Jump to content

Borderline (Madonna song)

This is a good article. Click here for more information.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

"Borderline"
Madonna clasping hands and facing toward camera shoot. Bunch of plastic ring bracelets on right wrist; metal bead bracelet on left wrist. She also wears huge crucifix earrings. The background is dark. The font of "Madonna" is unconventional and unique, and located at upper left; size is very big. "Borderline" is handwritten and located at bottom center.
7-inch US single picture sleeve
Single by Madonna
from the album Madonna
B-side
ReleasedFebruary 15, 1984 (1984-02-15)
RecordedFebruary 1983
StudioSigma Sound, New York City
Genre
Length
  • 5:18 (album version)
  • 3:58 (single version)
  • 6:55 (12” version)
Label
Songwriter(s)Reggie Lucas
Producer(s)Reggie Lucas
Madonna singles chronology
"Holiday"
(1983) 		"Borderline"
(1984) 		"Lucky Star"
(1984)
Music video
"Borderline" on YouTube

"Borderline" is a song by American singer Madonna from her debut self-titled studio album (1983), written and produced by Reggie Lucas. In 1982, Madonna was signed on by Sire Records for the release of two 12-inch singles; after the success of first single "Everybody", the label approved the recording of an album, and the singer decided to work with Lucas. "Borderline" is a pop song with post-disco elements whose sounds recall the music of the 1970s, while the lyrics find a woman complaining of her lover's chauvinism.

In the United States, it was released as a single on February 15, 1984, whereas in Europe it was published twice: first in June 1984, and then in January 1986. Upon release, "Borderline" was acclaimed by music critics, who lauded the singer's vocals; in retrospective reviews, it has been referred to as Madonna's breakout song, and as one of the best songs from the 1980s. It was commercially successful: in 1984, it gave Madonna her first top-ten hit in the US Billboard Hot 100. The 1986 release saw success across Europe: it became the singer's second number one in Ireland, and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, Belgium and The Netherlands.

The song's music video was directed by Mary Lambert; in it, Madonna portrays the girlfriend of a Hispanic man, to whom she returns after being enticed to pose and model for a white British photographer. Authors pointed out that with the visual, the singer broke the taboo of interracial relationships. "Borderline" has been performed in the singer's Virgin (1985) and Sticky & Sweet (2008) concert tours. It has also been covered by artists like Jody Watley, the Flaming Lips, and Kelly Clarkson, among others.

Background

[edit]

In 1982, Madonna was living with her former Michigan boyfriend Stephen Bray in an unused rehearsal studio in New York City.[1] Since "funky dance records were in style on the radio and dance floor", she and Bray created a demo tape with four dance tracks, including "Everybody", "Burning Up", and "Ain't No Big Deal".[2] While pitching the tape, she met and befriended DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria nightclub.[3] After listening to "Everybody", Kamins took her to Sire Records, where Seymour Stein, the label's president, signed Madonna for two 12-inch singles.[3] Produced by Kamins and released in October, "Everybody" became a hit in the dance scene.[4][5] The single's success led to the label approving the recording of an album, but Madonna chose not to work with either Bray or Kamins, opting instead for Warner Bros. producer Reggie Lucas; Lucas was hired by Sire executive Michael Rosenblatt to give the album "an R&B feel".[4][6] Upon meeting her, Lucas wasn't impressed with the singer's "boho-punk style", and thought she "didn't seem particularly avant-garde."[7][6]

Prior to entering the studio, Madonna had written three new songs: "Lucky Star", "Think of Me", and "I Know It".[8] However, she soon realized that there was not enough material for a full-length album ― the only tracks available were "Everybody", "Burning Up", "Lucky Star", "Think of Me", "I Know It", and "Ain't No Big Deal".[3] Lucas then brought two compositions of his own to the project: "Physical Attraction" and "Borderline", which he wrote specifically for Madonna.[3][9] He and the singer worked on "Borderline" while she was staying at artist Jean-Michel Basquiat's apartment; "I'd write songs and put them on a little cassette player [...] I'd ask Madonna if she liked them [...] I did the demos for 'Physical Attraction' and 'Borderline' [...] and we did what we did to them", the producer recalled.[7][9] Upon hearing the final version, Stein declared, "I dared to believe this was going to be huge beyond belief, the biggest thing I'd ever had, after I heard 'Borderline'... The passion that she put into that song, I thought, there's no stopping this girl".[6]

Composition and release

[edit]

Recording took place at the Sigma Sound Studios in New York.[10] Personnel working on the song included Lucas on the drum machine, Fred Zarr and Dean Gant on keyboards and synthesizers, alongside Ed Walsh; the bass was played by Anthony Jackson, while Bobby Malach played tenor saxophone. Background vocals were provided by Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White, and Chrissy Faith.[10] Lucas compared "Borderline"'s style to that of Stephanie Mills' "Never Knew Love Like This Before" (1980), which he also produced. It is also the first song where he used a drum machine instead of a drummer.[6] According to Rikki Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, the chord progression evokes Bachman-Turner Overdrive's "You Ain't Seen Nothing Yet" (1974), while the inversions are similar to the sound of the 1970s, specifically disco, Philadelphia soul, and the work of Elton John.[3]

