Borderline (Madonna song)

1984 single by Madonna

"Borderline" is a song by American singer Madonna from her debut self titled studio album (1983), written and produced by Reggie Lucas. In 1982, Madonna was signed on by Sire Records for the release of two 12 inch singles; after the success of first single "Everybody", the label approved the recording of an album, and the singer decided to work with Lucas. "Borderline" is a pop song with post disco elements whose sounds recall the music of the 1970s, while the lyrics find a woman complaining of her lover's chauvinism. In the United States, it was released as single on February 15, 1984, whereas in Europe it was published twice: first in June 1984, and then in January 1986. Upon release, "Borderline" was acclaimed by music critics, who lauded the singer's vocals; in retrospective reviews, it has been referred to as Madonna's breakout song, and as one of the best songs from the 1980s. It was commercially successful: in 1984, it gave Madonna her first top ten hit in the US Billboard Hot 100. The 1986 release saw success across Europe: it became the singer's second number one in Ireland, and reached the top 3 in the United Kingdom, Belgium and The Netherlands. The song's music video was directed by Mary Lambert; in it, Madonna portrays the girlfriend of a Hispanic man, to whom she returns after being enticed to pose and model for a white British photographer. Authors pointed out that with the visual, the singer broke the taboo of interracial relationships. "Borderline" has been performed in the singer's Virgin (1985) and Sticky & Sweet (2008) concert tours. It has also been covered by artists like Jody Watley, the Flaming Lips, and Kelly Clarkson, among others.

In 1982, Madonna was living with her former Michigan boyfriend Stephen Bray in an unused rehearsal studio in New York City. Since "funky dance records were in style on the radio and dance floor", she and Bray created a demo tape with four dance tracks, including "Everybody", "Burning Up", and "Ain't No Big Deal". While pitching the tape, she met and befriended DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria nightclub. The single's success led to the label approving the recording of an album, but Madonna chose not to work with either Bray or Kamins, opting instead for Warner Bros. producer Reggie Lucas; Lucas was hired by Sire executive Michael Rosenblatt to give the album "an R&B feel". However, she soon realized that there was not enough material for a full length album ― the only tracks available were "Everybody", "Burning Up", "Lucky Star", "Think of Me", "I Know It", and "Ain't No Big Deal". Lucas then brought two compositions of his own to the project: "Physical Attraction" and "Borderline", which he wrote specifically for Madonna. Upon hearing the final version, Stein declared, "I dared to believe this was going to be huge beyond belief, the biggest thing I'd ever had, after I heard 'Borderline' The passion that she put into that song, I thought, there's no stopping this girl".

