Like a Prayer (album)

src: i.ytimg.com

Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer Madonna. The album was released on March 21, 1989 by Sire Records, almost three years after his previous studies of True Blue. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and Prince on the album while co-writing and co-produced all the songs. As Madonna's most introspective release at the time, Like a Prayer has been described as a confession note. He described the album as a collection of songs "about my mother, my father, and ties with my family." The album is dedicated to Madonna's mother, who died when she was young.

The album uses live instrumentation and incorporates elements of dance, funk, gospel, and soul into a more common pop style. Madonna withdrew from her Catholic education, as seen in the album's title track and lead single "Like a Prayer". The lyrics relate to the themes of Madonna's childhood and adolescence, such as her mother's death in "Promise to Try", the importance of the family in "Keep It Together", and her relationship with her father in "Oh Father". Madonna also preached the empowerment of women in "Express Yourself". Like a Prayer received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone calling it "... as close to art as pop music appeared." Commercially, the album was internationally successful, reaching top of the charts in many areas. The album is certified platinum fourfold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America. Six singles were released from the album: "Like a Prayer", "Express Yourself", "Cherish", "Oh Father", "Dear Jessie", and "Keep It Together". "Like a Prayer" became number seven Madonna on Billboard Hot 100, while "Express Yourself" and "Cherish" peaked at number two and "Keep It Together" became a top 10 hit. Worldwide, the album has sold over 15 million copies.

With the accompanying music video, Madonna develops her creativity and is known as a prominent figure in the format. The music video for "Like a Prayer" is a lightning rod for religious controversy, using a Catholic iconography such as stigmata and burning crosses, and dreams of having sex with a saint, leading the Vatican to condemn the video and causing Pepsi to cancel Madonna's sponsorship contract. The music video for "Express Yourself" is the most expensive video when released. Like a Prayer precedes Madonna's Blond Ambition World Tour. In the late 1980s, after the release of Like a Prayer , Madonna was named "Decade Artist" by several publications.

Video Like a Prayer (album)

​​â € <â €

1988 was a quiet year ahead of recording for Madonna. After the lack of critical and commercial success of his 1987 movie Who's That Girl, he acted in Broadway Speed-the-Plow production. However, unfavorable reviews once again caused her discomfort. Her marriage to actor Sean Penn ended and the couple filed for divorce in January 1989. Madonna is also 30 years old, the age at which her mother has died, and thus the singer is experiencing emotional turmoil. He commented for the May 1989 edition of the Interview that his Catholic upbringing made him feel guilty all the time:

Because in Catholic you are a born sinner and you are a sinner all your life. No matter how you try to get away from it, sin is always within you all the time. It is this fear that haunts me; it mocks and makes me sad all the time. My music is probably the only annoyance I have.

He realizes that as he and his fans grow up, it's time he moved from teen appeal to a wider audience, and en-cash on the longevity of the album market. Feeling the need to try something different, Madonna wants her new album sound to show what can be popular in the music world. For the lyrical ideas of the title song, he chose a topic that until then was a private meditation never shared with the general public; he told the SongTalk magazine "In the past I wrote many songs that [revealed myself], but I felt they were too honest or too scary or too scary and I decided not to record it ". He decided to take a more mature and sophisticated approach; Considerably, he filtered out his personal journal and diary, and began to consider his options. She remembered, "What do I want to say? I want albums and songs to talk to things in my mind.This is a tricky time in my life." She has several things in her mind, including her troubled relationship with her husband, actor Sean Penn, her family, her lost mother, and even her belief in God.

Maps Like a Prayer (album)

