Madonna Like A Prayer Lyrics Meaning
posted August 19, 2009 - 11:23amMadonna's Like a Prayer, condemned by Christian organisations as blasphemous upon its release in 1989, has topped a poll of videos which "broke the rules". "Like a Prayer" was her most explicit artistic statement in 1984. She incorporated rock, dance, pop, soul and funk elements all rolled into one into the album.
She chose the title track as the first single. When it came out, Pepsi intended to use it as part of their commercial campaign featuring Madonna as the spokesperson. In addition, they would sponsor a 1989 world tour. However, the release of the video for "Like A Prayer" caused a firestorm. In it, Madonna witnesses a murder, makes love to a saint, displays stigmata after cutting her palms on a knife, and dances in a field of burning crosses.
Religious groups were furious and threatened to boycott Pepsi. Pepsi decided the risk was too great and they cancelled their contract with Madonna. The Pepsi clip featured the portion of the video which shows the singer dancing around the hill with burning crosses and kissing a black Christ-like figure in what is apparently a Catholic church. It came first in a survey of 10 thousand MTV viewers, with Madonna's songs Ray of Light and Vogue also in the top five. Madonna, one of the icons of the MTV age - has been excluded from the network's play list on more than one occasion because of the content of her videos and lyrics in her songs.
The following are parts of the the lyrics to Like A Prayer:
"just like a muse to me", Definition: muse: a force or person, esp. a woman, that inspires a creative artist So just who or what that is giving her the inspiration (muse) to her? It's clearly blasphemous so I'll leave that for you to decide.
"no end and no beginning" - clearly Alpha and Omega ... "no choice your voice can take me there" - good ole' predestination ...
"oh god I think I'm falling out of the sky I close my eyes, heaven help me": Perhaps this feeling has been experienced in the past of falling out of the sky? Fallen. Hm. The actual lyrics are as follows:
The actual lyrics are as follows:
Like A Prayer - Madonna
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
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
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, 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
I must confess, I found the tune was very catchy... but like much pop product out there, not edifying in the least. To what does she refer? She alone could tell you that. The safer conclusion to draw is what she cannot possibly be referring to: The true Lord God of the Bible. He is neither a mystical force nor the puppeteer "like a child" whimsy she describes. Jehovah is neither a muse nor a dream. Let's not even start with the taking of His name in vain. At best, this song is a mix of incoherent mystical babble, at its worst, it's a sensualised caricature of God of blasphemous proportions. My view is that there are bits of pop out there that are harmlessly fun - for example, her Caribbean-sounding "La Isla Bonita" was a fun song. Not spiritually uplifting per se, but not evil either.
Samantha Whittel was raised in Alaska. She is now living in Montana with her husband and two children with whom she raises llamas and collects breitling replica and other various replica watches.
This article is opinion only. For informational purposes only.
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Comments
a couple pennies from me
While I would like to think all music is written by people who want to deliver a message, I know that isn't true. Madonna was already an established marketing power when this song was released. Controversy is money in the bank. I may be wrong but the context of Like A Prayer is meant to upset the status quo. Any message intended would be lost to the medium. Madonna was bigger then that song so it could not hurt her regardless. Call it a manipulation by those who market music and do their jobs well.
Having said that, I have felt strongly for many years that it is arrogant to believe anything said or done could offend God. To believe otherwise is to believe God is less then that which God created. I am not one who likes to discuss God using the word God as it brings about such an array of ideas in so many people. (So I use it softly in this comment) It was a song before a video. If the video was done in more a tradition idea, would it have been so upsetting? I think not. People who look outside of conditioning are often chastised for it. If there was serious intention behind the video, then it would appear to me that someone was trying to understand meanings in their own distinct ways. Perhaps I might not want to judge, unless I am prepared to be judge the same way.
Thats the whole two cents...well, almost. People hurt many ways for many reasons in this world. And they are shaped by that pain. Pain leads to questions. To turn a blind eye to that is to discard meaning in living. Let God worry about what God finds offensive. Focus on context and meaning in our world and there be jewels waiting for you to discover. You might find them in the damnedest places.
Peace
Which God?
Maybe this will help you...
http://www.xomba.com/controversy_madonna_lyrics_prayer
To my knowledge, there is only ONE God, known by many different labels of identity, but only ONE.
MJ
Avatar: Belief
My journey for Balance
ok
to which god is she most likely praying
"Safe" is not always the best path
Your reply immediatley brought a question to my mind.
Are your eyes truly opened or have you just put blinders on so that you do not see the peripherals?
Your "safer" conclusion appears to be focusing on the written words and religious bias not the essence, the emotions of the words. A perfect example of what I mentioned above.
She is talking of feelings and a voice that is "like a prayer"; a spiritual plea followed by an answer. A voice that brings peace to someone who is confused and feels alone. The message here is not blasephemy, but a reaching out to God for help.
Choosing the "safe" eyes can be deceiving.
MJ
Avatar: Belief
My journey for Balance
I actually was open to what
I actually was open to what you are suggesting I stay open to in the 80's, now my eyes are what's open. I was a huge madonna fan in the 90's and still am, I just have more info on these types of songs now. There are a lot of them.
"Like" a Prayer
As you say, the true meaning of the song is held within Madonna herself. However, as with the song Like A Virgin, many people choose to focus on a word and not the message.
"Like a"... is not saying it is, it is saying it is in relation to. The feelings expressed in the lyrics resemble the essence of the identifying word, but are not the word itself. These two songs which contain the phrase "Like a" were both controversial and both about love, pain and finding peace.
This reply is also an opinion and is open to perceptions of the individual mind. Sometimes it is necessary to look outside the box of society and our comfort zones of ourselves to understand lyrics of songs.
MJ
Avatar: Belief
My journey for Balance
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