CJM Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I didn't know this was a worldwide hit until like 2 years ago when I was on its wiki page. It even went number 1 here in Australia and i don't remember EVER hearing it on the radio or seeing the video on tv. I was only 8 at the time but I vividly remember you'll see, frozen, Ray of light, nothing really matters, beautiful stranger, music and don't tell me. Strange I never heard this. I also wondered why it was such a big hit worldwide. Now reading this thread it kind of makes sense if people didn't know of the original song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nightcutter Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Why weren't AP and BS commercial singles in the US? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Because she took a little obscure 70s song and being the fab Madonna she just had to make it a hit I love the original by the way but Madonna's version is killer I've always loved Rupert's vocals on it And shall we talk about the video? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Jan Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It was a number 1 hit in Australia. I love her version and also it is so different to the original which was refreshing. She did not just remake a carbon copy of the song. . Beautiful vocals and a dreamy quality to it. Love it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I was a lonely teenage broncin' buck With a pink carnation and a pick-up truck But I knew that I was out of luck The day the music died I started singing Well now, in the streets the children screamed The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed But not a word was spoken Tho church bells all were broken And the three men I admire the most The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost They caught the last train for the coast The day the music died Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It was a number 1 hit in Australia. I love her version and also it is so different to the original which was refreshing. She did not just remake a carbon copy of the song . . . Beautiful vocals and a dreamy quality to it. Love it. This ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Just curious 'coz it only went at number 28 on BIllboard Hot 100. I know it was a UK number 1, but in Mediatraffic it was # 4 on 2000 year-end charts with the Glorious Music #1 song for that year! http://www.mediatraffic.de/countdown2000.htm IKR ! But hardly surprising to be honest. All we have to do is to look at the quality of most of the stuff clogging the Billboard charts for the past 10-15 years and how it fared on North American charts vs stats in other major markets. The American charting/radio/corporate system is renowned for being a very controlled, aseptic environment that doesn't follow global trends in general. Look at this absolute travesty of VEVO/youtube clocks counting as sales. Embarassing. Plus most huge US acts that enjoy good stats on the BB charts in 5 to 10 and 15-year time spans do not enjoy the same level of interest and following in most other international markets. Add to that the fact that Madonna was 41 by then and frankly after ROL American radio would have increasedly played her less and less in the following years, hence why we saw all those Britney, Timberlake "duets" in the 00s. It was for the US basically because in Europe, Asia, Oceania she never had any problems. She's always been a bigger star than Timberlake and Spears overseas anyway .... even when they were at their peak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruey Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Great production, her voice suits the song perfectly... and it had a really good music video. It's definitely one of my favourite covers by any artist, ever! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nikki Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 i remember becoming a fan around that period and randomly going to mtv UK watching a hitlist and thought "of course madonna will be #1" (without even knowing much about her yet) and she was #1 with American Pie. it seemed so easy for her. every song she released then automatically got to #1 lol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barbie Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 American Pie is magical. I started singinggggggggggggggggggggggggggg Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasteinmen Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It became a hit because I believe the world doesn't know the original exist. I'm from Argentina – the first time I ever heard this song was her version. Remember also it was a different time (I know, just 15 years ago...). So it wasn't as easy to just google the song and learn everything about it. I'm pretty sure I didn't even find out this was a cover until some time later. The melody is catchy as hell (duh), the production is pleasant... It was also a time when Madonna had a string of smashes, particularly globally. Pretty much everyone in the UK knew it was a cover, everyone at my school at the time knew the original. I remember the excitement when this was released! Loved the video! It was on the radio and music channels all the time! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
_Gark Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It was a smash in Italy as well. I loved it and still do. Love the video as well. It's actually the first Madonna single i've bought I remember listening to it on my cd player over and over when I went on school trips. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It was a smash in Italy as well. I loved it and still do. Love the video as well. It's actually the first Madonna single i've bought I remember listening to it on my cd player over and over when I went on school trips. It left everyone gasping again after ROL and BS. And then BANG six months later she gives the world yet another masterpiece and a global hit, different once again. 1998-2001 was a magical period for a Madonna fan. ROL, BS, American Pie, the Music album and her first tour in 8 years with the best vocals ever. Wonderful times indeed, critically, commercially and just in terms of sheer fun for the fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest bluejean Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Because it's from a hit movie? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
XXL Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I remember becoming a fan around that period and randomly going to mtv UK watching a hitlist and thought "of course madonna will be #1" (without even knowing much about her yet) and she was #1 with American Pie. it seemed so easy for her. every song she released then automatically got to #1 lol Those were the times when MTV still stood for Music Television, it feels like a century ago. I don't know why they felt the need to destroy it from 2000 onwards to make room for the Osbournes of the world, 16 and preggers and so on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5iVe Elements Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 She needs to perf this in a mash up. American Pie of Life! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter9 Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 I love the song and the video . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip The Switch Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 She looked hot and the video (a very well done a la Beautiful) was in heavy rotation. People really loved it! I personally love hee version. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xtaticboy82 Posted January 17, 2015 Author Share Posted January 17, 2015 The first time I heard it on the radio, they played the Humpty radio mix. I thought it was the original version. One of her best remixes ever. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humberto77rj Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Because it is an awsome song, amazing to sing along, great to dance to, she was gorgeous on the video, and everything was amazing about her. It should have been on Drowned World instead of funny song. An acoustic version would've been amazing then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Music Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Big hit... should have been on Celebration ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HolidayGuy Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Coming off of Ray of Light, she was huge globally. APie reached top 20 at U.S. top 40 radio. Fred Bronson wrote about it not being commercially released in the USA, and how was it was No. 1 in the UK, in his Chart Beat column. I don't know if it would have been a No. 1 contender (with a No. 23 Hot 100 Airplay peak), but definite top 10, and probably top 5. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BoyToy Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Loved it at the time now I think it's absolute garbage Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Love Technician Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 It's gorgeous. Her voice is almost ethereal in this track. And there is something so special about hearing her sing, "I knew that if I had my chance, I could make those people dance." The song was HUGE in the UK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tuckeye Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 they werent commerical single because the record label wanted to sell the album the singles were featured. the label needed to sell the albums they were on (TNBT soundtrack & Austin Powers). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soma Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 The song was always playing on the radio over here. It's a great song actually and wayyyyy better than the original. It's also the 11th song on the international version of Music. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icykiller Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 her vocals are AMAZING on this song! Agreed! This and the fact that the world in general heard the song for the first time through her version is what made it a hit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 Its a great song and her cover was a nice updated pop version that a whole generation heard for the first time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JimmyJimmy Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 She made this song her own. That's why. She reclassified a song considered a classic and people (especially in Europe) associate her with the song. The original is beautiful and iconic but she turned this iconic folk song into a dreamy uptempo song and it suited her perfectly. It was the perfect transition from ROL to Music along with BS. I remember being a kid (born in 1995) watching MTV all the time and living through the hype that surrounded her in the late 90's. I got to know her as an iconic and it was never any other way. American Pie is one if the songs that reminds me of my childhood and therfore I have a soft spot for it. Nowadays I do think that Time Stood Still is the stronger song and deserved a single release but I doubt it would've charted as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
karbatal Posted January 17, 2015 Share Posted January 17, 2015 how can anybody don't like the song? Maybe in USA the original is a sacred one, but in the rest of the world it was incredibly catchy, refreshing and she sings so beautifully. I recall Rupert Everett saying that the lyrics were as if they were talking about Madonna and if you listen to the song and imagine that it's about Madonna then you will have to love the song! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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