She witnessed a crime. They arrested the wrongly accused, thought he was the murderer. She hid in the church scared for her life, thinking if she gonna tell the truth until she fell asleep. For some heavenly intervention while sleeping, she decided to speak the truth and the man was released from jail. We cannot achieve fairness in this world if nobody will walk the talk, and speak the truth. Every human being matters! ❤️
Madonna lost a Pepsi sponsorship because of this video. They were using the song and then this video came out. They dropped her immediately. It was a huge controversy. Madonna always stood up for what she believed in. Critics be damned. She is my all time favorite female artist. Great reaction, sweetie.
@Susan Berrier In details I would not have worded your comment any differently.... I agree.... Critics be damned! She is also my all time favorite female artists ; it's great to know she still has that status with many others .
And Madonna got free publicity and promotion for her upcoming album and single and they both went to number one! And she used the $5 million dollars from the Pepsi deal to finance her next music video for Express Yourself. She's a marketing genius!
Back in the 80's if you looked in the dictionary for controversy you saw the word Madonna. And if you looked up the word Madonna you got the word controversy. But you can't deny the songs are awesome. Dang I miss those days though.
There was always a message behind the controversy, though, and history has proven that she was usually right. This video pushed buttons because no one was ready to face the issues of racism in America, racial profiling and unjust arrests of black people, and church hypocrisy. She was also sex positive in a time that was quite puritanical and when the AIDS epidemic was killing thousands of gay men. The world still needs Madonna, clearly. We keep facing the same BS over 30 years later.
I was in 6th grade when this song came out. It is one of my favorite Madonna songs. People were very upset for many reasons over this video. Here in the south I remember people being upset over black Jesus, stigmata, burning crosses, and an interracial relationship. It was pretty much blasphemous in every sense of the word. Madonna has always been pretty edgy and addressing social, religious and sexual taboos in her career. This, imo, makes her an icon.
Funny thing is that wasn't a portrayal of Jesus but of Saint Martin de Portus. It can be funny how bent out of shape people get over something they don't quite understand.
@@afry6400 Definitely! No one in my sphere of influence even tried to understand it. They were just offended by images, end of story as far as they were concerned.
This song is so iconic and a very big big big big controversial number #1 smash hit all over the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!in 1989 she had a commercial with Pepsi but when they saw this video they cancelled everything.Madonna kept the money and the song was huge!!!And the pope was very angry too!!!This masterpiece song is one of Madonna's biggest songs!!!
That's okay because that pope at that time was hiding and protecting child rapists left and right, which...Marvel at hypocrisy. It's not even hypocrisy. He got butthurt because she made a song and video, while thinking himself wonderful while helping pedophiles all over the place, harming children continuously for decades. Can't even compare.
The sad thing is that a lot of the controversy over the "Christian imagery" caused people to miss the message of the video and the parallels with the crimes and injustice of real life. Madonna was before her time on a lot of things, however it's also sad that's it's still so relevant
It’s really cool to hear the actor who played the Saint and the falsely accused guy speak about the whole thing too… I love that she also bows *with* him at the end. She doesn’t treat him like some sort of supporting character - and that’s a theme in so many of her vids. So many folks completely missed the most powerful imagery and statements by getting caught up in the sexual and religious imagery
Catholic Church, Systemic racism, societal norms the list goes on. She's always advocated for genuinely good human causes unfortunately youngsters and adults alike forget.
The song compares religious ecstasy to sexual ecstasy. The video is about racism. The shit hit the fan when this video came out. It really cemented Madonna's reputation for controversy. Madonna recorded a commercial for Pepsi using this song. They also paid her $5mil. When this video came out, Pepsi pulled the commercial and cut all ties with Madonna. She kept the $5mil.
Wonderful explanation. Yes, it was about racism as well as religious ecstacy. If are Christians, we must accept all races and not trivialize any minority. She is an ICON. There is no one like her.
"Like a Prayer" won the Viewer's Choice Award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. Coincidentally, the award was sponsored by Pepsi. In her acceptance speech she thanked the brand for causing so much controversy.
It’s good to see that she still delivers the shock value if your mouth kept dropping like it kept doing during your reaction. It’s a true testament to her staying power. This song is over 30 years old. Think about that. No other artist had that kind of guts to do what she did. Oh I definitely remember when this song came out. Man, you want to talk about some serious ass controversy! Everyone was talking about her and this video. Long before social media, Madonna is a brilliant businesswoman who knew how to push buttons and get people to talk. You should check out Express Yourself, Vogue, Justify My Love, Erotica and Human Nature.
Madonna's original idea for this music video was that she was in an interracial relationship with a black man in the south and they run away together but they get shot in the back by the KKK. But the music video director Mary Lambert came up with this idea for the music video. She also directed Madonna's Borderline, Like a Virgin, Material Girl and La Isla Bonita music videos. Madonna had a commercial and world tour sponsorship deal with Pepsi that paid her $5 million dollars The commercial had the song in it and it was the first time an original song was used in a commercial and premiered in a commercial. After the Pepsi commercial was aired once she premiered her Like a Prayer music video which you see here. But then the religious, conservative groups saw her music video they were upset and told Pepsi that if they don't end their contract with Madonna then they will boycott the company and its affiliates. So Pepsi canceled the contract and Madonna got to keep her $5 million dollars from the deal and she got free publicity and promotion from the controversy for her upcoming album and single Like a Prayer which both went number one within weeks. And she most likely used the $5 million dollars to finance her next music video for Express Yourself. She's a marketing genius! PS When Madonna was making the Pepsi commercial she jokingly asked the director if he's going to put burning crosses reflecting on the Pepsi cans he said "What burning crosses?" Then she replied "You'll see." She was giving a hint without giving herself away. Smart cookie.
Madonna dared to put a black Christ in the clip....talks about racism and in fact in 1989 when no one was talking about it ...it is not accidental that madonna is a LEGEND....
I was never a Madonna fan before this song came out, mainly because her music was too "pop" for my taste, but I instantly loved this song. Yes, the video was controversial at the time and only thrust her into the spotlight even more than she already was, which was a smart business decision on her part. While the video was shocking, my first reaction to it was, "Wow...she looks so much better as a brunette."
Drawing attention to violence against women, drawing attention to racism in the police force and gave us a reason to quote Oscar Wilde: "Dark hair and an innocent expression were very fashionable then". This video had it all
Enjoy the rabbit hole! Madonna has some classics. A few from her that you should check out, off the top of my head, Frozen, La Isla Bonita and Take a Bow.
Madonna's whole career was controversial. She was the first female artist who didnt give to flying F's. She openly pushed the images in her videos. She was also very open with her sexuality. She told the press to back off. This is why shes such an icon.
Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say she was the first to speak her mind and damn the consequences. Nina Simone’s Mississippi Goddamn comes to mind. Madonna certainly paved the way for women to use sexuality as a form of self empowerment and not simply objectification for men. She also didn’t shy from controversy, but she certainly wasn’t the first female artist to court controversy, although it could be argued she was the first woman of her fame/popularity level in pop culture. By this time she was a global phenomenon.
The statue behind the gate that she kisses the feet of and then it later comes alive is supposed to be a saint inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and all those seeking racial harmony.
Thank you. I don’t understand why so many people think it’s automatically Jesus. It was definitely appropriate that she included him in this music video given the overall tones and messages (and obviously ignoring the sexual reference to preforming fellacio).
Taken from the internet but explains a lot: The video for “Like a Prayer” was designed to push people’s buttons. In the clip, Madonna sees a white woman murdered by a group of white men. A Black man who intervenes to help the woman is arrested for the murder instead. Madonna hides in a church while she debates about whether to come forward as a witness. A statue of a saint in the church resembles the arrested man, and he comes to life. Madonna kisses the saint, experiences stigmata, and dances with a gospel choir and in front of a field of burning crosses before eventually going to the police station and declaring the man’s innocence. Madonna partnered with director Mary Lambert on the video. In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Lambert reflected on the process of making “Like a Prayer.” “I wanted to explore the correlation between sexual ecstasy and religious ecstasy,” Lamber said. The idea of having a Black man play Jesus “came from Madonna telling me she wanted to ‘f*ck a Black guy on the altar,’ ” Lambert added. “I said, ‘Well, why not have it be a Black Jesus? Let’s just go all the way.’ She liked that.”
Hey Billy , Since there were other people explaining to you about this video's controversy... I will just say that I really like your reaction to this very much. #HumanNature by Madonna
I remember when 'Justify My Love' video was coming out and MTV banned it. But ABC ended up airing it with an interview with Madonna. Probably one of the highest rated airing of Nightline ever watched by teens! Between this song, the 'Sex' book, and the 'Truth or Dare' documentary she was wildly controversial!! What I find funny is during/ right after she did 'Dick Tracy' (a kid movie) and 'A League Of Their Own'.
The music video was directed by Mary Lambert and was filmed at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California and at San Pedro Hills in San Pedro, California. Madonna wanted the video to be more provocative than anything she had done in the past, and wanted to address racism by having the video show a mixed-race couple being shot by the Ku Klux Klan. However, she later settled on another theme in keeping with the song's religious connotations. Actor Leon Robinson (best known for playing the lead role in Cool Runnings) was hired to play the role of a saint, which was inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people and those seeking interracial harmony. The video was shot over four days. Lambert had originally taken casts taken of Robinson's face, hand and feet to create the statue of the saint, but later found that the statue did not look like him, and so he was asked to re-shoot the scenes. He had to act as a statue, which he said was difficult since "first of all, I didn't realize how hard it is on the back to stand absolutely tall and straight and not move. Secondly, as a performer you have this nervous energy-and my requirements here were total antithesis of that. The video shows Madonna witnessing a young woman being robbed and murdered by a group of men, but isn't able to help. A black man walking down the alley also sees the incident and helps the woman, but the murderers run away. The police mistakenly suspect the black man of being the killer and arrest him. Madonna flees the scene and escapes to a church. There, she sees a caged statue of saint who resembles the black man. Madonna then lies down on a pew and has a dream in which she is falling through space. A woman, representing power and strength, catches her. She tells Madonna to do what is right and sends her back up. Still dreaming, she returns to the statue, which transforms into the black man she had seen earlier. He kisses her forehead and leaves the church, as she picks up a knife and cuts her hands. After seeing scenes of Madonna singing in front of burning crosses, erotic scenes are shown between her and the saint, and the singer being surrounded by a choir inside the church. Madonna wakes up, goes to the jail and tells the police that she had witnessed the crime and that the black man is innocent; and he is released. Why did it cause so much controversy? Religious groups worldwide including the Vatican, immediately protested the video, saying that it showed blasphemous use of Christian imagery. They called for the national boycott of Pepsi (after she performed it in a Pepsi commercial) and PepsiCo's subsidiaries, including KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut. Pepsi explained the differences between their advert and Madonna's artistic opinions in the video, and later gave in to the protests and cancelled the campaign. Pope John Paul II also got involved, and encouraged fans to boycott the singer in Italy altogether.
FIRST! Dude you are killin it giving us content!! THANKS AGAIN... When this video came out ... LORD you would have thought that Satan has arose. Oh emm gee
When the video came out there was absolute mayhem. The pope and the Catholic Church publicly disowned her. Her sponsor, Pepsi, dropped her. It was so far ahead of its time in 1989. I think it’s possibly the greatest pop video of all time.
"Like a Prayer" won the Viewer's Choice Award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. Coincidentally, the award was sponsored by Pepsi. In her acceptance speech, Madonna thanked the brand for causing so much controversy.
All hell broke loose when she released this video!! She had a Pepsi collaboration at the time, centered around the song. Her Pepsi commercial was some sugar-sweet pop ad, then her video dropped and Pepsi dropped her like a hot rock. The song and video are stunning though. And years ahead of its time. For a superstar like her to tackle racism was HUGE. Basically, she witnesses a white man murdering a young white woman. The black man tries to help the victim and is immediately charged with the crime. Madonna's character runs away and ends up in a Black church where she realizes through her dream that she needs to come forward. The shot near the end is her going to the precinct and having him released. And that's the short version, I haven't touched on the symbolism!! Nice reaction and thanks for recognizing the burning crosses. Went right over the heads of other reactors. I mean, right over. 😂 Check out her video for Bad Girl -- one of the best concept videos I've ever seen.
What younger generations don't understand is that Madonna was more than just the female MJ. She pushed the boundaries on every level. Yes this video was a HUGE controversy and cost Madonna her Pepsi sponsorship of her next tour. It's sad that younger people don't look and appreciate Madonna. She is the reason they have all of their current idols. Be well Billy!
This song became the #01 best selling song worldwide back in 1989. It was also the first video to premiere at the same time in over 40 countries having promos for the that premiere for 2 weeks. The video was so controversial that Pepsi only aired once their Madonna commercial (but she kept the $5 million) before the video premiered and the pope excomunicated Madonna for the first time ever (the pope would do that 7 times in total). There were even street protest against Madonna by religious and conservator groups.
This video was SO SO controversial when it came out, mainly for the burning crosses. She even lost some spokesperson and representation contracts over it.
She lost her Pepsi commercial deal and tour sponsorship from them. The commercial was only aired once. But she got to keep her $5 million dollars from the deal and the free publicity from the controversy and promotion for her upcoming album and single Like a Prayer that both went number one. She most likely used the $5 million dollars to finance her next music video for Express Yourself which costs that much. She's a marketing genius!
