Track Listing

1. Like a Prayer
2. Express Yourself
3. Love Song
4. Till Death Do Us Part
5. Promise to Try
6. Cherish
7. Dear Jessie
8. Oh Father
9. Keep It Together
10. Spanish Eyes
11. Act of Contrition

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #3816 in Music
• Published on: 1994
• Released on: 1990-10-25
• Number of discs: 1

Amazon.com essential recording
Considered by many to be the Material Girl's most mature effort of the '80s, Like a Prayer upped the ante of controversy with its gospel-infused title track and the singer's emotional confessions throughout. It also unveiled the hit "Express Yourself," which ushered in the era of Madonna as a "stainless steel sexual icon." Musically, Prayer showcased her burgeoning songwriting prowess, with the beautiful "Oh Father" and the perky pop of "Cherish." Besides a throw-away collaboration with Prince ("This Is Not a Love Song"), the CD stands as one of her strongest works, eschewing the strong dance beat influences from her past--she saved that for the remixes--and concentrating instead on melody and structure. Like a Prayer also gave a hint of things to come with the delightful "Dear Jessie" displaying a maternal side worthy of her name. --Steve Gdula

Customer Reviews

Best Madonna's Album Ever
One of the GREATEST album ever. After so many years, this is still my favourite and BEST Madonna's album (I am sure all Madonna's die-hard fans will agree with me). I love every track on the album (even the last track!!!). (If you still can) Check out the remixes for LIKE A PRAYER, EXPRESS YOURSELF, CHERISH, KEEP IT TOGETHER. Can't wait for the Re-mastered release! Please please ....
Long live the Queen of Pops.

Madonna's Best
Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RNMPA24IX4MFO My name is Jeremy Gloff. I am a musician and music collector. Feel free to check out my website. Rhis is my review of Madonna's album "Like A Prayer".

just like a commerical for Pepsi
1. Like A Prayer - Rocks the church floor with an "in-your-face" sexuality. The sexual lyrics are a mix of the erotic with a sweeping sense of gospel. Seems an odd mix of musical styles, but this works. It works in the sense of a great dance song, the verses are your invitation to stretch and become cognitive. Just before your mind becomes mundane with thoughts of "deep", you are on a trip down the waterfall to the overtly melodic chorus.

2. Express Yourself - The album version of this song leaves so much to be desired to the "dance" ear. The guitar riffs are replaced with a bass line that induces the listener to move. This song is pure extacy on all levels. The lyrics leave you feeling independent, but happy and filled with freedom. One must listen to the "Immaculate Collection" version with Q-Sound to enter into this greatness

3. Love Song - This track is throw away, at best. The instrumentation is minimal as are the vocals. Prince has written this track as an homage to himself. He must have thoughts of greatness and infallibility to think, for a moment, that anyone would enjoy this potpourri of sounds. Madonna must have assumed that having Prince as a guest would boost sales of her LP, perhaps it did.

4. Till Death Do Us Part - Sean Penn and Madonna, Sean Penn and the press, this auto-marriage tale of wedded hell is very pleasant to the listener. It has been said that hard times are good for the artist, true for Madonna here. This pop song begins with a staccato synth line that draws you in and smashes you around the dance floor. Glass smashing and Madonna's voice, how can this be wrong? It isn't.

5. Promise To Try - One of the first in a long line of tracks about Madonna's mother. This ballad plays well in "Truth Or Dare" against the backdrop of a cemetery. A ballad just does not play well with the Madonna fan. We like to dance. We don't like to cry. "Little girl, don't you forget her name...."

6. Cherish - "Boo-boo-be-doo".... Please oh please Madonna. Cherish is Madonna's attempt to re-invent the "True Blue" era. This doesn't work here for several reasons. The synth lines are more suited to the late seventies disco. Most of the seventies riffs worked, but not with this composition. The lyrical content is immature and reeks of adolescent love.

7. Dear Jessie - An homage to youth. An almost danceable track that takes off where "Cherish" ended with the attempt to revert back to childhood. Not a very good track. Leaves you with a dull feeling.

8. Oh Father - Madonna's not an author. This song is Madonna's attempt to write a novel, that didn't work, so she decided to put her words into a song. Perhaps a better idea. But, again, paternal abuse and dance just DO NOT BELONG together. What Madonna was attempting to do with this trashy ballad is beyond me. NEXT!

9. Keep It Together - A bass line with a synth over-lay. Perfection in pop dance. I adore this song for it's simplistic, familial lyrics and equally simplistic composition.

10. Spanish Eyes - Another ballad with a slightly sexual-religious tone. Madonna seems to be infatuated with a certain Latin man and attempts to write a song about it. Please....

11. Act Of Contrition - Contains reverse samples of "Like A Prayer" within a record scratching, ear piercing, hodgepodge of crap whilst Madonna is reciting the Act Of Contrition from the Roman Rite.... Stupidity doesn't work, EVER.

All in all this LP is a good collection. The negative tracks are eclipsed by the dance tracks and Madonna's power as a dance artist is certain here.