before Xtina or Katy Perry did.

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8 Comments*

  • Jesse

    Madonna!!!

  • christopher di spirito

    Critics and fans agree, Madge’s ‘Die Another Day’, was the worst Bond song of all time.

  • Dan Avery

    worse than “All-Time High?” by Rita Coolidge?

  • andy

    The Next Big Thing: American Pie

    Evita

    League of our own: this use to be our playground

    Who’s that Girl?

    My favorite is “crazy for you” from Vision Quest

  • Sean

    Into the Grove from Desperatly Seeking Suzan kills every song of GaGa’s career. Even Madonna haters have to love that one

  • Urethra Franklin

    CRAZY FOR YOU is my favorite M song too

  • Bryan

    @Sean: Haha no and grow the fuck up. No one brought Gaga into this, it’s a Madonna article, if this ends up turning into another Gaga-Madonna bitchfest, you’ll probably be one of the people bleating about it.

  • jason

    Madonna was never very talented. She had savvy marketing and the ability to pander to gays but, talent-wise, not much there. The other thing about her is that she is very narcissistic and somewhat cold of personality.

    There seems to have been a trend in recent years of gay men adopting fake talents as icons. In other words, women who use AutoTune and prerecord – and even outright miming – in their concerts. I wonder if this comes from years of admiring tragic drag queens on a stage.

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