Like A Prayer

Title song 'Like a Prayer' is a masterpiece. 'Cherish' is also the epitome of 80s pop, I remember dancing as a small girl to this in my friend's house, her older sister would invent dance routines and make us be her back-up dancers. Prince on `Love Song` - anything with prince is gold. `Til Death do us part` - doesn't shy away from heavy themes - domestic violence. Pop is not really my thing, but this album is iconic and representative of a genre and an era.

Finally, some wholesome Christian pop/rock with a positive moral message. Sadly, Christian music, is vastly underrepresented on this list. I’ve asked my pastor to include this record as pre-mass entrance music at our megachurch on Sundays.

You can't really argue with what Madonna does, love it or hate it, she's very good at her pop thing. This album is full of classic pop tracks, easy to sing along with, easy to dance to, easy to relate to. I'm not a big pop fan these days but I enjoy most things she put out through the 80s. It's so streamlined and polished. Good stuff.

I knew 3 songs off this album. Thought I might find some hidden gems. Nope! 3 great songs and the rest were complete duds.

Quintessential 80s. Was originally thinking 4 star just based on personal preference but the influence and enduring pop sound is something that's hard to ignore and comes through when listening. Title track is so good... great song along driving song.

Every one of these songs are about 2 minutes too long. Record was fine but I don’t see myself playing this one again.

'Like A Prayer', 'Express Yourself' and 'Cherish' are as good as anything Madonna ever recorded, and guest star Prince (on the duet 'Love Song') is always a welcome addition to any record. Yeh 'Art Of Contrition' is a bit underwhelming for an album closer, but when it turns out that Prince basically produced the track (it's also him on guitar uncredited) it's hard for me to be too critical. Elsewhere 'Dear Jessie' evokes the psychedelic 60's, 'Oh Father' is a brooding power ballad and 'Spanish Eyes' is a beautiful Latin tinged song confronting the then still-taboo issue of AIDS. Overall, this is a super pop album by a woman who was at height of her powers.

Never listened to this whole record before. Not gonna lie, it POPS

Madonna’s masterpiece. Perfect pop music. Like A Prayer is one of the best songs of the decade.

The title track is perhaps her best song, and has held up so well it's practically become Midge's signature song. The big news at the time was that Madonna was collaborating with one Prince Rogers Nelson on at least one song ("Love Song"). It turns out Prince is all over this album. The Purple One plays guitar on the title track, "Keep It Together" and "Act Of Contrition", something that's obvious listening almost 32 years later. The latter song basically sounds like a Prince outtake with Madonna reading the catholic version of the Act Of Contrition and ultimately getting angry at a computer. This is where it all came together for Madonna. I'm an unashamed Stan for Midge's "Like A Virgin" album, and with the buzz this album was generating at the time, I went out and bought on a little format called Compact Disc the week it was released. I remember that I didn't warm to it right away. By then the song "Like A Prayer" was already being played everywhere, something that would happen with "Express Yourself" and "Cherish" and even "Oh Father". You couldn't get away from those songs in 1989. So I never really gave the CD the chance it obviously deserved at the time. I had a similar situation with her "True Blue" album (those songs were such a part of the radio landscape that I didn't even bother buying the album). So this was an overdue opportunity to revisit it and marvel at Madonna right smack in the middle of her Imperial Phase. I still ride hard for "Like A Virgin" (maybe the version of Madonna love the most is the one we discovered when we were 15), but from an album standpoint, this is as good as it gets for our woman. Every track is a banger in it's own way. Prince had that sort of impact on anything he touched, and Madonna knew it better than anyone.

Even though a couple of songs on this album are dated, there isn’t a bad song on the entire album. All are amazing.

I really enjoyed this one. In fact, I wonder why I don’t actually have any Madonna albums. I pretty much like every song of hers I hear, so…that’s a mystery.

I wasn't a Madonna fan back in the day. I recall in the late 80s my friend SK had tickets to Madonna's Toronto concert and asked if I wanted to go. I looked at him like he had two heads. A couple of years later (around the time JP II was lighting her up) some work mates were discussing Madonna and one of the church going brothers said " It's bad enough that she does such things, but why did she have to name herself Madonna." That got the rebel in me thinking that perhaps I should check her shit out a bit more. Anyway, I came to like her dance floor hits. While I never did go to a Madonna concert, I saw a documentary about one of her shows and can see that the hits from Like a Prayer were perfect for the show she put on and she put on an excellent show. I liked the way she could stir the pot with her comments and fashion. It's a little sad to see her still making comments that she hopes will raise eyebrows and controversy but do nothing other than cause head shaking and sniggering that says her time has passed. Except for Prince's excellent guitar work on Act of Contrition, I don't have much positive to say the songs that weren't hits. The hits are infectious and can't stop myself from grooving. If I could go back in history, I'd go to the concert with SK.

