"Lucky Star" is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1983 self-titled debut album. Written by Madonna and produced by Reggie Lucas, the track was originally intended for DJ Mark Kamins, a friend of the singer and resident at the New York nightclub Danceteria. After the success of her first single, "Everybody" (1982), Sire Records approved the recording of a full album. Tensions between Madonna and Lucas over the production style led to his departure from the project; she then enlisted her boyfriend at the time, John "Jellybean" Benitez, to remix and complete several tracks, including "Lucky Star".
Musically, the song is a medium-paced dance track with disco influences. Its lyrics use double entendre to compare a lover's body to stars in the sky, with a simple refrain that echoes the nursery rhyme "Star Light, Star Bright". It was first released as a double-A-side with "Holiday" in August 1983, and later as a stand-alone single: in Europe in September 9, 1983, and in the United States on August 8, 1984. The single reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100, becoming Madonna's first top-five hit. Critics praised its optimistic energy and catchy sound; retrospective reviews have referred to it as one of the standout singles of her early career.
The song's music video, directed by Arthur Pierson, features Madonna dancing in a white studio space with her brother Christopher Ciccone and friend Erika Belle. Scholars and critics noted the video’s self-referential tone, describing Madonna as both subject and object, projecting herself as the titular "lucky star". The visual also helped cement her image and style, popularizing her layered accessories, lace gloves, and crucifixes among young audiences. Madonna has performed "Lucky Star" in four of her concert tours, the last being 2015–2016's Rebel Heart Tour. It has been referenced in films and TV shows, including Pulp Fiction and Modern Family, and covered or sampled by artists such as Chris Colfer, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Eva Noblezada.
Background and recording
In 1982, Madonna was living in a New York City rehearsal studio with her former boyfriend Stephen Bray.[1] With dance music dominating clubs and radio, the two created a demo tape featuring songs like "Everybody", "Burning Up", and "Ain't No Big Deal". Without a label, Madonna began promoting the tape herself at local clubs.[2][1] She met DJ Mark Kamins at Danceteria nightclub. After hearing "Everybody," Kamins introduced her to Seymour Stein, president of Sire Records, who signed Madonna for two twelve-inch singles.[3] Produced by Kamins and released in October 1982, "Everybody" became a hit in the club scene, leading the label to approve the recording of a full-length album.[4][5] The singer declined to work with Bray or Kamins on the album, instead selecting Warner Bros. producer Reggie Lucas, who had been recommended by Sire executive Michael Rosenblatt to give the record a more R&B-oriented sound.[5][6]
Recording took place at the Sigma Sound Studios.[7] "Lucky Star" was one of three songs Madonna had written prior to the sessions, along with "Think of Me" and "I Know It".[8] She originally composed it as a thank-you to Kamins, using a Casiotone keyboard and a cassette player he had given her.[9][10] Early versions of the track included an R&B-influenced take and a guitar-heavy mix, the latter of which was abandoned after a negative experience with a rock guitarist.[6][11] Tensions later developed between Madonna and Lucas over his fuller production style, prompting his departure from the project. Madonna brought in her then-boyfriend John "Jellybean" Benitez to finish the song;[3] he added guitars, vocals, a synthesizeddisco beat, and new wave flourishes.[12] Personnel on the final track included Fred Zarr and Dean Gant on keyboards, Paul Pesco on guitar, Bobby Malach on tenor saxophone, and Benitez handling audio mixing.[7]
"Lucky Star" is a medium-paced dance track with disco influences, built around a minimalist arrangement of clanging rhythm guitars, shimmering synths, and a chugging bass.[3][13][14] The song opens with a glissando and introduces Madonna's light, youthful vocals as she sings the central refrain: "You must be my lucky star / ’Cause you shine on me wherever you are".[15] The lyrics function as a double entendre, comparing a lover's "heavenly body" to stars in the sky, while also alluding to the nursery rhyme "Star Light, Star Bright".[3][16][11] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., the song is set in common time, with a moderate dance tempo of 108 beats per minute. It is written in the key of E minor, with a basic Em7–D chord progression. Madonna's vocal range on the track spans from G3 to F♯5.[17]