Development

Like a Prayer is named after the Catholic influence on Madonna's early life and her struggle with religion; "The theme of Catholicism is rampant," he said. "I'm struggling with the mystery and magic that surrounds it.My own Catholic religion is constantly in turmoil." Recording sessions took place from September 1988 to January 1989. On January 27, 1989, a press release from The Albany Herald said that the album would include "a number of hot dance tracks" but noted, "much of the material [...] is a personal tone. "The singer described it as a collection of songs" about my mother, my father, and ties with my family. [...] It takes a lot of courage to do this ". He also said that it would be the "most different" work for now; "This is a real record for me emotionally, I have to do a lot of soul searching, and I think that is a reflection of it [...] I'm not trying to coat any candy, or make it better for mass consumption, I write what I feel ". He told Rolling Stone magazine "In the past, my notes tend to be a reflection of current influences." This album is more about the influence of the music of the past ". He chose to collaborate with Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard, with whom he collaborated on his previous studio album True Blue (1986) and the soundtrack of Who's That Girl (1987). Both Bray and Leonard wanted to bring their unique style to the project, and they developed a completely different music for the song title. Eventually, Madonna felt that the music presented to her by Leonard was more interesting, and she started working with him. According to the singer, Leonard also faces emotional turmoil; "I work with Pat, who is also in a very dark state of mind, and we work in a very remote place in the Valley". On January 6, 1989, after the filed of a divorce canceled in late 1987 and several fights published, one of which led to a sentence of 60 days in prison, Madonna and Sean Penn filed for divorce. This incident inspired the song "Till Death Do Us Part". The remaining songs are written within two weeks; with "Like a Prayer", "Cherish" and "Spanish Eyes" written the first week. According to Leonard, "we write a song a day, and we do not change it, and often the vocals that he does is the main vocalist, we do not even change the main vocals, that's all he is singing.

Recording artist Prince plays guitar on three songs from the album, "Like a Prayer", "Keep It Together", and "Act of Contrition", though he remains unpredictable. Prince and Madonna also work together on the track "Love Song". The song was recorded at Prince's Studio in Paisley Park; "We were friends and talked about cooperation, so I went to Minneapolis to write some things with him, but the only thing I really dug was 'Love Song' [...] We ended up writing it remotely, because I had to was in LA and he could not leave Minneapolis, and frankly I could not stand in Minneapolis When I went there it was like 20 degrees below zero, and it was really quiet.I was miserable and I could not write or work in such a situation, "Madonna recalled. For his artwork, the singer chose to work with photographer Herb Ritts. Initially, photos from sessions with Ritt will also be used for packing single leads. For shooting, she decided to color her brown blond hair; he commented, "I like blonde hair, but it's really something different for you, I feel more grounded when I have black hair, it's unexplainable, I also feel more Italian when my hair is dark". The cover art displays a close-up of the middle of the jean-dressed singers and bare belly. The cover has been viewed as a reference for Sticky Fingers by The Rolling Stones. Packaging on the first emphasis of CDs, cassettes, and LPs was given the smell of patchouli oil to simulate church incense. A publicist for Warner Bros. Records revealed this was the singer's idea; "He wants to create a sense of 60s and churches, he wants to create sensual feelings that you can hear and smell." Initial pressure also includes insertion with safe sex guides and warnings about the dangers of AIDS, which have lost Madonna's friends. This inclusion was decided after Warner Bros. agreed to release an album by stand-up comedian Sam Kinison the previous year, although he has stated that AIDS comes from gay men who are involved in bestiality. Madonna presents an album for "My mother, who taught me how to pray".

src: i.ytimg.com

Composition

According to Stephen Holden, the album is "filled with echoes of the '60s and early' 70s - from The Beatles, Simon & Garfunkel, and Sly and the Family Stone - all pumped with brash, if sometimes clutzy, flavors art of the 80s ". In Madonna's own words, the songs "stretch her search for faith with her mother's search". The opening song is "Like a Prayer", which is also the first song developed for this album. After Madonna conceptualized the way she interpreted her ideas with music, she wrote the song for about three hours. He described "Like a Prayer" as the song of a passionate young girl "so love to God that it was almost as if he were the male figure of his life." This is a pop rock song with elements of gospel music. The choir provides background vocals that enhance the spiritual nature of the song, and the rock guitar makes the music stay dark and mysterious. The second path, "Express Yourself", speaks of the rejection of material pleasures and accepts only the best for oneself; along the track, subtext is used. According to the singer, the song is a tribute to Sly & amp; Stone Family. The third song, "Love Song", is a duet with Prince recording artist. The song is co-written by Madonna and Prince and features a "signature disco guitar scratchy guitar break through Madonna's synths". Originally titled "State of Matrimony," the song Till Death Do Us Part "speaks of the cruel dissolution of Madonna's marriage, it is described as" an anxiously anxious ballad depicting a marriage wracked with liquor, violent arguments and selfish possession. hate the husband. "The next song," Promise to Try "speaks of Madonna's mother's death.In one part of the song, she specifically asks" Did she hear my voice at night when I called? Then an adult seems to admonish a child with lines, "Little girl, do not you forget her face/Do not let the memory play with your mind/She is a frosty smile that falls in time".

