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Spotlight (Madonna song)

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This article is about the Madonna song. For other songs with the same title, see Spotlight
"Spotlight"
Song
B-side"Where's the Party"

"Spotlight" is a song by American recording artist Madonna. It appeared on her 1987 remix compilation You Can Dance, and was released as a single in Japan on April 25, 1988 by Sire Records. Initially rejected during her True Blue album recording sessions, "Spotlight" was written by Madonna, Stephen Bray and Curtis Hudson. It was inspired by the song "Everybody Is a Star" (1970), by American rock band Sly and the Family Stone. "Spotlight" was remixed by Shep Pettibone, with additional mixing done by John "Jellybean" Benitez.

"Spotlight" features instrumentation from drums, bass synths and handclaps, accompanied by vocal echos, a piano segment and violin phrases in the musical interlude. The lyrics talk about how one can be famous if one sings about it. The song received mixed reviews from critics. After its release, "Spotlight" reached number-three on the Japanese Oricon Singles Chart. Although not released in the United States, "Spotlight" managed to chart on Billboard's Airplay chart in early 1988. The song was used in a Mitsubishi VCR commercial, where she appeared.

Background

By the mid-eighties, post-disco dance music was extremely popular and the concept of remix was widely regarded as a new direction of music. Several artists were remixing their tracks and compiling them to create new albums. Hence Madonna, who was the most popular dance artist of that era, decided to create a similar remix compilation album, later titled You Can Dance, which included seven of her up-tempo songs.[1] Along with the pre-released tracks in remixed form, "Spotlight" was included as an added bonus. Madonna said that she was inspired by the song "Everybody Is a Star" (1970), by American rock band Sly and the Family Stone.[2]

Written by Madonna, Stephen Bray and Curtis Hudson, "Spotlight" was originally recorded during the 1986 True Blue album recording sessions. It was omitted from True Blue because Madonna felt that it was similar in composition and structure to her previous single "Holiday" (1983).[1] When Madonna decided to create You Can Dance, she asked Shep Pettibone, who had remixed her songs from True Blue, to remix "Spotlight" and included it on the album.[1] John "Jellybean" Benitez, who had recorded the original demo during the True Blue sessions, assisted Pettibone in remixing the song.[2]

Composition

"Spotlight"
A 20 second sample of "Spotlight", featuring the chorus with Madonna singing the line "Spotlight, open up your eyes and see".
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Spotlight" begins with the sound of drums, bass synths and handclaps, followed by Madonna uttering the words "Spotlight, shine bright". After the first verse, the sound of keyboard is heard during the effect.[3] It continues like this through the second verse, which is followed by an interlude featuring vocal echos, a piano segment and violin phrases. Madonna follows the music played by the piano and utters the words "Pa-da-pa-da-pappa pappa pa pa" in the same melody.[3] The lyrics deal with Madonna making the listener remember that "Everybody is a Star" and that if one wants to be famous and be under the "Spotlight", the person should sing about it and reality may catch up with him or her.[3] According to the sheet music published at SheetMusicPlus.com, the song is set in the time signature of common time, with a tempo of 100 beats per minute. It is set in the key of F major with Madonna's voice spanning from the notes of C5 to B♭m. "Spotlight" has a basic sequence of Am–C–Am–C–G–F as its chord progression.[4]

Reception

Critical response

Mark Bego, author of Madonna: blonde ambition‎ wrote that "Spotlight" was a "typical Madonna 'look-at-me' dance routine, that sounds flat besides the heavy remixes in You Can Dance."[5] Stephen Thomas Erlewine from Allmusic said that the song "sounds dated—this is quite clearly extended mixes from the mid 80's—but that's part of the charm.[6] Greg Kot from Chicago Tribune, while reviewing You Can Dance, said that "Spotlight" is a fine dance remix in the collection.[7] Another review by Daniel Brogan from Chicago Tribune enlisted the track as sounding "inspirational and in-your-face".[8] Dave Barry from The Miami Herald commented that although You Can Dance sounds like "old Madonna", "Spotlight" sounds surprisingly fresh to his ears.[9] Joe Brown from The Washington Post commented that the song should have been a "flat reject".[10] Don McLeese from Chicago Sun-Times called the song as "exuberant".[11] Dennis Hunt from Los Angeles Times that "Spotlight" was "lost in the dazzling collection of the extended remixes of her best dance tunes."[12] Jan DeKnock, while writing for Orlando Sentinel commented that "Spotlight" was the sole eyesore in the album.[13]

