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Into the Groove
1985 single by Madonna From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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"Into the Groove" is a song by American singer Madonna, featured in the 1985 film Desperately Seeking Susan. Written and produced with Stephen Bray, it was inspired by the dance floor and Madonna's attraction to a Puerto Rican man. Built around synthesizers, drum machines, and double-tracked vocals, the song features sexual innuendos and functions as an invitation to dance. Originally written for producer Mark Kamins, Madonna later decided to use the track in a scene from the film that required a dance number—though it was not included on the official soundtrack. Instead, it appeared on the international 1985 reissue of her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984), and later on her compilations You Can Dance (1987), The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).
In the United States, "Into the Groove" was not released as a commercial single, making it ineligible for the Billboard Hot 100. Instead, it was issued as the B-side to the 12-inch maxi-single of "Angel", the third official single from Like a Virgin. This release —billed as "Angel/Into the Groove"— topped Billboard's Dance Singles Sales chart. Internationally, the song achieved major commercial success. It was released in the United Kingdom on July 15, 1985, and became Madonna's first number-one single there —where it remains her best-selling to date. It also topped the charts in Ireland, Italy, and the Netherlands.
Critics responded positively to the track, with Billboard naming it the best dance single of the 1980s in a readers' poll. Although no official music video was produced, a montage of scenes from Desperately Seeking Susan received regular rotation on MTV. Madonna has performed "Into the Groove" on seven of her concert tours, the most recent being the Celebration Tour (2023―2024). It has been covered and sampled by numerous artists, including Dannii Minogue, whose 2003 single "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling" marked the first time Madonna officially approved a sample of one of her songs.
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Background and recording
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"Into the Groove" was written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray in 1984.[1] Living in Manhattan's East Village at the time, Madonna claimed to have rushed the writing process, motivated by her attraction to a Puerto Rican neighbor.[2] Inspired by the liberating nature of the dance floor and her background as a dancer, she described the track as a reflection of self-expression through music.[2][3] The track was initially conceived for Cheyne, a teenage protégé of DJ Mark Kamins, with a demo funded by Kamins himself.[3] Around the same time, director Susan Seidelman cast Madonna in the film Desperately Seeking Susan, drawn by her growing profile in New York’s downtown music scene.[4][5] While filming a scene at Danceteria, a dance song was needed; Madonna suggested "Into the Groove" and, together with Bray, reworked the lyrics and structure of the original demo for inclusion in the film.[3][6] Kamins was angered by the decision, as Madonna had not informed him she planned to use the song herself. She later defended the move, saying, "I'm tough, I'm ambitious and I know exactly what I want. If that makes me a bitch, that's okay".[7]
Recording took place at New York's Sigma Sound Studios.[3] Bray developed the song's instrumental base, while Madonna handled the final lyrical elements.[7] During a creative impasse with the bridge, Madonna spontaneously sang the line "Live out your fantasy here with me", which solved the musical issue.[7] Though featured in Desperately Seeking Susan, the song was excluded from the official soundtrack due to contractual restrictions.[3] Instead, it was included in the 1985 international reissue of Madonna's second studio album Like a Virgin (1984),[3][8] and later appeared on several of her compilations, including You Can Dance (1987), The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009), and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022).[9][10][11][12]
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Composition and remixes
