LIKE A PRAYER
Like a Prayer is the fourth studio album by American singer-songwriter Madonna. Madonna worked with Stephen Bray, Patrick Leonard, and fellow icon Prince on the album while co-writing and co-producing all the songs. Madonna described the album as a collection of songs “about my mother, my father, and bonds with my family”. The album was dedicated to her mother, who died when Madonna was young. The album uses live instrumentation and incorporates elements of dance, funk, gospel, and soul into a more general pop style. Madonna drew from her Catholic upbringing, as seen in the album’s title track and lead single “Like a Prayer”. 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 also preaches female empowerment in “Express Yourself”. Like a Prayer received critical acclaim, with Rolling Stone hailing it as “. . . as close to art as pop music gets”. (More from Wikipedia)
Without question, Patrick Leonard is the most prominent ex-bandmember of Trillion and is primarily known as a keyboard player, producer and songwriter in the early part of Madonna’s career. He continued working with Madonna on her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer – Leonard co-wrote more than one-half of the songs on this album as well, including “Cherish”, “Oh Father” and the title song “Like a Prayer” (which formed the basis of one of Madonna’s most controversial music videos).
(October 2012)
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Andraé Crouch and the Los Angeles Church of God choir that he directed were prominently featured in the title song, “Like a Prayer” on Madonna’s Christian-themed album, Like a Prayer (1989). He also performed in the Michael Jackson song “Man in the Mirror” (1987).
(July 2014)
