My music was probably the only distraction I had. It was this fear that haunted me it taunted and pained me every moment. No matter how you try to get away from it, the sin is within you all the time. She commented for the May 1989 issue of Interview that her Catholic upbringing struck a feeling of guilt in her all the time:īecause in Catholicism you are a born sinner and you're a sinner all your life. Madonna had also turned 30, one year removed from the age at which her mother had died, and thus the singer experienced more emotional turmoil. Her marriage to actor Sean Penn ended and the couple filed for divorce in January 1989.
However, unfavorable reviews once again caused her discomfort. Following the lack of critical and commercial success of her 1987 film Who's That Girl, she acted in the Broadway production Speed-the-Plow. At the end of the 1980s, following the release of the album, Madonna was named "Artist of the Decade" by several publications.ġ988 was a quiet year on the recording front for American singer-songwriter Madonna. Like a Prayer preceded Madonna's ground-breaking Blond Ambition World Tour. The video for "Express Yourself" was the most expensive video at its release. The music video for "Like a Prayer" was a lightning rod for religious controversy, using Catholic iconography such as stigmata and burning crosses, and a dream about making love to a saint, leading the Vatican to condemn the video and causing Pepsi to cancel Madonna's sponsorship contract. With the singles' accompanying music videos, Madonna furthered her creativity and became known as a leading figure in the format. Worldwide, the album has sold over 15 million copies. "Like a Prayer" became Madonna's seventh number-one hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, while "Express Yourself" and "Cherish" peaked at number two and "Keep It Together" became a top-ten hit.
Six singles were released from the album: the title track, "Express Yourself", " Cherish", " Oh Father", " Dear Jessie", and "Keep It Together". Like a Prayer received universal acclaim, with Rolling Stone hailing it as "close to art as pop music gets." Commercially, the album was an international success, reaching the top of the charts in multiple territories, and was certified quadruple platinum in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). Madonna also preaches female empowerment in " Express Yourself". The lyrics deal with themes from Madonna's childhood and adolescence, such as the death of her mother in "Promise to Try", the importance of family in " Keep It Together", and her relationship with her father in " Oh Father". Madonna drew from her Catholic upbringing, as seen on the album's title track, which was also released as its lead single. The album uses live instrumentation and incorporates elements of dance, funk, gospel, and soul into a more general pop style. Madonna described the album as a collection of songs "about my mother, my father, and bonds with my family." The album was dedicated to Madonna's mother, who died when she was young. Her most introspective release at the time, Like a Prayer has been described as a confessional record. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and Prince on the album while co-writing and co-producing all the songs. Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records.
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