MADONNA - LIKE A PRAYER ALBUM REACTION
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đđđŒđ~TIMESTAMPS~đđđŒđ
Like a Prayer - 1:57đ
Express Yourself - 6:19đ
Love Song - 8:46
Till Death Do Us Part - 10:43đ
Promise to Try - 14:22
Cherish - 16:36đ
Dear Jessie - 19:23
Oh Father - 22:01đ
Keep It Together - 24:35đ
Pray for Spanish Eyes - 25:54đ
Act of Contrition - 28:15đ
đ= my fave!
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Rolling Stones hailed this album saying itâs âas close to art as pop music getsâ. And it really is!!! Another incredible fact about this album is that when it was released Madonna included a card insert called âThe facts about AIDSâ inside each album. The leaflet educated people about how HIV is âan equal opportunity diseaseâ dispelling the myths that it was a âgay only diseaseâ. And to be talking about that so openly way back in the 80s shows you the power of Madonna and why she deserves so much respect! She stood up for the gay community loud and clear way before it was cool to do so. Thanks for another great reaction
Truly beyondâŠ. Iconic! Love her
Yes!! I had it on cassette and later on CD. I completely forgot about the info on AIDS though.
This is why I love Madonna so much. If you weren't there during that time you just simply won't get how iconic Madonna truly is and how important she is to the gay community.
And the album smelled like Petrulli oil
Spanish Eyes is about her friend who died of AIDS - the album also included a pamphlet on âthe facts about AIDSâ, which was considered widely taboo at the time, when very few public figures spoke up about it. Queen â€ïž
Wow⊠flawed by her tbh! đđ„șâ€ïž
There's some dispute about what SE is actually about. It does read like it could be a metaphor for AIDS but I think Patrick Leonard said it was about gang violence.
Itâs really remarkable to think back on how radical Madonna must have seemed for the first 10 years of her career. The 1984 VMA was considered risquĂ©, she had to censor the F word on Erotica, she had to speak in metaphors on âSpanish Eyesâ and pass off âf*ckâ as âfogâ in the liner sheets for âLove Song.â
People use swear words and graphic language so liberally in music nowadays⊠everything was far more sanitized back in the pre-Clinton times.
@@elizabethschubert7803 Okay total mind-fuck! I've been listening to this album since 1989 and I have never heard 'fuck my mind.' And now It's all I hear.
@@tommygetsstupid3443 it took me a long time to catch it too! It seems so jarringly obvious, donât know how I missed it either !
"Act of Contrition" is classic Madonna humor. Back in the mid 80s, Christian groups started making a fuzz about satanic backmasking on songs, claiming that songs by famous artists and bands contained hidden subliminal messages if played backwards. Madonna just took the piss out of that with that weird track (which is indeed Like a Prayer reversed, with added guitar by Prince), which works more like an easter egg than an actual song. She confesses, repents, dies and is waiting in line at the gates of heaven, but when it's her turn to be let in, she finds out her name is not on the list.
Wow. I canât believe that never occurred to me, even though I lived through that era and got this album in 1989. I mean, I obviously knew it was LAP backwards, but the aspect that she did it as an FU to the whole backwards masking nonsense didnât register until you pointed it out!
THIS IS ICONIC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WHATDOYOUMEANITSNOTONTHECOMPUTERâŠ. cracks me up everytime
The Like a Prayer era had the perfect ratio of self-aware humor, brilliant songcraft, and political lightning. She hasnât succeeded quite as well at striking that balance in future albums but this album really feels prophetic coming from her. Madonna really helped make pop music more sophisticated than it ever had been before.
Simply pop perfection.
Literally đ
Rolling Stone at the time said the album was the closest pop music can get to art.
This album has some of her best music videos as well.
We're pretty quick to throw around the term "masterpiece" when it comes to our favourite artists - I'm guilty of this too! - but Like A Prayer is truly a masterpiece pop album. Whenever I listen to it, I'm always amazed with her vocal performances across so many different song styles. She is completely confident with herself across the whole record, and that makes even the detour moments ("Love Song") work in a way. It's true what other commenters are saying, though: the remix of "Express Yourself" for the music video is absolutely a superior banger, and I also equally enjoy the remix of "Like A Prayer" as much as the album cut depending on my mood. "Oh Father" is also one of my absolute favourite Madonna songs, tied with "Live To Tell" as two of her most moving songs. This has been a great journey to watch you take, and I think you'll have some fun moving into the 90's era!
Thank you! Loved reading this and honestly this journey has been my absolute favourite! đ€
I donât think love song, was a detour, it thematically was true to the albums tone and the sheer fact we have a rare duet with prince, is priceless.
@@kristianberg4264 you know what, that is very fair. I feel like detour isn't the right word to what I meant in this context. While "Love Song" is thematically in tune with the album, I think I meant detour in the sense that it's musically more adventurous compared to other songs here - at least, to me it is. And you're right, a rare Prince duet is priceless.
@@AaronMcKinnon91 - yes, I agree with you for sure and I appreciate you being kind enough to reply and discuss. Most are not as generous and see things black or white. :)
Oh Father is the best song ever created of all time. Period. Absolute masterpiece way ahead of it's time. Wait until you see the video, it will blow your freaking mind
CANNOT WAIT OMG
Another great reaction
You can really see her growth in as an artist
Promise to try is a song to her mother, who died when Madonna was 5
Dear Jessie is a lullaby written about Patrick Leonard's daughter
Yes! So incredible to see/hear!!!