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Musically, "Into the Groove" has been noted a dance-pop track characterized by its upbeat tempo, synth-driven production, and layered vocals.[13] The song opens with a spoken line from Madonna, followed by a drumbeat and prominent synth bassline. Its refrain features double-tracked vocals and heightened treble, while a counterpoint synth line adds contrast to the main melody.[13] In the bridge —"Live out your fantasy here with me"— Madonna sings in a lower vocal register, complementing the higher main vocal.[13] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., the song is set in common time with a moderate tempo of 116 beats per minute, in the key of C minor, and follows a chord progression of Cm7–B♭/C–Cm7–A♭.[14]
Lyrically, "Into the Groove" is an invitation to dance, layered with sexual innuendo and themes of self-liberation.[13] Author Rikky Rooksby noted the lyrics appeal to shy girls, especially through the line "At night I lock the door so no one else can see", which he interpreted as revealing a contrast between Madonna's provocative image and a more private persona.[13] Marc Andrews and Clive Barker have both emphasized the song's role in celebrating dance floor freedom, particularly for marginalized communities like the LGBTQ+ audience. Barker further interpreted the song's bridge as blurring the boundary between reality and fantasy.[8][15]
The song has been remixed and reinterpreted multiple times. A notable early remix by Shep Pettibone appeared on Madonna's 1987 remix album You Can Dance, incorporating extended instrumental breaks and added vocal overdubs.[16][17] Pettibone later collaborated with Goh Hotoda for another version featured on The Immaculate Collection (1990).[18] In 2003, a mashup titled "Into the Hollywood Groove" —combining "Into the Groove" with Madonna's single "Hollywood"— was created for a Gap advertisement featuring Missy Elliott, and later included on Remixed & Revisited.[19][20] Elements of this particular version were used in live performances during Madonna's Re-Invention (2004) and Celebration (2023―2024) concert tours.[21][22] A shortened remix incorporating stuttering vocal effects appeared on the 2022 compilation Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones.[23]
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Critical reception
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"Into the Groove" has received widespread critical acclaim since its release. Early praise came from NME, which ranked it the 18th best single of 1985, and author Rikky Rooksby, who called it Madonna's "first great" song.[24][13] Critics hailed its infectious energy and dance-floor appeal: J. Randy Taraborrelli emphasized its "infectious" quality, while Clive Barker and Simon Trussler identified it as the first disco-anthem of the 1980s.[25][15] David Browne described it as an "ebullient, wonderfully pushy hit", and Toby Cresswell praised its blending of pop sensibility with subcultural allure.[26][2] Writers such as Dawn Keetley and John Pettigrew called it "mesmerizing", and Stacia Proefrock from AllMusic highlighted its mass appeal despite critical skepticism.[27][28] PopMatters's Enio Chola deemed it "the absolute best Madonna single ever released", adding that it "epitomizes exactly why she's maintained such a long and significant career".[29]
Retrospective rankings have continued to affirm the song's legacy. Slant Magazine listed it as Madonna's third best single and one of the greatest dance songs of all time.[30][31] Rolling Stone placed it at number 121 on its 2021 list of the 500 greatest songs of all time and later ranked it 91st on its list of top dance songs.[32][33] Blender emphasized the track's commanding invitation to dance, and The Guardian's Nosheen Iqbal called it Madonna's "hottest summon to the dancefloor".[34][35] The song has featured prominently in various "best of" lists by Entertainment Weekly, HuffPost, The Guardian, and TheBacklot.com, with critics highlighting its cultural significance and irresistible production.[a]
The single has also been recognized by music historians and scholars. Billboard named it the best dance single of the 1980s in a reader poll.[40] Writers such as Andrew Unterberger and Nayer Missim lauded its ability to merge themes of music, sex, love, and dance into one seamless expression of pop joy.[41][42] "Into the Groove" was included in both 1001 Songs: You Must Hear Before You Die by Robert Dimery, as well as Bruce Pollock's Rock Song Index: The 7500 Most Important Songs for the Rock & Roll Era.[43][44]
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Chart performance