"Borderline"
16-second sample of "Borderline", featuring the opening line "Something in way you love me won't let me be/I don't want to be your prisoner so baby won't you set me free". According to author Santiago Fouz-Hernández, this phrase depicts a rebellion against male chauvinism.[11]
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Borderline" is a pop song with post-disco elements.[12] It saw a change in Madonna's usual vocal tone, as she sings in a more "refined and expressive" way.[13] Lyrically, it has been described as a "flirty, confectionery complaint from one lover to another".[14] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., "Borderline" is set in the time signature of common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of D major, with Madonna's vocal range spanning from F♯3 to B4. The song follows the chord progression of D–C–G in the first verse, and changes to Bm–Em–A–F♯ in the pre-chorus. The refrain has a progression of G–D–A.[15]

In the United States, "Borderline" was released on February 15, 1984, as the fourth single from the Madonna album, following "Holiday";[16] in the United Kingdom, it was published as the album's fifth single on June 2, 1984.[8][17] To "keep the Madonna mania going on", a second European release was done in January 1986.[18][16] "Borderline" was then included on Madonna's compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009).[19][20]

Critical reception

[edit]

"Madonna went on to sing more-clever songs ('Material Girl'), more-showy songs ('Like a Prayer'), more-sexy songs ('Justify My Love'). But 'Borderline', her first top-10 hit, captures the essence of her pop appeal, its freshness, simplicity and vitality".

—Time's Radhika Jones reviewing "Borderline" on the magazine's All-Time 100 songs ranking.[21]

"Borderline" has been acclaimed since its release. For Rikky Rooksby, it's the "most harmonically complex track on the album", while Dave Marsh, author of The Heart of Rock & Soul, felt it was "too damn good to be denied, no matter whose value system it disrupts".[3][22] To Marc Andrews, it's the album's "sweetest" song.[23] Author Maury Dean, in his book Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush, applauded its "saucy-style and come-hither magnetism".[24] AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine singled it out as "effervescent", and as one of the "great songs" on his review of the Madonna album;[25] for Stewart Mason, from the same portal, "[it] proved that Madonna was more than a pretty face, a dancer's body and a squeaky voice [...] 'Borderline' is a pure treasure, one of those unabashedly commercial pop songs that also manages to at least hint at deeper emotions". He concluded that the singer, "delivers the best vocal performance of her early career, when her limitations were at their most obvious".[26]

From Slant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani deemed it "soulful", and Eric Henderson "tender", further adding: "Has there ever been an opening refrain more winsome and instantly nostalgic than that of Madonna's first Top 10 single?".[27][28] While the staff of The Advocate described "Borderline" as an "enjoyable earworm", Pitchfork's Jill Mapes opined that it "helped [Madonna] resituate electronic dance-pop at Top 40’s apex".[29][30] Mapes also added that it's the singer's "passionate performance [that] takes it over the top".[30] The Arizona Republic's Ed Masley deemed it the best song on the Madonna album, adding that, although it features "the same girlish pout as her other early hits, [she] invests with way more soul".[31] This opinion was shared by Entertainment Weekly's Chuck Arnold and The Quietus' Matthew Lindsay; the former said the singer "has never sounded more genuinely soulful than on the divine 'Borderline'", while the latter also deemed it one of her "most enduring" songs.[32][33] One lukewarm review came from the Observer–Reporter's Terry Hazlett, who expressed the song was "inoffensive, danceable [but] ultimately forgettable".[34]

While reviewing The Immaculate Collection on its 25th anniversary, Drew Mackie from People opined it was "catchy", and a "promise of even better things to come" in Madonna's career.[19] James Rose, from the Daily Review, referred to "Borderline" as an "insight to an emerging wordsmith, with a deeper sensibility married to her unerring aim on manufactured pop hooks".[35] On his review of the 2001 re-release of Madonna, Michael Paoletta from Billboard pointed out that, "such tracks as 'Borderline' [...] remain irresistible".[36] While ranking the album's tracks on its 40th anniversary, Marcus Wratten from PinkNews placed "Borderline" on the first spot, singling out Madonna's performance, and comparing the single to a "warm, comforting hug".[37] "Borderline" has often been referred to as Madonna's breakout song: Journalist Roxanne Orgill in her book Shout, Sister, Shout!, wrote that it made the singer "the star that she is".[38] J. Randy Taraborrelli, in his biography of Madonna, said it was, along with "Holiday", one of the "key recordings" that helped to establish her career.[39] Mark Elliott from website This is Dig! added that "Borderline" was a "landmark song", as it positioned Madonna as a "premier-league mainstream star and a compelling dance act".[16] Finally, the staff of Rolling Stone concluded that, "['Borderline'] propelled [Madonna] from urban-radio contender to pop queen".[7]

"It's easy to see how 'Borderline' became the nascent New York star's first top ten hit on the Hot 100 — it's pure pop bliss [...] But while the track might've been a hit for anyone, it's Madonna's vocal — an overpowering mixture of aching naivete and teasing vitality — that pushes [it] into the rarefied realm of pop classics".

