In my opinion, probably Madonna's best song. It is so musically rich, and I love the lyrics. And Madonna in her lower vocal range? It makes my spine tingle...

Almost 40 years later.. and I’m definitely not the only one still thinks this Madonna’s best song.. next level masterpiece

Will never get tired of this song, It's a masterpiece.

Why was Live To Tell not nominated for an Oscar for Best Song in a motion picture? It still remains a classic...

My favourite madonna song, but again I feel Madonna's input as lyricist, producer and singer is skirted over. It's her magic touch that makes these songs iconic and people just ignore that fact.

Madonna's best song. Without a doubt. 1986 was a great year.

Till this day, still Madonna's best song

Definitely one of Madonna's best songs.

Part of the genius of Madonna is that she trusts her instincts and doesn’t listen to people who would tell her, you can’t do that, it will ruin you. She knew herself and knew what was going to work and she stuck to her conviction. She hasn’t always been right, but 90% of the time she has been, and considering she often did the unexpected and the more risky choices, that’s pretty powerful

Patrick Leonard is so right about how risky it was BACK THEN for a succesful singer to take such a DRASTIC turn in music style. I remember listening to 'Live to Tell' for first time and thinking: "I can't believe this is Madonna...... Why is she doing this?" She had just had such MASSIVE SUCCESS with the Pop / Dance songs of her previous Album and people were still craving more of that and then BANG!!!! She completely changed her look, her style and her sound. Thanks to her in particular, the new generation of artists are naturally more experimental than old shcool artists, however none of them are as DARING and BOLD as MADONNA when it comes to embracing new genres of music. Even now in 2019 she is still the MOST GENRE FLUID arstist there is. Just listen to Madame X and you'll see.

Patrick Leonard, criminally underrated composer.

This is not only Madonna's best song, this probably ranks as my favorite song of all time by any artist. The emotion conveyed in the unique Dm progression alone stands on its own as a masterpiece, but the lyrical composition delicately emerging from it sets this song apart from every other. I can only dream of writing a song this powerful at the moment, but who knows?

She sang this in her Celebration Tour (I just saw back to back nights in Toronto!) and used it to set the most stunning memorial of all her friends and colleagues who died of AIDS... absolutely breathtaking and so emotional. Screens dropped from the ceiling with their photos and names... still haunting me today.

First time I heard this was on a TWA flight from San Francisco to Boston in 1990. We were flying over the Rockies and the sun was setting. This music complimented the unique, vast USA landscape. Whenever I hear it, I'm transported back to that time

This song, in my opinion, is the best song Madonna has ever recorded. I also think it is one of the ten best pop songs of all time. The synth intro is HUGE. It still lingers in my head after all these years. I play this song a lot and it is in all my playlists. Can’t say too much more about it. It is one of my favorite songs, though when it came out, I was listening to Iron Maiden and Metallica.

I think it's one of the greatest songs ever written

Such a beautiful song and amazing artists (Madonna and Leonard are a great combination).

its one of the best songs ever sung and written i would say her best work ever.... it denied the 80s perfect for its time perfect to this day.. MASTERPIECE by far

One aspect I love about this story is to never give up and keep persevering. He got fired and he could have turned to self pity/depression etc..But instead something much greater was waiting for him. It may not happen the same day, like this story; but keep on fighting for your cause!

One of Madonna's best songs. Love it!

One of the my favorite songs of all time, and that is saying a lot. I will never, ever not hear this song and listen to it all the way thru.

That movie is good But "Live to tell " it's beyond it, It's one of the greatest songs ever made.

Patrick leonard is a fantastic songwriter. And together with Stephen Bray and Of course Madonna, they were one helluva team.

Unforgettable masterpiece timeless song

She has one of the best "noses" in the whole industry, be it stylists (Jean Paul Gaultier) or producers (William Orbit). Live to Tell is something others would probably not care for, but she saw the story behind it and it came true. Now one of my personal favourites in her catalogue, it feels like a very emotional testimony which stays with you afterwards.

I love his authenticity as an artist. ❤️

beautiful song, beautiful movie.

