Happy #SongLyricsSunday! It has been an eventful weekend for me: went to Fukuoka (southern Japan) for two days and then watched CODA today. Yet, I am ready for today’s #SLS song pick as it is one of my favorites when I was a teen. The #SLS prompt is to find a song with the words “Suit”, “Pants”, “Dress”, and/or “Shirt” in the lyrics or title. I am kind of diverging from the prompt as I think the words mentioned above are nouns and I am going to use a song that has one of those words but as a verb. I hope it is ok.
What is my pick? It’s Madonna’s 1984 dance-pop bop “Dress You Up”. It has been one of my favorites of hers, especially when I was a teen. I think it was one of the first 12″ vinyl singles my mom ever bought for me. Let’s take a look at the song below!
From Your Head Down to Your Toes
“Dress You Up” was the final single to be released from Madonna’s 1984 album Like a Virgin, but the first to showcase the singer as a sex symbol and fashion icon. Just listen for lyrics like “velvet kisses” and “the silky touch of my caresses” during the song and you will know! These lyrics were written by Andrea LaRusso and Peggy Stanziale, who was asked by producer Nile Rodgers to make a song similar to Chic’s style. The song almost didn’t make it to the album as LaRusso and Stanziale took a long time writing the lyrics (as they were busy with other projects). Madonna begged Rodgers to compose the song and have it included in the album.
Although the song is pretty mild in its sexual content, “Dress You Up” is included in the Filthy Fifteen list that was published by Parents Music Resource Center. One member of the Parents Music Resource Center, Susan Baker, was largely opposed to Madonna’s music as Baker was disturbed with the lyrical content featured in the singer’s music, especially when Baker’s young daughter listen to “Like a Virgin”. (If you don’t who is the Parents Music Resource Center, they are the ones who rallied for the Parental Advisory sticker on music releases.)
The lyrics may be a little risque, but I do like the melody. “Dress You Up” is one of my favorite songs that I like to sing along to, especially at the very end. How about you, what is your favorite thing about this song? Listen to it below and let me know in the comments!
Here is the song used in the 1999 Gap’s “Everybody in Vests” TV commercial:
The Rules for #SongLyricsSunday
(This challenge is currently hosted by the generous Jim Adams.)
Anyone can participate in #SongLyricsSunday, even if you aren’t a music blogger! If you want to participate, here are the rules:
- Post the lyrics to the song of your choice, whether it fits the theme or not.
- Please try to include the songwriter(s) – it’s a good idea to give credit where credit is due.
- Make sure you also credit the singer/band and if you desire you can provide a link to where you found the lyrics.
- Link to the YouTube video, or pull it into your post so others can listen to the song.
- Pingback to this post will eventually work, as long as you are being patient, but you can also place your link in the comments if you don’t like to wait.
- Read at least one other person’s blog, so we can all share new and fantastic music and create amazing new blogging friends in the process.
- Feel free to suggest future prompts.
- Have fun and enjoy the music.