Promise To Try was written about her mother who passed away when M was 5 years old! Lead vocals recorded in one run through! One of my favs!!!!! One of the best albums in music history â€ïžâ€ïžâ€ïž
So sad! đđđ
Truly incredible!
The album version of Express Yourself is vastly different from the video version which is the version most people know. You should definitely listen to the video version mixed by Shep Pettibone which is definitely superior and made the song iconic and a total bop. #JusticeForExpressYourself
*ill NEVER understand how the mixed version wasnt the album cut. it is far superior! i was hoping he was listening to a new release that subbed the non-stop remix for the album cut!*
@@FranklySpeaking. it was likely done after the album was released. But heâs it is superior.
@@FranklySpeaking. Shep mixed it after the album dropped but before the video was released. You can actually see that they shot and edited the video with the original mix in mind, with the tyrant character watching men play horns as if they are a music box or something. It must have been a last minute swap before the video dropped
@@graphiquejack oh yeah i can see theyre performing to the album track. wish shep woulda come up with the idea sooner cuz the album version actually does hurt my ears. & it doesnt compare & they knew it, which is why they made the switch with the vid. and im also biased cuz the non stop & the other remixes of express are legend!
I think I'm one of the very few people who actually prefers the album version. The live instrumentation, the horns and especially that awesome bass make the song for me, it's funky and groovy. The remix is ok, but I feel it lacks the passion and the warmth of the original.
Itâs amazing that Madonna could have 6-7 albums be considered her magnum opus depending on the mood , she so diverse genre wise
Seriously. Even Michael canât claim that.
Truly incredible!
I am a die hard M fan and have been since 1984. This is still my favorite album by her. It was such a magical time! One of her more creative eras for sure! The videos are epic! M and Patrick Leonard are gold together. This is such a personal album for her, and 33 years later still brings out the emotion for me. Can't wait til you get to Erotica, Bedtime Stories, Ray of Light and Confessions on a DanceFloor! Keep em coming man!
So keen to get to them!
been waiting for this one. her peak really was from like a prayer in â89 to confessions in â05. all her best albums were released in that period so very excited to watch your journey
So so soooo keeeeen!!!
"Dear Jessie" is about lullaby written for Patrick Leonard's Daughter Jessie. They would play around during sessions which reminded Madonna of how she would play with her mother when she was little before she passed away. đ„čđ„Čâ€ïž
So cute!!! And so sad omg
@@bennshouts and there is a video clip for the song too. It's really cute.
I knew you would love this album! This is peak Madonna, she was anywhere and everywhere. The singles were Like A Prayer, Express Yourself, Cherish, Oh Father, Dear Jessie and Keep it Together. The amount of controversy this album created was ridiculous.There was world wide outrage at the release of Like A Prayer, condemnation from the Vatican, cancellation of Pepsi's sponsorship contract with madonna and banning of music videos. Once you see the music videos that go with it, you'll understand why. The album went to number 1 in more than 20 countries and sold more than 15 million albums. The album was dedicated to her mother who died when she was young and is a collection of songs about her mother, father and the bonds with her family, a very personal album. Some interesting bits for you. Like a Prayer went number 1 everywhere. Prince plays the electric guitar riff intro to the song. Its lyrics mixed sexuality, religion and innuendo. The music video set the standard for the format moving forward and the song was first heard in the debut of a Madonna Pepsi Commercial released just ahead of the music video. Pepsi turned it into a massive marketing event and more than 250 million people tuned in around the world to watch the commercial! Once she released the actual music video immediately after is when the shit really hit the fan. The Vatican protested it being broadcasted. They also called for a global boycott of Pepsi and all of its subsidiary fast food chains like KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. That pressure from hardline Christian groups led to the campaign being cancelled (although Madonna kept her $5M fee!). Most TV stations banned the music video but MTV didn't and had it on a high rotation. The controversy was so massive it can't be even slightly or remotely compared to anything today. The album version of Express Yourself you listened to is not the version that was commercially released as a single. A version by Shep Pettibone was the official music video version released and is the one that everyone knows. It's a banger and a classic. And, the music video that goes with it is iconic and the second most expensive music video ever created! (It cost $5M which is about $11M in today's dollars).This is the song that I thought you would have clicked is the one that Lady Gaga has been accused of copying and using in her song Born This Way. Love Song is Madonna's duet with Prince. This was a pretty big deal because Prince was also a massive artist at this time. Til Death Do Us Part is about Madonna's divorce from Sean Penn after a really big publicised fight. (Penn got thrown in prison for 60 days!). Promise to Try is about the death of Madonna's mum. Cherish was inspired by Romeo and Juliet. Dear Jessie is inspired by one of Madonna's producers Patrick Leonard, a song he wrote for his daughter Jessie! Oh Father is about Madonna's relationship with her father which soured following the death of her mother from breast cancer. It also has a really powerful music video directed by David Fincher. Keep It Together is about Madonna realising how important her relationship with her family was to her but the song wasn't released in the UK and Europe. Pray for Spanish Eyes is about a friend who had died from AIDS. At this time, Madonna begun to speak publicly about AIDS and HIV when it was still very taboo. She also was also the first to publicly support and embrace the LGBTQ communities when no one else would even think of doing so. Act of Contrition is Madonna reciting the Act of Contrition (a prayer that is supposed to express sorrow for you sins). Prince is also playing the electric guitar in this song as well. And, to be honest I think this is the beginning of the "interlude" as an album concept. I can't wait til you see the music videos that go with all of this!! This album is ICONIC and is in my Top 5 favourite Madonna albums.
