Live to Tell
Encyclopedia
"Live to Tell" is a pop
ballad
by American singer-songwriter Madonna
. Originally written by Patrick Leonard
for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn
's film At Close Range
. It was produced by Leonard and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in mid-1986, later appearing as a remix
on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection
, in its original form on the 1995 ballads compilation album Something to Remember
, and most recently on her third compilation album Celebration
(again in its original form), released in September 2009.
The song includes instrumentation from guitar
s, keyboards
, drum
s 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
.
Released as the album's first single in March 1986, the song was a commercial success. It became Madonna's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100
, and her first number-one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was generally well-received by music critics, who frequently referred to it as the best ballad of her career. The song faced controversy when Madonna performed it on her 2006 Confessions Tour
wearing a crown of Thorns
while 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.
, she asked producers Patrick Leonard
and Stephen Bray
to write some songs with her and produce her third studio album, True Blue (1986). "Live to Tell" was originally written by Leonard for the soundtrack of Paramount
's romantic drama film
Fire with Fire. "My managers represented the guy who was directing the film; it was his first film. I saw a little piece of the film, and I had the script. I wrote a theme and I said, 'What if I could get Madonna to write the lyrics for it?'", said Leonard.
However, Paramount rejected the song, believing that Leonard was incapable of creating the score for the film. It was then that Leonard presented the song to Madonna. She decided to use it for At Close Range
, the new film of her then-husband, actor Sean Penn
. Madonna wrote the lyrics of the song onspot, and made a demo
recording on a cassette. She presented the song to the film's director James Foley
, who after hearing the track, decided to enlist Leonard as the person to write the score for the film, as per suggestions by Madonna.
Leonard was working with Michael Jackson
, on some transcriptions for his Bad album, when Penn called him at the home of Foley. There he got to know that Madonna had suggested he write the score for At Close Range, and had also asked who was going to sing "Live to Tell", since the song was written from a man's perspective. Leonard, although he had initially envisioned a male voice interpreting the song, decided to use Madonna as the main vocalist and used the demo version as the main vocal with backup drums only. 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." 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.
ballad
, with background instrumentation from a keyboard, a synthesizer, a funk guitar and a mix of synthesized and real drumming. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing
, the song is written in the key of F major
, is set in common time
and moves at a moderate tempo
of 112 beats per minute. The song starts with an instrumental
introduction
, performed by a synthesizer with the bass pedals
set on D minor
. Then the key suddenly changes to its relative major
, F.
Madonna's vocal range
spans two octave
s, from G3 to G5. 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. 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
.
Lyrically, "Live to Tell" portrays the complexity of deceit and mistrust. The song is also about childhood scars and had an extreme emotional pitch. 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
". 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."
"Live to Tell" was generally well-received by music critics. In a review of the album True Blue, Stephen Thomas Erlewine
from Allmusic called it a "tremendous ballad that rewrites the rules of adult contemporary
crossover". Jim Farber from Entertainment Weekly
called the song "her best ballad to date". In a review of her compilation album The Immaculate Collection
, David Browne
from the same magazine called it "one of her few successful shots at being a balladeer". Blender
s Tony Power said that the song "is her [Madonna's] first ballad not sunk by her ordinary pipes". Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine
felt that "the song's set of lyrics remain her best" and that the vocals "seethes with a lifetime's worth of hurts which she nevertheless refuses to share". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
called the song "striking" adding that it "rewrote the rules of what a pop song was supposed to sound like". 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." 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. J. Randy Taraborrelli
, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography
, was pleased with the track, denoting it as a vehicle of growth for Madonna. 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?"
at number 49, reaching the top position eight weeks later, becoming Madonna's third number-one single in the US, and her second number-one that is featured in a film after "Crazy for You
". The song was a crossover
success, topping the Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks, and peaking at number three on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
chart. In Canada the song debuted at the seventy-nine position of the RPM
singles chart in April 1986, reached the top for two weeks in May 1986, stayed on the chart for twenty-three weeks, and ended at the second position of the year-end chart.
In the United Kingdom, "Live to Tell" was released on April 21, 1986. The next week, the song debuted at number ten on the UK Singles Chart
, peaked at number two, and stayed thirteen weeks on the chart. It was certified silver
by the British Phonographic Industry
(BPI) in May 1986, for shipment of 200,000 copies of the single across United Kingdom. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 280,000 copies there. Across Europe, "Live to Tell" topped the Eurochart Hot 100 for two weeks, and the singles chart in Italy, as well as peaking inside the top ten in Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. It was also certified silver by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
(SNEP) for shipment of 250,000 copies in France.
In 1986, 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. 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. In an interview with music critic Stephen Holden
from The New York Times
, she commented about her new look:
In addition to At Close Range
, Foley also directed the song's video. David Naylor and Sharon Oreck
were in charge of the production. The video serves as a publicity campaign
for 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
.
at Madison Square Garden
to raise money for medical research for AIDS
. She dedicated the song to the memory of her friend, artist Michael Burgoyne. 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, wearing a black ensemble with tassel
s, golden tips and ribbing
, designed by Marlene Stewart. 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, and Ciao, Italia! – Live from Italy
, filmed in Turin
, Italy, on September 4, 1987. 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 candle
s in the background. Two different performances were taped and released on video, the Blond Ambition – Japan Tour 90, taped in Yokohama
, Japan, on April 27, 1990, and the Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90, taped in Nice
, France, on August 5, 1990.
