The video is about racism and overcoming fear of telling the truth. She witnesses a crime which a black man is arrested for. The saint and man are both behind bars. The part where her palms bleed is supposed to represent stigmata, which are the wounds of Christ from the cross. This video is probably one of the most controversial in music history. Pepsi had just sponsored Madonna 5million dollars to endorse their product. The day after her Pepsi ad aired, Madonna released this video. Religious groups in the South objected to the religious content , the interracial kissing, a black jesus etc. Pepsi were basically blackmailed into removing Madonna from their ads because these groups were threatening to boycott Pepsi and picket the bottling plants in the South. Pepsi was terrified and the Pepsi ad was pulled immediately. It was never broadcast again on tv, it was an infamous incident in 80's music.
Cats Chorus Perfect! Exactly. As someone who was raised Roman Catholic, this video is genius. The unspoken words are powerful. Btw... check out a movie called Stigmata. It pretty amazing to accused the church of hiding scripture to preserve power and money. The racism of the 80s and before is still rampant. When will we ever learn?
Plus Madonna still got to keep the money from her endorsement from Pepsi so they were the ones that ended up losing out in the end. The album became one of the greatest albums of the 1980’s and she was the top selling artist of that year.
I am a Christian. When this song came out "the church" and some vocal people had a fit. I couldn't figure out why. The video says it all, you might have to watch again and not over think it. She is eyewitness to a crime and goes to church to get answers, the saint is locked away and is released. She gets the bravery inside herself to do the right thing. Its a beautiful video and great song. Hearing from the saints, or God, or the spirit of God to help you do what's right. Hearing the voice is like a prayer that help you get to a higher loving place. I love it.
Same. 100% Christian and to me this video contained so many truths that I couldn't see how anyone found it offensive. It came across as more of a "you know it's true so quit dismissing it" punch in the face kind of message. And... it was sweet. That choir director or preacher or whatever she was had the most radiant smile!
is that why the bleeding palms like jesus? Because she knew her account , though true and brave, she would be crucified by others as a result. Like jesus was crucified?
Yep! And they have a duet called Love Song on the same album and he also plays guitar on the closing song Act Of Contrition. I believe there's also a remix of Like A Prayer that has a lot more of his playing.
The song is one of my favorites! This video was so controversial when it was released but is now considered one of the best videos ever made on many critics list. Madonna was showing racial injustice as the white man attacked the woman and the black man was wrongly arrested by the police but at the end Madonna went to the jail to say she witnessed he was innocent. Madonna was one of the first artists that I remember from my childhood who was always standing up for equality for everyone. I think that's probably why she has maintained such a huge fanbase for almost 40 years (her first single was released in 1982) Can't wait to see you react to more by the Queen of Pop!👑❤
Thank you for reacting to this one - it’s one of my all time favorites. The song is about a love so powerful it’s nearly a religious experience. Meanwhile, the video explores these themes along with racial injustice- Her character witnessed a brutal crime and the arrest of a black man - she now seeks spiritual guidance. Ultimately she goes to the police to tell them he didn’t do it. ❤️
sherri parra well it’s slightly more complex than that. The song conflates religious and physical ecstasy. At its most basic, it’s about oral sex... ‘ I’m down on my knees you know I’ll take you there’ , ‘in the midnight hour I can feel your power’ etc etc.
You were getting close when you mentioned the "guilt" but I'm surprised you didn't seem to point out the part in the story where she witnesses a black man wrongfully arrested for a crime and her going to the police as a witness is what sets him free.
India was right about the guilt. In the story, Madonna challenges the assumption that only white people are "safe", not "criminals", and that God's representatives are white. The stigmata is representative of God's confirmation that truth and understanding have been bestowed to her. * her guilt was believing the stereotype taught by society rather than questioning the white patriarchy. Her willingness to believe her own eyes and experience freed herself as well as the scapegoat/prisoner.
@@dawnrobbins5877 her guilt was over not coming forward as a witness to the murder/rape. Madonna's character isn't falling for any stereotypes, she witnessed the crime first hand
Fun Fact. Madonna and Pepsi signed a $5milllion endorsement deal complete with a Pepsi commercial and endorsement of her Blond Ambition Tour. Madonna release the Like A Prayer video shortly thereafter and the Vatican and the world lost they minds. Pepsi panicked and pulled her endorsement. Madonna's one savvy business woman. She kept the 5million lol.
Everything in that bussines it's calculated... The conservative position of the brand, was just part of the show. They perfectly knew their pockets will be full in the end... With so much more money they originally got planned... Madonna was knew for her 'a very controversial way to be', so they perfectly knew what they were gonna get after anything was released by her (a lot of fans and money). Because, considering how the laws are made in the US, they were not going to risk millions of dollars... So, they could take Madonna to face the court and get the money back, and an extra compensation for 'damages'. That's the brilliant way to make bussines... And Madonna knows how to do it... Being very controversial. 😂😂😂😂
@@MegaTechno2000 My dad( a very lapsed Catholic) said that when he was a kid he used to be terrified that he'd be inflicted with stigmata. I found this notion hilarious because if you think you're worthy of Stigmata, like you're that holy and righteous, wouldn't that mean you were too prideful and arrogant to receive such a blessing? BTW, he was the same kid who didn't commit enough mischievous acts to make for an interesting confession, so he'd make them up. lol
If RUclips had been available back then, perhaps the outcry wouldn’t have been the same because more people around the world, would have understood/realized the true meaning of this video. I didn’t know much about the black Saint indicated here till recently (thanks to a RUclips video).
