Customer Reviews
Madonna's first effort... A promising debut! - By: A. Hansen, 14 Jun 2008 
This was Madonna's first ever album from back in 1983 when no one knew who she was. Being the superstar today it is hard to imagine there was ever such a time! These songs made her name & image known without setting the world on fire. That was to come later... It is an album full of early 80s dance pop, with influences of old school R&B on certain tracks. I will comment on each track to give my review.
Lucky Star (8 out of 10)
This has never been one of my favourite Madonna songs but it does have a catchy beat & has that early/mid 80s sound. It is a bit simple in style & the lyrics are not the best (however it was entirely penned by Maddy herself). One of her classic singles: Although never a big hit in Britain, became Madonna's first top 5 single in the USA.
Borderline (10 out of 10)
Now this is one amazing song. The bells that introduces this song is pure magic, & it is a song that stands strong 25 years after it was recorded. She proved to the world with this song that she could also do more serious songs. With its mid-tempo beat this is as close as you come to a balllad on this album. Definitely the best song on this collection. Maximum 80s feel & 100% Madonna.
Burning Up (7 out of 10)
This was Maddy's second single in North America, however never released as a single in Britain. This song has a more rocky feel. She might have been inspired by the Go-Go's for this one. Another song Madonna wrote on her own, but the lyrics here are much stronger than on "Lucky Star". Unfortunately the song lacks in its overalll appeal hence possibly why it failed to chart. Still a good song & through the years have become a fan favourite. Also the first real music video Madonna ever did was for this song.
I Know It (8 out of 10)
I personallly always liked this song despite its somewhat dated feel & simplistic lyrics. Catchy, bitter sweet & innocent alll at the same time. Quite different from the other songs, & stands out from the rest of the album. Unfortunately never became a single.
Holiday (9 out of 10)
Madonna's first big hit & another of her classic songs. The perfect party song with easy sing-along lyrics. Certainly the happiest & most carefree song of the album. I think no one who grew up in the 80s could have avoided hearing this on the radio. The definite feel good song of her career & one of Maddy's biggest hits ever in Britain where it reached the Top 10 on 3 different occasions.
Think Of Me (5 out of 10)
This is the song on the album I am least excited about. A bit more monotone than the other songs & offers little new despite being relatively catchy. It is one of Madonna's weaker songs in my opinion, that being said if this song was done by any other artist on their album it would possibly stand out in a positive way. The only track on this album that feels like a filler.
Physical Attraction (8 out of 10)
This was released as a double A sided single back in the summer of 1983 with "Burning Up". While B.U. got the most attention & even a music video, I think this song is the catchiest of the two, a modern beat considering we are in 1983, & the musical style is very Madonna-ish. Reminds of "Lucky Star" in the way the song is put together.
Everybody (6 out of 10)
This was Madonna's first ever single & surprisingly not a very big success reaching only #107 in the USA, failing to make the Hot 100. I am sure Madonna used this song & theme as inspiration when she wrote "Music" in 2000, as it has similar lyrics. It is quite catchy & the type of song that is made for the dancefloor. However I find the song a bit repetative & the refrain is a bit monotoneous. Still quite unbelievable hearing this song now & knowing this was released on single way back in December 1982.
To conclude my impression of this album it is certain that this lady was years ahead of her time. She has become known as a trendsetter & that is quite apparent hearing this album. Upon release this album got mixed reviews & some reviewers predicted she would be gone from the spotlight in six months time. Looking back, how wrong were they...
Overalll review: 8 out of 10 (4 stars...)
Anyone who likes 80s pop & wants to own a piece of modern pop history buy this album. It is also a great introduction to Madonna's work. She is an artist who is best appreciated hearing her albums in chronological order to reallly witness her transformation into the superstar she is today.
Very Good.... - By: Ronnie, 22 Apr 2008 ...But doesn't reach the standard of "True Blue", "Like a Prayer", "Ray of Light" & especiallly "Confessions on a Dance Floor".
1. Lucky Star. 10/10
2. Borderline. 10/10
3. Burning Up. 8/10
4. I Know It. 7/10
5. Holiday. 10/10
6. Think of Me. 9/10
7. Physical Attraction. 9/10
8. Everybody. 10/10
OVERALL GRADE: 8/10
This album is very disco & is not like most of her other albums though this is the album which made the Madonna craze!!!!!
Madonna-Madonna/The First Album (Evolution) - By: M. Barnes, 06 Mar 2008 
It's hard to believe that at one time Madonna wasn't famous!
After persuing her dreams & going to New York to become a dancer, she found herself to be interested in singing, & after much hard work (which is a complete understatement!) she created this! The album that would be as we know today the one that started her entire career that just continues to grow today. She is a global megastar. But when this was released more than 20 years ago, she was completely unknown. Well...something must have been done right, as it was this that opened the door for so many Madonna albums later to come through.
I guess good words to use for the description of this album are: poppy, dance, lush etc. The album is like a teenage crush, in that it is full of energy, passion & excitement, constant, right from the beginning to the end. It definately has the Madonna 'edge' that everyone of her albums seems to have acquired, & that everyone has grown to love. That is what I calll evolution....the very beginning of something incredible that was going to happen.
The album opens with 'Lucky Star', a very poppy love song with a real 80's feel to it. You could sing this song to anyone or anything, & it would continue to have the same meaning. You could even sing it to your pet, 'you must be my lucky star', to let them know that you love them!
Second to play is 'Borderline', known today as one of the rarest live performances made by Madonna. There is no excuse for this considering it's beauty & deep meaning! The song is about a rocky relationship, with Madonna pleading to her lover to say what's wrong or on their mind, simply because she loves them & wants to have their happily ever after together.
