The Brilliance of the "Like A Virgin" Album Cover
At first glance, the album cover for Madonna’s 1984 album Like A Virgin isn’t necessarily anything special. It does not hold the striking, emotional profile of her debut, nor the statuesque elegance of its successor, True Blue. Instead, Like A Virgin portrays an unsurprisingly seductive, sepia-toned portrait of Madonna. Even the font type used is a simple, unassuming serif in dull tones that sink into the colors of the rest of the cover. To give it its fair due, it could have been much worse: at least it did not go the typical 80s gaudiness route that befell many of her single releases. But, overall, is Like A Virgin as iconic compared to her other releases of the era?
When one delves into the dynamics of the cover, they would realize how all of the elements play off each other in a brilliant contradiction of title, name, and imagery.
Let’s start with Madonna’s namesake: “Madonna” is the original title attributed to the biblical Virgin Mary. As one could guess, Mary – the mother of Jesus Christ – is celebrated for retaining her virginity even through her immaculate conception. Because of Mary, the concept of virginity is sacred within Christianity. Girls and women are expected to remain abstinent until after they are married (because we can’t all magically conceive children of God and remain virgins forever). Brides wear white on their wedding day to signify their preserved purity – emulating the Virgin Mary.
By 1984 – just a year into her career – Madonna had already established she was an unabashed sexual creature with songs like “Burning Up” and “Physical Attraction”, firmly distancing herself from her religious namesake. Recording a song like “Like A Virgin” further toys with the aforementioned topic. Even Madonna first baulked at the idea of being like a virgin – as the song itself uses the phrase as a simile, likening the experience of falling in love after a brutal breakup to a virgin being “touched for the very first time”. But that did not stop her from grabbing hold of the concept and spinning it on its head with the imagery for her album cover.
Now as its getting clearer, let’s break down the album cover. Madonna is lounged out on a bed wearing a promiscuous, low-cut version of a wedding dress with the shadows accentuating her breasts. She sports a debauched head of hair while staring with a pout out into the audience. The look is brought together by the iconic “Boy Toy” belt; that title itself proudly claiming a licentious lifestyle. Each one of these elements contradicts the Christian concept of the Virgin Mary and the purity of brides. Even the title Like A Virgin paired with the name “Madonna” comes off as tongue-in-cheek; a lascivious joke poking fun of the entire strict, religious ritual Madonna spent her entire early life and career rebelling against.
At face value, the cover for Like A Virgin might not have the immediate aesthetic appeal of some of Madonna’s other records. But, for me, the levels of imagery playfully countering traditional concepts gives the cover interesting depth – and cements it as one of the best album covers in pop music history.
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