The sixth song, and the third single from Like a Prayer , is "Cherish". Built around the theme of love and relationship, with William Shakespeare Romeo and Juliet being one of the main inspirations, this song covers the lines of "Cherish" by the 1960s The Association band. The lyrics "Cherish" make it a simple love song, in which Madonna speaks of devotion and has her lover by her side, which she will never leave. Following "Respect" is "Dear Jessie"; according to Rikky Rooksby, the song sounds more like a child's bedtime song than a pop song. The lyrics encourage the little girl Jessie to use her imagination. It invokes psychedelic landscapes, where pink elephants roam with moon dancing and mermaids. It references fairy tale characters and creates images of children playing with each other. The core of the album's eight songs, "Oh Dad", speaks of the presence of male authoritative figures in the life of Madonna, whose most prominent father, Tony Ciccone. Writer J. Randy Taraborrelli stated that "Until the Death of Do Us Part", "Promise to Try" and "Oh Dad" are the songs in which Madonna tries to "rid himself of a certain private devil". Keep It Together lyrics talk about the realization of how important the Madonna family is as a form of stability in their lives. The last songs on Like a Prayer are "Spanish Eyes" and "Act of Contrition". "Spanish eyes" are said to have "faced the still-taboo AIDS problem". Carol Benson and Allen Metz, author of The Madonna Companion: Two Decades of Commentary, described this song as "a cross between Ben E. King's" Spanish Harlem "and something by Billy Joel". The last song, "Act of Contrition", featuring Madonna chanting the Catholic prayer, Act of Contrition, then, vowels worsened into a monologue in which Madonna grew with difficulty over rejected restaurant reservations.

src: www.iconic-music.com

Promotions

Madonna featured an energetic version of "Express Yourself" during the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. She started the show by stepping off the stairs, wearing striped and monocheled suits. Then he took off his coat to reveal his bustier, and together with his supporting singers Niki Haris and Donna De Lory, performed a routine dance called voguing. Ian Inglis, author of Popular Performance and Music: History, Places and Time notes that the importance of Madonna's performance history in the Video Music Awards is due to the place of television. Inglis explains that since Madonna's show was particularly striking as a high-production dance producer, provocative choreographer, she went on to highlight the 'TV' part of MTV, and by heralding herself and network as a cultural arbiter. In August 1989, to promote the release of Like a Prayer in Japan, Warner Music released an extended remixed play called Remixed Prayers, which included some remixes of "Like a Prayer" and " Express yourself ". The album was released exclusively in Japan until July 1993, when it was released in Australia to celebrate Madonna's first visit to the country as part of the Girlie Show World Tour. The EP reached number 24 on the Oricon weekly album chart and was present on the chart for five weeks.

Singles

The title song was released as the lead single on March 3, 1989. The song was recognized by critics, and was commercially successful. It became Madonna's seventh number on Billboard Hot 100 USA, and topped singles charts in Australia, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Sweden, England, and other countries. "Express Yourself" was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989. The song received positive reviews from critics, who praised the gender equality message of the song and praised the song as a hymn for freedom and encouragement for women. and all the oppressed minorities. Commercially, the song peaked at number two on Billboard Hot 100 and became the number one hit Madonna sixth on the Hot 100 Singles Europe chart. It also reached the top of the singles charts in Canada, Italy and Switzerland, and the top five elsewhere.

"Cherish" was released as the third single on August 1, 1989. Upon release, the song received positive feedback from reviewers, who were surprised by the changing content and lighter image of Madonna music, unlike the previous single from Like Like Prayer that include themes such as religion and sexuality. This is a commercial success, reaching the top ten charts in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Ireland, Italy, Great Britain and the combined European charts. On Billboard Hot 100, "Cherish" became 16th consecutive 16th single Madonna, setting a record in chart history. Released on 24 October 1989 as the fourth single, "Oh Father" received positive reviews from critics and writers, but was commercially less successful than previous singles in Madonna. In most of the countries where it was released, the song failed to reach the top ten position, except in Finland and Italy, where it peaked at number six. It ended the string of Madonna from the top 16 singles to five singles in the United States.

"Dear Jessie" was released as the fifth single from Like a Prayer on December 10, 1989. The release of "Dear Jessie" is limited to England, other European countries, Australia and Japan. Once released, "Dear Jessie" received mixed criticism from critics, who complained about the fantasy imaginations of the song, but complemented the composition. The track is moderately commercially successful, reaching the top 10 in the UK and Ireland and the top 20 in Germany, Spain, and Switzerland. "Keep It Together" was released on January 30, 1990 as the sixth and final single from Like a Prayer . The song received mixed criticism from critics but was commercially successful; reached number eight on Billboard Hot 100 and the Canadian charts, while topping the dance charts in the United States. In Australia reached the top of the charts along with the next release of Madonna, "Vogue".

