Cherish (Madonna song)

Last updated

"Cherish"
Madonna, Cherish single cover.png
Single by Madonna
from the album Like a Prayer
B-side "Supernatural"
ReleasedAugust 1, 1989
Recorded1988
Genre
Length5:03 (album version) 4:03 (single version)
Label
Songwriter(s)
Producer(s)
  • Madonna
  • Patrick Leonard
Madonna singles chronology
"Express Yourself"
(1989)		"Cherish"
(1989)		"Oh Father"
(1989)
Music video
"Cherish" on YouTube

"Cherish" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, and was released by Sire Records as the album's third single on August 1, 1989. "Cherish" was built around the themes of love and relationships, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet being one of the major inspirations. The track also included a line from "Cherish" by the 1960s band the Association. Musically constructed as a doo-wop-style pop song, it is regarded as a light-hearted track by critics and includes instruments such as a drum machine, percussions, keyboards and a saxophone. Lyrically, it speaks of Madonna's devotion to her lover, and her promise to be always by his side. "Cherish" was included on Madonna's greatest hits compilations The Immaculate Collection (1990) and Celebration (2009).

Contents

After its release, the song received positive feedback from reviewers, who were surprised by the change of content and the lighter image of Madonna's music in contrast to her previous singles from Like a Prayer, which incorporated themes such as religion and sexuality. They compared certain lyrics of the song to Juliet's lines in Romeo and Juliet. "Cherish" was a commercial success, topping the Canadian music chart and reaching the top ten of the charts in Australia, Belgium, Italy, Ireland, the United Kingdom and the combined European chart. In the United States, "Cherish" peaked at number two on the Billboard Hot 100 and number one on the Cash BoxTop 100, giving Madonna the record for the most consecutive top-five singles by any act with 16.

A black-and-white music video for the song was directed by photographer Herb Ritts at the Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. In the video, Madonna plays herself, while three co-actors dressed as mermen swim in and out of the sea. Academics noted that the mermen became symbols for the homosexual community and the oppression it faced. Madonna performed "Cherish" on her Blond Ambition World Tour (1990), where the performance included her dancers dressed up as mermen. Its symbolism was seen to de-sexualize men, relegating them to objects of desire.

Background

"Cherish" was written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, and released as the third single from Like a Prayer (1989). The song is built around the themes of love and relationships, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet one of its major inspirations. [1] Madonna was reading Romeo and Juliet during the breaks during rehearsals for Speed the Plow , a Broadway show in which she was starring in 1988. On the third day of the Like a Prayer recording sessions, she presented Leonard with the lyrics of "Cherish", and explained that she had written the song "one sunny afternoon by the beach", but later confessed that it was actually written in her make-up room. [2] "I wrote it in a superhyper-positive state of mind that I knew was not going to last", the singer recalled. [3] Leonard introduced one line from the similar titled song by the 1960s band the Association, "Cherish is the word I use", after which Madonna decided to include it on Like a Prayer. [4] The B-side of the single release of "Cherish" was a previously unreleased track called "Supernatural", initially composed during the recording sessions of her third studio album, True Blue and later completed in 1989. [5] In 2009, during an interview with Rolling Stone , Madonna confessed that she had never been able to predict if her songs would be successful, irrespective of her personal opinion of them. As an example, she cited "Cherish" as one of the most "retarded" songs she had written, but noted it became a commercial success. [6] The song was also included on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection and the two-disc edition of her 2009 compilation Celebration . [7] [8]

Composition

Gnome-mime-sound-openclipart.svg
"Cherish"
A 30 second sample of "Cherish", which starts with the opening verse of the song, played on synths with keyboards accompanying it. As Madonna sings the verses, the sound of drum machines, percussion and guitars back her voice.
Problems playing this file? See media help.

"Cherish" is a doo-wop style pop shuffle song and opened the second side of Like a Prayer. [5] [9] It begins with the sound of synths and keyboard and Madonna repeatedly singing the words "cherish, cherish". This is followed by the sound from drum machine, as percussion and guitars accompany her voice. [5] During the bridge, Madonna sings the line "Cupid please take your aim at me", as the keyboard sound becomes pronounced. The drum changes its rhythm and Madonna moves into the chorus, "Cherish the joy/of always having you here by my side", accompanied by background vocals and a bass guitar. [5] The second verse continues in the same way, with Madonna singing the line "Romeo and Juliet/they never felt this way I bet/So don't underestimate my point of view." [10]

As the second chorus ends, a saxophone starts playing as Madonna softly asks the listener, "Who? You! Can't get away, I won't let you", followed by Leonard's Association-inspired line. [5] Background vocals continue repeating words over a horn, playing in B♭ minor. The drums and the percussion start again and the chorus is sung twice, before fading out. [5] According to the sheet music published by Alfred Publishing Co. Inc., "Cherish" is composed in the time signature of common time, with a moderately fast tempo of 130 beats per minute. Set in the key of D major, "Cherish" has Madonna singing between the tonal nodes of A3 to D5. The song follows the sequence of G/D–D–Em7–D in the beginning as its chord progression, which changes to D–Dm–C–Em7 during the verses and shifts to G–D/G–A–D/F♯ in the chorus. [11]

