1 Madonna Song Is Based on a Nursery Rhyme
Madonna‘s songs could get edgy, but one draws lyrics from a famous nursery rhyme. Most other pop stars would sound ridiculous singing such lyrics, but the Material Girl knew what she was doing. Madonna worked with a great producer to bring the song to life. He revealed what he thought of the Queen of Pop during the early days of her career.
Madonna’s songs where originally more family-friendly
Madonna really started getting risque when she put out her hit “Like a Virgin” in 1984. By the early 1990s, she released a book called Sex, an album called Erotica, and a kinky thriller called Body of Evidence. However, when she started her career, the Queen of Pop’s image was more family-friendly. Her first album, Madonna, could be considered a bubblegum pop album.
Perhaps its most bubblegum song is “Lucky Star.” The track repeatedly uses the line “starlight / star bright” from “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” as a hook. It’s an odd choice, but it works. Madonna wouldn’t be the last musician to quote a nursery rhyme in a hit song. For example, Nicki Minaj also quotes “Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star” in “Starships,” while Gotye and Kimbra’s collaboration “Somebody That I Used to Know” opens with a sample of “Baa Baa Black Sheep.”
What makes ‘Lucky Star’ different from children’s songs
Considering its origins, “Lucky Star” is argubaly a children’s song. A handful of kid’s songs have become chart hits, including The Beatles’ “Yellow Submarine” and “Puff, the Magic Dragon” by Peter, Paul and Mary. However, critics and fans usually don’t lump “Lucky Star” into that category.
Perhaps that’s because children’s songs are often silly or fantastical, and Madonna’s “Lucky Star” is neither. Maybe it’s just because the song is so danceable that nobody is paying too much attention to its lyrics! Years later, the Queen of Pop would release a children’s song called “Dear Jessie” as a single. That song is nowhere near as famous as “Lucky Star.”
Madonna’s producer revealed what made her different from other artists
Reggie Lucas produced the entirety of Madonna’s self-titled debut album, including “Lucky Star.” During a 2013 interview with The Atlantic, Lucas discussed what he thought of the Queen of Pop. “She was diligent, it was a pretty good experience,” he said. “She wasn’t the type of artist that you had to go and look for. She wanted to be successful. She was always there when she needed to be.
“I was used to being in charge of things so I was always there at the studio ready,” Lucas added. “I made sure everything moved smoothly for her so that the process surrounding being in the studio was fairly transparent to her. She had to come in focused on her music and performing as an artist and it helped my focus as well. The musicians I worked with were guys I had worked with for years. We worked out of Sigma Sound Studios, a studio I worked out of for years as well. She brought some very good people into the situation. It was very comfortable making the record.”
“Lucky Star” is a classic dance song and it wouldn’t be the same without a certain nursery rhyme.