Kind of disappointing. Starts strong but after 'Express Yourself' the individual tracks start to congeal into one amorphous and fairly uninteresting sound. There's a lot of praise for 'Love Song' but to be honest, once you've heard the first 30 seconds you've heard the entire song. 'Cherish' has a bit of energy to it which helps perk up the ears but then it's back to the mush. The closer, 'Act of Contrition' isn't, well, good...but it is at least a bit interesting, so that's something I suppose.

Wow this is bad. This album makes me understand why grunge took over everything in the early 90s. If I was 16 when this album came out,, my entire personality would become "not this". Like A Prayer is a good track, but I think the rest of the album makes it worse in context.

Incredible album start to finish. The production value alone is worth the price of admission. Really liked hearing the songs I hadn't heard since they were in heavy rotation on 90's radio, plus all the other songs I hadn't heard. Highlights: Like a Prayer Express Yourself Till Death Do Us Part Cherish Pray for Spanish Eyes

I love Madonna, but I really don't think this album should be on this list. Outside of the title song, everything else is kinda bland pop repeating her earlier works and the only reason I can think it's notable is the insane controversy from the title song

Not a fan of her music and this album did nothing to change my mind. Felt like i needed a shower after it was over to wash off the cringe that it induced.

Like a Prayer Madness might be an archetypal ‘best of’ band, but Madonna must have one of the best Greatest Hits compilations and her run of singles from her first one up to, say, Justify My Love, has a fucking crazy hit rate: Everybody - great Burning Up - absolute banger, one of my favs Holiday - absolute banger Lucky Star - absolute banger Borderline - absolute banger Like a Virgin - absolute banger Material Girl - absolute banger Crazy For You - absolute banger Angel - great Into the Groove - absolute banger Dress You Up - banger Gambler - banger Live to Tell - absolute banger Papa Don’t Preach - absolute banger True Blue - absolute banger Open Your Heart - absolute banger, possibly my fav La Isla Bonita - absolute banger (last night I danced with some Pedro) Who’s That Girl - absolute banger Causing a Commotion - banger Spotlight - decent Like a Prayer - absolute banger Express Yourself - absolute banger Cherish - banger Oh Father - decent Dear Jessie - decent Keep it Together - decent Vogue - absolute banger Hanky Panky - erm, not great Justify My Love - great And then later on she has Take a Bow, Frozen, Ray of Light, Drowned World, Beautiful Stranger, Music, Hung Up. Anyway there are three of those absolute bangers on here in Like A Prayer, Express Yourself and Cherish. The rest don’t ever quite reach those heights, but looking at that list you could argue that Like a Prayer or Express Yourself are among the best in her entire catalogue, so what does? They’re both joyfully fantastic songs of course, but for some reason I really love Express Yourself, there’s something about the melody line and percussion I just love. I had a nice silent disco dance to it earlier when I was making a cup of tea. Love Song is very Prince, but also what you might imagine a Madge/Prince (Pridge? Pradonna?) fusion to be and it’s definitely a grower. In fact most of the songs are growers, Till Death Do Us Part I really liked, Promise to Try I wasn’t keen on initially but it is a very nice piano ballad. Dear Jessie has a pleasing quirkiness, and Oh Father might have one of her best vocals. She’s an incredibly distinctive and characterful vocalist, but not necessarily the strongest, most technical singer, but on this she sounds fantastic. Keep it Together may not be as strong as many of her singles but it’s still a superior bit of synth-funk-pop. Spanish Eyes is also a grower, it feels cheesy initially but is actually a very nice melody and atmosphere. Act of Contrition is more Pridge, but isn't totally successful, even as a bit of experimental fun. It’s probably not consistent enough as a full album to get into the 5s, but it's a high 4 - anything containing Like a Prayer, Express Yourself and Cherish can’t be anything less. 🤲🤲🤲🤲 Playlist submission: As good as Like A Prayer is, I do love Express Yourself

Sometimes it is nice to listen to something easy and familiar.

Pretty good but nothing amazing, would give 7/10

With this album Madonna proved that she was more than just a pop superstar, and that she can be artistic and has songs with depth lyrically. The title track, 'Like a Prayer' is one of her best songs in her career, and the other hits are really great, too ('Express Yourself' - especially the Immaculate Collection version, and 'Cherish'). 'Promise to Try' and 'Oh Father' are beautiful songs. 'Love Song' cowritten and sung by Prince adds a lot of the quality of the album. Bonus is 'Dear Jessie' which I'd known before because of a cover, but had no idea before that it was originally a Madonna song. The album closes with the most experimental song on it. Overall, it's a very well produced and made late 1980s pop album. Credit where credit is due even if you're not a fan of pop from that decade - it's a great album.