Chart performance

Although "Spotlight" was not officially released as a single in the United States, therefore it was not eligible at the time to appear on Billboard's Hot 100. However, radio stations started to play the song unofficially and it managed to garner enough airplay to appear on the Hot 100 Airplay chart of Billboard in early 1988.[14] It debuted on the Airplay chart at 37 on the issue dated January 16, 1988 and was the highest debut of the week.[15] After three weeks, "Spotlight" reached a peak of 32 on the chart, but fell to 40 the next week, before being sent for recurrent rotation.[14] It also charted on the Hot Crossover Singles chart, reaching a peak of fifteen on January 9, 1988.[14] The song was released in Japan on April 25, 1988, and charted on the Oricon Singles Chart, reaching a peak of three on May 19, 1988, staying on the chart for ten weeks.[16]

Media appearance

"Spotlight" was featured in the last of a series of Japanese TV commercials Madonna filmed for electronics company Mitsubishi. The commercial promoted their VCR model F-5.3.[17] In the commercial, Madonna was featured as coming out of a car and sitting down on a sofa, while watching a film on the VCR, as "Spotlight" is played in the background. The song was also used as cross-promotion for the Japanese leg of her 1987 Who's That Girl World Tour under the campaign name of "Dreams Come True".[18]

Track listings and formats

  1. "Spotlight" (Single Edit) – 4:33
  2. "Where's The Party" (Remix Single Edit) – 7:23
  1. "Spotlight" (Single Edit) – 4:33
  2. "Where's The Party" – 4:10

Credits and personnel

Source: [21]

Charts

Chart (1987) Peak
Position
Japan Oricon Singles Chart[16] 3
U.S. Billboard Hot 100 Airplay[14] 32
U.S. Hot Crossover Singles[14] 15

Notes

  1. ^ a b c Taraborrelli 2002, p. 129
  2. ^ a b Rooksby 2004, p. 28
  3. ^ a b c Rooksby 2004, p. 29
  4. ^ "Digital Sheet Music – Madonna – "Spotlight"". SheetMusicPlus.com. Alfred Publishing. {{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |work= (help); Missing or empty |url= (help)
  5. ^ Bego 2000, p. 155
  6. ^ Erlewine, Bogdanov & Woodstra 2002, p. 686
  7. ^ Kot, Greg (1990-05-13). "Without the Videos, Her Albums Just Aren't the Same". Chicago Tribune. 23 (1). Tribune Company. ISSN 1085-6706.
  8. ^ Brogan, Daniel (1987-11-27). "Big Names Make 'Very Special Christmas' Memorable". Chicago Tribune. Tribune Company. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  9. ^ Barry, Dave (1988-03-04). "Madonna's New LP is Mostly Old Madonna". The Miami Herald. 40 (7). The McClatchy Company. ISSN 0898-865X. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  10. ^ Brown, Joe (1988-12-18). "Angst You Can Dance To". The Washington Post. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  11. ^ McLeese, Don (1988-11-23). "The Chain evokes a numbing reaction". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  12. ^ Hunt, Dennis (1987-11-29). "Great Balls of Fire — Good Vibrations — Maybe Baby Running on Empty Madonna's Mixology". Los Angeles Times. Dow Jones & Company. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  13. ^ DeKnock, Jan (1987-11-22). "Idol Lets 'Mony' Do Talking All The Way To Top Of Chart". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  14. ^ a b c d e Feldman 2000, p. 211
  15. ^ "Billboard Hot 100 Airplay: Week Ending January 16, 1988". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 1988-01-16. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  16. ^ a b Schilling 1997, p. 149
  17. ^ Rooksby 2004, p. 201
  18. ^ Rooksby 2004, p. 203
  19. ^ ""Spotlight" 7" Vinyl Japanese Release". Discogs. 1988-04-23. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  20. ^ ""Spotlight" Mini CD Japanese Release". Discogs. 1988-04-23. Retrieved 2010-05-20.
  21. ^ You Can Dance (Media notes). Warner Bros. Records. 1987. {{cite AV media notes}}: |format= requires |url= (help); Unknown parameter |artist= ignored (|others= suggested) (help)

References

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