Madonna's performance of the song was the subject of controversy during the 2006 Confessions Tour
. 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. During the performance, the number 12,000,000 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
.
German prosecutors in Düsseldorf
threatened to sue her for blasphemy, and Protestant bishop Margot Käßmann
said that "maybe the only way an aging superstar can attract attention is to offend people's religious sentiments." The Russian Orthodox Church
and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
(FJCR) described Madonna's performance as amoral, and urged all members to boycott her upcoming concert in Moscow
. The performance at Rome
's Olympic Stadium
—located near the Vatican
—was condemned as an act of hostility toward the Roman Catholic Church by religious leaders. Italian cardinal
Ersilio Tonini
called the concert "a blasphemous challenge to the faith" and a "profanation of the cross", also calling for Madonna to be excommunicated
. Reverend Manfredo Leone described it as "disrespectful, in bad taste and provocative".
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." Madonna released a statement about the controversy:
covered the song in his fourth album, Have a Little Faith
. In 1998, Blonde Ambition released a dance single of the song featuring 6 different hi-NRG
remix versions. 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 Billboards Hot Dance Club Play, and was included in the 2001 album Logic Pride, Vol. 4. Canadian jazz
singer Carol Welsman, covered it on her eponymous 2007 album.
New Wave
band Berlin
covered the song for the 1999 album Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 1. 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. Other covers of the song on tribute albums include Semi Moore on The Material Girl: A Tribute to Madonna, released in 2000, an instrumental
version on the 2002 album The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna, a folk
version by Winter Flowers on the 2007 album Through the Wilderness
, and a hi-NRG version by Melissa Totten on her 2008 album, Forever Madonna.
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
by American singer-songwriter Madonna
Madonna (entertainer)
Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
. Originally written by Patrick Leonard
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
for the soundtrack of the film Fire with Fire, the song was shown to Madonna, who decided to use it for then-husband Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
's film At Close Range
At Close Range
At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
. It was produced by Leonard and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in mid-1986, later appearing as a remix
Remix
A remix is an alternative version of a recorded song, made from an original version. This term is also used for any alterations of media other than song ....
on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection
The Immaculate Collection
The Immaculate Collection is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 9, 1990 by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles from 1982 to 1990, as well as two new tracks "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me"...
, in its original form on the 1995 ballads compilation album Something to Remember
Something to Remember
Something to Remember is a compilation album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 7, 1995 by Maverick Records. It came after a controversial period of Madonna in the 1990s and at this time critics had deemed her career over...
, and most recently on her third compilation album Celebration
Celebration (Madonna album)
Celebration is the third greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, and the closing release under her contract with Warner Bros. Records, her record company since 1982. The release follows her two previous greatest hits albums, The Immaculate Collection and GHV2...
(again in its original form), released in September 2009.
The song includes instrumentation from guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s, keyboards
Keyboard instrument
A keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, drum
Drum
The drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s and a synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
, and its lyrics deal with deceit
Deception
Deception, beguilement, deceit, bluff, mystification, bad faith, and subterfuge are acts to propagate beliefs that are not true, or not the whole truth . Deception can involve dissimulation, propaganda, and sleight of hand. It can employ distraction, camouflage or concealment...
, mistrust
Mistrust
Mistrust means "to doubt, to lack confidence in". It does not necessarily imply any serious suspicion of malice or bad faith.This can happen in everyday life in situations where the parties otherwise trust each other, but find themselves questioning that trust...
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
James Foley
James Foley is an American film director and screenwriter. He was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, the son of a lawyer...
, shows Madonna's first image makeover, featuring her with a cleaner look, shoulder-length wavy golden blond
Blond
Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...
hair, conservative wardrobe and subtle make-up. This toned down blond appearance was again inspired by Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
.
Released as the album's first single in March 1986, the song was a commercial success. It became Madonna's third number-one single on the Billboard Hot 100
Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
, and her first number-one on the Adult Contemporary chart. It was generally well-received by music critics, who frequently referred to it as the best ballad of her career. The song faced controversy when Madonna performed it on her 2006 Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
wearing a crown of Thorns
Crown of Thorns
In Christianity, the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments of the Passion, was woven of thorn branches and placed on Jesus Christ before his crucifixion...
while hanging on a giant mirrored cross. The performance at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
's Olympic Stadium
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...
was condemned as an act of hostility toward the Roman Catholic Church by religious leaders.
Background and writing
After Madonna finished The Virgin TourThe Virgin Tour
The Virgin Tour is the debut concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The tour supported her first two studio albums, Madonna and Like a Virgin . Although, initially planned for an international audience, the tour was restricted within United States and Canada only. Warner Bros. decided...