My mom used to flip out on this video. "She's kissing God!" lol It was pretty much one of the most controversial videos of all time. The plot is that she witnesses the woman being assaulted by those guys and then when the cops get there they think the black guy did it. But she's afraid of the rapists to say anything. Then God "comes to her" and she realizes what the right thing to do is and she tells the cops and he is freed. The great thing about it is that it was about racism. And when people reported on this video in the news they would always say that Madonna was kissing a saint. Many people didn't realize that Leon was playing Jesus/God because he's Black. They just assumed he was a saint. So even the controversy showed people's racism.
Finally you are reacting to the queen of pop Madonna. I really enjoyed your reaction, thank you. She has so many hits, I would advice you the next hits: vogue, live to tell, papa don't preach, material girl, secret, take a bow, hung up, music, frozen an power of goodbye... like I said so many hits😂😂, I'm looking forward to go along with your journey.
people kept saying when the video came out that it is a blasphemy and insult because it shows immorals inside a church,” Italian Roman Catholic historian Roberto de Mattei said at the time. ... 30 years ago today I released Like a Prayer and made a video that caused so much controversy because I kissed a black saint and danced in front of burning crosses
Im Catholic but I didn't see anything wrong with it. I think this video represents having faith in spite of great suffering. Lol. Or maybe I'm just open minded and love music in general so much.
This video was SCANDALOUS back in the day. It was banned in my household when I was a kid. As soon as my dad saw she kissed the toes of a black Jesus (that’s who we saw he was), it got turned off, never to be viewed again. Didn’t stop us. I always loved the song and video.
Same... I always thought that was supposed to be Jesus.... I read recently though it’s supposed to be Saint Martin DePorres (he was a black man) who was a Catholic Saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and all those seeking racial harmony.
Great react as always, India. This is one of my all-time favorite music videos. Btw, the Black actor (Leon) is portraying Saint Martin (or Saint Marteen) who was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church in 1962. Saint Martin is the patron Saint of mixed-race people and the patron Saint of racial harmony worldwide. Also, the controversy back in 1989 when this video came out was primarily from Christians outside the USA who were offended when they saw the burning crosses in the video. They hadn't realized that burning crosses symbolized racism and hate (the KKK) in the US, and incorrectly thought that Madonna was 'burning crosses' as disrespect to Christianity. It was a controversy that stemmed from a misunderstanding by foreigners who did not know about the KKK. Of course, Madonna used the burning crosses images as a simple symbol for the video, to depict racism and people treated unfairly. And the cut in both palms of her hands represents 'Stigmata' --- the wounds suffered by Christ when hung on the cross. Btw, I'm Black, raised in a strict Catholic household, and originally from the country of Trinidad & Tobago, and was in my early teens back in T&T when this came out. But since I was an avid reader, and movie-watcher (lol) I was aware immediately of the deep profound message the video was attempting to convey. But many other people outside the USA got the wrong idea and wrongly thought that Madonna was burning crosses as a symbol of 'destroying Christianity'...lmao
You are referring to St. Juan Martin de Porres Velázquez. From Wikipedia: "American singer Madonna's lead single 'Like a Prayer' (1989) featured Martin de Porres as a character in the song's music video. The portrayal of de Porres and Madonna in a romantic relationship was met with mixed criticism from the Catholic church in Peru and the Vatican." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres
@@JamesLachowsky - Exactly. Back in 1989, the criticism was more-so from foreigners (outside the USA) who misunderstood the burning crosses, thinking it was meant to portray 'burning down Christianity', and also they took offense to images of Madonna being 'sexually provocative' with a person portraying a Saint. But I will also say this --- the 'controversy' was also exaggerated, and I suspect it was exaggerated on purpose by the record company. Because, when this controversy hit, suddenly her record and album sales at that time also skyrocketed. I see some people mention 'race' being a factor for the controversy (Saints being portrayed Black) --- but as I remember it there was little or no controversy back then about that. I don't recall anyone making a big deal of Black people being portrayed as God or as a Saint. Foreign Christians (some, not all) objected to crosses being burned and to Madonna smooching with a Saint...hahahahaha
Wow, thank you for your perspective on this!!! I was a young teenager in LA when this dropped and had no idea what the fuss was about and blew it off. But there is so much more to it, especially with the KKK crosses being misunderstood by Christians from other countries. Fascinating! Thanks for taking the time to explain your experience! Edited for fat fingers. LOL
Obviously... She's Madonna... That's the way she is... A very controversial and powerful woman... 😂😂😂😂 But let's be honest... Pepsi got so much more in the end... So much more they got planned firstly. The conservative position of the brand, was just part of the show. She was a very rebel woman who was against 'all the society', so Pepsi knew that anything from Madonna, was gonna make them get a a lot.