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Although "Into the Groove" became a major hit in the United States, it was never released as a commercial A-side single by Warner Bros. Records. Instead, it appeared as the B-side to the 12-inch maxi-single of "Angel", rendering it ineligible for the Billboard Hot 100 or Hot Singles Sales charts.[45] Despite this, the release —billed as "Angel/Into the Groove"— reached number one on both Billboard's Dance Club and Dance Singles Sales charts.[46][47] It also peaked at number 19 on the Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs chart.[48] On July 30, 1985, the maxi-single was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipping one million units in the US ―the requirement for a gold single prior to 1989― becoming the fourth 12-inch single to achieve this milestone, following Donna Summer and Barbra Streisand's "No More Tears (Enough Is Enough)" (1979), Kurtis Blow's "The Breaks" (1980), and Frankie Smith's "Double Dutch Bus" (1981).[49][50][51] By year's end, it had sold over 600,000 copies and was ranked 12th on Billboard's year-end Dance Club chart.[52]
Internationally, "Into the Groove" was released as a commercial single and achieved widespread success. In the United Kingdom, it was released on July 15, 1985.[6] It debuted at number four on the UK Singles Chart —the highest-ever debut for a female artist at the time— and reached number one the following week, holding the top position for four weeks.[53][54] During its run, Madonna also occupied the second spot with a re-release of "Holiday" (1983), becoming the first female artist in UK chart history to simultaneously hold the top two positions.[55][56] Certified gold by the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), "Into the Groove" ended 1985 as the third best-selling single of the year in the UK, behind Jennifer Rush's "The Power of Love", and "I Know Him So Well" by Elaine Paige and Barbara Dickson.[56] It remains Madonna's highest-selling single in the country, with over 957,000 units sold as of 2018.[57] The song also topped the charts in Australia,[58] Ireland,[59] Italy,[60] the Netherlands,[61][62] and Spain,[60] and placed in the top three in France,[63] West Germany, and Switzerland.[64][65] Its performance in Japan was more modest, barely entering the top 40.[66]
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Music video
No official music video was filmed for "Into the Groove". Instead, a promotional clip was assembled using scenes from Desperately Seeking Susan, with the lyrics aligned to match the film's visuals. The video was created by Doug Dowdle of Parallax Productions, a company known for producing movie-related music videos during the 1980s, and was added to MTV during the week of March 30, 1985.[67][68][69]
Although author James King described the video as "basic" and "nowhere near as high-concept" as Madonna’s other visuals, he noted in Fast Times and Excellent Adventures: The Surprising History of the '80s Teen Movie that it demonstrated "just how striking Desperately Seeking Susan is visually", comparing it to Prince's "Purple Rain" (1984).[67] He added that Madonna’s attitude and presence on screen made the video compelling and successful on MTV.[67] Similarly, John Fiske, in Television Culture, argued that both the video and the film were centered on "style" and women asserting control over their identities.[70] Julien Sauvalle of Out magazine later ranked it among Madonna's "most stylish" videos.[71] The video was included in Celebration: The Video Collection (2009).[11]
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Live performances
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Madonna has performed "Into the Groove" in seven of her concert tours: Virgin (1985), Who's That Girl (1987), Blond Ambition (1990), Re-Invention, Sticky & Sweet (2008―2009), Rebel Heart (2015―2016), and Celebration. On the first one, she wore lace leggings, crucifixes, and played a tambourine alongside two male dancers.[72] The Observer–Reporter's Terry Hazlett called it the concert's standout moment.[73] The performance from her show at Detroit's Cobo Hall was featured on the video release Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour.[74] On July 13, 1985, she performed the song at the Philadelphia Live Aid benefit concert, joking that she wouldn't remove her jacket because, "[the media] might hold it against me ten years from now".[75][76]
The Who's That Girl Tour's performance saw Madonna in a pink fringed jacket decorated with colorful accessories, including a large letter "U", a tin of Campbell's soup, and the word "DANCE" —a visual pun on the phrase "You Can Dance".[77] The Washington Post's Richard Harrington called the number a "tingling" highlight.[78] This rendition was captured in Who's That Girl: Live in Japan and Ciao Italia: Live from Italy, filmed in Tokyo and Turin, respectively.[79][80] On the Blond Ambition World Tour, Madonna followed a speech about condoms and safe sex with a sultry rendition of the song, dancing Lambada-style with a male partner while wearing a black marabou mini-dress.[81][82][83] Two performances were later featured on Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90 and Blond Ambition World Tour Live.[84][85]