—Joe Lynch's review of "Borderline" on Billboard's list of Madonna singles.[40]

Matthew Jacobs from HuffPost placed the song at number 17 of his ranking of Madonna's singles, singling out "those wailing vocals".[41] On Gay Star News' ranking, the single came in at number 12; Joe Morgan wrote: "[Madonna] may have done more complicated songs, and experimented more, but 'Borderline' is pure pop finery".[42] Jude Rogers, from The Guardian, opined "Borderline" showcased "the young, untutored star at her most gentle and beseeching", and placed it at number 2 of her ranking of Madonna singles.[43] It was named "the song that proved early on that Madonna was no one-trick disco show pony", as well as her 27th best, by PinkNews' Nayer Missim.[44] Louis Virtel, writing for The Backlot, named "Borderline" the sixth best song of Madonna's discography, highlighting its "desire and unabashed innocence", and "phenomenal closing segment".[45] The staff of Rolling Stone named it the second best song of 1984.[46] On Pitchfork's ranking of the 200 best songs from the 1980s decade, "Borderline" was placed at 106: "four minutes of emotional helium [...] there's so much charisma, it's easy to see why it catapulted [Madonna] toward[s] being the biggest pop star in the world", read Jeremy Gordon's review.[47] In 2023, while celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Hot 100, the staff of Billboard named "Borderline" the 128th best pop song to appear in the chart since 1958: "Not [Madonna's] biggest '80s pop hit, but likely her purest", read the review.[48]

Commercial performance

[edit]
"When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going" by Billy Ocean (picture) kept "Borderline" from reaching the UK Singles Chart's first spot in 1986.

The week of March 3, 1984, several radio stations began to add "Borderline" to its rotation, which caused it to debut at #107 of Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100.[49] One week later, it entered the Hot 100 at #76.[50] By June 16, it peaked at number 10, becoming Madonna's first top-ten hit, the first of 17 consecutive top-tens the singer would achieve from 1984 through 1989.[51][52] Overall, it spent 30 weeks on the chart.[51] It did one better on the Cash Box Top 100, peaking at #9.[53] On March 24, 1984, it entered the Dance Club Songs chart at #67, eventually peaking at #4 almost two months later.[54][55] It also reached #23 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart.[56]"Borderline" ranked 35th on Billboard's Hot 100 chart and 67th on the Cash Box Top 100, on their year end charts.[57] On October 22, 1998, the song was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 500,000 copies.[58] In Canada, the single debuted in the 56th position of RPM's Top Singles chart on the week of August 4, 1984;[59] one month later, it peaked at number 25.[60]

In the United Kingdom, "Borderline" debuted at #74 on the UK Singles Chart on June 2, 1984, and, almost two week later, reached #56; it spent 5 weeks on the chart overall.[17] Following the 1986 re-release, it peaked at #2, behind Billy Ocean's "When the Going Gets Tough, the Tough Get Going".[17] In February 1986, the single was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI).[61] "Borderline" was the 50th best-selling single of 1986 in the United Kingdom.[62] According to Music Week magazine, over 298,300 copies of the single have been sold in the United Kingdom as of 2008.[63] The 1986 release saw success across Europe; it was Madonna's second #1 in Ireland after "Into the Groove",[64][16] and peaked within the top 3 of the charts in Belgium and The Netherlands.[65][66][67][68] "Borderline" reached #29 and #25 of Music & Media's European Hot 100 Singles and European Airplay Top 50, respectively.[69][70] In Australia, the singled peaked at #12.[71] It was less successful in New Zealand, where it barely cracked the top 40.[72]

Music video

[edit]

Background and synopsis

[edit]

Mary Lambert directed the music video for "Borderline", which was filmed on location in Los Angeles, California from January 30 to February 2, 1984.[73][74] Production was in charge of Lambert, Bruce Logan, and Michele Ferrone; Simon Maskell was on art direction, Andrea Dietrich on cinematography, while Glenn Morgan did the editing.[75] In the video, Madonna plays a young woman emotionally torn between her Hispanic boyfriend and a white British photographer, for whom she models and who publishes her pictures on a magazine cover.[76][77] Lambert recalled that there was "no formula" used when making the video and that they were simply "inventing it as we went along".[74] The role of the singer's boyfriend was played by Louis "Louie Louie" Cordero, while actor John Leguizamo appeared as an extra.[78][79]

Lambert herself described the video's plot to Rolling Stone: "[A] Boy and [a] girl enjoy simple pleasures of barrio love; girl is tempted by fame, boy gets huffy, girl gets famous, but her new beau's out-of-line reaction to a behavioral trifle (all she did was to spray-paint his expensive sports car) drives her back to her true love".[11] Throughout the clip, the singer is seen with her boyfriend and his "multiethnic break-dancing entourage", hanging out on rooftops; the scenes with the photographer depict a luxury sports car and take place in a "sanitized, colorless" private studio.[77] Madonna herself is shown with messy hair, "dramatic" make-up, jewelry, and a punk studded belt. In one particular scene with the boyfriend, she dons a denim jacket with "boy toy" emblazoned on the back.[77] When she models, she wears a couple of evening gowns.[76] These clothes were later used in fashion shows by designers like Karl Lagerfeld and Christian Lacroix.[76]

Footage with the photographer was shot in black-and-white, while the scenes in the barrio with her boyfriend were shot in full color.[77] "Borderline" was added to MTV the week of March 24, 1984.[54] Years later, it was added to Madonna's video compilations The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009).[75][20]

The opening scenes of the video were filmed under the East 4th Place bridge in downtown Los Angeles.[80] The stairway that the photographer comes down when he first spots Madonna is on the west side of the 4th Street bridge in downtown Los Angeles.[81] The photographer's studio was located at 413 Molino Street in downtown Los Angeles[82] and the bar where everyone hung out was at 1201 East 6th Street in Los Angeles.[83] The bar building no longer stands.[84]

Analysis and reception

[edit]

"'Borderline' was significant not only because of its then-controversial representation of an interracial relationship and female sexual assertiveness [...] but because [it] played out -and with- struggles over immigration, gender roles, and multiculturalism that were at the forefront of US politics in the 1980s".

