01 - CD Single - Madonna (15) - True Blue

True Blue (Madonna song)

1986 single by Madonna

"True Blue” is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album of the same name (1986). Written and produced by the singer and her collaborator Stephen Bray, it was released to radio on September 13, 1986. In Australia, New Zealand, and most European countries, it was released as the album’s third single on September 29, 1986. It was physically released as a single in the United States on October 9. A dance-pop song that takes influence from Motown and girl groups from the 1950s and 60s, its lyrics address Madonna’s feelings for her then-husband Sean Penn.

Critical reception towards "True Blue” was generally positive, with praise being given to its retro, girl group influence. It topped the charts in Canada, the United Kingdom and Ireland―where it became Madonna’s third and fourth number one hit, respectively. In the United States, it reached the third position of the Billboard Hot 100 and was the singer’s tenth consecutive top-ten hit.

Two music videos were shot for the song. James Foley directed the official one that aired internationally, which shows Madonna in a 1950s-inspired blue setting, joined by backup singers. In the US, Sire Records teamed up with MTV for a competition called "Madonna’s ’Make my Video’ Contest”. Fans were called on to make their own video and submit them for the singer’s approval. The winning clip was shot in sepia and depicted a teenage romance. "True Blue” was included on Madonna’s Who’s That Girl (1987) and Rebel Heart (2015―2016) concert tours, and has been covered by a handful of artists, including Darren Hayes.

Background

In early 1985, Madonna began dating actor Sean Penn, whom she met in the set of the music video for her single "Material Girl”.[2] They dated casually and married six months later, on her 27th birthday.[3][4] She also met producer Patrick Leonard while on the Virgin Tour, where he was hired as musical director.[5] Madonna’s third studio album, True Blue, was announced in April 1986.[6] It takes its title after a favorite expression of Penn’s, which signifies a "very pure vision of love”.[7] For the project, she kept Leonard and also enlisted former boyfriend Stephen Bray, with whom she had worked on Like a Virgin (1984), her previous album.[5][8]

Composed alongside Bray, the title track was described as Madonna’s "unabashed valentine” for Penn, and influenced by the "direct antecedents” of her sound: Motown, girl groups from the 1960s such as the Shirelles, and songs like "Chapel of Love” (1964) by the Dixie Cups.[9][7][10] Bray recalled that Madonna was "very much in love” when creating the track; "if she’s in love she’ll write love songs. If she’s not in love she definitely won’t be writing love songs”.[11] While looking back in 2015, the singer revealed that she "didn’t know what I was talking about when I wrote [that song]”.[12]

Composition and release

"True Blue” and its parent album were recorded at Los Angeles’ Channel Recording studios.[1] Personnel working on the song included Bray on drums and keyboard arrangement, alongside Fred Zarr; Bruce Gaitsch played guitar while background vocals were provided by Siedah Garrett and Edie Lehmann.[14] "True Blue” has been noted a "sweetly bubblegummy mix of ’60s girl group sounds and ’80s dance pop”.[15] In its lyrics, Madonna expresses her love and devotion for Penn.[15][16] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., it is set in the time signature of 12/8, with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute.[17] The song is composed in the key of B major, and has a basic sequence of I–vi–IV–V (B–G♯m–E–F♯) as its main chord progression. Madonna’s vocal range spans a bit less than one and a half octaves, going from F♯3 to B4.[17]

The "verse-and-chorus” composition is similar to that of "Chapel of Love”, with Garrett and Lehman accompanying the singer’s convincing "girly” vocals like a choir.[18] It begins with a "pert call to attention”, which then goes from "coy rejoinder” to "bossy command”.[19] Madonna sings, I’ve had other guys/I’ve looked into their eyes/But I never knew love before/’Til you walked through my door.[4] In the "cooing” refrain, she sings in Betty Boop-like vocals, True love/You’re the one I’m dreaming of/Your heart fits me like a glove/And I’m gonna be true blue/Baby, I love you.[15][20][21] The bridge plays twice, and has Madonna singing the line No-oh more sadness/I kiss it goodbye.[22]

"True Blue” began receiving airplay on American radio the week of September 13, 1986, when it was yet to be released as a single.[23] In Australia, New Zealand, and most European countries, it was released as the album’s third single on September 29.[a] In the United States, a release was issued on October 9.[24] "True Blue” has not been included in any of Madonna’s major compilations, but was part of The Holiday Collection ―a four track EP released exclusively in the United Kingdom in August 1991.[25]

Critical reception

might be the most innocent [she] has ever sounded”.[43][44] Idolator’s Robbie Daw deemed it one of the singer’s best songs that "radio forgot”.[45]