Madonna vs the church over this was something else to watch when it happened...check out her truth or dare movie...any part of it really but it’s in there how she perceived it to happen
Pepsi dropped her as a tour sponsor By this time in her career she didn't need sponsors to fund a tour She is the queen of controversy in the 80's and 90's
I love it when reactors pause the video to talk! That’s the whole point, you’re reacting! This video was a HUGE controversy when it came out. I remember my mom telling me to turn it off because it was “evil” and “blasphemous.” Still love the song to this day.
🤣🤣🤣 I was in the middle of taking a Drink, when you made the comment, " Casper done put his foot 🦶 out!" Needless to say, cleaning My , Mt.Dew off my phone sucked 😂
I remember being brought up by fair parents that just lived their life...I never gave a shit about race. Just be a good damn person. I loved Madonna. I always was inspired by this..I don't know why, but I'm guessing I didn't over analyze. Just used the song for what it meant to me..I hope we all can
The moral of this song is: Don't judge others... don't spread hate, end it! Reach out an open hand palm up & help all those u can! We are all the same, no matter what race we come from or what creed we follow, we all hurt, we all feel, we all love, we all sin, we all bleed... be kind to everyone, stay humble, don't ever let someone else tell u how u should feel or how to behave, or who u should love or what u should stand for... ALWAYS BE U, because the U that U are INSIDE, is the most perfect U!
It originally only aired after a certain time on MTV (I think after 8pm, but I could be very wrong) Some radio stations would not air it after the video came out, and this was all by design. The best way to sell something to teenagers? Make their parents hate it. You could literally smell this album coming - the album jacket was scented with incense.
@@graphiquejack I was talking about the repercussions she faced. That was the mess, not the video. I was in Catholic school at the time and the thing that people were most freaked out about was the kiss.
Madonna was the closest thing to Micheal Jackson in the 80’s and 90’s. She’s AMAZING!!! React to Hung Up Sorry, Or Jump from her “ Confessions on a Dance floor” Album.
It was a call against racism she got fired from her Pepsi commercial contract because she kissed a black man. The 80s certainly have their pros and cons sadly more cons in hindsight
When this came out there was some minor controversy, but people understood it for what it was. Back then, people were not as touchy and supersupersuper sensitive as they are now. There weren't any mass protests; black folks didn't take up arms; there were no marches because of the burning crosses, etc. It was a music video.
I really don't understand how people today don't understand this video. I was 9 years old when this came out and I knew it was about racial profiling even if I didn't know what the term for it was. I mean, yeah the statue coming to life is creepy and weird, but don't they teach symbolism in school anymore?
Exactly! What’s so hard to understand. It’s a simple story. No one mentioning the real meaning of the burning crosses (kkk). Or the stigmata. They are so used to basic imagery nowadays.
For real! I was 10 years old when this came out and understood the black man was wrongfully accused. Also, like you, I didn’t know there was a term for it (racial profiling) but I very clearly understood the point behind the video!
3:24 I know this is a little random but the kiss he gave her on her cheek and on her forehead actually looked kind of reassuring, I felt soothed just by watching it.
There’s no doubt that the burning crosses and religious imagery had people upset. But racism was really behind so much of the outrage. You couldn’t read anything about the video in the news without the second sentence saying that almost everyone in the video was Black and that she kissed a Black man in it. That was what was mentioned first when articles explained the reasons why Pepsi dropped her. At the time, there were very few Black artists on MTV. Mainly just Michael Jackson and the world didn’t really see him as Black-Black, if that makes any sense. He was somehow “safe.” The irony! Black Jesus in the video really sent people into a tizzy. I wish it was the burning crosses that caused the uproar, but it really wasn’t.
Everyone focuses on the religious + KKK imagery, but there's yet another layer of controversy included by Madonna which most people miss: the lyrics with deliberate sexual connotations: "I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there...." Only a small number of the many reactors to this song have noticed it! :)
This was I think her 2nd or 3rd album. Anyway the video was shot be Mary Lambert who directed another on 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 an Patrick Leonard. The music in her eyes had to really reflect what her vision of the song. Then the Choir was actually the Andre Crouch Choir, and she had to share the lyrics with him before he would sign on to have the songs chorus to 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 release as #2 the first week on the charts but the following week it hit #1 later the Bon Jovi's Song "I'll be there for you " to the number one spot. The lyrics have been analyzed, taught in colleges and so much speculation about the meaning of the lyrics have also been discussed. The in Week 2 on the charts other artist 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 was keep 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 charts 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 the 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 due to the stiff rod of them trying to control the masses. Anyway, I don't want pontificate here, I just really like the song and video till this day. BTW, I think the reason it was made like a play is because 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.
Madonna had a Pepsi commercial that was going to premiere on TV, but because of this video, she lost the endorsement, and the video caused a lot of controversy even though it was a beautiful video. Yeah, I had a feeling that you were going to ask what happened back then because this video came out way before you were born. But yeah, that's what happened. If you think this video is something, wait until you see Madonna - Justify My Love, Madonna - Erotica, Madonna - Human Nature, Madonna - American Life (banned version), Madonna - What It Feels Like For A Girl. Those videos will have your head spinning, especially What It Feels Like and Justify. If you can do a reaction video for each of these, that would be wonderful ad I would watch each one of these.
I humbly suggest a Madonna "Human Nature" video reaction! You will see a whole other whole side of Madonna. And that's hard to say about a woman who had reinvented herself over and over again. I love that song, it's a bop!
Madonna using her platform before using your platform was a thing. This is one of the many reasons that people that grew up with Madonna loved her. She made "Good Trouble". From females not feeling ashamed about their sexuality, unwed mothers, POC. LGBTQ, she is unashamedly herself, and will risk a lot to make a point. Great reaction! Watch Like a Virgin, Papa don't preach, and Vogue for some of her other controversial videos. Actually watch the MTV awards of Like a Virgin, oh boy did she Pxss people off with that.
More Madonna suggestions: Open Your Heart Take A Bow Ray of Light Like A Virgin Express Yourself Borderline Hung Up Who’s That Girl (and then watch the movie #billybinges)
The song is comparing Love or sexual ecstasy to religious ecstasy. “Just like a prayer, Your voice can take me there.” The video uses that religious theme to tell a story of a woman (madonna) who witnesses the murder of another woman by white guys. When the black man tries to help, he is arrested falsely. Madonna seeks shelter/comfort in a black church (and trips on the way). While in the church she has a “religious” experience (saint crying & coming alive, stigmata from knife, falling in the arms of the the woman). The experience gives her the strength to come forward and say the man was innocent and he is released. Madonna uses powerful imagery which makes it controversial. Burning crosses were common with the KKK and racism in the South. Art is meant to disturb the peace.
this is probably my favorite Madonna song, and i loved your reaction. with all the symbolism it can take you back, i was a little kid and i remember alot of people freaked out about it. alot of people basically accused her of being sacrilegious. i think this was probably the start of everyone expecting her to be controversial and she delivered lol
If the video is confusing, it's because the plotline is out of sequence. In any case, it's about social in/justice by righting a wrong (i.e. the falsely accused black man who is jailed). Yes, the burning crosses (i.e. extant racism) and interracial kiss and religious elements were very controversial. The video is still relevant today. And the song is timeless.
