It’s 30 years today since Madonna released her single Like a Prayer, sparking one of the biggest controversies of the singer’s career, and delivering one of eternally popular hits.
In March 1989 Madonna’s fans were desperately eager for new music from the singer. 1988 had been the first year since Madonna arrived on the music scene in 1982 that she hadn’t released any music.
The singer has released her True Blue album in 1986, the following year she starred in the movie Who’s That Girl – half of the soundtrack album were filled with Madonna songs, and she’d also released the remix album You Can Dance. Madonna was everywhere, and then she had 12 months where she largely disappeared.
Madonna spent most of 1988 appearing on Broadway in David Mamet’s play Speed the Plow. Madonna performed eight shows a week alongside actors Ron Silver and Joe Mantegna. She was eager to be taken seriously as an actress after her previous films Shanghai Surprise and Who’s That Girl had been panned by critics. But reviews of Madonna’s performance were mixed.
Late in 1988 she returned to the recording studio and began working on a new album. She teamed with producers Stephen Bray and Patrick Leonard who she had worked with on True Blue and Who’s That Girl.
For this album Madonna wanted a more mature sound, an adult contemporary album. She wrote songs about religion, family, death and divorce. In January 1989 Madonna announced she filed for divorce from actor Sean Penn after three years of marriage.
She collaborated with Prince on several tracks, together they wrote a track Love Song which they perform as a duet, but Prince also appears playing uncredited guitar on several of the albums tracks.
The lead single Like a Prayer was dramatically different to Madonna’s previous releases, it featured lyrics that were filled with religious references, but could also be interpreted a sexual references. A gospel choir filled the tune and the song was had a lot more electric guitar that her previous work.
It wasn’t just the music that different, Madonna appeared with dark hair rather than her more recognisable blonde look. She signed a sponsorship deal with Pepsi, for a whopping $5 million which would see Madonna appearing in a commercial and the soft drink sponsoring her upcoming world tour.
Pepsi would premiere the singer’s new song in a TV commercial that aired during the Grammy Awards and popular Tv sitcom The Cosby Show. The next day Madonna would reveal the official music video.
For the official music video Madonna worked with director Mary Lambert, who had created several music videos for the singer in the past.
The clip shared a story of an interracial couple being harassed by members of the Ku Klux Klan and Madonna seeking refuge in a church. When she prays to a saint, he comes alive.
In Australia the video was first show on Hey Hey It’s Saturday and it was our first time to hear the new music.
Christian groups protested the clip saying it was disrespectful. The Pope advised Catholics not to watch the video and said people should boycott Madonna’s live performances. There were calls for people to boycott Pepsi, and avoid fast food stores that stocked the soft drink.
Pepsi cancelled their sponsorship deal with Madonna and pulled their ad from television, reportedly they let Madonna keep the 5 million. The singer responding to the furore simply saying ‘art is supported to be controversial’.
The song topped the charts around the world, and spent four weeks in the number one spot on the Australian chart. When the 12 inch version was released fans were treated to a series of amazing remixes of the song created by Shep Pettibone and Junior Vasquez.
Like a Prayer has remained one of Madonna’s most well known songs and she regularly includes it in her live performances and she’s performed the song at Live 8, at her SuperBowl halftime performance, and last year it was included in her show at the Met Gala.
Happy 30th Birthday Like a Prayer!
OIP Staff
