Madonna - Open Your Heart - The story behind the song told by Peter Rafelson
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 17 ก.ย. 2024
- An amazing story of a young songwriter who was determined to have his song sung by Cindy Lauper, a couple of months later it became Madonna's massive hit 'Open your heart' - The Story behind the song - -OJ & FRIDEL, producers and song writers from Soho Sonic Studio interviewed Peter Rafelson the writer of Open Your Heart. Enjoy
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Twitter - @OJAndFridel
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![Madonna - Open Your Heart (Extended Version/Edit) [Digitally Remastered in 24-bit]](/img/n.gif)
This guy tells stories like my father. 20% truth, 80% embellishment to make it seem more interesting. Large parts of it don't correspond with what's been previously stated in interviews with Madonna, Donna De Lory and Gardner Cole. Couple of things that seem suspicious:
1. Madonna was hardly a new artist when recording True Blue, she'd already released 2 albums, had 2 number 1 singles, 1 number 1 album, been in 3 films and completed a national tour.
2. The video was never banned by MTV and was nominated for 3 MTV Music Video Awards.
3. That is not Leonardo DiCaprio.
4. The part about breaking into the studio to add the song to the reel is strange considering that it was part of a 3-track set presented to Madonna and Freddy DeMann.
Thankyou for this. The story sounded dumb almost immediately. Like, why would he randomly tell this random type writer salesmen he's writing a song for Cyndi Lauper?! And god I HATE how he's pronouncing her name. I'm not even gonna bother finish watching this. Thanks for the crib notes lol
I haven’t heard such horse shit before in my life so many holes in this story. Justify my love was the first banned video if I’m not mistaken that is not Leo and everything else’s sounds false too.
Yes! Also, True Blue was released on June 30th after two singles had already been pulled off the then upcoming album; Live to Tell and Papa Don't Preach. The third single, True Blue, was released in September and Open Your Heart in November, five months after the album had dropped.
Thank you. Men talk like this in barber shops. Can't believe a thing he is saying. I had to go look up and see if he even had a songwriting credit.
Why should you believe Madonna and her crew over this guy's story? The truth is that the song is HIS and had he not prompted to take action, he would have been a victim of actual plagiarism.
Not Leonardo Di Caprio in video it’s Felix Howard
Exactly! British guy Felix would also appear in videos by Sinitta and Nick Kamen, unforgettable child actor there!
Was going to say that myself
He is kidding
I think he's kidding duh
He's on the credits for the song I think he must have been forgetting parts of the story
Some of his information is wrong. The video was never banned from MTV. The album came out 5 months before the song was released as a single and she wasn't a new artist. She had been around almost 4 years and was a already a huge star due to her previous album "Like A Virgin"
Madonna was still relatively new in 1985
Yeah I'm watching him revise history and it makes me nauseous --- Madonna was a "new artist" in 1985? She was already the biggest female popstar on the planet in 1985. How did MTV ban the video if it was on heavy rotation?
Thank you! I was like um.... noooo it was not banned from MTV that was Justify My Love in 1990.. lol
Also not Leo dicaprio in the video
There is a definite Air of self promotion and egotism about this guy. I’m sure he’s super talented but he’s also super interested in rewriting history.
That song is absolutely incredible. Gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.
It's a sign that you open your heart XD 💘
♥️
Madonna’s lyric changes made the song a million times better
Me2
That's because it's mostly fantasy
To say that he and this story are “off” is an understatement. True he wrote the original demo but he wrote it with Gardner Cole who is the one who had the connection to Madonna. There is so much left out (and a lot added lol) here. Madonna also re-wrote the verses (making the song much better imo while also making it her own), but kept the original hook. Not to mention Pat Leonard adding a new and fantastic bassline to the production, among other things.
