'Like A Prayer' turns 25

[ErikJ972]

Posted: 3/21/14 at 3:53pm

This makes me feel really old, but happy anniversary to one of the best pop albums of all time.
I still remember the first time I listened to this album. I was in 10th grade on a class trip to Virginia. I stole my sister's cassette to listen on my walkman on the bus. It was just a couple weeks later that I came out to my closest friends.
I'm pretty sure, to this day, my parents think Madonna made me gay.
Madonna’s ‘Like a Prayer’ at 25: Classic Track-by-Track Review

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:08am

Classic Maddie! I love this album. "Til Death Do Us Part" is my favorite.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:15am

I decided to listen to the album from beginning to end this morning with my mind open. I have a copy of the CD buried somewhere, I have never put the many CDs of hers I own into my iTunes library because I was already through with listening to her by the time I got an iPod. Of course, that meant I had to listen to it on beatsmusic and imagine the patchouli glue. So I did.

Well, I dunno. I was struck by how overly long many of the songs are. Maybe my patience has worn thin over time. There isn't enough variety within the songs to justify some of the length. Anyway, I only made it through "Dear Jessie," the one song I still really enjoyed.

After that, I decided I'd rather listen to Haerts, so I put them on. Like Madonna, I prefer to look forward, I guess.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:31am

Madonna posted this picture of herself on Facebook yesterday.

Happy 25th anniversary, "Like A Prayer"!!!!!!!!

[SNAFU]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:33am

Her recent twitter shot of her under arm hair has proved to me; this woman has jumped the shark. Not only musically but artistically. GO AWAY!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:36am

Somebody probably just told her about Amanda Palmer.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:44am

She knows what the kids like, Namo.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:47am

We'd all already seen "Paris is Burning" long before "Vogue" came out, but it wasn't soooooo far past its freshness date.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:48am

I'm actually watching that right now. Weird.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 12:56am

Poor Dorian.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 1:31am

I always thought her voice had a little preview of her destiny to start talking in Pidgin British in Dear Jessie.

I wasn't a big Maddie remix fan, but I did like Remixed Prayers. She kind of a remixed asshole these days.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:18am

Well, Namo's spoken. One of the greatest pop albums of the past 30 years features overly long, tired songs and the only track of any value is "Dear Jessie". Not "Like a Prayer", "Express Yourself", "Cherish", "Oh Father", "Love Song", or "Keep it Together". Nope all garbage.

I still have a real soft spot for this album. I was in elementary school then so, no, unlike some of you I had not seen Paris is Burning just yet and when she followed this up with The Immaculate Collection / I'm Breathless -- "Vogue"/"Justify My Love" -- she owned me. She was at the height of her artistic powers and her cultural influence. 89-91 -- those were her glory days.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 2:47pm

::the only track of any value is "Dear Jessie"::

I said that somewhere? I don't see that when I reread what I posted.

Oh, and Love Song is the one that is really the most unbearable and it goes on and on and on and on and on and on and on.

"Cherish" still sounds good.

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 2:53pm

"Promise to Try", "Oh Father", "Keep It Together", "Cherish", "Express Yourself" & "Like a Prayer" are all some of my favorite songs she's ever done, so I really do adore this album.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:18pm

Namo, not enough variety, too long, you like Dear Jessie the most forgettable and cringe inducing song on an album that has plenty of incredible moments? Good lord, I guess there really is no accounting for taste.

It was nice to see Billboard re review the album this week, I agree with them that it hasn't really dated. like a Prayer, Express Yourself,Cherish, Promise to Try, Spanish Eyes, Oh Father still sound incredible. I always loved how the lyrics to Till Death Do Us Part were sang over.a bouncy pop track, the contrast was great. Only Dear Jessie and Love Song let the album down.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 3:27pm

I used a lot of "I" statements.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/22/14 at 9:30pm

In (limited) defense of Namo, I think "Dear Jessie" is a lovely song as well. Especially considering Madonna's own difficult childhood and death of her mother. She doesn't always do emotionally honest work, but on the occasions that she gets "there", she can be awfully good. See "Oh Father" on that very same album.

God, do you remember the massive controversy over the "Like a Prayer" video? She's kissing a black man? A black Jesus-figure? What??? No Pepsi endorsement deals for you, Madonna!" What a strikingly provincial and conservative culture we were just a few years ago. It can be hard to forget, when this sad woman we have before us now is posting pics of her armpit hair and of her "grills" on Instagram, that at one time her shock value had some, well, value.

[StageManager2]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 1:56am

Like a Prayer and The Immaculate Collection are two of the few albums I can listen to all the way through without skipping tracks.

ErikJ972, I too used to steal my older sister's Like a Prayer cassette. One day, she caught me in the act and, in a moment or fury, took the tape from my hand and smashed it to smithereens right in front of my eyes. It was traumatic. Haha!

Updated On: 3/23/14 at 01:56 AM

[StageManager2]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 2:03am

HorseTears, It wasn't just the inclusion of a "Black Jesus" (portrayed by the oh-so-fvckable Leon) that was the main source of the controversy; it was also the burning crosses and overall religious iconography as sexual backdrops that shocked people.

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 2:05am

Yes, of course it was the whole thing, you're right. And, of course, she knew exactly what she was doing. I liked her dark hair in that vid, too.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 3/23/14 at 10:11am

"Dear Jessie" is the only song that justifies the patchouli.

Oh, and please don't spend another minute of your life ever offering a (limited) defense of my posts, ever. Ok HorseTears?

Updated On: 3/23/14 at 10:11 AM

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 5:02am

I'll Probably get shot for this, but I actually prefer Priscilla: Queen of the Desert's version of this song over the original. But then, maybe that was because i got to watch Nick Adams dance around in a jock strap. LOL

[HorseTears]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 9:47am

[darreyl102]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 11:19am

^^^ LOVE! Dead.

[blueroses]

Posted: 3/24/14 at 11:27am

God, I loved this album! Not as much as Ray of Light, but it's up there. "Express Yourself" was my favorite track.

I haven't seen that video in years. She was one gorgeous brunette.