114: Sparks - Interior Design (1988) - Madonna

Interior Design ends with “Madonna” — and if the album has often felt more sincere and polished than expected, this is Sparks snapping back into full storytelling mode.

Built around a spoken-word encounter with the most famous pop star on earth, the song is funny, strange, and oddly poignant. It imagines Sparks brushing up against the kind of fame that had largely passed them by in the late 80s — a fantasy limousine ride with someone who had the champagne they never quite received.

We also take stock of the album as a whole: far stronger, more consistent, and more carefully crafted than its reputation suggests. Interior Design may not have the obvious mountain-top classics of some Sparks albums, but it has very few weak spots — and “Madonna” is a perfect, bittersweet closing joke.