True Blue
Released: 04.10.86 Highest Chart Position: 1 Weeks on Chart: 15 Total Sales: 545,000
The title track from the new album allowed Madonna to continue to play with her image and after the 1940's image of 'Live To Tell', and the contemporary look of 'Papa Don't Preach', it was once more back to the archives for a 1950's girl-group inspired sound. The song, a playful slice of pure pop, was written and produced with long-time collaborator Stephen Bray. According to Madonna, 'True Blue' takes its title from a favourite expression of her then husband Sean Penn and to his very pure vision of love. It was a direct tribute to him as well as the album. In an interview, Bray said, "She (Madonna) was very much in love. It was obvious if she's in love she'll write love songs. If she's not in love she definitely won't be writing love songs."
There are also two versions of the video. The official video was shot in early September 1986 in New York, directed once again by James Foley, the second director (after Mary Lambert) to direct a triptych of Madonna videos ('Live to Tell' and 'Papa Don't Preach'). The Foley version features Madonna with three dancers and a 1950s car in an all-blue diner. It displays a flashing back to fifties rock'n'roll youth culture.
In the US, Sire Records decided to opt for a promotional device that would involve MTV viewers competing in a 'Make My Video' contest and in autumn 1986, MTV asked its viewers to submit their own videos for 'True Blue'. Thousands of viewers submitted their recorded tapes and for an entire day 'True Blue' was played on a continuous loop as all the entries were shown in a continuous run on MTV as promised. The winning entry, by Angel Gracia and Cliff Guest, showed the female protagonist being supported and guided by her girlfriends who introduce her with the male protagonist. The girl goes to the boy's door to gift him flowers, thereby reversing the usual gender-directed pattern of gift-giving. The male protagonist is portrayed as a "perfect boy" having sensibilities such as attentiveness, cuteness, and playfulness like a friend (after the lyrics "You're my best friend"). In contrast to the usual Madonna video there were no sexual overtones. The winner was awarded a trip to MTV's New York studio where Madonna herself presented a $25,000 cheque live on MTV.
In the UK, still without MTV, only the regular video was aired. The song gave Madonna her third UK No.1, the second from the 'True Blue' album. It was perhaps assisted to the top spot by being backed by the perennially popular 'Holiday' and was almost marketed as a double-A sided release.
There are also two versions of the video. The official video was shot in early September 1986 in New York, directed once again by James Foley, the second director (after Mary Lambert) to direct a triptych of Madonna videos ('Live to Tell' and 'Papa Don't Preach'). The Foley version features Madonna with three dancers and a 1950s car in an all-blue diner. It displays a flashing back to fifties rock'n'roll youth culture.
In the US, Sire Records decided to opt for a promotional device that would involve MTV viewers competing in a 'Make My Video' contest and in autumn 1986, MTV asked its viewers to submit their own videos for 'True Blue'. Thousands of viewers submitted their recorded tapes and for an entire day 'True Blue' was played on a continuous loop as all the entries were shown in a continuous run on MTV as promised. The winning entry, by Angel Gracia and Cliff Guest, showed the female protagonist being supported and guided by her girlfriends who introduce her with the male protagonist. The girl goes to the boy's door to gift him flowers, thereby reversing the usual gender-directed pattern of gift-giving. The male protagonist is portrayed as a "perfect boy" having sensibilities such as attentiveness, cuteness, and playfulness like a friend (after the lyrics "You're my best friend"). In contrast to the usual Madonna video there were no sexual overtones. The winner was awarded a trip to MTV's New York studio where Madonna herself presented a $25,000 cheque live on MTV.
In the UK, still without MTV, only the regular video was aired. The song gave Madonna her third UK No.1, the second from the 'True Blue' album. It was perhaps assisted to the top spot by being backed by the perennially popular 'Holiday' and was almost marketed as a double-A sided release.
UK Variations and Collectables
'True Blue' was issued in standard 7" and 12" formats, supplemented with a limited edition 12" picture disc.
For collectors, this release was relatively straightforward. The standard yellow 7" label has the same design as the rare variant for 'Papa Don't Preach' which it would appear was now the new design. It's rarity as a 'Papa Don't Preach' variation is perhaps due to being pressed only as a last minute top-up. For 'True Blue' it appears both flat and indented.
Colourful 7" top-ups appeared in silver, blue, teal and bronze with the bronze variant being the rarest. It is perhaps intentional that both the blue and teal (pale blue) colours should have been pressed in large quantities to tie in with this particular song. Interestingly, the bronze label appears to be available only in dinked jukebox-ready form. Also of note is that these top-up singles play the album version rather than the remix as stated on the label. Sleeves appear in both gloss and paper form.
The rarest of all the commercial 7" releases is a limited French pressing. It has the distinctive French label design along with a UK catalogue number and is quite hard to track down.
The UK 12" has only two versions - the standard 12" and what was now a standard 12" picture disc. Collectors should be aware that not all the picture discs came in stickered sleeves. More of a challenge is the Irish 12" pressing. Irish 12" singles can be so rare it is not even known if they were issued for each single and they are featured on this site only sporadically.
UPDATE FROM TERAL
There is also a very rare alternative French 7" silver label pressing that has an additional credit on the rear sleeve - see photos below
Promotional Items
As was now standard for Madonna's singles, the promotional section starts with the 7" single with a generic promotional sticker. As usual there is also a 12" white label (this particular copy coming in a bright blue sleeve which may or may not have been intentional) which is also supplemented by a 7" white label. As usual, the 7" white label is harder to find.
Unusually for the press adverts there are two slightly different adverts. This would become more frequent during this period as it would appear that Sire decided to start marketing in No.1 magazine as well as Smash Hits.
ALL PROMOTIONAL ITEMS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE PROMO SECTION - FOR ITEMS RELATING TO THIS RELEASE CLICK HERE
Unusually for the press adverts there are two slightly different adverts. This would become more frequent during this period as it would appear that Sire decided to start marketing in No.1 magazine as well as Smash Hits.
ALL PROMOTIONAL ITEMS CAN BE VIEWED IN THE PROMO SECTION - FOR ITEMS RELATING TO THIS RELEASE CLICK HERE
7" Single - Standard release
7" Single - Standard release with indented label
7" Singles - Coloured plastic top-up labels: silver / blue / bronze / teal
7" Single - Irish pressing
7" Single - Rare French silver pressing for UK release
7" Single - Rare French silver pressing with alternative rear sleeve for UK release
12" Single - Standard release
12" Single - Picture disc in stickered sleeve
12" Irish Pressing
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© madonna-decade 2013
© madonna-decade 2013
