Madonna is one of the premiere pop artists of all time. Her contributions to music are widespread, and in her songs are some of the most brilliant pop moments of all time. "Like A Prayer" is, in my mind, the ultimate moment of her career.
One doesn't have to grow up in a religious home to know the power of a massive choir, but I'm sure it factored into Madonna's use of the Andrea Crouch Choir in this record. From the opening
guitar riff, to the hushed reverence of the choir "ooh"ing behind the verses, to the beat, the entire song is a hymn to the spiritual ecstasy of feeling love course through every fiber of your being.But it's when Madonna cries "let the choir sing" and the chorus raises once more with the massive wave of harmony crashing over the listener that the true power of this track is revealed. The song continues on for a good two minutes after, but it could go on for years. It wouldn't matter - you have become one with the song and have joined the choir. I have wept in my car driving down the highway when this song comes on and I'm in the right mood.
This record is also a testament to how a perfect record cannot be improved. The album and video mix are perfection, that is the perfect pop record. The mix from Madge's greatest hits package The Immaculate Collection features a breakdown towards the end. It ruins the momentum of the song and makes it seem dated. Furthermore, covers by techno outfit Mad' House and the cast of Glee, while decent performances, do nothing to improve this song. The only comparable version is Madonna's own acoustic variation from the Hope For Haiti Now benefit. But only the original can be in the running for Perfect Pop Record.
Watch the video here.
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