A
pop ballad, the song includes instrumentation from
guitars,
keyboards,
drums and a
synthesizer, and its lyrics deal with
deceit,
mistrust and childhood scars. It is also about being strong, which Madonna recalled in an interview that she thought about her relationship with her parents, while writing the lyrics. The music video, directed by
James Foley, shows Madonna's first image makeover, featuring her with a cleaner look, shoulder-length wavy
golden blond hair, conservative wardrobe and subtle make-up. This toned down blond appearance was again inspired by
Marilyn Monroe.
"Live to Tell" was generally well received by music critics, who frequently referred to it as the best 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. The song faced controversy when Madonna performed it on her 2006
Confessions Tour wearing a
crown of thornswhile hanging on a giant mirrored cross. The performance at
Rome's
Olympic Stadium was condemned as an act of hostility toward the
Roman Catholic Church by religious leaders.
Background and writing[edit]
However, Paramount rejected the track, believing that Leonard was incapable of creating the score for the film. Leonard later presented the instrumental to Madonna,
[1] who decided to use it for
At Close Range, the new film starring her then-husband, actor
Sean Penn. Madonna wrote all the lyrics, added some melodies to the composition, and recorded a
demo on a cassette.
[2] She presented the track to the film's director
James Foley, who liked it and enlisted Leonard to compose the film's score, as suggested by Madonna.
[3]
Leonard was working with
Michael Jackson, on some transcriptions for his
Bad album, when Penn called him to come to Foley's home. There he asked Leonard who would sing the track, since it was written from a man's perspective.
[1] Leonard, although he had initially envisioned a male voice interpreting the song,
[3]decided to use Madonna as the main vocalist and used the demo version as the main vocal with backup drums only.
[1] He later recalled that "it was so innocent and so shy. It's as naive, as raw, as raw can be and that's part of what gave it all its charm."
[3][4] In a 1986 interview, Madonna said that the mood on the song was inspired by a different facet of her image makeover and her desire to focus on something different.
[5]
Composition[edit]
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A 30 second sample from "Live to Tell", featuring Madonna singing the first chorus, with background instrumentation from a synthesizer that alternates between the tonal keys of D and F.
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Problems playing this file? See media help. |
Madonna's
vocal range spans almost one octave from F3 to D4.
[7] As she begins to sing the first verse, the bass pedal changes to
C major, changes back to F during the chorus, and back to D minor during the chorus closure.
[8] This process is repeated during the second verse and chorus, which abruptly ends in a silence, with only the low and lifeless sound of the synthesizer, set in D minor. Madonna then starts to sing the bridge (or middle part) — "If I ran away, I'd never have the strength" — between the tonal keys of D and F, closing with the repetition of the chorus until the song gradually
fades out.
[8] The original composition of the song did not have the background synths, instead Leonard created a basic structure on piano, and Madonna added the words on top of it. According to Leonard, Madonna came up with the bridge by herself, extending it from the music that he was playing.
[2]
Lyrically, "Live to Tell" portrays the complexity of deceit and mistrust.
[6] The song is also about childhood scars and had an extreme emotional pitch.
[9] According to the book
The Heart of Rock & Soul by
Dave Marsh, the
archetype of songs like "Live to Tell" is
The Platters' song "
The Great Pretender".
[6] In an interview about the song, Madonna said, "I thought about my relationship with my parents and the lying that went on. The song is about being strong, and questioning whether you can be that strong but ultimately surviving."
[10]
Critical response[edit]
Adam Sexton, author of
Desperately Seeking Madonna: In Search Of The Meaning Of The World's Most Famous Woman, felt that "Live to Tell" made a provocative companion to "
Papa Don't Preach", the second single from the album. He added that "Madonna appropriately measured the safety of silence against the urge to unburden herself." Sexton also complimented the production, saying that the "music itself suggests a threatened annihilation, a fact that makes it more haunting."
