MADONNA, “LIKE A PRAYER” (1989): VINTAGE DISCS

Beyond the Controversy, the Masterpiece That Defined Madonna’s Singular Vision

Photo: Apple Music

(Updated from an article originally posted on tripmuze.com on December 23, 2019)

Madonna’s hottest topic in 2019 was definitely Madame X Tour, her first-ever all-theater tour since her debut in 1982, but this year also marks the 30th anniversary of Like a Prayer, her 4th studio album after the huge success of the True Blue album that sold 7 million copies in the U.S. alone and 25 million copies worldwide. Probably Like a Prayer was one of the most memorable albums for Madonna herself. She cited two pages about the iconic album in the middle of the Madame X Tour program. She sang the title track at the concert in New York City while she cut off a lot of her hit songs not related to Madame X’s theme (though “Like a Prayer” was definitely necessary for the Madame X concert). The last song of her Super Bowl halftime show in 2012, which attracted millions of viewers worldwide with her beautiful voice and performance, was “Like a Prayer”. While Like a Prayer album achieved another big success with more than 4 million copies sold in the U.S. and 15 million copies worldwide, I am sure Madonna’s special feeling toward the album is more than the success.

I personally like Like a Prayer album a lot, too. That is my second most favorite Madonna album (the best is Ray of Light). I was a high school student when the album was released. My classmates and I bought the album and listened to it together. We applauded Madonna’s further evolution from True Blue.

Rapid creative evolution was what Madonna achieved in the short 5 years between Like a Virgin (her 2nd) album in 1984 and Like a Prayer.

Though Madonna’s debut self-titled album and Like a Virgin were girly idol albums, True Blue, released in 1986, suddenly leveled up to womanhood. Then her artistry reached maturity with Like a Prayer. The producers of both True Blue and Like a Prayer are the same: Patric Leonard and Stephen Bray, besides themselves. Leonard and Bray definitely took an important role in Madonna’s artistic development on those two albums (Madonna worked with different producers on the next studio album, Erotica). Because Madonna hasn’t created a similar album twice since Like a Prayer, which was an establishing album in Madonna’s career.

That mature Like a Prayer album received high acclaim…but also a lot of bashing from the beginning. Of course. Madonna burned multiple crosses in the promotion video of the title track, and both the single and video were released about 2–3 weeks earlier than the album. One of the most recognized music videos in the ’80s was this.

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I recalled that the controversy was widely discussed on the news more than the quality of the single and the album at that time. I think it would still be sensational if a musician burned a cross today, even though so many things have changed in these 30 years. As I know, Madonna is the only one who has done it so far. Ironically, that act resulted in receiving a lot of attention and anticipation for the new album, like an advertisement.

Like a Prayer album had a more distinguished quality than the previous True Blue. Despite the number of top 10 singles was lesser than True Blue (True Blue has 5 while Like a Prayer has 4), most of the other songs had equivalent quality to the singles. Especially “Love Song” dueted with Prince and “Till Death Do Us Part” would be able to reach a good chart position if they were released as singles. The album also had singles that experienced interesting chart performance. While deep and good quality “Oh Father” ended at #20, the first single didn’t reach the top 10 after Madonna’s first hit single “Holiday” in 1984; the average ’80s dance song “Keep it Together” reached #8. I personally love “Promised to Try” and “Pray for Spanish Eyes”, both simple yet deep and dramatic ballads. I like the last avant-garde song “Act of Contrition”, too (on the other hand, somehow “Express Yourself” is not exactly my type, although that is a very necessary song to talk about Madonna).

Most of all, the best song of the album is “Like a Prayer”, Madonna’s eternal classic. The intro with edgy guitar, the dramatic melodies influenced by hymns, soulful gospel chorus, the song structure consisted of the mysterious verse, pop chorus, and stormy bridge…they are the beautiful composition of a masterpiece. Feeling like being purified no matter what the video is (p.s. I love the promotion video).

Like a Prayer album made the enormous success Madonna gained with the True Blue album on a more confident level. If the Like a Prayer album didn’t exist, Madonna’s success story would be wholly different.

In fact, Erotica followed by Like a Prayer was a more testing album with mixed feedback, but she didn’t fall down. I realized Madonna’s one-and-only talent was with the Like a Prayer album, not the previous albums, and her progressive musicianship within “simple” pop music. Many fans, including me, recognized Madonna as an exceptional artist, not just a pop idol, with Like a Prayer.

OVERALL SCORE: 95/100

• Eternal Dopeness: ★★★★★
• Songs: ★★★★+1/2
• Originality: ★★★★★
• Track Order: ★★★★★
• Vocals: ★★★★+1/4
• Arrangement: ★★★★+1/2
• Production: ★★★★+3/4
• Standout Tracks: “Like a Prayer”, “Express Yourself”, “Love Song”, “Till Death Do Us Part”, “Oh Father”, “Pray for Spanish Eyes”, “Act of Contrition”

EXTRA (NOT COUNTED TOWARD THE OVERALL SCORE)

• Title: C
• Album cover: F (I really think this historic masterpiece deserved a better cover)

RELEASE DATE (US): 03/20/1989

MADONNA, “LIKE A PRAYER”

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