"Open Your Heart" is a song recorded by American singer-songwriter
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
for her third studio album ''
True Blue'' (1986). Written by
Gardner Cole
Gardner Cole (born Gardner Kain Christopher Cole) is an American songwriter, keyboard player and music producer. He is best known as songwriter of 1980s and early 1990s songs for Cher, Michael McDonald, Tina Turner, Jody Watley, and Madonna. H ...
and Peter Rafelson, it was conceived as a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
song titled "Follow Your Heart" for singer
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
, but Cole and Rafaelson never had the chance to play it for her. At the time, Cole's management was working with Madonna's, who were looking for material for her third studio album. After her manager asked Cole to present a female demo of the song, Madonna accepted it and, alongside producer
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Ray Leonard (born March 14, 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist, film composer, and music producer, best known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna. His work with Madonna includes her albums '' True Blue'' (1986), ''Who's ...
, turned it into a
dance
Dance is a performing art form consisting of sequences of movement, either improvised or purposefully selected. This movement has aesthetic and often symbolic value. Dance can be categorized and described by its choreography, by its repertoir ...
song. Lyrically, it's an innuendo-laden love song where the singer expresses her sexual desire. In the United States, the song was released as the fourth single from ''True Blue'' on November 12, 1986; overseas, it was released on December 1. Furthermore, it was included in the compilation albums ''
The Immaculate Collection
''The Immaculate Collection'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990, by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s, as well as two brand new tracks, " ...
'' (1990) and ''
Celebration'' (2009).
Upon release, the song was well received by
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
; in retrospective reviews, it is now considered to be among Madonna's best singles. "Open Your Heart" was also commercially successful, as it reached the top-ten of the charts in Canada, Belgium, Ireland, Netherlands, and the United Kingdom. It also became Madonna's fifth number one single in the US
''Billboard'' Hot 100; she became the second female artist – behind
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
– to score three number ones from one album. The song's accompanying music video, directed by
Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Jean-Baptiste Mondino (born Aubervilliers, France on 21 July 1949) is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Don Henley, Neneh Cherry, Axel Bauer and Les Ri ...
, depicts Madonna as an
exotic dancer
A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event.
M ...
at a
peep show
A peep show or peepshow is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot.
Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the development of the ci ...
who befriends a little boy. It was seen as a tribute to some stars of the
Golden Age of Hollywood
Golden means made of, or relating to gold.
Golden may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
*Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall
*Golden Cap, Dorset
*Golden Square, Soho, London
*Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...
, such as
Marlene Dietrich
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
and
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
; critical reception towards the clip was generally positive: the singer was praised for presenting women as the dominant sex, but the plot of a child entering a sex club received criticism. "Open Your Heart" has been performed on three of Madonna's
concert tours
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
:
Who's That Girl Who's That Girl? may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Who's That Girl'' (1987 film), an American film starring Madonna
* ''Who's That Girl'', a Philippine film of 2011
* "Who's That Girl?", an episode of ''Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!''
Music
* Who's Tha ...
(1987),
Blond Ambition (1990) and
MDNA (2012). It has also been covered by different artists, including
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
in the 2002 film ''
Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
''.
Background and release
According to journalist
Fred Bronson
Fredric M. "Fred" Bronson (born January 10, 1949) is an American journalist, author and writer. He is the author of books related to #1 songs on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 chart and other books related to various music charts as well. He is also k ...
, "Open Your Heart" was originally written as a
rock and roll
Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a Genre (music), genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It Origins of rock and roll, originated from Africa ...
song titled "Follow Your Heart", by
Gardner Cole
Gardner Cole (born Gardner Kain Christopher Cole) is an American songwriter, keyboard player and music producer. He is best known as songwriter of 1980s and early 1990s songs for Cher, Michael McDonald, Tina Turner, Jody Watley, and Madonna. H ...
and Peter Rafelson for singer
Cyndi Lauper
Cynthia Ann Stephanie Lauper Thornton (born June 22, 1953) is an American singer, songwriter, actress, and activist. Her career has spanned over 40 years. Her album ''She's So Unusual'' (1983) was the first debut album by a female artist to achi ...
, although they never got the chance to play it for her.
According to Cole,
The Temptations
The Temptations are an American vocal group from Detroit, Michigan, who released a series of successful singles and albums with Motown Records during the 1960s and 1970s. The group's work with producer Norman Whitfield, beginning with the Top ...
were briefly considered for the song, as well.
The original title was taken from a health food restaurant called Follow Your Heart, where Cole met and fell in love with a waitress named Lisa, who became the inspiration for the lyrics. He further explained in Bronson's ''The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits'':
Peter and I usually write very quickly. It's usually a day or two a song, but for some reason this didn't really hit us as a hit song. We didn't give up on it. We just kept working on it over the course of a year. Thank God we did. ..It was the first song that was cut on the '' True Blue'' album. It made me nervous as a writer, because a lot of times the very first song that gets cut doesn't make it in the long run. But the song ended up making the album, which really opened up a lot of doors for me.
Bennett Freed, Cole's Manager, was working with Madonna's management, who were looking for material for her third studio album; three of Cole's songs were chosen for reviewing, among them "Follow Your Heart".
Freddy DeMann Frederick DeMann is a film producer, music executive, and co-founder of Maverick Records.
During his music career, he managed Michael Jackson, Madonna and Shakira. During DeMann's tenure, Michael Jackson's albums '' Off the Wall'' and '' Thriller' ...
, Madonna's manager, overheard the song and thought it would be a hit for the singer and requested Cole recorded a
demo
Demo, usually short for demonstration, may refer to:
Music and film
*Demo (music), a song typically recorded for reference rather than release
* ''Demo'' (Behind Crimson Eyes), a 2004 recording by the band Behind Crimson Eyes
* ''Demo'' (Deafhea ...
of the song told through a female perspective. Cole asked his then-girlfriend
Donna De Lory
Donna De Lory is an American singer, dancer and songwriter. Part of a musical family, De Lory has been performing since a young age. Her voice can be heard on albums by Carly Simon, Ray Parker Jr., Kim Carnes, Santana, Martika, Laura Branigan, Be ...
to sing the demo; De Lory eventually would go on to work with Madonna.
Despite not fitting with the genre of songs Madonna was singing at that time, she accepted it; afterwards, she rewrote it, produced it, and change its title to "Open Your Heart". Along with producer
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Ray Leonard (born March 14, 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist, film composer, and music producer, best known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna. His work with Madonna includes her albums '' True Blue'' (1986), ''Who's ...