The lyrics of "Cherish" makes it a simple love song, where Madonna talks about devotion and having her lover by her side, whom she would never leave. [12] According to semiotician Thomas Sebeok, the backbone of "Cherish" is constructed by incorporating titles of previous romantic pop hits. Songs such as "Cupid" (Sam Cooke), "You Are My Destiny" (Paul Anka) and "I Can't Let Go" (The Hollies) are used within the first verse, while other verses use the words of such song titles as "Burning Love" (Elvis Presley) and "Two Hearts" (Bruce Springsteen). Other instances include the Association song reference and Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. [13] Richard Burt, author of Shakespeare After Mass Media, deduced that the lines on Romeo and Juliet and "I Can't Let Go" makes the speaker alternate between assertiveness and dependency. [10] Sal Cinquemani from Slant Magazine felt that although "Cherish" was a "radiant" song invoking the pop music of the 60s, "in the grand pop scheme, [it] pales only in comparison to their glorious counterparts, making Like a Prayer one of the quintessential pop albums of all time." [14]

Critical reception

"'Cherish' was a particular triumph for the Madonna/Patrick Leonard partnership. A delightful confection of radio-ready proportions, the song had it all—strong, positive, remarkably dysfunction-free lyrics about love, a memorable, singalong vocal melody, and a tight, pungent rhythm arrangement. It remains, quite simply, one of the best songs Madonna has ever written; sweet and happy, but by no means corny, it's a perfectly constructed pop song which Madonna delivered beautifully, and with undeniably sassy charm."

—Biographer J. Randy Taraborrelli reviewing "Cherish" in his book, Madonna: An Intimate Biography [1]

Wayne Robins from Newsday believed that "Cherish" exemplified the "kind of random pop we'd get if [postmodern author] William Burroughs were the program director of a Top 40 radio station." [13] Burt compared the song and Madonna's delivery of the lyrics with the dialogues spoken by Shakespeare's Juliet, and found similarity in the, "Sweet so would I, Yet I should kill thee with much cherishing" from the play, with the lyrics of "Cherish". [10] Allen Metz, one of the authors of The Madonna Companion, felt that "Cherish" as the opening song of the B-side of Like a Prayer, reaffirmed the sweet and happy romanticism that was missing from the A-side of the album adding, "As much a child of pop as of the church, Madonna is restored by music's healing power, in this case with a mixture of classic sweet soul and L.A. pop moderne." [15]

Music critic J. D. Considine, while reviewing the Like a Prayer album for Rolling Stone complimented the song for creating an effective balance, contrasting its lighthearted nature with the trauma of "Oh Father", the next song. Considine also found retro-rock references in the song. [16] Freya Jarman-Ivens, one of the authors of Madonna's Drowned Worlds, felt that the song was one of the last works on pure romanticism by Madonna. "She should come back to the formula from time to time, but I guess she has moved beyond all of that", Jarman-Ivens added. [12] Carol Clerk, author of Madonnastyle noted that the "refreshing" nature of the song was particularly noticeable if one follows Madonna's catalog chronologically, especially embedded between the anthem like nature of the previous release, "Express Yourself", and the lament of the succeeding release, "Oh Father". [17]

Scholar Maria Raha wrote in her book Cinderella's Big Score: Women of the Punk and Indie Underground that the song was full of "trite" lyrics. [18] Andy Goldberg from The Jerusalem Post said that "Cherish" took "Madonna back to her old stomping grounds, the lively bass line and lilting melodies of hit albums past." [19] Kevin Phinney from Austin American-Statesman was surprised by Madonna's contribution to the song and confessed that he "[found] it difficult to be believe that she even wrote this?" Phinney continued that he wanted Madonna to go in a more mature direction and compose songs musically similar to "Cherish". [20] Writing for The Washington Post , Richard Harrington explained that "while songs on Like a Prayer dealt with matters opening her heart, with 'Cherish' Madonna dealt with matters which were close to her heart." [21] This view was also shared by Ian Blair from Chicago Tribune who categorized the song as being sung for the "happy-go-lucky lovers and dreamers". [22]

The Dallas Morning News ' Lennox Samuels appreciated the light-hearted theme of the song and complimented Madonna and Leonard for not sticking with personal subject matters only on the album. [23] Dale Anderson from The Buffalo News opined that the song would become one of Madonna's most forgettable releases, but was also hopeful that it would not. [24] This opinion was shared by Don McLeese of the Chicago Sun-Times , who added that "Cherish" was not something expected from Madonna at that point of time. McCleese was disappointed that Madonna went back to the "happy-go-lucky, lovey-dovey" kind of songs, which did not match her self-image. [25] Dan DeLuca from The Philadelphia Inquirer , while reviewing Madonna's Drowned World Tour in 2001, compared "Cherish" with songs by Chris Robinson, humorously adding that "only if he was gay he would sing something like that." [26] Lucy O'Brien, author of Madonna: Like an Icon , felt that the song was typical of Madonna's previous musical endeavors, and would have been more suitable for her third studio album, True Blue , whose songs mainly dealt with romance and relationships. [9]