Chart performance

"True Blue” debuted on the US Billboard Hot 100 at number 40 the week of October 4, 1986.[46] It was one of the year’s highest-debuting singles, alongside "Say You, Say Me” and "Dancing on the Ceiling” by Lionel Richie.[47] Almost one month later, it became Madonna’s tenth consecutive top-ten single, which tied her with Brenda Lee as the second female in the rock era to score this amount of consecutive top-tens.[48] "True Blue” reached the chart’s third spot on November 15, and remained on that position for three consecutive weeks, and a total of 16 weeks on the chart overall.[49] The song performed well on other Billboard charts, reaching the fifth and sixth spots of the Adult Contemporary and Hot Dance Club Songs charts, respectively.[50][51] By the end of 1986, "True Blue” ranked 76th on the Billboard Hot 100 chart.[52] In October 1998, the single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipment of 500,000 copies.[53] In Canada,"True Blue” debuted in the 84th position of RPM’s Top Singles chart on the week of September 27, 1986;[54] two months later, it reached the chart’s first spot.[55]

In the United Kingdom, "True Blue” debuted at the third position of the singles chart on October 4, 1986.[56] One week later, it reached the top spot and became Madonna’s third number one in the country.[56][57] "True Blue” was certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI) on October 10, 1986, and has sold over 557,000 copies as of March 2015.[58][59] The single also saw success in Ireland, where it was Madonna’s fourth number one hit.[60] In Australia, the song reached the chart’s top-five and was given a platinum certification by the Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) for the shipment of 70,000 copies.[61][62] Similarly, in New Zealand, "True Blue” peaked within the chart’s first three spots.[63] The single was successful across Europe, reaching the top-five of most countries, and coming at number one on the European Hot 100 Singles chart.[64] It had a moderate reception in Sweden, where it barely cracked the top 20.[65]

Music videos

The official music video for "True Blue” was directed by James Foley, with whom Madonna had worked on "Live to Tell” and "Papa Don’t Preach”, and aired outside of the United States.[19][66] Crew included Robert Colesberry and David Massar in production, while Michael Ballhaus was in charge of cinematography.[67] For the visual, Madonna adopted a new leaner look; she hired a personal trainer to assist her in a "relentless exercise program”.[8] The video shows her on an all-blue set, which includes a 1950s-style diner and a white Thunderbird convertible.[66] She dons a Marlene Stewart-created ensemble consisting of black ankle-length tights and blue poodle skirt.[68][66] Stylist Victor Vídal came up with the Elvis Presley-like hairdo the singer wears on the video; "I told her about this vision I had of her. I wanted to bleach her hair almost white and cut it short. She thought for a moment, said yes, picked up a magazine and never looked up until I was finished”, Vídal recalled.[19][66][69] Actress Debi Mazar and dancer Erika Belle appear as the singer’s girlfriends.[67][70] In one scene, Madonna sits on the Thunderbird and "campily” pretends to drive it, while Mazar and Belle dance behind her.[19]

In the UK, "True Blue” premiered on October 2, 1986 on television program Top of the Pops.[71] Nine days later, it aired on the rest of Europe.[72] Upon release, the staff of British magazine Record Mirror compared the video’s aesthetic to that of American television series Happy Days, and said it was as "cute as a choc bar commercial”.[73] Mark Elliott noted that, following the controversy "Papa Don’t Preach” and its video had caused, "True Blue” was "nothing [that would] worry the parents, which was probably something of a relief to record company executives”.[28] Matthew Rettenmund gave a mixed review of the visual; he deemed it cute but pointed out the singer looked "bothered at having to do it”.[19] It is one of Madonna’s most underrated music videos according to VH1’s Christopher Rosa.[74] Louis Virtel from The Backlot ranked it as the singer’s 46th greatest video.[75] By contrast, Vulture’s Justin Ravitz named it one of her five worst.[76] "True Blue” can be found on Madonna’s 2009 video compilation Celebration: The Video Collection.[77]

MTV’s "Make my Video” contest

In the US, Sire Records teamed up with MTV for a competition called "Madonna’s ’Make my Video’ Contest”.[66][78] Fans were called on to make and submit their own video for "True Blue, and the winner would be awarded a trip to MTV’s New York studios, and granted a check for $25,000 by Madonna herself.[79][80] Over 3,000 entries were sent, ranging from "semi-professional film-school pro

Madonna

1986

13

075992056427

United States

CD

N/A

Single

925 442-2

4.5

Channel Recording, Los Angeles

2

Single

N/A

1

2018-06-28 16:12:53

Slimline Case

Studio Single

15

~$17.48

2025-10-23

2018-06-28 16:12:53