, she asked producers Patrick Leonard
Patrick Leonard
Patrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
and Stephen Bray
Stephen Bray
Stephen Bray is an American songwriter, drummer, and record producer from Detroit. Bray is best known for his collaboration with Madonna.Bray began studying music through private instruction in Detroit, and continued his education at Berklee College of Music in Boston.Bray owns and operates Saturn...
to write some songs with her and produce her third studio album, True Blue (1986). "Live to Tell" was originally written by Leonard for the soundtrack of Paramount
Paramount Pictures
Paramount Pictures Corporation is an American film production and distribution company, located at 5555 Melrose Avenue in Hollywood. Founded in 1912 and currently owned by media conglomerate Viacom, it is America's oldest existing film studio; it is also the last major film studio still...
's romantic drama film
Romance film
Romance films are love stories that focus on passion, emotion, and the affectionate involvement of the main characters and the journey that their love takes through courtship or marriage. Romance films make the love story or the search for love the main plot focus...
Fire with Fire. "My managers represented the guy who was directing the film; it was his first film. I saw a little piece of the film, and I had the script. I wrote a theme and I said, 'What if I could get Madonna to write the lyrics for it?'", said Leonard.
However, Paramount rejected the song, believing that Leonard was incapable of creating the score for the film. It was then that Leonard presented the song to Madonna. She decided to use it for At Close Range
At Close Range
At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
, the new film of her then-husband, actor Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
. Madonna wrote the lyrics of the song onspot, and made a demo
Demo (music)
A demo version or demo of a song is one recorded for reference rather than for release. A demo is a way for a musician to approximate their ideas on tape or disc, and provide an example of those ideas to record labels, producers or other artists...
recording on a cassette. She presented the song to the film's director James Foley
James Foley
James Foley is an American film director and screenwriter. He was born in Bay Ridge, Brooklyn, New York, the son of a lawyer...
, who after hearing the track, decided to enlist Leonard as the person to write the score for the film, as per suggestions by Madonna.
Leonard was working with Michael Jackson
Michael Jackson
Michael Joseph Jackson was an American recording artist, entertainer, and businessman. Referred to as the King of Pop, or by his initials MJ, Jackson is recognized as the most successful entertainer of all time by Guinness World Records...
, on some transcriptions for his Bad album, when Penn called him at the home of Foley. There he got to know that Madonna had suggested he write the score for At Close Range, and had also asked who was going to sing "Live to Tell", since the song was written from a man's perspective. Leonard, although he had initially envisioned a male voice interpreting the song, decided to use Madonna as the main vocalist and used the demo version as the main vocal with backup drums only. 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." 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.
Composition
"Live to Tell" is a popPop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
, with background instrumentation from a keyboard, a synthesizer, a funk guitar and a mix of synthesized and real drumming. According to the sheet music published at Musicnotes.com by Alfred Publishing
Alfred Publishing
Alfred Music Publishing is a family-owned and operated music publishing company, founded in 1922. Headquartered in Van Nuys, Los Angeles, California, it is the largest educational music publisher in the world.- Profile :...
, the song is written in the key of F major
F major
F major is a musical major scale based on F, consisting of the pitches F, G, A, B, C, D, and E. Its key signature has one flat . It is by far the oldest key signature with an accidental, predating the others by hundreds of years...
, is set in common time
Time signature
The time signature is a notational convention used in Western musical notation to specify how many beats are in each measure and which note value constitutes one beat....
and moves at a moderate tempo
Tempo
In musical terminology, tempo is the speed or pace of a given piece. Tempo is a crucial element of any musical composition, as it can affect the mood and difficulty of a piece.-Measuring tempo:...
of 112 beats per minute. The song starts with an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
introduction
Introduction (music)
In music, the introduction is a passage or section which opens a movement or a separate piece. In popular music this is often abbreviated as intro...
, performed by a synthesizer with the bass pedals
Bass pedals
Bass pedals are an electronic musical instrument with foot-operated pedal keyboard with a range of one or more octaves. The earliest bass pedals from the 1970s consisted of a pedalboard and analog synthesizer tone generation circuitry packaged together as a unit...
set on D minor
D minor
D minor is a minor scale based on D, consisting of the pitches D, E, F, G, A, B, and C. In the harmonic minor, the C is raised to C. Its key signature has one flat ....
. Then the key suddenly changes to its relative major
Relative key
In music, relative keys are the major and minor scales that have the same key signatures. A major and minor scale sharing the same key signature are said to be in a relative relationship...
, F.
Madonna's vocal range
Vocal range
Vocal range is the measure of the breadth of pitches that a human voice can phonate. Although the study of vocal range has little practical application in terms of speech, it is a topic of study within linguistics, phonetics, and speech and language pathology, particularly in relation to the study...
spans two octave
Octave
In music, an octave is the interval between one musical pitch and another with half or double its frequency. The octave relationship is a natural phenomenon that has been referred to as the "basic miracle of music", the use of which is "common in most musical systems"...
s, from G3 to G5. As she begins to sing the first verse, the bass pedal changes to C major
C major
C major is a musical major scale based on C, with pitches C, D, E, F, G, A, and B. Its key signature has no flats/sharps.Its relative minor is A minor, and its parallel minor is C minor....
, changes back to F during the chorus, and back to D minor during the chorus closure. 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
Fade (audio engineering)
In audio engineering, a fade is a gradual increase or decrease in the level of an audio signal. The term can also be used for film cinematography or theater lighting, in much the same way ....
.
