"Live to Tell" is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986), and also featured in the crime drama At Close Range, starring her then-husband Sean Penn. Originally composed as an instrumental by Patrick Leonard for the film Fire with Fire, the piece was rejected by Paramount, prompting Madonna to adapt it for At Close Range. She wrote the lyrics, added melodies and a bridge, and co-produced the track with Leonard. Lyrically, the pop ballad with torch influences explores themes of deceit, mistrust, and emotional trauma rooted in childhood.

Released on March 26, 1986, in the United States ahead of the film's premiere, "Live to Tell" also served as the lead single from True Blue. Internationally, it was issued on April 14. Upon release it was acclaimed by critics, with praise being given to Madonna's vocal performance. Retrospectively, "Live to Tell" has been widely cited as one of the singer's finest ballads. Commercially, it became her third number-one on the US Billboard Hot 100 and her first chart-topper on the Adult Contemporary chart, while also reaching the top of the charts in several countries, including Canada and Italy.

The accompanying music video shows the singer alone in a dark studio, intercut with scenes from At Close Range. Madonna has performed "Live to Tell" in four of her concert tours, most recently on the Celebration Tour (2023–2024). Its most controversial rendition occurred during 2006's Confessions Tour, in which Madonna sang suspended on a mirrored cross wearing a crown of thorns. The performance drew strong condemnation from religious leaders, who accused her of blasphemy; Madonna defended the segment, stating it was meant to highlight the plight of children suffering from AIDS in Africa. The song has since been covered by numerous artists and remains a staple in tribute compilations.

In mid-1985, after completing the Virgin Tour, Madonna began working with musician and producer Patrick Leonard, who had served as the tour's musical director. The two first collaborated on "Love Makes the World Go Round", which Madonna performed at the Live Aid benefit concert in July. Around this time, she married actor Sean Penn, whom she had met on the set of her "Material Girl" music video. Leonard, meanwhile, was aiming to transition into film scoring and composed an instrumental piece intended for Paramount's 1986 film Fire with Fire. However, the studio rejected the track, feeling it didn't fit the movie's tone.

Madonna, intrigued by the composition, offered to write lyrics for it and proposed using the song for At Close Range, a crime drama starring Penn. According to author Rikky Rooksby, she wrote the lyrics "on the spot", crafting a melody and bridge inspired by the film's themes of family secrets and emotional trauma. "Sometimes when I'm writing songs, I'm just channeling", she later said, adding that the lyrics reflected personal pain and yearning, whether autobiographical or fictional. After recording a demo, she played it for director James Foley and Penn, who responded positively.

Penn called Leonard —who at the time was working with Michael Jackson on Bad (1987)— and invited him to meet. When asked who would sing the song, since the lyrics had been written from a male perspective, Leonard insisted Madonna should perform it. He chose to use the demo vocals, feeling they captured a sense of naivety and emotional rawness that suited the piece. "It was so innocent and so shy. It's as naive, as raw as can be, and that's part of what gave ['Live to Tell'] all its charm", Leonard explained. Recording sessions for True Blue took place at Channel Recording Studios in Los Angeles, where the final version of "Live to Tell" was completed. The track became the second song Madonna and Leonard completed together after "Love Makes the World Go Round".

Musically, "Live to Tell" has been described as a dark, moody, and atmospheric pop ballad with influences of torch songs. According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Inc., it is composed in the key of F major, set in common time with a moderate tempo of 112 beats per minute. Madonna's vocals are characterized as throaty, spanning nearly one octave from F₃ to D₄. The lyrics have been noted for their vague yet foreboding tone, with interpretations ranging from emotional apocalypse to themes of deceit, mistrust, and childhood trauma. Critics and biographers, including Allen Metz, Carol Benson, Rikky Rooksby, and Boston.com's Scott Kearnan, have suggested the song alludes to carrying the weight of past secrets or abuse.

Madonna herself has offered multiple interpretations of the song's meaning. In earlier interviews, she explained that "Live to Tell" addresses resilience in the face of hardship, describing it as a reflection of her pain and yearning. In a 2009 Rolling Stone interview, she elaborated that while the song could relate to her own childhood or familial relationships, it was intentionally ambiguous —possibly inspired by an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel, a memory, or a combination of both. Musically, the track opens with bold drum beats, synthesizers, and ambient effects before Madonna begins singing, "I have a tale to tell/Sometimes it gets so hard to hide it well". The arrangement includes electric piano, dramatic synths, and subtle guitar strains. The refrain features the line "A man can tell a thousand lies/I've learned my lesson well/Hope I live to tell the secret I have learned", emphasizing the song's introspective tone.