Chart performance

"Cherish" was barred from the number one position on the US Billboard Hot 100 by Janet Jackson's (pictured) "Miss You Much". JanetJacksonUnbreakableTourSanFran2015 (cropped).jpg
"Cherish" was barred from the number one position on the US Billboard Hot 100 by Janet Jackson's (pictured) "Miss You Much".

In the United States, "Cherish" debuted at number 37 on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. The next week it moved to number 28 on the chart, becoming the week's "greatest gainer" song. [27] After three weeks, as "Cherish" entered the top-five of Billboard Hot 100, music industry prognosticators theorized that the song would become Madonna's eighth number-one song on the Hot 100. However, the song started facing competition from fellow singer Janet Jackson's single "Miss You Much", which also moved into the top-ten the same week. [28] The popular media pitted the two women against each other and tried to create rivalry between them. [29] The song eventually peaked at number two on October 7, 1989, the same week "Miss You Much" topped the Hot 100. [30] "Cherish" became Madonna's 16th consecutive top-five single, a record by any artist in Hot 100 chart history. [31] It was present on the Hot 100 for a total of 15 weeks. [32] Unlike previous Madonna singles, "Cherish" was not a dance hit and did not make an appearance on the Hot Dance Music/Club Play chart, but was able to top the Adult Contemporary chart, her third after "Live to Tell" and "La Isla Bonita". [33] "Cherish" also helped Madonna to win the Top Adult Contemporary Artist trophy at the 1989 Billboard Music Awards. [34] On the year-end charts of Billboard, "Cherish" ranked at number 59 on the Hot 100 and number 31 on the Adult Contemporary chart. [35] In Canada, "Cherish" debuted at number 80 on the RPM Singles Chart on August 14, 1989. [36] In its ninth week on the chart, the song reached number one, staying there for two weeks. [37] "Cherish" was present on the chart for 17 weeks and was the ninth best-selling Canadian single for 1989. [38] [39] The track also reached number-one on the RPM Adult Contemporary chart in its seventh week. [40]

On September 1, 1989, "Cherish" was released in the United Kingdom and entered the UK Singles Chart at number 16. The next week, the song moved to its peak position of number three, becoming Madonna's 21st top-ten single in the United Kingdom. [41] According to the Official Charts Company, the song has sold 200,000 copies there. [42] "Cherish" entered the Australian Singles Chart at number 17 on September 17, 1989, and reached a peak of number four, staying on the chart for 16 weeks. [43] In the Netherlands, "Cherish" debuted at number 24 on the Dutch Top 40 chart, and reached a peak of number 15, the next week. [44] "Cherish" also reached the top ten on the record charts across European nations, prompting it to reach number five on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. [45] It also became the most played single on radio across Europe during the week of October 21, 1989. [46]

Music video

The video was shot at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. Paradise cove.JPG
The video was shot at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California.

"Cherish" was promoted by a black-and-white music video that was directed by Herb Ritts and was filmed on July 22, 1989 at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. Its world premiere took place on MTV on August 21, 1989. [47] [48] Ritts was one of Madonna's preferred photographers at that time and so she asked him to direct the "Cherish" video. Ritts reportedly tried to talk her out of it by saying, "But I'm a still photographer. I don't know anything about film." Undaunted, Madonna replied simply, "Well you have a few weeks to learn." [47] The director practised with a Super 8 film camera while working on a job in Hawaii and after returning confirmed to Madonna that he could helm the video. "Two weeks later, I was filming 'Cherish'. I directed it and did the camera work as well. It was invigorating," he told art curator François Quintin in a 1999 interview. [49]

The video was conceptualized by Ritts, who wanted to portray mermen in their natural habitat, but Madonna baulked at the idea since she wanted to be portrayed as herself, but keep the mermen also. Four male performers were signed for this, one of them being Tony Ward who would become Madonna's boyfriend later, with the other three being water polo players from nearby Pepperdine University. [47] There were four merman tails created by Global Effects in North Hollywood, California for the video. Three full-size tails for the mermen were cast in a solid highly flexible rubber, each weighing around 40 pounds (18 kg). This was necessary to make them neutrally buoyant in water as lighter tails would have floated, causing the swimmers to be head-down in the sea. [47] Once in these tails, the polo players needed to be carried to and from the water and once in it, they had tremendous swimming power and agility. This was partly due to a plastic spring-like armature cast into the flipper of each tail. [47] One of the reasons this video was shot in black and white is because the water was very cold, causing Madonna's already pale complexion to look even whiter. [50]