Lyrically, "Live to Tell" portrays the complexity of deceit and mistrust. The song is also about childhood scars and had an extreme emotional pitch. According to the book The Heart of Rock & Soul by Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh
Dave Marsh is an American music critic, author, editor and radio talk show host. He was a formative editor of Creem magazine, has written for various publications such as Newsday, The Village Voice, and Rolling Stone, and has published numerous books about music and musicians, mostly focused on...
, the archetype
Archetype
An archetype is a universally understood symbol or term or pattern of behavior, a prototype upon which others are copied, patterned, or emulated...
of songs like "Live to Tell" is The Platters
The Platters
The Platters were a vocal group of the early rock and roll era. Their distinctive sound was a bridge between the pre-rock Tin Pan Alley tradition and the burgeoning new genre...
' song "The Great Pretender
The Great Pretender
"The Great Pretender" is a popular song recorded by The Platters, with Tony Williams on lead vocals, and released as a single on November 3, 1955. The words and music were created by Buck Ram, the Platters' manager and producer who was a successful songwriter before moving into producing and...
". 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."
Critical response
Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Stephen Thomas Erlewine is a senior editor for Allmusic. He is the author of many artist biographies and record reviews for Allmusic, as well as a freelance writer, occasionally contributing liner notes. He is also frontman and guitarist for the Ann Arbor-based band Who Dat?Erlewine is the nephew...
from Allmusic called it a "tremendous ballad that rewrites the rules of adult contemporary
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
crossover". Jim Farber from Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly
Entertainment Weekly is an American magazine, published by the Time division of Time Warner, that covers film, television, music, broadway theatre, books and popular culture...
called the song "her best ballad to date". In a review of her compilation album The Immaculate Collection
The Immaculate Collection
The Immaculate Collection is the first greatest hits album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on November 9, 1990 by Sire Records. It contains fifteen of her hit singles from 1982 to 1990, as well as two new tracks "Justify My Love" and "Rescue Me"...
, David Browne
David Browne
David Browne is an American journalist and author. He was the resident music critic at Entertainment Weekly between 1990 and 2006. He was an editor at Music & Sound Output magazine and a music critic at the New York Daily News before EW...
from the same magazine called it "one of her few successful shots at being a balladeer". Blender
Blender (magazine)
Blender was an American music magazine that billed itself as "the ultimate guide to music and more". It was also known for sometimes steamy pictorials of celebrities....
s Tony Power said that the song "is her [Madonna's] first ballad not sunk by her ordinary pipes". Alfred Soto from Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
felt that "the song's set of lyrics remain her best" and that the vocals "seethes with a lifetime's worth of hurts which she nevertheless refuses to share". Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine
Slant Magazine is an online publication that features reviews of movies, music, TV, DVDs, theater, and video games, as well as interviews with actors, directors, and musicians. The site covers various film festivals like the New York Film Festival.- History :...
called the song "striking" adding that it "rewrote the rules of what a pop song was supposed to sound like". 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
Papa Don't Preach
"Papa Don't Preach" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The song was written by Brian Elliot with additional lyrics by Madonna, and produced by Stephen Bray and Madonna for her third studio album True Blue, released in June 1986...
", 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." 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. J. Randy Taraborrelli
J. Randy Taraborrelli
John Randall Taraborrelli is an American journalist and biographer.Taraborrelli is an author known for biographies of contemporary entertainers and political figures. He is a featured writer in several entertainment magazines in Canada, England, and Australia...
, author of Madonna: An Intimate Biography
Madonna: An Intimate Biography
Madonna: An Intimate Biography is a book by American author J. Randy Taraborrelli, chronicling the life of American recording artist Madonna. The book was released in April 2001 by Sidgwick & Jackson in the United Kingdom, and in August 2001 by Simon & Schuster in the United States...
, was pleased with the track, denoting it as a vehicle of growth for Madonna. Erica Wexler from Spin
Spin (magazine)
Spin is a music magazine founded in 1985 by publisher Bob Guccione Jr.-History:In its early years, the magazine was noted for its broad music coverage with an emphasis on college-oriented rock music and on the ongoing emergence of hip-hop. The magazine was eclectic and bold, if sometimes haphazard...
, 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?"
Chart performance
"Live to Tell" was released in the United States in March 1986. It debuted on the Billboard Hot 100Billboard Hot 100
The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...
at number 49, reaching the top position eight weeks later, becoming Madonna's third number-one single in the US, and her second number-one that is featured in a film after "Crazy for You
Crazy for You (song)
"Crazy for You" is a song by American singer Madonna for the 1985 film Vision Quest. It was released on March 2, 1985, by Geffen Records as the first single from the soundtrack album of the film, and later included on the ballads compilation Something to Remember...
". The song was a crossover
Crossover (music)
Crossover is a term applied to musical works or performers appearing on two or more of the record charts which track differing musical tastes, or genres...
success, topping the Adult Contemporary chart for three weeks, and peaking at number three on the Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales
Hot Dance Singles Sales is a chart released weekly by Billboard magazine in the United States, established in 1985. It measures the sale of commercially released singles that deal with dance music and remixes...
chart. In Canada the song debuted at the seventy-nine position of the RPM
RPM (magazine)
RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,...
singles chart in April 1986, reached the top for two weeks in May 1986, stayed on the chart for twenty-three weeks, and ended at the second position of the year-end chart.