, she added a
bassline
Bassline (also known as a bass line or bass part) is the term used in many styles of music, such as blues, jazz, funk, Dub music, dub and electronic music, electronic, traditional music, traditional, or classical music for the low-pitched Part ( ...
underneath the song, transforming it into a dance track. "Open Your Heart" was the first song recorded for ''True Blue'' in late 1985, and ultimately included on the album's final track list.
In the United States, it was released as the album's fourth single on November 12, 1986; In Europe, the release date was December 1.
Afterwards, it was included on Madonna's
compilation albums
A compilation album comprises Album#Tracks, tracks, which may be previously released or unreleased, usually from several separate recordings by either one or several Performing arts#Performers, performers. If by one artist, then generally the tr ...
''
The Immaculate Collection
''The Immaculate Collection'' is the first greatest hits album by American singer Madonna, released on November 13, 1990, by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles recorded throughout the 1980s, as well as two brand new tracks, " ...
'' (1990), and ''
Celebration'' (2009).
Composition
Rikky Rooksby, author of ''The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna'', noted that "Open Your Heart" has a "continuous"
percussion
A percussion instrument is a musical instrument that is sounded by being struck or scraped by a beater including attached or enclosed beaters or rattles struck, scraped or rubbed by hand or struck against another similar instrument. Exc ...
filled structure, and a chorus comparable to the work of
Belinda Carlisle
Belinda Jo Carlisle ( ; born August 17, 1958) is an American singer. She gained fame as the lead vocalist of the Go-Go's, the most successful all-female rock band of all time, and went on to have a prolific career as a solo artist.
Raised in ...
. The main concept of the song places Madonna as a victim of love. Lyrically, it's been described as a "simple love song"; for
Mavis Tsai
Mavis Tsai is a psychologist and author. She is a senior research scientist at the University of Washington. She is one of the creators of functional analytic psychotherapy (FAP). Tsai is the director specializing in FAP at the University of Wash ...
, one of the authors of ''A Guide to Functional Analytic Psychotherapy'', its lyrics work as a metaphor for being vulnerable while involved in an intimate or close relationship. The staff of ''
Billboard
A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertise ...
'' noted the lyrics are "brimming with sexual innuendo,
adonnayearns for a man to open her lock with his key. And yes, that means exactly what you think it does".
The line "If you gave me half a chance you'd see, my desire burning inside of me" put the singer, according to author Santiago Fouz-Hernández, in a more direct position of expressing her sexual desires for a man.
According to the sheet music published by
Alfred Publishing Inc., "Open Your Heart" is written in the time signature of
common time
The time signature (also known as meter signature, metre signature, or measure signature) is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats (pulses) are contained in each measure (bar), and which note value ...
, with a medium funk
tempo
In musical terminology, tempo (Italian, 'time'; plural ''tempos'', or ''tempi'' from the Italian plural) is the speed or pace of a given piece. In classical music, tempo is typically indicated with an instruction at the start of a piece (often ...
of 112
beats per minute
Beat, beats or beating may refer to:
Common uses
* Patrol, or beat, a group of personnel assigned to monitor a specific area
** Beat (police), the territory that a police officer patrols
** Gay beat, an area frequented by gay men
* Battery ( ...
; the music was published in the
key
Key or The Key may refer to:
Common meanings
* Key (cryptography), a piece of information that controls the operation of a cryptography algorithm
* Key (lock), device used to control access to places or facilities restricted by a lock
* Key (map ...
of
F major
F major (or the key of F) is a major scale based on F, with the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat. Its relative minor is D minor and its parallel minor is F minor
F minor is a minor scale based on F, consis ...
, with Madonna's vocals spanning from A
3 to C
5. It follows a basic sequence of F–E
9–E/G–Gm
7–F as its
chord progression
In a musical composition, a chord progression or harmonic progression (informally chord changes, used as a plural) is a succession of chords. Chord progressions are the foundation of harmony in Western musical tradition from the common practice ...
.
Critical reception
Upon release, "Open Your Heart" was met with generally positive reviews from
music critics
Music journalism (or music criticism) is media criticism and reporting about music topics, including popular music, classical music, and traditional music. Journalists began writing about music in the eighteenth century, providing commentary on w ...
. On his
biography
A biography, or simply bio, is a detailed description of a person's life. It involves more than just the basic facts like education, work, relationships, and death; it portrays a person's experience of these life events. Unlike a profile or ...
of the singer,
J. Randy Taraborrelli deemed it one off her most "earnest" songs, and compared it to
Aretha Franklin
Aretha Louise Franklin ( ; March 25, 1942 – August 16, 2018) was an American singer, songwriter and pianist. Referred to as the " Queen of Soul", she has twice been placed ninth in ''Rolling Stone''s "100 Greatest Artists of All Time". With ...
's "
Respect
Respect, also called esteem, is a positive feeling or action shown towards someone or something considered important or held in high esteem or regard. It conveys a sense of admiration for good or valuable qualities. It is also the process of ...
" (1967), and
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
's "
A House is Not a Home" (1971); Taraborrelli further added that it was a song people could "understand and latch on to,
hich is
Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
what makes a pop song memorable".
Author Susan McClary, in ''Culture/power/history'', applauded it for being more upbeat than previous single "
Live to Tell
"Live to Tell" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album '' True Blue'' (1986). The song was originally composed by Patrick Leonard as an instrumental for the score of Paramount's film '' Fire with Fire'', but Paramount re ...
", and singled out the track's "play with closure
hich
Ij ( fa, ايج, also Romanized as Īj; also known as Hich and Īch) is a village in Golabar Rural District, in the Central District of Ijrud County, Zanjan Province, Iran
Iran, officially the Islamic Republic of Iran, and also ...
creates the image of open ended ''
jouissance
''Jouissance'' is a French term meaning "enjoyment", which in Lacanianism is taken in terms both of rights and property, and of sexual orgasm. The latter has a meaning partially lacking in the English word "enjoyment". The term denotes a transgre ...
'' – an erotic energy that continually escapes containment".
AllMusic
AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on musicians and bands. Initiated in 1991, the databas ...
's
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine (; born June 18, 1973) is an American music critic and senior editor for the online music database AllMusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for AllMusic, as well as a freelance writer, occ ...
cited it as one of the highlights from ''True Blue''; from the same portal, Stewart Mason said it proved the singer hadn't lost her ability to create a "powerful dance song
..with its newfound rock and roll power (electric guitars join the synthesizers in the front line of instruments, a rarity in Madonna's music to that point),
Open Your Heart'was one of
ermost exciting grooves yet".