And this is how people are mislead from the truth. We have characters like this one, who embellishes or just flat out lie. The album True Blue was released months before "Open Your Heart" was released as a single. The album credits DO include Peter's and Gardner Cole (the other writer which he convenient leaves out of his wild story). Gardner Cole had already stated they knew the song was being considered to be included on the album as well as he knew it was one of the first songs that was recorded for the album. Freddy DeMann (Madonna's manager) had overheard the song, and that's how it got into Madonna's hands. At that point, the song was called "Follow Your Heart" and Madonna changed it to "Open Your Heart", re-writing some of the lyrics and music. And why would Peter be telling some random guy who crashes his car in front of him, selling typewriters he is writing a song for Cyndi Lauper? The story doesn't even make sense. Lastly, that isn't Leonardo DiCaprio in the video. It's Felix Howard.
DeMann asked for a female demo, which was recorded by Donna De Lory (Cole's then girlfriend) who'd go on to work with Madonna for over 20 years on various albums and tours.
One of the best pop songs ever written. And the final instrumentation is an exact copy of the demo. Great driving bass and segue into the chorus
Madonna was already a mega star by the time she was getting ready to record True Blue LP so not sure why he said she was a new artist like no one had heard of her yet ???
yes indeed Madonna's take on the song is mindblowing
New artist???? She was huge by then.
Yes, she wasnt a KNEW ARTIST. LOL
She ruled the world then
This is probably my favourite 80s Madonna song 🥰
My favourite Madonna song period. Perfect pop song. Doesn't get any better.
top 10 for sure :)
This guy has mis-pronounced Cyndi Lauper name so many times I want to scream at him the correct pronounciation of her name!!
Ha! Me too!
I know right! I want to slap his head for wrong pronounciation!
Let’s FINISH HIM....!!!! 🤪🙄
Madonna truly added magic to that demo
A cowriter on open your heart:
Peter and I usually write very quickly. It's usually a day or two a song, but for some reason this didn't really hit us as a hit song. We didn't give up on it. We just kept working on it over the course of a year. Thank God we did. [...] It was the first song that was cut on the True Blue album. It made me nervous as a writer, because a lot of times the very first song that gets cut doesn't make it in the long run. But the song ended up making the album, which really opened up a lot of doors for me
Cool. Yea sounds like it. Simple chord progression, but the demo didn’t sound rough in terms of complexity. Lots of nuances.
Definitely one of the greatest pop songs ever written.
Not John Mondino, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who btw is french!
THIS MAN IS FAMOUS FOR LYING!!! DON'T BELEIVE A WORD HE SAYS.
Songwriter Gardner Cole's manager was working with Madonna's management team, who were looking for material for her third studio album, True Blue; three of Cole's songs were chosen for review, among them "Follow Your Heart", written with Peter Rafelson. Freddy DeMann heard the song and thought it would be a hit and requested Cole record a demo with a female voice. Cole asked his then-girlfriend Donna De Lory to sing the demo. Madonna accepted it, then rewrote it and produced it with Patrick Leonard, changing the title to "Open Your Heart".
He sounded like he was making most of that story up lol
He was! In fact, the album was released before OPEN YOUR HEART was released. He completely leaves out the other writer Gardner Cole who knew the song was being considered for the True Blue album before it was even released. He even knew it was one of the first songs recorded for the album. Both Peter and Gardner are included as writers on the album credits! Furthermore, it was Madonna's manager who overheard the track, who suggested it to go to Madonna. The song was called "Follow Your Heart" originally. I'm not sure why this guy Peter (is it even him) is greatly embellishing if not lying about much of what he's saying in this video. Madonna was already two albums in her career and hardly a "new artist" at this point. And finally, that isn't Leonardo DiCaprio in the video. It's a boy name Felix Howard.
That’s cause he was lol. There is maybe 5% truth here.
Great song, but this guy's full of bull. Way too many inconsistencies and coincidences in his story.
The young boy wasn’t Leonardo Di Caprio, it was Felix Howard. This guy isn’t telling the whole truth.
No, he's not Leo Dicaprio. The actor is Felix Howard.
Well...his name is on the credits. Thanks for writing my fav Maddy song of all time
QUEEN OF POP
Truth is when you’re as famous as M was at the time you can sing just about any relatively nice tune and it will become a massive hit for the ages. Taylor Swift is at that stage today relatively (since no one’s stardom today can be compared to what was going on pre internet).