Madonna, easily the biggest female Pop star of all time. Since she broke into the scene with some really energetic Synthpop, she's made her way through the top of the charts everytime she released new music. This album might be her biggest critically acclaimed album after her debut and features classic Pop songs such as the title track. And while most songs are Dance-Pop oriented, there is a lot of more artistic approach often in the style of Pop Soul or Adult Contemporary. It is the first wave of the more Art Pop approaches she'll go to try in the 90's and further on. The classic title track 'Like a Prayer' which blends aspects of stadium ready Pop Rock and adds some R&B and Gospel aspects. I think that the great moments of the song, namely pre-chorus and chorus, are really, really great but the songwriting on its own can be and often is holding the song back. There is too much stopping and tuning down which ruins the flow of the song. The longer the song plays, the better it gets but the first minutes are a little annoying but I think that the song overall turns out pretty okay. The second track 'Express Yourself' goes very much into a Prince inspired direction with a blend of Pop Soul and Synth Funk with a good amount of Dance added as well. Its songwriting is much more even and the energetic vocals are really adding to the groove of the track. I think that this song is overall much stronger than the title track and even when the highest moments are less high, they are close and with a more even songwriting, I actually think that this is a great track. It would've been incredible, if the bridge was less corny and the length was a little shorter but still, wonderful. The Prince influences don't stop because 'Love Song' isn't just thematically similar to a Prince song but it's a full on Minneapolis Sound Pop Soul track that even features Prince himself as a songwriter, backing vocalist and producer. The result is really good, production wise, but I think Madonna would've needed the strong sexual tone in her voice to really do the song justice. If this was a Prince song, it would've been really good but Madonna sadly cannot do that. It turns out boring and stale. One of the albums strongest tracks is without a doubt the New Wave 'Till Death Do Us Part' which is sonically pretty much an amalgamation of different popular 80's genres but Madonna does that surprisingly well. Synthy New Wave, Jangly Pop Rock and Danceable Sophisti-Pop all find a place tied togther by beautiful songwriting, production and one of the best hooks ever. Her vocals are on point as is pretty much every aspect of the song. If the song was a little tighter and had more focus in the verses, this would've been perfect. Now it's "just" an incredible Pop song. The Adult Contemporary 'Promise to Try' closes the first half of the album with a sombre and mellow song that mainly uses piano and vocals to create a song that is mainly focused on the lyrics. Even if the lyrics are technically alright, the songwriting is really boring and turns the song very average and nothing that you want to hear from Madonna. It's not terrible but it definitely isn't good. Side 2 opens with a mix of Dance Music and Sophisti-Pop and a couple of other inspirations but that's not not important here because the song is awful. It's the bad type of 80's music where the production is actually pretty good but the songwriting ruins all of it. It has a horrible chorus that is probably as annoying as some of the songs on "Cupid & Psyche '85" and I detest that album. I hate this song. 'Dear Jessie' is definitely better and I like the string addition as well as the Psychedelic Pop approach but overall the song doesn't go further than an okay song. The chorus isn't really sticking out, the verses are really uninteresting and the songwriting is boring. It is mainly the production that makes some moments have a cutesy felling to it but it ends there. I had 'Oh Father' much worse in my memory after the first listen and although I think the verses are bad, the chorus and some aspects of the songwriting do safe it from the doom that I anticipated. Especially the chorus is really intriguing but in the end it's not enough to make the entirety of the track feel boring and average. The New Jack Swing 'Keep It Together' gives a lot of similarities to something you'd hear from Janet Jackson and I do think that Madonna did a really good job when making this song. It's not great but it is pretty fun to listen too with the chorus and the production. It's mainly the generic and boring verses that make the whole song lack interesting moments. It is also too long. 'Spanish Eyes' brings in some Latin Pop inspired Adult Contemporary which, again, doesn't really work well. It's not terrible, the production has some really nice elements and the chorus as well as the vocals are spot on but the verses are a little lackluster and boring which together with the stretch of the length turns the entirety pretty boring. The album finishes with a weird Sound Collage that is a mix of Plunderphonics and Tape Music from different Hard Rock and Gospel tracks on top of which she sings and also just speaks. It's a neat idea but the result is pretty bad... Not terrible but this isn't a Madonna song and still it tires to. Favourites: Till Death Do Us Part, Express Yourself least favourites: Cherish, Oh Father, Act of Contrition Rating: decent 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

I’m not a Madonna fan but I can’t deny the cultural impact she, and this album, had.

This was surprisingly not good. Like a prayer and cherish are solid. Everything else was uniformly terrible.

