Studio Album · No. 3
True Blue
Produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard, Steve Bray · Engineered by Michael Verdick
Madonna wrote 9 of 9 documented tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Madonna carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
True Blue was the first Madonna album she co-wrote and co-produced in full, sharing the writing on every track with Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard. Bray co-wrote the title track, 'Where's the Party,' and 'Jimmy Jimmy,' while Leonard co-wrote 'Live to Tell,' 'Open Your Heart,' and 'La Isla Bonita.' The one song originating outside the core team, 'Papa Don't Preach,' came from Brian Elliot, with Madonna adding her own lyrics, marking a clear jump in her authorship.
True Blue, released in June 1986, marked a turning point in Madonna's career as she assumed far greater creative control, co-producing the entire album and co-writing seven of the nine tracks. It debuted at number one in twelve countries and spawned five US top-5 singles, including 'Live to Tell,' 'Papa Don't Preach,' and 'Open Your Heart.' The two tracks not written by Madonna, 'Papa Don't Preach' (Brian Elliot) and 'Open Your Heart' (Gardner Cole, Peter Rafelson), were both singles that became career-defining cultural moments, creating the paradox of her most commercially successful non-self-written songs sitting on her most self-authored album to date. The album confirmed that Madonna was no longer simply a performer of material handed to her but an active creative force shaping her own artistic identity. True Blue became one of the best-selling albums of 1986, certified seven times platinum in the US.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
Papa Don't Preach
#1
|
Brian ElliotMadonna | Brian ElliotMadonna | MadonnaSteve Bray | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 2 |
Open Your Heart
#1
|
MadonnaGardner ColePeter Rafelson | MadonnaGardner ColePeter Rafelson | Patrick Leonard | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 3 |
White Heat
|
MadonnaPatrick Leonard | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | Patrick Leonard | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 4 |
Live to Tell
#1
|
MadonnaPatrick Leonard | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 5 |
Where's the Party
|
MadonnaSteve BrayPatrick Leonard | MadonnaSteve BrayPatrick Leonard | MadonnaSteve Bray | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 6 |
True Blue
#3
|
MadonnaSteve Bray | MadonnaSteve Bray | MadonnaSteve Bray | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 7 |
La Isla Bonita
#4
|
MadonnaPatrick LeonardBruce Gaitsch | MadonnaPatrick LeonardBruce Gaitsch | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 8 |
Jimmy Jimmy
|
MadonnaSteve Bray | MadonnaSteve Bray | MadonnaSteve Bray | Madonna (Vocals) |
| 9 |
Love Makes the World Go Round
|
MadonnaPatrick Leonard | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | MadonnaPatrick Leonard | Madonna (Vocals) |