The next song is 'Burning Up', where Madonna sings about her lustful cravings that she has for her wannabe boyfriend (or girlfriend...who knows!), & how much that she feels that she needs them with such lines as, 'Unlike the others I'd do anything, I'm not the same I have no shame...' Think of it as the fiery sexual version of Kylie Minogue's 'I Should Be So Lucky'.
'I Know It' is the next song with possibly the greatest 80's feel on the album. Madonna sings of how she expects her lover to be treating her badly, giving him a good old telling off!
The next song is one of Madonna's alll time classics, often claimed to be her first true hit. 'Holiday' will never go out of fashion. It can be heard in so many places such as, well...holidays (obviously!) to get people in the mood to enjoy themselves & have a good time (or in other words, CELEBRATE!), discos, on kareoke nights, radio stations, & at many appearances that Madonna makes. She has admitted herself that 'Holiday' is one of her alll-time favourite songs to perform. It is just one of those tunes that will never get old.
Following this is 'Think Of Me', whereby Madonna demands a little time, thought & respect from her lover; to either make up or move on out.
'Physical Attraction' is next, whereby we hear Madonna singing in a very promiscuous manner, simply asking for someone to love her throughout the night. Although this satisfys her needs, she has a ray of hope in that her lover will choose to stick around ie from the lyrics, 'maybe we were meant to be together'.
Finallly, the album closes with 'Everybody', a pure dancefloor & party anthem. It's a great track to close the album, as it suggests that if things are coming to an end, then lets do it on a high & have a good time...so come on 'EVERYBODY'!
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A cool & poppy album. It's been in my CD collection a while now & occassionaly gets a listen.
The album only gets a medium rating from me however because it is alll of the same thing, if you get me? The same style. The album isn't much of an experiment either because of this.
I would still reccommend it though, & from here on it only gets better!
My personal ratings:
Lucky Star: 2/5
Borderline: 4/5
Burning Up: 4/5
I Know It: 2/5
Holiday: 4/5
Think Of Me: 3/5
Physical Attraction: 3/5
Everybody: 3/5
And God Created Madonna.......... - By: Mad Fan, 19 Oct 2006 
Every once in a while a popstar is born & the rest as they say is history, well thats how it was before Pete Waterman & Simon Cowell came along, they dont make em like they used too!!!! Madonna is the very first album released by an artist who was to become the mother nature of everything celebrity, from magazine covers to newspapers, duvet covers to billboards Madonna inc would become an alll powerful media galvonising machine that would let nothing stand in its way, an icon who would stand talll in a league that also included legends such as Elvis, The Beatles & the Stones, Madonna had arrived. However the first offering from this legendary figure would surely have seen many of todays artists to the bottom of the bargain basement but this is Madonna, not Lilly Allen, Britney Spears or indeed Kylie Minogue, Madonna a media man eating machine!!! She was clever, Madonna took disco & made it cool again, whilst Britain swamped itself in new romantisism, punk & electronica Madonna took an underground scene by storm with her happy disco chic that encouraged people to "Dance, Sing, Get Up And Do Your Thang..", light relief from a decade that started of basking in depression. Early eighties America was rife with underground dance scenes something the UK later caught on with during the acid house craze, in 1982 Madonna jumped the wagon & navigated her way around New Yorks dance clubs stopping off at hip jaunts such as Danceteria & the Breakfast club, ensuring her first single releases made healthy top 5 entries on the coverted Dance Play chart, it was official, the girl was cool!! The first single off the album Everybody is simple, eclectic, joyous & downright funky. Produced by Uber cool DJ at the time, Mark Kamins, Madonna rode bareback through a torent of twisting dance synths, it just sounded so cool, its strength was merely in its simplicity!!! To cool though, Madonnas face never made the single cover, best the clubbers thought she was a black artist, white girls didnt produce funky dance that was left to the likes of Grace Jones!! With the success of this track the people of America however became curious, Who was this new Darling of the Disco's???? Hence the second single release Burning Up & its accompanying video, it to charted in the Dance Play top 3 & at last America knew who she was. Styled by french designer Maripol, Madonna immediately forged an identity to partner her music way before, Houston, Jackson or even cyndi lauper, belly buttons, crucifixes, bangles & bleached hair would become her trade mark not to mention that mole! The joyous Holiday became the albums signature tune & her first proper commerciallly succesful single, odd then that a video never accompanied the song, from here Madonna would go on to become the female everybody wanted to be, even today artists such as Kylie Minogue pilfer the albums look & uber cool street sound, for this disc is one born out of credibility, cool, originality & down right determination when artists were defined by themselves. Lucky Star followed as did Borderline & the rest as they say is history. Madonna the album has gone on to become one of the artists biggest selling to date, 19 million in sales since its release in 1983, more important however is that this is the perfect snapshot of an artist who even at the start of her career inspired & defined a generation & many to come. A bubble gum pop album so perfect in every sense of the word & a firm favorite among many of her fans even celebrities such as the Pet Shop boys cite this as the defining dance album of the 80's, you cant say fairer than that, simple effective & fun.
Better than expected... - By: Laurie B., 06 Jul 2006 I picked this one up cheap to further complete my CD collection thinking it would not impress despite the praise it receives. Well it did impress, this is a very nice album; though I must admit some of the songs have not aged well at alll.
I've always liked "Lucky Star", it reallly caught my ear when I first heard it on "The Immaculate Collection". I think a bit of it's appeal is the shimmering stereo ear candy in the choruses & at the start of the song. Always reminds me of SNES games. Yeah.
Other fine songs include "Borderline", "Think of Me" & I just love the 12" version of "Burning Up". On the negative side, I do not care for "Holiday" much at alll, & "Everybody" is quite a poor song.
But overalll: good album. It was worth the money.