I remember when the video first aired. My mom invited all her sisters over and we were all waiting on the couch for it to come on and tape it on VHS (lol). Then of course we watched it everyday after that. Great song!
i have been a Madonna fan since 1980's love her music Amazing powerfull beutifull talented :) One of many stunning Madonna videos there so many with a message in in them :)
That transition between him getting cuffed against the wall and her in front of the burning crosses is so iconic, I always get chills because it’s such a powerful moment in the video. 🔥🥺♥️♥️♥️
Is some interesting articles in which she explains the meaning of the song linked to her catholic upbringing and turbulent time in her life turning 30. She wanted to shake things up, start to appeal to an older audience and challenge things. The actor from Cool Runnings plays Martin de Porres the patron saint of mixed race people and interracial harmony in the clip. Very powerful song and one of my favourites.
Great reaction ! I really enjoyed watching your video ! Like a Prayer is one of my ultimate favorite songs and I hope you enjoyed it. May I recommend to check out Madonna’s Human Nature or Frozen. Another two incredible tracks for different reasons :)
Madonna destroyed a lot of barriers in her day. A few years back new listeners were stunned that this video would piss anyone of not realizing that it was because of artists like her the norm was changed and artistry beat out worrying about offending everyone. Now the irony is that we're heading right back to before her time where censorship trumps sense.
I remember watching this as a young child and I remember it making me question everything. Iconic video, controversial video, and introduced me to culture. Way ahead of it's time and definitely foreshadowing what's still going on in today's society.
I remember the controversy caused, by the creative decision to have the audacity to depict Christ as anything but white. Even as a non religious person, I love this song and video, for it's depiction of social issues and faith over dogma.
No one makes better videos than Madonna - thought provoking and the images stay with you forever - I still remember when this came out and the controversy it caused - even made front page of newspapers
You are so right about this being a dark period for Madonna as she was going through her divorce with Sean Penn - the whole Like A Prayer album (which I think is easily one of her best) had some pretty dark themes such as parental abuse, domestic violence and the Spanish Civil War dressed in palatable pop tunes - I recommend you take a listen - you are soo good at looking into the message of a song!
I think your reaction is the best among all others to this same video. Continue on this path of Madonna journey. It's gonna be a long bumpy ride but you will enjoy definitely!
This one was controversial. The imagery was extreme but the message was sound. A little more explanation from her at the time would have saved her a lot of headaches. The saint in the music video represents the patron saint of mixed races. At the time, people thought it Jesus because of the red sash. Sadly, 1989 still was obsessed with Caucasian Ewan McGregor looking Jesus, on top of that she had a suggestive sexual component combined with the burning crosses was enough to make Pepsi drop her like a hot potato and Pope John Paul II to excommunicate her from the Catholic Church (for the first or second time, not really sure). The message of the video is finding the courage to come forward and tell the police that the black man they had in custody was innocent of assaulting (and Killing?) the girl. She goes to the church for sanctuary and prayerful consideration and has a religious ecstasy moment in which the patron saint helps her come to terms with the situation and help the man. All in all, it combined for one heck of a firestorm when it released. And to think thirty years later this probably would not have amounted to a drop in the bucket.
She wasn't excommunicated - its actually incredibly difficult to do that and it rarely happens. There were calls for her to be excommunicated but it wasn't about this song www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/excommunicate-madonna-7276588.html
@@Macmumoz per Madonna, the Church has excommunicated her three times. I was at her show in Philly a week before Francis arrived and she told the crowd directly she had been excommunicated three times.
@@jeffk.9075 excommunication is a legal process that involves a long involved court case within the Vatican itself. It can only be done once, becauseit is a formal expulsionfrom the Church. She can claim all she wants but it hasn't happened.
Please react to more Madonna. I can recommend videos like Drowned World / Substitute for Love and Nothing Really Matters where she explores motherhood; I really like The Power of Good-bye too.
She performed this at a concert the night before the marriage equality vote in my state. The audience became the choir. It was a transcendent moment. Marriage equality won the next day.
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.she hade a five million dollar commercial that didn’t feature the video but the Catholic Church threatened Pepsi so they pulled the commercial she got to keep the money. Look it up in Wikipedia because your over analyzing the video. Andre place the role of the role of the saint for colored people the knife caused the stigmata. And lastly he played the wrongly accused black man she was going through the need for strength to report to the cops he didn’t do the crime. She did it as a play because she had just did a play. That’s it really. Look at Wikipedia the choir was the Andre crouch choir and he approved for his choir to perform after he went over lyrics. That’s all but this song has been studied in colleges.
More Madonna PLEASE!!! I love your reactions and Madonna is the highest album selling female artist on the planet. Some great videos: Express Yourself / Rain / Erotica / Vogue / Human Nature / Secret - so many others. She also has dozens of extraordinary live performances from concerts and television.
Madonna is by far the most successful Woman in the history of music. Second only to the Beatles I believe..She wasn't just a trend setter she pushed the envelope forced people to face Bias. Today's Gen need to learn some history Madonna is the Queen she never let to or the crown...
Madonna's image was always that of someone who didn't just want to be a "good girl" all the time, but this album was when she really started ramping up being rebellious and controversial, and grew quite a bit as an artist. "Cherish" and "Dear Jessie" are my favorites. It's actually a bit odd for me to listen to her music again after so many years, because I was turned off by her later shenanigans and not as big a fan after "Truth or Dare" or "Erotica" (they had some good stuff, just not my thing anymore). LOVED the version of "Vogue" from her Girlie Show tour though.
this is not just a classic from Madonna but from pop music ever ! react to more Madonna, she has some *AMAZING* & *ICONIC* videos to choose from like: Like a Virgin - Papa Don't Preach - Vogue - Justify My Love - Human Nature - Bedtime Stories - etc, list goes on and Not to mention; her live performances are: *Out Of This World* !!!