Very well writtenđ Thank you!
But Madonna spoke about Aids two years earlier.
Madonna's Madison Square Garden show (Whoâs That Girl World Tour 1987) in New York City was an AIDS benefit with all the proceeds from the show going to American Foundation for AIDS Research (AmFAR). She dedicated her performance of "Live To Tell" to her late friend Martin Burgoyne.
Madonna also had a letter and flyer of hers for all attendees of the concert. The letter explains her passion to help and get educated.
On the inside front cover is a reproduction of a handwritten note from Madonna, detailing her personal connection to AIDS. Produced by the American Foundation for AIDS Research with editorial assistance from the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this graphic booklet outlined for the readers potential ways of contracting the virus, and corrected rumors that AIDS could be acquired from handshaking, kissing, dentistry or other now ridiculous examples. The comic also makes clear that AIDS is not a disease exclusive to homosexual men, as had first been reported.
@@vincentvega30 Great to learn new things about what she did. I had absolutely no idea about what she handed out at her concerts because unfortunately she didn't bring the Who's that Girl tour or the Blonde Ambition tour to Australia (where I am). Us Australians, were all very annoyed she didn't tour Australia considering she got her first No 1 of her career on the Australian Charts. The Blonde Ambition tour was the concert we all wanted to see but never got to. The first concert she toured in Australia was The Girlie Show after the release of the Erotica album and even then she didn't come back touring again for another 23 years!!
âLike a prayerâ⊠the best pop song ever released and this is my favourite Madonnaâs album . I remember how happy I was to see her publishing on the albumâs sleeve a leaflet about AiDS and the prejudice surrounding it⊠đđŒâ€ïž
So incredible!!!
"Like a Prayer" album, is simply pop rock perfection!
This is the first album of hers that she dug deep and revealed herself and got personal with her music, the conflict she has with her catholic upbringing (Like a prayer), the death of her Mother when she was 5 (Promise to try), her tumultuous relationship with her father (Oh father), her affirmation of her family and roots post fame (Keep it together), her painful divorce and physical abuse from her husband Sean Penn (Till death do us part), death of her good friend from AIDS (Spanish eyes), the ultimate feminist anthem (Express yourself).
And yes, I love "Cherish" just a unapologetic sugar sweet love song, and "Dear Jessie" (a lullabye for Patrick Leonard's daughter Jesse) with it's experimental switch up that brings you on a ferris wheel ride to a carousel đ ride and then some, very reminiscent of the Beatles' "Magical mystery tour". And the perfect ending to the album: "Act of Contrition" where during the late 70s and 80s when the US evangelists claims that some heavy metal songs when played backwards are chants to the devil, she up and did that artsy treatment to Like a prayer with a catholic prayer and background singers in a state of pentecostal ecstasy ending with her demanding "she has a reservation and why is her name not in the computer" a rebellious and tongue in cheek statement about not being let into heaven.
Backwards masking. Also prince played on that song and the ole wing of like a prayer which people donât know or forgot.
GREAT, GREAT REACTION as usual.
Doing a Madonna Journey is quite the Roller Coaster as you know by now, but Ben, doing it without reacting to AT LEAST some of her most iconic LIVE PERFORMANCES, is - - - A L M O S T - - like not knowing Madonna AT ALL!!!!! Ask any true Madonna fan and they'll agree with me ONE MILLION % (You MUST include LIVE PERFORMANCES in your journey)
Thank you!
You need to see the live performances of this. Her whole image and persona changed from true blue. Was amazing x cherish performed as a mermaid... awesome
Born This Way was compared to Express Yourself when it came out. I believe this comparison is what gave birth to the "reductive" comment when Madonna was asked about Gaga. There are plenty of mash ups of the two songs you can find. In the MDNA tour Madonna, being the cheeky queen she is, performed Express Yourself, and then added Born This Way into the performance, and then threw in a verse of her song She's Not Me from Hard Candy. Some random trivia for you. Thank you for the fun videos!
Do not speak of the reductive oneâŠ. JK đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Express yourself is a bit more poetic. Less on then nose.
Omg hahahahaha her adding the song on her tour đđđđ
@@bennshouts you need to react to her tours!! At least from Blond Ambition (Like a Prayer Era) till this day!!
The problem with Gaga is she very much had her own style and niche when she debuted but after a couple of years she bought too much into the megalomania and you could tell between the âAlejandroâ video and the âBorn This Wayâ single (and âJudasâ video!) that she was biting Madonnaâs style too much. I guess you could argue that she was trying to update Madonnaâs heyday for a new generation but she didnât do it as well, hence âreductiveâ
As much as I think there have been other artists that have covered Like a Prayer well (like Miley). The song can never really be sung by anyone other than Madonna and have the same meaning. Madonnas name literally means mother of Christ so when she sings âwhen you call my name itâs like a little prayerâ sheâs talking about how she is tied to the Catholic faith by her name, and canât escape it. Whenever she hears her name itâs a reminder of her religious upbringing. She then ties that to the idea of having her name called by a lover and the convergence of religious and sexual ecstasy. Itâs kind of genius song writing really, so yeah as much as I enjoy some of the covers if your name is not Madonna (or something similarly hyper religious like JesusâŠlol) then the song doesnât really have the same meaning. great reaction btw
Oh wow - no idea about any of that, makes sense though! And totally, I think any cover the focus is just how they transform it! Madonnas could never be beat!