—Author Leah Perry on the music video.[77]

According to Douglas Kellner, author of Media Culture: Cultural Studies, Identity, and Politics Between the Modern and the Postmodern, by having a Hispanic man play her love interest in the video, Madonna was breaking the "taboo of interracial relationships".[85] The author also saw this as a marketing strategy: the singer was inviting whites, Hispanics and other people of color to "fantasize that, they too can have or be [her]", thus successfully appealing to different audiences.[85] Kellner also held that the multiple and contrasting outfits Madonna wears throughout the visual suggested that, "one's identity is a construct that can [be] modified or change[d] at will".[85] He also noted how Madonna was starting to use fashion, sexuality and "the construction of image to present herself as both an alluring sex object and a transgressor of established borderlines", citing a scene in which she sprays graffiti all over classical sculptures as an example.[85] In The Cultural Politics of U.S. Immigration, Leah Perry specified that the singer had painted over the statues' genitals, thereby creating a "female sexuality that was independent of patriarchal control [...] that defied rather than rejected the male gaze".[77]

In Madonna's Drowned Worlds, Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens wrote that the Hispanic boyfriend and British photographer represented "the dualities" of the singer's life and career up at that point: "the gritty, multirracial street and club scene [...] [and] the new slick, fast world of popularity and success".[11] On the same vein, Kellner singled out the "contrasting fashion codes" between upper-class and Hispanic cultures; one is shown throughout high fashion, art, and luxury, while the other is equated to barrios and urban ghettos.[85] Throughout the clip, Madonna interacts with both men; in the end, however, she returns to her Hispanic boyfriend. Kellner concluded that this was meant to project "the fantasy that one can have it all, crossing borderlines from one culture to another [and] appropriating the pleasures of both".[85] From website This is Dig!, author Mark Elliott wrote that the clip "further fuelled the explosive impact of [Madonna's] first 18 months of fame", also adding that the singer played the same character from "Borderline" in the music videos for "Like a Virgin" and "Material Girl" (1985) –which were also directed by Lambert– as well as in Desperately Seeking Susan (1985).[16] The video for Madonna's 1994 single "Secret" was seen as a sequel to "Borderline".[86]

Matthew Lindsay referred to "Borderline" as a "mini-movie", and compared it to the 1975 film Mahogany ―which also features an interracial romance― and to the work of director John Hughes.[33] Radhika Jones said the singer resembled a "cool big sister crossing over into womanhood".[21] Eric Henderson considered "Borderline" to be the singer's 23rd greatest music video, deeming it "as simple and direct as the song's message: Be with me and you're going to have a really good time".[87] Louis Virtel wrote: "Remember simpler times when Madonna could just spray graffiti and look jilted at a pool hall, and that would be enough for a beautiful video? [...] [her] yearning is contagious — even if she is clad in chartreuse socks and yellow heels". He named it her eleventh best.[88] Finally, Out magazine's Julien Sauvalle considered it one of the singer's "most stylish" videos and noted influence on Rihanna's "We Found Love" (2011).[89] "Borderline" earned Madonna a nomination for Best New Artist at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards.[90]

Live performances

[edit]
Madonna singing "Borderline" on 2008's Sticky & Sweet Tour (left), and on her 2016 Tears of a Clown concert in Melbourne (right)

In February 1984, Madonna appeared on The Dance Show and performed "Borderline", joined by her brother Christopher Ciccone, and dancer Erika Belle.[16][91] The single was then included on two of the singer's concert tours: Virgin (1985) and Sticky & Sweet (2008). On the first one, the performance saw Madonna coming out from behind a silhouette.[92] Her wardrobe consisted of a crop top beneath a vest with a silver cross pattée, matching fringed gloves and miniskirt, leggings, low heel leather boots, and a crucifix earring in one ear.[93] "Borderline" is one of three performances not included on the Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour video release (1985).[94]

On 2006's Confessions Tour, "Borderline" was sampled on an introduction video that led to "Music" (2000), along with "Holiday", "Dress You Up" (1985), and "Erotica" (1992).[95] An arena rock rendition of "Borderline", with Madonna playing a purple Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, was performed on the Sticky & Sweet Tour.[96][97] The singer wore 1980s-styled gym shorts, while the backdrops depicted graffiti and artwork inspired by Keith Haring.[96] From the Houston Press, Chris Gray referred to the number as a "stunner [...] one of several instances where [Madonna] proved her guitar was far more than a prop".[98] The performance was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album release (2010), recorded during the four concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina.[99]