In the United Kingdom, "Live to Tell" was released on April 21, 1986. The next week, the song debuted at number ten on the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
, peaked at number two, and stayed thirteen weeks on the chart. It was certified silver
Music recording sales certification
Music recording sales certification is a system of certifying that a music recording has shipped or sold a certain number of copies, where the threshold quantity varies by type and by nation or territory .Almost all countries follow variations of the RIAA certification categories,...
by the British Phonographic Industry
British Phonographic Industry
The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies...
(BPI) in May 1986, for shipment of 200,000 copies of the single across United Kingdom. According to The Official Charts Company, the song has sold 280,000 copies there. Across Europe, "Live to Tell" topped the Eurochart Hot 100 for two weeks, and the singles chart in Italy, as well as peaking inside the top ten in Belgium, France, Ireland, the Netherlands, Norway, and Switzerland. It was also certified silver by the Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique
Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique
The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry...
(SNEP) for shipment of 250,000 copies in France.
Music video
Shanghai Surprise
Shanghai Surprise is a 1986 British adventure comedy film starring then-newlyweds Madonna and Sean Penn, produced by George Harrison's HandMade Films and distributed by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer...
, where she toned down her appearance, inspired again by Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe was an American actress, singer, model and showgirl who became a major sex symbol, starring in a number of commercially successful motion pictures during the 1950s....
. Madonna held the look for the "Live to Tell" video. In it her make-up was pale and subtle, her shoulder-length hair was wavy and golden blond
Blond
Blond or blonde or fair-hair is a hair color characterized by low levels of the dark pigment eumelanin. The resultant visible hue depends on various factors, but always has some sort of yellowish color...
, and her clothes consisted of a simple 1930s-style floral dress. In an interview with music critic Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden
Stephen Holden is an American writer, music critic, film critic, and poet.Holden earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Yale University in 1963...
from The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, she commented about her new look:
"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 BardotBrigitte BardotBrigitte Anne-Marie Bardot is a French former fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex-symbols of the 1960s.In her early life, Bardot was an aspiring ballet dancer...
to Grace KellyGrace KellyGrace Patricia Kelly was an American actress who, in April 1956, married Rainier III, Prince of Monaco, to become Princess consort of Monaco, styled as Her Serene Highness The Princess of Monaco, and commonly referred to as Princess Grace.After embarking on an acting career in 1950, at the age of...
—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
At Close Range
At Close Range is a film based on the real life rural Pennsylvania crime family led by Bruce Johnston, Sr. which operated during the 1960s and 1970s. It was released on April 18, 1986, and stars Sean Penn, Christopher Walken, Chris Penn, Mary Stuart Masterson, Millie Perkins, Candy Clark and...
, Foley also directed the song's video. David Naylor and Sharon Oreck
Sharon Oreck
Sharon Oreck is an American film, music video and commercial producer. She has Oscar and Grammy nominations in addition to other awards. She is credited with coining the term populence...
were in charge of the production. The video serves as a publicity campaign
Promotion (marketing)
Promotion is one of the four elements of marketing mix . It is the communication link between sellers and buyers for the purpose of influencing, informing, or persuading a potential buyer's purchasing decision....
for the movie, as it includes brief scenes of the film that indicate the conflict the young man in the movie—played by Sean Penn
Sean Penn
Sean Justin Penn is an American actor, screenwriter and film director, also known for his political and social activism...
—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
Greek chorus
A Greek chorus is a homogenous, non-individualised group of performers in the plays of classical Greece, who comment with a collective voice on the dramatic action....
of a classical tragedy
Tragedy
Tragedy is a form of art based on human suffering that offers its audience pleasure. While most cultures have developed forms that provoke this paradoxical response, tragedy refers to a specific tradition of drama that has played a unique and important role historically in the self-definition of...
.
Live performances
Madonna premiered the song at a benefit concertBenefit concert
A benefit concert or charity concert is a concert, show or gala featuring musicians, comedians, or other performers that is held for a charitable purpose, often directed at a specific and immediate humanitarian crisis. Such events raise both funds and public awareness to address the cause at...
at Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden
Madison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
to raise money for medical research for AIDS
AIDS
Acquired immune deficiency syndrome or acquired immunodeficiency syndrome is a disease of the human immune system caused by the human immunodeficiency virus...
. She dedicated the song to the memory of her friend, artist Michael Burgoyne. Madonna has since performed the song on three of her world tours. In 1987, during the Who's That Girl World Tour
Who's That Girl World Tour
The Who's That Girl World Tour is the second concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. The tour supported her third studio album, True Blue , as well as the soundtrack Who's That Girl . It was Madonna's first world tour, reaching Asia, North America and Europe...
, she performed the song standing motionless in a single spotlight, wearing a black ensemble with tassel
Tassel
A tassel is a finishing feature in fabric decoration. It is a universal ornament that is seen in varying versions in many cultures around the globe.-Etymology:...
s, golden tips and ribbing
Ribbing (knitting)
In knitting, ribbing is a pattern in which vertical stripes of stockinette stitch alternate with vertical stripes of reverse stockinette stitch...