If you look at any published sheet music for “Open Your Heart” it says Words and Music by Madonna Ciccone, Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson
Dennis C Gardner Cole was most likely the person who said he could get the demo to Cyndi Lauper. Madonna rewrote the verses
Since I compose music as my hobby semi-professionally: when someone's name is displayed under credits section for a given song ...as a writer or co-writer it does not always mean they were the actual writers but in fact. they have the writer's rights which implies they either actually (co)wrote a song OR bought the rights from someone who wrote the song e.g. ghostwriting. In the 80s it wasn't uncommon that unknown writers or talented amateurs wrote songs for big names but they were stripped from all the rights for cash. Another common pattern was "if you want me/us sing your song we can do it, but you'll give all the rights to us ". One of the local artists i know was offered to be well paid for selling out his song (that had been already recorded under his band's name!) including all the associated rights to the song to Bryan Adams. Bryan told him he would like to change/re-write the lyrics as well (context-wise). My friend said to Bryan Adams: "fuck yourself" :-D The song he didn't sell out was actually a pretty big hit in my country.
Love this song
BIG THANK YOUS TO YOU because i LOVE this song, it's extremely cute, dreamy and has a truth of the universe, the key is in our heart
Wow wow wow incredible story of an incredible song.
Most of it is bullshit
love Madonna
The young boy was not Leo DiCaprio lol. His name was Felix Howard. This guy kind of stretches the truth in this story. And it wasn’t John Mondino it was Jean- Baptiste Mondino.
Madonna was already famous since her first album
The biography says that who recorded the "guide voice" first was Donna Delory and then Madonna recorded to the album.
Wow that’s an amazing story it’s also my fav Madonna song thx for writing such a great tune I love the synths sounds in this
Co-writing . And it would be nothing if Madonna hadn’t taken it in and fashioned it to her
Just for the record, that’s not Leo di Caprio - it’s a British kid called Felix Howard. Just FYI. Amazing song though so fair play 👏👏👏 Hustle Game: 1000 points!
also significant lyrical differences
Good on you for speaking out for your own right you deserve.
She has know for stealing for other people's work claiming they are her originals. Ray Of Light is a good example. I used to be a HUGE a Madonna fan but my passion faded away and walked away after all these episodes especially by Billy Steinberg about Like A Virgin which broke my heart. I feel for you, Billy.
Some of the things he says me be true, but others clearly are not. For example, the album only had two singles before it was out, and open was single number 4, nearly half a year after the album was out...and no, is not di caprio
Madonna was nowhere near being a "new artist" at that point. She had already taken over the world with Like a Virgin but okay. 😂
Amo essa música!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏
I believe you..Peter this song of yours just like others are about our ancestors namesakes or us whatever you call it..Peter Cephas the rock Leonardo Cupid Eros same person. Last night God impressed it upon my heart to prep to sing n dance for my present day God given hubby who was St Peter 2000 yrs ago when we return bk home to heaven bc he has really sacrificed alot... in heaven we can be together like normal husband n wife...if you dont believe it js ask God...anyways God elevated your song to Madonna
This song reminds me of my love life
So what's with every source saying that it had been called "Follow Your Heart" originally? In his "demo" he clearly sings "Open Your Heart"? Also I would say that Madonna changed more than "a few lines". Most of the verses are entirely new.
35 year anniversary today!
not long enough.
👑
WOW!!
Also True Blue was released with Papa Don’t Preach there were no multiple singles released before the album. Live to Tell was on the movie At Closed Range’s soundtrack and included on the album. And that’s not Leo Di Caprio in the video it’s a kid who was famous in France for an add of Dim pantie hose. His name is Felix Howard. Is this Donna’s husband? I know he wrote Open Your Heart.
I’m not saying this dude didn’t write the song, but if it was originally called “Follow Your Heart” when meant for Cyndi, why does he sing “Open Your Heart” in the demo? Parts of this story are very suspect.