Robert Christgau
Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...
expressed that "the generosity she demands in the inexhaustible 'Open Your Heart' is a two-way street and then some".
''
Slant
Slant can refer to:
Bias
*Bias or other non-objectivity in journalism, politics, academia or other fields
Technical
* Slant range, in telecommunications, the line-of-sight distance between two points which are not at the same level
* Slant d ...
''s Sal Cinquemani deemed it "robust", and considered it one of Madonna's "biggest, most influential hits".
Erika Wexler from ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' named it an "appealing 'I'm going to get you'" song, and praised the production, which she felt "effectively creates the expansive feel of something magically opening". More critical was ''
People
A person (plural, : people) is a being that has certain capacities or attributes such as reason, morality, consciousness or self-consciousness, and being a part of a culturally established form of social relations such as kinship, ownership of pr ...
''s Drew Mackie, who said that, despite its "unforgettable" chorus, it's a "minor hit compared to the other major hits of
adonna'searly career". One negative review came from
Robert Hilburn
Robert Hilburn (born September 25, 1939) is an American pop music critic, author, and radio host. As critic and music editor at the ''Los Angeles Times'' from 1970 to 2005, his reviews, essays and profiles appeared in publications around the wor ...
, for the ''
Los Angeles Times
The ''Los Angeles Times'' (abbreviated as ''LA Times'') is a daily newspaper that started publishing in Los Angeles in 1881. Based in the LA-adjacent suburb of El Segundo since 2018, it is the sixth-largest newspaper by circulation in the Un ...
'': he dismissed "Open Your Heart" as "uneventful", and one of ''True Blue''s "flat spots".
Retrospectives reviews have also been positive: for ''
Parade
A parade is a procession of people, usually organized along a street, often in costume, and often accompanied by marching bands, float (parade), floats, or sometimes large balloons. Parades are held for a wide range of reasons, but are usually ce ...
'', Samuel R. Murrian named it Madonna's 12th best song, as well as an "essential" cut in her discography. ''
Gay Star News
''Gay Star News'' (''GSN'') is a news website focused on events related to and concerning the global LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community. Headquartered in the UK, it is privately owned and was founded by Tris Reid-Sm ...
'' Joe Morgan also considered it one of the singer's "classics", and her 37th best song. For the ''
HuffPost
''HuffPost'' (formerly ''The Huffington Post'' until 2017 and sometimes abbreviated ''HuffPo'') is an American progressive news website, with localized and international editions. The site offers news, satire, blogs, and original content, and ...
''s Matthew Jacobs, it's Madonna's 25th best track. "Open Your Heart" was referred to as a "quintessential clipped-beat Eighties dance-pop jam" by the staff of ''
Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first kno ...
'', who also named it the singer's 16th best. For ''
Entertainment Weekly
''Entertainment Weekly'' (sometimes abbreviated as ''EW'') is an American digital-only entertainment magazine based in New York City, published by Dotdash Meredith, that covers film, television, music, Broadway theatre, books, and popular cul ...
''s Chuck Arnold, it's her 13th best single; "as much as
adonnamay be known for her more titillating songs, she has also been capable of pure pop bliss. That can be heard on 'Open Your Heart'
..she has rarely sounded more open-hearted than she does here", Arnold wrote. For Jude Rogers from ''
The Guardian
''The Guardian'' is a British daily newspaper. It was founded in 1821 as ''The Manchester Guardian'', and changed its name in 1959. Along with its sister papers ''The Observer'' and ''The Guardian Weekly'', ''The Guardian'' is part of the Gu ...
'', and
Yahoo!
Yahoo! (, styled yahoo''!'' in its logo) is an American web services provider. It is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California and operated by the namesake company Yahoo Inc., which is 90% owned by investment funds managed by Apollo Global Man ...
's Nicole Hogsett, "Open Your Heart" is Madonna's 11th greatest song; the former deemed it one of her "sparkliest imperial-period" singles, while the latter pointed out that "from the opening notes you know that this song is going to be enjoyable". Joel lynch from ''Billboard'' wrote: "Few can sing about desire deferred and sound so damn exuberant while doing it, but Madonna provides a masterclass in how it’s done on the defiant 'Open Your Heart'". He placed it on the seventh position of the magazine's ranking of the singer's best songs. It came in the same position in ''Slant''s ranking; Ed Gonzalez considered it an "unabashedly sincere and playfully metaphoric" love song. For ''
Stereogum
''Stereogum'' is a daily Internet publication that focuses on music news, reviews, interviews, and commentary. The site was created in January 2002 by Scott Lapatine.
''Stereogum'' was one of the first MP3 blogs and has received several award ...
'', Tom Breihan deemed it "one of the best singles in a career full of great ones".
Chart performance
![OpenYourHeartBlondAmbitionUnderground cropped](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/59/OpenYourHeartBlondAmbitionUnderground_cropped.jpg)
"Open Your Heart" debuted on the
''Billboard'' Hot 100 at number 51, the highest-debuting single of the week of December 6, 1986. It was Madonna's tenth consecutive single that debuted as the week's highest. On January 17, 1987, when the single climbed to number seven, Madonna achieved her eleventh consecutive top ten single, breaking a record held by
Brenda Lee
Brenda Mae Tarpley (born December 11, 1944), known professionally as Brenda Lee, is an American singer. Performing rockabilly, pop and country music, she had 47 US chart hits during the 1960s and is ranked fourth in that decade, surpassed only ...
for the most consecutive top ten hits by a female singer in the rock era; she also tied
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson (August 29, 1958 – June 25, 2009) was an American singer, songwriter, dancer, and philanthropist. Dubbed the "King of Pop", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. Over a ...
and
Lionel Richie
Lionel Brockman Richie Jr. (born June 20, 1949) is an American singer, songwriter, record producer, and television personality. He rose to fame in the 1970s as a songwriter and the co-lead singer of funk band the Commodores; writing and recordi ...
for the most consecutive top ten hits by any artist in the 1980s. One week later, "Open Your Heart" reached the chart's fourth spot and Madonna surpassed
Donna Summer
LaDonna Adrian Gaines (December 31, 1948May 17, 2012), known professionally as Donna Summer, was an American singer and songwriter. She gained prominence during the disco era of the 1970s and became known as the " Queen of Disco", while her mus ...
as the female artist in the rock era with the longest string of consecutive top five hits. "Open Your Heart" reached the top of the Hot 100 on February 7, 1987, Madonna's fifth number-one US single.
