Like A Prayer
Lyrics
Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home
When you call my name
It's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees
I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I'll take you there
I hear your voice
It's like an angel sighing
I have no choice
I hear your voice
Feels like flying
I close my eyes
Oh God I think I'm falling
Out of the sky
I close my eyes
Heaven help me
When you call my name
It's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees
I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I'll take you there
Like a child
You whisper softly to me
You're in control
Just like a child
Now I'm dancing
It's like a dream
No end and no beginning
You're here with me
It's like a dream
Let the choir sing
When you call my name
It's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees
I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I'll take you there
When you call my name
It's like a little prayer
I'm down on my knees
I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I'll take you there
Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home
Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer
No choice
Your voice can take me there
Just like a prayer
I'll take you there
It's like a dream to me
Just like a prayer
I'll take you there
It's like a dream to me
Just like a prayer
I'll take you there
It's like a dream to me
Just like a prayer
I'll take you there
It's like a dream to me
Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer
No choice
Your voice can take me there
Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer
No choice
Your voice can take me there
Your voice can take me there
Like a prayer
Credits
Written by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
Produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard
Album
Single
On March 3, 1989 - right before the release of the album with the same title - Like A Prayer was released as lead-off single. Combining pop, rock, dance and even gospel music, this great song hit the music scene like a bomb and would soon become an all-time Madonna classic and a favorite among fans. In the US, it hit #1 in the Billboard Hot 100, Airplay, Sales, Club Play and Maxi-singles charts. It was her first single to be certified Platinum. Internationally, it hit #1 in many countries, including the UK, Australia, Canada, Belgium, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, New Zealand, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, as well as in the Eurochart Hot 100 where it dominated the list for 12 weeks.
Video
The fantastic music and lyrics made the song great; the Mary Lambert video made it notorious. There are many possible interpretations, but basically the video shows Madonna, witnissing a murder on a white girl. When a black man is wrongfully accused of the crime, she comes up for his defence. She prays for him in church and is seen dancing in front of burning crosses, as a reaction against racial discrimination. Inside the church she kisses a black saint (or is it the black innocent guy?). There's a happy end, and they pretend it to be just a theatre play.
A few days before the premiere of the video, Pepsi first aired their brand-new commercial which starred Madonna and used the tune of Like A Prayer. However when the video was first shown, it caused outrage within the Catholic church, who were offended by Madonna using signs of stigmata (her bleeding hands), by her kissing a black saint and by "having an orgasm on the altar". The church urged people to boycott Pepsi, after which Pepsi stopped the broadcast of their commercial after only two airings (and withdrew their sponsoring of the Blond Ambition Tour).
At the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards, Like A Prayer won the Viewers Choice Award, and was nominated for Best Video of the Year.
Tour
As if the video hadn't caused enough controversy already, Madonna performed Like A Prayer on her Blond Ambition Tour right after the notorious Like A Virgin bed scene. Wearing a black robe over her corset and a cross around her neck, she and her dancers danced on a combination of the 12" Club Mix and the 12" Dance Mix. The stage had changed into a church with pilars and candles. Wearing black veils, Niki and Donna turned into two sexy nuns, with Niki giving an impressive solo.
'OK let's get this party started. This is a non-sitting song, so I don't wanna see anyone in his seat, okay?!' That's how Madonna kicked off Like A Prayer on the Re-Invention Tour. We waited 14 years for this performance, so dance & sing along was the least we could do. Things had changed over those years though: the cross was now replaced by Hebrew signs on the screen, displaying her new religion. And this time Niki wasn't around, so Siedah Garrett backed up Madonna with her strong vocals. One thing did stay the same: a great performance that had all the fans join in the fantastic atmosphere. Madonna made the ending extra special by slowing down on the last few lines.
One of the surprises on the Sticky & Sweet Tour was Like A Prayer. The stage was turned into a big rave party as this classic hit got mixed with Meck's 'Feels Like Home', which itself samples the 90s club hit 'Don't You Want Me' by Felix. Madonna's line 'feels like home' was now cleverly replaced by the same line by Meck. Madonna appears in true Xena-style, with a breastplate emphasizing her physical assets, and raves on stage with her dancers. Backup singer Nicki Richards proves her vocal skills in the solo. The screens display a powerful message of equality of religions. Religious symbols and texts from different scriptures flash by to give food for thought. 'We all come from the Light and to it shall we return'. No better way to introduce the next song Ray Of Light.
When Madonna says she's a sinner, we need a prayer. For the closing song of the MDNA Tour (when considering Celebration as the encore), Madonna gathers her dancers, backing singers, the Kalakan trio and her son Rocco together on stage to form a large choir, all dressed in black gowns with white crosses. Madonna wears a shiny silver dress, with 'MDNA' embroiled on the back, with a 3-way split skirt that floats when she's spinning. Together they perform the familiar-sounding dance version of this feel-good song, a perfect fit at the end of the show. When Nicky Richards performs her solo, Madonna goes up to the end of the catwalk for a crazy dance work-out before inviting the crowd to a singalong. Just like the song was started, church bells ring in the end as Madonna sinks into the stage.
While the song didn't get a permanent spot on the setlist of the Rebel Heart Tour, it was one of the most popular choices as surprise song in the Latin / Gypsy Segment. On 16 shows, Madonna led the crowd in a singalong for Like A Prayer.
If only the Eurovision viewers could've seen the Madame X Tour performance of this song. In a long black robe, Madame X turns into a priestess, as she leads the Batukadeiras choir in a heartwarming singalong, as they assemble on a large X-shaped staircase.