Intercut scenes of Madonna on a beach, with mermen in water Madonna-Cherish-video-moving.gif
Intercut scenes of Madonna on a beach, with mermen in water

According to Maura Johnston of Rolling Stone, following its release "The playful video became an MTV staple, a light jaunt on the beach after the controversy-drenched [clips] for 'Like a Prayer' and the future-shocked 'Express Yourself'." [49] Fouz-Hernandez deduced a relationship between the music and the images in the video for "Cherish", saying that they complemented each other; the author felt that this in turn encouraged the viewer to watch the video repeatedly. [51] Fouz-Hernandez talked about the balancing of height and depth occurring in the video. The visual depictions of the mermen and the lighting used in the video were influenced by Ritts' still photograph known as "The Male Nude Bubble", which showed nude male models inside a giant water tank, with a white cloth entwined around them. Many of the qualities in the photos, including the floating nature of the models, were present during the swimming and the posing of the mermen. [51]

Carol Vernallis, author of Experiencing Music Video, found homoerotic connotations between Madonna and the mermen. The mermen in the video exist in a self-contained world of their own, where they procreate with their own kind, both biologically and socially. The fact that the mermen did not seem to possess genitalia led Vernallis to believe that the video associated them with other works by Ritts, namely homoerotic sculptural images without penises. [52] Their tails drew different meanings, including sexual ones and Christian symbolism. Since in contemporary art, images of mermen are rare while mermaids are common, they are sometimes called fairies partly because it is not known how they came to be. [52] Vernallis believed that the mysteriousness and the elusiveness of the mermen in the video played a crucial role. They never address the camera directly and are often shown disappearing from view. Since remaining invisible is a central theme in the homosexual community, for the author this actually portrayed oppression and the desire to watch but never be seen. [52]

Live performance and covers

Madonna performing "Cherish" during the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour. She is flanked by her back up dancers who are dressed up as mermen. CherishBlondAmbitionMadonnaUnderground.jpg
Madonna performing "Cherish" during the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour. She is flanked by her back up dancers who are dressed up as mermen.

Madonna has performed "Cherish" live only during the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour. Onstage, the performance mirrored the sequence from the music video, with the appearance of three of Madonna's dancers, dressed as mermen. [53] Author Carol Clerk noted in her book Madonnastyle that the outfit worn by the singer during this sequence was the simplest and the softest costume of the show. It consisted of a black mini-dress trimmed and stitched with a stuffed West African stork, called the marabou. [53] Madonna gyrated around her dancers, while playing with a harp. During the chorus, the dancers lifted their prosthetic fish-tails and joined them with each other. [53] Guilbert felt that the performance de-sexualizes men, since they are relegated to objects of adoration, like the three mermen dancers. [54] This view was shared by Mark Bego, author of Madonna: Blonde Ambition, who said that "Madonna and her girls go into a very girlish mode, but they give the feeling that they are in charge, be it playing with the mermen, or teasing them." [55] Two different performances were taped and released on video, the Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90, taped in Yokohama, Japan, on April 27, 1990, [56] and the Blond Ambition World Tour Live , taped in Nice, France, on August 5, 1990. [57]

The late Brazilian singer Renato Russo included an acoustic cover of the song on his 1994 album The Stonewall Celebration Concert . His version was appreciated by Alvaro Neder of AllMusic. [58] The 2000 compilation album Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 2 contains a cover by worldbeat group Loop Guru. [59] An alternative rock cover of the song by The Prayers was included on the 2007 Madonna tribute compilation Through the Wilderness . [60]

Track listing and formats

Credits and personnel

Credits and personnel adapted from Like a Prayer album liner notes. [68]

Charts

Certifications and sales

Certifications and sales for "Cherish"
RegionCertification Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA) [89] Gold35,000^
United Kingdom—200,000 [42]

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Who's That Girl (Madonna song)</span> 1987 single by Madonna

"Who's That Girl" is a song by American singer Madonna from the soundtrack of the 1987 film of the same name. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, it was released in Europe as the soundtrack's lead single on June 29, 1987 and in the United States on 30 June 1987. An uptempo pop song, "Who's That Girl" continued the singer's fascination with Latin pop, a genre she had previously explored on her single "La Isla Bonita". It features instrumentation from drums, bass, and trumpets, and has lyrics sung both in English and Spanish. While shooting for the film, then called Slammer, Madonna had requested Leonard to develop a song that captured the nature of her character; the producer worked on a demo and, afterwards, Madonna added the lyrics and decided to rename the song, as well as the film, to "Who's That Girl".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Justify My Love</span> 1990 single by Madonna

"Justify My Love" is a song released as a single by American singer Madonna. It does not appear on any of her studio albums, but is included on her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). The song was written by Lenny Kravitz and Ingrid Chavez, with additional lyrics by Madonna; Kravitz also handled the production alongside André Betts. It was released as the lead single from The Immaculate Collection on November 6, 1990, by Sire and Warner Bros. Records. Initially, Chavez was not credited on the song; this led to a lawsuit against Kravitz which resulted in an out-of-court settlement. Influenced by hip hop, dance, trip hop, and experimental pop, it features spoken word vocals by Madonna touching on sexual fantasies and implying the position of a woman as the one sexually in control.