A double-A-side of "Holiday" and "Lucky Star" was distributed to dance clubs in August 1983.[18][19] While Sire originally planned to release "Lucky Star" as a stand-alone single, that decision was postponed after "Holiday" gained radio traction.[3][20] "Lucky Star" was eventually issued in Europe on September 9, 1983, and in the United States on August 8, 1984.[21][22] According to music executive Jeff Ayeroff, Madonna was initially reluctant to release the song, but agreed amid financial pressure; its commercial success helped solidify her breakout.[23] "Lucky Star" was later included on her compilation albumsThe Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009).[24][25]
Critical reception
Since its release, "Lucky Star" has received mostly positive reviews, with critics highlighting its upbeat tone and role in shaping Madonna's early sound. Billboard's Brian Chin named it the best track on the album, while Cash Box praised the singer's "distinctive vocals and lyrical knack".[26][27]NME described the song as "half Stacy Lattisaw, half Marilyn Monroe", and noted it had a "stronger beat" than her earlier single "Everybody".[28] Mark Bego called the track "bright" and "optimistic", and Rikky Rooksby likened Madonna's vocals to those of Cyndi Lauper.[8][3] Marc Andrews called it "timeless, iconic, and funky," while Queer authors Simon Gage and Lisa Richards labeled it a "happy" number.[29][13] According to Santiago Fouz-Hernández and Freya Jarman-Ivens, songs like "Lucky Star" helped establish Madonna's appeal within LGBTQ+ communities through their energetic dance rhythms.[30]
Critics have also highlighted the track's musical simplicity and production. Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic described "Lucky Star" as "effervescent" and one of the album's standout songs.[31] His colleague Stewart Mason called it a "dead simple" track with a "bare-bones arrangement" that nonetheless "works," saying it's "near impossible to hear this song without dancing".[16]Slant Magazine's Sal Cinquemani wrote that the song "unknowingly prefaced [Madonna's] foray into the glittery halls of electronic-pop", while Eric Henderson deemed it a "sonic monster" and a strong album opener.[32][14]Rolling Stone echoed this, calling it the "perfect" way to begin the record.[11]Pitchfork's noted that "Lucky Star" helped Madonna "resituate electronic dance-pop at Top 40’s apex", and The Advocate described it as an "enjoyable earworm".[33][34] Music critic Katie Write of Billboard called the track an "irresistible dance hit", and Nayer Missim of PinkNews praised its "jagged slices of irresistible disco funk," saying it foreshadowed Madonna’s later collaborations with Nile Rodgers.[35][36]
The song has also been the subject of retrospective rankings. James Rose of the Daily Review called it "perfect for the '80s dance floor" and "incrementally more complex" than "Holiday".[37] Marcus Wratten of PinkNews named it the third-best track on the album, describing it as "fizzy, effortlessly cool and subtly sexy".[38] Matthew Jacobs of HuffPost placed it tenth among Madonna's singles, calling it her "most '80s-sounding hit".[39]Louis Virtel of TheBacklot.com praised its cheerful tone, comparing it to Prince's 1991 song "Gett Off", but "softer [and] sexier".[40]The Arizona Republic's Ed Masley highlighted Madonna's "young and innocent" delivery and described it as a "slinky post-Chic disco groove".[15] Chuck Arnold of Entertainment Weekly ranked it 26th in her discography, referring to it as a "radiant twirler [that] feels as if it comes equipped with its own disco ball".[41] Summarizing its appeal, The Guardian's Jude Rogers described "Lucky Star" as a "starlit, star-brightened nursery rhyme that flutters gently into life, before becoming the first properly polished, distinctively Madonna-sounding pop song".[42] One critical review came from the Observer–Reporter's Terry Hazlett, who described the song as "inoffensive, danceable [but] ultimately forgettable".[43]
