madonnasuperfan01 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 This Used To Be My Playground has to be one of her best ballads ever, i just can't get enough of it. Her voice is so emotional and the lyrics sound so touching and personal. And it was a HUGE worldwide hit, a lot of people love it, including some who aren't fans. So why was it so completely ignored by Madonna after the release? She never performed it live and it wasn't included on GHV2 and Celebration. Does anyone know why it is ignored like that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erotica blu Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Because it's a drag and she doesn't want to be reminded of A League of Their Own. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nick00 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 It's a good song, but M has so many hits that some songs have to be left off her compilations. At least it was included on Something To Remember a long time ago…. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaspoe Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I love this song. It's a tad too long, but worth it. Oh, and to your question, I have no idea. Would love to find out, so hopefully one of the Forum Gods knows. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattress Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 In celebration of this fantastic single, here's a repost from our 20th Anniversary TUTBMP Extravaganza: This Used To Be My Playground.Her final Sire Records single...A bit of background from Billboard...So, while Madonna was cavorting around the beach in cha-cha pumps, a blonde weave and not much else, we were enjoying the last burst of pre-Sex Madonna in A League Of Their Own...I remember the video was set to premiere on MTV and at the last minute was delayed (presumably due the post-production effects). The first peek MTV gave us was unfinished footage from the first set up below, without any indication of a photo album, just raw film of Madonna wistfully admiring her shag-astroturf set, looking demure... The film soundtrack for A League Of Their Own carried the stern warning: THIS ALBUM DOES NOT CONTAIN A MUSICAL RECORDING BY MADONNA and indeed it did not. So if you wanted "Playground" on a full-length release, you were at the mercy of the 1992 Summer Olympics compilation Barcelona Gold where it appeared in edited form (the Single Version with the "I wish you were standing here with me" chorus trimmed from the ending.) Not surprisingly, Barcelona Gold was a Warner Bros. release while the film soundtrack was issued by Columbia Records, an imprint of rival label Sony Music. The Single Version was later included on her ballads compilation Something To Remember, but otherwise "This Used To Be My Playground" ranks as one of Madonna's most neglected hits. Viva la Mae! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattress Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 And for anyone who missed it... here is a link to my 20th Anniversary remix via soundcloud: link Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MerGirl Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 I have that single on vinyl. I remember buying it with my weekly allowance, lol. I loved the song so much, and I still love it. It reminds me of the time when it came out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flip The Switch Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 One of her best singles ever. I love movie version 6:56 mins Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vogue992 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 It's probably my favorite Madonna's ballad. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Yes, while the movie version is a bit too long, I still love the extra verses. It's a wonderful song in any case. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sotos8 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 A great song that has aged very well, her 2nd best ballad behind live to tell Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MPowered Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Copyright by Juancho Slazar G. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plaything Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 A great song that has aged very well, her 2nd best ballad behind live to tell Agreed. Sometimes I forget about it but then when I rediscover it, I'm always amazed about the beauty of this song. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Phineaspoe Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Wonderful recap, Mattress!! I still wonder if anyone can solve why Madge has decided to forget it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LikeAPrayer Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 The public was very eager for new Madonna music at this time, which may have made the song the success it was. It probably marked that end of what many would refer to as "Madonna's Golden Age." She had such an incredible run in the early 90s's (well 80's leading into the early 90's) before the SEX/ERTICA era backlash. TUTBMP obviously preceded that and benefited from how "in" Madonna was at this point of her career with both the mass public and press. I think the song may be neglected because she's just not a fan of it and probably doesn't know where to fit it in on her tours thematically. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Narendra Sen Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Should've won an Oscar for this song. It ticks all the boxes in my opinion [/broken record] One of Madonna's best and most underrated. On one hand, I wish she would perform it at least once, it would be a crime not to. On the other hand, the song is long and I think it would be emotionally draining (for M, to perform it). Plus, she hates everything nostalgia and looking back-themed and I don't think she'd have the patience. If we're lucky, TUTBMP will be in a You'll See type of situation and she'll perform it in a few shows. And I think that would be best. I don't want this song to be overplayed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rb19 Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Such a beautiful song with amazing lyrics and delivery... and as everyone has said it fits into an odd place in her legacy. But..... What the fuck is the video? She looks amazing, the shots of her are amazing, and then we're treated to this ugly higgledy piggledy series of unrelated vignettes in some digital book? Just... why would you do that? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Matter Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Mariah must think Madonna is insane for ignoring a Hot100 number 1 hit I for one love this song, it's a perfect ballad, the video is not that good though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tasteinmen Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 (edited) This song is very nostalgic for me, it reminds me of my summer holiday when I was 6! It's bizarre to think a couple of months later Erotica was released, that't when my mum tried to ban me from listening to her lol. Edited March 13, 2014 by tasteinmen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TRVC Posted March 13, 2014 Share Posted March 13, 2014 Because it's a drag and she doesn't want to be reminded of A League of Their Own.yeah its boring. and very MOM AM RADIO. I hear it being played in a department store or elevator Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mooncrown11 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 This is such a great melancholy song and I think it's beautifully sung. Love her layered vocals where she harmonizes with herself - so well done. I can see where some may think it drags or goes on too long but I personally never tire of it and it