Lyrics

(Watch out)

I see you on the street and you walk on by

You make me wanna hang my head down and cry

If you gave me half a chance you'd see

My desire burning inside of me

But you choose to look the other way

I've had to work much harder than this

For something I want

Don't try to resist me

Open your heart to me, baby

I hold the lock and you hold the key

Open your heart to me, darlin'

I'll give you love if you, you turn the key

I think that you're afraid to look in my eyes

Oh baby

You look a little sad boy, I wonder why

I follow you around but you can't see

You're too wrapped up in yourself to notice

So you choose to look the other way

Well, I've got something to say

Don't try to run

I can keep up with you

Nothing can stop me from trying

You've got to

Open your heart to me, baby

I hold the lock and you hold the key

Open your heart to me, darlin'

I'll give you love if you, you turn the key

Open your heart with the key

One is such a lonely number

Aah, aah, aah, aah

Open your heart

I'll make you love me

It's not that hard

If you just turn the key (watch out)

Don't try to run

I can keep up with you

Nothing can stop me from trying

You've got to

Open your heart to me, baby

I hold the lock and you hold the key

Open your heart to me, darlin'

I'll give you love if you, you turn the key

Open your heart with the key

Open your heart

I'll make you love me (come on baby)

It's not that hard

If you just turn the key (I'm gonna get to you)

Open your heart

I'll make you love me (come on baby)

It's not that hard

If you just turn the key (watch out, watch out, watch out)

Open your heart

I'll make you love me (come on baby)

It's not that hard

If you just turn the key (watch out, watch out, watch out)

Open your heart

I'll make you love me (I'm gonna get to you)

It's not that hard

If you just turn the key (come on baby)

Credits

Written by Madonna, Gardner Cole and Peter Rafelson

Produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard

Drums by Johnathan Moffett

Percussion by Paulinho da Costa

Guitar by David Williams

Keyboards by Patrick Leonard

Background vocals by Madonna

Album

True Blue

The Immaculate Collection

Celebration

Single

Originally this song was titled 'Follow Your Heart' and written for Cyndi Lauper. But Madonna used it instead, changing the lyrics and turning it into a dance song for the True Blue album. The fourth single of an album usually doesn't chart big, but this one did. It topped the charts in the US (her fifth #1) and in Japan, and got to #4 in the UK and Canada. It also topped the Hot Dance / Club Play in the US.

Video

For the video Madonna collaborated for the first time with photographer Jean-Baptiste Mondino, who would later also direct the fantastic videos for Justify My Love, Human Nature and Don't Tell Me. While the lyrics for Open Your Heart sound rather harmless, the video certainly wasn't. Dressed for the first time in one of Jean-Paul Gaultier's sexy corsets, Madonna plays an artist in a peep show. Outside, a little boy (Felix Howard) yearns to see his big idol. When Madonna comes out she's no longer the sexy vamp but rather a boyish friend. She kisses the boy awake and they dance away in the distance. While the scenes with the boy were completely innocent, some critics still moaned that Madonna was encouraging child abuse. At the 1987 MTV VMA the video was nominated for Best Female Video (won by Papa Don't Preach), Best Choreography, Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography and Best Editing, but didn't win any of them.

Tour

The Who's That Girl Tour started off with the young dancer Chris Finch, imitating the little boy in the Open Your Heart video (Felix Howard hadn't received a working licence for the tour). Then the other 2 dancers are introduced, before Madonna herself appears on stage. She's wearing the same black pointy corset as in the video. She first sings the song alone, then Chris Finch joins her again and dance together.

On the Blond Ambition Tour, Open Your Heart follows the opening number Express Yourself. This time there's not a young boy but a hunky dancer watching from a distance as his idol performs on a chair, dressed in another pointy corset.

The song has not been performed in its entirety since, but due to its theme similar to Frozen ('you hold the key'), it was used as a sample in that song on both Drowned World Tour and Sticky & Sweet Tour.