Chart performance
"Lucky Star" debuted on Billboard's Dance Club Songs chart on August 27, 1983, as part of a double A-side release with "Holiday" entering at number 31.[19] It reached number one nearly a month later, where it remained for five consecutive weeks —becoming Madonna's first chart-topping entry on any Billboard chart.[44][45] By year's end, "Holiday"/"Lucky Star" ranked third on the Dance Club Songs year-end chart.[46] On August 25, 1984, Billboard reported "Lucky Star" as the most-added song on US radio, leading to its debut at number 49 on the Hot 100.[47][48] It eventually peaked at number four, marking Madonna’s first top-five hit on the chart.[49][32] The song also reached number 19 on the Hot Adult Contemporary chart and was ranked number 66 on the Hot 100 year-end list for 1984.[50] In Canada, the single entered the RPM Top Singles chart at number 89 in September and peaked at number eight, later ranking 72nd on the year-end chart.[51][52][53]
In the United Kingdom, the single debuted at number 47 on the UK Singles Chart on March 17, 1984, and peaked at number 14 three weeks later, spending a total of nine weeks on the chart..[54] According to Music Week, "Lucky Star" had sold over 117,000 copies in the UK by 2008.[55] The song also charted at number 74 on the European Hot 100 Singles, eventually reaching number 29.[56][57] It saw moderate success across Europe, peaking within the top 30 in Belgium and the top 20 in Ireland.[58][59] In Australia, the single reached number 36.[60]
Music video
Background and synopsis
Screenshot of Madonna in the "Lucky Star" music video. Following the video's release, her style —particularly the ribbons, lace gloves, and layered accessories— became widely imitated by young people.
The music video for "Lucky Star" was directed by Arthur Pierson and produced by Glenn Goodwin, with Wayne Isham serving as director of photography.[62] Initially, Mary Lambert was selected to direct, but she was later replaced by Pierson.[63] Shot in Los Angeles in February 1984 with a budget of $14,000 provided by Warner Bros., Madonna's brother, Christopher Ciccone, and dancer Erika Belle appeared alongside her.[64][29] Ciccone later recalled that they filmed at the old Charlie Chaplin studio and were paid modestly for their participation, but that the camaraderie among the group made the experience rewarding.[64]
Madonna wore a black mesh crop top, fingerless lace gloves, a skirt over leggings, and various crucifixes and star-shaped accessories.[65] While Belle has been credited with helping assemble the look, biographer Mary Cross noted that the singer was essentially wearing her everyday clothing.[61] At the time, her fashion choices —including the prominent use of crucifixes— began to resonate with club culture and young fans. Madonna remarked that her use of religious imagery was "kind of offbeat and interesting" and "tongue-in-cheek". According to Cross, the singer was deliberately crafting a visual identity to distinguish herself from contemporaries like Boy George, Cyndi Lauper, and David Bowie.[61]
The video opens with a black-and-white close-up of Madonna lowering her sunglasses, which transitions into full color. It features choreographed dance scenes with her, Ciccone, and Belle against a plain white background, interspersed with close-ups of Madonna's gaze.[61] The clip ends with the opening shot repeated in reverse, as she raises her sunglasses back into place.[66] "Lucky Star" was added to MTV the week of June 2, 1984, and was later included in The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration: The Video Collection (2009).[67][62][25]
Analysis and reception
Dance historian Sally Banes noted that the video positioned Madonna as both subject and object, with the opening shot of her removing her sunglasses reinforcing a movie star persona and contributing to a narcissistic tone.[66]Peter Goodwin argued that while the video lacks a narrative, Madonna embodies multiple roles —the observer, the dancer, and the seductress— ultimately portraying a self-focused character.[68] He suggested that the visuals raise ambiguity about whether the song is directed at a lover or at herself.[68] Adam Sexton observed that although the video may appear to cater to a male gaze, Madonna controls how she is viewed through self-aware gestures.[69]Time's John Skow similarly commented that the singer's performance is sexually assertive yet independent.[70]