<i>Like a Prayer</i> (album) 1989 studio album by Madonna

Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna, released on March 21, 1989, by Sire Records. It saw the singer reunited with Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray, with whom she had collaborated on her previous studio album True Blue (1986), and the soundtrack to the 1987 film Who's That Girl; artist Prince also collaborated on the record, co-writing and co-producing one of the tracks alongside Madonna. Her most introspective release at the time, Like a Prayer is a pop record with elements of rock and dance pop. Its lyrics deal with personal themes she had been too afraid to approach up at that point: her Catholic upbringing, her troubled marriage to actor Sean Penn, the death of her mother, and her relationship with her father.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Material Girl</span> 1985 single by Madonna

"Material Girl" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her second studio album, Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on January 23, 1985, by the Sire label as the second single from Like a Virgin. It also appears slightly remixed on the 1990 greatest hits compilation, The Immaculate Collection, in its original form on the 2009 greatest hits compilation, Celebration and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). The song was written by Peter Brown and Robert Rans, and produced by Nile Rodgers. Madonna said the concept of the song was indicative of her life at that time, and she liked it because she felt it was provocative.

<i>You Can Dance</i> 1987 remix album by Madonna

You Can Dance is the first remix album by American singer and songwriter Madonna. It was released on November 17, 1987, by Sire Records. The album contains remixes of tracks from her first three studio albums—Madonna (1983), Like a Virgin (1984) and True Blue (1986)—and a new track, "Spotlight". In the 1980s, remixing was still a new concept. The mixes on You Can Dance exhibited a number of typical mixing techniques. Instrumental passages were lengthened to increase the time for dancing and vocal phrases were repeated and subjected to multiple echoes. The album cover denoted Madonna's continuous fascination with Hispanic culture.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dress You Up</span> 1985 single by Madonna

"Dress You Up" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album, Like a Virgin (1984). It was released as the album's final single on July 24, 1985, by Sire Records. Composed by Andrea LaRusso with lyrics by Peggy Stanziale, and produced by Nile Rodgers, who also played guitar on the track, it was the final song to be added to the album. Rodgers had asked the writers to compose something similar to the work of his band Chic but, due to LaRusso and Stanziale being busy with other projects, the composition took time. When the lyrics were submitted, the producer initially rejected them, as he felt there was no time to compose a melody; Madonna, however, liked the lyrics and convinced him to include the song on Like a Virgin. Musically, "Dress You Up" is a dance-pop song whose lyrics are an extended metaphor for fashion and lust, comparing dressing up with passion.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Music (Madonna song)</span> 2000 song by Madonna

"Music" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna as the title track for her eighth studio album (2000). It was released as the lead single from the album to radio on August 1, 2000, by Maverick and Warner Bros. Records and commercially released on August 21. "Music" was inspired by a Sting concert Madonna attended and was written and produced by her with Mirwais Ahmadzaï. It is a electropop, disco, electro-funk and dance-pop song in a static key of G minor. Madonna's vocals are electronically manipulated in the track, with the lyrics having political and social undertones and reiterating the uniting power of music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Causing a Commotion</span> 1987 single by Madonna

"Causing a Commotion" is a song by American singer Madonna from the soundtrack album to the 1987 film Who's That Girl. It was released as the album's second single on August 25, 1987, by Sire Records. Its Silver Screen Single Mix later appeared on the EP The Holiday Collection (1991). Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, the song was inspired by her relationship with then-husband Sean Penn, and his abusive and violent nature. Containing a dance-oriented, up-tempo groove, the song begins with the chorus and is accompanied by a four-note descending bassline and staccato chords in the verses.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Angel (Madonna song)</span> 1985 single by Madonna

"Angel" is a song by American singer Madonna from her second studio album Like a Virgin (1984). It was released on April 10, 1985, by Sire Records as the album's third single. Written by Madonna and Steve Bray, it was one of the first songs developed for the project and, according to Madonna, was inspired by a girl who is saved by an angel, and she falls in love with him. "Angel" was released as a 12-inch single with "Into the Groove" in some countries and charted likewise. A music video was not filmed for "Angel", and instead, a promotional clip comprising segments of her previous videos was released in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Like a Prayer (song)</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Like a Prayer" is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1989 fourth studio album of the same name. It was released as the album's lead single on March 3, 1989, by Sire Records. Written and produced by both Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song heralded an artistic and personal approach to songwriting for Madonna, who believed that she needed to cater more to her adult audience.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Take a Bow (Madonna song)</span> 1994 single by Madonna