The storyline in this 1989 music video is about her witnessing a murder committed by a group of white men, but the black man who saw the murder taking place and tried to help the victim was himself arrested by the police who wrongly thought that he committed the crime. Madonna's character who witnessed the entire thing but was initially too scared to come forward runs into a nearby church and is filled with inspiration and newfound courage. Towards the end of the video, she goes into the police station where the wrongly arrested Black guy was held in jail...and she proceeds to tell the police that she witnessed everything and that the Black guy was NOT the culprit. He is then released and it is inferred that he is no longer a suspect in that crime. Part of the music video's storyline can be interpreted as basically about the perceived inequities of the justice system (this being demonstrated by the use of the burning crosses to symbolize racism etc)...and of course, there was also the spiritual awakening element of the video as well, with the actor "Leon" playing the part of a Catholic Saint, Saint Martin (Saint Juan Martin de Porres Velázquez) who was declared a Saint back in 1962. Saint Martin is the patron Saint of mixed-race people and the patron Saint of racial harmony worldwide.
Police racial profiling, racism, religion, this was 32 years ago. She was decades ahead of her time. The Pope excommunicated her (threw her out of the church) for this. But she stood her ground. Greatest live performer of all time, hands down.
Great song I was in school I remember that and we ware told not to listen to this but we did and we watch the video it make me more aware of injustice and racism at the time was obvious but she made it clear ❤️
The Vatican condemned the video in 1989 and she lost her multi million dollar contract with PEPSI because the song was used in the new PEPSI commercial and many people were boycotting the brand.
Back in the 80's, I was a teen in high school and native american. We were treated just as bad as other people of color. This song was against racism and I loved it.
She’s ahead of her time and this was very controversial when the video was released. This song is so timely specially these days. About our justice system. She’s a visionary as always! Thanks for reacting. Ur so funny!
I've never been a Madonna fan, I'm not really into her music. I don't know how old I was when I first saw this video, I was only 3 when it came out so it was probably later, but it really stuck with me. I could still remember the imagery years later and it always felt really powerful. It's probably the only song/video of hers that I really like.
I was 17 when Like A Prayer came out. I heard it before I saw the video. The meaning bleeds through the lyrics. For example: "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." Such lyrics weren't in the Pepsi commercial, and without a video, it may have passed under the radar. But the video blew up the world. The video and song are not about the same thing. 'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen is about lost love and intimacy: "remember when I moved in you, the holy dark was movin' too, and every breath we drew was hallelujah..." It has lots of religious imagery. It's rarely called out for what it is. But there's no Madonna video.💥
So when this video came out it was cemented as the biggest controversial video in history because she was bringing awareness to racism and the church did not take it well. Her response was “ these are issues that happen currently in the USA and we need to address it” she’s always been a supporter of equality.
That song is the first single from her fourth album. She also had a Pepsi commercial at the same time, 5 million dollars. The company dropped her (because of the burning cross), she kept the money and paid the Express Yourself video with it (awesome video, quite Metropolis). The Vatican excommunicated Madonna after this video. Also, the public didn't really click with a black Jesus (he's one of her dancers on the Blond Ambition Tour, you can see him in Truth Or Dare, the rockumentary).
I never understood the video either.... the way Jesus aka Leon aka David Ruffin got up out of there 👀👀👀 he was like bye 👋🏾🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I love this song tho 🔥🔥🧡🧡🧡💯💯💯
![Seungmin "그렇게, 천천히, 우리(As we are)" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/kAzmhLHePqU/mqdefault.jpg)
She witnessed a crime. They arrested the wrongly accused, thought he was the murderer. She hid in the church scared for her life, thinking if she gonna tell the truth until she fell asleep. For some heavenly intervention while sleeping, she decided to speak the truth and the man was released from jail. We cannot achieve fairness in this world if nobody will walk the talk, and speak the truth. Every human being matters! ❤️
Ohh thank you, I knew this song when I was a toddler, and never understood the meaning
Wow love the history
Not to mention they only arrested the wrongly accused because he was black
I still think the song talks about sex... obviously not the video, although some scenes are questionable...still I like the song
Shes talking about bj’s but ok
Madonna lost a Pepsi sponsorship because of this video. They were using the song and then this video came out. They dropped her immediately. It was a huge controversy. Madonna always stood up for what she believed in. Critics be damned. She is my all time favorite female artist. Great reaction, sweetie.
@Susan Berrier In details I would not have worded your comment any differently.... I agree.... Critics be damned! She is also my all time favorite female artists ; it's great to know she still has that status with many others .
But Madonna was able to keep the 5 Million from Pepsi 😂
@@openyourchakras918 She kept bopping with that check!
@@openyourchakras918 For a commercial that aired once! My queen!
And Madonna got free publicity and promotion for her upcoming album and single and they both went to number one! And she used the $5 million dollars from the Pepsi deal to finance her next music video for Express Yourself. She's a marketing genius!
Back in the 80's if you looked in the dictionary for controversy you saw the word Madonna. And if you looked up the word Madonna you got the word controversy. But you can't deny the songs are awesome. Dang I miss those days though.
I miss them too
Amen!
I heard the 80s was the best
There was always a message behind the controversy, though, and history has proven that she was usually right. This video pushed buttons because no one was ready to face the issues of racism in America, racial profiling and unjust arrests of black people, and church hypocrisy. She was also sex positive in a time that was quite puritanical and when the AIDS epidemic was killing thousands of gay men. The world still needs Madonna, clearly. We keep facing the same BS over 30 years later.
I was in 6th grade when this song came out. It is one of my favorite Madonna songs. People were very upset for many reasons over this video. Here in the south I remember people being upset over black Jesus, stigmata, burning crosses, and an interracial relationship. It was pretty much blasphemous in every sense of the word. Madonna has always been pretty edgy and addressing social, religious and sexual taboos in her career. This, imo, makes her an icon.
Funny thing is that wasn't a portrayal of Jesus but of Saint Martin de Portus. It can be funny how bent out of shape people get over something they don't quite understand.
@@afry6400 Definitely! No one in my sphere of influence even tried to understand it. They were just offended by images, end of story as far as they were concerned.
Oh Martin, the saint of mixed relationship and kindness. How poeple mixed things up
@@afry6400 You mean saint Martin de Porrès ? father of the sick and the poor...
Nothing to be proud of commiting blasphemy.
