When Madonna stepped onto the stage during The Virgin Tour in 1985 to perform “Over and Over,” she wasn’t just delivering another pop song from her Like a Virgin album—she was planting the flag of her rising stardom with fearless conviction. The performance of this underappreciated track became one of the tour’s most emotionally and thematically resonant moments, showcasing Madonna’s raw ambition, defiance, and her iron-willed resolve to dominate the music world.
A Song That Speaks Volumes
“Over and Over,” a track nestled midway through Like a Virgin, often gets overshadowed by the album’s more iconic singles like “Material Girl” and “Like a Virgin.” But this song, written by Madonna herself, is a rallying cry of perseverance and tenacity. With its pulsating synths and relentless beat, it reflects the very spirit that would come to define Madonna’s entire career.
Lyrically, the song is all about resilience: “Hurry up, I just can’t wait / I gotta do it now, I can’t be late.” Madonna sings about falling down and rising again—“over and over”—with an urgency and defiance that borders on prophetic. It’s a reflection of an artist who had heard the criticism, endured rejection, and was responding with the steely confidence of someone who refused to be ignored.
The Virgin Tour: Madonna’s First Statement
The Virgin Tour, which ran from April to June 1985, marked Madonna’s first-ever concert tour. It was launched in support of her first two albums, Madonna (1983) and Like a Virgin (1984). The tour was a cultural event as much as it was a concert series, especially in North America, where Madonna was becoming an icon to a generation of teenagers—and a lightning rod for controversy to more conservative audiences.
The tour’s aesthetic was an extension of Madonna’s DIY, streetwise fashion sense: crucifixes, lace gloves, layered necklaces, tousled hair with bows, and that trademark pout. But underneath the stylized presentation was a performer with uncanny stage instincts and the drive to redefine what a female pop star could be.
The “Over and Over” Performance: A Highlight of Defiance
Though not a single, Madonna’s choice to include “Over and Over” in her setlist was significant. When she performed it live, it became more than just a mid-show track—it turned into a moment of catharsis and confrontation.
Unlike the flirtatiousness of “Material Girl” or the romantic yearning of “Crazy for You,” “Over and Over” saw Madonna standing tall in front of a skeptical world. Wearing a black leather bustier, layered skirts, and her signature fingerless gloves, she stomped across the stage with a fierceness that was less about choreography and more about attitude.
The performance was stripped of gimmickry—it relied on Madonna’s electric energy and the song’s propulsive rhythm. With each repetition of the chorus, the message hit harder: she wasn’t going away. She would keep coming back, no matter how many times the media, critics, or industry doubters tried to write her off.
A Mirror of Her Career
Looking back, “Over and Over” seems like a manifesto that Madonna would live out in the decades to come. Time and again, she reinvented herself, rebounded from criticism, and kept pushing cultural boundaries. From Like a Prayer to Erotica, Ray of Light to Confessions on a Dance Floor, Madonna has fallen and risen more times than most artists can dream of.
This is why the performance of “Over and Over” on The Virgin Tour matters. It wasn’t just a concert number—it was a mission statement. For fans who saw it live or watched the Madonna Live: The Virgin Tour concert video, the moment left an indelible impression. Here was a young woman who knew exactly who she was and who she was going to become.
The Legacy of the Moment
While the song itself never reached the charts, its live rendition helped cement its place in Madonna’s legacy. Hardcore fans often cite it as one of her most underrated performances—a raw, unfiltered display of her early ambition. It’s a reminder that behind the provocateur, the fashion icon, and the pop queen, is a relentless fighter who once sang a simple truth: “I get up again, over and over.”
Today, as Madonna continues to tour and perform well into her 60s, the spirit of “Over and Over” still pulses through her veins. Whether she’s battling ageist headlines or pushing creative limits, the same message holds: she won’t be stopped. That moment in 1985, under the stage lights of The Virgin Tour, was just the beginning—and she’s been getting up, over and over, ever since.