That demo was pure forgettable 80s schlock. Madonna and Patrick Leonard really made it into something special.
The Demo wasn't that great but imo give credit where credit is due - one of the great 80's melodies here. Just needed the professional polish of Madonna and Cole.
The amount of misinformation/lies are staggering as others have pointed out.
He left out A LOT. The only reason the song got "discovered" was through a Gardner Cole connection...DeMann & Weisner...and that it was a co write with Gardner Cole in which they spent 6 months working on the song (with a final co writing credit to Madonna).
Went to school with the twins in the video, amazing dancers!!! Where are they now????
I mean. None of this ever happened. The album was out way before the 4th single. And it was already printed and shipped. How come they had his name on it? And Leo di caprio?
Yeah this guy lives in la land land
Gardner Cole, the co-writer of this song, didn’t mention any of this b.s. when he talked about the songs creation and evolution from rock song to pop song. The ACTUAL story can be found in The Billboard Book of Number One Hits. It was originally called Follow Your Heart. Someone’s lying here.
Not Leo in the video
Thanks !!! Gonna check that out because this was pure trash lol
So after the global blockbuster of Like A Virgin, Madonna was a new artist?? This guy’s full of it.
What is that great song playing in the background?
Yo I’m not even believing half the shit this man says bc any true fan can see the holes and dates and times and people and videos and all the shit he misinterpreted. Wow It’s funny. He also sold his self out for a crime. Bet it was someone else’s they would of arrested his ass. Get the picture?
Whats the name of the song behind the speaker?
Fucking Leonardo isn't in this video...
(See: 00:35) Struggling with a songwriting career? It's likely because when someone in need asks for help, you're the type that says "No, I'm writing a song for Cyndi LOWper."
That is not Leo DiCaprio. Not by a long shot. It's Felix Howard. And yes, his story is GREATLY embellished. Too bad he couldn't just tell the truth. It's always way more interesting than lies.
Ok , pero por que llego esa canción a Venezuela y llegó a manos de Melissa, sacándola meses antes y convirtiéndola en un éxito a nivel de Suramérica???????
with all due respect sir (cause this sond is one of my favorites) but the kid is not Di caprio its Felix Howard
This story is insane. Lol. Typewriter salesman crashes his car, asks for help, gets asked in return to provide access to a recording studio to make a demo
For cyndi lauper
Wow, this is a load of crap. Either this guy is flat out being dishonest or his memory is horrible.
According to Donna she said that the original demo with Peter’s voice apparently got rejected at first but it got through when they resubmitted it with Donna’s vocals which included some vocal flourishes that she added that Madonna later duplicated on the finished version. Gardner Cole also backs the story up. It’s funny how Peter talked about calling the lawyers and threatening to make them remove the song when in actuality he probably couldn’t do anything like that without Gardner’s permission since they share the credit.
This is his demo
th-cam.com/video/LbpqItgBGdo/w-d-xo.html
there are significant lyrical differences from the one that Madonna sang
Madonna is a ruthless person in a ruthless industry hear it time and time again
This doesn't have anything to do with Madonna, i doubt Madonna even cared about these things. Her label/manager are there for this job, Madonna was just looking a demo to start working on it as every artist does. Singers don't run in the streets trying to find the writers and give them credits, unless they've been working to a track since the beginning. This is a job for their team.
But the guys whos tape he sabotaged must've known it wasn't their song, something just doesn't make any sense in his story.
the kid in the "open your heart" video is Felix Howard, and not Leonardo DiCaprio.
He gets quite a few things wrong in this--to the point where you really can't believe any of it except for the fact that he did write the original demo. Madonna completely changed the lyrics for the verses and transformed it into a much better song. The rest of what he says I doubt or is clearly incorrect.
I'll give him that Leo DeCapiro was a joke, but other than that, yeah, a lot of bs. No doubt he wrote the song, but Madonna changed all the lyrics except the chorus.
6:14 no its not Leonardo DiCaprio its Felix Howard. Even wiki knows it. And this "producer" lies from beginning to end. A lot of nonsense has been said, which is easy to verify.
