My Top 10 Favorite Songs by Madonna

I remember listening to Madonna back when I was first married back in the '80's. The fact that she is still around today is amazing and proves what a musical icon she is. From the very beginning she has been a controversial figure in the world of music. Considered both a great talent, a savvy businesswoman and someone who loves to shock the public, Madonna has always seemed to know how to get attention. In the world of music, attention sells records.

Choosing my 10 favorite Madonna songs is difficult because I love almost all of them. Here are the ones that stick out most in my mind.

1) Like a Virgin (1984, Like a Virgin) This song was on Madonna's second album, which had more of a rock, Motown influence than her first album, which was mostly pop. This song was one which I thought was a bit naughty because it was talking about the way a person feels losing her virginity...a topic which would have made my grandmother blush.

2) Material Girl (1985, Like a Virgin) This song speaks to people whose desire for materialism outweighs their desire for love. The video for Material Girl is very memorable for it mimics Marilyn Monroe's performance of "Diamonds Are a Girl's Best Friend".

3) Crazy for You (1985, Vision Quest Soundtrack) This song brings back a lot of memories for me. The sultry, sexy plea to connect with that special someone really pulls at the heartstrings.

4) Papa Don't Preach (1986, True Blue) I love this song because of the pro-life message as well as the overall sound of the song itself. The song was very controversial due to its subject matter. Pro-choice advocates saw the song as promoting teenage pregnancy while pro-life advocates saw it as promoting life.

5) Like a Prayer (1989, Like a Prayer) This song was a hit worldwide and was voted by fans as being number 1. The video of the song was very controversial due to the religious imagery mixed with obvious sexuality. I love this song. The words to me are very powerful and I love the additional touch of the gospel choir within the song.

6) Vogue (1990, I'm Breathless) This song jumps out at me. I love the beat, the rhythms, and spoken part in the song. It's also a great dance song.

7) Justify My Love (1990, The Immaculate Collection) This is a stand out song mostly because of the video that goes with it, which was so sexually explicit it was banned from MTV. As a means to counteract this, Madonna went on Nightline on NBC where the video was aired. I remember watching it on Nightline, grateful that my kids were in bed not to see it.

8) American Life(2002, Die Another Day Soundtrack) I love this song because it speaks out against a culture in America that is not always positive. She speaks about injustice, war, materialism and other things that tend to drive our culture.

9) Holiday (1983, Madonna) This song appeared on Madonna's self titled debut album and it also appeared in compilations including The Immaculate Collection. Commercially, this was considered her first big hit. I love the entire sound of Madonna's earliest record. It's a song that stays in my mind when I hear it.

10) Borderline (1984, Madonna). This was Madonna's first top 10 song on Billboard's Top 100. I remember first hearing this song, somehow knowing I would be hearing a lot more from this person called Madonna.