Thank you đ„°đ„°
I love True Blue but Like a Prayer is where she transcended from being a pop star to being AN ARTIST. This is my favorite Madonna reaction from you yet. Looking forward to you reacting to the videos. Oh, by the way, her next studio album after Like a Prayer is Iâm Breathless - an album she wrote based on her character, Breathless Mahoney, from the film Dick Tracy. A lot of people mistake it for a soundtrack but itâs not. Itâs a Madonna album. Please donât skip it. Itâs one of the most incredible things sheâs done.
I'm Breathless is in my top 5
Express Yourself had a total production make-over as a single and video, which made it much stronger and eventually a huge hit. This album is still one of her best and I still smell the patchouli in the album sleeve. Classic!
Amazing!!!
My favorite song on this album is Til Death Do Us Part, which is about her stormy marriage to Sean Penn. Then Promise to Try is about her mother's death. She lost her mother to cancer when she was 5 years old and in that song she sings to herself as a child. Oh Father is about her troubled relationship with her father, who was very strict and severe and religious. He was actually called "the preacher" in the neighborhood because he was so religious and disciplinary. Madonna had a very sad childhood. And then Keep it Together is about family. This album was dedicated to her mother who taught her how to pray.
I love your reviews. I appreciate your vulnerability when reviewing. You show the emotion of a song. happy or sad. Keep up the fantastic work. I love this album!!!!
thank you! I really appreciate it
I love watching and listening to you reviewing Madonnaâs albums. It brings back memories of how I felt when I first listened to them. Although I listen to her older albums now and again, your honest reviews always inspire me to listen to them again right away! Keep up the good work!
Aww I'm so glad! Thank you!!
Ooooh! Excited!
Yasssss
I've been waiting for this one!
wait no more :P
Oh baby I didnât know you did this already. Just starting to listen. Hoping you love Till Death Do Us Part. That is my favorite.
I think youâll be happy đ€
@@bennshouts đ€đ€đ€đ€
@@bennshouts itâs about her marriage to Sean Penn.
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Listen to the Like a Prayer demo. The final song is the first take. One and done. Thatâs my girl.
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Pat said most of the songs were written and recorded in less than two weeks. And most of the vocal takes were the first or second take. She was very fast back then, which is why she was so prolific.
@@FindingMadonna yes amazing.
So excited for this reaction!!
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This is Madonna's first peak, where she owned the world, and her first album that received critical acclaim, For sure one of her most impactful culturally
â€ïžâđ„â€ïžâđ„â€ïžâđ„
Itâs the best. I cried on my first listen. I was 17.
MY FAVORITE MADONNA ALBUM (and probably of all time)!! i KNEW would love it too. my faves songs are "till the serve do us part" & "pray for slaying eyes" â€
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That was beautiful. Thank you for immersing yourself!
Thank YOU!!!
This has got to be the best Like a Prayer reaction in CZcams, period. â„ïž
Omg đ„șđ„șđ„ș
Thank you so much!!
100% agreed!
When this album came out the liner notes were scented with patchouli to make it smell like church incense. The reason I love that smell so much.
OMG I LOVE THIS SM!!!
@@bennshouts I need to find my old casette and see if it still smells.
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Mine still smells like itâŠ
@@taintedlife2618 Mine still smells but I lost the cassette! I still have the case.
You legend, was awesome to watch your reactions especially with Promise to Try. Brilliant mate đ
Thank you!
the way you acted when the album started again after the last song was so good lol
SHOOK TO MY CORE HAHAHAHA
@@bennshouts totally comprehensible
Act of Contrition is when she's at the gates of heaven. She's trying to go inside but she's not on the list so she's screaming "what do you mean it's not on the computer?!". She's making fun about the idea of getting into heaven after confessing your sins.
HAHAHAHAAH SO ICONIC
Thank you for reacting to this album. Love you! đ
Thank YOU!!! đđđ
@@bennshouts omg my dreams came true, you replied lol. Youâre most welcomeđđŒ
You have to look at her lives performances
Iâve always wanted her to do a set in her show where she did La Isla Bonita, Whoâs That Girl?, and Spanish Eyes back to back
Omggg
throw in Iâm Going Bananas and MedellĂn and weâve got an entire âspanishâ act
You gotta react to the blonde ambition tour and all of her tours following it. It is such a massive part of the shaping of pop culture and touring as we know it today and madonna was brilliant during that tour. Madonnaâs tours are a thousand times more ground breaking than her music and videos combined.
Yesss I think Iâll be doing tours too - itâs whatever Ryan decides haha
I feel this album is one of a few that feels like a pop masterpiece, though does have some flaws. But in comparison to most music since, it really stands out. Glad you enjoyed it!
Totally!
LAP was definitely leaps and bounds artistically stronger than her previous output, but I think Erotica is her first true masterpiece. There are a few too many clunkers on LAP that are strong lyrically but donât work overall as a song, IMO. Erotica to Music is her true peak as an artist, with a few strong albums after.
I almost forgot to mention that other than Madonna inserting literature on the FACTS about HIV/AIDS that cleared the fog for so many you gay men she also did another FIRST EVER.
The initial pressing of "Like a Prayer" on CD, cassette and vinyl was scented with patchouli to give it the essence of church incense. Madonna wanted to create a flavor of the '60s and the church. She wanted to create a sensual feeling you could hear and smell. It is amazingly powerful and full bodied scent that the moment I pulled the record out the smell would envelope the room and to this day since 1989 my vinyl and cassette still have that gorgeous smell and I'm taken back to my late teens again - also if I go into a Church (I like the architecture not praying lol) and that patchouli smell brings Madonna into my head and I'm sure that's a thorn in the side of the church lmao - how freaking smart was that - that's real original art and her mind works in mysterious ways - because who would think to do that?