, designed by Marlene Stewart. 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
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, Japan, on June 22, 1987, and Ciao, Italia! – Live from Italy
Ciao, Italia! – Live from Italy
Ciao, Italia! – Live from Italy is a live music video by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Released by Warner Reprise Video on May 24, 1988, it contained a live performance from the 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour, filmed at Stadio Comunale in Turin, Italy on September 4, 1987 and in Florence,...
, filmed in Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, Italy, on September 4, 1987. Three years later on her Blond Ambition World Tour
Blond Ambition World Tour
The Blond Ambition World Tour was the third concert tour by American singer-songwriter, Madonna. The tour was launched in support of her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer, and the soundtrack, I'm Breathless. The tour reached North America, Europe and Asia. It was a highly controversial tour,...
, Madonna evoked Catholic images during the performance. She wore a black kaftan
Kaftan
A kaftan is a man's coat usually reaching to the ankles with long sleeves, and which buttons down the front. It can be made of wool, cashmere, silk, or cotton. It is often worn with a sash....
and a neon crucifix
Crucifix
A crucifix is an independent image of Jesus on the cross with a representation of Jesus' body, referred to in English as the corpus , as distinct from a cross with no body....
, while singing on a confession bench, with Roman columns and a platform full of votive candle
Votive candle
A votive candle or prayer candle is a small candle, typically white or beeswax yellow, intended to be burnt as a votive offering in a religious ceremony. It now also refers to a standard size of candle two inches high by one and a half inches diameter, of any color or scent.-Christian use:Candles...
s in the background. Two different performances were taped and released on video, the Blond Ambition – Japan Tour 90, taped in Yokohama
Yokohama
is the capital city of Kanagawa Prefecture and the second largest city in Japan by population after Tokyo and most populous municipality of Japan. It lies on Tokyo Bay, south of Tokyo, in the Kantō region of the main island of Honshu...
, Japan, on April 27, 1990, and the Live! – Blond Ambition World Tour 90, taped in Nice
Nice
Nice is the fifth most populous city in France, after Paris, Marseille, Lyon and Toulouse, with a population of 348,721 within its administrative limits on a land area of . The urban area of Nice extends beyond the administrative city limits with a population of more than 955,000 on an area of...
, France, on August 5, 1990.
Madonna's performance of the song was the subject of controversy during the 2006 Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour
Confessions Tour was the seventh concert tour by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It supported her tenth studio album, Confessions on a Dance Floor. Madonna confirmed the possibility of going out on a tour as early as November 2005. Jamie King, Madonna's longtime collaborator, was then hired on...
. She was raised from the floor hanging on a mirrored cross wearing a red blouse and velvet pants, with a crown of Thorns
Crown of Thorns
In Christianity, the Crown of Thorns, one of the instruments of the Passion, was woven of thorn branches and placed on Jesus Christ before his crucifixion...
on her head. During the performance, the number 12,000,000 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
HIV/AIDS in Africa
HIV/AIDS is a major public health concern and cause of death in Africa. Although Africa is home to about 14.5% of the world's population, it is estimated to be home to 67% of all people living with HIV and to 72% of all AIDS deaths in 2009.-Overview:...
.
German prosecutors in Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf
Düsseldorf is the capital city of the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and centre of the Rhine-Ruhr metropolitan region.Düsseldorf is an important international business and financial centre and renowned for its fashion and trade fairs. Located centrally within the European Megalopolis, the...
threatened to sue her for blasphemy, and Protestant bishop Margot Käßmann
Margot Käßmann
Margot Käßmann is a Lutheran theologian and was Landesbischöfin of the Evangelical-Lutheran Church of Hanover in Germany. On 28 October 2009, she was elected to lead the Evangelical Church in Germany, a federation of Protestant church bodies in Germany...
said that "maybe the only way an aging superstar can attract attention is to offend people's religious sentiments." The Russian Orthodox Church
Russian Orthodox Church
The Russian Orthodox Church or, alternatively, the Moscow Patriarchate The ROC is often said to be the largest of the Eastern Orthodox churches in the world; including all the autocephalous churches under its umbrella, its adherents number over 150 million worldwide—about half of the 300 million...
and the Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia
Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia — Russian religious organization, unifying communities of «orthodox» Judaism, mostly of Chabad Hasidic movement...
(FJCR) described Madonna's performance as amoral, and urged all members to boycott her upcoming concert in Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
. The performance at Rome
Rome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
's Olympic Stadium
Stadio Olimpico
The Stadio Olimpico is the main and largest sports facility of Rome, Italy. It is located within the Foro Italico sports complex on the north of the city. An asset of the Italian National Olympic Committee, the structure is intended primarily for football...
—located near the Vatican
Vatican City
Vatican City , or Vatican City State, in Italian officially Stato della Città del Vaticano , which translates literally as State of the City of the Vatican, is a landlocked sovereign city-state whose territory consists of a walled enclave within the city of Rome, Italy. It has an area of...
—was condemned as an act of hostility toward the Roman Catholic Church by religious leaders. Italian cardinal
Cardinal (Catholicism)
A cardinal is a senior ecclesiastical official, usually an ordained bishop, and ecclesiastical prince of the Catholic Church. They are collectively known as the College of Cardinals, which as a body elects a new pope. The duties of the cardinals include attending the meetings of the College and...
