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| "Lucky Star" | ||
|---|---|---|
| Single by Madonna | ||
| From the album Madonna | ||
| Released | August 8, 1984 (Worldwide) August 25, 1984 (JP) | |
| Single Format | Vinyl (12") CD Single Vinyl (7") | |
| Recorded | 1983 | |
| Song Length | 5:38 | |
| Genre | Pop | |
| Record Label | Warner Bros. | |
| Writer | Madonna | |
| Producer | Reggie Lucas | |
| Chart Positions | #4 (Billboard Hot 100) #14 (UK Singles Chart) | |
| Madonna singles chronology | ||
| "Borderline" (1984) | "Lucky Star" (1984) | "Like A Virgin" (1984) |
"Lucky Star" is the fifth and final single from American singer Madonna released from her 1983 debut album, Madonna.
Song history
"Lucky Star" was penned by Madonna and produced by collaborator Reggie Lucas. The song was the first song Madonna wrote when she signed with Warner Bros. The simple but catchy love song, was released as the last single from her debut album in August 1984 and became a big hit charting in the Top 10 in multiple countries. The songs chorus is famed for incorporating the famous Mother Goose nursery rhyme "Starlight, star bright, first star I see tonight...".
In the summer of 1983 the album versions of "Holiday" and "Lucky Star" were released in the U.S. to DJs as a 12" promotional vinyl single. The song was originally released in September 1983 in the UK, but failed to make an impact on the charts. The single was re-issued the following year and became Madonna's second Top 20 hit in the UK.
In the UK the 12" vinyl release came with a free poster. The UK 7" single is one of Madonna's rarest single releases and can sell for £250 or more.
A music video was made for the 1984 single release of the song and was directed by Arthur Pierson. The video showed Madonna dancing around with her backup dancers (her brother Christopher and friend Erica Bell), dressed in black on a white background. The video exploited her "Boy Toy" image and featured Madonna with a wild haircut and dressed in black punky clothes, that she would later describe as 'rags'. The video is also famous for showing off her much talked about belly button. An extended version of the video was released with the "Immaculate Collection" DVD.
The single's B-side was the album version of "I Know It", a song written by Madonna. On the German 7" vinyl single the song "Think of Me" was included as the B-side. Again, like "I Know It", "Think of Me" was also originally included on Madonna's debut album. Some maxi-singles also featured "Borderline" as a B-side.
Madonna re-recorded this song in 1990 for The Immaculate Collection but this version was later abandoned and the original was used. This 1990 version has surfaced on the internet - the backing track appears to be same.
Personnel
- Vocals by Madonna.
- Synthesizers by Dean Gant, Fred Zarr and Ed Walsh.
- Electric and acoustic pianos by Dean Gant and Fred Zarr.
- Guitars by Reggie Lucas, Ira Siegal and Paul Pesco.
- Drum programming by Reggie Lucas and Leslie Ming.
- Tenor saxophone by Bobby Malach.
- Background vocals by Gwen Guthrie, Norma Jean Wright, Madonna, Brenda White and Chrissy Faith.
Credits
- Written by Madonna and Reggie Lucas.
- Produced by Reggie Lucas.
- Remixed by John "Jellybean" Benitez.
Chart performance
"Lucky Star" became Madonna's first Top 5 hit on the Billboard Hot 100; perhaps more importantly, it was the first of 16 consecutive Top 5 hits on the chart for her, a feat that surpassed even The Beatles' record. The track also had modest showings on both the Adult Contemporary and R&B charts. The song spent four months of the Billboard charts only to be pushed aside by her next release, "Like a Virgin".
In the UK, the song was a moderate success, peaking within the Top 20.
Chart trajectories
| UK Top 40 Singles chart trajectory 1984 | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 |
| Chart position | 27 | 16 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 37 |
| US Singles chart trajectory 1984 | ||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Week | 01 | 02 | 03 | 04 | 05 | 06 | 07 | 08 | 09 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 |
| Chart position | 40 | 27 | 24 | 16 | 13 | 17 | 30 | 55 | 86 | 97 |
Charts
| Chart (1984) | Peak position |
|---|---|
| Australia AMR Sales Chart | 36 |
| Canada | 16 |
| Japan (ChartJapan) | 2 |
| UK Singles Chart | 14 |
| USA Billboard Hot 100 | 4 |
| USA Billboard Adult Contemporary | 19 |
| USA Billboard Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Singles & Tracks | 42 |
Official versions
Original versions
- Album Version aka Full Length Version 5:38
- LP Edit 3:57
- Instrumental 4:35
Remixes
- New Mix/ U.S. Remix 7:15
- Shep Pettibone/Goh Hotoda Mix 3:36
- UK 7'' Dub 4:31
- UK 7'' Remix 3:16
- UK Dub Version by Rusty Egan 6:03
- Spanish 7" Instrumental 4:15
- Spanish Remix/Edit #1 6:22
- Italian Remix/Edit 6:11
- 1982 Dub Version 8:58
- Extended Version 6:02
Music Video Versions
- Video Edit 3:44
- Video of Edit of New Mix 5:04
Included On
- Madonna
- The Immaculate Collection
- Snatch Original Soundtrack
References
- "Chart Performance of Madonna Records - A Compiled History" (2004). MLVC.ORG: Charts Retrieved from http://charts.mlvc.org/CHThist.php on December 9, 2005.
- "Holiday" (2004). Madonna: Single Summaries Retrieved from http://www.madonnanation.com/charts/ on December 9, 2005.
1980s pop songs | 1984 singles | 1984 songs | Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one singles | Madonna songs
"Lucky Star"