With this feat, she broke many records: she became the second female singer, behind
Whitney Houston
Whitney Elizabeth Houston (August 9, 1963 – February 11, 2012) was an American singer and actress. Nicknamed "The Voice", she is one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. Houston in ...
, to score three number-one singles from one album, the second behind
Barbra Streisand
Barbara Joan "Barbra" Streisand (; born April 24, 1942) is an American singer, actress and director. With a career spanning over six decades, she has achieved success in multiple fields of entertainment, and is among the few performers List ...
to land a number-one hit in
four successive years, and the second behind
Diana Ross
Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...
with five number-ones strictly as a solo artist. Furthermore, Madonna broke the record of being the only female singer – and one of only four acts – with five number ones in the decade. "Open Your Heart" also saw success on other ''Billboard'' charts: it reached number one of the
Hot Dance Club Songs
Dance Club Songs is a chart published weekly by '' Billboard'' magazine in the United States. It is a national look over of club disc jockeys to determine the most popular songs being played in nightclubs across the country. It was launched as t ...
on February 14, and became Madonna's sixth
Adult Contemporary
Adult contemporary music (AC) is a form of radio-played popular music, ranging from 1960s vocal and 1970s soft rock music to predominantly ballad-heavy music of the present day, with varying degrees of easy listening, pop, soul, R&B, quie ...
entry, peaking at number 12 on the chart.
75,000 copies of the
12" single had been sold by July 1987. "Open Your Heart" came in at number 30 on ''Billboard'' year-end chart for 1986.
In Canada, the song debuted at number 83 on the ''
RPM
Revolutions per minute (abbreviated rpm, RPM, rev/min, r/min, or with the notation min−1) is a unit of rotational speed or rotational frequency for rotating machines.
Standards
ISO 80000-3:2019 defines a unit of rotation as the dimensionl ...
'' chart on December 13, 1986, and peaked at number eight on February 21.
In the United Kingdom, "Open Your Heart" debuted at number 8 on the
Singles Chart
A record chart, in the music industry, also called a music chart, is a ranking of recorded music according to certain criteria during a given period. Many different criteria are used in worldwide charts, often in combination. These include rec ...
on December 13, 1986, and subsequently peaked at number 4 on December 28; it spent a total of nine weeks on the chart.
It was certified silver by the
British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry (BPI) is the British recorded music industry's Trade association. It runs the BRIT Awards, the Classic BRIT Awards, National Album Day, is home to the Mercury Prize, and co-owns the Official Charts Company with th ...
(BPI) in December 1986 for shipment of 250,000 copies.
According to
MTV UK
MTV is a British pay television channel focusing on reality TV and music programming operated by Paramount Networks UK & Australia.
The channel launched as part of MTV Networks Europe localisation strategy in 1997. MTV UK (previously MTV UK & I ...
, over 195,000 copies of the single have been sold in the United Kingdom as of 2010. It was a top ten hit in Belgium,
the Netherlands,
Italy,
Iceland, and Ireland.
Furthermore, "Open Your Heart" became the only single from ''True Blue'' that did not top the
Eurochart Hot 100
The European Hot 100 Singles was compiled by '' Billboard'' and ''Music & Media'' magazine from March 1984 until December 2010. The chart was based on national singles sales charts in 17 European countries: Austria, Belgium (two charts separately ...
, coming in at four.
In Australia, it reached number 16, breaking a run of nine consecutive top ten singles that Madonna had in the country.
In Switzerland,
Austria,
Germany and France, it reached within the top 40 of the charts.
Music video
Background and synopsis
The music video for "Open Your Heart" was directed by
Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Jean-Baptiste Mondino (born Aubervilliers, France on 21 July 1949) is a French fashion photographer and music video director. He has directed music videos for Madonna, David Bowie, Sting, Björk, Don Henley, Neneh Cherry, Axel Bauer and Les Ri ...
, and shot at
Echo Park
Echo Park is a neighborhood in the east-central region of Los Angeles, California. Located to the northwest of Downtown, it is bordered by Silver Lake to the west and Chinatown to the east. The culturally diverse neighborhood has become known fo ...
in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles ( ; es, Los Ángeles, link=no , ), often referred to by its initials L.A., is the largest city in the state of California and the second most populous city in the United States after New York City, as well as one of the world' ...
, during the summer of 1986; David Naylor was in charge of production.
''
Music & Media
''Music & Media'' was a pan-European magazine for radio, music and entertainment. It was published for the first time in 1984 as ''Eurotipsheet'', but in 1986 it changed name to ''Music & Media''. It was originally based in Amsterdam, but later ...
'' magazine had initially reported that Madonna's then husband
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn (born August 17, 1960) is an American actor and film director. He has won two Academy Awards, for his roles in the mystery drama ''Mystic River'' (2003) and the biopic ''Milk'' (2008).
Penn began his acting career in televisi ...
would direct it. The clip takes influence from
Liza Minnelli
Liza May Minnelli ( ; born March 12, 1946) is an American actress, singer, dancer, and choreographer. Known for her commanding stage presence and powerful alto singing voice, Minnelli is among a rare group of performers awarded an Emmy, Grammy ...
's "Mein Herr" number in
Bob Fosse
Robert Louis Fosse (; June 23, 1927 – September 23, 1987) was an American actor, choreographer, dancer, and film and stage director. He directed and choreographed musical works on stage and screen, including the stage musicals ''The Pajam ...
's ''
Cabaret
Cabaret is a form of theatrical entertainment featuring music, song, dance, recitation, or drama. The performance venue might be a pub, a casino, a hotel, a restaurant, or a nightclub with a stage for performances. The audience, often dining or d ...
'' (1972).
In it, Madonna plays an
exotic dancer
A stripper or exotic dancer is a person whose occupation involves performing striptease in a public adult entertainment venue such as a strip club. At times, a stripper may be hired to perform at a bachelor party or other private event.
M ...
at a
peep show
A peep show or peepshow is a presentation of a live sex show or pornographic film which is viewed through a viewing slot.
Several historical media provided voyeuristic entertainment through hidden erotic imagery. Before the development of the ci ...
who befriends a young boy, played by child actor
Felix Howard
Felix Howard (born January 14, 1973) is a songwriter, record producer, A&R and publisher.
A former model as a child, Howard was photographed by Jamie Morgan and styled by the world renowned Ray Petri for the cover of ''The Face'' magazine. In ...