Not sure if I've ever voluntarily listened to Madonna before, other than Ray Of Light (which was really good). The big singles here are probably known by most everyone and in retrospect the title cut "Like A Prayer" is a pretty excellent song; I love the minor-key bridge - builds so well and finally resolves into the big final chorus. Just great. And "Love Song" was one I'd not heard before - Prince definitely makes a great collaborator on this and it's fun (if not a shade too long). "Till Death Do Us Part" is a nice-enough upbeat song.... "Dear Jessie" is an unexpected light melodic treat as well. But there is a pattern here - none of the tracks are even close to bad or objectionable, and the album *sounds* fantastic - you can really tell that a ton of time (i.e. money) was spent getting this to sound sonically great. They're all "nice" or easy enough to spend 4-5 minutes listening to but I can't ever envision being in the car or in the living room and suddenly think "yeah I have to listen to 'Cherish' or 'Express Yourself'" After that first track to me most of the album has a good melodic or dance mood but individually the songs don't grab me much overall. 5/10 3 stars

You've gotta respect how long she has been at it. I have never been through an entire album of hers. I respect the song length, its almost 5 minutes. That is not easy to do as a pop Queen. The music and lyrics just doesn't move me in anyway but I do respect what she has done for music.

Realizing that Jan Delay covered the beat from "Till Death Do us Part". Apart from this a bit too poppy for me, but not a bad record per se.

I really wanted to like this album, but honestly found it exceptionally dull. I tried to listen and relisten about 7 times until I finally made it all the way through. Other than the title song, the others were repetitive and not musically interesting. The lyrics and concepts were overall good. 2/5

Un album personnel d'elle. Ça parle beaucoup de sa famille. Pop correct, mais c'est pas mon style.

Pointy tits and a minge like a kippers snarl. What’s not to like?

I'm at Cherish and I think it maybe the first album that I stop early. Why did this make the list? 2/5

Much worse than expected.

Rubbish. Other than the first song which is obviously amazing

Yup hated this. Over produced, nothing interesting about vocal styles or lyrics.

Not for me.

Erm. 1 or 2? 😂Yeh 1. Just nothin decent about it. Sounds like some pop producer paid a young girl to sing like Prince.

og punk

Yeah, Like a Prayer is a perfect song. The synth bass is so great across the album, I need to learn some of those lines. Such a golden age for synths too. They had a few years with the DX7 already and I love the sound from that late 80s FM stuff.

Album wyprzedzający epokę, niedościgniony fenomenalny z klasykami

Absolute banger of an album. The title track is of course the hook, but even that is overshadowed by the likes of Cherish, Express Yourself, Dear Jessie (my favourite track on the album) and Oh Father. The segue between Dear Jessie - a pure piece of candy floss pop, perfect for what De La Soul referred to as the Daisy Age, and the deep, soulful, heart rending Oh Father just works perfectly. I love this album.

Classic Madona

I bought the patchouli-scented album in 1990, I saw the tour (from the worst seats in the Oakland Coliseum), and I see no reason to back down now. Definitely Madonna's best album and its influence reverberates through several generations of women in pop. And hello there Prince!

Getting this and Michael Jackson's Bad a few days apart has been interesting timing - two sides of the same 80s pop coin. The King and Queen of pop music at the time. Whilst I don't like Madonna nearly as much S MJ, if she's your thing this is pretty perfect too.

Great from t

Like a Prayer is Madonna's fourth studio album, and amongst her extensive catalog, it is regarded as her best work. Her first three albums were filled with singles that topped pop charts; Like a Prayer is an extensive experiment diverging from the dance/pop that made Madonna famous. All of her experiments topped the pop charts, like the title track - an orchestrated, soaring near- hymn - became an anthem. Madonna included dance tracks - like "Express Yourself" - but even these were experiments. Like a Prayer was release in the middle of Madonna's dominance of popular music. In the 80s, she was showing the world how to do it.

oh, madonna. you definitely had a chokehold on the pop industry back then. this album is a lot more personal, and has heavy christian undertones. it's a really nice album. i would be surprised if some people think otherwise. this is madonna in her prime, not really now. the subject material is rather surprising at times, and i wonder how madonna could've felt writing all of it down and singing it. oh yeah, prince is here too!

Fez mais pra chocar a igreja e cristãos do que qualquer banda de black metal

Madonna, I owe you an apology. I wasn't really familiar with your game. Mate, I really liked this. Like A Prayer was descent but then the next few songs really got me going. Till Death Do Us Part is a ballsy song and I love it. Cherish is just great pop, if not a little long, would have been a perfect 3 minuter. Act of Contrition has Princes fingers all over it and was weird and I liked it.