[17] Allen Metz and Carol Benson, authors of
The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary, felt that the track expanded Madonna's musical horizons. According to them "Live to Tell" was a compelling track which Madonna sang with moving conviction.
[18] J. Randy Taraborrelli, author of
Madonna: An Intimate Biography, was pleased with the track, denoting it as a vehicle of growth for Madonna.
[19] Erica Wexler from
Spin, while reviewing
True Blue, called "Live to Tell" as "dark and moody, dense with dramatic mystery. In this mushy tale of lost innocence, Madonna very theatrically conveys a lost fatalism. Her fragile voice aches for reassurance and healing when she sings 'Will it grow cold? The secret that I hide, Will I grow old?"
[20] Rolling Stone called the song "as cutting as it is melancholic" and said that it was "arguably [Madonna's] finest and most distinctive ballad."
[21]
Chart performance[edit]
"Live to Tell" was released in the United States in March 1986. It debuted on the
Billboard Hot 100 at number 49,
[22] reaching the top position eight weeks later, becoming Madonna's third number-one single in the US,
[23] and her second number-one that is featured in a film after "
Crazy for You".
[24] The song was a
crossover success, topping the
Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks,
[25] and peaking at number three on the
Hot Dance Singles Sales chart.
[26] In Canada the song debuted at number 79 of the
RPM singles chart in April 1986,
[27] and reached the top of the chart for two weeks in May 1986,
[28] staying on the chart for a total of 23 weeks,
[29] It was ranked at the second position of the 1986
RPMSingles year-end chart.
[30]
Music video[edit]
Madonna in the music video for "Live to Tell", showing her first image makeover
In December 1985, Madonna starred in the film
Shanghai Surprise, where she toned down her appearance, inspired again by
Marilyn Monroe. Madonna held the look for the "Live to Tell" video.
[41] In it her make-up was pale and subtle, her shoulder-length hair was wavy and
golden blond, and her clothes consisted of a simple 1930s-style floral dress.
[42] In an interview with music critic
Stephen Holden from
The New York Times, she commented about her new look:
[42][43]
"After a while I got sick of wearing tons of jewelry—I wanted to clean myself off. I see my new look as very innocent and feminine and unadorned. It makes me feel good. Growing up, I admired the kind of beautiful glamorous woman—from
Brigitte Bardot to
Grace Kelly—who doesn't seem to be around much anymore. I think it's time for that kind of glamor to come back. In pop music generally, people have one image. You get pigeonholed. I'm lucky enough to be able to change and still be accepted. If you think about it, that's what they do in the movies; play a part, change characters, looks and attitudes. I guess I do it to entertain myself."
In addition to
At Close Range, Foley also directed the song's video. David Naylor and
Sharon Oreck were in charge of the production.
[44] The video serves as a
publicity campaignfor the movie, as it includes brief scenes of the film that indicate the conflict the young man in the movie—played by
Sean Penn—feels.
The locations in the film are separated visually from the shots of Madonna, who is singing in a darkened studio. Unlike her previous videos, Madonna portrays a narrator, whose song comments on the story, appearing in shots completely different from the narrative action. She appears to speak for the character, addressing his problems directly, like the
chorus of a classical
tragedy.
[45]
Live performances[edit]
Madonna performing "Live to Tell" during her 2006
Confessions Tourwhile wearing a crown of thorns and an orange blouse.
Madonna premiered the song at a
benefit concert at
Madison Square Garden to raise money for medical research for
AIDS. She dedicated the song to the memory of her friend, artist Martin Burgoyne.
[1] Madonna has since performed the song on three of her world tours. In 1987, during the
Who's That Girl World Tour, she performed the song standing motionless in a single spotlight,
[46] wearing a black ensemble with
tassels, golden tips and
ribbing, designed by Marlene Stewart.