This song is so iconic and a very big big big big controversial number #1 smash hit all over the world!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!in 1989 she had a commercial with Pepsi but when they saw this video they cancelled everything.Madonna kept the money and the song was huge!!!And the pope was very angry too!!!This masterpiece song is one of Madonna's biggest songs!!!
Totally forgot the Pope was angry. I remember Catholics were!
That's okay because that pope at that time was hiding and protecting child rapists left and right, which...Marvel at hypocrisy. It's not even hypocrisy. He got butthurt because she made a song and video, while thinking himself wonderful while helping pedophiles all over the place, harming children continuously for decades. Can't even compare.
The sad thing is that a lot of the controversy over the "Christian imagery" caused people to miss the message of the video and the parallels with the crimes and injustice of real life. Madonna was before her time on a lot of things, however it's also sad that's it's still so relevant
I was hoping someone else got the deeper meaning in the song as opposed to just the religious imagery!
It’s really cool to hear the actor who played the Saint and the falsely accused guy speak about the whole thing too… I love that she also bows *with* him at the end. She doesn’t treat him like some sort of supporting character - and that’s a theme in so many of her vids. So many folks completely missed the most powerful imagery and statements by getting caught up in the sexual and religious imagery
Catholic Church, Systemic racism, societal norms the list goes on. She's always advocated for genuinely good human causes unfortunately youngsters and adults alike forget.
Should've just portrayed the normal Jesus
The song compares religious ecstasy to sexual ecstasy. The video is about racism. The shit hit the fan when this video came out. It really cemented Madonna's reputation for controversy. Madonna recorded a commercial for Pepsi using this song. They also paid her $5mil. When this video came out, Pepsi pulled the commercial and cut all ties with Madonna. She kept the $5mil.
Wonderful explanation. Yes, it was about racism as well as religious ecstacy. If are Christians, we must accept all races and not trivialize any minority. She is an ICON. There is no one like her.
Don't know why this was a big deal, Madona always sexualized everything she did :)))
where is the sexualization in this video?
@@ennoiatoreador755 umm
"Like a Prayer" won the Viewer's Choice Award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. Coincidentally, the award was sponsored by Pepsi. In her acceptance speech she thanked the brand for causing so much controversy.
It’s good to see that she still delivers the shock value if your mouth kept dropping like it kept doing during your reaction. It’s a true testament to her staying power. This song is over 30 years old. Think about that. No other artist had that kind of guts to do what she did. Oh I definitely remember when this song came out. Man, you want to talk about some serious ass controversy! Everyone was talking about her and this video. Long before social media, Madonna is a brilliant businesswoman who knew how to push buttons and get people to talk. You should check out Express Yourself, Vogue, Justify My Love, Erotica and Human Nature.
Madonna was an absolute force of nature in the 80s and 90s.
You had this reaction to Like A Prayer, I can’t wait to see you react to Justify My Love 🤣🤣🤣🤣
DUDE 😎 fr
🤣
🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂He’s not ready
Yes please!!!
There was definitely controversy over this video, but I like that she was trying to make a statement about current affairs/society through her art.
Madonna was the queen of idgaf back then. It was amazing.
Madonna's original idea for this music video was that she was in an interracial relationship with a black man in the south and they run away together but they get shot in the back by the KKK. But the music video director Mary Lambert came up with this idea for the music video. She also directed Madonna's Borderline, Like a Virgin, Material Girl and La Isla Bonita music videos.
Madonna had a commercial and world tour sponsorship deal with Pepsi that paid her $5 million dollars
The commercial had the song in it and it was the first time an original song was used in a commercial and premiered in a commercial. After the Pepsi commercial was aired once she premiered her Like a Prayer music video which you see here. But then the religious, conservative groups saw her music video they were upset and told Pepsi that if they don't end their contract with Madonna then they will boycott the company and its affiliates. So Pepsi canceled the contract and Madonna got to keep her $5 million dollars from the deal and she got free publicity and promotion from the controversy for her upcoming album and single Like a Prayer which both went number one within weeks. And she most likely used the $5 million dollars to finance her next music video for Express Yourself. She's a marketing genius! PS When Madonna was making the Pepsi commercial she jokingly asked the director if he's going to put burning crosses reflecting on the Pepsi cans he said "What burning crosses?" Then she replied "You'll see." She was giving a hint without giving herself away. Smart cookie.
Madonna dared to put a black Christ in the clip....talks about racism and in fact in 1989 when no one was talking about it ...it is not accidental that madonna is a LEGEND....
That wasn’t a black Christ. It was Saint Martin de Porres.
@@MrWizeazz hahaha loool
@@mpourmpoulithra2011 Christ is on the cross near the altar
Black Christ...you mean Christ?
I was never a Madonna fan before this song came out, mainly because her music was too "pop" for my taste, but I instantly loved this song. Yes, the video was controversial at the time and only thrust her into the spotlight even more than she already was, which was a smart business decision on her part. While the video was shocking, my first reaction to it was, "Wow...she looks so much better as a brunette."
This is art -- and not all that complicated.
Drawing attention to violence against women, drawing attention to racism in the police force and gave us a reason to quote Oscar Wilde: "Dark hair and an innocent expression were very fashionable then". This video had it all
He wasn't Jesus. He was Saint Martin de Porres, a Catholic saint.
Exactly 👍
THANK YOU!!!! All these years I wasn't sure which Saint this was.
Enjoy the rabbit hole! Madonna has some classics. A few from her that you should check out, off the top of my head, Frozen, La Isla Bonita and Take a Bow.
Madonna's whole career was controversial. She was the first female artist who didnt give to flying F's. She openly pushed the images in her videos. She was also very open with her sexuality. She told the press to back off. This is why shes such an icon.
Well, I wouldn’t go so far as to say she was the first to speak her mind and damn the consequences. Nina Simone’s Mississippi Goddamn comes to mind.
Madonna certainly paved the way for women to use sexuality as a form of self empowerment and not simply objectification for men. She also didn’t shy from controversy, but she certainly wasn’t the first female artist to court controversy, although it could be argued she was the first woman of her fame/popularity level in pop culture. By this time she was a global phenomenon.
The statue behind the gate that she kisses the feet of and then it later comes alive is supposed to be a saint inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and all those seeking racial harmony.
Thank you. I don’t understand why so many people think it’s automatically Jesus. It was definitely appropriate that she included him in this music video given the overall tones and messages (and obviously ignoring the sexual reference to preforming fellacio).
Taken from the internet but explains a lot: The video for “Like a Prayer” was designed to push people’s buttons. In the clip, Madonna sees a white woman murdered by a group of white men. A Black man who intervenes to help the woman is arrested for the murder instead. Madonna hides in a church while she debates about whether to come forward as a witness. A statue of a saint in the church resembles the arrested man, and he comes to life. Madonna kisses the saint, experiences stigmata, and dances with a gospel choir and in front of a field of burning crosses before eventually going to the police station and declaring the man’s innocence.
