Released on March 26, 1986, "Live to Tell" was generally well received by music critics, who frequently referred to it as the best pop ballad of her career. It was also a commercial success, becoming Madonna's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100 and her first number-one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, and it was released as the lead single from Madonna's third studio album True Blue (1986) by Sire Records. It later appeared on compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), Something to Remember (1995), and Celebration (2009).
Personally, this is one of my favorite songs by the Material Girl. I'm not THE biggest Madonna fan (gimme back my gay card) but I definitely admire and appreciate her contributions to pop music and culture!!
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 28 | July 24, 2020 4:53 AM |
I think it's an excellent song and was different in terms of what people expected of her at the time. The video is probably the prettiest she's ever looked without some erotic aspect at play. And "At Close Range" is still an effective thriller with a strong cast.
| by Anonymous | reply 1 | July 5, 2020 12:58 AM |
Love this song. I don’t know who wouldn’t?
Personally, I love the underrated “The Look of Love” from “Who’s That Girl?”. Another movie ballad but has that killer 80s synth doing the heavy backing.
| by Anonymous | reply 2 | July 5, 2020 12:58 AM |
Stop trying to make this hag happen.
| by Anonymous | reply 3 | July 5, 2020 1:03 AM |
No. Let’s not talk about Madonna’s Live To Tell.
| by Anonymous | reply 4 | July 5, 2020 1:05 AM |
I love the full stop, and then how the lyrics “I ran away...” tumbled in three perfect beats.
| by Anonymous | reply 5 | July 5, 2020 1:05 AM |
It may be my favorite of hers. I have to admit that I am only into the hits, though.
| by Anonymous | reply 6 | July 5, 2020 1:05 AM |
This is one of my favorite Madonna songs, and I loved her look in the video. I know it is a lonely comment to make here, but I must speak my truth.
| by Anonymous | reply 7 | July 5, 2020 1:07 AM |
It's "IF I ran away...". I love that part, too.
| by Anonymous | reply 8 | July 5, 2020 1:07 AM |
It's always been one of her best moments in concert - Who's That Girl, Blond Ambition and Confessions. I don't know why she doesn't sing it more.
Thank God she found Patrick Leonard. I wonder what would have happened to her third album if she hadn't worked with him.
| by Anonymous | reply 9 | July 5, 2020 1:11 AM |
One of her best and one of my favorite songs. It should have been nominated for an Academy Award. She should have received a few nominations by now. Live to Tell, This Used to be My Playground, I’ll Remember, and Beautiful Stranger all deserved recognition.
| by Anonymous | reply 10 | July 5, 2020 1:14 AM |
Dreary. Never ending. I hit “next” every time it comes up on Shuffle play.
| by Anonymous | reply 11 | July 5, 2020 1:14 AM |
It's a wonder she didn't have Sean Penn knock her up. I forgot he looked like that.
Hell, even Walken looked hot in that movie.
| by Anonymous | reply 12 | July 5, 2020 1:15 AM |
This song and One More Chance are my favorite slow songs of hers.
| by Anonymous | reply 13 | July 5, 2020 1:15 AM |
Watching this makes one fully realize how she has turned into a desperate old hag. I wish she had quit while she was ahead- or at least tried to grow up a bit and face the fact that she isnt a sultry sex bomb anymore. She is 62 years old and still talking about her pussy to her audiences. It's tragic.
| by Anonymous | reply 14 | July 5, 2020 1:17 AM |
So is the song supposed to be from the view point of Mary Stuart Masterson’s character? Who if I recall is raped and murdered by the father. That would add depth to the song as she ran away, but did not get away, nor did she “live to tell.”
| by Anonymous | reply 15 | July 5, 2020 1:27 AM |
I think producer Patrick Leonard deserves a good portion of the credit for this song. It was a different sound, more atmospheric than her previous work.
| by Anonymous | reply 16 | July 5, 2020 1:28 AM |
This is one of her better songs and I loved the movie clips mixed into the video. Sean Penn was completely hot back then, in a white trash sort of way.
| by Anonymous | reply 17 | July 5, 2020 1:30 AM |
We JUST HAD THIS THREAD. Yes, terrific song, but how many threads do we need?
Offsite Link| by Anonymous | reply 18 | July 5, 2020 1:33 AM |
R15, I always thought the song as from the point of Sean Penn's character.
Masterson's character was killed by the father, but I don't recall him raping her.
| by Anonymous | reply 19 | July 5, 2020 2:14 AM |
Watching this now and remembered this thread. The father did rape her.
| by Anonymous | reply 20 | July 24, 2020 3:56 AM |
Love this song. Madonna did look really beautiful in the video, especially her eyes. Both Sean Penn & Walken looked good in the movie, very believable as father and son. Chris Penn (RIP), Sean's brother IRL, played Sean's character's brother.
Yes, the Walken character did rape Masterson's character in the movie. The song, IMO, was supposed to be Masterson's character's POV.
| by Anonymous | reply 21 | July 24, 2020 4:05 AM |
They should have left the guitar at the end of the song that's heard in the demo
this is 1 of her better songs but her voice is still weak
| by Anonymous | reply 22 | July 24, 2020 4:08 AM |
This was the peak of the first phase of excitement around her. She had moved up from pop music to the Hollywood movie scene with her marriage to Sean, and this video presented a new, elevated version of her, one to be taken seriously. I remember being quite fascinated at this fresh, elegant Madonna. Definitely a moment.
| by Anonymous | reply 23 | July 24, 2020 4:08 AM |
these lyrics could be identified with the plight of closeted gays, especially the youth hiding it from their parents
| by Anonymous | reply 24 | July 24, 2020 4:18 AM |
That story of those two wackos who killed those 4 guys on the family farm always reminded me of this film. When I googled the real life events of this movie, it was also in Pennsylvania. Is Pennsylvania the new Florida? .
| by Anonymous | reply 25 | July 24, 2020 4:23 AM |
The lines: "I know where beauty lives/I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives" have always seemed ambiguous. Is beauty a source of strength or a trap?
| by Anonymous | reply 26 | July 24, 2020 4:25 AM |
[quote] this is 1 of her better songs but her voice is still weak
Agree. She really struggles to stay on-key. A song like this would be child's play for another singer. For me, however, the song brings back memories of a certain time and place in my life.
| by Anonymous | reply 27 | July 24, 2020 4:47 AM |
[quote] "I know where beauty lives/I've seen it once, I know the warm she gives"
My interpretation: "beauty" is some type of closeness & real love you've had in life, not necessarily romantic. It gives warmth, but people and situations die. But you still remember that you were loved by that person.
| by Anonymous | reply 28 | July 24, 2020 4:53 AM |