There’s so much I could say about this perfect album, but it’ll all just end up sounding too simple. This is Madonna’s greatest achievement, and that says much considering she has about four or five more albums that could compete for title of “her best”. Also, if you look at her 80’s output you might marvel at its near surreal perfection. Like, you have to step back and wonder how the F she made SO MANY bangers that not only bang for their time, but have not lost even an ounce of relevance 40 years later, and will still bang 100, 200, 500 years from now. Whatever you think of Madonna now doesn’t matter because she did the seemingly impossible then and time can never diminish that. While I do consider Like A Prayer to be her best album overall, since there are zero fuck-ups here, my PERSONAL favorite is 1992’s Erotica for its supremely underrated dark alley deep house vibe. Both, as full album experiences, are as close to perfect as album experiences can possibly get. Like A Prayer has not been outside of my regular rotation for the 36 years since I bought it. This little gay boy still thrills at the incredible confidence and honesty Madonna emits in every song (wishing the same confidence and honesty for myself), the incredible songwriting, the danceability, the freedom I feel from living inside songs that never seem to age and always make me feel like I’m 15 again; full of hope and the excitement that comes from all of the possibilities that life might have to offer. Isn’t that what music should be?? The ultimate expression of a persons true inner self, and the ability to return to hope at any point through it despite life chugging along and becoming more banal and used up with each passing day? Music was, is and always will be the fountain of youth and the key to believing that something even greater is just around the corner. 5 stars. 10 stars. 100 freaking stars all day, every day.

Madonna is a queen. The major hits (Like a Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish) are all pretty damn perfect works of art. I didn't have this album growing up, and this is the first time I've listened to the whole thing. I loved it all from start to finish. She sings about very real emotions and situations and weaves in great messages too (about falling in love, what to expect from a relationship, the pain of heartbreak, complicated family dynamics, the comfort of family, etc). The songs flow really well as a complete album, and there are so many different, fun and creative compositions. Some of my other favorite songs were Till Death Do Us Part, Oh Father, Love Song, and Keep it Together. Promise to Try is really beautiful too Easy 5!

Madonna's album "Like A Prayer" is a landmark in the evolution of pop music, as it seamlessly blends spiritual themes with mainstream sound. By audaciously incorporating gospel elements and church-inspired motifs, she truly "brought the church to pop." The title track and its accompanying music video stirred significant controversy, showcasing Madonna's fearless exploration of religious imagery and social issues. This bold move not only pushed boundaries but also opened doors for future artists to address deeper themes within the pop genre. Among the standout tracks, "Oh Father" emerges as a poignant and introspective highlight. The song reflects Madonna's personal struggles and complex relationship with her faith and upbringing. Its emotional depth, paired with a haunting melody, elevates it as one of the album's greatest achievements. "Like A Prayer" remains revolutionary, as it challenged the conventions of pop music through its innovative production and thought-provoking lyrics, solidifying Madonna's status as a pioneering force in the industry.

Pop art masterpiece

Always loved like a virgin album cause it was the one I grew up listening non stop in the mid 80s but hearing this now I stand corrected as this is a masterpiece with a story with issues around forbiden love and religion and having to deal with it. This is Madonnas finest work more mature, more serious and with a lot to prove at that point. There was little room to reach further and she delivered.

The title song in this album is transcendent to me. One of my top 10 songs. So right there the album is deserving a high rating. But I’m also going to give it the 5 stars that Madonna’s debut album deserves, but can’t get because it was somehow not included on this list! Like A Virgin should also be here. Meanwhile other Madonna albums that are definitely inferior are included. This is the best on the list, and is getting all the love that Madonna deserves. Hopefully future editions of this book will reconsider the Madonna choices.

The whole album is pretty awesome apart from the last track (Act of Contrition), which I didn't like. Nevertheless, it's getting five stars and going into my Tidal library.

classic pop. Loved that Prince contributed to a few songs on this album.

Big title track is clearly still effective with its bouncy baseline and anthemic chorus. Just ask Ryan Reynolds. There's Express Yourself next, but it's the deeper cuts that really shine for me. Till Death Do Us Part , light and melodic with a catchy synth riff, might be my favorite song here. Promise To Try is an emotional ballad that also hits the mark and then Cherish brings back the bouncy bass and poppy vibes. Dear Jessie and Oh Father form a fascinating two-part suite. The production shines throughout but especially on Keep It Together, funky and rhythmic. Nothing less than an immaculate pop record.

This was pretty inescapable when it came out. The hits were everywhere. Madonna ruled the 80's and this is more proof of why.

