MadonnaTribe meets Gardner Cole, co-writer with Peter Rafelson of one of Madonna's classics: "Open Your Heart". Gardner gives our readers an insight into the "True Blue" days as we learn many interesting tidbits on how the song came to life.

MadonnaTribe: Hello Gardner and welcome to MadonnaTribe. You began writing songs when you were very young. How did it all start for you?

Gardner Cole: I was a musician at a very young age (4 years old) but I didn't really seriously start composing until I was around 12 or 13. I honestly only started writing songs for girls that I was in love with.

MT: Legend says that when you submitted a demo of the song to Madonna she didn't accept it at first. You then asked your friend Donna Delory, to sing a new version of the demo, right? Can you tell us a bit more about that?

GC: Actually the truth is, I did submit a song that Madonna didn't accept but it was titled "Motor City Girl" and was a song that I co-wrote with songwriter David Bryant (Whitney Houston).
The lead singer of the group Chicago (Jason Scheff) sang the original demo of "Open Your Heart".

I was being managed by a man named Bennett Freed who was part of Madonna's management company (Weisner and Demann management), I went in to the offices on Sunset blvd and played the
song for Bennett, Freddy Demman overheard the song and thought it would be a hit for Madonna and he asked me to re-demo a female demo version. Donna Delory was my very first girlfriend in LA and I immediatelay asked her to sing the demo.
Later, I became friends with Patrick Leonard and when he was helping Madonna put together a tour I suggested they use Donna to dance and sing back-up and I gave him her contact info.

MT: Speaking about demos, apparently there's a song called "Dance" floating around on sharing programs by some unknown artist which is passed for the "Open your heart demo". From what we heard it has nothing to do with your song but some fans believe it can be genuine.

GC: No, It is definetly not the original demo.

MT: What did Madonna add to your original song and how was the original different from the final version we have on the True Blue album?

GC: Madonna changed some of the verse and B section lyrics. Patrick Leonard changed the groove and made it more uptempo, I think his production is superb!

MT: The song went on being a number one single in many countries around the world, was that a surprise to you? How did you react to that?

GC: I had a dream that I was driving in my car and Casey Kasem (the host of the weekly top 40 countdown show) was announcing the song as the number one song in America, on my birthday a year later I was driving to Malibu beach and Casey Kasem announced on the radio that "Open Your Heart was number 1! It was an incredibly joyous moment.

MT: The video that accompanied the song, by Mondino, made "Madonna history" by presenting her in the first ever bustier, that later became a sort of a trademark. What do you think about the video?

GC: I absolutely loved the video from the very first time I saw it. I knew it would become a classic.

MT: Did you ever think about recording your own version of the song?

GC: Yes actually. I have a version that I started to put together that is slower and more dreamy.

MT: You had the chance to work with so many artists, who is your favourite among them?

GC: I have loved working with so many of them it would be very hard to name one, so I will name a few.
Michael McDonald, Al Jarreau, Jody Watley, Peter Murphy and Amy Grant.

MT: You are a multitalented musician who works on projects from different mediums: Music, Television, Cinema and you're a successful recording artist in your own right. How do you adjust yourself to each one of these mediums.

GC: I always do the very best that I can in any given situation and hope for the best. Doing work in Film and TV is usually dictated by the Director, so I listen very intently to what their vision is and do my best to accomodate their wishes.

When I am producing a recording artist I try to envision where their next step should be in their growth as an artist.

MT: What are the main influences on the music you write?

GC: I grew up in the Detroit area and have been heavily influenced by the sound of Motown music.

MT: What are your future projects?

GC: I just finished a great new record on Robbie Nevil (C'est La Vie) called "Soul Classics" and I'm currently in the studio with an amazing new female artist named Breanna Vansickle.

MT: Gardner, thanks for sharing some of your time with us.