Madonna partnered with director Mary Lambert on the video. In a recent interview with the Hollywood Reporter, Lambert reflected on the process of making “Like a Prayer.”
“I wanted to explore the correlation between sexual ecstasy and religious ecstasy,” Lamber said. The idea of having a Black man play Jesus “came from Madonna telling me she wanted to ‘f*ck a Black guy on the altar,’ ” Lambert added. “I said, ‘Well, why not have it be a Black Jesus? Let’s just go all the way.’ She liked that.”
Hey Billy , Since there were other people explaining to you about this video's controversy... I will just say that I really like your reaction to this very much. #HumanNature by Madonna
This is a fucking amazing song. All time classic. Fucking amazing
I remember when 'Justify My Love' video was coming out and MTV banned it. But ABC ended up airing it with an interview with Madonna. Probably one of the highest rated airing of Nightline ever watched by teens! Between this song, the 'Sex' book, and the 'Truth or Dare' documentary she was wildly controversial!!
What I find funny is during/ right after she did 'Dick Tracy' (a kid movie) and 'A League Of Their Own'.
Her videos are iconic. She liked to rock the boat a lot.
The music video was directed by Mary Lambert and was filmed at Raleigh Studios in Hollywood, California and at San Pedro Hills in San Pedro, California.
Madonna wanted the video to be more provocative than anything she had done in the past, and wanted to address racism by having the video show a mixed-race couple being shot by the Ku Klux Klan.
However, she later settled on another theme in keeping with the song's religious connotations.
Actor Leon Robinson (best known for playing the lead role in Cool Runnings) was hired to play the role of a saint, which was inspired by Martin de Porres, the patron saint of mixed-race people and those seeking interracial harmony.
The video was shot over four days.
Lambert had originally taken casts taken of Robinson's face, hand and feet to create the statue of the saint, but later found that the statue did not look like him, and so he was asked to re-shoot the scenes.
He had to act as a statue, which he said was difficult since "first of all, I didn't realize how hard it is on the back to stand absolutely tall and straight and not move. Secondly, as a performer you have this nervous energy-and my requirements here were total antithesis of that.
The video shows Madonna witnessing a young woman being robbed and murdered by a group of men, but isn't able to help. A black man walking down the alley also sees the incident and helps the woman, but the murderers run away.
The police mistakenly suspect the black man of being the killer and arrest him. Madonna flees the scene and escapes to a church. There, she sees a caged statue of saint who resembles the black man.
Madonna then lies down on a pew and has a dream in which she is falling through space. A woman, representing power and strength, catches her. She tells Madonna to do what is right and sends her back up.
Still dreaming, she returns to the statue, which transforms into the black man she had seen earlier. He kisses her forehead and leaves the church, as she picks up a knife and cuts her hands.
After seeing scenes of Madonna singing in front of burning crosses, erotic scenes are shown between her and the saint, and the singer being surrounded by a choir inside the church. Madonna wakes up, goes to the jail and tells the police that she had witnessed the crime and that the black man is innocent; and he is released.
Why did it cause so much controversy?
Religious groups worldwide including the Vatican, immediately protested the video, saying that it showed blasphemous use of Christian imagery.
They called for the national boycott of Pepsi (after she performed it in a Pepsi commercial) and PepsiCo's subsidiaries, including KFC, Taco Bell and Pizza Hut.
Pepsi explained the differences between their advert and Madonna's artistic opinions in the video, and later gave in to the protests and cancelled the campaign.
Pope John Paul II also got involved, and encouraged fans to boycott the singer in Italy altogether.
FIRST! Dude you are killin it giving us content!! THANKS AGAIN... When this video came out ... LORD you would have thought that Satan has arose. Oh emm gee
When the video came out there was absolute mayhem. The pope and the Catholic Church publicly disowned her. Her sponsor, Pepsi, dropped her. It was so far ahead of its time in 1989. I think it’s possibly the greatest pop video of all time.
"Like a Prayer" won the Viewer's Choice Award at the 1989 MTV Video Music Awards. Coincidentally, the award was sponsored by Pepsi. In her acceptance speech, Madonna thanked the brand for causing so much controversy.
You would blow a gasket if you heard the background noises in the long version of this song in her Immaculate Collection album.
The CD maxi single's extended remix versions are great too.
I almost got kicked out of private Catholic school for bringing it to school on my Walkman
Madonna's like a prayer was my favorite jam back in the days
All hell broke loose when she released this video!! She had a Pepsi collaboration at the time, centered around the song. Her Pepsi commercial was some sugar-sweet pop ad, then her video dropped and Pepsi dropped her like a hot rock. The song and video are stunning though. And years ahead of its time. For a superstar like her to tackle racism was HUGE. Basically, she witnesses a white man murdering a young white woman. The black man tries to help the victim and is immediately charged with the crime. Madonna's character runs away and ends up in a Black church where she realizes through her dream that she needs to come forward. The shot near the end is her going to the precinct and having him released. And that's the short version, I haven't touched on the symbolism!! Nice reaction and thanks for recognizing the burning crosses. Went right over the heads of other reactors. I mean, right over. 😂 Check out her video for Bad Girl -- one of the best concept videos I've ever seen.
My Grandmama thought she was the devil. 😄
Mine too...she called her a "White Devil" no one is supposed to kiss Jesus...and Jesus wasn't a black man.
@@angelalacour2384 mine was more mad about the crosses burning. Thought it was Blasphemous.
I@@mamarana4007it was
Cuz ya know... Who doesn’t bop around in their lingerie at church?? 😂
This video is about racist police violence against black people. Madonna as always, so ahead of her time.
What younger generations don't understand is that Madonna was more than just the female MJ. She pushed the boundaries on every level. Yes this video was a HUGE controversy and cost Madonna her Pepsi sponsorship of her next tour. It's sad that younger people don't look and appreciate Madonna. She is the reason they have all of their current idols. Be well Billy!
This song became the #01 best selling song worldwide back in 1989. It was also the first video to premiere at the same time in over 40 countries having promos for the that premiere for 2 weeks. The video was so controversial that Pepsi only aired once their Madonna commercial (but she kept the $5 million) before the video premiered and the pope excomunicated Madonna for the first time ever (the pope would do that 7 times in total). There were even street protest against Madonna by religious and conservator groups.
This video was SO SO controversial when it came out, mainly for the burning crosses. She even lost some spokesperson and representation contracts over it.
She lost her Pepsi commercial deal and tour sponsorship from them. The commercial was only aired once. But she got to keep her $5 million dollars from the deal and the free publicity from the controversy and promotion for her upcoming album and single Like a Prayer that both went number one. She most likely used the $5 million dollars to finance her next music video for Express Yourself which costs that much. She's a marketing genius!
When this video came out ALL HELL BROKE LOOSE ... lolololol ...