"Take a Bow" is a song by American singer Madonna from her sixth studio album, Bedtime Stories (1994). It was released as the album's second single on December 6, 1994, by Maverick Records. It is a midtempo pop ballad written and produced by Madonna and Babyface. Following the sexually explicit persona portrayed by Madonna on her previous album, Erotica, she wanted to tone down her image for Bedtime Stories. Experimenting with a new musical direction and a more radio-friendly sound, Madonna decided to collaborate with Babyface, whose work with other musicians had impressed her. "Take a Bow" was developed after she listened to the basic beat and chords of a piece of music composed by him.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Rescue Me (Madonna song)</span> 1991 single by Madonna

"Rescue Me" is a song by American singer Madonna from her first greatest hits album, The Immaculate Collection (1990). Written and produced by Madonna and Shep Pettibone, the song was released as the second single from The Immaculate Collection on February 26, 1991, in the United States, and as the third single on April 7 in the United Kingdom. A dance-pop and gospel-house track, the song is accompanied by the sound of thunder and rain, with the lyrics talking of romantic love rescuing the singer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Express Yourself (Madonna song)</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Express Yourself" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums The Immaculate Collection (1990), Celebration (2009) and Finally Enough Love: 50 Number Ones (2022). "Express Yourself" was the first song that Madonna and co-producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for Like a Prayer. Written and produced by them, the song was a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to go for second-best and to urge their partners to express their inner feelings.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oh Father</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Oh Father" is a song recorded by American singer Madonna for her fourth studio album Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the fourth single from the album on October 24, 1989, by Sire Records. The song was not released as a single in most European territories until December 24, 1995, when it appeared on the 1995 ballads compilation Something to Remember. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, "Oh Father" concerns the presence of male authoritative figures in Madonna's life, most prominently her father, Tony Ciccone. Madonna's relationship with her father had soured after her mother's death in 1963 and his remarriage three years later. While developing the Like a Prayer album, Madonna was in an emotional state of mind due to her personal problems, which is reflected in "Oh Father".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dear Jessie</span> 1989 single by Madonna

"Dear Jessie" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the fifth single from the album on December 4, 1989, by Sire Records. Written and produced by Madonna and Patrick Leonard, the song was inspired by Leonard's daughter Jessie. The release of "Dear Jessie" was limited to the United Kingdom, certain other European countries, Australia and Japan. The track is composed more like a children's lullaby rather than a pop song, and features strings, synthesizer and strummed acoustics. A change in tempo occurs during the breakdown, where instrumentation from trumpets is included. Lyrically, the song evokes a psychedelic fantasy landscape, in which pink elephants roam with dancing moons and mermaids.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gambler (song)</span> 1985 single by Madonna

"Gambler" is a song by American singer Madonna from the soundtrack album to the 1985 film Vision Quest. The song was written solely by Madonna, while the production was handled by John "Jellybean" Benitez at her request. It was released as the second single from the film's soundtrack album on October 3, 1985, by Geffen Records. "Gambler" was never released as a single in the United States, at the request of Madonna's own Sire Records. The music video of the song is an excerpt from the film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Keep It Together (song)</span> 1990 single by Madonna

"Keep It Together" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the fifth and final single from the album in the United States, Canada and Japan on January 30, 1990, by Sire Records. Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, the main inspiration behind "Keep It Together" was Madonna's relationship with her family—whom she dearly missed during her divorce from Sean Penn. The song was dedicated to the American band Sly and the Family Stone. The lyrics deal with the realization of how important Madonna's family has been to her life. A pop, funk and deep funk song consisting of an upbeat rhythm and groove, "Keep It Together" features instrumentation from percussion, banjo and a conga.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Real Love (Jody Watley song)</span> 1989 single by Jody Watley

"Real Love" is a song by American singer Jody Watley from her second studio album, Larger Than Life (1989). The single reached the number-one spot on the US Billboard Hot Black Singles and Dance Club Play charts. On the US Billboard Hot 100, "Real Love" peaked at number two for two weeks in May 1989. The song was also nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best Female Single.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Constant Craving</span> 1992 single by k.d. lang

"Constant Craving" is a song written by Canadian singer-songwriter k.d. lang and Ben Mink, performed by lang and included on her second solo album, Ingénue (1992). The song was released in the United Kingdom in April 1992 and won lang a Grammy Award in the category for Best Female Pop Vocal Performance in 1993, as well as an MTV Video Music Award for Best Female Video. The accompanying music video was directed by Mark Romanek.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Prayer for the Dying</span> 1994 single by Seal

"Prayer for the Dying" is a song by British musician Seal and Augustus Lundell "Gus" Isidore. It was released on 9 May 1994 by ZTT and Sire as the lead single from the singer's second studio album, Seal (1994), reaching number 14 on the UK Singles Chart and number 21 on the US Billboard Hot 100. In Canada, it became Seal's first of three songs to peak at number two on the RPM Top Singles chart, becoming his joint highest-charting single in Canada. In November 1995, "Prayer for the Dying" was reissued as a double A-side with "Don't Cry" in the UK; this release reached number 51 on the UK chart. Its music video was directed by Paul Boyd.