. The peep show was Mondino's idea since, at that time, "we were into a period where we were experimenting
ith
The Ith () is a ridge in Germany's Central Uplands which is up to 439 m high. It lies about 40 km southwest of Hanover and, at 22 kilometres, is the longest line of crags in North Germany.
Geography
Location
The Ith is immediatel ...
some kind of freedom about the body, about sexuality and stuff".
The set, including the frontal part with the ticket booth, was built from scratch; Mondino liked the "fakeness" of it all: "when I saw it
..I said, 'It's so naïve'. It's kind of badly done
..but there's something sweet about it".
The director also suggested Madonna wear a dark-haired wig, because she was "known as being the blonde with short hair".
The video begins with shots of the peep show's sign, which has the reproduction of a
Tamara de Lempicka
Tamara Łempicka (born Tamara Rosalia Gurwik-Górska; 16 May 1898 – 18 March 1980), better known as Tamara de Lempicka, was a Polish painter who spent her working life in France and the United States. She is best known for her polished Art De ...
artwork showing three naked women; the central woman's nipples have been replaced with light bulbs.
Felix Howard is trying to get in, but gets rebuffed by an old man at the ticket booth. Inside, Madonna starts singing the song wearing the black wig, which she quickly removes to reveal her cropped
platinum blonde hair. She's dressed in a black satin bustier with gold nipple caps and tassels.
Regularly, a curtain rises or comes down behind a glass panel, as if the show's audience were putting coins in the slot; the audience in the booths include two
Navy
A navy, naval force, or maritime force is the branch of a nation's armed forces principally designated for naval warfare, naval and amphibious warfare; namely, lake-borne, riverine, littoral zone, littoral, or ocean-borne combat operations and ...
officers, a middle-aged man, an overweight man, a young man with
dreadlock
Dreadlocks, also known as locs or dreads, are rope-like strands of hair formed by locking or braiding hair.
Origins
Some of the earliest depictions of dreadlocks date back as far as 1600–1500 BCE in the Minoan Civilization, one of Europe' ...
s, and a short-haired woman implied to be a
lesbian
A lesbian is a Homosexuality, homosexual woman.Zimmerman, p. 453. The word is also used for women in relation to their sexual identity or sexual behavior, regardless of sexual orientation, or as an adjective to characterize or associate n ...
.
Also present are wooden cut-outs of Tamara de Lempicka paintings.
Throughout the video, Madonna dances with a single prop: that of a solitary chair.
Towards the end, she comes out of the theater and gives Howard a quick kiss on his lips; they both are now clad in loose-fitting gray suits. The video ends with them strolling away playfully in the sunrise, in a shot that was compared to one of
Charlie Chaplin
Sir Charles Spencer Chaplin Jr. (16 April 188925 December 1977) was an English comic actor, filmmaker, and composer who rose to fame in the era of silent film. He became a worldwide icon through his screen persona, the Tramp, and is consider ...
and
Jackie Coogan
John Leslie Coogan (October 26, 1914 – March 1, 1984) was an American actor and comedian who began his film career as a child actor in silent films.
Charlie Chaplin's film classic ''The Kid'' (1921) made him one of the first child stars in the ...
in ''
The Kid The Kid or The Kids may refer to:
Fictional characters
* The kid (''Blood Meridian''), a character in Cormac McCarthy's 1985 novel ''Blood Meridian''
* The Kid (''The Matrix''), a character in the ''Matrix'' film series
* The Kid (''The Stand'' ...
''.
The old man from the ticket booth chases after them shouting, "come back, come back, we still need you" in Italian.
Reception and analysis
![Madonna II A 1 (cropped) Size](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/2/24/Madonna_II_A_1_%28cropped%29_Size.jpg)
The music video received positive reviews; for the ''
Houston Chronicle
The ''Houston Chronicle'' is the largest daily newspaper in Houston, Texas, United States. , it is the third-largest newspaper by Sunday circulation in the United States, behind only ''The New York Times'' and the ''Los Angeles Times''. With it ...
'', Bruce Westwood named it one of the year's best.
The staff of ''Rolling Stone'' considered it the singer's third greatest video, as well as her "first overtly risqué clip
..An even mix of
Fellini
Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
and Fosse,
Open Your Heart'was gorgeous, from the paintings of art deco artist Tamara de Lempicka on the club exterior, to the colorfully cold cast of characters".
It was named Madonna's 14th best by Samuel R. Murrian, who also called it "sexy, clever and hilarious".
''
Gay Star News
''Gay Star News'' (''GSN'') is a news website focused on events related to and concerning the global LGBTI (lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and intersex) community. Headquartered in the UK, it is privately owned and was founded by Tris Reid-Sm ...
'' Joe Morgan singled out the Navy officers as a
homosexual
Homosexuality is romantic attraction, sexual attraction, or sexual behavior between members of the same sex or gender. As a sexual orientation, homosexuality is "an enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions" to peop ...
couple, and praised the video for "making short hair on women sexy".
Tom Breihan deemed it a "statement video", and noted the singer paid tribute to some stars of the
Golden Age of Hollywood
Golden means made of, or relating to gold.
Golden may also refer to:
Places United Kingdom
*Golden, in the parish of Probus, Cornwall
*Golden Cap, Dorset
*Golden Square, Soho, London
*Golden Valley, a valley on the River Frome in Gloucestershir ...
, such as
Marlene Dietrich
Marie Magdalene "Marlene" DietrichBorn as Maria Magdalena, not Marie Magdalene, according to Dietrich's biography by her daughter, Maria Riva ; however Dietrich's biography by Charlotte Chandler cites "Marie Magdalene" as her birth name . (, ; ...
,
Rita Hayworth
Rita Hayworth (born Margarita Carmen Cansino; October 17, 1918May 14, 1987) was an American actress, dancer and producer. She achieved fame during the 1940s as one of the era's top stars, appearing in 61 films over 37 years. The press coined th ...
, and Liza Minnelli.
Sal Cinquemani, on a ''Billboard'' article, deemed it one of Madonna's most "visually striking and sexually provocative" clips.
Despite positive reception, "Open Your Heart" caused controversy; some feminist groups accused Madonna of "setting back history", and reproached her for promoting the return of bustiers and corsets.
Writer Susan Bardo chastised the "leering and pathetic" men in the cubicles, and referred to the ending sequence, in which the singer and Howard escape together as "cynically and mechanically tacked on
sa way of claiming trendy status for what is just
cheesecake
Cheesecake is a sweet dessert consisting of one or more layers. The main, and thickest, layer consists of a mixture of a soft, fresh cheese (typically cottage cheese, cream cheese or ricotta), eggs, and sugar. If there is a bottom layer, it m ...