On March 10, 2016, Madonna sang an acoustic "Borderline" on the Melbourne concert of her Madonna: Tears of a Clown show; she was dressed as a clown ―with a pink wig and candy-striped tights― and began the performance by saying: "I don't have bipolar disorder but I am a little borderline".[100][101] Writing for The Guardian, Monica Tan praised the singer for "knowing her jokes were shit but using them as a segue into songs".[101] Finally, on June 9, the singer did a "slowed-down, souled-up" rendition of the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was joined by American band the Roots; the number was watched by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama.[102]

Covers and media reference

[edit]
See also: List of cover versions of Madonna songs and List of Madonna tribute albums
Jody Watley's (picture) 2006 rendition of "Borderline" was acclaimed by Entertainment Weekly's Michael Slezak.[103]

In 2000, an electro-industrial cover of the song recorded by Canadian musician Nivek Ogre was included on Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 2; AllMusic's Heather Phares was critical of the rendition, saying it had "missed the mark".[104] Two years later, it was recorded by American pop punk band Showoff for the compilation album Punk Goes Pop.[105] American singer Jody Watley recorded "Borderline" for her ninth album The Makeover (2006).[106][103] This rendition had a slowed down "sparse" arrangement of piano, percussion and synths, and was lauded by the staff Billboard, who applauded its "beautifully chilled-out rhythms".[107] When asked why she chose to cover the song, Watley explained: "['Borderline'] is a song I've always liked. Because -even though the way it was originally recorded was very poppy- for me [it] always had a melancholy side to it, which I think my version taps into".[108]

American duo Chapin Sisters recorded the song for the tribute album Through the Wilderness (2007).[109] One year later, it was sung by Welsh singer Duffy at Radio 1's Big Weekend; afterwards, Duffy revealed that she was "terrified" at the idea of performing a Madonna song.[110][111] In 2009, "Borderline" was covered by American bands the Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs for the Warner Bros. Records compilation Covered, A Revolution in Sound. On his review of the album, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine felt this version turned the original "inside out".[112] Also in 2009, American band Counting Crows did a "strangely country" rendition of "Borderline" at a concert in London's Royal Albert Hall; it was made available to download on MP3 through the band's official website on March 17 of that year.[113]

Actors Cory Monteith and Lea Michele performed a mashup of "Borderline" and Madonna's 1986 single "Open Your Heart" in "The Power of Madonna" (2010), the fifteenth episode of American television series Glee.[114] Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and American singer Amanda Shires covered the track for the former's 2018 album Accomplice One. According to Rolling Stone, this rendition "retains little of its original feel", being described as a "lilting waltz, with Shires' plaintive fiddle replacing the bubbly synthesizer hook".[115] In January 2021, American singer Kelly Clarkson did a "stirring" rendition of the song during the "Kellyoke" segment of her talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show.[116] One year later, in March 2022, Welsh band Manic Street Preachers sang "Borderline" during their appearance at the BBC 6 music festival; the following month, the band recorded a studio version.[117][118] In 2017, on "Who's Your Daddy?" ―second episode of the ninth season of Will and Grace― Will Truman (Eric McCormack) references "Borderline" by saying it got him through a bad breakup.[119]

Track listings and formats

[edit]

Credits and personnel

[edit]

Credits are adapted from the album and 7-inch single liner notes.[10][120]

  • Madonna – lead vocals
  • Reggie Lucas – writer, producer, guitars, drum programming
  • Fred Zarr – synthesizers, electric and acoustic piano
  • Dean Gant – synthesizers, electric and acoustic piano
  • Ed Walsh – synthesizers
  • Anthony Jackson – electric bass
  • Ira Siegal – guitars
  • Bobby Malach – tenor saxophone
  • Gwen Guthrie – background vocals
  • Brenda White – background vocals
  • Chrissy Faith – background vocals
  • Glenn Parsons - artwork
  • Jeri McManus - artwork
  • George Holz - photography

Charts

[edit]