References

  1. 1 2 Taraborrelli 2002 , p. 170
  2. ↑ Morton 2002 , p. 90
  3. ↑ Kreps, Daniel (July 28, 2016). "Madonna's 50 Greatest Songs: 'Cherish' (from 'Like a Prayer,' 1989)". Rolling Stone . Retrieved July 28, 2016.
  4. ↑ Pendle 2001 , p. 412
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Rooksby 2004 , pp. 34–35
  6. ↑ Scaggs, Austin (October 14, 2009). "Madonna Looks Back: The New Issue of Rolling Stone". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on September 18, 2011. Retrieved September 1, 2011.
  7. ↑ The Immaculate Collection (LP, Vinyl, CD). Madonna. Sire Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 1990. 9 59884509.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  8. ↑ Celebration (CD, Cassette). Madonna. Warner Bros. Music. 2009. 9 9873Q344-W.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  9. 1 2 O'Brien 2007 , p. 120
  10. 1 2 3 Burt 2002 , p. 258
  11. ↑ Ciccone, Madonna; Leonard, Patrick (November 13, 2001). "Madonna 'Cherish' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Alfred Publishing Co. Inc. Retrieved June 17, 2015.
  12. 1 2 Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004 , p. 181
  13. 1 2 Robins, Wayne (March 19, 1989). "The Power of 'Prayer' Shareholders in Madonna Inc. should be delighted". Newsday . p. 3. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved August 10, 2011.
  14. ↑ Cinquemani, Sal (October 11, 2003). "Madonna: Like a Prayer". Slant Magazine . Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  15. ↑ Metz & Benson 1999 , p. 13
  16. ↑ Considine, J. D. (April 6, 1989). "Madonna: Like a Prayer". Rolling Stone. Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  17. ↑ Clerk 2002 , p. 83
  18. ↑ Raha 2005 , p. 113
  19. ↑ Goldberg, Andy (April 7, 1989). "Madonna Says It All". The Jerusalem Post . Archived from the original on June 20, 2012. Retrieved February 21, 2018.
  20. ↑ Phinney, Kevin (March 22, 1989). "'Like A Prayer' gives Madonna a vehicle for confession". Austin American-Statesman . p. F3. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  21. ↑ Harrington, Richard (March 21, 1989). "Recordings: Madonna's Power of 'Prayer'; Sorting Out the Pains of the Past". The Washington Post . Archived from the original on July 12, 2012. Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  22. ↑ Blair, Ian (March 19, 1989). "Madonna, seriously Her new album asserts the power of 'Prayer'". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  23. ↑ Samuels, Lennox (March 26, 1989). "Madonna Opens Up". The Dallas Morning News . Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  24. ↑ Anderson, Dale (March 21, 1989). "Madonna's Prayer Is Older, Wiser And On The Serious Side". The Buffalo News . Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  25. ↑ McLeese, Don (March 27, 1989). "Madonna's newest album, 'Like a Prayer,' is her best". Chicago Sun-Times . p. 19. Archived from the original on February 29, 2016. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  26. ↑ DeLuca, Dan (July 16, 2001). "The pop tart returns – but this time, in tartan". The Philadelphia Inquirer . Retrieved August 20, 2011.
  27. ↑ DeKnock, Jan (August 25, 1989). "Richard Marx's 'Right Here Waiting' shows unusual power at the top". Chicago Tribune . Retrieved August 14, 2011.
  28. ↑ DeKnock, Jan (September 22, 1989). "London-based Milli Vanilli hits a double with No. 1 pop single and album". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on March 4, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  29. ↑ Dickerson 1998 , p. 179
  30. ↑ DeKnock, Jan (October 6, 1989). "Paula Abdul's 'Forever Your Girl' Took Almost Forever to Make No. 1". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved April 24, 2009.
  31. ↑ Trust, Gary (March 10, 2010). "Ask Billboard: Battle of the Rock Bands". Billboard . p. 2. Retrieved July 22, 2011.
  32. 1 2 "Madonna Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  33. ↑ DeKnock, Jan (September 29, 1989). "Milli Vanilli scores a second chart double by hanging on to both album and singles chart". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on July 14, 2015. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  34. ↑ Press release (December 29, 1989). "All About Jo and Dale and Priscilla and, of Course, Elvis". Orlando Sentinel . p. 2. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  35. 1 2 3 "Year end Singles of 1989" (PDF). Billboard. December 23, 1989. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  36. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6425". RPM . Library and Archives Canada. July 17, 2013. Retrieved March 9, 2018.
  37. 1 2 "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6574." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  38. ↑ "Top RPM Singles: Issue 6642". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved August 21, 2011.
  39. 1 2 "Top 100 Singles of 1989". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
  40. 1 2 "Top RPM Adult Contemporary: Issue 6568." RPM . Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  41. 1 2 "Madonna: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  42. 1 2 "Madonna: The Official Top 40". MTV. Archived from the original on October 10, 2010. Retrieved December 20, 2010.