Watch the Oh Father video. Never have visual and audio art blended so well. Early David Fincher.
âWhoâs the dudeâ is my favourite part cause you definitely should react to that one âïžđ„
Wow this was an amazing reaction to an amazing album! Watching u and listening to the music took me through the emotions, happy, upbeat and sad. 'Oh Father' is my fav song but i really like them all though. My fav album is hard cos I really like them all too and it changes depending on my mood! lol
Thank you!!
This is my favourite 'Like a Prayer ' review
đ„č thank you!!!! such a compliment!!
You should definitely listen to her song called supernatural! Itâs from the same era. You will love it!
You hit the nail on the head with Spanish Eyes (my personal favourite). A reviewer back in the day interpreted it as being about AIDS and/or gang violence, and that interpretation seems to have stuck. But I distinctly remember M saying in an interview that it is sung from the POV of a widow of the Spanish civil war of the 1930s. I can't find that quote anywhere, but believe me, the only reason 7-year-old me even knew there was a civil war in the first place was because Madonna told me đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł it's def not something they taught us in school in Australia LMAO.
Love your reactions †Also, Red Bull should be giving you back-pay at this stage đ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł
Like a Prayer is the best pop Song ever done
Brilliant album. Madonna + PRINCE⊠what??? Legendary. â€
Oh damn you have to hear Supernatural - a song that was cut but was recorded for this album.
This is my favorite album
Madonna disappeared from the limelight for most of 1988 after leaving us with the who's that girl/you can dance era...sometime early 1989, this commercial comes on tv, this guy walking through a desert and there's like a tent with what looks like bits of a woman and bits of a female voice. The official announcer voice comes on and says something like she's back - hear the new M song - this was a pre pepsi commercial in preparation for the real commercial that would premiere the world to Like A Prayer. The commercial premieres during the cosby show - biggest sitcom on TV at the time, and was the only time it aired because the following day the actual music video premiered and Pepsi was forced to pull the plug on their M deal. Just wanted to point out how massive this album launch was. The song and video were everywhere. Then she comes out with her sly and the family stone funky female power anthem "Express Yourself" as single #2 which was a huge hit for her as well AND the video, directed by David Fincher, was the most expensive music video up to that time and to this day one of her most incredible music videos. She worked with Prince on Love Song and he also did guitar work that you can hear on Act of Contrition and on 12" versions of like a prayer
Spanish Eyes was about a war, as you mentioned....the war against gay men who were dying of aids, especially in the US where the previous president of the last 8 years basically ignored it and let countless gay men, including M's close friends, die.. Madonna was one of the first mainstream pop celebrities to speak out about aids so for me Spanish Eyes is a vital track on this album and reminder that M has fought for human rights long before it was cool and expected.
Masterpiece!
I have so much to say about this album and your reaction. Iâll try and be as brief as I can. First of all, I love that you get stuff straight away. I like that about you and your reactionsâŠYouâre very sharp. My sweet father who passed away in 2020 adored Madonna cause Iâd basically brainwashed him with her music, while growing up. I couldnât get to his funeral because of Covid and being in another country during the first major lockdown. I insisted on having Like a Prayer played at his funeral for the opening song, (Yes I made those guests sit there and listen to the whole 5 minute album version!!) My motherâs fav Madonna song is Dear Jessie and the way it flows into Oh Father is beautiful. I hope you have re-listened to the transition. Sadly Till death do us Part wasnât a single, there couldâve been an incredible music video to it. But Iâm sure you will enjoy the videos to the singles. (Oh Father video will blow you away) Keep it Together was released as a single with no music video, which isI a shame, as there couldâve been a whole New York rags to Ritchieâs story line to it. The remixes they did on Express Yourself for the single and the video are so much better than the album version. Iâm so glad you enjoyed this masterpiece. The only track that sill lets it down for me is the Love Song duet with Prince, I know other fans love it, but it just doesnât flow with the rest of the album for me. Peace đ
Promise to try was dedicated to her Mother who died with breast cancer when she was 5 years old it was a shock and she have to deal with it til her 40âs y/o forgive my english iâm french đ đ€Łđ
đđđđ i cant
@@bennshouts itâs ok baby đ€đ i love your reactions take care đ
@@bennshouts listen to it again with that context in mind, brings me to tears every time...
@@yaya7594 I kind of wanted to hug him during that one.
This album is in my top 3. Great reaction.
Thank you!!
One of her best for sure. And even more impressive to think this album was recorded in just over two weeks and pretty much all the vocals on it are her first takes with no clean up being done in the production...
That's insane!!
Hi Benn. Iâve become a Patreon as I love your Madonna journey. Great work. Daniel from London
Same here. Daniel from Budapest
The guitar riff you here as the door slams on LAP is Prince.
Promise to Try đą
Yes! You understood everything.
Good songs will always be good.
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So glad I got it!
one of her best, canât wait for this one
Literally the best
Lol âwhoâs the dude?â on Love SongâŠ.thatâs a guy named Prince.
Your reaction is fantastic, this is one of the most iconic albums in music history. Just wait until you hear Erotica omg
SO KEEN!!!
Express Yourself should end up blowing you away once you see the video. Perfection!!!
Cant wait!!!
I went to the Blond Ambition concert in 1990 and itâs still one of my top concert experiences!
