In the Beginning

by

Madonna

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This CD is really a release of Pre-Madonna, which came out through Harmony Music in 1997. The original release had a tenth track, an edited version of "Ain't No Big Deal 97".

As far as early recording goes, this is the best, for it seems Steve Bray took the actual demos Madonna recorded and enhanced and fixed them.

Some of the songs are outstanding, especially "Stay (81)" and Don't You Know, which were combined to form the song "Stay" as it appeared on the Like A Virgin album. Both were good as they are (and better than the version appear on the album) and I wonder why Madonna didn't record them the way they were originally written.

Laugh to Keep From Crying features Madonna at her Chrissie Hynde best while Crimes of Passion shows how a lot of her songs that came later would resemble it structurally (Into the Groove, True Blue, Causing a Commotion, Can't Stop, Cherish, Express Yourself).

This is a must for die hard Madonna fans. They are NOTHING like the Otto Von Wernherrr recordings that Madonna made. Unlike In the Beginning, Otto used Madonna's backup vocals and looped them over and over and over against some really bad music. THOSE stay away from. THIS one, if you missed Pre-Madonna in 1997, here is your chance to get these early Madonna recordings.

If you think you know the early Madonna, you don't.

"In The Beginning" is a surprisingly solid collection of Madonna's early songwriting with partner Stephen Bray. Unlike the trademark "Minnie Mouse on helium" singing style of her first two albums, "In The Beginning" showcases a deep-voiced, sultry Madonna that will make you do a double-take at first listen.

Some of these songs made the cut to Madonna's first album... but in radically different forms. "Burning Up 1981" is a far cry from the familiar album and single version from 1983. Here you get a glimpse of what might have happened if Madonna had pursued a career in rock rather than dance music. "Everybody" is presented in two different versions here: the original dance version (not too much of a stretch from the familiar album version) and a 1997 reggae (yes, reggae) remix that Madonna probably would not have commissioned.

Getting back to the rock 'n' roll Madonna... "Laugh To Keep From Crying" could well be this album's standout song. Like "Burning Up 1981," "Laugh..." is guitar-driven rock. Not heavy metal by any means, but 80's girl-group rock. Somewhat like The Bangles, The Pretenders, or the Go-Gos. Lets you know that, had she wanted, Madonna could have been a rocker: she had the attitude, and the deeper voice she sings in here sounds strong, confident, and very effective.

The rest of the collection consists of additional unreleased tracks ("Crimes Of Passion," "Ain't No Big Deal" and "Don't You Know") that sound like the beginning of the 80's New York dance sound of Madonna's familiar early works. "Crimes of Passion" sounds like a preliminary version of "Into The Groove" (completely different lyrics, of course, but the musical arrangement has the same feeling as ITG).

If you're a hardcore Madonna fan, "In The Beginning" will show you an interesting dichotomy between the dancefloor diva that she became versus the rocker she easily could have been.