  43. 1 2 "Madonna – Cherish". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  44. 1 2 "Nederlandse Top 40 – Madonna" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  45. 1 2 "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media . September 30, 1989. p. IV. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  46. ↑ "European Airplay Top 50" (PDF). Music & Media . October 21, 1989. p. III. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  47. 1 2 3 4 5 Hayward, Philip (2003). "Desire Caught By Its Tail: The Unlikely Return of the Merman in Madonna's 'Cherish'". Cultural Studies. 5 (1): 98. doi:10.1080/09502389100490081.
  48. ↑ "Filmed by Herb Ritts, the 'Cherish' music video premieres on MTV". Madonna.com. August 21, 1989. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  49. 1 2 Johnston, Maura (February 25, 2015). "Express Yourself: The Making of Madonna's 20 Greatest Music Videos". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  50. ↑ Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004 , p. 313
  51. 1 2 Fouz-Hernández & Jarman-Ivens 2004 , p. 312
  52. 1 2 3 Vernallis 2004 , p. 234
  53. 1 2 3 Clerk 2002 , p. 84
  54. ↑ Guilbert 2002 , p. 79
  55. ↑ Bego 2000 , p. 89
  56. ↑ Madonna (1990). Blond Ambition Japan Tour 90 (VHS). Warner-Pioneer Japan.
  57. ↑ Madonna (1990). Blond Ambition World Tour Live (Laserdisc). Pioneer Artists.
  58. ↑ Neder, Alvaro. "The Stonewall Celebration Concert – Renato Russo". AllMusic . Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  59. ↑ Phares, Heather. "Virgin Voices: A Tribute to Madonna, Vol. 2 – Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  60. ↑ "Through the Wilderness: A Tribute to Madonna – Various Artists". AllMusic. Retrieved November 14, 2011.
  61. ↑ Cherish (US 7-inch Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 9 22883-7.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  62. ↑ Cherish (US Cassette Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 9 22883-4.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  63. ↑ Cherish (Canada 7-inch Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 92 28837.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  64. ↑ Cherish (US 7-inch Promo Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 7-22883.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  65. ↑ Cherish (CAN 7-inch Promo Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 92 28837.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  66. ↑ Cherish (UK 7-inch Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. W 2883.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  67. ↑ Cherish (US 12-inch Single liner notes). Madonna. Sire Records. 1989. 0-21326.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  68. ↑ Like a Prayer (LP, Vinyl, CD). Madonna. Sire Records. WEA Records Pvt. Ltd. 1989. 9 25844-1.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  69. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  70. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  71. ↑ Lwin, Nanda (2000). Top 40 Hits: The Essential Chart Guide. Music Data Canada. p. 173. ISBN   1-896594-13-1.
  72. ↑ "Discos más populares en América Latina". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish): 64. December 22, 1989. Retrieved March 5, 2021.
  73. ↑ "Discos más populares en la América Latina". El Siglo de Torreón (in Spanish): 43. July 7, 1989. Retrieved November 11, 2020.
  74. ↑ Nyman, Jake (2005). Suomi soi 4: Suuri suomalainen listakirja (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN   951-31-2503-3.
  75. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish" (in French). Les classement single. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  76. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts. Retrieved February 28, 2020.
  77. ↑ "Ísland (RÁS II)" (in Icelandic). Timarit.is. May 26, 1989. p. 34. Retrieved November 25, 2023.
  78. ↑ "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved May 29, 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Singoli". Then, in the "Artista" field, search "Madonna".
  79. ↑ "The Irish Charts – Search Results – Cherish". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  80. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  81. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  82. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish". VG-lista. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  83. ↑ "Top 3 Portugal" (PDF). Music & Media . November 25, 1989. Retrieved April 1, 2018.
  84. ↑ Salaverri 2005 , p. 123
  85. ↑ "Madonna – Cherish". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  86. ↑ "Madonna Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved May 10, 2016.
  87. ↑ "Madonna" (PDF). World Radio History. Retrieved March 25, 2024.
  88. ↑ "Madonna". Radio & Records . Retrieved December 16, 2022.
  89. 1 2 "ARIA End Of Year Singles 1989". Australian Recording Industry Association. 1990. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  90. ↑ "Jaaroverzichten 1989" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved June 9, 2018.
  91. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100 1989" (PDF). Music & Media. 6 (51): 6. December 23, 1989. OCLC   29800226. Archived (PDF) from the original on May 29, 2017. Retrieved June 2, 2018.
  92. ↑ "Year End Singles". Record Mirror . January 27, 1990. p. 44.
  93. ↑ "The CASH BOX Year-End Charts: 1989 . TOP 50 POP SINGLES". Cash Box. December 30, 1989. Archived from the original on February 24, 2020. Retrieved April 10, 2021.

Bibliography

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.