The Best You Never Heard: Lady Gaga, Madonna, & JoJo

Published: Thursday 9th Jun 2016 by Sam
bynh-2016

The Best You Never Heard is back!  Each instalment will once again see That Grape Juice spotlight an array of little known gems. Featuring picks from the TGJ editorial team, we want to know…who chose the best song! Let us know below…

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Lady Gaga – ‘Fashion!’

For yours truly, the idea of popularity being a valid measure of quality has always grated. Especially when it comes to Lady Gaga.

Though on the comeback trail now, the mass rejection of her 2013 effort ‘ARTPOP’ saw many miss out on a number of gems. Case in point ‘Fashion!’

Not to be confused with a song of the same name (housed on her 2008 debut ‘The Fame’), this will.i.am production packed an altogether more potent punch. Melodically it favours Madonna’s ‘Holiday,’ and yet for all its retro still managed to sound fiercely fresh.

Lush production, lyrically light, and laced with hooks, this could have served as a fine wine follow-up to ‘Applause.’ Still, it’ll always earn a standing ovation from me. [SAM]

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Madonna – ‘Love Tried to Welcome Me’

When assessing Madonna‘s impact on Pop culture it’s easy to credit her penchant for shock value as its driving force.

It wasn’t. For, the real force behind the “force” was the entertainer’s bona fide forays into different genres and tap into new audience bases / radio platforms with her sound.

The best example of this can be found in 1994 with the LP ‘Bedtime Stories‘, the studio album which solidified her place in R&B’s history books.

Inspired by Toni Braxton and keen to offer fans a softer and sensual side of herself following ‘Erotica‘, the star sought out Braxton’s producer Babyface and TLC hitmaker Dallas Austin and enlisted them to tell her ‘Stories.’

What they created? A poignant and plaintive Contemporary R&B album soaring through the themes of rejection, abandonment, perpetual sorrow and the price of promiscuity.

One of the album’s greatest triumphs, for me, is ‘Love Tried to Welcome Me.’ Produced by Dave Hall, the song told the tale of a painful secret a sex worker shared with Madonna during a conversation in a strip club.

She’d developed a fetish for rejection. A compelling listen. [DAVID]

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Madonna – ‘S.E.X.’

Despite a disappointing promotional campaign to support it, ‘Rebel Heart’ was easily hailed by critics as Queen of Pop Madonna’s best album since her ‘Hung Up’-led 2005 comeback project ‘Confessions On a Dancefloor.’

Yet, while proof of why could be argued via ‘Heart’ cuts ‘Holy Water,’ ‘GhostTown,’ and ‘Inside Out,’ the unexpectedly bumping bop, ‘S.E.X.,’ shines as one of the project’s clear standouts.

Covering subject matter far from shocking at this point from the middle aged vixen, the tune – decorated with a trap-inspired bass line and some very direct sexual instructions – is the purest definition of what Madge is combatting at this stage of her career – ageism.

Think it’s impossible for a woman pushing 60 to be sexy?

Listen to ‘S.E.X.’ and you may reconsider. [RASHAD]

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JoJo –  ‘Like That’

Following the release of JoJo’s debut in 2004 (which was praised for its maturity, as well as the then 13 year old’s mind-blowing voice), 2006 saw her unleash her sophomore effort ‘The High Road’.

Though ‘Too Little Too Late’ was that album’s shinning diamond, it was filled with many other gems, ‘Like That’ was one of them.
Helmed by Ryan Leslie and Corey Williams (the team behind Cassie’s ‘Me & U’), the track saw the starlet showcase her “grown.”  Through minimalistic production and soft delivery, the mood is set for Ms Levesque to let her love interest that she is ready to take that next step with him.
Recent times have seen the songbird resuscitate the song during her live shows. Fitting, as it’s exactly the flavour of music she releases nowadays (see: ‘Demonstrate’) as opposed to the R&B-tinged Pop numbers from her first LPs.
Re-visiting this (as I do frequently) has me oh so excited for her new album. [JOE]
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Whose Pick Was Best?!

Comments 40

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  1. Molly June 9, 2016

    Gaga is garbage.

    • Him June 9, 2016

      Madonnas LOVE TRIED TO WELCOME ME is incredible why was this not released???? Brilliant

    • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

      Who´s the girl in your avi?… Please!

  2. LB June 9, 2016

    I’ve heard “leaked” snippets of both LG5 and KP4, and Payola Perry is going to slay the monster once again

    • Molly June 9, 2016

      Yay cant wait love seeing Katy scalp caca.