Certifications

[edit]
Certifications and sales for "Borderline"
Region Certification Certified units/sales
United Kingdom (BPI)[61] Gold 500,000^
United States (RIAA)[58] Gold 500,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Cross 2007, pp. 23–25
  2. ^ Gnojewski 2007, pp. 60–63
  3. ^ a b c d e f Rooksby 2004, pp. 10–11
  4. ^ a b Morton 2002, p. 78
  5. ^ "Happy anniversary 'Everybody'!". Icon: Official Madonna Website. October 6, 2012. Archived from the original on October 9, 2012. Retrieved June 27, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c d Howe, Sean (July 29, 2013). "How Madonna became Madonna: An oral history". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 23, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2023.(subscription required)
  7. ^ a b c "Madonna's 50 greatest songs: 'Borderline' (from Madonna, 1983)". Rolling Stone. July 27, 2016. Archived from the original on July 13, 2019. Retrieved May 1, 2023.
  8. ^ a b Bego 2000, p. 85
  9. ^ a b Williams, Chris (July 27, 2013). "The 'vicious competition for credit' over launching Madonna's career". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 30, 2013. Retrieved August 18, 2023.(subscription required)
  10. ^ a b c Madonna (1983). Madonna (LP, Vinyl, CD). Sire Records. 9 23867-1.
  11. ^ a b c Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004, pp. 140–141
  12. ^ Sanneh 2021, p. 435
  13. ^ Taraborrelli 2002, pp. 54–55
  14. ^ Rettenmund 1995, p. 26
  15. ^ Ciccone, Madonna (August 18, 2003). "Borderline: Digital Sheet Music". Alfred Music. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  16. ^ a b c d e f Elliot, Mark (February 15, 2023). "Borderline: The story behind Madonna's breakout hit song". This is Dig!. Archived from the original on March 28, 2023. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  17. ^ a b c d e "Madonna: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  18. ^ "Highlights" (PDF). Music & Media. 3 (4): 19. February 1, 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 2, 2023. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Mackie, Drew (October 5, 2016). "Video: Madonna's Immaculate Collection turns 25: All 17 tracks ranked". People. Archived from the original on June 23, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  20. ^ a b "'Celebration' – Track listing for CD & DVD announced". Icon: Official Madonna website. August 25, 2009. Archived from the original on January 2, 2010. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  21. ^ a b Radhika, Jones (October 21, 2011). "All-Time 100 Songs: Borderline". Time. Archived from the original on December 27, 2011. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  22. ^ Marsh 1999, p. 502
  23. ^ Andrews 2022, p. 80
  24. ^ Dean 2003, p. 523
  25. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (1983). "Madonna > Madonna > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on December 6, 2021. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  26. ^ Mason, Stewart (1983). "Borderline by Madonna". AllMusic. Archived from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  27. ^ Cinquemani, Sal (September 9, 2001). "Review: Madonna, Madonna (Remaster)". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on February 10, 2019. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  28. ^ "All 82 Madonna singles ranked". Slant Magazine. April 14, 2020. Archived from the original on July 23, 2020. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  29. ^ "Madonna's 13 studio albums ranked". The Advocate. January 23, 2015. Archived from the original on July 15, 2019. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  30. ^ a b Mapes, Jilll (August 16, 2017). "Madonna - Madonna". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved May 20, 2023.
  31. ^ Masley, Ed (October 18, 2015). "Essential Madonna: Her 30 best singles of all time". The Arizona Republic. Archived from the original on October 10, 2016. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  32. ^ Arnold, Chuck (August 15, 2018). "Madonna's 60 best singles, ranked". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 15, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  33. ^ a b Lindsay, Matthew (June 13, 2013). "Lucky Star: Madonna's debut album, 35 years on". The Quietus. Archived from the original on April 18, 2014. Retrieved May 19, 2023.
  34. ^ Hazlett, Terry (May 30, 1985). "Madonna Madness: 14,000 fans at Civic Arena are crazy for her". Observer–Reporter. p. 22. Archived from the original on February 6, 2023. Retrieved February 6, 2023.
  35. ^ Rose, James (November 29, 2015). "25 Years since Madonna's Immaculate Collection". Daily Review. Archived from the original on October 20, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  36. ^ Paoletta, Michael (August 18, 2001). "Reviews & Previews: Vital Reissues" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 33, no. 113. p. 17. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  37. ^ Wratten, Marcus (July 27, 2023). "40 years of Madonna: Ranking every track on the Queen of Pop's iconic debut album". PinkNews. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved July 27, 2023.
  38. ^ Orgill 2001, p. 80
  39. ^ Taraborrelli 2002, pp. 76–78
  40. ^ "The 100 greatest Madonna songs: Critics' picks". Billboard. August 15, 2018. Archived from the original on November 19, 2021. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  41. ^ Jacobs, Matthew (March 10, 2015). "The definitive ranking of Madonna singles". HuffPost. Archived from the original on April 6, 2019. Retrieved June 29, 2023.
  42. ^ Morgan, Joe (August 15, 2014). "The definitive ranking of Madonna's top 55 songs". Gay Star News. Archived from the original on August 18, 2014. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  43. ^ Jude, Rogers (August 16, 2018). "Every one of Madonna's 78 singles – ranked!". The Guardian. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  44. ^ Missim, Nayer (August 15, 2018). "Madonna at 60: Queen of Pop's 60 best singles ranked". PinkNews. Archived from the original on August 16, 2018. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  45. ^ Virtel, Louis (March 2, 2013). "The 100 greatest Madonna songs". The Backlot. Archived from the original on October 20, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  46. ^ "100 Best singles of 1984: Pop's greatest year - Madonna, 'Borderline'". Rolling Stone. September 17, 2014. Archived from the original on July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.{{cite magazine}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  47. ^ "The 200 best songs of the 1980s". Pitchfork. August 3, 2015. Archived from the original on March 29, 2016. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  48. ^ "The 500 Best pop songs: Staff List (128. Madonna, 'Borderline')". Billboard. October 19, 2023. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved February 16, 2024.