My sisters loved Madonna, so I kind of absorbed all of her songs, and now there's so much nostalgia tied to them connecting me with that time when I was a little kid.

The music is so emotional, wonderful chords and love the 80's production

Truly one of the best written songs ever!

One of the handful of Motion Picture songs that should have been nominated for an Oscar. Live to Tell This Used to be my Playground I’ll Remember And she was absolutely robbed by not getting a performance Oscar for Sooner or Later and You Must Love Me. I’d be salty.

My personal favorite Madonna song. I was a kid in the 80’s and she was huge and although I liked a couple of her songs but this one stood out for me.

Possibly the best music and lyrics from possibly the best song from the best era in my life 💚👍

I love how he opens with, "I was trying to get into scoring films at the time." Then he immediately goes on to write one of the most memorable background tracks for a movie ever. Not too shabby! To this day, I remember the hauntingly beautiful soundtrack to At Close Range far more than the movie itself. And the single is by far my favorite Madonna track.

Amazing how the record company could not tell that this was a hit its so obvious one of madonnas best for sure.

Patrick Leonard your music is so beautiful!!! I am a huge fan!!

Wow, they thought it was OVER for her after this amazingly powerful song? Really? This has to be my favorite song ever! Period.

Patrick Leonard deserves more respect. It's a shame that his band Trillion never hit big, but their 1980 album Clear Approach has some good stuff on it, and hinted at what they might have done on later albums.

its so beautiful. Madonna's at her best when she's with Pat & Steve Bray. for me, its True Blue that is her best album. i know its not everyone's, but as a young dance student the diversity of all those songs is just a gift. love Madonna. 💯👑🙏❤️👋👋

One of the best songs of the 80s. Madonna and Leonard were one of the best songwriting teams of the modern popular music era.

this song is my favorite song out of all of her songs. and every time she doesn't live she brings out the drama. you should be proud it is truly a magnificent work of art.❤

This song. I'd never paid much attention to Madonna's version in the 80's, but in 2009 or so I stumbled onto a video of Patrick Leonard performing it on solo piano and I was absolutely floored. It was like something took took hold of my gut and wouldn't let go. I must have watched it 100 times over the course of a few days, and I still revisit it pretty frequently. It's eerie and melancholic and so emotionally charged that it often reduces me to tears if I'm in a low mood. It's basically perfect and makes me feel like I'll never write anything as good. It was really cool to hear him tell the back story today. Thanks for this.

What a humble lad Highly underrated song of hers Beautfiul work, Patrick 👌

The melody that he said she came up with happens to be my favorite part of the song. I'd even say it's the heart of the song.

In 1985, I would have given my right arm to have someone say to me: “Madonna’s on the phone...”

This and take a bow and power of goodbye are my top 3 ❤

Yes! I'm fascinated with Madonna's key players and writers in the mid 80's. What a lineup.

"Live to Tell" allowed Madonna to show her more theatrical and dramatic side; she was mostly known for girlish and youthful up-tempo dance songs before that record. That's what helped catch so many ears, as it was something different for her. I saw the movie with Sean Penn, but I couldn't get into it, but then there was this majestic SONG that I fell in love with right away. It still sounds awesome. Next to "Vogue" I think it is just about her best single.

For those who haven't seen "At Close Range" - really worth watching. The lyrics of "Live to Tell" make much more sense if you've seen it. They basically tell the story of the film.

Patrick Leonard spend that day (and presumably many others) between working with Michael Jackson and Madonna in the 80's when they both were in their peak. How fortunate and talented had to be this guy for the 2 top pop royalties of all time to bounce him between them contributing to 2 of the best albums that came out in the whole 80's decade. Amazing time.

The song is so beautiful

what a fascinating story I love when things like this just come together musical magic. And one of my favorite Madonna songs and yes, she can to sing!

Synths on this album are incredible. Pads/Bells especially

I think it's been proven with time that record company executives didn't know crap about what people could like. They just plain would get lucky. Madonna was the true master of knowing what worked.

Best Madonna song, great movie.

