BURNING THE GROUND EXCLUSIVE 1986
“True Blue” is a song by American singer Madonna. It is the title track from her third studio album True Blue (1986) and was released as the album’s third single on September 17, 1986, by Sire Records. Written and produced by Madonna and Steve Bray, the song deals with Madonna’s feelings for her then-husband Sean Penn. A dance-pop song, it features instrumentation from a rhythm guitar, a synthesizer, keyboards, and drums. The main chorus is backed by an alternate one, incorporating a chord progression generally found in doo-wop music.
Received by the critics as a light-hearted and cute retro song, “True Blue” topped the charts in the United Kingdom, Ireland and Canada and became another consecutive top-ten song in the United States for Madonna, by reaching number three on the Billboard Hot 100. The original music video portrayed her again with a new look, leaner and sporting platinum blond bushy hair. An alternate video was made through the “Make My Video” contest on MTV. The final selected videos had a similar theme of a 1950s-inspired setting and the storyline following the lyrics of the song. “True Blue” has been performed on the Who’s That Girl World Tour (1987) and the Rebel Heart Tour (2015–2016).
SIDE A:
True Blue (The Color Mix) 6:37
True Blue (Instrumental) 6:52
SIDE B:
Ain’t No Big Deal 4:14
Producer – Reggie Lucas
True Blue (Remix/Edit) 4:28
VINYL GRADE:
Vinyl: Near Mint
Sleeve: Near Mint
U.S. CHART HISTORY:
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1986/87 | True Blue | U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | #3 |
| 1986/87 | True Blue | U.S. Billboard Adult Contemporary | #5 |
| 1986/87 | True Blue | U.S. Billboard Hot Dance Music/Club Play | #6 |
RELEASE INFORMATION:
Label: Sire – 0-20533, Sire – 9 20533-0 A
Format: Vinyl, 12″, 45 RPM, Maxi-Single
Country: US
Released: 1986
Genre: Electronic
Style: Synth-pop
CREDITS:
Design – Jeri McManus
Edited By – Latin Rascals* (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Engineer [Remix] – Steve Peck (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Photography By – Herb Ritts
Producer – – Madonna (tracks: A1, A2, B2), Stephen Bray (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Producer [Additional] – Shep Pettibone (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Remix – Shep Pettibone (tracks: A1, A2, B2)
Written-By – Madonna (tracks: A1, A2, B2), Stephen Bray
NOTES:
B1 from “Revenge of the killer B’s, Vol. 2” on Warner Bros. Records. Produced for Kalisa Inc.
“True Blue”
WB Music Corp./Bleu Disque Music Co., Inc./Webo Girl Publishing, Inc./Black Lion Music, Inc. ASCAP
All rights on behalf of Bleu Disque and Webo Girl admin. by WB Music Corp.
℗ 1986 Sire Records Company
“Ain’t No Big Deal”
July Fourth Music/Semi Automatic Music Inc. ASCAP
℗ 1984 Sire Records Company
Marketed by Warner Bros. Records Inc., A Warner Communications Company.
© 1986 Sire Records Company
Made in U.S.A.
Find the 12″ at DISCOGS
VINYL RESTORATION BY:
-DjPaulT
burningtheground.net
EQUIPMENT USED:
Turntable: Pro-Ject Debut Carbon (DC)
Cartridge: Ortofon 2M
Stylus: Ortofon 2M Bronze
Isolation: Auralex Acoustics ISO-Tone Turntable Isolation Platform
Platter: Pro-Ject Acryl-It platter
Stabilizer: Pro-Ject Record Puck
Phono Pre-amp: Bellari VP130 Tube Phono Preamp
Tube: Mullard 12AX7 Preamp Vacuum Tube Pins
Soundcard: Novation Audiohub 2×4 Audio Interface
Record Cleaning: VPI HW 16.5 Record Cleaning Machine
Artwork Scans: Epson Workforce WF-7610 Professional Printer/Scanner
SOFTWARE USED:
Recording/Editing: Adobe Audition 3.0 (Recording)
Down Sampling: iZotope RX Advanced 2, ocenaudio
Artwork Editor: Adobe Photoshop CS5
Click Removal: Manual
FLAC/MP3 Conversion: dBpoweramp
M3U Playlist: Playlist Creator
RESTORATION NOTES:
All vinyl rips are recorded @ 32bit/float
FLAC (Level Eight)
MP3 (320kbps)
Artwork scanned at 600dpi
Username: btg
Password: burningtheground
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So if I’m reading the credits right, it was remixed by Shep Pettibone then edited by the Latin Rascals? Wow!
Thanks so much! I’d love to hear the Remix/Edit of “Open Your Heart” if you have it.
One of the best Madonna singles in my humble opinion. Loved the retro feel, that swing beat and those cool multi-edits by my faves, The Latin Rascals. I always preceded this song by playing “Give Me Just A Little More Time” by Angela Clemmons whenever I was making a mix tape. Gives me smiles for days!
Jeff
Thank you Paul! This sounds much better than the version found on the 2001 album remaster! You should do Justify My Love next.
One of my favourite singles by Madonna. Cool Shep remixes too.
Thanks Paul 🙂
I haven’t heard this song in ages and I must admit I’ve nearly forgotten all about it. But listening to it right now brings back the memories and even some of the lyrics.
Madonna lost me somewhere after the Like A Prayer album or my taste in music changed somehow but until then I really was a fan of her music.
I just recently saw what the album cover of True Blue should’ve looked like: https://www.boredpanda.com/madonna-true-blue-1986/ 😉
A very nice retro song. I loved almost everything she did at the time. This song always warms my heart with its pure and kind type of love relationship theme (oh… I was innocent and naïve, too). Maybe a little foolish sounding nowadays, but that’s the way love is supposed to be, especially when our love interest is receptive and the feeling is reciprocal.
Thank you, Paul.
Thanks a lot Paul.
Nice post. Glad to have the instrumental/dub version in Paulity. Have a great weekend, Paul.
Probably my least favourite track off a fabulous album. In those years I loved EVERYTHING about Ms Ciccione. Her style, her looks, her dancing. Boy, did I have a crush on her. Whenever I watch the Papa Don´t Preach video nowadays seeing her almost makes me cry 🙂 Good times.
What did you think of her shrimping fad? A few years later, the Erotica-era. The styling matches, content being blue and such 🙂 Happy times. Never tried it myself though.
But I did wonder if all those brah-dressed early bird fans ever got into it, with their boyfriends. Trendsetter as Madonna was, ofcourse.
(Sidetracking makes life so much more interesting don’t you tink :-))
Peter “Hithouse” Slaghuis did a remix for DMC. To me that version is superb. It’s bassed on the instrumental and has a added synth line.
Only on DMC unfortunately but glad to have it in my collection.
Thank you Paul, i think the instrumental version is like a dub.
You’re welcome Guss 🙂
One of her best singles. Love the 60s vibe.