playground playground song recorded american singer madonna theme film league starred madonna portrayed fictionalized account real life american girls professional baseball league madonna asked record song film soundtrack time busy recording fifth studio album producer worked ideas came playground days presented director team song released standalone single june available film soundtrack contractual obligations later added olympics inspired compilation album released summer song included madonna ballads compilation remember written produced madonna playground time worked live string arrangement madonna recorded song microphone instrumentation piano organ strings basic drum sounds final recording duo orchestra section tailor song playground starts keyboard introduction strings madonna singing expressive subdued vocals verse chorus merge having continuity song track ends abruptly lyrically discusses visiting childhood places letting past song received positive reviews critics noted essential addition madonna repertoire song earned singer nomination commercial success reaching charts billboard hot track madonna tenth chart topping single breaking tie female artist number singles time reached charts canada finland italy sweden reaching charts australia belgium france germany ireland netherlands norway spain switzerland united_kingdom song commercially successful madonna performed concert tours included greatest hits albums celebration background release madonna starred directed film league portrayed fictionalized account real life american girls professional baseball league columbia_records representatives presented music supervisor film script head music decided compose soundtrack film according marshall connected music community helped choose artists wanted work director wanted music songs performed contemporary artists catering period film timeline written opening song league madonna associated columbia wanted record song recalled early madonna character kept separated film song end decided concept shooting madonna busy recording sessions fifth studio album producer january march madonna worked demos album finally decided called madonna asked record song film singer completed working ballad rain madonna admitted material film explained marshall wanted ballad composed track night madonna ideas wanted incorporate interview guardian madonna described process assignment writing completely separate sessions took days write produce song final version submitted marshall team recalled immediately loved thought successful record knew right away perfect contractual reasons track included official league soundtrack instead included compilation released promote barcelona summer olympics playground officially released standalone single promote film june song later included ballad compilation album remember recording composition recording track new experience time worked live musicians arrangements took demo song added live drums piano strings strings written originally song chose composer music arrangement previously worked madonna soundtrack album madonna recorded song microphone melody played accompanied piano organ strings basic rim sound portable computer spent rest recording session working verses final structure playground completed day song finished madonna traveled oregon work film body evidence giving time finish songs duo met los_angeles complete orchestration song arrangement chosen adding final touches recording started madonna like orchestra parts wanted composition producer recalled madonna change arrangement right studio orchestra sitting getting paid taking space hours half hour course talking people didn know natural pressure stood near sang notes total recording finished hours minutes saving pay orchestra extra fees recording song memorial day madonna lead vocals improved final edits track finished playground features keyboard introduction followed strings song starts musically song set time signature common time slow tempo beats minute composed key minor madonna vocals ranging chords song follows basic sequence chord progression chords unexpected flow terms beginning ending moving momentarily major going previous sequence song lush romantic quality melody going different ranges peaks verse chorus flow making sound seamless madonna sings subdued expressive vocals aided strings background singers verse end singer voice double tracked produces little lyrically song talks madonna places childhood playground childhood dream evokes songwriting fourth studio album like prayer singer dilemma choosing past letting concluding difficult goodbye yesterday dream words track sudden ending orchestra backing vocal wishing line addressed madonna mother critical response release playground received acclaim music critics author madonna called track performance author book madonna described beautiful ballad similarly called madonna best ballads essay author wrote book complete guide song appropriate film nostalgic moment end showing characters grown reuniting museum opened titular league called madonna best recordings expressive single reviewing remember author wrote book music madonna song strangely sad nostalgic feel reminding memories commended madonna vocals calling song premier sound adding way sings captures melody heartbreaking finest ballads encyclopedia writer journalist noted book song rise charts aided honest delivery sense loneliness regret nostalgia friendship lost huffington_post placed number list definitive ranking madonna singles wrote surprising heartfelt ballad release justify love crowns madonna wear similarly allmusic called quiet predecessor notorious album believed single version song worth collecting released version united_states sal_cinquemani slant_magazine called singer soundtrack gems writing news called song lovely change pace number madonna placed playground number list greatest madonna songs wrote theme madonna best movie nostalgic sweet gave major hit utilized qualities voice called singer alternative tunes romantic touching ballad blade called exquisite ballad review compilation daily gazette wrote madonna single playground medal winner song nominated award best original song lost new world won accolades awards categories performed songs performed pop song chart performance united_states playground debuted billboard hot chart number week july debut aided airplay points enabled enter hot airplay chart number song received immediate heavy rotation radio stations like hot new_york wild san_francisco week later song jumped number hot having largest sales airplay points record chart august song reached chart week madonna tenth number single breaking tie female artist number singles time song replaced baby got sir number hot airplay charts according billboard song edged baby got small margin chart points song spent total weeks chart ranked number hot year end chart playground reached peak positions number hot airplay number charts september certified gold recording_industry_association_of_america riaa shipments copies billboard ranked number list madonna biggest hits hot canada song debuted number rpm singles chart july seven weeks reached chart present total weeks reached number rpm adult contemporary chart united_kingdom song debuted number singles chart reached peak number week august present total weeks certified silver british_phonographic_industry bpi september shipments copies single sold copies october song achieved great success europe hitting number countries including italy finland sweden charting countries resulted song achieving peak number european hot singles chart australia song reached peak number received gold certification australian_recording_industry_association aria shipment copies music video accompanying music video directed filmed june hollywood california premiered mtv june day release league video shows man viewing photo album madonna sings different settings pictures scenes league appear album song instrumental break video ends man having reached end album backwards previous pages video commercially released bonus feature disc special edition dvd league according unlike music videos related film soundtracks playground emphasis having shots film video instead madonna chose theme simple images portray notes end man looking madonna lays head sealing video perfect bit sadness madonna video compared video single released years playground george video appears pages photo album performing song george stated autobiography furious watching madonna video renamed video track listing vinyl cassette single japanese single playground single version playground long version european vinyl single playground single version playground instrumental version playground long version credits personnel madonna songwriter producer vocals songwriter producer programming string arrangement programming engineer mixing designer credits adapted liner notes remember single release playground charts certifications
This Used to Be My Playground