– or, perhaps, pornography". Ilene Rosenzweig called out Madonna for "lasciviously" kissing Howard.
On a similar note, Joe Morgan dismissed Howard's "pervy teen" character.
The video was banned on some television channels and
MTV
MTV (Originally an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable channel that launched on August 1, 1981. Based in New York City, it serves as the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group, part of Paramount Media Networks, a di ...
nearly refused to broadcast it;
this was solved when executives from the network met with representatives from Warner Bros., Madonna's label.
At the
1987 MTV Video Music Awards
The 1987 MTV Video Music Awards aired live on September 11, 1987, from the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles. Hosted by MTV VJs Downtown Julie Brown, Carolyne Heldman, Kevin Seal, Michael Tomioka, and Dweezil Zappa, the show honored the best m ...
, "Open Your Heart" was nominated in three categories:
Best Art Direction
The Academy Award for Best Production Design recognizes achievement for art direction in film. The category's original name was Best Art Direction, but was changed to its current name in 2012 for the 85th Academy Awards. This change resulted fro ...
,
Best Choreography
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Choreography is a craft award given to the artist, the artist's manager, and choreographer of the music video. From 1984 to 2007, the full name of the award was Best Choreography in a Video. The biggest winner ...
, and
Best Female Video
The MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video is one of the original general awards that has been handed out every year since the first annual MTV Video Music Awards in 1984. In 2007, however, the award was briefly renamed Female Artist of the Y ...
. In Europe, it was one of 1987's most heavily rotated clips on television.
The clip also received praise for presenting women as the dominant sex; in '' Religion and Popular Culture in America'' (2005),
Bruce Forbes Bruce David Forbes (born March 30, 1948) is an ordained minister in the United Methodist Church. Born in Michigan, he grew up in Mitchell, South Dakota. His parents, Ernest Linwood Forbes and Marie Louise Forbes, met in Rochester. Ernie eventually ...
and Jeffrey H. Mahan compared its themes to the ones in
Mötley Crüe
Mötley Crüe is an American heavy metal band formed in Los Angeles in 1981. The group was founded by bassist Nikki Sixx, drummer Tommy Lee, lead guitarist Mick Mars and lead singer Vince Neil. Mötley Crüe has sold over 100 million albums ...
's "
Girls, Girls, Girls" (1987), with the difference that "Open Your Heart" is told from Madonna's point of view; she looks down into the cubicles to make eye contact with the men but they are unable to return it.
Forbes also noted an undertone of mockery when Madonna addresses them when singing the word "baby".
Author Donn Welton pointed out that the usual power relationship between the "voyeuristic male gaze and object" is destabilized by the portrayal of the male audience members as "leering and pathetic". At the same time, the portrayal of Madonna as "porno queen object" is deconstructed by the escape at the end of the video. Bruce Westwood compared it to the singer's video for "
Material Girl
"Material Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album, '' Like a Virgin'' (1984). It was released on November 30, 1984, by the Sire label as the second single from ''Like a Virgin''. It also appears slightly ...
" (1985), as in both, she "plays a role within a role"; "
adonnagets her audience's attention with skin and flashiness, then assumes a warm, sweet pose at the end as if to say, 'It was all an act. I'm a good-hearted, sensitive person in real life'", Westwood wrote.
Sal Cinquemani described it as both a "deconstruction of female empowerment and the male gaze", and "a testament to Madonna’s power as a performer, commanding attention with little more than her body and a wooden chair".
"Open Your Heart" was considered the 22nd greatest music video of all time by ''Slant''.
Live performances
![MDNA DSCN3395 (7603304574) (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/cc/MDNA_DSCN3395_%287603304574%29_%28cropped%29.jpg)
"Open Your Heart" has been included on three of Madonna's
concert tours
A concert tour (or simply tour) is a series of concerts by an artist or group of artists in different cities, countries or locations. Often concert tours are named to differentiate different tours by the same artist and to associate a specific to ...
:
Who's That Girl Who's That Girl? may refer to:
Film and television
* ''Who's That Girl'' (1987 film), an American film starring Madonna
* ''Who's That Girl'', a Philippine film of 2011
* "Who's That Girl?", an episode of ''Wow! Wow! Wubbzy!''
Music
* Who's Tha ...
(1987),
Blond Ambition (1990) and
MDNA (2012). On the first one, it was performed as opening number and saw the singer running "back and forth across the stage", with a giant Tamara de Lempicka portrait projected behind her;
she was dressed in the same bustier from the music video, and joined by 13-year-old dancer Chris Finch.
For ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'', Richard Harrington noted that Madonna's outfit was "a lot less suggestive than some of her body movements". Two different performances can be found on the videos ''Who's That Girl: Live in Japan'', filmed in
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
on June, and ''
Ciao Italia: Live from Italy'', filmed in
Turin
Turin ( , Piedmontese language, Piedmontese: ; it, Torino ) is a city and an important business and cultural centre in Northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and of the Metropolitan City of Turin, and was the first Italian capital ...
on September.
For the song's performance on 1990's Blond Ambition World Tour, the singer wore the corset with conical-shaped cups designed by
Jean Paul Gaultier
Jean Paul Gaultier (; born 24 April 1952) is a French haute couture and prêt-à-porter fashion designer. He is described as an "enfant terrible" of the fashion industry and is known for his unconventional designs with motifs including corsets, ...
, and did a choreography with a chair while a muscular dancer watched her from afar.
Harrington opined it was one of the concert's numbers that "suffered from overly tight choreography that left little to chance, less to spontaneity and nothing to the imagination". Two different performances can be found in ''Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90'', taped in
Yokohama
is the second-largest city in Japan by population and the most populous municipality of Japan. It is the capital city and the most populous city in Kanagawa Prefecture, with a 2020 population of 3.8 million. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of To ...
, and in ''
Blond Ambition World Tour Live
''Blond Ambition World Tour Live'' is a video album by American singer-songwriter Madonna released exclusively on Laserdisc by Pioneer Artists on December 13, 1990. It contained the Blond Ambition World Tour's final show, filmed at the Stade ...
'', taped in
Nice
Nice ( , ; Niçard: , classical norm, or , nonstandard, ; it, Nizza ; lij, Nissa; grc, Νίκαια; la, Nicaea) is the prefecture of the Alpes-Maritimes department in France. The Nice agglomeration extends far beyond the administrative c ...