This IS the best song which came out for Madonna, the nostalgic factor of this song was instand and I can even when I was 11 years old back then taste the time, taste the things happening back then.

To be fair, Madonna grew into her voice: she started with that Minnie Mouse sound, but started to show vocal maturity by the late 80's. She reached a whole new level of singing when she was preparing to film "Evita", and that's because she was taking voice lessons. She owes a lot to her songwriters/producers in the 80's/90's, especially Patrick Leonard: his ballads and easy grooves are what gave her singing voice a backbone, an elegance beyond her age. His producing expertise is partially what saved her from being a mere flash in the pan.

The fact that this song almost never happened is wild. One of my favorite songs from the 80s.

I'm glad we are still alive to tell that this song is a masterpiece! A fan from Colombia South America!

She's got sooo much material that wasn't released. "Like a flower" for instance. That could've been a massive ballad smash 😘😘

Patrick, thank you very very much for such a lovely and cherished song. I really thank you and Madonna.

this song blows me away... never been a madonna fan... but seeing the movie when the movie came out just did me IN....

This one is THAT ONE SONG to me! Thank you Patrick and Madonna! (and Sean)

This guy has a very, very special way with melodies

Everytime i see Pat sit at the piano and play those hauntingly beautiful first intro chords i get chills every time....

Madonna stuck to her instincts in spite of the record company’s opposition and she was right (as usual) probably her best song ❤

One of the most beautiful ballads ever released was recorded in one take

Somebody clone this guy. He really deserves a medal. PURE GENIUS

Why dont we hear more about these legends. The artists would be literally nothing without them.

Live to Tell has got to be one of the greatest songs of all time. Every thing about it, every element is beautiful, artistic, resonating, crafted, perfect...(I can go on forever). It should've been nominated for an Academy Award and won! But the critics then were snobs and hacks to acknowledge or appreciate it.

I was a Headbanger metal freak then started to sing and then I started liking music like this amazing talent

So much depth and atmosphere..

Patrick did Madonnas best songs

It is scary how moving this track is.

This song is one of the saddest, beautiful..songs ever..it's covered by so many...Good Stuff Pal...I listen to it once a month.

Madonna in a warmer, lower register are some of my favourites from her, this and Take a bow really showed off her range. So glad she choose to sing this

This song is one of Madonna's fn best songs!!Love this song!!

in the beginning of the movie, that score is the best!

BEST SONG EVER.

It’s a beautiful song and Madonna’s voice on this is golden. I had a dream about this song so I’m here 😳

It's the authenticity of the song, and, Madonnas delivery that sell this song as a minor masterpiece.

The song that made the 80's come to a standstill!

Loved it when artists sang melodies. Great song.

Amazing song !!!!! Such talent

Will always be my fave Madonna song, hands down.

Hands down her peak musically was this song. Heads and shoulders above anything else she’s done.

This is my favorite Madonna song

One of her best ballads - Shame she doesn’t sing it on stage anymore

😓this is the most amazing song & video & no matter what it could make you cry with in a second i remember being thirteen& watching the video & going ,whoaaaaa,this is a very good touchy song,the other part is if it came on in a store or mall or someone playing it out loud it would give that huge nostalgic feeling & still does to this very day. huge 👏#congrats to both @patrickleonard& @madonna

This channel is pure gold!

Wonderful Patrick... so supremely talented. Madonna's Live to tell's one of the bests songs ever made!

I wish someone would release the complete score to the film. Best use of variations on a theme I've ever heard in 1 movie.

Patrick Leonard what an amazing songwriter

Watching in 2024 from Oak Cliff, TX ❤

you should be proud; it is a genuinely beautiful song.

That's so cool how this song came about. Seems like this song was meant to happen in so many different ways

This is her best song in my opinion

I've always wondered how this song came together for the film.... huge fan of At Close Range.. and how the music was used throughout as a score.. now it all makes sense.

April 2020 - This is awesome what you are doing Top 2000 a gogo. Thank you 4 this much appreciated and sharing.

That was great! Especially since we all lived it.