Definitely a some layers here, and I still haven't figured out the exact message, even after first watching this in college back when it came out in 1989, when music videos mostly were about movie clips to sell soundtrack music and live performances. This video is one of the few after 1985 that had something substantial to say.
I remember when this video came out. The world was in an uproar about it. The Catholic Church "Vatican" condemned it. They were talking about it on the news! Great advertisement for Madonna at the time! Great song! Keep it up India!!
Thanks for doing this Madonna song. Loved it and loved your reaction. This basically was a video about anti racism. A black Jesus figure arrested for a murder of a white woman he did not commit and how wrong it was. Ahead of her time! She was raised by a strict, strict Catholic single father and was taking a jab at the church for racism,, sexism, abuse and corruption. She got in a lot of trouble for dancing in front of those burning crosses! Stations wouldn't play her music, she lost Pepsi as a sponser, even the pope called her out!! She was also basically giving the finger to white supremacists. But Madonna was never one to shy away from controversy. Amazing in her music and as a person!
![[4K] Watch SpaceX Catch A Starship Rocket From Space!!! #IFT5](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/pIKI7y3DTXk/mqdefault.jpg)
![Madonna - Frozen [Official HD Music Video] | Music Reaction](/img/1.gif)
The video is about racism and overcoming fear of telling the truth. She witnesses a crime which a black man is arrested for. The saint and man are both behind bars. The part where her palms bleed is supposed to represent stigmata, which are the wounds of Christ from the cross. This video is probably one of the most controversial in music history. Pepsi had just sponsored Madonna 5million dollars to endorse their product. The day after her Pepsi ad aired, Madonna released this video. Religious groups in the South objected to the religious content , the interracial kissing, a black jesus etc. Pepsi were basically blackmailed into removing Madonna from their ads because these groups were threatening to boycott Pepsi and picket the bottling plants in the South. Pepsi was terrified and the Pepsi ad was pulled immediately. It was never broadcast again on tv, it was an infamous incident in 80's music.
Cats Chorus Perfect! Exactly. As someone who was raised Roman Catholic, this video is genius. The unspoken words are powerful. Btw... check out a movie called Stigmata. It pretty amazing to accused the church of hiding scripture to preserve power and money. The racism of the 80s and before is still rampant. When will we ever learn?
100% !!!!!!
Not only that but Pepsi was going to sponsor a TOUR for Madonna in 1989. That too was cancelled.
@@bluedasher74 the important thing for Madonna was get one more Number 1 song.
Plus Madonna still got to keep the money from her endorsement from Pepsi so they were the ones that ended up losing out in the end. The album became one of the greatest albums of the 1980’s and she was the top selling artist of that year.
I am a Christian. When this song came out "the church" and some vocal people had a fit. I couldn't figure out why. The video says it all, you might have to watch again and not over think it. She is eyewitness to a crime and goes to church to get answers, the saint is locked away and is released. She gets the bravery inside herself to do the right thing. Its a beautiful video and great song. Hearing from the saints, or God, or the spirit of God to help you do what's right. Hearing the voice is like a prayer that help you get to a higher loving place. I love it.
Same. 100% Christian and to me this video contained so many truths that I couldn't see how anyone found it offensive. It came across as more of a "you know it's true so quit dismissing it" punch in the face kind of message. And... it was sweet. That choir director or preacher or whatever she was had the most radiant smile!
This is not about god it’s about the devil
is that why the bleeding palms like jesus? Because she knew her account , though true and brave, she would be crucified by others as a result. Like jesus was crucified?
@@gitanna6p9 you are an idiot
@@qwerty-so6ml You, too, are an idiot.
This is Madonna at her best - pushing people to confront their biases and prejudice through music.
One of Madonna's iconic song in my opinion.
It's pretty much a fact already.
Agreed
She puled this off in the 80's RESPECT
The guitar riff at the start is played by Prince.
😮
Yep! And they have a duet called Love Song on the same album and he also plays guitar on the closing song Act Of Contrition. I believe there's also a remix of Like A Prayer that has a lot more of his playing.
RawStickySweet and also on keep it together
Madonna. A great artist, great performer. She’s never afraid to be herself or cause a little trouble. More Madonna, please
L Lorona yes MORE MADONNA PLEEEEEEZ💙
The song is one of my favorites! This video was so controversial when it was released but is now considered one of the best videos ever made on many critics list. Madonna was showing racial injustice as the white man attacked the woman and the black man was wrongly arrested by the police but at the end Madonna went to the jail to say she witnessed he was innocent. Madonna was one of the first artists that I remember from my childhood who was always standing up for equality for everyone. I think that's probably why she has maintained such a huge fanbase for almost 40 years (her first single was released in 1982) Can't wait to see you react to more by the Queen of Pop!👑❤
Thank you for reacting to this one - it’s one of my all time favorites. The song is about a love so powerful it’s nearly a religious experience. Meanwhile, the video explores these themes along with racial injustice- Her character witnessed a brutal crime and the arrest of a black man - she now seeks spiritual guidance. Ultimately she goes to the police to tell them he didn’t do it. ❤️
Nice breakdown.
