Let's get back to the countdown of songs that manage to be MORE inappropriate for an Angels 7th inning stretch than the current self-aware disaster, The Foundations' "Build Me Up Buttercup". We're stuck with that song for the foreseeable future, but this countdown is here to remind you that it could always be worse.
Today I talk about Madonna, then a little about the Madonna, and then back to Madonna again. I discuss things such as why "Borderline", while an awesome track, would just be heartbreaking at an Angels game, as well as why I think Madonna would make an excellent addition to the organization by way of player scouting and/or development. After the jump: Madonna-"Borderline"
The end of the month is approaching, as is the end of Spring Training, at which time our beloved Angels come back to Anaheim(or Newport Coast or Westlake Village or Barstow-looking at you Dino Ebel!!) to start what we all hope will be a great bounce back year for the team. There's a sort of uneasiness about it all, though. I'm sure most of the readers and community members here at Halos Heaven are absolute die-hard fans. The kind that may have cried over both an Angels loss and an Angels win in the past. The kind that may have broken a television or two during any of the post-season matchups against the Boston Red Sox over the past few years(barring, of course, the halcyon days of 2009 and our utter dismantling of them that year). I'm going to assume we all love the Angels for this article, and I don't think that's much of a stretch at all, considering the emotion I've seen on here in the past. But to quote The Bee Gees, "How Deep Is Your Love?" Or rather, how much pain does this sort of love cause you? One of my favorite and most often used tropes in popular music is the exploration of this subject...and it's perfectly summed up here by the lovely(and young!) Madonna and her hit song from 1984, "Borderline".
In many ways, "Borderline" is like an emotional cousin to The Foundation's "Build Me Up Buttercup", in that we have protagonists who are so wrapped up in their enamorata that they continually find themselves abused. Of course, it's nothing like actual physical or verbal abuse, but more in the form of not getting what you want, when you want it, or just being so crazy in love with a person that it hurts. It all sounds rather juvenile, like when Angela Chase said of Jordon Catalano, "You're so beautiful, it hurts to look at you." But then again, these are the same types of feelings that even us adults(Greyson Peltier excluded) get from time to time, whether it's from a significant other, or in this case, a baseball team. Is there love without pain? Boudleaux Bryant once wrote one of the most gorgeous and heartbreaking songs in the history of music, called "Love Hurts", which hits the nail right on the head. So with all of that said, and with spring training winding down, I have that feeling I get while waiting in line for a rollercoaster: pure excitement and anticipation mixed with a hint of fear and knowledge that there are indeed ups and downs aplenty right around the corner. I feel like the many people and fans who enjoy the hell out of "Buttercup" at the Angels home games would also love hearing "Borderline"...mostly because they are either tween girls and/or OC soccer moms who used to dance to the song at the Cowboy Boogie. The other fans more keenly tuned in on just what the songs means and is saying would cringe; it would bring up those moments of loving the team so much, only to be let down, and subsequently have hopes brought right back up to a fever pitch, only to be let down again, and so on, and so on. Some may relate this to the 1995 disaster, or maybe some would think back to the year that "Borderline" was released, and how the Angels were only 3 games back behind the Royals. Missed it by THAT much. Should we really be celebrating the yo-yo like tendencies our love for the Angels can have on us?
Of course, Madonna and angels go way back. In many old pieces of Roman Catholic art, she's almost always depicted with angels nearby or hovering around her. I should add that this is the other Madonna, by the way. THE Madonna. The one that had Jesus. I don't think she ever wrote any songs or anything, but the connection to angels is there. I think it's safe to say that at any given moment at a home game there's a strong contingency of Catholics, in the stands as well as on the field. So perhaps playing some Madonna might be a misfire in a religious sense; it may confuse and/or offend, all while pounding into our heads that the team loves us as much as we love the team, but ultimately it will not always be there for us.
Although, perhaps we shouldn't focus on Madonna(either one) being completely shut out from the organization. I think she'd be a great scout, or a person who could work in player development. While it's apparent that she's mostly had an eye for young Latin prospects(See: "Borderline" and "Papa Don't Preach" and ""Take A Bow") in the past, that doesn't mean she wouldn't also be able to bring along young US prospects and help them mature(See: ""Open Your Heart" and "Crazy For You") as well. And the above clip would seal the deal, in my opinion, as to her eye for Angel talent. I mean, she pretty much shows in the song that she unequivocally knows when the team absolutely must have a player.
You must be an angel
I can see it in your eyes
Full of wonder and surprise
And just now I realize
Oooh you're an angel
Oooh you're an angel
Oooh you're an angel
I imagine this is what the player would hear in a closed-door meeting with Madonna, after she puts them through rigorous "tryouts". And like that, a young man's dream is made. Oh, and he also makes it into the big leagues. So, Madonna during the 7th inning isn't such a great idea, as we don't really need any more reminders that no matter how much the Angels play with our hearts at times, we'll always be coming back for more. But then again, that's just how love is, right?
Oh, and here's a cool cover version of "Borderline" by The Flaming Lips feat. Stardeath and White Dwarfs(best version I could find...video is just still photos but the song seriously rocks):