I'm a little late to the party (and this might of already have been said) but for a little background to "Love Song" with Prince being on it, he had a little bit to do with it in terms of the song itself, otherwise he was all in the background for some tracks (Like A Prayer, Love Song and Keep It Together), you'll notice where he is almost immediately on the extended versions and some remixes but with the album versions of the songs, you would have never known it was him doing the guitars and bass on them!
Oooo okay!! Thank you!!
There are mixes on the singles that are also amazing.
For info, the singles of this album was ''Like a Prayer'', ''Express Yourself'', ''Cherish'' and ''Oh Father''. ''Dear Jessie'' was only a UK single and ''Keep It Together'' only a US single. ''Like a Prayer'' was n.1 for 30 countrys in 1989 when it's came out and the video made huge controversy in the catholic chruchs, because of his content (notably the scene who she dancing in the burning cross). ''Express Yourself'' and ''Cherish'' reaching n.2 in US. ''Cherish'' stayed at n.2 in US charts behind Janet Jackson with her massive hit ''Miss You Much''.
Love this album. I wasn't touch by the lbum until the three or four last years, because it's help me a lot during my depression three years before and this was almost a therapy. It's really a album who it's help me , notably ''Oh Father'', who the words describes my own relationship with my personal father. A gem this album and one of her best albums of her, the album was the album who she really affirm has a artist and was the prelude of all risk she have later in her projects, like in ''Erotica'' and ''American Life''.
Oh I hope you're gonna watch Oh Father video... đ†definitely going to bring tears to your eyes. So, so beautiful!!
Not only her greatest album, this is the greatest album of all time. Please let this video be good and make sense.. here we goâŠ.
Welcome to the emotional rollercoaster of "Like a Prayer" or Madonna - if you read my humble ruminations than you know I'm just continuing the process of my state of mind within that era and my statements are of what was the thought of myself and my surroundings which obviously includes the Media and the theme of that period - growing up a teenager of the 80s (born 1970) 1989 and I'm and adult (not) able to drink alcohol while listening to Madonna LOL (that sure does give you a deeper insight hahaha) - enough me - just getting it out of the way
After the unsettling period between True Blue and Like a Prayer - not only with Madonna's personal life but added was the backlash from what seemed like the whole world - from Parents, Media, the worlds institutions, with constant negative coverage on prime time news that in todays world you would certainly call it out as bullying and misogynistic behavior that really was unprecedented (I still haven't seen such intimidation towards a young lady that is a POP singer/actor and not a politician as you may get that because they hold power in the institutions and can change law)
The single Like a Prayer was so ahead of it's time but not only because of the religious blasphemy the multiple layers are extraordinary even in todays standard - It was about racisms and how a black man was arrested for the murder of a white woman killed by white men - in todays term think of the Cops in USA murdering Floyd and Madonna was educating us about this 1989 as she exposed it to the world in a pop song??? The other issue was she had a black Jesus, she also kissed a black man and she was dancing in a church with a black choir dressed provocatively showing her bra straps shaking her booty (just to let you know how controversial it was that almost every black church choir rejected her request and the one on the video was her last resort and thankfully they agreed - yes its a real church choir) The song excluding the video is innocent enough and before she released the video she signed a contract with Pepsi that was financially the biggest ever - they paid her much much more than Michael Jackson (he disliked her because she always upstaging him).
Madonnaâs âMake A Wishâ commercial for Pepsi premiered during an episode NBC TV The Cosby Show - I was watching live dying to hear her new song.
A teaser ad had begun airing in the week leading up to the prime-time reveal of the full two-minute spot, which promised viewers the first opportunity to hear Madonnaâs new single, Like A Prayer. Unbeknownst to fans at the time, the teaser featured a brief preview of the 12âł Club Version of the song (excluding any Madonna vocals) - I was shattered and even more hungry for the vocals.
An estimated 250 million viewers in over 40 countries tuned in to watch the only airing of âMake A Wishâ - which marked the first time that a mainstream artist had launched a lead single in a promotional campaign before its official release to radio or MTV.
A brief but foretelling comment made by Madonna prior to the airing of the commercial was published in Rolling Stone magazine:
âI like the challenge of merging art and commerce. As far as Iâm concerned, making a video is also a commercial. But the treatment for the video is a lot more controversial. Itâs probably going to touch a lot of nerves in a lot of people. And the treatment for the commercial isâŠI mean, itâs a commercial. Itâs very, very sweet. Itâs very sentimental. The Pepsi spot is a great and different way to expose the record. Record companies just donât have the money to finance that kind of publicity.â (That's 1989 and she started that mindset)
The remark appeared to go conveniently unnoticed by the executives at Pepsi, who later claimed to have had no previous knowledge about the content of the Like A Prayer music video, despite the fact that it was already completed when the commercial was shot.
Banking on the buzz generated by the âMake A Wishâ commercial, Sire Records issued the Like A Prayer single and its accompanying music video to radio and MTV the day after the commercial aired and Pepsi had the biggest backlash in history to this day nothing comes close - they aired the ad once and shelved it. But Madonna got to keep her money lol - I love the lady. As for the ensuing controversy-thatâs just another day in Madonna history.
Gosh - This is my review of her first single and already I think I'm going to lose the concentration of most lol -
I'll be cutting it extremely short now and I hate doing that but??? hey this is 2022 and people don't read so much anymore nor the concentration span that we had without instant access via internet. I quickly scanned through the responses and I'll pull out the guns that I think those before have missed.