.
The song's opening
introduction
Introduction, The Introduction, Intro, or The Intro may refer to:
General use
* Introduction (music), an opening section of a piece of music
* Introduction (writing), a beginning section to a book, article or essay which states its purpose and g ...
was used as a brief interlude on 2001's
Drowned World Tour
The Drowned World Tour (billed as Drowned World Tour 2001) was the fifth concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna in support of her seventh and eighth studio albums ''Ray of Light'' (1998) and ''Music'' (2000), respectively. The tour ...
.
On the
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
and
Las Vegas
Las Vegas (; Spanish for "The Meadows"), often known simply as Vegas, is the 25th-most populous city in the United States, the most populous city in the state of Nevada, and the county seat of Clark County. The city anchors the Las Vegas ...
concerts of 2008's
Sticky & Sweet Tour
The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Madonna, to promote her eleventh studio album, ''Hard Candy'' (2008). It was Madonna's first major venture under a new ten-year 360 deal with Live Nation. Following a serie ...
, the singer did
a capella
''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Rena ...
renditions of "Open Your Heart" per the crowd's request. On February 5, 2012, Madonna sang snippets of the single during the
Super Bowl XLVI halftime show, where she was joined by a
marching band
A marching band is a group of instrumental musicians who perform while marching, often for entertainment or competition. Instrumentation typically includes brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. Most marching bands wear a uniform, ofte ...
and singer
Cee Lo Green Cee or CEE may refer to:
* C, third letter of the Latin alphabet
* Cee, Spain, A Coruña, Galicia
* Center for Excellence in Education, US
* Central and Eastern Europe
* Centre for Environment Education
* Centre for the Economics of Education, Lon ...
. For that year's MDNA Tour, "Open Your Heart" was reworked as a "European
folk song
Folk music is a music genre that includes #Traditional folk music, traditional folk music and the Contemporary folk music, contemporary genre that evolved from the former during the 20th-century folk revival. Some types of folk music may be c ...
", relying only on drums and
vocal harmonies
Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical chora ...
.
It was
mashed up with "Sagarra Jo!", a song by
Basque
Basque may refer to:
* Basques, an ethnic group of Spain and France
* Basque language, their language
Places
* Basque Country (greater region), the homeland of the Basque people with parts in both Spain and France
* Basque Country (autonomous co ...
band
Kalakan
Kalakan prs, کلکان, is a village located in the center of Kalakan District, Kabul Province, Afghanistan.
See also
*Kalakan District
*Kabul Province
Kabul (Persian: ), situated in the east of the country, is one of the thirty-four p ...
, who joined Madonna for the performance.
Rocco Ritchie, the singer's son, was also present.
On her review of the New York concert, Caryn Ganz from ''
Spin
Spin or spinning most often refers to:
* Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thread by twisting fibers together, traditionally by hand spinning
* Spin, the rotation of an object around a central axis
* Spin (propaganda), an intentionally b ...
'' singled out the song's "elegant reworking".
The performances of the song at the November 19–20 shows in
Miami
Miami ( ), officially the City of Miami, known as "the 305", "The Magic City", and "Gateway to the Americas", is a East Coast of the United States, coastal metropolis and the County seat, county seat of Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade C ...
were recorded and released in the ''
MDNA World Tour''
live album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), Phonograph record, vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as Digital distribution#Music, digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early ...
(2013).
At the
56th Annual Grammy Awards
The 56th Annual Grammy Awards presentation was held on January 26, 2014, at Staples Center in Los Angeles. The show was broadcast on CBS at 8 p.m. ET/PT and was hosted for the third time by LL Cool J. The show was moved to January to avoid comp ...
, on January 26, 2014,
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis
Macklemore & Ryan Lewis are an American hip hop duo from Seattle, Washington, formed in 2008 by Macklemore, a rapper,Trust, Gary (2013)Macklemore & Ryan Lewis' 'Can't Hold Us' Makes Hot 100 History, ''Billboard'', May 8, 2013. Retrieved January ...
sang their song "
Same Love
Same may refer to:
*Sameness or identity
Places
* Same (Homer), an island mentioned by Homer in the ''Odyssey''
* Same (polis), an ancient city
* Same, East Timor, the capital of the Manufahi district
* Samé, Mali
* Same, Tanzania
* Same Distric ...
" (2012) as
Queen Latifah
Dana Elaine Owens (born March 18, 1970), known professionally as Queen Latifah, is an American rapper, actress, and singer. Born in Newark, New Jersey, she signed with Tommy Boy Records in 1989 and released her debut album ''All Hail the Que ...
acted as the
officiant
An officiant is someone who officiates (i.e. leads) at a service or ceremony, such as marriage, burial, or namegiving/baptism.
Religious officiants are usually ordained by a religious denomination as members of the clergy. Some officiants work w ...
for 33 couples who were getting married right there in the ceremony; then, Madonna emerged dressed in a white
Ralph Lauren
Ralph Lauren, ( ; ; born October 14, 1939) is an American fashion designer, philanthropist, and billionaire businessman, best known for the Ralph Lauren Corporation, a global multibillion-dollar enterprise. He has become well known for his co ...
suit to sing "Open Your Heart". One year later, during the
Manchester
Manchester () is a city in Greater Manchester, England. It had a population of 552,000 in 2021. It is bordered by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and the neighbouring city of Salford to the west. The t ...
concert of the singer's
Rebel Heart Tour
The Rebel Heart Tour was the tenth concert tour by American singer Madonna, staged in support of her thirteenth studio album, ''Rebel Heart'' (2015). Comprising 82 shows, the tour visited North America, Asia, Europe and Oceania. It began on S ...
on December 14, she sang the single a capella, a moment that had "everyone singing along" according to the ''
Manchester Evening News
The ''Manchester Evening News'' (''MEN'') is a regional daily newspaper covering Greater Manchester in North West England, founded in 1868. It is published Monday–Saturday; a Sunday edition, the ''MEN on Sunday'', was launched in February 201 ...
'' Katie Fitzpatrick. On July 27, 2017, Madonna performed "Open Your Heart" at
Leonardo DiCaprio's annual fundraising gala, held in
Saint-Tropez
, INSEE = 83119
, postal code = 83990
, image coat of arms = Blason ville fr Saint-Tropez-A (Var).svg
, image flag=Flag of Saint-Tropez.svg
Saint-Tropez (; oc, Sant Tropetz, ; ) is a commune in the Var department and the region of Provence-Al ...