  49. ^ "Billboard Singles Radio Action: Playlist Top Add ons / Bubbling Under the Hot 100" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 9. March 3, 1984. p. 18 and 88. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  50. ^ "The Hot 100: Week of March 10, 1984". Billboard. March 10, 1984. Archived from the original on May 12, 2015. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  51. ^ a b c "Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  52. ^ Anderson, Trevor (June 16, 2015). "Rewinding the charts: In 1984, Madonna first crossed the Top 10 'Borderline'". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 13, 2022. Retrieved July 2, 2023.
  53. ^ Whitburn, Joel (2014). Cash Box Pop Hits: 1952-1996. Record Research.
  54. ^ a b "Billboard Dance: Disco Top 80 / Video Music Programming: MTV Adds & Rotation" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 12. March 24, 1984. p. 28 and 52. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  55. ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Dance Club Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  56. ^ a b "Madonna Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  57. ^ a b "Billboard Hot 100: 1984" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 96, no. 50. December 22, 1984. p. 14. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  58. ^ a b "American single certifications – Madonna – Borderline". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  59. ^ "Top Singles – Volume 40, No. 22, August 04 1984". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Archived from the original on October 10, 2012. Retrieved June 30, 2023.
  60. ^ a b "Top RPM Singles: Issue 8602." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  61. ^ a b "British single certifications – Madonna – Borderline". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
  62. ^ a b "Top 100 Singles: 1986" (PDF). Music & Media: 24. January 24, 1987. ISSN 0265-1548. Archived (PDF) from the original on February 21, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  63. ^ Jones, Alan (August 19, 2008). "The immaculate guide to 50 years of Madonna". Music Week. Archived from the original on September 11, 2008. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  64. ^ a b "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Borderline". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  65. ^ a b "Madonna – Borderline" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  66. ^ a b c "Top 3 in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 3 (13): 14. April 5, 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 28, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  67. ^ a b "Nederlandse Top 40 – Madonna" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved Junee 17, 2023.
  68. ^ a b "Madonna – Borderline" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  69. ^ a b "European Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. 3 (7): 13. February 22, 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  70. ^ a b "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media. 3 (7): 30. February 22, 1986. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  71. ^ a b Kent, David (1993). Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 (Illustrated ed.). St Ives, N.S.W.: Australian Chart Book. p. 188. ISBN 0-646-11917-6.
  72. ^ a b "Madonna – Borderline". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  73. ^ Yamato, Jen (April 4, 2019). "Original 'Pet Sematary' director Mary Lambert on her horror classic, Madonna videos and meetings with Stephen King at Denny's". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on April 4, 2019. Retrieved June 21, 2023.
  74. ^ a b Tannenbaum & Marks 2011, p. 15
  75. ^ a b Madonna (1990). The Immaculate Collection (VHS). Warner Music Vision. 0-7599-38195-2.
  76. ^ a b c Clerk 2002, p. 36
  77. ^ a b c d e f Perry 2016, pp. 21–22
  78. ^ "Louie Louie far from so-so". Chicago Tribune. June 21, 1990. Archived from the original on June 21, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.(subscription required)
  79. ^ Nepales, Ruben V. (October 6, 2021). "[Only IN Hollywood] John Leguizamo: From Madonna video extra to best lead role". Rappler. Archived from the original on October 6, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  80. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  81. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  82. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  83. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  84. ^ Now, Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and. "Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now". Chris Bungo Studios Filming Locations Then and Now. Retrieved October 4, 2024.
  85. ^ a b c d e f Kellner 1995, pp. 269–270
  86. ^ Rettenmund 1995, p. 154
  87. ^ "Madonna's 25 greatest music videos". Slant Magazine. October 6, 2022. Archived from the original on October 6, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  88. ^ Virtel, Louis (August 16, 2013). "Madonna's 55 best videos, in honor of her 55th birthday". The Backlot. Archived from the original on November 11, 2016. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  89. ^ Sauvalle, Julien (March 10, 2015). "Madonna's 20 most stylish videos". Out. Archived from the original on March 12, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  90. ^ Blank, Ed (August 22, 1984). "Top music videos nominated for awards". The Pittsburgh Press. p. D9. Archived from the original on July 27, 2023. Retrieved June 18, 2023.
  91. ^ Pettegrew & Keetley 2002, p. 378
  92. ^ Morse, Steve (June 3, 1985). "Madonna is naughty, nice – and talented". Boston Globe. Boston.com. Archived from the original on June 22, 2012. Retrieved June 16, 2023.(subscription required)
  93. ^ Kellner 1995, p. 272
  94. ^ Madonna (1985). Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour (VHS). Warner Home Video.
  95. ^ Madonna (2007). The Confessions Tour (CD/DVD). Warner Home Video.
  96. ^ a b Baca, Ricardo (November 8, 2008). "Madonna thrills fans at Pepsi Center". The Denver Post. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  97. ^ DeLuca, Dan (November 21, 2008). "Madonna at Wachovia: Provocative, sticky and sweet". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Archived from the original on August 17, 2021. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  98. ^ Gray, Chris (November 17, 2008). "Aftermath: Madonna at Minute Maid Park". Houston Press. Archived from the original on December 17, 2008. Retrieved June 6, 2023.