In Oh Father - obviously relationship with her dad but it was soooo much deeper;
The music video of the song was Madonna's attempt to embrace and accept her mother's death. Madonna's persona was split into the child and adult in the video, and a scene involving her dead mother shown in her wake, with her lips sewn shut, was the most disturbing scenes I'd ever seen in mainstream music videos-the scene was inspired by Madonna's memory of her mother from her funeral.
"There was so much left unsaid, so many untangled and unresolved emotions, of remorse, guilt, loss, anger, confusion. ... I saw my mother, looking very beautiful and lying as if she were asleep in an open casket. Then I noticed that my mother's mouth looked funny. It took me some time to realize that it had been sewn up. In that awful moment, I began to understand what I had lost forever. The final image of my mother, at once peaceful yet grotesque, haunts me today also." Madonna even today with her latest music has released photos of her own mouth sewn like the 1989 mother - Her wounds are still fresh.
Promise to Try is a eulogy for her mother - the lyrics says it all.
Till Death Do Us Part is as your viewer said - Marriage to Sean Penn but I didn't notice anyone mention the main meaning behind the song as she has sung about Sean before - this was more about the Catholic Church who don't believe in divorce, a policy which locks many people into extremely unhappy unions for life.
The last single I will explain that I think wasn't brought up is Love Song and a strange duet with Prince - Firstly they wrote it together but apart lol - they didn't sit together and write the song (that's why it sounds messy and a schizophrenic feel of a love song - not that I would know lol) - back in the day there was no email but the fax machine was instant letter or document sending hahaha yes they did write if over a facsimile (fax) - Madonna would write a few lines and faxed it to Prince and he adds his lines faxes it back - so back and forth they created a messy masterpiece of confusion - Prince didn't want her to release the song but Madonna has the art of seducing people to agreement just like Pepsi haha.
Until next time Cheers
Neo
I feel a little embarrassed but It's been a while since a relived the record and I was in tears myself dude so hey - I'm 52 and she still hits the emotional strings to make me cry - you're only human - like your new haircut -
THIS WAS INCREDIBLE! Thank you so all of this! Omg the Pepsi scandal is honestly iconic and I love that she got all the money and still causes such a scene hahahah! Was amazing to read! I love hearing about the impact she had and everything that was happening at the time of these releases! THANK YOU!!!!
@@bennshouts It's becoming obvious lately - I know nothing of numerology nor did I think of numbers other the phones and how bad I am at math.
Starting this year I began to notice an anomaly - I look at the clock on my phone or computer or TV or wall clock or car screen there was a constant theme or sequence and it never happened before - In the beginning I didn't think too much of it but one month later it was starting to bother me and I felt a bit uneasy because the chances that happens on a regular basis non stop are too great and because I started to obsess with it the more curious and attracted to find out why - it became so ridiculous that in my mind before I pick up the phone or check the time I would think I bet I'm going to see the the same number triple or quadruple - I would and by the end of the month of this happening daily finally thought there is something in this and not just coincidence - I googled - I first started to see 333 on the clock for a week than 111 for a week than it became ridiculous and most time (around 8 out of 10) I look at the clock on my phone or computer or TV or wall clock it was always a sequence 111, 222, 333, 444, 555, or 1011 etc and it never happened before - so what does one do? Google is your library lol - I'm still not convinced because I really don't know that much about it but what I do know is my life is taking a U turn in so many ways - every possible way really and my personality is different my - my view on life has become much more concrete and free - almost liberating and I'm the happiest at this time in my life than ever - I still am unsure what this is all supposed to be or mean but I've taken notice and when I do see the sequence I become present and I think about what I am doing and have done and going to do - 7 months later I'm still unsure but I notice changes in my life.
Another thing - There are a lot of people doing reactions to music videos and I generally go my two ACDC and Madonna - not much interest seeing reactions in the rest of the music scene although I have a wide range of music I love - I saw you first time and thought cool - you look passionate and dedicated and sane lol - I went back the second time and you said number six as the number that usually the track song you connect with..... That's another dimension of the numbers game because my lucky or not really lucky but my favourite number that I loved for as long as I remember and I always choose is 6 - and you mentioned it but not sure what your connections is - still it is become very very weird...... I may sound mad thinking to much about this - especially because I don't understand what's going on myself but I do know that it's a a "fine line between Genius and Madness" - I may be more mad lol................ I just had to say something especially adding to your love of 6 - you twice gave me the 3333????
Keep the good work flowing
Cheers
My name is Alistair
She wrote Pray for Spanish eyes about the situation with the people suffering and dying from the HiV AIDS epidemic at the time. How the establishment were ignoring the plight of those affected.
Heart breaking :(
CanÂŽt wait to see your "Erotica" reaction! its my favourite madonna record.
Yesss so keen for it!
Like a prayer đđœđđđœ
While True Blue is still my fave. This album is a close second for different reasons. In 1986 at 13 I was still evolving. By 1989 and turning 16 I was there and so was Like A Prayer. One of the best years of my life, thank you Queen Madonna. The pure depth and variety of Like A Prayer showed that Madonna could produce and sing many forms of music. Pop, Rock, Dance, Ballads and even mix them all up in a song.
1989 was also a very competitive and diverse year in music with many different artists topping the charts.
âïžLike A Prayer became her 7th number 1 single on the Billboard Hot 100
âïžExpress Yourself reached number 2
âïžCherish reached number 2
âïžOh Father sadly reached only number 20 on the Hot 100. I feel it was good enough to reach the Top 10. This was my song regarding my abusive dad. This song liberated me and I broke those chains when I turned 16 in 1989.
âïžKeep it Together reached number 8 on the Hot 100 without a music video.