Tour

Like a Prayer , in addition to the next album Madonna, I'm Breathless , was promoted on her third concert tour, Blond Ambition World Tour, which visited Asia, North America and Europe.. Originally planned as "Like a Prayer World Tour", it consists of 57 dates and is divided into five different sections; first inspired by the German expressionist film 1927 Metropolis , the second by the religious theme, the third by Dick Tracy and the cabaret, the fourth by Art Deco, and the fifth an encore. The show features sexual themes and Catholic images, such as "Like a Prayer" and "Oh Father" performances, housed in a church-like environment with Madonna wearing a cross and her backup dancers dressed like priests and nuns. including the "Cherish" show, featuring dancers dressed up like Mermen and Madonna playing the harp.The concert was criticized for its sexual content and religious imagery, in Toronto, Canada, Madonna was threatened with arrest for obscenity, and Pope John Paul II later called for a boycott, one of three canceled Italian dates, though this tour was a critical success, won the "Most Creative Stage Production" at the 1990 Pollstar Concert Industry Awards.One different shows were recorded and released on video Blond Ambition: Japan Tour 90 , recorded in Yokohama, Japan, on April 27, 1990, and Blond Ambition World Tour Live , recorded in Nice, France, on August 5, 1990.

src: piensoretroexisto.files.wordpress.com

Critical reception

Like Prayer received critical acclaim. Stephen Thomas Erlewine, of AllMusic, said in retrospect that it was "Madonna's most explicit attempt at major artistic statements", and that despite her attempts to be "serious", Madonna delivers many well-written pop songs, making her album "the best and most consistent ". In the New Rolling Stone Album Guide , Barry Walters writes that with more substantial songs that "cover topics like husband and wife abuse and family neglect", Like Prayer effectively increased Madonna's ante as a serious artist ". Annie Zaleski, from the entertainment website of The A.V. Club , praised the album for being "brave enough to investigate the problems of his parents", and called it "Madonna's truly substantial record, the dividing line between carefree club-kids days and adult voices and an ever-increasing theme marks the 90s of his work In Rolling Stone, reviewer JD Considine writes that Madonna's fame until that point has been built more on "image than art", but that with Like Prayer Q said, "The music is varied, unpredictable and far from instant access; lyrics, it's moving, smart and honest. "Edna Gundersen of USA Today wrote that the album was" Lyrically [...] a confession party, with the Catholic education of Madonna as the main dish. The songs are filled with religious nuances, spiritual arrangements and singing and host references to joy, faith, sin and strength. " NME critic David Quantick praises it as" a popular example of brilliant, wise, and fun. "

Jonathan Takiff of The Philadelphia Inquirer praised the album for being "serious and reflective, sometimes very laden with psychic trauma.You might consider Like a Prayer as [Madonna] 's < i> Misfits ... or the watch in the confession box ". Sal Cinquemani, of Slant Magazine, describes the album as "a collection of pop confection lined with direct instrumentation, sophisticated settings, powerful lyrics, and stronger and more convincing vocals." The review closes by stating Like a Prayer "one of the all-time classic pop albums Barry Walters of the San Francisco Examiner , naming the best and most consistent [[Madonna] collection...] album [where Madonna] crosses the line between craft and inspiration. From the beginning, he had an intuitive understanding of how to show good performances. Now he has the guts to show us what is inside. "Senior editor of The Cavalier Daily Chaz Repak, praised Madonna's" improved "song; his religious beliefs and his marriage to Sean Penn, is really well written. "However, he ends his review on a more critical note by saying:" Like a Prayer is Madonna's best work to date. But after working like "Material Girl", "Burning Up" and "Open Your Heart", it does not say much. "Negative criticism comes from Spin magazine." The reviewers of Christian Logan wrote: "On Like a Prayer your relationship with Madonna changes from song to song, and it makes you uncomfortable. It's like sitting on a table with a friend who tells too much about himself to people he does not know. "Joe Levy, from the same magazine, is also critical, writes that" there is not much old Madonna, grew up behind him: Regina, Debbie Gibson and Taylor Dayne, but highlighted "Keep It Together" as "the only great dance track on record." By the end of 1989, Like Prayer was chosen as the 18th best record of the year at Pazz & Jop, an annual poll of American critics published by The Village Voice .