Not john mondino but Jean Baptiste mondino... And she knew him before open your heart realease...
the song is about this girl who is stalking this guy she is infatuated with.
It's not Leo(nardo) di Caprio it's Felix Howard
Amazing story, love it, except for Di Caprio
So many easily debunked lies and inaccuracies in this story. 🙄👎🏿
You're right some of this doesn't really match up he says Madonna was a new artist IN 86 ?....NO
Jimmy Z she exploded in late 1984 when Virgin came out, he wrote the song in 85 when she was still fairly new to the fame
Great song with a great story behind it! A making of 2 legends... thank you...
New artist?!! You are crazy for saying that! Madonna made your song famous and she wasnt a new artist when Open Your Heart was included in True Blue Album!
The Venezuela singer Melissa Griffiths recorded this song in December of 1985: "Abre Tu Corazón" = "Open Your Heart". Before that Madonna!
Madonna recorded it first.
@@muzik1943 she did not
@@JesusAlberto She actually did. It was the first song recorded in the "True Blue" sessions in 1985 and because of this, Gardner Cole figured it wouldn't make the album (since, according to him, the first songs recorded in a session don't usually make it through to the end of the process). Madonna rewrote the lyrics and she and Pat Leonard gave it more of a dance beat (which Gardner also praised). In the meantime, Melissa recorded a Spanish version of the original demo (in December 1985, according to the info above) and her version was released first, in March 1986 (but Madonna's was recorded before that).
Other than fan talk I've never read about the official recording sessions for True Blue starting earlier than December 85.
Bullshit..try blue was her 3rd album. Like a virgin was huge. She wasn't a new artist
that kid was leo deCaprio? ok im rewatching the video again (...and againx10)
Why didn't they fact check him before posting this? I feel embarrassed for him and those responsible for posting this... yikes!!! 😬😬😬 cringe af
This story doesn't make any sense a car accident with a typewriter salesman led him to have a demo for Cyndi Lauper haha then he says Leonardo DiCaprio is on Open your Heart Video lol
Actually the little boy was felix howard not leo
Amazing story and so fascinating to hear the demo.....but geez.....he's not very likeable is he,kinda gave me the creeps!
Sorry but YOUR INFORMACION IS WRONG😮
What a fantastic story behind the song! Wow! Great job! An instant classic! 👍
So I am not going to go against all the Madonna fans here, as you know best, but I want to add some things.
I know Peter well and you need to remember he lives in Hollywood and is deeply in the movie world as well as music, so I have no doubt that someone who knew Cindi Lauper could of knocked.
The second thing is the banning of videos, in the mid 80's Madonna was banned from every where, and MTV also banned Justify my love video.
I found a post saying Madonna sung - Open Your Heart at a gala Leonardo was at, so I assume there is a connection somewhere.
Also come on people to say he accidently got the directors name wrong is laughable, it happens. You know who he means play fair now.
Also to clear up 32 number 1's Peter went on to work with countless household names from Britney Spears, The Corrs, Stevie Wonder and many others, so for sure he has his name to 32 #1 records as part of the creation teams.
Not knocking what you are saying as It is always great to get feedback, but as someone who knows and works with Peter , he is not one of the bad ones in the music industry and trust me he does not have any ego, I can show you people with egos in these companies.
100 percent people tried to stop this record, and it was not a money thing. Peters family had already made a major name in Hollywood movies, they was not short of a few bob or two.
This was about sticking up for your art, and I respect Peter took a risk. He knows he was lucky to on that major risk he made to record his demo.
You need to understand Peters family to get who this is. Plenty on line.
FINALLLY MADONNA WAS MAKING MOVES FOR SURE, BUT OPEN YOUR HEART CHANGED THE GAME FOR EVERYONE.
Justify My Love came out at the end of 1990.
-M videos banned from everywhere in the mid 80's? Quite the opposite actually. She was everywhere, especially on MTV.
-M singing OYH in a gala with DiCaprio attending? 🤣🤣 Source? And the young boy in the music video is definitely Felix Howard, not Leo.