For the Re-Invention World Tour, "Into the Groove" was reworked with a Scottish theme that included kilts, a live bagpiper, and a video appearance by Missy Elliott.[86][87][88] Newsday's Glenn Gamboa praised the reimagining as a dynamic dance performance.[89] It appears on Madonna's 2006 live album and documentary I'm Going to Tell You a Secret.[90] On the Sticky & Sweet Tour, the track was remixed with samples from Newcleus' "Jam on It" (1984), and The Sugarhill Gang's "Apache" (1981).[91][92] Madonna wore gym shorts, danced on a pole, and played Double Dutch as Keith Haring's artwork lit the stage.[93][94][95] The Denver Post's Ricardo Baca called the number a "delightful explosion of color [...] pure pop goodness";[96] the performance was featured on the Sticky & Sweet Tour live album (2010), recorded in Buenos Aires.[97]
On the MDNA Tour (2012), the song was briefly sampled in a video intro to "Turn Up the Radio".[98] A slow, Mexican-inspired medley combining "Dress You Up", "Into the Groove", and "Lucky Star" (1983) was performed during the Rebel Heart Tour, featuring Day of the Dead–themed visuals.[99][100][101] Billboard's Joe Lynch praised the Spanish guitar arrangement, though he felt "the maracas might have been a little much".[102] This rendition can be found on the Rebel Heart Tour live album (2017), recorded in Sydney's Allphones Arena.[103]
"Into the Groove" was given a punk makeover on the Celebration Tour, with Madonna in chains, corset, and a short skirt, performing alongside dancers styled after the 1980s New York punk scene.[104][105][106] The Chicago Tribune's Bob Gendron described it as a throwback to a "buttoned-down era guided by conservative taboos".[107] Despite its enduring popularity, Madonna admitted in a 2009 Rolling Stone interview that "Into the Groove" is a song she "feel[s] retarded singing".[108]
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Cover versions and samples
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"Into the Groove" has been widely covered and sampled by a diverse array of artists. In 1988, American Alternative rock band Sonic Youth recorded a reimagined version titled "Into the Groovey" for The Whitey Album; AllMusic's Bradley Torreano praised it as a "fantastic dirge" based on the original.[109] The track was also interpreted by Dale Bozzio for the 2000 tribute compilation Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 2.[110] In 2002, Eurodance group Mad'House released a dance cover for their album Absolutely Mad, while French band Superbus included their own version on Aéromusical.[111][112] Other renditions include American singer Jeremy Jay's cover for Through the Wilderness (2007) and The Magic Droid's 2008 take on their album What's Your Medium?[113][114] The song was also featured on the television series Glee, where it was performed by Lea Michele, Naya Rivera, Demi Lovato, and Adam Lambert in the 2013 episode "Puppet Master".[115]
In 2003, Australian pop artist Dannii Minogue became the first performer officially permitted to sample Madonna's music, incorporating "Into the Groove" into her single "Don't Wanna Lose This Feeling". Minogue later recalled, "To this day I still can’t believe it [...] 'Into the Groove' is just legendary".[116] In contrast, Madonna publicly accused Canadian artist Tory Lanez in December 2021 of illegally sampling the song on his track "Pluto's Last Comet", from the album Alone at Prom. She commented on one of Lanez's Instagram posts, "Read your messages for illegal usage of my song Get Into the Groove!"[117] While it remains unclear whether legal action was pursued, Madonna later told Rolling Stone, "I am tired of being taken advantage of and I mean business".[118]
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Track listing and formats
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Credits and personnel
Credits and personnel are adapted from the liner notes of both the 1985 reissue of Like a Virgin, and You Can Dance.[1][16]
- Madonna – writer, vocals, producer
- Stephen Bray – writer, producer
- Shep Pettibone – audio mixing, additional production, audio editing
- Andy Wallace – remix engineering
- The Latin Rascals – audio editing
- Herb Ritts – photography
Charts
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Certifications and sales
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Notes
References
Bibliography
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