Recording took place at the Sigma Sound Studios in New York. Personnel working on the song included Lucas on the drum machine, Fred Zarr and Dean Gant on keyboards and synthesizers, alongside Ed Walsh; the bass was played by Anthony Jackson, while Bobby Malach played tenor saxophone. Background vocals were provided by Gwen Guthrie, Brenda White, and Chrissy Faith. It saw a change in Madonna's usual vocal tone, as she sings in a more "refined and expressive" way. Lyrically, it has been described as a "flirty, confectionery complaint from one lover to another". According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., "Borderline" is set in the time signature of common time with a moderate tempo of 120 beats per minute. It is composed in the key of D major, with Madonna's vocal range spanning from F3 to B4. The song follows the chord progression of D–C–G in the first verse, and changes to Bm–Em–A–F in the pre chorus. The refrain has a progression of G–D–A. In the United States, "Borderline" was released on February 15, 1984, as the fourth single from the Madonna album, following "Holiday"; To Marc Andrews, it's the album's "sweetest" song. Author Maury Dean, in his book Rock 'n' Roll Gold Rush, applauded its "saucy style and come hither magnetism". AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine singled it out as "effervescent", and as one of the "great songs" on his review of the Madonna album; for Stewart Mason, from the same portal, "[it] proved that Madonna was more than a pretty face, a dancer's body and a squeaky voice [ ] 'Borderline' is a pure treasure, one of those unabashedly commercial pop songs that also manages to at least hint at deeper emotions". He concluded that the singer, "delivers the best vocal performance of her early career, when her limitations were at their most obvious". From Slant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani deemed it "soulful", and Eric Henderson "tender", further adding: "Has there ever been an opening refrain more winsome and instantly nostalgic than that of Madonna’s first Top 10 single?". While the staff of The Advocate described "Borderline" as an "enjoyable earworm", Pitchforks Jill Mapes opined that it "helped [Madonna] resituate electronic dance pop at Top 40’s apex". Mapes also added that it's the singer's "passionate performance [that] takes it over the top". This opinion was shared by Entertainment Weeklys Chuck Arnold and The Quietus Matthew Lindsay; the former said the singer "has never sounded more genuinely soulful than on the divine 'Borderline'", while the latter also deemed it one of her "most enduring" songs. One lukewarm review came from the Observer–Reporters Terry Hazlett, who expressed the song was "inoffensive, danceable [but] ultimately forgettable". While reviewing The Immaculate Collection on its 25th anniversary, Drew Mackie from People opined it was "catchy", and a "promise of even better things to come" in Madonna's career. James Rose, from the Daily Review, referred to "Borderline" as an "insight to an emerging wordsmith, with a deeper sensibility married to her unerring aim on manufactured pop hooks". On his review of the 2001 re release of Madonna, Michael Paoletta from Billboard pointed out that, "such tracks as 'Borderline' [ ] remain irresistible". While ranking the album's tracks on its 40th anniversary, Marcus Wratten from PinkNews placed "Borderline" on the first spot, singling out Madonna's performance, and comparing the single to a "warm, comforting hug". "Borderline" has often been referred to as Madonna's breakout song: Journalist Roxanne Orgill in her book Shout, Sister, Shout!, wrote that it made the singer "the star that she is". J. Randy Taraborrelli, in his biography of Madonna, said it was, along with "Holiday", one of the "key recordings" that helped to establish her career. Mark Elliott from website This is Dig! added that "Borderline" was a "landmark song", as it positioned Madonna as a "premier league mainstream star and a compelling dance act". Matthew Jacobs from HuffPost placed the song at number 17 of his ranking of Madonna's singles, singling out "those wailing vocals". On Gay Star News ranking, the single came in at number 12; Joe Morgan wrote: "[Madonna] may have done more complicated songs, and experimented more, but 'Borderline' is pure pop finery". Jude Rogers, from The Guardian, opined "Borderline" showcased "the young, untutored star at her most gentle and beseeching", and placed it at number 2 of her ranking of Madonna singles. It was named "the song that proved early on that Madonna was no one trick disco show pony", as well as her 27th best, by PinkNews Nayer Missim. Louis Virtel, writing for The Backlot, named "Borderline" the sixth best song of Madonna's discography, highlighting its "desire and unabashed innocence", and "phenomenal closing segment". The staff of Rolling Stone named it the second best song of 1984. On Pitchforks ranking of the 200 best songs from the 1980s decade, "Borderline" was placed at 106: "four minutes of emotional helium [ ] there’s so much charisma, it’s easy to see why it catapulted [Madonna] toward[s] being the biggest pop star in the world", read Jeremy Gordon's review. In 2023, while celebrating the 65th anniversary of the Hot 100, the staff of Billboard named "Borderline" the 128th best pop song to appear in the chart since 1958: "Not [Madonna's] biggest '80s pop hit, but likely her purest", read the review.

The week of March 3, 1984, several radio stations began to add "Borderline" to its rotation, which caused it to debut at number 107 of Billboards Bubbling Under Hot 100. One week later, it entered the Hot 100 at number 76. By June 16, it peaked at number 10, becoming Madonna's first top ten hit, the first of 17 consecutive top tens the singer would achieve from 1984 through 1989. Overall, it spent 30 weeks on the chart. one month later, it peaked at number 25. The 1986 release saw success across Europe; it was Madonna's second number one in Ireland after "Into the Groove", Production was in charge of Lambert, Bruce Logan, and Michele Ferrone; Simon Maskell was on art direction, Andrea Dietrich on cinematography, while Glenn Morgan did the editing. In the video, Madonna plays a young woman emotionally torn between her Hispanic boyfriend and a white British photographer, for whom she models and who publishes her pictures on a magazine cover. Lambert herself described the video's plot to Rolling Stone: "[A] Boy and [a] girl enjoy simple pleasures of barrio love; girl is tempted by fame, boy gets huffy, girl gets famous, but her new beau's out of line reaction to a behavioral trifle (all she did was to spray paint his expensive sports car) drives her back to her true love". Footage with the photographer was shot in black and white, while the scenes in the barrio with her boyfriend were shot in full color. Years later, it was added to Madonna's video compilations The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009).

Quote box|width=25%|align=left|quote="'Borderline' was significant not only because of its then controversial representation of an interracial relationship and female sexual assertiveness [ ] but because [it] played out and with struggles over immigration, gender roles, and multiculturalism that were at the forefront of US politics in the 1980s".|source=—Author Leah Perry on the music video. The author also saw this as a marketing strategy: the singer was inviting whites, Hispanics and other people of color to "fantasize that, they too can have or be [her]", thus successfully appealing to different audiences. In Madonna's Drowned Worlds, Santiago Fouz Hernández and Freya Jarman Ivens wrote that the Hispanic boyfriend and British photographer represented "the dualities" of the singer's life and career up at that point: "the gritty, multirracial street and club scene [ ] [and] the new slick, fast world of popularity and success". On the same vein, Kellner singled out the "contrasting fashion codes" between upper class and Hispanic cultures; one is shown throughout high fashion, art, and luxury, while the other is equated to barrios and urban ghettos. Matthew Lindsay referred to "Borderline" as a "mini movie", and compared it to the 1975 film Mahogany ―which also features an interracial romance― and to the work of director John Hughes. Eric Henderson considered "Borderline" to be the singer's 23rd greatest music video, deeming it "as simple and direct as the song’s message: Be with me and you’re going to have a really good time". Louis Virtel wrote: "Remember simpler times when Madonna could just spray graffiti and look jilted at a pool hall, and that would be enough for a beautiful video? [ ] [her] yearning is contagious — even if she is clad in chartreuse socks and yellow heels". He named it her eleventh best. Finally, Out magazine's Julien Sauvalle considered it one of the singer's "most stylish" videos and noted influence on Rihanna's "We Found Love" (2011). "Borderline" earned Madonna a nomination for Best New Artist at the 1984 MTV Video Music Awards.

