1 Madonna Song Was Written for Cyndi Lauper
Madonna and Cyndi Lauper are two 1980s divas who will always be associated with one another. Around the same time, they made some of the most famous dance songs ever, revolutionized the music video as an art form, and became major LGBTQ icons. Notably, one of Madonna’s biggest songs was initially meant for Lauper. Here’s a look at how the Queen of Pop came to record one of her hits.
A pair of songwriters wrote Madonna’s ‘Open Your Heart’ for Cyndi Lauper
Madonna’s “Open Your Heart” is one of her most famous dance-pop tunes. According to Stereogum, Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson penned the original version of “Open Your Heart” for Lauper. Originally, “Open Your Heart” was going to be a synth-rock song. Considering Lauper has a background in that style of music, having been a member of the band Blue Angel, the song might have worked for her.
The final version of “Open Your Heart” was co-written by Rafelson, Cole, and Madonna. During a 2005 interview with Madonna Tribe, Cole discussed the rumor that Madonna initially rejected “Open Your Heart.” “I did submit a song that Madonna didn’t accept but it was titled ‘Motor City Girl’ and was a song that I co-wrote with songwriter David Bryant (Whitney Houston),” he recalled.
Madonna wasn’t the 1st woman to record the song
Cole revealed how the song came together. “The lead singer of the group Chicago (Jason Scheff) sang the original demo of ‘Open Your Heart,'” she said. “I was being managed by a man named Bennett Freed who was part of Madonna’s management company (Weisner and Demann management), I went into the offices on Sunset Boulevard and played the song for Bennett, Freddy Demman overheard the song and thought it would be a hit for Madonna and he asked me to re-demo a female demo version. Donna Delory was my very first girlfriend in L.A. and I immediately asked her to sing the demo.”
Cole crossed paths with “La Isla Bonita” songwriter Patrick Leonard. “Later, I became friends with Patrick Leonard and when he was helping Madonna put together a tour I suggested they use Donna to dance and sing back-up and I gave him her contact info,” he recalled. The rest is history.
How ‘Open Your Heart’ impacted Britney Spears, Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, and ‘Glee’
“Open Your Heart” had a big impact on popular culture. Britney Spears sang the track in her debut film, Crossroads. That’s a passing of the torch if there ever was one! Madonna performed “Open Your Heart” in a medley with Macklemore & Ryan Lewis’ “Same Love” at the 56th Annual Grammy Awards. During the performance, several couples got married in front of the whole world. The cast of Glee performed the track in a mashup with another 1980s Madonna single: “Borderline.” The show released a tribute album in honor of the Queen of Pop titled Glee: The Music, The Power of Madonna.
“Open Your Heart” is one of Madonna’s most emotional songs and it would have been great to hear Lauper sing it.