src: c1.staticflickr.com

Commercial performance

In the United States, Like a Prayer debuted at number 11 on Billboard 200, in the April 8, 1989 edition. Quickly climbed to the top of the chart after the third week, remained for six consecutive weeks, making it Madonna's 1st longest album. This album spent a total of 77 weeks in the graph. The album also peaked at number 55 on the list of References ' s R & amp; B Album. It was eventually certified Multi Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for the delivery of three million units. After the advent of the Nielsen SoundScan era in 1991, the album sold 575,000 more copies. Like a Prayer has sold over 4 million copies in the United States. In Canada, the album debuted at number two on the RPM Albums Chart on May 1, 1989. It remained in that position for four weeks, before dropping to third place on May 29, 1989. The album was present for a total of 37 weeks on the chart, and was certified five times platinum by the Recording Industry Association of Canada (CRIA) for the delivery of 500,000 copies. In the United Kingdom, Like a Prayer debuted at number one on the UK Albums Charts, on April 1, 1989. It remained in this position for two weeks and a total of 72 weeks on the chart. The album was certified four times platinum on 1 February 1995 for the delivery of 1,200,000 copies. In France, the album debuted at number one on the French Album Chart on April 9, 1989, staying there for two weeks, then down the charts, having spent thirty-six weeks on it. In July 1989, it was certified Platinum by Syndicat National de l'ÃÆ' ions Phonographique (SNEP) for the delivery of 300,000 copies, and again in 2001, for the delivery of 600,000 copies.

In the Netherlands, i Like a Prayer entered MegaCharts at number four during the week of April 4, 1990. Finally reaching the top position, staying thirty-two weeks total on the chart. In Germany, Like a Prayer topped the Media Control album chart for a month, and was then certified there golden times by Bundesverband Musikindustrie (BVMI) for sending more than 750,000 copies. The album is commercially successful in Asia-Pacific countries. In Japan, Like a Prayer reached number one on the Oricon Album Ladder and remained on the chart for 22 weeks. At the 1990 Japan Gold Disc Awards organized by the Recording Industry Association of Japan (RIAJ), Madonna won three awards for Best Album of the Year - Pops Solo, Grand Prix of the Year, and Grand Prix Artist of the Year; the latter two being awarded for the best-selling international album and best-selling international artist of the year, respectively. It also became the sixth platinum album in Hong Kong, the most numerous for any international artist of the decade. In Australia, Like a Prayer debuted and peaked at number four on April 2, 1989. It was certified platinum fourfold by the Recording Industry Association of Australia (ARIA) for delivery of 280,000 copies. In New Zealand, the album peaked at number two and was certified double platinum by NZ Music Records. Like a Prayer has sold over 15 million copies worldwide.

src: albumartexchange.com

Legacy

Nicholas Fonseca feels that Like a Prayer marks the "official turning point" of Madonna's career, which makes her "long awaited, substantive dose of praise critical ". Mark Savage of the BBC noted that the album's release "marks the moment when first critics began to portray Madonna as an artist, not just a pop singer." Glen Levy of Time says: "Madonna has always been an enthusiastic student in pop culture history, and her creative power may have peaked in the late 1980s on the album Like A Prayer." Hadley Freeman of The Guardian is of the opinion that Like a Prayer shaped "how pop stars, pop music, music videos, love, sex, and 80s are and should be." Jon Pareles, of The New York Times, says that "[I Like a Prayer] is challenging to take on Christian language and imagery". According to the "All-TIME 100 Albums" list by Time magazine's critics, Like a Prayer is one of the 100 biggest and most influential music compilations since 1954. In 2003, Rolling Stone magazine named it the 239th greatest album of all time. In addition the album is also featured in the list of "Women Who Stone" made in 2012, at number 18. Like Prayer is also featured in the 1001 Album You Should List Before You Die . In 2006, the magazine Q placed the album at number 14 in the "40 Best Albums of the 80s" list. In 2005, a poll of half a million people on British Channel 4 television network placed Like a Prayer at number eight in the "100 Largest Album in Music History" list. In 2012, Slant Magazine listed the album at number 20 on the "Best Album of the 1980s" list, saying: "By the late 80s, Madonna has become one of the greatest pop stars of all time, but with Like Prayer, he became one of the most important ".

