Why ‘Like a Virgin’ Star Madonna Avoided Actual Virgins
Depending on how you understand it, Madonna‘s “Like a Virgin” might be a tune about virginity loss. The “Dress You Up” singer shot down that interpretation. She didn’t have kind words for virginal men.
What Madonna’s ‘Like a Virgin’ is really about
During a 1985 interview with Spin, the Queen of Pop revealed she can be a little picky when it comes to choosing sexual partners. “I wouldn’t like to sleep with a guy who was a virgin,” she said. “I’d have to teach him stuff and I don’t have the patience. I’d rather deal with experience.”
The Material Girl said listeners shouldn’t interpret her hit single “Like a Virgin” too literally. “When I say ‘virgin,’ like in my song, I’m not thinking about [a] sexual virgin,” she explained. “I mean newness. Even after I made love for the first time, I still felt like I was a virgin. I didn’t lose my virginity until I knew what I was doing.”
A famous producer was initially skeptical of ‘Like a Virgin’
“Like a Virgin” was produced by Nile Rodgers. Rodgers, a member of the funk band Chic, was also known for producing David Bowie’s pop single “Let’s Dance.” According to The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits, Rodgers said he was initially weary of the phrase “Like a Virgin.” He was worried it didn’t have much potential as a hook. After the tune remained in his head for four days, he decided it might work for Madonna.
Madonna was enthusiastic about the tune, feeling that she could make it work. And she did! “Like a Virgin” isn’t just a classic because it’s a great song. It’s also a classic because it was the beginning of Madonna toying with her image in exciting ways.
In the song, Madonna portrayed herself as a lovestruck woman whose life became complete when she met the right man. She wore a belt buckle that read “Boy Toy” on the cover of Like a Virgin. At the same time, she had a reputation for being a feminist who was in control of herself and the men around her. This playful attitude toward gender roles became a big part of Madonna’s career.
Madonna said she ‘stepped all over’ many men
It turns out that, despite what she wore on the cover of Like a Virgin, Madonna was no boy toy after all. The “Frozen” singer told Spin she didn’t always treat the men in her life with tenderness and compassion. “All those men I stepped all over to get to the top, everyone of them would take me back because they still love me and I still love them,” she said. “I wish I was a million different people so I could stay with each boyfriend while moving on to another one. I learn more, want more, and suddenly — that person isn’t enough.
“The problem is, after you start to love someone, you start to hurt them,” she added. “I get interested in somebody else and I latch on to that interest to get me through the other one. It’s awfully painful, but then I have this new guy to look forward to.”
No matter how you interpret “Like a Virgin,” it shouldn’t be taken literally.
