Unreleased Madonna songs

Songs recorded by Madonna but were chosen not to be used on her Warner Bros. Music albums (Sire Records or Maverick Records) and remain unreleased. Sometimes sent to other recording artists for them to record for use on their albums instead.

Background

Conditions for listing here

• Madonna-related studio quality recording
• Not commercially or promotionally released by a reputable label.
• Officially commissioned and Madonna-related professional remix not chosen for release.

Not included in this listing

• Live concert recordings such as her 2004 performance of the [John Lennon] song "Imagine".
• Portions of cover songs/her performances on TV appearances such as "Cook and F**K" for David Letterman.
• Hearsay reports, rumors with little or no documentation.
• Remixes not officially commissioned by Madonna and her record company, such as white label DJ mixes like "Rain" by Razor and Guido (professional or amateur).
• Pre-Stardom songs already legally released such as "Crimes Of Passion" from the album "Pre-Madonna" or tracks with Otto von Wernherr like "Cosmic Climb".
• Her released guest backing vocal appearances for artists like Peter Cetera.

Sources of information

• United States Copyright Office records, Library Of Congress
• Royalty Collection Agency Records (ASCAP, BMI, MCPS)
• Music Publisher Records of Madonna and her various collaborators work together.
• Reliable and credible media reports thought to be free of overseas translation errors or possible confusions.
• Interviews with Madonna's song writing partners such as Stephen Bray. His appeared in the article "Unreleased Madonna Songs" by Bruce Baron in Goldmine Magazine 1999.

Pre-stardom recordings 1979-1981

With various New York rock bands

• Love For Tender and No Time and Bells Ringing and Drowning are all featured on Madonna's studio demo tape with the band Emmy and the Emmy's in 1980.

Other Emmy tracks such as "Simon Says" are not included here because they were either live recordings or already legally released on a small indie label. They belong listed on the Madonna (singer) page.

• Tell The Truth and Well, Well and I Got Trouble and Oh, Oh The Sky Is Blue and Once I Thought I Was Good Early recordings recorded on "Shamrock" reel-to-reel tape. Recently auctioned to private owner. Tell The Truth was the very first song Madonna ever recorded (with the help of Dan Gilroy of the band the Breakfast Club).

• We Live In A House Written by Joshua Braun, Janis Galloway and Madonna in 1982. US copyright registration# PAu-1-843-482. It was recorded with the group Spinal Root Gang after Madonna's roommate Janis Galloway introduced her to them. Janis Galloway later became the wife of Michael Rosenblatt from Warner Brother's.

• Fuck You Right Back and Mother You Swear. Recently auctioned on the Las Vegas Annual Auction Event in the Germain Montgomerry's Auction House.

Solo vocal recordings

• I Want You and Love On The Run and Get Up and High Society A Pat Benatar style pop-rock Madonna demo produced by Camille Barbone of Gotham Management in New York 1981. Two more songs were recorded for Gotham but not used on the demo Remembering Your Touch and Are You Ready For It.

Other songs recorded during this period like "Laugh To Keep From Crying" from "Pre-Madonna" or songs for Mia Mind Music like "Shine A Light" and "Cosmic Climb" with Otto von Wernherr have already been legally released on small indie labels and belong listed on the Madonna (singer) page.

• Shake Your Head (Let's Go To Bed) Madonna lead vocal recorded with Don and David Was for the Was(not Was) album "Born To Laugh At Tornadoes" in 1982/83. The released vocal used was instead done by Ozzy Osbourne however they kept Madonna's vocals in the background and you can faintly hear her singing under Ozzy. Madonna is thanked in the album credits. Madonna requested that her original vocal not be used in an early 1990's remix released as a single in Europe to support a Was(not Was) Greatest Hits album.

• Sidewalk Talk Written by Madonna for former producer and boyfriend John Jellybean Benitez. The commercially released version features vocalist Catherine Buchanan on lead and Madonna singing on the chorus and bridge. The original version with Madonna on the lead vocal remains unreleased and was produced with Stephen Bray.

Early career recordings 1982-1990

The first Madonna album

• Ain't No Big Deal The released version was produced by Reggie Lucas in 1982 and appeared as a single B-side in 1986. Originally intended to be Madonna's first single. Three more separate unreleased studio versions were also produced each by Mark Kamins, Stephen Bray and John Jellybean Benitez. They were all shelved when the song was recorded and released by the female disco act Barracuda for Epic Records.

• Warning Signs The third Madonna song recorded for the Soundtrack to the movie "Vision Quest" but never used. A collaboration with Stephen Bray from 1984. US copyright registration# PAu-590-962.

