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.

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"

Not Leonardo Di Caprio in video it’s Felix Howard

Madonna truly added magic to that demo

That song is absolutely incredible. Gives me goose bumps every time I hear it.

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.

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

This is probably my favourite 80s Madonna song 🥰

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

Not John Mondino, Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who btw is french!

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".

This guy has mis-pronounced Cyndi Lauper name so many times I want to scream at him the correct pronounciation of her name!!

Well...his name is on the credits. Thanks for writing my fav Maddy song of all time

New artist???? She was huge by then.

No, he's not Leo Dicaprio. The actor is Felix Howard.

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

He sounded like he was making most of that story up lol

The young boy wasn’t Leonardo Di Caprio, it was Felix Howard. This guy isn’t telling the whole truth.

QUEEN OF POP

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

Love this song

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).

THIS MAN IS FAMOUS FOR LYING!!! DON'T BELEIVE A WORD HE SAYS.

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

The biography says that who recorded the "guide voice" first was Donna Delory and then Madonna recorded to the album.

Great song, but this guy's full of bull. Way too many inconsistencies and coincidences in his story.

Wow wow wow incredible story of an incredible 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

love Madonna

Madonna was already famous since her first album

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.

WOW!!

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.

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

Amo essa música!👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

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.

35 year anniversary today!

This song reminds me of my love life

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!

not long enough. 👑

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.

Went to school with the twins in the video, amazing dancers!!! Where are they now????

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

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?

Whats the name of the song behind the speaker?

What is that great song playing in the background?

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???????

So after the global blockbuster of Like A Virgin, Madonna was a new artist?? This guy’s full of it.

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.

with all due respect sir (cause this sond is one of my favorites) but the kid is not Di caprio its Felix Howard

Great song with a great story behind it! A making of 2 legends... thank you...

the kid in the "open your heart" video is Felix Howard, and not Leonardo DiCaprio.

It's not Leo(nardo) di Caprio it's Felix Howard

Not john mondino but Jean Baptiste mondino... And she knew him before open your heart realease...

This is his demo kzfaq.info/get/bejne/gsigpKylzKirlKM.html there are significant lyrical differences from the one that Madonna sang

Fucking Leonardo isn't in this video...

Actually the little boy was felix howard not leo

(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."

So what happened to the guy who crashed his car outside his house?

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.

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

that kid was leo deCaprio? ok im rewatching the video again (...and againx10)

Amazing story, love it, except for Di Caprio

The Venezuela singer Melissa Griffiths recorded this song in December of 1985: "Abre Tu Corazón" = "Open Your Heart". Before that Madonna!

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!

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.

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.

You're right some of this doesn't really match up he says Madonna was a new artist IN 86 ?....NO

Amazing story and so fascinating to hear the demo.....but geez.....he's not very likeable is he,kinda gave me the creeps!

What a fantastic story behind the song! Wow! Great job! An instant classic! 👍

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?

That demo was pure forgettable 80s schlock. Madonna and Patrick Leonard really made it into something special.

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??

the song is about this girl who is stalking this guy she is infatuated with.

Why let the truth get in the way of a good story......

The amount of misinformation/lies are staggering as others have pointed out.

Madonna was nowhere near being a "new artist" at that point. She had already taken over the world with Like a Virgin but okay. 😂

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.

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.

Sorry but YOUR INFORMACION IS WRONG😮

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

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.

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.

Bullshit..try blue was her 3rd album. Like a virgin was huge. She wasn't a new artist

Madonna is a ruthless person in a ruthless industry hear it time and time again

Ha ha, break into a studio and ...

Don't like how he says Lauper

Old Mate gets soooooo much incorrect.

Dude! This video should have more views! Did you get to meet madonna? How did the music video be developed and where did that billboard with light bulb tits above the strip club facade go?? By the way the address of that location is 1314 Court Street, LA. Finally, can we hear your entire original demo?

Cyndi LAOUper? Her name is Cyndi Lauper.

Some of the stuff he’s saying is not correct…

So many easily debunked lies and inaccuracies in this story. 🙄👎🏿

He must have bought one of the typewriters and started writing fiction.

Most of the facts are wrong

Why didn't they fact check him before posting this? I feel embarrassed for him and those responsible for posting this... yikes!!! 😬😬😬 cringe af

wow .. could he be any more dramatic? LOL

I'd take his 'stories' with a pinch of salt. like many have said here, his timeline for the release of the song is way off the mark! and the 'John Mondino' story?? he even want to take credit for the video! hahahaha!!!

Wow, this is a load of crap. Either this guy is flat out being dishonest or his memory is horrible.