[47] Two different performances of the song on this tour can be found on the videos:
Who's That Girl: Live in Japan, filmed in
Tokyo, Japan, on June 22, 1987,
[48] and
Ciao Italia: Live from Italy, filmed in
Turin, Italy, on September 4, 1987.
[49]
Three years later on her
Blond Ambition World Tour, Madonna evoked Catholic images during the performance. She wore a black
kaftan and a neon
crucifix, while singing on a confession bench, with Roman columns and a platform full of
votive candles in the background.
[50] Two different performances were taped and released on video, the
Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90, taped in
Yokohama, Japan, on April 27, 1990,
[51] and the
Blond Ambition World Tour Live, taped in
Nice, France, on August 5, 1990.
[52]
Madonna's performance of the song during the 2006
Confessions Tour was controversial. She was raised from the floor hanging on a mirrored cross wearing a red blouse and velvet pants, with a
crown of thorns on her head.
[53] During the performance, the number 12 million flashed above her on the stage's backdrop screens, along with images of African children. This was intended to detail the estimated number of children who have been orphaned by the
AIDS pandemic in Africa.
[54][55]
Muslim and Jewish leaders also criticized the performance.
Mario Scialoja, the head of Italy's Muslim League commented "I think her idea is in the worst taste and she'd do better to go home." Riccardo Pacifici, the spokesman for Rome's Jewish community said "It's a disrespectful act, and to do it in Rome is even worse."
[60] Madonna released a statement about the controversy:
[61]
I am very grateful that my show was so well received all over the world. But there seems to be many misinterpretations about my appearance on the cross and I wanted to explain it myself once and for all.
There is a segment in my show where three of my dancers 'confess' or share harrowing experiences from their childhood that they ultimately overcame. My 'confession' follows and takes place on a Crucifix that I ultimately come down from. This is not a mocking of the church. It is no different than a person wearing a Cross or 'Taking Up the Cross' as it says in the Bible. My performance is neither anti-Christian, sacrilegious or blasphemous. Rather, it is my plea to the audience to encourage mankind to help one another and to see the world as a unified whole. I believe in my heart that if Jesus were alive today he would be doing the same thing.
My specific intent is to bring attention to the millions of children in Africa who are dying every day, and are living without care, without medicine and without hope. I am asking people to open their hearts and minds to get involved in whatever way they can. The song ends with a quote from the Bible's Book of Matthew: 'For I was hungry and you gave me food. I was naked and you gave me clothing. I was sick and you took care of me and God replied, "Whatever you did for the least of my brothers... you did it to me.'
Please do not pass judgement without seeing my show.
Cover versions and usage in media[edit]
"Live to Tell" has been covered by numerous artists. In 1992, American guitarist
Bill Frisell covered the song in his fourth album,
Have a Little Faith.
[62] In 1998, Blonde Ambition released a dance single of the song featuring 6 different
hi-NRG remix versions.
[63] Italian singer
Lucrezia made an uptempo dance version of the song that was remixed by
David Morales. It peaked at number two for two weeks on
Billboard's
Hot Dance Club Play,
[64] and was included in the 2001 album
Logic Pride, Vol. 4.
[65] Canadian
jazz singer
Carol Welsman, covered it on her eponymous 2007 album.
[66]
New wave band
Berlin covered the song for the 1999 album
Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 1.
[67] In an interview with
CNN, Berlin's lead vocalist
Terri Nunn said that the tribute was necessary, commenting that "she [Madonna] has influenced a lot of people", adding that "Live to Tell" is the only song from Madonna that she would touch.
[68] Other covers of the song on tribute albums include Semi Moore on
The Material Girl: A Tribute to Madonna, released in 2000,
[69] an
instrumental version on the 2002 album
The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna,
[70] a
folk version by Winter Flowers on the 2007 album
Through the Wilderness,
[71] and a hi-NRG version by Melissa Totten on her 2008 album,
Forever Madonna.
[72] In the
American police procedural television series
Cold Case, the song features in the finale of the
first season episode "Churchgoing People".
[73]
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