Pride & Joy

On August 27th I will be 40 years old. A lifetime of pop music. So between then and now I want to post 40 of my favourite songs. My life songs I guess. They are in no particular order, they are just songs that make me happy every time I hear them and that is why I think music is important. There will of course be a couple of Madonna songs. I couldn't imagine loving pop without loving her songs. The first is Dress You Up. I remember the day I bought the Like a Virgin album from Sherwoods in Kilkenny here in Ireland and playing it so many times. I love Shoo-Bee-Doo and Angel as much as Dress You Up but it was the imagery of the video of Madonna performing Dress You Up on her Virgin Tour that has always stayed with me. That jacket, her entire outfit in fact, the simple and yet iconic opening poses, the dance routine, the whole joyfulness of the performance. I think that video is a perfect popular culture moment. Dress You Up got to number 5 in the UK, US and Australian charts. It got to number 3 here in Ireland, it's highest chart position worldwide. There was more than one single cover and the one above is the one I have. Pop treasures.