 
True Blue The Immaculate Collection
1986 1990
|
|
VIDEO by Mary
Lambert
|
|
La Isla Bonita”
was a lament to a mythical Spanish island known as San Pedro
and was initially
offered to Michael Jackson, who declined it.
Madonna’s interest
in Hispanic
culture has been apparent throughout her career and “La Isla Bonita”
stands as one
of the finest examples. Although the
song was the smallest chart hit
from True
Blue, it was one of Madonna’s most successful singles ever worldwide.
With the chorus
“tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free, this is where
I long to be,
la isla bonita”, Madonna describes the song as “a tribute to the beauty
and mystery of
Latin American people”. The single also
stands as her first to
include Spanish
lyrics, a trend she would continue with her next single, “Who’s
That Girl”.
The video,
displaying a rather odd combination of ideas, features Madonna in
some scenes
looking very boyish, with plain clothing and slicked back hair. In
other scenes,
she dons a flamboyant Latin-style red dress and dances in a red room
filled with
candles. The video concludes with
Madonna dancing in the barrio with
a group of working-class
Latinos.
Even though “La
Isla Bonita” is by far the most memorable example, Madonna
would exploit
the Latin-American culture even more in the years ahead with videos
like “Take A
Bow” and in her concert tours.
Interestingly, it has also been said that
Madonna made
the “La Isla Bonita” video in an effort to prove to producers of the
Evita film ---which was already being planned
in 1987--- that she could play a
convincing Latina character. Evita is, of course, the acting role
that Madonna had
always dreamed
of and the campaign effort displayed in “La Isla Bonita” paid off
almost a decade
later when Madonna won the part of Eva Peron.
Return to Singles page
or
Return to Homepage