• Writer's Block Listed in the MCPS-PRS database as being written by Madonna and Rick Warren for the 1984 TV show "Cover up" starring Jon Erik-Hexum and Jennifer O'Neil. Richard wrote many TV themes at the time. It is possible that they just used one of Madonna's songs in one episode of the series which was titled "Writer's Block". At this time the exact nature of this entry is not quite clear.

The Like A Virgin album

• Title uncertain Simon Le Bon of the group Duran Duran mentioned in a mid-80's interview for the BBC TV show "Breakfast" that Madonna did backing vocals for them that were never released. Her vocal would probably be on one of several Duran Duran recordings from 1984-1985 produced by Nile Rodgers. Nile also produced the "Like A Virgin" album. The exact title of Madonna's unreleased contribution was not mentioned in the interview, but it could be "The Reflex" or "Wild Boy's". Her previously unreleased vocal cameo on "Promises, Promises" by Naked Eyes was finally released on a recent Naked Eyes Greatests Hits collection.

• Desperately Seeking Susan Unreleased title track for the movie of the same name according to former Madonna collaborator Stephen Bray. This is a completely different song from the released hit "Into The Groove". 1985

The True Blue album

• Working My Fingers To The Bone and Pipeline Recorded with frequent collaborator Stephen Bray.

• Each time You Break My Heart Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray. Later given to singer/model Nick Kamen to record instead. His version was released featuring Madonna on backing vocals. It was a big hit in the UK reaching number 5 in November 1986. Madonna's unreleased version is supposedly identical to his except that she is on the lead vocal.

• Love Over The Phone Written by Madonna and Don Johnson. Discussed by Madonna herself in a French magazine interview in August 1987. It is not clear if it was actually recorded.

The Like A Prayer album

• Possessive Love Written and recorded with Patrick Leonard. Madonna's original was sent to singer Marilyn Martin for her to record. The single was released by Atlantic Records but did not do very well. The Madonna original remains unreleased. 1988

• By Alien Means Written by Prince Rogers Nelson in 1988 circa the time of the Madonna/Prince released "Love Song" collaboration. Reportedly sent to Madonna for her to record or add to. This Prince song does exist, but there is little evidence of an actual Madonna contribution. US copyright registration# PAu-1-152-963

• Love Attack and First Is A Kiss Two songs Madonna recorded and produced with Stephen Bray for the "Like A Prayer" album but were never used and remain unreleased. 1989

The I'm Breathless and The Immaculate Collection albums

• Dick Tracy Written by with Patrick Leonard. This did not appear on the "I'm Breathless" album. ASCAP title code# 340325268 . Another reported in Billboard magazine was called Dog House, but no other evidence of that song has ever surfaced.

• To Love You Recorded for the 1990 film Dick Tracy but remains unreleased. Written by Madonna and Andy Paley.

• Another rumored track from the I'm Breathless sessions is Time after time but the song has not been confirmed and nothing is known of it.

• Get Over Recorded with Stephen Bray for the Immaculate Collection. Madonna's original version remains unreleased. The song was later recorded and released by actor/model Nick Scotti with Madonna backing vocals produced by Shep Pettibone for the film "Nothing But Trouble" in 1992 and for his debut album in 1993.

Mid-career recordings 1991-1996

The Erotica album

• Love Hurts - A unique song title listed in the discography of producer/remixer Junior Vasquez. Possibly an early version of what later became "Erotica". See

• You Thrill Me - Unreleased song from the Erotica sessions. Possibly an alternate version to Erotica. A 3:17 acapella clip from this track is availible on the internet. Registration# PAu-1-605-642.

• Shame ur a pest US copyright registration# PAu-1-605-637 and You Are The One registration# PAu-1-605-636. Two songs that Madonna recorded with Shep Pettibone for the album "Erotica" but never used. Alternate versions of "Thief Of Hearts" registration# PAu-1-605-643, "Words" registration# PAu-1-605-641 and "Deeper and Deeper" registration# PAu-1-605-634 from that same album also exist with slightly different arrangements but were not released along with an odd-ball called Jitterbug 1991.

Others from this period were mentioned in Billboard magazine as being works in progress. Most notably No Entry. The others are less certain. Freak may have been related to the eventually released "Rescue Me". Out To Lunch/Eating Out and Show And Tell may have been early versions of/or related to the released songs "Where Life Begins" and "Secret Garden". Throb is questionable since a Janet Jackson song of the same title surfaced shortly after this media report.

• Goodbye To Innocence Good alternate version written and produced by Madonna, Shep Pettibone and Tony Shimkin. US copyright registration# PAu-1-605-640. Different from the commercially released version which appeared on the various artists collection "Just Say Roe".