In February 1984, Madonna appeared on The Dance Show and performed "Borderline", joined by her brother Christopher Ciccone, and dancer Erika Belle. The single was then included on two of the singer's concert tours: Virgin (1985) and Sticky & Sweet (2008). On the first one, the performance saw Madonna coming out from behind a silhouette. Her wardrobe consisted of a crop top beneath a vest with a silver cross pattée, matching fringed gloves and miniskirt, leggings, low heel leather boots, and a crucifix earring in one ear. "Borderline" is one of three performances not included on the Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour video release (1985). On 2006's Confessions Tour, "Borderline" was sampled on an introduction video that led to "Music" (2000), along with "Holiday", "Dress You Up" (1985), and "Erotica" (1992). An arena rock rendition of "Borderline", with Madonna playing a purple Gibson Les Paul electric guitar, was performed on the Sticky & Sweet Tour. The singer wore 1980s styled gym shorts, while the backdrops depicted graffiti and artwork inspired by Keith Haring. The performance was included on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album release (2010), recorded during the four concerts in Buenos Aires, Argentina. On March 10, 2016, Madonna sang an acoustic "Borderline" on the Melbourne concert of her Madonna: Tears of a Clown show; she was dressed as a clown ―with a pink wig and candy striped tights― and began the performance by saying: "I don’t have bipolar disorder but I am a little borderline". Finally, on June 9, the singer did a “slowed down, souled up” rendition of the song on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, where she was joined by American band the Roots; the number was watched by the 44th president of the United States, Barack Obama.

[[File:VirginMega (cropped2). jpg|thumb|upright|left|Jody Watley's (picture) 2006 rendition of "Borderline" was acclaimed by Entertainment Weeklys Michael Slezak. Two years later, it was recorded by American pop punk band Showoff for the compilation album Punk Goes Pop. American singer Jody Watley recorded "Borderline" for her ninth album The Makeover (2006). This rendition had a slowed down "sparse" arrangement of piano, percussion and synths, and was lauded by the staff Billboard, who applauded its "beautifully chilled out rhythms". When asked why she chose to cover the song, Watley explained: "['Borderline'] is a song I’ve always liked. Because even though the way it was originally recorded was very poppy for me [it] always had a melancholy side to it, which I think my version taps into". American duo Chapin Sisters recorded the song for the tribute album Through the Wilderness (2007). One year later, it was sung by Welsh singer Duffy at Radio 1's Big Weekend; afterwards, Duffy revealed that she was "terrified" at the idea of performing a Madonna song. In 2009, "Borderline" was covered by American bands the Flaming Lips and Stardeath and White Dwarfs for the Warner Bros. Records compilation Covered, A Revolution in Sound. On his review of the album, AllMusic's Stephen Thomas Erlewine felt this version turned the original "inside out". Also in 2009, American band Counting Crows did a "strangely country" rendition of "Borderline" at a concert in London's Royal Albert Hall; it was made available to download on MP3 through the band's official website on March 17 of that year. Actors Cory Monteith and Lea Michele performed a mashup of "Borderline" and Madonna's 1986 single "Open Your Heart" in "The Power of Madonna" (2010), the fifteenth episode of American television series Glee. Australian guitarist Tommy Emmanuel and American singer Amanda Shires covered the track for the former's 2018 album Accomplice One. According to Rolling Stone, this rendition "retains little of its original feel", being described as a "lilting waltz, with Shires' plaintive fiddle replacing the bubbly synthesizer hook". In January 2021, American singer Kelly Clarkson did a "stirring" rendition of the song during the "Kellyoke" segment of her talk show The Kelly Clarkson Show. One year later, in March 2022, Welsh band Manic Street Preachers sang "Borderline" during their appearance at the BBC 6 music festival; the following month, the band recorded a studio version. In 2017, on "Who's Your Daddy?" ―second episode of the ninth season of Will and Grace― Will Truman (Eric McCormack) references "Borderline" by saying it got him through a bad breakup.