remains one of my favorite M ballads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 The film soundtrack for A League Of Their Own carried the stern warning: THIS ALBUM DOES NOT CONTAIN A MUSICAL RECORDING BY MADONNA and indeed it did not. Mattress, THANK YOU for this historical retrospective on TUTBMP. Love it. The only thing I thought to point out is something I read somewhere over the last few years, which I never really thought of before ... I'm not sure where I read it, but someone pointed out that, while the official soundtrack does not contain a recording of TUTBMP, it may actually contain a musical recording with Madonna's voice. The All American Girls Professional Baseball League Song is included on the soundtrack and is credited as being sung by "The Rockford Peaches," which would include Madonna, theoretically. In the film, you see her singing in the locker room, too ... so, if that wasn't pre-recorded or re-recorded or whatever, one would suppose Madonna's voice is in there somewhere. Sort of a technical point, because it's still somewhat of a disappointment the labels couldn't reach an agreement about that. Funny that by 1999, the situation would reverse: Instead of making the major summer hit song a single, it could ONLY be found on the full soundtrack ("Beautiful Stranger" wasn't released in the U.S. as a single; U.S. fans had to buy the full soundtrack, or else buy an import maxi-single). I know the difference here was the record company was Maverick/Warner, rather than a competitor. But still -- just a little funny that it's the opposite of the situation with ALOTO and TUTBMP, which was a single, but not on the soundtrack. Should've won an Oscar for this song. It ticks all the boxes in my opinion [/broken record] One of Madonna's best and most underrated. On one hand, I wish she would perform it at least once, it would be a crime not to. On the other hand, the song is long and I think it would be emotionally draining (for M, to perform it). Plus, she hates everything nostalgia and looking back-themed and I don't think she'd have the patience. If we're lucky, TUTBMP will be in a You'll See type of situation and she'll perform it in a few shows. And I think that would be best. I don't want this song to be overplayed. Well said. I feel like I am a broken record about the Oscars thing, and about how much I love TUTBMP. So wonderful. I think the other concern for her to sing this live would be all the different versions/verses. She'd probably get confused about which lyrics she's supposed to sing -- I know I get confused every now and then when I forget which one I'm listening to! Such a beautiful song with amazing lyrics and delivery... and as everyone has said it fits into an odd place in her legacy. But..... What the fuck is the video? She looks amazing, the shots of her are amazing, and then we're treated to this ugly higgledy piggledy series of unrelated vignettes in some digital book? Just... why would you do that? I agree with your comment about the odd place in her legacy, since she's less than nostalgic normally. I think the video as a concept isn't all that bad, and isn't really even poorly executed for the technology of the time. The emotional theme of TUTBMP is reflective, thinking back on memories. The visual counterpart to that is flipping back through a photo album. Since it's a video, they decided to bring the still photos to life. And I love when the multiple Madonnas start singing the back-up vocals, while one sings the main melody line. I realize it's not really high art or full of subtext. But I think it works for the mood. (I guess I'm just a little biased ... as much as I might like to be one of Madonna's more epic/iconic videos, if I were one of her videos, this is probably it. I was a yearbook editor all through school and college, so ... somehow this just feels like very close to my heart.) And she's pretty in it, of course. It reminds me of what she wrote in the intro to the EVITA companion photography book ... how someday when she's older, she might not want to sit and watch the film, but she might want to flip through a book. Something about her daughter on her lap maybe? Or maybe she said grandchildren?! LOL. I should dig out the book and transcribe it. This is such a great melancholy song and I think it's beautifully sung. Love her layered vocals where she harmonizes with herself - so well done. I can see where some may think it drags or goes on too long but I personally never tire of it and it remains one of my favorite M ballads. Well said, well said! I keep echoing everyone else about the song -- don't feel like I have much more to add! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skin Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 and she doesn't want to be reminded of A League of Their Own. Well that's just silly of her because it was the best movie she was ever in. FACT! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
peter Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 Well that's just silly of her because it was the best movie she was ever in. FACT! Preach! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nightshade Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I quite like this song, but it's a bit lugubrious and understated for a Madonna track. She has all but ignored it in her catalog which is probably why it isn't talked about more often. I think her more powerful ballads, "Live to Tell" and "Oh Father" are probably more dramatic and therefore more remembered. This song still recalls memories for me of the summer of 1992. The summer before I was a senior in high school. Definitely an agent of nostalgia. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazzy Jan Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I love This used to be my Playground. The lyrics are so sad and poignant and the melody is beautiful. As usual with all her ballads, Madonna sings this with so much feeling and empathy. I know she hates looking back and I think that has a lot to do with the fact that she has had so much sadness in her life. However, as she never likes to be seen as a victim, she instead always looks forward. So in that case, it may be emotionally draining to sing this song on tour. As for the video, I personally think it is one of her best. Beautiful images, looks and no-one can do old glamour Hollywood like Madonna. Her beauty is timeless and seems to suit anything - thus she looks incredible in so many different looks that represent so many eras and times. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Butter9 Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 I love this song and she looked beautiful in the vdo . I miss those days when Madonna used to do really good vdos for soundtrack singles. TUTBMP/ I'll Remember /BS . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pink Matter Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 This song is very nostalgic for me, it reminds me of my summer holiday when I was 6! It's bizarre to think a couple of months later Erotica was released, that't when my mum tried to ban me from listening to her lol. That's funny but understandable at the same time :-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ivy Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 It would make such a cool tour closer. She always ends her concerts with a " party " song, time to re-jig and mind fuck with the fans Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CMoody Posted March 14, 2014 Share Posted March 14, 2014 It certainly is overlooked, though it did get some love on STR. Didn't Madonna herself diss it (make a face) around 2001 to an interviewer when asked why it was not included on GHV2? I can swear something like that occurred.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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