-What about this random bit of his story : "Somebody crashed their car outside my home and said "I'm selling typewriters. Can you help me? I said I can't help you, I'm writing a song for Cyndi Lauper. And he said I can get you access to Cyndi Lauper"... This doesn't make any sense. Why would he tell some random person who crashes his car outside his home, selling typewriters that he is writing a song for Cyndi Lauper? Let's not even mention the part about breaking into the studio to add the song to the reel😅🤣 He's writing his own story. "A man can tell a thousand lies..." as Madonna sings in Live To Tell.
Facts:
-Madonna was definitely not a "new artist" in 1986. She already had 2 successful albums behind her and quite a few hits (Holiday, Lucky Star, Borderline, Like A Virgin, Material Girl, Crazy for You, Into the Groove, Angel...)
-Open Your Heart DID NOT come out before the album. True Blue album was released in june 1986, and OYH as a single in november 1986.
-He (and Gardner Cole) created a demo titled "Follow Your Heart". Madonna reworked the lyrics but both Rafelson & Cole got a writing credit for it + Cole never mentioned any of the bs Peter Rafelson is saying.
-The video was not banned from MTV and got 3 MTV VMAs nominations.
@@goodstuart It is Hollywood, do your research on the name of the person in video.
@@johnfitzgerald3665 Who am I supposed to do a research on ?
Cyndi LAOUper? Her name is Cyndi Lauper.
Why let the truth get in the way of a good story......
So what happened to the guy who crashed his car outside his house?
I suppose his name was Gardner Cole.
So many things to not believe. For some reason I'm stuck on "the first three singles on the album were released before the album was released"? Guys who talk big like this and just praying for stupid people to be impressed with them.
This guys a fool. Madonna was already the biggest star in the world before True Blue came out. So much crap here. I believe about 2% of his story.
interesting. i always thought the story behind this song goes back to her long time back up singer Donna De Lory. She had said in an interview her boyfriend wrote open your heart, sang the vocals and tried to sell to madonna but madonna and her camp said no, so he got his girlfriend ( donna) to sing it and resend and then they said yes give it to us. i wonder what song this is the story for??
yes found the video. so not sure why he left that part out of the story: facebook.com/watch/?v=10155938873990758
He must have bought one of the typewriters and started writing fiction.
Some of the stuff he’s saying is not correct…
It's Funny how so many Huge Die hard Madonna fans didn't realize that "Open Your Heart" was really written for Cyndi Lauper & I Know this is part of his story is true because Not only have I been lucky enough to have seen 10 out of 11 Madonna's Tours ((The Only Madonna Tour I missed was her The Virgin Tour 1985))
I've also seen Cyndi Lauper 5 times in concert & The reason I know that this story is true because when I saw Cyndi's "She's So Unusual 30th Anniversary Tour 2013" & during her show B4 each song she would tell stories about the meaning behind each song & she has a song called "Madonna Whore" NO it's not about Madonna LOL but I saw her perform this on her Perform this in 2005 Concert When She opened for Cher on Cher's "Farewell 2005 Tour" & I saw her perform this on 2004 Concert When She opened for Meatloaf & on her "True Colors Concert Tour 2008" & on her "Memphis Blues Tour 2010" & it's funny because every time I saw her perform "Madonna Whore" She always will say something about the title of the song & say "No this is NOT about Madonna, I wouldn't call Madonna a Whore because I really like Madonna" so anyways when I saw her "She's So Unusual 30th Anniversary Tour 2013" she talked about songs that she passed on & She Performed "Madonna Whore" she said "So Speaking about Madonna, Madonna's song "Open Your Heart" was offered to me & I passed on it & it was originally called "Follow Your Heart" then they offered it to me & If I knew it was going to be that big of a hit I would have taken the song".
It was so cool that Cyndi told stories about each song. I've always wanted Madonna to do a Greatest hits tour & I'd love for her to tell stories for each song Like Cyndi did.
Ha ha, break into a studio and ...
wow .. could he be any more dramatic? LOL
This story has to be horseshit. Do you agree?