Madonna : Like A Prayer

"Like A Prayer" (1989)"

 

The music video "Like A Prayer" by the American, hugely famous pop singer, Madonna, directed by Mary Lambert, is a rock pop song containing many different elements to the song. The soundtrack contained a very gospel and spiritual feel with hints of darkness to the setting resulting in creating a lot of controversy with religious beliefs and views at that time and even also to this day. Main elements which was created to cause such controversy were images of the burning crucifixes linking with the Ku Klux Klan and a black Jesus, going against very strong stereotypical views on religious beliefs and groups.

In the video there are obviously three main themes portrayed throughout:

• SEX
• RACE
• RELIGION

In the narrative part of the video it introduces us to a white girl being held against a wall and stabbed violently by a group of white men as a gang, again going against the stereotypical views of all violent gang members are black, with however, a young black man ending up being framed for the murder due to him trying to help. While this is going on Madonna is hiding in a church watching the events happening and deciding whether or not to be brave and find the courage to stand up and go as witness to the injustice served.

 

 

 

 SEX

 

In this video the artist Madonna gives of sex appeal even when strongly associated with strict religion due to her outfit with what she is wearing allowing the audience to see the religious aspect but also her sex appeal at the same time, again causing controversy due to going against the Catholic views of remaining pure and being innocent as women. Also as well as her sex appeal, the video portrays the gender inequality with the objectification of women due to the young girl being portrayed as hopeless and little while harassed and killed by a big group of men.

 

Madonna is giving a very sexual image revealing her body due to her low cut dress and close up images around her chest area, again going against the religious views of pure white and having to be covered up. Also the way she dances quite provocatively to the song with the gospel strengthens her

sex appeal image in the video.

 

 

 

 

RELIGION

 

As mentioned before, the idea of religion and faith in the video is portrayed very strongly throughout linking with  the title "Like A Prayer", following the narrative action with Madonna finding hope and guidance of her situation through the church and the black Jesus.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the video different shots are used with religious iconography, linking with the idea of religion using different elements such as the burning crucifix's at the beginning, along with a  black Jesus and the church, leaving the audience with no doubt that this video as a very religious theme. An example of this would be the images of Stigmata with the image of Madonna's injuries on her hands matching the idea of Jesus's injuries on the cross as well as the spear through his kidney linking to the women getting stabbed by the gang members

 

The main problems and causing of controversy with video mainly was raised due to the burning crosses and black Jesus linking to a connotation of the KKK, with also the violence and gang scenes going against strong Catholic beliefs, there is no doubting that most elements to this video was decided on a very risky decision making process knowing full well some of the damage that was going to be done. You could look at this as a way of Madonna standing out more and getting a more worldwide visual image to herself while drawing awareness towards racism and too strong religious beliefs at that time, with the video being a way of saying that none of it is ok.

 

RACE

 

Another controversy element which cause issues amongst the audience with the video was the saint linking to the use of Saint Thomas, which was seen as "black Jesus" stirring major discomfort and anger towards the Catholics. It subverts the normal stereotypical types of black people compared to white, portraying the white people as gang members harming with a black man being the saviour in the video coming to the woman's aid, re-establishing how bad racism has been .

 

 

 

The connection between the young black man and Madonna suggests a romance which goes against the beliefs of races mixing together, again establishing the wrongness of many beliefs thought the video.

Another sequence in the video which is quite iconic is the dream like caption part with Madonna falling down through the sky and the caught by a gospel singer woman is robes adding to a miracle element in the video and therefore religion and the idea of being "saved" by god.

 

 Madonna explained herself : 'As the choir sings, she reaches an orgasmic crescendo of sexual fulfillment intertwined with her love of God. She knows that nothing's going to happen to her if she does what she believes is right. She wakes up, goes to the jail, tells the police the man is innocent, and he is freed. Then everybody takes a bow as if to say we all play a part in this little scenario."

 

 

 

With the use of a all black gospel choir and the end of the video, it portrays a way of Madonna finally fulfilling her destiny of saving the young black man who then becomes her lover though the help of faith and religion going against every stereotypical view with religion. For the final scene a theatrical element was put in place with the way the big red curtains closes after they all bow, suggesting the reason behind this being one of due to them knowing the amount of controversy they are going to cause, to try and avoid the harsh damage they turned the video into a "play" to suggest to the audience it was only done for entertainment.