Billy Steinberg
Billy Steinberg wrote "Like a Virgin" from his own heartbreak after ending a difficult relationship. He wrote it from a male perspective. Madonna transformed it by changing one word. He brought the concept of "I Touch Myself" to Chrissy Amphlett at a small cafe in Hollywood, telling her exactly what the song was going to be about. Both songs were written from the inside out: real personal experience handed to another artist who could carry it further than the person who originally felt it. Steinberg also wrote "True Colors" for Cyndi Lauper and "Eternal Flame" for the Bangles.
We have published deep dives into both songs, tracing each from Steinberg's initial concept to the moment it left his hands and became something else entirely.
Deep Dives