đ Dear Jessie while never released as a single in the US, an international animated video was released.
Madonna is now a music Icon, and everything after is just layers of icing on the big cake đ.
And those layers are all great music for different reasons.
How is true blue your fav , itâs generic even in her standerds
Love all these stats! Truly incredible! Like wow!!! đđđđđ
Def my favourite album!
Wait till you hear Pettibone's remix of "Express Yourself" and see the video. I think you will change your mind about its ranking. This album track is lame, imv, but the remix and official video is FIRE FIRE FIRE! I understand why this album is important to her artistic development, but it's one of my least favorites. I must say, tho, I love all of the singles. Great reaction. Thank you!
Ohhh intresting to read! Thank you!!!
You were moved by Promise to Try. I think loss and loneliness is the secret ingredient that draws people to her.
Legit me đ„ș
BTW Prince wrote and performed all Electric Guitar for LAP and special versions in the remix.. which is in her new Finally Enough Love LAP version.... yes PRINCE
Ben mate I just wrote a little note to say this is the best reaction to the album Iâve seen on here but being the Gen X I am Iâm not sure I did it correctly!! Hope you do get it. This is her magnum opus and she actually knows it! Keep it up mate youâre brilliant ! And also terrible Muriel LOL xx
Aww I got it!
I never thought about looping the album into itself. That is crazy. Makes total sense.
Right!!?! So good!
One of her best albums for sure! Promise to Try is about the death of her mom when she was 5yo. I think on her Spotify there is a bonus song called Supernatural⊠the concept of it đ a woman named Madonna talking about intimate relations with a ghost/spirit⊠u cant make this sh** up đ
Omg wth hahahahahaha
I love that album!!!
I would love to see you do a reaction to her Like a prayer video. It will blow you away.
I will be xx
Promise to Try is her singing to her younger self about the death of her mother from cancer.
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Wow, you have such cool and creative background for your video. It's incredible. Is that a fan on the right? Must be to refresh you after listening to this album. đ đ đ
HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAA
I watched your reaction to ROL and I enjoyed watching you get into those songs. A lot of fans consider it her best album. In my opinion, Like a prayer was her best. "time goes by so slowly for those who wait, and those who run seem to have all the fun", lyrics Madonna wrote for Love Song, she reused those lyrics in Hung up.
Now imagine being a woman or a LGBTQ+ or anything beyond a straight macho at that time and bumping into this rebellious piece of work. At that time it wasn't cool at all to mess with the church or being seen as an LGBTQ+ ally. But she was never shy to stand up for our community, even to this day! And she was often times "punished" for being rebellious, she was at some point officially excommunicated by the pope. The movie "Truth or Dare" is a documentary that follows the Like a Prayer tour which she baptized as "Blond Ambition Tour". You can see a lot of iconic moments from her, some live performances and some context to some of the songs. There's a scene where she visits her mother's grave while Promise to Try is playing, very emotional. It even shows canadian police threatening to arrest her if she performed her "masturbation number" which is a live version of Like a Virgin in which she indeed simulates female masturbation at a bed on the stage. So wild! It even shows her and her backing vocals passing in front of the police singing Holiday. đ I absolutely fell in love with her after seeing this movie. I highly recommend you watch this one, is very fun and you can get a lot of the personality that makes so many people love her!
Fun facts: Sia recorded a version of Oh Father for an old album of hers and the cover of Lady Wood by Tove Lo is said to be inspired by the cover of Like a Prayer, even though she said it wasn't really intentional but she loves the accidental homage. Definitely one of the most influential pop albums of all time!
Sia covering Oh Father is DREADFUL. That woman should issue a public apology for even touching that song, much less taking a big ole dump on it
@@taintedlife2618 nope
Yesssss! Loved all of this omg!
Keen to see her live performances!!!
â€ïžâđ„â€ïžâđ„â€ïžâđ„â€ïžâđ„
@@taintedlife2618I don't agree, she did a terrific job, she made it her own by singing it in a different register..
Prince was credited as co-producer on the album. He did the guitar intro on Like A Prayer, Duet with Love Song and guitar in Act of Contrition
Great reaction ! React to live performances from her tours !! The tour for this album is The Blond Ambition Tour and itâs the most iconic one ever ! First time an artist does a theatric tour and she did a documentary that follows her throughout the blonde ambition tour called âTruth or Dareâ in one scene .. it shows how they want to arrest her before the show if she does the masterbation scene lol and she stands up for the her right and says sheâs not changing the f-king show .
By the way once you donât focus on the Song length and itâs really just feel the music , erotica is her longest album yet goes by the quickest itâs that amazing; longer songs are always better than short ones itâs a fact
Yeah the songs that draw me in, lengths dont matter, its just the ones I dont vibe with thet drag haha
When Madonna took over the world of pop
My all time favorite Madonna album (with Bedtime Stories) â€ïž
Iâd heard of Madonna as a kid prior to this album but never understood what the hype was about. Ffwd to hearing this album and watching the masterpiece videos. Was completely spell bounded by her at this time as was most the world.
My number 2 album
Erotica the best ever.. đ
Itâs hard to believe this album wasnât nominated for a Grammy. For me this was the album of the decade from any artist. This was my teenage years and I remember singing Dear Jessie as a bedtime lullaby to my nephew. Promise to Try paid tribute to her mother, Oh Father wasnât directly about her father but in parts, as she loved her father. Most of the album was influenced by her marriage breakup with her husband Sean Penn. I still love this album today and I loved watching your reaction to it.