In the late 80s, Madonna was everywhere. The first time I heard her music was in a Long Island club, where she quickly became a staple. Then, she graduated to MTV stardom with her Material Girl album, and movie actor with Desperately Seeking Susan (as well as not so stardom with Who's That Girl). By 1989, Madonna could have rested on her laurels and settled in to just making more 80s techno pop. Madonna, however, was always able to read the tea leaves and by the late 80s, techno was on its way out and MTV was turning to hip hop. So, she reinvented herself. That reinvention yielded a remarkable album that combined pop with Gospel (Like a Prayer), Soul (Express Yourself) and bubblegum (Cherish). Besides (or in spite of) being eclectic, the album holds together. This is in part due to the near perfect production. Much of the success of this album though is the quality of the songs. In the years between True Blue (1986) and Like A Prayer, her song writing suffered as she pursued acting and remixes. Like a Prayer returns Madonna to her old prowess with her songs, presentation, and ability to read the zeitgeist, impeccable. It's just a great album.

Solid. Banger.

One of her most amazing albums, and Cherish is the song i love since childhood

Hats off to Madonna. A true trailblazer in the 80s.

no one can deny the icon she is

Fun fact: the lead single was made just for this years Deadpool movie.

Madonna is legend.

LOVE LOVE. I've heard this album a 100+ times before. Still love it. Even the deeper cuts.

Like a Prayer” ist ein faszinierendes Stück, das spirituelle Themen mit persönlichen Erfahrungen verbinde. Madonna selbst hat den Song als metaphorische Darstellung der spirituellen Kommunikation zwischen einem Menschen und einer höheren Macht beschrieben1. Die Zeilen “When you call my name it’s like a little prayer / I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there” sprechen von einer tiefen Demut und Hingabe, die durch das Gebet ausgedrückt wird. Es ist ein Lied, das die transformative Kraft des Glaubens und der spirituellen Verbindung hervorhebt. Express Yourself: Dieser Song ist eine kraftvolle Hymne der Selbstbehauptung und Unabhängigkeit. Madonna ermutigt darin, sich nicht mit zweitklassiger Behandlung zufriedenzugeben und stattdessen nach Respekt und einer echten, liebevollen Beziehung zu streben. Es ist ein Aufruf, die eigene Stimme zu erheben und sich selbst treu zu bleiben. Cherish: Ein fröhlicher und optimistischer Song, der die Freuden einer romantischen Liebe feiert. Mit seinem eingängigen Refrain und der leichten Melodie erinnert “Cherish” an die unbeschwerte Seite der Liebe und die Bedeutung, jemanden zu haben, den man wertschätzt und der einem nahesteht. Diese Songs zusammen zeigen die Vielfalt von Madonnas Album “Like a Prayer”, das sowohl tiefgründige als auch erhebende Themen behandelt und damit eine breite Palette menschlicher Emotionen und Erfahrungen abdeckt. In “Promise to Try” zeigt Madonna eine verletzliche Seite und bietet gleichzeitig Trost und Hoffnung. Es ist ein Lied, das die Zuhörer dazu bringt, über ihre eigenen Erfahrungen nachzudenken und die Kraft zu finden, vorwärts zu schreiten. Ein wirklich berührendes Stück, das die emotionale Tiefe des Albums “Like a Prayer” unterstreicht. 😊

Was not expecting to enjoy this so much. it’s 80s pop at its finest- catchy songs with an appearance from prince. Delightful

Now THIS is the Madonna I can get behind. What a great record… pop at its best!