Timothy Taylor that makes more sence to me know, I never quite got the meaning before
And the burning crosses represent the kkk burning crosses on lawns.
sherri parra well it’s slightly more complex than that. The song conflates religious and physical ecstasy. At its most basic, it’s about oral sex... ‘ I’m down on my knees you know I’ll take you there’ , ‘in the midnight hour I can feel your power’ etc etc.
DroopyDroopy thanks for the info , I always liked the song,but never quite understood the meaning of all of it 👩🏼🦳
You were getting close when you mentioned the "guilt" but I'm surprised you didn't seem to point out the part in the story where she witnesses a black man wrongfully arrested for a crime and her going to the police as a witness is what sets him free.
I did say that in my comment, maybe you missed it.
@@bkm2797 ....huh???
@@bkm2797 we all missed it...
India was right about the guilt. In the story, Madonna challenges the assumption that only white people are "safe", not "criminals", and that God's representatives are white. The stigmata is representative of God's confirmation that truth and understanding have been bestowed to her.
* her guilt was believing the stereotype taught by society rather than questioning the white patriarchy. Her willingness to believe her own eyes and experience freed herself as well as the scapegoat/prisoner.
@@dawnrobbins5877 her guilt was over not coming forward as a witness to the murder/rape. Madonna's character isn't falling for any stereotypes, she witnessed the crime first hand
Fun Fact. Madonna and Pepsi signed a $5milllion endorsement deal complete with a Pepsi commercial and endorsement of her Blond Ambition Tour. Madonna release the Like A Prayer video shortly thereafter and the Vatican and the world lost they minds. Pepsi panicked and pulled her endorsement. Madonna's one savvy business woman. She kept the 5million lol.
Everything in that bussines it's calculated... The conservative position of the brand, was just part of the show. They perfectly knew their pockets will be full in the end... With so much more money they originally got planned...
Madonna was knew for her 'a very controversial way to be', so they perfectly knew what they were gonna get after anything was released by her (a lot of fans and money). Because, considering how the laws are made in the US, they were not going to risk millions of dollars... So, they could take Madonna to face the court and get the money back, and an extra compensation for 'damages'.
That's the brilliant way to make bussines... And Madonna knows how to do it... Being very controversial. 😂😂😂😂
According to her she gave the money back
@@VHAZUL you don't know what you are talking about.
I gotta say, this is probably one of my favorite Madonna songs.
Stigmata: the bleeding of the palms in the way Christ’s palms were impaled by the nails during His crucifixion.
Check out Saint Padre Pio for the real deal.
@@MegaTechno2000 My dad( a very lapsed Catholic) said that when he was a kid he used to be terrified that he'd be inflicted with stigmata. I found this notion hilarious because if you think you're worthy of Stigmata, like you're that holy and righteous, wouldn't that mean you were too prideful and arrogant to receive such a blessing? BTW, he was the same kid who didn't commit enough mischievous acts to make for an interesting confession, so he'd make them up. lol
@@MegaTechno2000 LOL
This video upset a whole lot of "Christians" when it came out.
Yep-a black Jesus, she kisses his feet, stigmata, weeping statues, racism, KKK. Cost her the big Pepsi deal she had just signed after the backlash.
@@Hi-kq1vi lmao imagine if she did that today.
@@Hi-kq1vi Catholics kiss the feet or ornaments of statues of saints.
If RUclips had been available back then, perhaps the outcry wouldn’t have been the same because more people around the world, would have understood/realized the true meaning of this video. I didn’t know much about the black Saint indicated here till recently (thanks to a RUclips video).
yeah like they didn't know who Mary Magdalene was.....
My mom used to flip out on this video. "She's kissing God!" lol It was pretty much one of the most controversial videos of all time. The plot is that she witnesses the woman being assaulted by those guys and then when the cops get there they think the black guy did it. But she's afraid of the rapists to say anything. Then God "comes to her" and she realizes what the right thing to do is and she tells the cops and he is freed. The great thing about it is that it was about racism. And when people reported on this video in the news they would always say that Madonna was kissing a saint. Many people didn't realize that Leon was playing Jesus/God because he's Black. They just assumed he was a saint. So even the controversy showed people's racism.
"Like A Prayer" is definitely one of the 👑 jewels in Madonna's catalogue. The ending never ceases to get me 💃🕺 *you @5:40 😂 but I get it!
Finally you are reacting to the queen of pop Madonna. I really enjoyed your reaction, thank you.
She has so many hits, I would advice you the next hits: vogue, live to tell, papa don't preach, material girl, secret, take a bow, hung up, music, frozen an power of goodbye... like I said so many hits😂😂, I'm looking forward to go along with your journey.
queen of pop
Finally you're doing Madonna!!!
probably one of her best songs but she has soooo many hits :)
Madonna's smile is everything
Til' Death Do Us Part is, hands down, the truest thing she wrote. It's hard to hear, but really good!
I've known this song my entire life and as a married adult, it rings so much differently.