Taraborrelli writes that Like a Prayer is a turning point in Madonna's career; "Every important artist has at least one album in his career of critical and commercial success being the magical moment of the artist, for Madonna [...] Like a Prayer is. [Madonna] continues to advance as an artist, using his creative intelligence to communicate on another level, musically. "Kenneth G. Bielen, author of Lyrics of Civility: Biblical Images and Popular Music Lyrics in American Culture , writes that with the album Madonna began to be seen as a serious artist ; "Five years earlier, he was a dance-pop 'Boy-Toy' With a Like a Prayer, he proved that he is an artist who can think more with his body. Thomas Harrison in the book Music of the 1980s , documenting that Like a Prayer pushes the limits by discussing "uncomfortable song topics". Similarly, Annie Zaleski of The A.V. Club , praised the album for "starting a conversation about religion - which remains one of the most heated topics that musicians can overcome. [...] All of this refers to Madonna establishing herself as a serious artist (emphasis on" art ") which has important things to say". He also wrote:

Continue running album at No. 1 supports his confidence and courage, and proves that people are willing to follow him even as he transitions into adulthood. And even today, Like a Prayer remains provocative and progressive: The racial tension mentioned in the video "Like A Prayer" is striking, while the theme of religious and sexual suppression albums still feels too relevant. Madonna dictates the future direction of pop while also in control of her own wealth.

According to Christopher Rosa from VH1, " Like a Prayer is the first pop album that evokes what women artists are exploring today: sexuality, religion, gender equality and independence.These are pioneers, and no women in music is approaching doing something as a breakthrough. "He believes that the album is the culmination of his cultural and musical influences, saying that" Madonna changed from cheerful to a serious artist who received the first battle of universal praise. " Rosa also states that Like a Prayer will always be more influential than the "definitive" contemporary artist women's album, such as Blackout (2007), The Fame Monster (2009), and BeyoncÃÆ'Â © (2013). Madonna tried to experiment with different shapes and styles with video and in the process of building a series of new images and identities. With the release of Like a Prayer , Madonna's impacts peaked during the 1980s, and many publications have referred to him as an artist of the decade. LA Weekly ' Art Tavana argues that "Like a Prayer is a moment when Madonna changes from the voice of American teenagers to the rest of the world. Singer Taylor Swift explains that with the album Madonna made "the most incredible, bold, risky, decision as far as pop music goes," quoting the song title as "legitimate one of the greatest pop songs of all time."

According to Douglas Kellner, his album and single are very influential in the field of music videos. The video for the title song "Like a Prayer", which portrays Madonna as a witness to the murder of a white girl by white supremacy, a Catholic symbol like stigmata, the crusade of the Ku Klux Klan, and the dream of kissing black holy, is highly controversial and gained much attention. Jon Pareles writes that the video "organizes a mobile media circus, mobilizing only the issues of sexuality and religiosity that Madonna wants to raise". The Vatican condemned the video while critics accused him of being a mockery of 'heresy'. Madonna commented, "Art must be controversial, and it's all there is to it." Taraborrelli writes that his songs and videos also play a role in enhancing Madonna's reputation as "an ingenious businessman, someone who knows how to sell concepts." Stewart M. Hoover writes that music videos push the boundaries by "bringing traditional religious images into the context of popular music". Similarly, Daniel Welsh from The Huffington Post wrote that the video "threw Madonna into the heavy ranks of music videos, and proving to the world that she really means business." The music video for "Express Yourself" was also noted by critics for the exploitation of women's sexuality and came to the conclusion that Madonna's masculine image in the video was a reversal of gender; writer Santiago Fouz-HernÃÆ'¡ndez and Freya Jarman-Ivens commented that "the video depicts a deconstructive gender-related approach to the free game and self-reflection of images in postmodernism." Author John Semonche explains in his book Censoring sex that with True Blue and Like a Prayer , Madonna pushes out what envelope can be displayed on television, resulting in increase in popularity.

src: burningtheground.net

Track list

Note

• "Spanish Eyes" is titled "Pray for the Spaniards" on a particular edition of the album.
• In the album note "Existing Strength" (Madonna and Patrick Leonard) is credited as the producer of "Act of Contrition".

src: www.madonna-forums.com

Personnel

Credits are adapted from album liner notes.

Musician

Production and design

Diagram

Certification and sales

See also

• A list of achievements and milestones of Australian chart achievement
• List of best-selling albums in Brazil
• List Billboard 200 number one albums of 1989
• List of UK Albums Chart figures of the 1980s

Note

Bibliography

External links

• Like Prayer on Discogs (release list)
• Library Archives: Like Prayers in Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

Source of the article : Wikipedia