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"Borderline" is a song by Madonna from debut self titled studio album, Madonna. It was released as the fifth and final single from the album on February 15, 1984.
Background
Madonna was working with producer Reggie Lucas on her debut album. She had already composed three songs, when Lucas brought one of his own compositions to the project and called it "Borderline". However, after recording the song, Madonna was unhappy with the way the final version turned out. According to her, Lucas used too many instruments and did not consider her ideas for the song. This led to a dispute between the two. After finishing the album, Lucas left the project without altering the songs to Madonna's specifications. Hence, Madonna brought her then boyfriend John "Jellybean" Benitez to remix "Borderline" and some of the other recorded tracks.
Composition
Madonna used a refined and expressive voice to sing the song, backed by Lucas's instrumentations. It opens with a keyboard rich intro and a catchy synth melody provided by Fred Zarr. Bass player Anthony Jackson doubled Dean Gant's synth bass to provide a solid & more complex texture.
Live Perfomances
The song has been performed by Madonna on The Virgin Tour in 1985, in the 2008 Sticky & Sweet Tour which was not included in the 2009 leg of the tour and was replaced by a rock version of "Dress You Up". The song was also performed at her one-off concert, Madonna: Tears of a Clown, in 2016. She also performed a stripped-back version of the song live on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon in 2016.
Cross references
- "Borderline", along with eleven other songs, is referenced in Madonna's 2015 track "Veni Vidi Vici".
Music Video
| Music Video | Information | |
|---|---|---|
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Released | Unknown |
| Length | 3:59 | |
| Director | Unknown | |
| Production Co | None | |
| Choreographer | N/A | |
| Filmed | N/A | |
| Location | January 30-February 2, 1984 | |
| VEVO views | 5+ Million Views | |
Lyrics
Something in the way you love me won't let me be
I don't want to be your prisoner
So baby, won't you set me free?
Stop playing with my heart
Finish what you start
When you make my love come down
If you want me, let me know
Baby, let it show
Honey, don't you fool around
Just try to understand
I've given all I can
'Cause you got the best of me
Borderline
Feels like I'm going to lose my mind
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Borderline
Feels like I'm going to lose my mind
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Keep on pushing me, baby
Don't you know you drive me crazy?
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Something in your eyes is makin' such a fool of me
When you hold me in your arms
You love me till I just can't see
But then you let me down
When I look around
Baby, you just can't be found
Stop driving me away
I just wanna stay
There's something I just got to say
Just try to understand
I've given all I can
'Cause you got the best of me
Borderline
Feels like I'm going to lose my mind
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Borderline
Feels like I'm going to lose my mind
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Keep on pushing me, baby
Don't you know you drive me crazy?
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Look what your love has done to me
Come on baby, set me free
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
You cause me so much pain
I think I'm going insane
What does it take to make you see?
You just keep on pushing my love over the borderline
Keep pushing me, keep pushing me
Keep pushing my love
(Keep on pushing my love over the borderline, borderline)
Come on baby, come on darling, yeah
Da-da-da, da-da-da, da-da-da...
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