,
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
.
Covers and media appearances
A Spanish version of the song titled "Abre Tu Corazón" was recorded by
Venezuela
Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
n rock singer Melissa, and included on her 1986 album ''Melissa III''. The 2000
tribute album
An album is a collection of audio recordings issued on compact disc (CD), vinyl, audio tape, or another medium such as digital distribution. Albums of recorded sound were developed in the early 20th century as individual 78 rpm records coll ...
''Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 2'' contained a cover by
Israeli
Israeli may refer to:
* Something of, from, or related to the State of Israel
* Israelis, citizens or permanent residents of the State of Israel
* Modern Hebrew, a language
* ''Israeli'' (newspaper), published from 2006 to 2008
* Guni Israeli ...
singer
Ofra Haza
Bat-Sheva Ofra Haza ( he, בת-שבע עפרה חזה; 19 November 1957 – 23 February 2000), known as Ofra Haza (), was an Israeli singer, songwriter, actress, and Grammy Award-nominated recording artist commonly known in the Western world as ...
; one year later, Who's That Girl covered "Open Your Heart" for the album ''Exposed!''. In 2002, French–Dutch group
Mad'House
Mad'House was a French/Dutch/Turkish Eurodance group made up of Mukendi M'Bambi Adolphe (DJ, music producer), Stéphane Durand (; producer), and Buse Ünlü (vocalist; born ). They were known for creating cover versions of Madonna songs. The group ...
did a
Eurodance
Euro-Dance (sometimes referred to as Euro-NRG, Euro-electronica or Euro) is a genre of electronic dance music that originated in the late 1980s in Europe. It combines many elements of hip hop, techno, Hi-NRG, house music, and Euro-Disco. This ...
take on the song, that was included on their album ''Absolutely Mad''. A
hi-NRG
Hi-NRG (pronounced "high energy") is a genre of uptempo disco or electronic dance music (EDM) that originated in the United States during the late 1970s and early 1980s.
As a music genre, typified by fast tempo, staccato hi-hat rhythms (and the ...
cover by In-Deep was included on ''Platinum Blonde NRG, Vol. 2: Nrgised Madonna Classics'' (2004). In the opening sequence of the 2002 film ''
Crossroads
Crossroads, crossroad, cross road or similar may refer to:
* Crossroads (junction), where four roads meet
Film and television Films
* ''Crossroads'' (1928 film), a 1928 Japanese film by Teinosuke Kinugasa
* ''Cross Roads'' (film), a 1930 Brit ...
'',
Britney Spears
Britney Jean Spears (born December 2, 1981) is an American singer. Often referred to as the " Princess of Pop", she is credited with influencing the revival of teen pop during the late 1990s and early 2000s. After appearing in stage productio ...
' character Lucy lip syncs to the song in her room holding a spoon for a microphone. Finally, in 2010,
Cory Monteith
Cory Allan Michael Monteith (; May 11, 1982 July 13, 2013) was a Canadian actor and musician who played Finn Hudson on the Fox television series ''Glee''. As an actor based in British Columbia, Monteith had minor roles on television series before ...
and
Lea Michele
Lea Michele Sarfati (; born August 29, 1986) is an American actress, singer, songwriter, and author. She began her career as a child actress on Broadway (theatre), Broadway, appearing in productions of ''Les Misérables (musical), Les Misérab ...
performed a
mashup of "Open Your Heart" and Madonna's 1984 single "
Borderline" in the episode "
The Power of Madonna
"The Power of Madonna" is the fifteenth episode of the American television series ''Glee''. The episode premiered on the Fox network on April 20, 2010. When cheerleading coach Sue Sylvester (Jane Lynch) demands that Madonna's music be played ove ...
" of American television series ''
Glee
Glee means delight, a form of happiness.
Glee may also refer to:
* Glee (music), a type of English choral music
* ''Glee'' (TV series), an American musical comedy-drama TV series, and related media created by Ryan Murphy
* ''Glee'' (Bran Van 30 ...
''.
Track listing
*US / JAP 7" single
# "Open Your Heart" – 4:12
# "White Heat" – 4:25
*US 12" single
# "Open Your Heart" (Extended Version) – 10:35
# "Open Your Heart" (Dub) – 6:43
# "White Heat" – 4:25
*UK 7" single
# "Open Your Heart" (7" Remix) – 3:59
# "
Lucky Star Lucky Star, The Lucky Star or Lucky Starr may refer to:
Art, entertainment, and media Anime and manga
* ''Lucky Star'' (manga), a manga, anime, and video game series
* "Lucky Star", one of the Angel Frames from the anime and manga series ''Galaxy ...
" (7" Edit) – 3:44
*UK 12" single / UK limited edition 12" picture disc
# "Open Your Heart" (Extended Version) – 10:35
# "Open Your Heart" (Dub) – 6:43
# "Lucky Star" – 5:33
Credits and personnel
*
Madonna
Madonna Louise Ciccone (; ; born August 16, 1958) is an American singer-songwriter and actress. Widely dubbed the " Queen of Pop", Madonna has been noted for her continual reinvention and versatility in music production, songwriting, a ...
– lead vocals, background vocals, songwriter
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Jonathan Moffett
Jonathan Phillip "Sugarfoot" Moffett (born November 17, 1954) is an American drummer, songwriter and producer from New Orleans, Louisiana. Beginning in 1979, Moffett collaborated with the Jackson family, particularly Michael Jackson, over the co ...
– drums
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Paulinho da Costa – percussion
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David Williams – guitar
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Patrick Leonard
Patrick Ray Leonard (born March 14, 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist, film composer, and music producer, best known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna. His work with Madonna includes her albums '' True Blue'' (1986), ''Who's ...
– keyboard
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Herb Ritts
Herbert Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952December 26, 2002) was an American fashion photographer and director known for his photographs of celebrities, models, and other cultural figures throughout the 1980s and 1990s. His work concentrated on black a ...
– photography
* Jeri McManus – art direction
* Kim Champagne - design
Credits adapted from the ''True Blue'' album and 12" single liner notes.
Charts
Weekly charts
Year-end charts
Certifications and sales
References
Bibliography
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{{Authority control
1986 songs
1986 singles
Billboard Hot 100 number-one singles
Cashbox number-one singles
Madonna songs
Music videos directed by Jean-Baptiste Mondino
Songs written by Madonna
Songs written by Gardner Cole
Song recordings produced by Madonna
Song recordings produced by Patrick Leonard
Sire Records singles
Warner Records singles
Music video controversies