The Tracks — Madonna, 1983, Track 02
Borderline
Love on the edge.
At a Glance
Title
Borderline
Record
Madonna (1983) | Track 02
Single
Fourth US single | 15 February 1984 | UK 2 June 1984
Writers
Reggie Lucas
Producers
Reggie Lucas | John “Jellybean” Benitez (remix)
Video
Directed by Mary Lambert
Chart peaks
US No. 10 | UK No. 2 (1986 re-release)
Sweet, aching and impossible to sit still to — “Borderline” is the moment Madonna’s dance pop learned how to break your heart.
The Song
Reggie Lucas wrote “Borderline” especially for Madonna and produced it with a drum machine rather than a live drummer — a first for him. Its mix of a light, dancing groove and a lyric about a lover who keeps pushing her to the limit gave the album its most grown-up moment.
The Video
Mary Lambert directed the video, the start of a long partnership. It cuts between colour scenes of Madonna with her boyfriend on the streets of Los Angeles and black-and-white scenes of her modelling for a photographer.
The Charts
It became Madonna’s first top ten hit in the US, reaching No. 10. In the UK it was re-released in 1986 and climbed to No. 2.
LISTEN NEXT
Keep listening — headphones on, lights low.
