Thank you all for watching, hopefully this way is much more appealing to watch it allowed us to cut the video much less compared to usual! 😀😀😀😀 As always the unedited version can be found here: www.patreon.com/TriFate And more Madonna Reactions can be found here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-35DOrYZgzDc.html
You guys have no idea how impactful this video is/was. Literally the greatest female pop song of all time and a groundbreaking video tackling systemic racism and battling the Catholic Church and all of conservative Christian America and delivered one of the greatest songs of all time. She was literally condemned by the Vatican. Pepsi was upset but Madonna gave ZERO f’s, kept the $ and had another #1 hit and the crown jewel of her career.
One of the greatest pop songs ever recorded. I’m surprised it took you boys this long to react to this. This is a true Madonna classic. Btw Pepsi still had to pay Madonna $5 million even though they pulled the ad. They basically became a laughing stock as the video was highly acclaimed (nominated in MTV VMA for Video of the Year, won Viewers Choice). Pepsi was called out for their over-reaction. Even the CEO of Coca Cola commented “I don’t know whether to laugh or cry at our competitors predicament “.
Madonna fighting racism, in 1989, the cuts on her hands is stigmata, the Catholic church went crazy and it was considered very controversial. But the song hit number one in many countries including the UK.
It is hard to describe to you the controversy this created. Racial kiss, racial profiling, a black Jesus/Saint, burning crosses and a message that is as relevant 32 years later as it was in 1989. Pepsi dropped her after one airing of her commercial, (she got to keep the money) and when she took it on tour, the Pope kicked her out of the Catholic church and said her tour had "re-released Satan upon the World." Now it's a classic and she sang it at the family friendly Superbowl. Her impact on society, culture and history cannot be ignored or understated.
At the time, I don't remember racial profiling being part of the conversation or the controversy. But certainly looking back to where we are now it should have been.
No one thought she could do anything more controversial and the next Year she travelled the world on the Blond Ambition tour and masturbated on stage before going to an on stage confessions.
Greatest music video ever. I can watch it a million times and be blown away with its message, brilliance....a masterpiece. Plus Like A Prayer is one of the great pop songs of the past 40 years.
Been waiting for this one. This specific video, along with Justify My Love, were the two most important/controversial videos that change the game in the world of art pop by any female performer. The only other person to really do anything experimental in the pop music world was Michael Jackson and his videos didn’t create the same controversy. Because of videos like this, there were actual college courses created studying whether Madonna was a feminist or setting the women’s movement back.
Yeah this music video caused a big controversy. The interracial kissing of a black Jesus in a church caused conservatives to freak out. Also the burning crosses were a reference to racism in America. Historically, we all know who used to burn crosses so the whole scene of the Black man being accused for the murder of a white woman showcased how racism was and still is in America.
I have a very crystallized memory of the meltdown that went around the globe in response to this video. And Madonna calmly smiling and flipping everyone the bird.
having grown up in the 80s it seems like racism is more prevalent today than it was back then. if not more prevalent then at least back then being considered racist was embarrassing; unlike today where people rejoice in proud display of heir bigotry.
I find it so interesting that you don’t react to when he kisses her, because it’s no big deal nowadays. But when this was released, a black man sensually kissing a white woman on national tv was nearly as controversial as the burning crosses.
Amazing video and subtexts about discrimination, faith and hope/love. So many Catholic/Christian imaginary and parallelisms between passion and faith ecstasies (has anybody read the books by Saint Teresa of Avila?) that Madonna used in the video. It goes beyond the controversy about the reincarnated Saint and the kissing with Madonna (temptation) or the burning crosses (associated to racist cults). A very bold video.
It’s wild how certain moments in pop culture like LAP ("Like a Prayer" by Madonna) stirred such massive reactions back in the day! That video was a real cultural shockwave when it dropped in 1989. With the imagery of burning crosses, religious symbolism, and Madonna's provocative persona, it was no surprise that religious groups, especially the Catholic Church, were outraged. Pepsi even canceled their sponsorship deal with her because of the backlash. MTV pushing the video to late-night slots shows how sensitive the issue was, even though it became iconic.
Guys, you dont know what this song means to the music industry. Like a prayer is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, songs ever in music history. And its music video is another piece of art. Madonna is a genius. Literally.
I always cringe when reactors kind of don’t get this video. It is literally one of the most important music videos in pop music history and deserves a bit a background research into it before watching, to truly understand it.
@@brendenc8376 You did not understand what I meant, I say in other words that we should appreciate the fact that they are watching old stuff instead of other younger people who just ignore it. They will understand it reading the comments....
This was in 1989. The church was shocked! Our youth group leaders were warning everyone (including us teenagers at the time; 1989) not to watch it kind of reflects the broader societal tensions at the time-pop culture pushing boundaries and traditional institutions resisting it. But us teenagers at the time, telling us not to watch something only made it more irresistible. Sneaking in listens on Walkmans or catching the video at night made it all the more thrilling!
I’m very glad you guy’s watched this, not sure if the deep message came through though? This was about the black man being arrested for a crime he didn’t commit, and Madonna went to the church to find spiritual guidance. She falls asleep and imagines herself involved with the black man, the burning crosses were a huge hate symbol in the south. She comes to realize, she has to come forward and exonerate the black man. Pretty much, a very taboo subject in 89’ for sure. Madonna was spearheading the Black Lives Matter movement, even then, which came at a great risk to her career.
