Gambler

"Gambler"
Single by Madonna
from the album Vision Quest (OST)
B-side	- "Nature of the Beach" (Black 'N Blue) - "Crazy For You" (Madonna) (BACK TO BACK HITS series, Usa)
Released	October 3, 1985 (Europe) October 21, 1985 (Japan)
Format	12", CD, 7"
Recorded	1984
Genre	Pop
Length	3:55
Label	Geffen, Warner Bros., CBS
Writer(s)	Madonna
Producer	John "Jellybean" Benitez
Certification	U.K. Silver
Madonna singles chronology
"Dress You Up" (1985) "Gambler" (1985) "Live to Tell" (1986)

	"Gambler"
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"Gambler" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was the second single released from the soundtrack album and motion picture, Vision Quest and was released on October 3, 1985 by Geffen Records.

Song information

It was not released in the United States but was in other parts of the world, notably in the United Kingdom, where it was a top 5 hit and was a commercial success. The single was the last to date of Madonna's commercially available songs whose songwriting was credited solely to Madonna until the release of "I'm Going To Tell You A Secret", which included the original version of "I Love New York", also written by Madonna alone. The majority of songs from her subsequent career have been co-written by Madonna and other artists.

As the song was recorded on the Geffen label, it was rumored in the music press that a commercial issuing of the single in the US was suppressed at the request of Madonna's Sire records management. It was feared that commercial availability of yet another single by Madonna would have been detrimental to the other singles from the "Like a Virgin" album and the already available, Geffen-distributed "Crazy for You", all of which were performing well in the Billboard charts. Whether the song could have been another US Top 5 hit for the singer in 1985 will remain unknown, though in some other markets "Gambler" was Madonna's sixth consecutive Top ten hit in the space of just eleven months. At one stage, this was one of four of Madonna's singles simultaneously in the Australian top 40, showing the singer's incredible international appeal at the time.

Madonna has only performed this song live once: on her 1985 The Virgin Tour.

Single releases

The UK 12" single (1985 Geffen Records UK #TA 6585) contained the Extended Dance Mix, Instrumental Remix and the song "Nature of the Beach" by Black n' Blue. The 7" single (Geffen 42005 - 1985) had the original version and "Nature of the Beach" by Black n' Blue. The song was released in October 1985 and peaked in the UK Singles Chart at #4 and has become Madonna's 21st best selling single in the UK.

"Gambler" remains the only one of Madonna's released solo singles never to have been made available on any of her albums. It also remains virtually unavailable on CD. The only releases which have the original track in digital formats are the "La Isla Bonita - Super Mix" Japanese release, the 40 cd-single collection box Japanese release, and the soundtrack to the 1985 motion picture Vision Quest, made commercially available on CD format in 1997. The Extended dance Mix and Instrumental version remain unreleased on any digital format, the only way to hear these alternative tracks is on the 12" vinyl single.

Music video

Madonna in the music video for "Gambler"

The video for "Gambler" is similar to "Crazy for You", with Madonna singing the song along with clips culled from the film Vision Quest. Madonna filmed her performance on November 22, 1983 at the Big Foot Tavern in Spokane, Washington.

• Director: Harold Becker
• Producers: Peter Guber, Jon Peters
• Director of Photography: Owen Roizman
• Editor: Maury Winetrobe
• Production Company: Geffen Pictures

Later in the year, another "Gambler" video was released from a live performance of The Virgin Tour.

Track listing

1. Album Version 3:55
2. Extended Dance Mix 5:34
3. Instrumental Remix 3:55
4. Video Edit 3:33

Charts

Credits

• Writer(s) Madonna
• Mastered by Greg Fulginiti
• John Kalodner : John Kalodner

References