Ersilio Tonini
Ersilio Tonini
Ersilio Tonini is an Italian Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Archbishop of Ravenna-Cervia from 1975 to 1990, and was elevated to the cardinalate in 1994. When on 30 April 2010 Cardinal Paul Augustin Mayer died, Cardinal Tonini became the oldest living cardinal...
called the concert "a blasphemous challenge to the faith" and a "profanation of the cross", also calling for Madonna to be excommunicated
Excommunication
Excommunication is a religious censure used to deprive, suspend or limit membership in a religious community. The word means putting [someone] out of communion. In some religions, excommunication includes spiritual condemnation of the member or group...
. Reverend Manfredo Leone described it as "disrespectful, in bad taste and provocative".
Muslim and Jewish leaders also criticized the performance. Mario Scialoja
Mario Scialoja
Mario Scialoja, Retired Italian Diplomat, born in Rome on July 29, 1930. Last post Ambassador to Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996. He converted to Islam at the end of 1988, when he was Deputy Permanent Representative of Italy to the United Nations in New York, with the rank of Ambassador...
, 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." Madonna released a statement about the controversy:
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
"Live to Tell" has been covered by numerous artists. In 1992, American guitarist Bill FrisellBill Frisell
William Richard "Bill" Frisell is an American guitarist and composer.One of the leading guitarists in jazz since the late 1980s, Frisell's eclectic music touches on progressive folk, classical music, country music, noise and more...
covered the song in his fourth album, Have a Little Faith
Have a Little Faith (Bill Frisell album)
Have a Little Faith is the fourth album by Bill Frisell to be released on the Elektra Nonesuch label. It was released in 1992 and features performances by Frisell, Don Byron, Kermit Driscoll, Guy Klucevsek and Joey Baron coving a range of American classical and popular music.-Reception:The Penguin...
. In 1998, Blonde Ambition released a dance single of the song featuring 6 different hi-NRG
Hi-NRG
Hi-NRG describes a form of high-tempo disco music as well as a genre of electronic dance music originating in the United States during the late 1970s...
remix versions. Italian singer Lucrezia
Lucrezia (singer)
Lucrezia is a female singer from Italy. She is best known for her 2001 cover of Madonna's 1986 hit "Live to Tell", which reached number 2 on Billboards Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart. While Madonna's version was more of a haunting ballad, Lucrezia's cover is much more uptempo. This cover received...
made an uptempo dance version of the song that was remixed by David Morales
David Morales
David Morales is an internationally acclaimed Grammy-winning house music DJ and producer. In addition to his production and DJ work, Morales is one of the most prolific remixers of all time, transforming many pop music songs into club-friendly dance tracks...
. It peaked at number two for two weeks on Billboards Hot Dance Club Play, and was included in the 2001 album Logic Pride, Vol. 4. Canadian jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
singer Carol Welsman, covered it on her eponymous 2007 album.
New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
band Berlin
Berlin (band)
Berlin is an American New Wave/Synthpop band. The group was formed in Los Angeles in 1978 by John Crawford . The band contained Crawford, Terri Nunn , David Diamond , Ric Olsen , Matt Reid and Rod Learned . Learned left during the first EU tour and was replaced by Rob Brill...
covered the song for the 1999 album Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 1. In an interview with CNN
CNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
, Berlin's lead vocalist Terri Nunn
Terri Nunn
Terri Kathleen Nunn , is an American singer and actress. She is best known as the lead vocalist of the New Wave band Berlin.-Biography:...
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. Other covers of the song on tribute albums include Semi Moore on The Material Girl: A Tribute to Madonna, released in 2000, an instrumental
Instrumental
An instrumental is a musical composition or recording without lyrics or singing, although it might include some non-articulate vocal input; the music is primarily or exclusively produced by musical instruments....
version on the 2002 album The String Quartet Tribute to Madonna, a folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
version by Winter Flowers on the 2007 album Through the Wilderness
Through the Wilderness
Through the Wilderness is a tribute album to Madonna by various folk artists, released on November 27, 2007 on Manimal Vinyl Records.*7 out of 10- Pitchforkmedia.com*3.5 Stars - Spin Magazine-Tracks included:...
, and a hi-NRG version by Melissa Totten on her 2008 album, Forever Madonna.
Formats and track listing
- 7" Single
- "Live to Tell" (Edit) – 4:37
- "Live to Tell" (Instrumental) – 5:49
- 12" Maxi-Single / Germany Re-issue CD single
- "Live to Tell" (LP Version) – 5:49
- "Live to Tell" (Edit) – 4:37
- "Live to Tell" (Instrumental) – 5:49
Credits and personnel
- MadonnaMadonna (entertainer)Madonna is an American singer-songwriter, actress and entrepreneur. Born in Bay City, Michigan, she moved to New York City in 1977 to pursue a career in modern dance. After performing in the music groups Breakfast Club and Emmy, she released her debut album in 1983...
– lyricsLyricistA lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, producerRecord producerA record producer is an individual working within the music industry, whose job is to oversee and manage the recording of an artist's music...