Madonna vs the church over this was something else to watch when it happened...check out her truth or dare movie...any part of it really but it’s in there how she perceived it to happen
Pepsi dropped her as a tour sponsor
By this time in her career she didn't need sponsors to fund a tour
She is the queen of controversy in the 80's and 90's
God I'm old af
Me 2
Me 3 (34) lol!
46
@@photomom9803 I'm 38 so it's I said I'm old af lol
*clicking our canes together* Me too, chile.
I love it when reactors pause the video to talk! That’s the whole point, you’re reacting! This video was a HUGE controversy when it came out. I remember my mom telling me to turn it off because it was “evil” and “blasphemous.” Still love the song to this day.
🤣🤣🤣 I was in the middle of taking a Drink, when you made the comment, " Casper done put his foot 🦶 out!" Needless to say, cleaning My , Mt.Dew off my phone sucked 😂
I remember being brought up by fair parents that just lived their life...I never gave a shit about race. Just be a good damn person. I loved Madonna. I always was inspired by this..I don't know why, but I'm guessing I didn't over analyze. Just used the song for what it meant to me..I hope we all can
The moral of this song is: Don't judge others... don't spread hate, end it! Reach out an open hand palm up & help all those u can! We are all the same, no matter what race we come from or what creed we follow, we all hurt, we all feel, we all love, we all sin, we all bleed... be kind to everyone, stay humble, don't ever let someone else tell u how u should feel or how to behave, or who u should love or what u should stand for... ALWAYS BE U, because the U that U are INSIDE, is the most perfect U!
I literally just watched a video of a wrestler coming out to this song. His name was grado it was pretty epic lol
This is one of the best music videos ever made!
It originally only aired after a certain time on MTV (I think after 8pm, but I could be very wrong) Some radio stations would not air it after the video came out, and this was all by design. The best way to sell something to teenagers? Make their parents hate it. You could literally smell this album coming - the album jacket was scented with incense.
It's airing on MTV was not after 8pm. That was erotica
Ahhhh this song. Hahaha your expressions about the crying
Ooh and whee. My mom would literally turn off the TV when this song came on. We were so mad when she did! 😂
Absolute F*cking legend who will speak out for everyone.
There were crosses? I must have missed them because I was too busy watching Madonna trying to stay in that dress.
OMG, when this video came out people freaked out. Religious groups called for boycotting her, she lost sponsorships, etc. It was a hot mess.
It wasn’t a mess, though. It was important art. Racists and religious bigots couldn’t handle having their own hypocrisy exposed. That’s all.
@@graphiquejack I was talking about the repercussions she faced. That was the mess, not the video. I was in Catholic school at the time and the thing that people were most freaked out about was the kiss.
As ot should. Blasphemy is tolerated especially against Christians. High fome they took arms are prevented brats from disrespecting religions
@@struggler856 lmfao! Get a grip.
@@tazmom0 nah . Just look at the Olympics. MFS disrespecting religions all the time
Madonna was the closest thing to Micheal Jackson in the 80’s and 90’s. She’s AMAZING!!! React to Hung Up Sorry, Or Jump from her “ Confessions on a Dance floor” Album.
It was a call against racism she got fired from her Pepsi commercial contract because she kissed a black man. The 80s certainly have their pros and cons sadly more cons in hindsight
*************THE QUEEN OF INNOVATION & CONTROVERSY************* Luv her, for opening millions of eyes ❣❣❣
all kinds of stuff happened. music was revolutionized. so was life.
it was the best era.
Love it!!!!!!!!
Great reaction Billy👍👍👍💙👊👊
Thx
Zane
When this came out there was some minor controversy, but people understood it for what it was. Back then, people were not as touchy and supersupersuper sensitive as they are now. There weren't any mass protests; black folks didn't take up arms; there were no marches because of the burning crosses, etc. It was a music video.
I really don't understand how people today don't understand this video. I was 9 years old when this came out and I knew it was about racial profiling even if I didn't know what the term for it was. I mean, yeah the statue coming to life is creepy and weird, but don't they teach symbolism in school anymore?
Exactly! What’s so hard to understand. It’s a simple story. No one mentioning the real meaning of the burning crosses (kkk). Or the stigmata. They are so used to basic imagery nowadays.
For real! I was 10 years old when this came out and understood the black man was wrongfully accused. Also, like you, I didn’t know there was a term for it (racial profiling) but I very clearly understood the point behind the video!
3:24 I know this is a little random but the kiss he gave her on her cheek and on her forehead actually looked kind of reassuring, I felt soothed just by watching it.
There’s no doubt that the burning crosses and religious imagery had people upset. But racism was really behind so much of the outrage. You couldn’t read anything about the video in the news without the second sentence saying that almost everyone in the video was Black and that she kissed a Black man in it. That was what was mentioned first when articles explained the reasons why Pepsi dropped her. At the time, there were very few Black artists on MTV. Mainly just Michael Jackson and the world didn’t really see him as Black-Black, if that makes any sense. He was somehow “safe.” The irony! Black Jesus in the video really sent people into a tizzy. I wish it was the burning crosses that caused the uproar, but it really wasn’t.
The queen of pop
queen of pop
You have the same face we all had (30 years ago) when we first saw this video. But it's a good time, huh?
And know some the youngsters think that Judas, Montero are controversial
Everyone focuses on the religious + KKK imagery, but there's yet another layer of controversy included by Madonna which most people miss: the lyrics with deliberate sexual connotations:
"I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you there...."
Only a small number of the many reactors to this song have noticed it! :)
Madonna became definetely the queen of pop with this amazing song and controversal video
Love Madonna!! Her song Human Nature is another good one. Kinda her telling off all her critics. Great song pick and reaction!! 🙂
This was I think her 2nd or 3rd album. Anyway the video was shot be Mary Lambert who directed another on 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 an Patrick Leonard. The music in her eyes had to really reflect what her vision of the song. Then the Choir was actually the Andre Crouch Choir, and she had to share the lyrics with him before he would sign on to have the songs chorus to 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 release as #2 the first week on the charts but the following week it hit #1 later the Bon Jovi's Song "I'll be there for you " to the number one spot. The lyrics have been analyzed, taught in colleges and so much speculation about the meaning of the lyrics have also been discussed. The in Week 2 on the charts other artist 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 was keep 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 charts 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 the 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 due to the stiff rod of them trying to control the masses. Anyway, I don't want pontificate here, I just really like the song and video till this day. BTW, I think the reason it was made like a play is because 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.
Madonna had a Pepsi commercial that was going to premiere on TV, but because of this video, she lost the endorsement, and the video caused a lot of controversy even though it was a beautiful video. Yeah, I had a feeling that you were going to ask what happened back then because this video came out way before you were born. But yeah, that's what happened. If you think this video is something, wait until you see Madonna - Justify My Love, Madonna - Erotica, Madonna - Human Nature, Madonna - American Life (banned version), Madonna - What It Feels Like For A Girl. Those videos will have your head spinning, especially What It Feels Like and Justify. If you can do a reaction video for each of these, that would be wonderful ad I would watch each one of these.