• Dear Father An unreleased collaboration with Andre Betts and Mic Murphy (former member of "The System"). Supposedly an uptempo dance track. The song appeared for a time in the EMI Music publishing database and in the UK based MCPS system.

• Just A Dream Written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. Given to her long time backing vocalist Donna DeLory for her MCA debut solo album. Madonna does appear on backing vocals, but the original Madonna lead vocal recording remains unreleased. DeLory's version did manage to crack the US Dance Club Play Chart.

The Bedtime Stories album

• Something's Coming Over Me - The original unreleased version of the song "Secret" written and produced with Shep Pettibone and then abandoned. US copyright registration# PAu-1-889-253. This was done very much in the same style as "Vogue" with an erotic "Love To Love You Baby"/Donna Summer type theme. Shep Pettibone later got co-writing credit for "Secret" which he did not originally get when the album "Bedtime Stories" was first released in 1994.

• I Will Always Have You - The original unreleased version of the song "Inside Of Me" recorded with Shep Pettibone and then abandoned. US copyright registration# PAu-1-889-251. This quality power ballad sounds more like the style of "Crazy For You" or "You'll See" than what later became the released version.

• Goodtime and Tongue Tied According to Warner-Chappel Music Publishing. Two songs written by Madonna and Shep Pettibone. Never released. Exact nature and origins are unknown. They may be from a different time period.

• Love Won't Wait Recorded with Shep Pettibone for the "Bedtime Stories" album in 1994 but never used. Pettibone gave the Madonna original to Gary Barlow for him to record instead. He took the song to #1 in the UK in 1997. The unreleased Madonna original is US copyright registration# PAu-1-889-250. There is also an unreleased remix of the Barlow version by Tony Moran.

• Bring It Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone but never released. Of a far lesser quality than the other unreleased songs written with Pettibone for the "Bedtime Stories" album. US copyright registration# PAu-1-889-252. This may be the song that her Blond Ambition dancer Slam sings at the end of the Madonna Exposed show hosted by Robin Leach.

• Keep On Written by Madonna, Dallas Austin and Collin Wolfe. Possibly an early verion of the released song "Don't Stop" found on the "Bedtime Stories" album.

• Right On Time Written by Madonna and Dallas Austin. Was listed in the European MCPS database.

• In The Closet With Michael Jackson. Also widely reported in the press of the time as "(Coming)Out Of The Closet". Madonna's original duet vocal remains unreleased due to a creative conflict for the direction of the song. The short female "mystery girl" cameo vocal on the released version is princess Stephanie of Monaco.

The Something To Remember album

• I Can't Forget An unreleased collaboration with the legendary David Foster. Recorded with two other released songs for the "Something To Remember" retrospective album but this one was never used. BMI work# 2133633 published by Peerless Music.

• You'll Stay written with Patrick Leonard appeared in publishing records and may be an early version of the released "You'll See" written and recorded with David Foster at this same time period. Leonard is not credited on "You'll See".

• Broken is another rumored track from these sessions but not much is known about it.

Post Kabballah conversion recordings 1997-Present

The Ray Of Light album

• Revenge and Gone, Gone, Gone and Like A Flower - All unreleased songs recorded for the album "Ray Of Light" written with Rick Nowels. The co-producer credit is not certain but may have been Robert Miles. See false rumor listing below for additional disproven title names of this period.

Alternate arrangements of "Substitute For Love", "Power Of Goodbye" and "Little Star" from this same album also exist. These were all found to have leaked out on to the web via sources unknown to Peer to peer and file sharing networks like Kazaa and Napster in the late 1990's.

• Angel Of Fire Written by Mariah Carey and Patrick Leonard. Produced by William Orbit. Madonna's witting and/or production contribution is not quite clear. She may have started the original demo or been brought in only as a "consultant". Mariah Carey spoke of the song to the press but her version also still remains unreleased. See

• Don't Love A Stranger and/or Forever One or both of these titles are said to have been recorded with producer and songwriter Babyface for the "Ray Of Light" album but were never used. Existence of this collaboration is very certain as confirmed by Madonna's publicist, but the exact title names(s) have not yet been made public.

• Be Careful Written and produced with Patrick Leonard. A possible early version of the song later re-recorded with Ricky Martin and William Orbit. Leonard is not credited on the released Madonna-Orbit version but has his own seperately Madonna-Leonard documented entry in the Warner-Chappell publishing database. Oddly, the Canadian CMRRA lists them all together as co-writers on one song# 732670 See [https://www.cmrra.ca/song%20lookup/song.nsf/cbb705d4b1b1516b852566ab006720c9/8842e6bd70d1a0a985256e6e00692f7a?OpenDocument CMRRA Be Careful]

• Regfresando A Madonna and Patrick Leonard collaboration of unknown origin. Listed in the Warner-Chappell database.

