Like a Prayer

Infobox Album |
Name = Like a Prayer
Type = Album
Artist = Madonna


Released = March 21, 1989
Recorded = 1988
Genre = Pop, Pop rock
Length = 50:57
Label = Sire, Warner Bros.
Producer = Madonna, Patrick Leonard, Stephen Bray, Prince
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|5|5 [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:cl548qntbtx4 link]
*Robert Christgau (B+) [http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?name=madonna link]
*"Rolling Stone" Rating|5|5 [http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/madonna/albums/album/185201/review/6383847/like_a_prayer link]
*Slant Magazine Rating|5|5 [http://www.slantmagazine.com/music/music_review.asp?ID=351 link] |
Last album = "You Can Dance" (1987)
This album = "Like a Prayer" (1989)
Next album = "I'm Breathless" (1990)
Misc = Singles
Name = Like a Prayer
Type = Studio
single 1 = Like a Prayer
single 1 date = February 28, 1989 (U.S.) March 6, 1989 (U.K./Europe)
single 2 = Express Yourself
single 2 date = May 9, 1989
single 3 = Cherish
single 3 date = August 1, 1989
single 4 = Oh Father
single 4 date = October 24, 1989 (U.S./Australia/Japan) December 26, 1995 (U.K. re-issue)
single 5 = Dear Jessie
single 5 date = December 2, 1989 (U.K./Europe/Australia only)
single 6 = Keep It Together
single 6 date = January 30, 1990 (U.S./Australia/Japan)

"Like a Prayer" is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989 by Sire Records. The RIAA certified it Gold, Platinum & Double Platinum on May 23rd 1989 & Quadruple Platinum on July 16th 1997 [http://www.riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS] , recognizing four million shipments in the U.S. - making it her seventh best-selling album there. Worldwide, it has sold more than eleven million copies. [ [http://madonna.com/music/?v=&a=1&id=4 "Like a Prayer" worldwide sales] Madonna's official website. Retrieved August 4, 2008.]

Album history

"Like a Prayer" was considered to be Madonna's most accomplished artistic statement at the time, incorporating rock, dance, pop, soul, and funk elements into the album. "Rolling Stone" magazine hailed it "as close to art as pop music gets"cite web|url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/madonna/albums/album/185201/review/5940859/like_a_prayer|title="Like A Prayer" review"|accessdate =2007-01-21|last=Considine|first=J.D.|date=1989-04-06|publisher=Rolling Stone] . It was recorded in 1988 with collaborators Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray, and also includes a duet with R&B pop singer Prince. It featured the first of several songs throughout her career in which she talked openly about her mother's death, "Promise to Try"; Madonna even dedicated the album to "my mother who taught me to pray." She also addresses the end of her marriage to actor Sean Penn in the song "Till Death Do Us Part."

Before the commercial release of the first single and title track, Pepsi decided to use the song as part of their soft drink commercial featuring Madonna. In addition to this, the company had also struck a deal to sponsor her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour. The commercial was aired twice before the release of the music video on MTV. Pepsi had no idea about the controversial content depicted in the video; Madonna witnesses a murder, kisses a black saint, displays stigmata after cutting her palms on a knife, and dances in a field of burning crosses. Religious groups were furious and threatened to boycott Pepsi. They decided the risk was too great, and they canceled their ad campaign and sponsorship deal, although Madonna got to keep the $5 million in her contract. [ [http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id135.htm http://eightiesclub.tripod.com/id135.htm] "Eightiesclub.com" ]

Due to the high publicity surrounding the controversy, the single soared to number one on the "Billboard" Hot 100 chart in the USA. The album debuted at number eleven, and within three weeks, shot to number one, where it would stay for over a month. Singles "Express Yourself" and "Cherish" both made it to number two. "Oh Father" was her least successful single since 1984, but still became a top twenty hit, peaking at number twenty. "Keep It Together" reached number eight on the charts, and "Dear Jessie" was also a hit single in Europe, and had an animated video.

According to a list released by "Time" magazine on November 13, 2006, "Like a Prayer" is one of the 100 greatest albums of all time.

Track listing

Album credits

Personnel

*Julia Tesan - synthesizer, vocals, background vocals
*Nadirah Ali - background vocals
*Rose Banks - background vocals
*Reverend Dave Boruff - brass
*Stephen Bray - synthesizer
*Luis Conte - percussion
*Larry Corbett - cello
*Andraé Crouch - chorus
*Sandra Crouch - tambourine
*Paulinho Da Costa - percussion
*Donna DeLory - background vocals
*Lynne Fiddmont - background vocals
*Chuck Findley - brass
*Bruce Gairsch - guitar
*Niki Haris - background vocals
*Dann Huff - guitar
*Dick Hyde - brass
*Randy "The Emperor" Jackson - bass
*Chester Kamen - guitar
*Geary Lanier - clavinet
*Patrick Leonard - synthesizer, piano, Hammond organ, clavinet
*Marcos Loya - guitar, background vocals
*Steve Madaio - brass
*Marilyn Martin - background vocals
*Joseph Mayer - french horn
*Jonathan Moffett - drums
*Jeff Porcaro - drums
*Joe Porcaro - marimba
*Guy Pratt - bass
*John 'JR' Robinson - drums
*Richard Todd - French horn
*David Williams - guitar
*Jai Winding - synthesizer

Production

*Produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
*Produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray ("Express Yourself" and "Keep It Together")
*Produced by Madonna and Prince ("Love Song")
*Mixed and Engineered by Bill Bottrell
*Horns arranged by Chuck Findley
*Strings Arranged and Conducted by Bill Meyers
*Concertmaster: Susie Katayama

References

External links

*MusicBrainz release|id=c611aa09-a713-47c3-a4a3-896c6902341e|name=Like a Prayer