Critics have highlighted its cultural impact and visual influence in retrospective assessments. Stewart Mason called it "powerfully effective" and "500 times sexier than the entire Sex book", while The Quietus' Matthew Lindsay described it as a showcase for Madonna’s image-making.[16][71] Matthew Jacobs credited the video with establishing her early fashion identity, noting its lasting presence in popular culture.[39]Idolator and TheBacklot.com both ranked it among her best music videos, citing its minimalist production and strong visual performance as key factors in her early appeal.[72][73]
On October 13, 1983, Madonna performed "Lucky Star" at the Camden Palace in London, wearing a black top, black skirt, leggings, and her hair styled in ringlets. According to The Guardian's Bart Mills, she sang in a "husky, black-sounding voice".[74] The single was then included in four of the singer's concert tours: Virgin (1985), Who's That Girl (1987), Confessions (2006), and Rebel Heart (2015–2016). On the first one, she wore a black crop top under a vest with a silver cross pattée, fringed gloves, a matching miniskirt, leggings, low-heeled leather boots, and crucifix earrings.[75] The performance from her show at Detroit's Cobo Hall was featured on the video release Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour.[76]
For the Who's That Girl Tour, Madonna performed the song beneath a disco ball, wearing the same black bustier seen in her "Open Your Heart" (1986) video and sporting platinum blonde hair in a voluminous style.[77][78]Chicago Tribune writers Scott A. Zamost and Elizabeth Snead noted that while her vocals were strong, they were frequently "drowned out" by an overpowering backing band during songs like "Lucky Star".[79] Two performances from this tour were included on the videos Who's That Girl: Live in Japan and Ciao Italia: Live from Italy, filmed in Tokyo and Turin, respectively.[80][78]
A reworked, techno-infused "Lucky Star" was featured on the Confessions Tour.[81] After performing "La Isla Bonita" (1987), Madonna lays face-down on stage before being joined by backup singers who draped her in a glowing white cape embroidered with "Dancing Queen".[82][83] Together, they transitioned into "Lucky Star", which gradually morphed into "Hung Up" (2005), the show's closing number.[81]The Providence Journal's Rick Massimo noted that the new version added "even more dance thump".[84] This performance was included in The Confessions Tour (2007) live album.[85] On the MDNA Tour (2012), the song was briefly sampled in a video intro to "Turn Up the Radio".[86] A slow, Mexican-inspired medley combining "Dress You Up", "Into the Groove" (1985), and "Lucky Star" was performed during the Rebel Heart Tour, featuring Day of the Dead–themed visuals.[87][88][89]Billboard's Joe Lynch praised the Spanish guitar arrangement, though he felt "the maracas might have been a little much".[90] On July 27, 2023, Madonna posted an Instagram video of herself dancing to "Lucky Star" to commemorate the 40th anniversary of her debut album.[91]
The track has also appeared in various films and television shows. It was featured in the film Running on Empty (1988) during a scene where River Phoenix's character attends music class.[98] In Pulp Fiction (1994), the character Fabienne (Maria de Medeiros) references the song's music video, telling her boyfriend Butch (Bruce Willis) that she wants a stomach "like Madonna when she did 'Lucky Star'".[99] The track also appears in Snatch (2000), directed by Madonna's then-husband Guy Ritchie.[100] In the sitcom Modern Family, Mitchell Pritchett (Jesse Tyler Ferguson) recalls being caught by his father dancing to "Lucky Star" at age 12, calling it "the most embarrassing thing that a boy can do".[101] More recently, the song was used in episode five of the first season of Euphoria.[102]
↑ "European Top 100 Singles"(PDF). Eurotipsheet: 10. March 19, 1984. Archived(PDF) from the original on March 16, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
1 2 "European Top 100 Singles"(PDF). Eurotipsheet. 3: 16. April 16, 1984. Archived(PDF) from the original on February 23, 2023. Retrieved June 10, 2023.
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