    • S****** Blonde June 9, 2016

      Poor thing, she’s so talented but so into her own b******* that she forgot about the real world.

    • What Now June 9, 2016

      @LB Where did you hear them? I’ve been told LG5 never really has anything recorded bc Gaga is doing another jazz annum album.

    • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

      You haven´t heard a damn thing LMAO

  3. Cake like Lady GaGa June 9, 2016

    “Fashion” slays, but “Artpop” the single slays even more. And “The Queen” from BTW also SLAYYYYS

    • Queen Barb June 9, 2016

      No ones checking for Gaga

    • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

      My faves from Artpop probably were Sexxx Dreams and Do what U Want. So good. The Queen is far from the best on Born This Way imo though.
      Did you enjoye Mariah Carey´s concert?

  4. Queen Barb June 9, 2016

    Flopga the hasbeen needs to announce her retirement already.

  5. S****** Blonde June 9, 2016

    My picks for Madonna from “Bedtime Stories” and “Rebel Heart” would have been “Inside of Me” and “Devil Pray”, no comment on Gaga’s tribute to Madonna’s Holiday, I despised the whole Artpop album.

    Now playing: Two Steps Behind Me by Madonna ?

    • Him June 9, 2016

      HOW about BEAUTIFUL SCARS by MADONNA

      • S****** Blonde June 9, 2016

        I think the demos were so much better, I like more the songs that didn’t make it on the album like “Nothing Last Forever” or “Queen”, she did a big mistake by not including those songs on the album IMO.

      • What Now June 9, 2016

        OMGGGG YASSSSSSSS

  6. Stephon Jackson June 9, 2016

    Obviously, Madonna. Bedtime Stories is a classic

    • 5H June 9, 2016

      She SANG in that song. I wish there was a live version.

      • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

        Rihanna SANG? This is a whole new level of delusion. Especially the “live” comment.

  7. #JACKIE June 9, 2016

    Where’s JohnVidal’s ugly ass?

    • 5H June 9, 2016

      In the trap like Ciara’s career.

      • #JACKIE June 9, 2016

        Coming from a 5flop Harmony stan? B**** die,

    • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

      Can´t you see how pathetic you sound asking for me in every post? Damn it, people who stan for talentless “artists” really show some slow skills in general…

  8. 5H June 9, 2016

    Yas to all except Lady Gaga. Ew!!!!!!

  9. Talent Trumps June 9, 2016

    That awkward moment when everyone who’s talking s*** about Gaga, stan’s for talentless thots “Madonna, Ciara, Rihanna”..LOL The shade writes it self.

    • Talent Trumps June 9, 2016

      Oh, and who the fk stans for Selena Gomez LMAOOOOO.

    • Queen Navy June 9, 2016

      That moment when some bent out of shape Gaga stan posts under a random and obvious troll name to talk s*** instead of their usual identifier. Your mama raised a little b****.

      • Talent Trumps June 9, 2016

        Look,it’s a Rihanna fan, how embarrassing. Fyi, you wish I was a troll. With that said, go find your father.

    • S****** Blonde June 9, 2016

      Then why has the talented Lady Gaga spend her entire career copying an untalented thot like Madonna?

      • © Centurion ::. June 9, 2016

        A clock. ?

      • Talent Trumps June 9, 2016

        And. Still doesn’t take away the fact that Gaga shits all over Madonna talent wise, if what you consider what Madonna has, as talent.

      • JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

        s******
        Because Madonna is ver smart, harworker and has great songs. But talent wise, she is not that good and you know it. Stop playing. Gaga only imitated some parts in a few songs and outfits, Nothing else. Nothing Madonna has not done herself. Gaga has done many more things which are not related to Madonna in any way.

  10. Dev June 9, 2016

    Madonnas Love tried is a great song wasted on a bad voice, you could imagine so many singer of that era breathing real life into that song.. oh well.
    JoJo… you better sing. `i’m hoping that her comeback album delivers.
    I’ve never had time for Gaga and oh I’ve tried.

  11. JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

    “Love tried to welcome me” by Madonna is the best choice imo.

  12. JOHNVIDAL June 9, 2016

    Here is one damn great hidden gem:

  13. For You June 9, 2016

    The High Road was that ALBUM. Whew. So many knocks on there. *flame emoticon*

  14. Reddish tran ivy blokz Need UK timelyyou June 12, 2016

    Joking had a good album

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