I've been listening to a shit ton of records since my last day of teaching and the other day I gave Like A Prayer another listen. It's still one of her very best set of songs with some of her best lyrics, but how in the world does this album continually escape the "lack of sonic cohesion" complaints leveled at her more recent records? It's so sonically eclectic, running the gamut from the deep funk of Love Song to the Sgt. Pepperisms of Dear Jessie. And it easily was her most diverse lyrically up to that point. She covers many subjects on it. I mean, it manages to hang together very well, but maybe get off of Rebel Heart's ass a bit? I understand that Like A Prayer is the stronger record, particularly lyrically, but if you have a problem with Rebel Heart's variety, you probably should have the same problem with Like A Prayer's as well. But good luck trying to get her nostalgia-blinded fanbase to be consistent.
I've seen mostly Madonna fans who fondly remember Like A Prayer as one of her "graceful" periods when she was "on top of the world" stan it. And I also think people who weren't alive during the era can still be blinded by nostalgia. In that they perceive the era as being something different than it actually was. But perhaps you are onto something because the album came out during my birth year I very much disagree that it's more patchy than the three that came before. It's her only 80s album without questionable deep cuts IMO and her only 80s album in which the singles are not leagues better than the album tracks.
Rain was a moment! And that video!
For me the singles Like a Prayer and Express Yourself were strong enough to carry the campaign. Cherish is a weak single. Beautiful video of course! Oh Father was a great single I thought.
"Cherish" is one of her best ever songs, the fuck.
Oh Father is Top 5 Madonna.
Cherish is a pristine pop song. The melody, the gospel swing arrangement, the pitch perfect lightness of the vocals, the lowkey clever lyrics. I prefer it to Express Yourself album version even if it's admittedly the least iconic of the three initial singles.
I still don't understand how Madonna can bash it and then release the likes of Superstar but I think that we just have to accept that pop stars' taste in their own music will always be vexing.
Cherish is a pristine pop song. The melody, the gospel swing arrangement, the pitch perfect lightness of the vocals, the lowkey clever lyrics. I prefer it to Express Yourself album version even if it's admittedly the least iconic of the three initial singles.
I still don't understand how Madonna can bash it and then release the likes of Superstar but I think that we just have to accept that pop stars' taste in their own music will always be vexing.
he/him
I’ve never heard this before
Like A Prayer is an era.
I also think Rebel Heart was her best album since Confessions so maybe I don’t need cohesion?
I also think Rebel Heart was her best album since Confessions so maybe I don’t need cohesion?
Yes I was going to say doesn't Madonna dislike the song?
When did she actually say this?
I heard she also doesn't like This Used to be my Playground. A song that I love!
I recall reading this on a showbiz page on Teletext at the start of 2003. I grew up without Internet! I often wonder if the songs that state additional production by were the songs the record label wanted changing.
I don't need cohesion either and I'll sure take too much variety over songs that blur into each other. Rebel Heart did not feel as long as it is because it switched things up so much.
Honestly, there's a time for cohesion and then there's a time to get all White Album-esque.
So glad somebody else heard this because I felt like I was going crazy. Still not sure if it's true but I good to know I'm not just making up shit. I also heard the tracks were initially a lot longer than they are on the finished record.
I think she once used the r-word to describe Cherish.
I also really love This Used To Be My Playground. I like how it's both dark and nostalgic.
Back in London!!In other news, Madonna and FKA Twigs went together to CSM show earlier today.
Will she attend the opening night of ABBA Voyage this Friday?
There were rumors about it back in the day, if I’m not mistaken Liz also killed the story in the media. In the end the album was still pretty weird so it was probably untrue but yes, that story was around.
I remember thinking the album was beyond weird when it released. I was a freshman in high school and salty it didn't sound all pretty like Ray of Light. It took me forever to warm up to its jaggedness but now it's one of my faves. If it came out now, I would probably love it on first listen.