‘A People’s History of the Chicago Danse Floor: House Parties, 1980-2008’ part 6 Cherish

Heard Madonna's Cherish on the radio on the way in (sick of EVOL for the moment). I really like Madonna -not enough to get $150 tix for where ever she's playing, but enough to rock her better songs when they are on.

I even have a few of her LP's. Picked up used copies of her first two LP's - prob @ Village thrift or some like place. However, I also have bought copies of her greatest hits CD and the Ray of Light CD. The hits CD I have I got not do much for me but for the greater good of any party I happened to attend - girls like Madonna and will danse to her when given the context.

It's a habit I picked up from Vito. When he was first flush with cash (and in the 12th flush of 'hey, this is a good way to connect w/ girls!!') used to buy CD's strictly so we could have materials for house parties. So, he had loads of old disco LP's, late 80's and early 90's danse hits, Brit pop stuff - all for outing @ parties when the time was rite.

On that March '96 nite when he left for SF, I was left in the dj position by myself. What a shitty nite that was (a few girls back, but maybe I'll write about that sometime -still, 10y later, is a nite I'd rather forget about for some reasons). But I'd learned. As Vito did, I started to collect CD's for the single reason of gettin' girls to move it. And the hits LP of Madonna was one of the results of me taking on the point position in the various groups.

But it's not the only Madonna CD I have. I also have "Ray of Light", and I got that 'cause I loved the title song. And it would be good to play @ parties.

But she has so many kool songs. Starts w/ her first song, "Holiday". She first came to my attention through Stix. Stix, the musical man from J & B, used to subscribe to Billboard. I suppose he still does, but as we'd flip through The Sporting News @ lunch, he'd be Billboarding it. This has served J & B well through the decades, since he knows all sorts of obscure songs that charted and such from the mid seventies (he's unreal- think Rain Man sometimes). But on one day in, say, 1982, I flipped through his copy and spotted a hot chick - well, Madonna -and instantly giggled @ this whorish looking slutty slut w/ the virginal name of Madonna.

She blew up after that day, of course, but I always remember that funnily named singer. Thse early LP's had a lot of great stuff on them - "Dress you up", "Causing a Commotion", "Material Girl", "Borderline", "Lucky Star", "Like a Virgin",and others still sound great - and would be good to play @ a party. And with each LP, I find a good song off it it. Usually. Love the song "Music" from "Music" - reminds me of Vito's old ex girl Lee and long drives to L.A. Lee and I loved "Music" - Vito not so much. But 2-1 on those long 7h drives.

And she has real shitty songs as well. "Papa Don't Preach". Preachy. "La Ilsa Bonita". La Shita Bonita. "Like a Prayer". Like Shit. "Justify my Love". No justification.

And "Cherish". Bad song.

But she still delivers. Her last LP before the new one -"American Life" had a kick ass danse song called "Hung Up". I haven't got a copy of it - when I release myself from CPS this nite I'll try to link up some youtube stuff to these songs - but it's as good as anything I've mentioned before.

Better than "Cherish". Is as good as "Holiday".

last thing about Madonna. In the CD booklet of "Confessions" - i have looked online for it and have quit looking - there is ....a picture of her..... on her back....... and...... well, nice foto. I remember @ Gallos one nite (after having borrowed the LP from a collegue @ the school I was @) and finally looking into the booklet and seeing this picture and instantly thinking "Shit, I'd love to see Gf, um, ........ on the floor.... ...like....this........"! It's worth it to see. Go into a used CD shop, look up the LP, look inside the booklet, and see the picture*. Then, of course, try it yrself.

It's causing a commotion that I cherish.

*= not the present SecurityOut coverstar picture of Madonna. But close.

Follow it down through the ages through the last danse post.....