Madonna really was a master at sparking controversy to create conversation. Today, with social media and the normalization of pushing boundaries, something like Like a Prayer might not cause the same uproar. Things that once shocked the world are now often met with a shrug.
This was I think her 2nd or 3rd album. Anyway, the video was shot by Mary Lambert who directed another one of her videos back in the 90''s. If you look at the Wikipedia page for the song you will be amazed. Not only was it the first song released from the album Like a Prayer this song for Madonna was worked on very hard by herself and Patrick Leonard. The music in her eyes had to reflect her vision of the song. Then the Choir was the Andre Crouch Choir, and she had to share the lyrics with him before he would sign on to have the song's chorus sing as the choir. It was noted on the Wikipedia site that she had done all that she could to make this song as good as it could get. I mean she collaborated with the best in the industry. It releases at #2 the first week on the charts but the following week it hit #1 later Bon Jovi's Song "I'll be there for you " to the number one spot. The lyrics have been analyzed and taught in colleges and so much speculation about the meaning of the lyrics has also been discussed. In Week 2 on the charts, other artists were already sampling the lyrics. Like a Pray has been named or placed in the category of songs that changed or affected the world. She got a Pepsi commercial out of it for 5 million dollars. However, when it was released the catholic church threat to boycott Pepsi so the pulled the deal but Madonna kept her 5 Million dollars. There is a pretty good version of the song and Vogue on the TV show Glee. Madonna had no problems with Ryan Murphy using the songs he chose because she opened her catalog to him. Because the generation had never heard the song before it had a short resurgence. It renter the chart's top 400 songs or album I can't remember. The black actor's name is Leon and he acted in the role of the black man falsely arrested. Also, he acted as a saint for people of color. I think also the scene of them kissing was speculation the she was kissing the saint but anyone who watched the video fully and not narrow-mindedly would've not come to that conclusion. The video turned out to be a play which I thought was cool. The imagery just had a lot of symbolism and the narrow-minded just can't perceive it due to the stiff rod of them trying to control the masses. Anyway, I don't want to pontificate here, I just really like the song and video to this day. BTW, I think the reason it was made like a play is that she had done a play in NY called "Speed the Plow" with other stars in the cast. But, like I said she worked hard on this song with the industry's best and she wanted to be as best as it could be before it was released.
The Cosby Show was #1 at the time & millions of people saw this when it aired (myself included). It was (& still is) epic (especially to us pre-fame Madonna fans) but it was (& still is) shocking & jarring to a large percentage of the population.
She didn't lose the Pepsi campaign as she got paid for it. Furthermore, the controversy did both Pepsi and Madonna tremendously... She knew it could be banned and mostlikely banked on it to happened.
The video was hugely controversial at the time. Really upset certain sections of the community and the media. I remember all the fuss. It was great publicity lol. Sexuality and religion...
Same guy. People get confused. The black Jesus is there to guide her in the right direction , his likeness is intentional. Pepsi knew what her video was going to be because it debuted soon after the commercial. They just weren't prepared for he backlash. Madonna got to keep her money though !🔥
The Best part is Pepsi had to still give Madonna 5 Million dollars because contracts were signed before they canceled. WooHoo, easy money for her. I am a Huge Madonna Fan AND a Coca-Cola Fan🤣
Pepsi wasn’t upset, the whole conservative Christians n Catholics got upset n wanting to boycott Pepsi. Well, M walked away with 5 mil. Jokes on them. 😂 More importantly and sadly, systematic racism wasn’t discussed much. This video was really Art imitates life and life imitates Art.
Actually guys, this song has nothing to do with religious feelings etc at all. This song is about having oral sex as Madonna herself also explained. ...'' I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there.. in the midnight hour I can feel your power...'' Just check the lyrics lol
Actually the is videos about a witness seeing a crime happening, which Madonna is the witness as a woman gets attacked and stab. By a bunch of white people men, then a black dude came to the woman aid and then got wrong excuse for woman the attack. So the video is about Madonna as a witness running scared and stuck of either she to choose, speak up about the truth the black man is innocent or keep her mouth shut. And let an innocent man go to prison for something he didn’t do, so in the church she was sleeping and dreaming. Of choirs and black women give her a helping hand to leap her to the right direction, which lead to the innocent man getting released at the end of the video.
I wasn’t shocked when I seen it that much . I just thought ‘oh a black Jesus’ and then all the burning crosses. I thought hmm maybe she likes to be controversial lol
The song is comparing religious ecstasy with sexual ecstasy. There is a clear reference to a female performing oral sex on a man. She talks about being down on her knees and wanting to take him there. She is comparing the physical position she would be in and it is just like praying.
Actually the is videos about a witness seeing a crime happening, which Madonna is the witness as a woman gets attacked and stab. By a bunch of white people men, then a black dude came to the woman aid and then got wrong excuse for woman the attack. So the video is about Madonna as a witness running scared and stuck of either she to choose, speak up about the truth the black man is innocent or keep her mouth shut. And let an innocent man go to prison for something he didn’t do, so in the church she was sleeping and dreaming. Of choirs and black women give her a helping hand to leap her to the right direction, which lead to the innocent man getting released at the end of the video.
TF, When it comes to CYBER GRANNY/ MADONNA words cannot describe anything that so called overbearing, overrated,and over the top even with her wealth is nauseating. RCJ/LEO