I was in college during Madonna's breakout but this song came a few years later and love love love this song.
people kept saying when the video came out that it is a blasphemy and insult because it shows immorals inside a church,” Italian Roman Catholic historian Roberto de Mattei said at the time. ... 30 years ago today I released Like a Prayer and made a video that caused so much controversy because I kissed a black saint and danced in front of burning crosses
@@alexanderhay7358 oh, love the video, just back then the catholic and the pope thought it was wrong.
Im Catholic but I didn't see anything wrong with it. I think this video represents having faith in spite of great suffering.
Lol. Or maybe I'm just open minded and love music in general so much.
It’s so enlightening to see a reactor who actually watches every second and listens to every lyric. This was great! Can’t wait to see more Madonna!
This was worldwide number 1 in 1989
This video was SCANDALOUS back in the day. It was banned in my household when I was a kid. As soon as my dad saw she kissed the toes of a black Jesus (that’s who we saw he was), it got turned off, never to be viewed again. Didn’t stop us. I always loved the song and video.
Same... I always thought that was supposed to be Jesus.... I read recently though it’s supposed to be Saint Martin DePorres (he was a black man) who was a Catholic Saint of mixed-race people, barbers, innkeepers, public health workers, and all those seeking racial harmony.
MADONNA has no filters. She tells it like it is ❤️
Omg you react to all my favorite songs of all time. You got amazing taste. Loving your channel!
Great react as always, India. This is one of my all-time favorite music videos. Btw, the Black actor (Leon) is portraying Saint Martin (or Saint Marteen) who was declared a Saint by the Catholic Church in 1962. Saint Martin is the patron Saint of mixed-race people and the patron Saint of racial harmony worldwide.
Also, the controversy back in 1989 when this video came out was primarily from Christians outside the USA who were offended when they saw the burning crosses in the video. They hadn't realized that burning crosses symbolized racism and hate (the KKK) in the US, and incorrectly thought that Madonna was 'burning crosses' as disrespect to Christianity. It was a controversy that stemmed from a misunderstanding by foreigners who did not know about the KKK. Of course, Madonna used the burning crosses images as a simple symbol for the video, to depict racism and people treated unfairly. And the cut in both palms of her hands represents 'Stigmata' --- the wounds suffered by Christ when hung on the cross.
Btw, I'm Black, raised in a strict Catholic household, and originally from the country of Trinidad & Tobago, and was in my early teens back in T&T when this came out. But since I was an avid reader, and movie-watcher (lol) I was aware immediately of the deep profound message the video was attempting to convey. But many other people outside the USA got the wrong idea and wrongly thought that Madonna was burning crosses as a symbol of 'destroying Christianity'...lmao
You are referring to St. Juan Martin de Porres Velázquez. From Wikipedia: "American singer Madonna's lead single 'Like a Prayer' (1989) featured Martin de Porres as a character in the song's music video. The portrayal of de Porres and Madonna in a romantic relationship was met with mixed criticism from the Catholic church in Peru and the Vatican." en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_de_Porres
@@JamesLachowsky - Exactly. Back in 1989, the criticism was more-so from foreigners (outside the USA) who misunderstood the burning crosses, thinking it was meant to portray 'burning down Christianity', and also they took offense to images of Madonna being 'sexually provocative' with a person portraying a Saint. But I will also say this --- the 'controversy' was also exaggerated, and I suspect it was exaggerated on purpose by the record company. Because, when this controversy hit, suddenly her record and album sales at that time also skyrocketed.
I see some people mention 'race' being a factor for the controversy (Saints being portrayed Black) --- but as I remember it there was little or no controversy back then about that. I don't recall anyone making a big deal of Black people being portrayed as God or as a Saint. Foreign Christians (some, not all) objected to crosses being burned and to Madonna smooching with a Saint...hahahahaha
Wow, thank you for your perspective on this!!! I was a young teenager in LA when this dropped and had no idea what the fuss was about and blew it off. But there is so much more to it, especially with the KKK crosses being misunderstood by Christians from other countries. Fascinating! Thanks for taking the time to explain your experience!
Edited for fat fingers. LOL
Pepsi definitely did not like that. They cancelled her Superbowl commercial But she kept that Superbowl Pepsi Commercial check 💰
Obviously... She's Madonna... That's the way she is... A very controversial and powerful woman... 😂😂😂😂
But let's be honest... Pepsi got so much more in the end... So much more they got planned firstly. The conservative position of the brand, was just part of the show. She was a very rebel woman who was against 'all the society', so Pepsi knew that anything from Madonna, was gonna make them get a a lot.
Belinda Carlisle, heaven is a place on earth.....absolute classic song and sooooo good 👍🏼 I think you’d like it ☺️
Belinda Carlisle had many great solo songs and many more with The Go-Go’s🤩
Belinda Carlisle is an amazing artist. I love her portfolio of music. She’s also one of the most beautiful individuals I’ve ever laid eyes on! 👍🏻❤️👍🏻
One of my all time faves, was so happy they used it in an episode of Black Mirror
The video is so boring tho, compared to this.
I just watched the Go Go documentary on Showtime. It was good.
The best pop song ever written, with a video that shook the world in 1989.
