Deep Track Download Thursday: “The Gambler” – Madonna

Madonna is one of those artists that likes to shake things up. Whether it be her controversial videos (i.e Like A Prayer, Erotica, Justify My Love, What It Feels Like For A Girl etc) or her controversy-happy tours. Also, she can sing and dance – she does both well even now in her 50’s.

But I think we can all agree that Madonna was truly in her prime in the early-to-mid-80’s. Her song, Gambler, is a prime example of such. It is perhaps her most underrated track of all time. It’s fast, upbeat, and amazing.

It’s also one of the most inspiring songs Madonna. For someone (such as myself) who has been told stuff like “you don’t measure up,” “you’re no good,” “”you’re not a good christian,” “stupid,” and my favorite “your blog will not work” – this song carries an inspirational message. Madonna sings “I’m a gambler/ and I will take you by surprise/ Gambler/ I’ll aim this straight between your eyes/ Gambler/ yeah I know all the words to say/ ‘Cause I’m a gambler/ I only play the game my way/ yeah/ Don’t want to say this but I think that I should I’m better off forgotten if you think that I’d be good/ One day you see me/ the next day I’m gone/ Don’t fight me baby/ I don’t want to hold on/ I’m a gambler/ a gambler/ You’re not happy with the way I act/ You better turn around boy, don’t look back/ You’re getting angry, you know I can see/ You’re just jealous ’cause you can’t be me/ You can’t stop me now/ ‘Cause I’m right and I’m making advances/ Let me show you how/Tonight, I’ll be taking my chances  on you.”

Bravo! Mad props to you Madonna!

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Deep Track Download Thursday: “Only The Young” – Journey

Journey is one of those bands that is liked by many people because of their versatility. They can rock hard, but they can also show their sensitive style too. However, when they combine both their hard rock sound and sensitivity, they do rather well. On Only The Young, this is where they shine!

Unfortunately Only The Young has a tragic story behind the song. Journey had recorded it and it was intended for their Frontiers album in 1983, but it was pulled at the last minute and ended up on the soundtrack to Vision Quest. One day, they received a letter from a mother whose young son, named Kenny, was in the terminal stages of Cystic Fibrosis. Kenny was a huge fan of Journey and wanted to meet them before he died. The meeting was arranged through the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

So the band went to meet Kenny and gave him a Walkman and a cassette copy of Only The Young. The next day, Kenny died. He had the walkman with the cassette in his hands when he died.

This made lead singer Steve Perry break down crying so much to the point that the nurses had to take him out of the room.

Either way this chance encounter resulted in the band using this song as the opener for the Raised on Radio tour.

Only The Young is a great track because it perfectly captures what it is to be young in both lyric and sound. But the best thing about this song is that it offers hope to those that are enduring.

“Vision Quest” lacks excellence

Vision Quest, though it has some gems, falls flat on its face

Ahhhh Vision Quest.  A movie I never saw that nevertheless has a rather strong soundtrack. Either way it is a soundtrack that has a little something for the balladiers, headbangers, rockers, and the pop princesses.

The soundtrack to Vision Quest is one that screams more 80’s than Flashdance ever did. The album starts out very strong with a track by classic rock greats Journey with Only the Young. Unfortunately it falls flat in some areas, such as the disco-themed Shout to the Top by the Style Council.  Even worse is I’ll Fall In Love Again by Sammy Hagar. It sounds too bland. However, it quickly redeems itself with Madonna’s The Gambler, a dance-oriented synth-happy track where the material girl exclaims “YOU CAN’T STOP ME NOW!”

This soundtrack even will please the rockers in the form of Don Henley’s She’s On the Zoom.

However, Vision Quest takes flight and goes off into its rocketing orbit with the late Ronnie James Dio‘s Hungry For Heaven. Dio proves himself to be worthy of a rock god.

One of the best tracks is Foreigner’s Hot Blooded, which has been covered a few times in concert by country rocker Gretchen Wilson.

Unfortunately, tracks by F0reigner, Journey and Madonna cannot even save this soundtrack. A good soundtrack should be able to tell the story of the film without seeing it. Vision Quest falls flat on its face.