• Hands Down A Madonna and William Orbit song which was originally scheduled to appear as a B-Side to Skin when it was still being considered as the 5th domestic Ray of Light single. It was then rumored (on the Madonna Information Report) to be the unlisted/hidden track on the domestic Beautiful Stranger single.

The Music album

• Title(s) uncertain but rumored titles are Relief on Demand and Heartbeat and Take Away and All the way Down and Painted Picture Unfinished demo(s) possibly with DJ/remixer, producer Sasha. Madonna mentioned in an interview with MixMag that nothing amounted to a complete song from this collaboration and that they were all going into "the vault". How much was just Sasha instrumental work and how much had Madonna vocals is not clear. One of these instrumentals did later become the recently released Sasha song "Wavy Gravy" without any Madonna contribution.

• Eagle's Wings and No Choice and Remember Me Songs supposedly written with Mirwais Ahmadzai for the "Music" album according to an Italian news source. See There has never been a publishing or copyright registration made to confirm these titles. They remain only rumors supported by media report. Even less certain are titles from the same period called The Sea, The Journey, What You Feel , Hope and Too Many Times. They could all simply be fan fabrications. Also see false rumor listing below for additional disproven titles.

• La Petit and Liquid Love and Mysore Smile and Run Written and produced with William Orbit but never used or released. Confirmed ASCAP title codes 420566552, 420566570, 430653519 and 480358398. A note of interest is that Mysore is a city in India, a center of yoga and meditation study.

• Alone Again A Madonna co-write with Rick Nowels. A song widely publicised in the media in 2002 as being given to and recorded by Kylie Minogue. The Minogue version was suposed to be the B-side to her "Come Into My World" single, but the Madonna tune has not been released.

The American Life album

• Can't You See My Mind Recorded and produced with French-techno producer Mirwais Ahmadzai for the James Bond film "Die Another Day". Widely reported in the media but unlike the title track it was never used or released. Listing confirmed at Warner-Chappell Music Publishing. Also ASCAP title code# 330991414.

Other titles reported in the media from these same sessions titled Ejector, Adverse Youth, Mind Trapper, and Bad Nature do not have a copyright or publishing record confirmation. Therefore they remain tentative inclusions.

An unverified Maverick Records "in-house reference disc" tracklisting appeared on the interent in July 2004. It supposedly listed previously unknown songs from the American Life sessions: I Can't Place It (Confusion Part 2) and The Supabitch Parade and Hare Krishna and My Ejector and Little Piece of Nothing' and Mindtrappa. These all remain suspicious inclusions. "Hare Krishna" is actually the title of a new Donna De Lory track that De Lory (Madonna back up singer) wrote (ASCAP title# 380961497) and released on her own 2004 album. The CD time total listed on the "Maverick reference disc" is also not accurate for the time lengths of the songs listed. None of these other titles have Madonna associated copyright or publishing records.

• The Process Written by Madonna and Stuart Price of Les Rythmes Digitales. ASCAP title code# 501257456. Possible early version of the released song on this album called "X-Static Process".

Unreleased Remixes Officially Commissioned (any period)

• Like A Virgin (Remix) by producer Nile Rodgers, (formerly of of the group Chic). Nile mentioned in an interview of the time that the remix of this song by John Jellybean Benitez was chosed over his for the release of the 12" dance single.

• Cherish (remix) Official commissioned remix by Hank Shocklee and Phil Castellano as first reported in Billboard Magazine. Never released.

• I Want You (remix) by Junior Vasquez. Official commission but never released. Since leaked out by collectors, fans and DJ's. Many of Junior's recent Madonna remixes for songs like "Power Of Goodbye" were not official commissions and are therefore note listed here. This clouds the perceived line between what is unreleased and white label (made by DJ for private use) remixes. Check out the others listed at

• Crazy For You (remix) by Richie Santana. The mixes by Sasha and William Orbit were released instead. The Santana mix has been circulating among collectors. See

• Be Careful (remixes) by Pablo Flores (as reported in Billboard Magazine). See . Thunderpuss. Not included on commercial releases (possibly due to the 10 minute length?). Circulating among collectors via the internet, and on bootleg releases. See

• Runaway Lover (remix) by Peter Rauhofer. Peter told DJ Times magazine that he did this remix, but due to Maverick Records and Warner Brother's infighting it was never released. Reading the interview, it is possible to suggest that this report may have been confused with the story behind the remix for the song "Impressive Instant" which was sent to DJ's at the promotional and not the commercial level. See

• Over And Over (remix) by Tracy Young. A more recent remix (approximately year 2000 or so) of the old 1984 song was commissioned but was never used. It does appear listed on Young's discography. See

• Mother And Father (remixes) By Peter Rauhofer . The Johnny Rocks mix was played on a June 2004 KTU New York radio mixshow.