Madonna Ciccone simple the best Queen of pop ahead of her time
I remember when the video first aired. My mom invited all her sisters over and we were all waiting on the couch for it to come on and tape it on VHS (lol). Then of course we watched it everyday after that. Great song!
i have been a Madonna fan since 1980's love her music Amazing powerfull beutifull talented :) One of many stunning Madonna videos there so many with a message in in them :)
Madonna there was no one else as fierce when I was growing up!!!!!!❤️❤️❤️❤️
That transition between him getting cuffed against the wall and her in front of the burning crosses is so iconic, I always get chills because it’s such a powerful moment in the video. 🔥🥺♥️♥️♥️
Is some interesting articles in which she explains the meaning of the song linked to her catholic upbringing and turbulent time in her life turning 30. She wanted to shake things up, start to appeal to an older audience and challenge things. The actor from Cool Runnings plays Martin de Porres the patron saint of mixed race people and interracial harmony in the clip. Very powerful song and one of my favourites.
Idk how I've never realized that was the dude from Cool Runnings.
@@jackieradley1025 lol
MADONNA is pure magic! One goddess
This is the time when Madonna wanted to feel fully spiritually connected and she did it. Beautiful and smart reaction.. Thank you.
India... other worthy Madonna Videos to react to would be: Borderline, Papa Don't Preach, Live To Tell, The Power of Goodbye and You'll See! ❤
She's down on her knees and he sighs, he calls her name, she wants to "take him there ". He's getting the best job ever!.
One of her best Songs. You should listen to Vogue if you haven’t
Madonna is calling out w-supremacy and racism to millions...She's a pop music visionary, ahead by a century.
Great reaction ! I really enjoyed watching your video ! Like a Prayer is one of my ultimate favorite songs and I hope you enjoyed it. May I recommend to check out Madonna’s Human Nature or Frozen. Another two incredible tracks for different reasons :)
This was my favorite song by her memory lane for sure
That’s Leon. He’s an excellent actor who also sings. He has a daughter with Cynthia Bailey from the Real Housewives of Atlanta
OMG, you are joking, that's him??????
@@joycegibbs5267 yes that’s him
I'm glad someone else picked up on this it gets missed!
Yeesss! I love Madonna. She never backs down from a controversy and this one ignited! Great video and multilayered imagery!
So HAPPY you are reacting to Madonna!!!!!
Madonna destroyed a lot of barriers in her day. A few years back new listeners were stunned that this video would piss anyone of not realizing that it was because of artists like her the norm was changed and artistry beat out worrying about offending everyone. Now the irony is that we're heading right back to before her time where censorship trumps sense.
I'm delighted how you've understood everything in just one view, you have a talent girl.
I remember watching this as a young child and I remember it making me question everything. Iconic video, controversial video, and introduced me to culture. Way ahead of it's time and definitely foreshadowing what's still going on in today's society.
I remember the controversy caused, by the creative decision to have the audacity to depict Christ as anything but white.
Even as a non religious person, I love this song and video, for it's depiction of social issues and faith over dogma.
Finally a Madonna reaction, make more please
This is probably my favorite Madonna song
I wouldn't try to figure out whats going on Madonnas mind. Love your vid, you are so cute!
You’re so awesome!!!
Love u
More
Madonna!!!!!! Please 💙💙
No one makes better videos than Madonna - thought provoking and the images stay with you forever - I still remember when this came out and the controversy it caused - even made front page of newspapers
Madonna....ahead by a century... WOW! :o
You are so right about this being a dark period for Madonna as she was going through her divorce with Sean Penn - the whole Like A Prayer album (which I think is easily one of her best) had some pretty dark themes such as parental abuse, domestic violence and the Spanish Civil War dressed in palatable pop tunes - I recommend you take a listen - you are soo good at looking into the message of a song!
I think your reaction is the best among all others to this same video. Continue on this path of Madonna journey. It's gonna be a long bumpy ride but you will enjoy definitely!
2:58 in catholisim stigmata are cuts and bruises one geta in coreelation to the parts where Christ was nailed and cruxified
That gospel choir is epic. And Madonna in this video particularly, is ICONIC. Goosebumps all over. Take me to the church, amen.
This one was controversial. The imagery was extreme but the message was sound. A little more explanation from her at the time would have saved her a lot of headaches. The saint in the music video represents the patron saint of mixed races. At the time, people thought it Jesus because of the red sash. Sadly, 1989 still was obsessed with Caucasian Ewan McGregor looking Jesus, on top of that she had a suggestive sexual component combined with the burning crosses was enough to make Pepsi drop her like a hot potato and Pope John Paul II to excommunicate her from the Catholic Church (for the first or second time, not really sure). The message of the video is finding the courage to come forward and tell the police that the black man they had in custody was innocent of assaulting (and Killing?) the girl. She goes to the church for sanctuary and prayerful consideration and has a religious ecstasy moment in which the patron saint helps her come to terms with the situation and help the man. All in all, it combined for one heck of a firestorm when it released. And to think thirty years later this probably would not have amounted to a drop in the bucket.
Jeff K. I was wondering how to explain this video to a young mind, and you said it perfectly!
Jeff K. Your interpretation makes a lot more sense to me now,I never understood it back then .
She wasn't excommunicated - its actually incredibly difficult to do that and it rarely happens. There were calls for her to be excommunicated but it wasn't about this song www.standard.co.uk/showbiz/excommunicate-madonna-7276588.html
@@Macmumoz per Madonna, the Church has excommunicated her three times. I was at her show in Philly a week before Francis arrived and she told the crowd directly she had been excommunicated three times.