**"Like A Prayer" by Madonna: An In-Depth Review** **Introduction** "Like A Prayer," released on March 21, 1989, is the fourth studio album by American singer Madonna. Widely considered a pivotal album in her career, it marked a significant artistic evolution. The album is noted for its mature themes, eclectic musical styles, and provocative lyrics. Produced by Madonna, Patrick Leonard, and Stephen Bray, it received widespread critical acclaim and commercial success. This review delves into its lyrics, music, production, themes, and influence, providing a balanced assessment of its strengths and weaknesses. **Lyrics** The lyrics of "Like A Prayer" represent a notable departure from Madonna's earlier work. The songs tackle complex and often controversial themes, including religion, sexuality, and personal loss. The title track, "Like A Prayer," uses religious imagery to explore themes of love and redemption, blending the sacred and the profane in a way that sparked both admiration and outrage. Tracks like "Promise to Try" and "Oh Father" delve into deeply personal territory, with Madonna confronting the death of her mother and her troubled relationship with her father. "Till Death Do Us Part" candidly addresses the dissolution of her marriage to Sean Penn, showcasing her willingness to explore painful personal experiences. However, some critics argue that despite the mature themes, a few songs on the album feature lyrics that are less compelling. For instance, "Love Song," a duet with Prince, while musically interesting, contains relatively simplistic lyrics compared to the depth found in other tracks. **Music** Musically, "Like A Prayer" is a rich and varied album that blends pop, rock, funk, and gospel influences. The title track is a standout, with its blend of pop and gospel elements creating a powerful and uplifting anthem. The song's structure, featuring a gospel choir, electric guitars, and a strong pop melody, exemplifies the innovative production techniques employed throughout the album. "Express Yourself" is another highlight, with its funk-infused beat and empowering lyrics. The song encourages self-empowerment and independence, themes that resonate throughout Madonna's career. "Cherish" offers a more lighthearted, romantic vibe, with a catchy melody and doo-wop influences that showcase Madonna's versatility. The album also experiments with darker tones and more introspective music. "Oh Father," with its haunting string arrangement and somber piano, underscores the emotional weight of the lyrics. "Dear Jessie," a whimsical, almost psychedelic pop song, contrasts sharply with the more serious tracks, adding a layer of complexity to the album's overall sound. However, the musical experimentation isn't always successful. "Act of Contrition," the album's closing track, is an avant-garde piece that some listeners find intriguing but others consider disjointed and out of place compared to the cohesive nature of the rest of the album. **Production** The production of "Like A Prayer" is one of its most praised aspects. Madonna worked closely with producers Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray to create a polished yet eclectic sound. The production quality is top-notch, with each track meticulously crafted to highlight Madonna's vocal performance and the album's diverse musical styles. The use of live instrumentation, such as the gospel choir on "Like A Prayer" and the strings on "Oh Father," adds a richness and depth to the album. The integration of different musical elements, from the funk guitars on "Express Yourself" to the orchestral arrangements on "Spanish Eyes," showcases a level of sophistication in the production that was a step forward for Madonna. Despite the overall high production quality, some tracks, such as "Love Song," feel somewhat overproduced, with layers of sound that can sometimes detract from the song's core melody. Nevertheless, the production's innovation and ambition are undeniable and contribute significantly to the album's enduring appeal. **Themes** "Like A Prayer" is thematically rich, addressing a wide range of topics with emotional depth and complexity. The most prominent themes include religion, personal growth, and empowerment. Religion is a recurring theme, most explicitly in the title track, where Madonna uses religious symbolism to explore themes of love and redemption. This blending of the sacred and the secular was controversial at the time but is now seen as a bold and innovative artistic choice. Personal growth and introspection are also central to the album. Songs like "Promise to Try" and "Oh Father" reflect on Madonna's childhood and family relationships, revealing a vulnerability that was not as apparent in her earlier work. "Till Death Do Us Part" and "Keep It Together" explore the complexities of marriage and family dynamics, emphasizing themes of resilience and self-reliance. Empowerment, particularly for women, is another key theme. "Express Yourself" encourages listeners to assert their independence and self-worth, aligning with Madonna's public persona as a strong, independent woman. **Influence** "Like A Prayer" had a profound impact on both Madonna's career and the broader music landscape. It solidified her status as a serious artist capable of addressing complex themes and experimenting with different musical styles. The album's success paved the way for future pop artists to explore more mature and controversial subjects in their work. The title track's music video, with its provocative imagery and themes of racial and religious integration, sparked significant controversy but also highlighted Madonna's willingness to challenge societal norms. This boldness has inspired countless artists to push boundaries in their own work. The album's fusion of pop with other genres, such as gospel and rock, influenced the production style of many future pop records. The use of live instrumentation and sophisticated arrangements set a new standard for pop music production in the late 1980s and early 1990s. **Pros and Cons** *Pros:* 1. **Mature Themes**: The album's exploration of complex and personal themes represents a significant artistic evolution for Madonna. 2. **Innovative Production**: High-quality production that incorporates diverse musical styles and live instrumentation. 3. **Strong Lyrics**: Songs like "Like A Prayer," "Oh Father," and "Promise to Try" feature deeply personal and evocative lyrics. 4. **Musical Diversity**: The album successfully blends pop, rock, funk, and gospel influences, showcasing Madonna's versatility. 5. **Cultural Impact**: The album's bold themes and innovative music video for the title track had a lasting influence on pop culture and music. *Cons:* 1. **Inconsistent Quality**: Some tracks, like "Love Song," are less compelling lyrically and musically compared to the standout songs. 2. **Overproduction**: A few songs suffer from overproduction, with layers of sound that can detract from the melody. 3. **Avant-Garde Elements**: Tracks like "Act of Contrition" may be seen as disjointed and out of place within the album's overall cohesive sound. **Conclusion** "Like A Prayer" is a landmark album in Madonna's discography and in the pop music genre as a whole. Its blend of mature themes, innovative production, and musical diversity set it apart as a pivotal work in her career. While not every experiment on the album is entirely successful, the strengths far outweigh the weaknesses. "Like A Prayer" remains a powerful testament to Madonna's artistry and her ability to continually evolve and challenge both herself and her audience.