Peter Rauhofer is curiously listing a song in the number #1 slot of his July 2004 "top 10 list" called "Give It Up" (Re-Invention mix) by Esther. See . "Give It Up" is a key line from this same song and Esther is Madonna's new Jewish inspired nickname. Niether the Johnny Rocks or the Peter Rauhofer mix of "Mother And Father" have been offically released yet but may be soon.

Registered alternate song titles

These are not actually different songs from the commercial versions. They just have alternate title copyright registrations.

• Get Up Stand Tall US copyright registration# PAu-828-147 same as the released song "White Heat"
• Actions Speak Louder Than Words, registration# PAu-1-605-641 same as the released song "Words".
• Cheat or Drunk Girl US copyright registration# PAu-1-605-639, same as the released song "Bad Girl"
• Flirtation Dance, copyright registration# PA-890-673, same as the released song "Skin"
• Cyber Sadhu became known as Cyber-Raga with Talvin Singh. Copyright registration# PA-1-013-829
• Hurry Up and Yourself and Future and Perfect were listed in the MCPS database. Considering the co-writers listed, they are probably matching alternates for "Over And Over", "Express Yourself" , "Nothing Really Matters" and "Nobody's Perfect".

False rumors/Not likely to exist with Madonna contributions

To debunk titles falsely reported in the media and on fan web sites.

• She's A Real Disco Queen A song written for Madonna by Patrick Hernandez producers Jean Claude Pellerin and Jean Van Lieu in France/Belgium circa 1979. Madonna did not actually record it.
• Lies In Your Eyes by I-Level 1984, completely not related to Madonna says Stephen Bray.
• Babylove, Madonna had no association with this 1986 Regina or 1992 Danni Minogue song says Stephen Bray.
• Babytalk by Alisha. Sounds like Madonna and her "Into the Groove" but they are not connected.
• Heart by the Pet Shop Boys. They wrote it for Madonna, but never sent it to her. They recorded it instead.
• Shanghai Surprise by George Harrison. There is no evidence that Madonna recorded a version of this song for the movie of the same name.
• Broken Arrow by Rod Stewart. Backing vocal was done by Patrick Leonard protégé Schasle, not Madonna.
• Queen Of Misery by Toy Matinee. Written by Patrick Leonard about Madonna, not for her.
• Crazy Train with Ozzy Osbourne, amateur DJ mix
• If Madonna Calls with Junior Vasquez, "Who's That Girl" imitation vocal is actually by Kelly Benevivue
• Fantasy by Race feat. Who's Dat Girl, A Junior Vasquez production. Not sure if Madonna samples are used for that eurobeat track released the same time with "Ray of Light".
• Never Seen Blue Turned out to be an obscure 1998 Myra Ellen Amos aka Tori Amos song. Not related to Madonna.
• Enjoy by Robert Miles with Kathy Sledge. Written for Madonna as a demo but not recorded by her.
• After The Storm Recorded by Craig Armstrong in 1997 with Marius De Vries. Both men are previous Madonna collaborators but this is not her song and she is not credited on it in anyway.
• Young Again probable confusion with "Never Young Again" by Mirwais Ahmadzai from his solo album "Production".
• Crave by Bjork. A collaboration with Guy Sigsworth. Again both are previous Madonna contributors but Madonna is not associated with this song.
• Jam For The Ladies by Moby. Madonna was the first choice for vocalist but due to schedule conflicts Moby gave the vocal to Angie Stone.
• Sunlight by DJ Sammy. Sounds like Madonna but it is not.
• Beyond The Ice A classic "Napster Fake File"
• Forbidden Fruit by Jessica Simpson. Falsely reported in the media that it was written by Madonna and Mirwais Ahmadzai from the "American Life" sessions. Credits state that it was written by Simpson, Fitzgerald and Nichols.
• Da Prayer The Australian rights society APRA lists Patrick Leonard as a co-writer of this song instead of Mirwais Ahmadzaion work# GW29753337 along with the members of Daft Punk. See This seems to indicate that this is only the old bootlegg mix of "Like A Prayer" combined with Daft Punk music which has gotten significant airplay in Europe and in dance clubs.