Ultimate Madonna

Due to be released Sept 28 worldwide is Madonna's latest greatest hits compilation, a celebration of over 26 years of Madonna's music. Not sure if we can get it here in Malaysia on that exact date, but I will surely be visiting the stores on that day!

Recently, the track listings for the CD and DVD compilations were officially announced. See side bar for information.


Celebration CD - The 'Ultimate' Collection

The double CD package will feature 36 songs, including 2 new songs, from her 27-years career. It is interesting to note that song selections were heavily skewed towards the earlier part of her career. Of the 34 old songs, 20 were selected from the first 8 years (1983 - 1990) of her career. Songs post-1991, which covers 18 years, were severely under-represented. Only 6 songs from the 1991-2000 period, while 8 songs from the 2001-2008 period made it to the collection. It is not particularly surprising as most fans (and even non-fans) identify with her earlier songs more when she was at her peak back then in the 80s.
career.

Apart from the two new songs, the remaining 34 songs have either previously been released in her studio albums or soundtracks or greatest hits compilations. It seems that all the old songs featured in the compilations were in versions that have been previously released before. It's a shame as they could have included some remixed versions, but I guess they wanted to preserve the original "flavour" or "essence" of her songs. So for those loyal fans like me who owned all of her previous albums, there's nothing really much to look forward to.



In my opinion, all songs are big Madonna hits worthy in the 'ultimate' compilation, with the exception of Miles Away which I think do not deserve to be there given that there were many better and more deserving "trademark" hits that were absent (Deeper and Deeper, This Used to Be My Playground, I'll Remember).


Celebration - Video Collection DVD

Whatever that the CD lacks, the DVD pretty much makes up for it. This video collection DVD appears to be a lot more comprehensive with 47 of Madonna's music videos, which includes 27 previously unreleased videos!! It appears that the videos will be arranged in chronological order.
I am certainly looking forward to the saucy, sinful and previously unreleased and previously banned (from being aired on MTV) videos like Justify My Love, Erotica and What It Feels Like For A Girl. I just hope they don't get banned in Malaysia, though... fingers crossed!!!

I'm also glad they've included the videos for True Blue, Live To Tell, Who's That Girl, Deeper and Deeper, I'll Remember, I Want You and You'll See. Now I don't have to go to You Tube to watch them!

*******

Notably absent from both the CD and DVD compilations were American Life and This Used To Be My Playground. For American Life, I think the original uncensored/unedited version of the video was one of her best work. Tried YouTubing American Life, and couldn't find the orginal video. And I certainly do not understand the rationale for excluding This Used To Be My Playground which was a #1 hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, and Top 10 in charts across the world.

Both the CD and DVD packages are indeed quite THE COMPREHENSIVE and ULTIMATE collection of Madonna's best. All the videos in the DVD will certainly showcase the artistic genius and evolution of pop's cultural icon. No one does it better than Madonna.