, vocalsSingingSinging is the act of producing musical sounds with the voice, and augments regular speech by the use of both tonality and rhythm. One who sings is called a singer or vocalist. Singers perform music known as songs that can be sung either with or without accompaniment by musical instruments... - Bruce Gaitsch – guitarGuitarThe guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s - Patrick LeonardPatrick LeonardPatrick Raymond Leonard is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings....
– drum programmingProgramming (music)Programming is a form of music production and performance using electronic devices, often sequencers or computer programs, to generate music. Programming is used in nearly all forms of electronic music and in most hip hop music since the 1990s. It is also frequently used in modern pop and rock...
, keyboardsKeyboard instrumentA keyboard instrument is a musical instrument which is played using a musical keyboard. The most common of these is the piano. Other widely used keyboard instruments include organs of various types as well as other mechanical, electromechanical and electronic instruments...
, lyrics, producer - Johnathan Moffett – drumDrumThe drum is a member of the percussion group of musical instruments, which is technically classified as the membranophones. Drums consist of at least one membrane, called a drumhead or drum skin, that is stretched over a shell and struck, either directly with the player's hands, or with a...
s - Michael Verdick – audio mixingAudio mixing (recorded music)In audio recording, audio mixing is the process by which multiple recorded sounds are combined into one or more channels, most commonly two-channel stereo. In the process, the source signals' level, frequency content, dynamics, and panoramic position are manipulated and effects such as reverb may...
, engineerAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.
Charts
| Chart (1986) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australian Kent Music Report Kent Music Report The Kent Music Report was a weekly record chart of Australian music singles and albums which was compiled by music enthusiast David Kent from May 1974 through to 1998... |
7 |
| Belgian VRT Top 30 VRT Top 30 The VRT Top 30 or Radio 2 Top 30 is a Belgian record chart that runs on the VRT, more specifically on Radio 2. The list is the new version of the old BRT Top 30, that changed along with the media group's name in 1992.... |
4 |
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart RPM (magazine) RPM was a Canadian music industry publication that featured song and album charts for Canada. The publication was founded by Walt Grealis in February 1964, supported through its existence by record label owner Stan Klees. RPM ceased publication in November 2000.RPM stood for "Records, Promotion,... |
1 |
| Dutch Top 40 Dutch Top 40 The Dutch Top 40 is a weekly music chart, which started as the "Veronica Top 40", because the offshore radio station Radio Veronica was the first to introduce it. It remained "The Veronica Top 40" until 1974, when the station was forced to stop broadcasting... |
3 |
| Eurochart Hot 100 | 1 |
| French Singles Chart Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
6 |
| German Singles Chart Media Control Charts The official music charts in Germany are gathered and published by the company Media Control GfK International on behalf of Bundesverband Musikindustrie... |
12 |
| Irish Singles Chart Irish Singles Chart The Irish Singles Chart is Ireland's music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by the Irish Recorded Music Association and compiled on behalf of the IRMA by Chart-Track. Chart rankings are based on sales, which are compiled through over-the-counter retail data captured... |
2 |
| Italian Singles Chart Federation of the Italian Music Industry The Federation of the Italian Music Industry is an umbrella organization that keeps track of virtually all aspects of the music recording industry in Italy.... |
1 |
| New Zealand Singles Chart Recording Industry Association of New Zealand The Recording Industry Association of New Zealand is a non-profit trade association of record producers, distributors and recording artists who sell music in New Zealand... |
6 |
| Norwegian Singles Chart VG-lista VG-listen is a Norwegian record chart. It is weekly presented in the newspaper VG and the Norwegian Broadcasting Corporation program Topp 20. It is considered the primary Norwegian record chart, charting albums and singles from countries and continent around the world. The data is collected by... |
2 |
| Swedish Singles Chart Sverigetopplistan Sverigetopplistan, earlier known as Topplistan and Hitlistan and other names, is since October 2007 the Swedish national record chart, based on sales data from Swedish Recording Industry Association .... |
11 |
| Swiss Singles Chart Swiss Music Charts The Swiss Music Charts are Switzerland's main music sales charts. The charts are a record of the highest-selling singles and albums in various genres in Switzerland.The Swiss Charts include:* Singles Top 75... |
4 |
| UK Singles Chart UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ... |
2 |
| US Billboard Billboard (magazine) Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis... Hot 100 Billboard Hot 100 The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday... |
1 |
| US Adult Contemporary Chart | 1 |
Year-end chart
| Charts (1986) | Position |
|---|---|
| Canadian RPM Singles Chart | 2 |
| Italian Singles Chart | 5 |
| US Billboard Hot 100 | 35 |
| US Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks | 12 |
| US Hot Dance Music/Club Play | 37 |
Certifications
| Country | Certifications |
|---|---|
| France Syndicat National de l'Edition Phonographique The Syndicat national de l'édition phonographique is the inter-professional organization which protects the interests of the French record industry... |
Silver |
| United Kingdom British Phonographic Industry The British Phonographic Industry is the British record industry's trade association.-Structure:Its membership comprises hundreds of music companies including all four "major" record companies , associate members such as manufacturers and distributors, and hundreds of independent music companies... |
Silver |