I humbly suggest a Madonna "Human Nature" video reaction! You will see a whole other whole side of Madonna. And that's hard to say about a woman who had reinvented herself over and over again. I love that song, it's a bop!
Madonna using her platform before using your platform was a thing. This is one of the many reasons that people that grew up with Madonna loved her. She made "Good Trouble". From females not feeling ashamed about their sexuality, unwed mothers, POC. LGBTQ, she is unashamedly herself, and will risk a lot to make a point. Great reaction! Watch Like a Virgin, Papa don't preach, and Vogue for some of her other controversial videos. Actually watch the MTV awards of Like a Virgin, oh boy did she Pxss people off with that.
More Madonna suggestions:
Open Your Heart
Take A Bow
Ray of Light
Like A Virgin
Express Yourself
Borderline
Hung Up
Who’s That Girl (and then watch the movie #billybinges)
Specifically the MTV music videos awards performance of Like a Virg8n
The guitar intro is by THE late Prince
Brother the strange thing about this is that there was NO tension way back when in the 90s, it was all manufactured, much like today. Love you, man.
This song always wakes me from illusion to reality
The song is comparing Love or sexual ecstasy to religious ecstasy. “Just like a prayer, Your voice can take me there.” The video uses that religious theme to tell a story of a woman (madonna) who witnesses the murder of another woman by white guys. When the black man tries to help, he is arrested falsely. Madonna seeks shelter/comfort in a black church (and trips on the way). While in the church she has a “religious” experience (saint crying & coming alive, stigmata from knife, falling in the arms of the the woman). The experience gives her the strength to come forward and say the man was innocent and he is released. Madonna uses powerful imagery which makes it controversial. Burning crosses were common with the KKK and racism in the South. Art is meant to disturb the peace.
this is probably my favorite Madonna song, and i loved your reaction. with all the symbolism it can take you back, i was a little kid and i remember alot of people freaked out about it. alot of people basically accused her of being sacrilegious. i think this was probably the start of everyone expecting her to be controversial and she delivered lol
If the video is confusing, it's because the plotline is out of sequence. In any case, it's about social in/justice by righting a wrong (i.e. the falsely accused black man who is jailed). Yes, the burning crosses (i.e. extant racism) and interracial kiss and religious elements were very controversial. The video is still relevant today. And the song is timeless.
Best pop song gospel ever... Madonna and this vidéo is an big iconic image et sound of society ❤️❤️❤️❤️
The storyline in this 1989 music video is about her witnessing a murder committed by a group of white men, but the black man who saw the murder taking place and tried to help the victim was himself arrested by the police who wrongly thought that he committed the crime. Madonna's character who witnessed the entire thing but was initially too scared to come forward runs into a nearby church and is filled with inspiration and newfound courage. Towards the end of the video, she goes into the police station where the wrongly arrested Black guy was held in jail...and she proceeds to tell the police that she witnessed everything and that the Black guy was NOT the culprit. He is then released and it is inferred that he is no longer a suspect in that crime.
Part of the music video's storyline can be interpreted as basically about the perceived inequities of the justice system (this being demonstrated by the use of the burning crosses to symbolize racism etc)...and of course, there was also the spiritual awakening element of the video as well, with the actor "Leon" playing the part of a Catholic Saint, Saint Martin (Saint Juan Martin de Porres Velázquez) who was declared a Saint back in 1962. Saint Martin is the patron Saint of mixed-race people and the patron Saint of racial harmony worldwide.
Police racial profiling, racism, religion, this was 32 years ago. She was decades ahead of her time. The Pope excommunicated her (threw her out of the church) for this. But she stood her ground. Greatest live performer of all time, hands down.
Great song I was in school I remember that and we ware told not to listen to this but we did and we watch the video it make me more aware of injustice and racism at the time was obvious but she made it clear ❤️
Speechless are you Billy 1st time I seen that from you
The Vatican condemned the video in 1989 and she lost her multi million dollar contract with PEPSI because the song was used in the new PEPSI commercial and many people were boycotting the brand.
That’s why I say screw the Vatican along them creating the Manifest Destiny doctrine that led to the genocide of my Native ancestors
Back in the 80's, I was a teen in high school and native american. We were treated just as bad as other people of color. This song was against racism and I loved it.
She’s ahead of her time and this was very controversial when the video was released. This song is so timely specially these days. About our justice system. She’s a visionary as always! Thanks for reacting. Ur so funny!
I've never been a Madonna fan, I'm not really into her music. I don't know how old I was when I first saw this video, I was only 3 when it came out so it was probably later, but it really stuck with me. I could still remember the imagery years later and it always felt really powerful. It's probably the only song/video of hers that I really like.
YES! SO HAPPY YOU'VE REACTED TO THIS ONE!
Wow! Great song. Thanks for doing this one.
People flipped their lids when this came out.
Then she released one that they had to wait until after midnight to show. I'll try to find it for you
Was it this one? 😂
ruclips.net/video/XPL_qGqSJxA/видео.html
Justify my love
@@ellenmarch3095 never heard of the one you posted
I was 17 when Like A Prayer came out. I heard it before I saw the video. The meaning bleeds through the lyrics. For example:
"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."
Such lyrics weren't in the Pepsi commercial, and without a video, it may have passed under the radar. But the video blew up the world. The video and song are not about the same thing.
'Hallelujah' by Leonard Cohen is about lost love and intimacy: "remember when I moved in you, the holy dark was movin' too, and every breath we drew was hallelujah..." It has lots of religious imagery. It's rarely called out for what it is. But there's no Madonna video.💥
Its not Jesus. It’s a saint. It’s a side part of the chapel not the main chapel she was in. Most people don’t realize that.
The black guy in the video is actor Leon who played Derrice in Cool Runnings.
So when this video came out it was cemented as the biggest controversial video in history because she was bringing awareness to racism and the church did not take it well. Her response was “ these are issues that happen currently in the USA and we need to address it” she’s always been a supporter of equality.
That song is the first single from her fourth album. She also had a Pepsi commercial at the same time, 5 million dollars. The company dropped her (because of the burning cross), she kept the money and paid the Express Yourself video with it (awesome video, quite Metropolis). The Vatican excommunicated Madonna after this video. Also, the public didn't really click with a black Jesus (he's one of her dancers on the Blond Ambition Tour, you can see him in Truth Or Dare, the rockumentary).
Just wanted to point out your Reaction was hilarious , And you have an Adorable laugh
I never understood the video either.... the way Jesus aka Leon aka David Ruffin got up out of there 👀👀👀 he was like bye 👋🏾🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣 I love this song tho 🔥🔥🧡🧡🧡💯💯💯