@@jeffk.9075 excommunication is a legal process that involves a long involved court case within the Vatican itself. It can only be done once, becauseit is a formal expulsionfrom the Church. She can claim all she wants but it hasn't happened.
... and she’s lookin good in this vid.
Please react to Kim Wilde - You Keep Me Hangin' On (1986)
I loved modaonna back in the 80s
Please react to more Madonna. I can recommend videos like Drowned World / Substitute for Love and Nothing Really Matters where she explores motherhood; I really like The Power of Good-bye too.
There ir Madonna saying BlackLivesMatter 31 years ago! She is the queen of pop for a reason... She is simply ICONIC
My favorite Madonna song!
This is one of favorites from Madonna.
She performed this at a concert the night before the marriage equality vote in my state. The audience became the choir. It was a transcendent moment. Marriage equality won the next day.
Everything 💙🌸👍😘🌹🌺🌸💐🌷🌻🌼🌴🥰
India. Queen. Not sure if I've seen you react to Madonna, but I'm glad you're starting to (at least in my eyes)
Still recommend "Oh Father" video. I will cry every darn time.
India- please react to “Live to tell” by Madonna- can resonate with many of us at some point in life- phenomenal song! Please! 💛✌️✨
Yes!!!
They buckled under the pressure from all the outraged people who didn’t even understand the true meaning of this song/video.
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.she hade a five million dollar commercial that didn’t feature the video but the Catholic Church threatened Pepsi so they pulled the commercial she got to keep the money. Look it up in Wikipedia because your over analyzing the video. Andre place the role of the role of the saint for colored people the knife caused the stigmata. And lastly he played the wrongly accused black man she was going through the need for strength to report to the cops he didn’t do the crime. She did it as a play because she had just did a play. That’s it really. Look at Wikipedia the choir was the Andre crouch choir and he approved for his choir to perform after he went over lyrics. That’s all but this song has been studied in colleges.
More Madonna PLEASE!!! I love your reactions and Madonna is the highest album selling female artist on the planet. Some great videos: Express Yourself / Rain / Erotica / Vogue / Human Nature / Secret - so many others. She also has dozens of extraordinary live performances from concerts and television.
Love Madonna
Madonna em sua melhor forma, colocando o dedo na ferida, sacudindo a hipocrisia ! Rainha
Lucky Star.... Borderline....Papa Don't Preach.... True Blue
Madonna is by far the most successful Woman in the history of music. Second only to the Beatles I believe..She wasn't just a trend setter she pushed the envelope forced people to face Bias. Today's Gen need to learn some history Madonna is the Queen she never let to or the crown...
love the queen
One word: QUEEN
Biggest female artist of our generation imo!
Madonna's image was always that of someone who didn't just want to be a "good girl" all the time, but this album was when she really started ramping up being rebellious and controversial, and grew quite a bit as an artist. "Cherish" and "Dear Jessie" are my favorites.
It's actually a bit odd for me to listen to her music again after so many years, because I was turned off by her later shenanigans and not as big a fan after "Truth or Dare" or "Erotica" (they had some good stuff, just not my thing anymore). LOVED the version of "Vogue" from her Girlie Show tour though.
Also if you catch it when she says "I close my eyes" this whole sequence is a dream.
Wow likw a prayer ,,,this was number 1 in Peru !!!!! Like in all world
this is not just a classic from Madonna but from pop music ever !
react to more Madonna, she has some *AMAZING* & *ICONIC* videos to choose from like:
Like a Virgin - Papa Don't Preach - Vogue - Justify My Love - Human Nature - Bedtime Stories - etc, list goes on and Not to mention; her live performances are:
*Out Of This World* !!!
ohhhh. this is a "BIG" song... looking forward to watching this!
8 minutes later...
Yeah, lots of symbolism in that one!!! I dare to think what India would make of W.A.P.... (!!)
Love this song & video classic
Definitely a some layers here, and I still haven't figured out the exact message, even after first watching this in college back when it came out in 1989, when music videos mostly were about movie clips to sell soundtrack music and live performances. This video is one of the few after 1985 that had something substantial to say.
God is Spirit.It's legit to see Him (or Her) in any color. GREAT choir !!!
My favorite 💜 "Papa don't Preach"
Certainly pushed the boundaries and spoke out on issues that needed to be talked about. I'd love to see your reaction to Papa Dont Preach.
Best song she ever did!
Please react to Madonna song Take a bow! Beautiful song written by BabyFace and herself!
Perfect your description......keeping going
I remember when this video came out. The world was in an uproar about it. The Catholic Church "Vatican" condemned it. They were talking about it on the news! Great advertisement for Madonna at the time! Great song! Keep it up India!!
Thanks for doing this Madonna song. Loved it and loved your reaction. This basically was a video about anti racism. A black Jesus figure arrested for a murder of a white woman he did not commit and how wrong it was. Ahead of her time! She was raised by a strict, strict Catholic single father and was taking a jab at the church for racism,, sexism, abuse and corruption. She got in a lot of trouble for dancing in front of those burning crosses! Stations wouldn't play her music, she lost Pepsi as a sponser, even the pope called her out!! She was also basically giving the finger to white supremacists. But Madonna was never one to shy away from controversy. Amazing in her music and as a person!