For all that I've listened to Madonna, I've never heard a full studio album. This entire album is bangers and I'm sad it's a blindspot. The Prince track is especially great, but Like a Prayer still gives me chills. You know what, it's a:

I thought the album would be bad and didn’t want to listen to it, but I tried listening and I liked it. This is the first time I've heard a great pop album performed by a woman cz I don't listen to stuff like that often, 5/5

What can you say .... while maybe not technically great musically, she's arguably the greatest female pop marketer of all time and certainly in the top 3 with Beyonce and Taylor Swift. Her music is easy to listen to and her impact on the pop genre is unmistakable. 5/5

Loved Madonna’s old songs, much better than her modern music.

Absolutely stunning album by one of the best solo female artists of her generation. Loved it. 👍

The Queen of pop at her most majestic

With a squillion-selling pop culture totem like Madonna, it's easy to keep to the hits and only the hits. Albums, and their deep cut riches, fade into obscurity. Though boasting all-time classics "Like a Prayer", "Express Yourself" and "Cherish", the real gold is literally everything else. No filler. And Prince!

Damn good album

Amazing pop record. Easy 5. Madonna rules.

absolute banger

Pop perfection! Yet personal and challenging.

Pray for Spanish Eyes, Like a Prayer.

This album actually really pleasantly surprised me. Everyone has heard the popular Madonna songs like "Like a Prayer", and even slightly lesser known hits like "Express Yourself" and "Cherish". Although these songs do have meaning, it's undeniable these are made to the typical "Pop" formula of a catchy melody and chorus. But underneath these there were actually some thoughtful songs. Most notably "Till Death Do Us Part" - This song has a upbeat catchy synth beat, which is contrasted heavily by the lyrics which is clearly about a failing relationship. Something about how she sings this sounds so truthful from her, and that's the kind of music I like. "Oh Father" - This song is about a disciplinary/abusive father. It really does a good job of portraying the emotions a child would feel in this situation, but then even goes on to later show the older mature opinions of the situation where she sings "Maybe someday, when I look back I'll be able to say: You didn't mean to be cruel, Somebody hurt you too" And finally "Pray for Spanish Eyes" which I've heard multiple times, but never paid notice to. This song is about losing a loved one, in this case a friend. On first interpretation, it seemed like they died in some kind of gang related incident, but after looking into the meaning, it's actually about the AIDs epidemic. Although, the nature of this song can really apply to any kind of tragic loss. "How many lives will they have to take? How much heartache? How many suns will they have to burn? Spanish eyes When will they ever learn?" Listening to this album has shown me that underneath the shallow pop sound of Madonna, there actually are some hidden gems, which was a pleasant surprise after being so critical going into it.

Ok

Back to my youth!! YAY!

Pray for Spanish Eyes, Like a Prayer

Erinnerungen ..

Omg I also have Daddy issues

Never gave any of her albums a front to back listen and now I'm gonna do all of them this was so much fun. Dated but in the best way possible

Great album. Not too familiar with Madonna beyond what I've heard on the oldies station but I enjoyed pretty much every song on here

9/10

This album is a breath of fresh air. I'm not saying that to discredit other music, but it just feels like a breath of fresh air. When you step outside, a warm, gentle breeze hits you and the smell of the trees surrounds you. That's what this album feels like. The production holds up pretty well even today, but maybe I'm just a sucker for that '80s pop sound.

As someone who until now had never listened to a Madonna album, this was a great surprise. 4.5/5

I think it is safe to say that Like a Prayer is Madonna's Thriller, for that almost every song on here acts like a world conquering single and that she is operating on a different level than that of most pop girlies of the time (except Janet). At the time her most forward-thinking, expressive (hehe) and reflective album, Like a Prayer continues to elicit heighten fervor and jubilation regardless of whether or not one views Madge in a favorable light. This is how one should end a dominant decade on a high note. Now, I need to make a reservation... what? What do you mean it's not in the computer?!?

There are some artists whose legacy are simply unparalleled. Madonna's game is unmatched and fearless.

the sound of the 80s, love her through and through cannot say anything bad about it. Would give it 4 stars but due to the fact that it is an iconic album, 5 stars.

I have never really sat down and listened to Madonna before despite her influence. This album proved to be an eye opening experience. This is some of the best crafted pop I've ever heard. There are sounds that certainly date it, but overall, it is musically coherent. There are moments that verge into baroque pop (Dear Jessie into oh Father) that I was surprised by and really enjoyed. The content of this album is very personal and grapples with issues of family and abuse told through a religious lens. I enjoyed the religious imagery and felt that it gave the album a more literary sense; it certainly shows how much thought was put into this album.

What a phenomenal example of 80s/90s Pop. Madonna is a Queen and an icon and I will fight anyone who says otherwise The fact that she's still blazing the trail decades later is nothing short of incredible

Just some classic catchy pop straight through, makes me understand how big Madonna was