Songfacts®:

• Madonna wrote this with Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson. The song was produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard. Although a huge hit in the US, Madonna could only reach #16 in Australia with "Open Your Heart," breaking a run of nine consecutive Top 10 singles.
• Cole and Rafelson wrote this for Cyndi Lauper, but she never got to hear the demo. Madonna recorded it, altering some lyrics and adding a bassline which made it more of a dance track.
• A Spanish version of the song titled "Abre Tu Corazón" was recorded by Venezuelan rock singer Melissa, who released it in March 1986 on her Melissa III album, three months ahead of Madonna's release.
• There is an extended version of the song where Madonna adds a spoken part: "Well, are you gonna go out with me or not? What's the matter, you scared of me or something?"
• This was the opening song on Madonna's Who's That Girl tour in 1987. She also performed the song on her 1990 Blonde Ambition tour.
• Madonna was a big influence on Britney Spears, and in 2002 this song was used at the beginning of Spears' movie Crossroads, where she sings along to the song. >>>

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• The child actor Felix Howard, who is befriended by Madonna's exotic dancer in the video, later became a successful songwriter. Among the artists he has songwriting credits for are: Amy Winehouse ("You Sent Me Flying"), James Blunt ( "1973") and Sugababes ("Overload," "New Year," "Stronger").
• Madonna performed part of this song to celebrate the nuptials of 33 couples, who were married live at the Grammy Awards broadcast on January 26, 2014. After Macklemore & Ryan Lewis performed their equality anthem "Same Love," Queen Latifah presided over the marriage ceremony for the couples, who were in the audience. As the couples enjoyed their first moments of wedded bliss, Madonna appeared on stage to sing them off.
• This very nearly became a Temptations song, but when the R&B group heard that Madonna was recording it, they lost interest.
• The original song title "Follow Your Heart" was taken from the name of a health food restaurant local to Canoga Park, California.
• Based on the success of this song, co-writer Gardner Cole was signed to Warner Bros. Records, where he and Patrick Leonard became writing partners. One of their first songs was Jody Watley's "Most of All."
• In the music video, Madonna embodies silver screen sirens in their iconic roles. Her provocative look - a sexy black bustier and cropped black hair (a wig) - was inspired by Marlene Dietrich's Lola-Lola in The Blue Angel (1930) and Liza Minnelli's Sally Bowles in Cabaret (1972). She also strips off her gloves in the manner of Rita Hayworth's title character in Gilda (1946).
• Cory Monteith and Lea Michele performed this as a mash-up with Madonna's "Borderline" on the 2010 Glee episode "The Power of Madonna."