  99. ^ Madonna (2010). Sticky & Sweet Tour (CD/DVD/Blu-ray). Warner Bros. Live Nation. Semtex Films.
  100. ^ Greene, Andy (May 21, 2019). "Flashback: Madonna plays acoustic 'Borderline' at surreal 'Tears of a Clown' gig". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on May 22, 2019. Retrieved June 16, 2023.(subscription required)
  101. ^ a b Tan, Monica (March 10, 2016). "Madonna clowns around at Melbourne show after three-hour delay". The Guardian. Archived from the original on March 14, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  102. ^ Gaca, Anna (June 10, 2016). "Madonna keeps it old school with 'Borderline' (and President Obama) on 'Fallon'". Spin. Archived from the original on June 14, 2016. Retrieved June 16, 2023.
  103. ^ a b Slezak, Michael (May 12, 2006). "Jody Watley's 'Borderline': Brills or blah?". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  104. ^ Phares, Heather (March 21, 2000). "Various Artists > Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 2 > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 3, 2023.
  105. ^ "Punk Goes Pop". Artistdirect. April 2, 2002. Archived from the original on April 4, 2005. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  106. ^ "Jody Watley > The Makeover > Overview". AllMusic. August 2006. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  107. ^ "Reviews: Singles" (PDF). Billboard. Vol. 118, no. 19. May 13, 2006. p. 50. ISSN 0006-2510. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 21, 2021. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  108. ^ Lewis, Pete. "Jody Watley: Three's a crowd". Blues & Soul. Archived from the original on March 31, 2010. Retrieved September 1, 2023.
  109. ^ "Various Artists > Through the Wilderness: A Tribute to Madonna > Overview". AllMusic. November 27, 2007. Archived from the original on March 28, 2014. Retrieved June 13, 2023.
  110. ^ Bowman, Edith (May 10, 2008). "Duffy covers Madonna". BBC. Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  111. ^ "Duffy: I'm a cheap date". Independent Online. May 12, 2008. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
  112. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (March 24, 2009). "Various Artists > Covered: A Revolution in Sound: Warner Bros. Records > Overview". AllMusic. Archived from the original on June 18, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  113. ^ Raible, Allan (March 25, 2009). "Is Madonna's "Borderline" the hip "It-Song" to cover? - A review of recent renditions by The Flaming Lips and Counting Crows". ABC News. Archived from the original on June 23, 2010. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  114. ^ Bentley, Jean (April 20, 2010). "Glee recap: Madonna invades William McKinley High". MTV. Archived from the original on December 5, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  115. ^ Freeman, John (November 14, 2017). "See Tommy Emmanuel, Amanda Shires' wistful cover of Madonna's 'Borderline'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on January 20, 2021. Retrieved September 8, 2023.(subscription required)
  116. ^ Weisholtz, Drew (January 5, 2021). "Kelly Clarkson owns the '80s with stirring cover of Madonna's 'Borderline'". Today. Archived from the original on January 5, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  117. ^ Skinner, Tom (April 1, 2022). "Watch Manic Street Preachers cover Madonna as they kick off BBC 6 Music Festival". NME. Archived from the original on April 1, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  118. ^ Lavin, Will (April 30, 2022). "Manic Street Preachers record studio version of their Madonna cover". NME. Archived from the original on April 30, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  119. ^ Kirkland, Justin (October 5, 2017). "Will & Grace recap: 'Who's Your Daddy?'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  120. ^ a b Madonna (1984). Borderline (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Sire Records. 7-29354.
  121. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (UK Limited Edition Picture Disc Single liner notes). Sire Records. W9260P.
  122. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (UK 12-inch Single liner notes). Sire Records. W 9260T.
  123. ^ Madonna (1995). Borderline (European 5" CD Single liner notes). Sire Records. 7599 20218-2.
  124. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (US 12-inch Maxi Single liner notes). Sire Records. 9 20212-0 A.
  125. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (US 12-inch Promotional Maxi Single liner notes). Sire Records. PRO-A-2120.
  126. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (Australian 12-inch Single liner notes). Sire Records. 0.20220.
  127. ^ Madonna (1984). Borderline (German 12-inch Single liner notes). Sire Records. 920212-0.
  128. ^ "Borderline - Single by Madonna". Apple Music. February 15, 1984. Archived from the original on February 15, 2023. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  129. ^ "Sisältää hitin: 1 January 1960 – 30.6.2021" (PDF) (in Finnish). Musiikkiarkisto. 2021. p. 157. Archived from the original (PDF) on January 22, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  130. ^ "Las canciones más populares en Latinoamérica". La Opinión (Los Angeles) (in Spanish). November 19, 1984. Retrieved October 11, 2024.
  131. ^ "Madonna – Borderline". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  132. ^ ’’Joel Whitburn’s Cash Box Pop Hits 1952-1996 -ISBN 978-0-89820-209-0
  133. ^ "Madonna". Radio & Records. Archived from the original on March 2, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  134. ^ "Kent Music Report No 548 – 31 December 1984 > National Top 100 Singles for 1984". Kent Music Report. Archived from the original on January 8, 2022. Retrieved June 17, 2023 – via Imgur.com.
  135. ^ "Cash Box Top 100 Singles: 1984" (PDF). Cash Box. 47 (30). December 29, 1984. ISSN 0008-7289. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 9, 2021. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  136. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1986: Ultratop 50 Flanders" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  137. ^ "Top 100-Jaaroverzicht van 1986" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  138. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1986" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on September 19, 2011. Retrieved June 17, 2023.
  139. ^ "Decenniumlijst: 80's" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Archived from the original on July 13, 2014. Retrieved June 17, 2023.

Bibliography

[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Borderline_(Madonna_song)&oldid=1256973584"