Music Video
''I like challenge and controversy - I like to tick people off." -Madonna
BRIEF OVERVIEW
"Like A Prayer" is very unique in genre; it uniquely incorporates elements of gospel and funk music within a pop-rock, guitar-based tune. In the music video, Madonna witnesses the rape and beating of a woman. She sees the real perpetrators perform the crime as well as a black man come to help rescue the woman. When the cops arrive, Madonna sees the men run away, leaving the innocent black man to take the fault for the crime. She spots one of the criminals hiding and he gives her a look that says "she will be dead if she tells." Not knowing where to go, she then runs away and finds a church and begins to pray to a black saint (reminds her of the innocent man). She then falls asleep and dreams of being caught by an African American woman and of having sexual relations with the saint. Throughout the video she dances in front of burning crosses out on a field. She also sings and dances along with a church choir. She then goes to the police station and explains what really happened to the cop to let the innocent black man out of jail. They then both return to the church to dance and bow at the end of the video.
"Like A Prayer" is very unique in genre; it uniquely incorporates elements of gospel and funk music within a pop-rock, guitar-based tune. In the music video, Madonna witnesses the rape and beating of a woman. She sees the real perpetrators perform the crime as well as a black man come to help rescue the woman. When the cops arrive, Madonna sees the men run away, leaving the innocent black man to take the fault for the crime. She spots one of the criminals hiding and he gives her a look that says "she will be dead if she tells." Not knowing where to go, she then runs away and finds a church and begins to pray to a black saint (reminds her of the innocent man). She then falls asleep and dreams of being caught by an African American woman and of having sexual relations with the saint. Throughout the video she dances in front of burning crosses out on a field. She also sings and dances along with a church choir. She then goes to the police station and explains what really happened to the cop to let the innocent black man out of jail. They then both return to the church to dance and bow at the end of the video.
- "Only Madonna could pull this video off -- it is stormy, mysterious, tragic, violent, dark, and exciting."
Further Analysis, Controversy & The Catholic Church
Objectification of Women
In the first scene of the music video, a woman is shown being raped by a group of men. This shows that those men are viewing the woman as an object who did not possess feelings or a choice as to what was happening to her. She is viewed as a sexual object, which shows the woman as a victim in a male dominating society. The woman even has several similarities to Madonna's appearance in the video. Many believe that this was done on purpose to represent to her audience that they are all victims of the patriarchal ideology that "male power restrains you from being independent." Madonna is also wearing a tight fitting, revealing, short dress throughout the video as she dances in a frisky manner throughout the church. The mix of her inappropriate outfit and dancing further sexually objectifies woman. This also brought controversy into the Catholic Church because Madonna acted in no appropriate manner in the church in her video. In church, one is supposed to act and dress respectively; Madonna did the opposite in the Catholic Church's eyes.
Objectification of Women
In the first scene of the music video, a woman is shown being raped by a group of men. This shows that those men are viewing the woman as an object who did not possess feelings or a choice as to what was happening to her. She is viewed as a sexual object, which shows the woman as a victim in a male dominating society. The woman even has several similarities to Madonna's appearance in the video. Many believe that this was done on purpose to represent to her audience that they are all victims of the patriarchal ideology that "male power restrains you from being independent." Madonna is also wearing a tight fitting, revealing, short dress throughout the video as she dances in a frisky manner throughout the church. The mix of her inappropriate outfit and dancing further sexually objectifies woman. This also brought controversy into the Catholic Church because Madonna acted in no appropriate manner in the church in her video. In church, one is supposed to act and dress respectively; Madonna did the opposite in the Catholic Church's eyes.
Stigmata Scars
Background: When Jesus Christ was crucified, nails were put through his hands and feet to hold him to the cross. Stigmata refers to bodily sores and marks that correspond to those given to Christ. Stigmata is associated with the Roman Catholic faith. Someone who has stigmata is referred to as a stigmatic, who is usually a member of the religious order. Stigmata has been shown mostly on saints who have suffered extreme pain. Sometimes the wounds don't stop bleeding and other times they are invisible, but still produce huge amounts of pain. In his paper Hospitality and Pain, Christian theologian Ivan Illich states: "Compassion with Christ... is faith so strong and so deeply incarnate that it leads to the individual embodiment of the contemplated pain." He claims that stigmata results from extreme sadness and regret towards religious faith and "desire to associate oneself with the suffering Messiah." Those saints who were given stigmata achieved a special connection with Jesus by suffering in union with him. Stigmata scars are also recognized as Miracles of the Saints. Referencing Saint Paul, who was given the stigmata markings, the bible states: "...And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them." (Acts 19:11) This shows that the blood from the stigmata marks was used to cure the sick, showing the religious power and spirit associated with them.
In Like a Prayer: Madonna gives herself the stigmata in her music video. As Madonna explains the plot of her own video she says, "Still dreaming, she returns to the saint, and her religions and erotic feelings begin to stir. The saint becomes a man. She picks up a knife and cuts her hands. That's the guilt in Catholicism that if you do something that feels good you will be punished." With this, it was clear that Madonna was aware that the mix of sex and religion was indeed a sin, but her usage of stigmata was still seen as inappropriate. This sparked controversy with the Catholic church because stigmata is not necessarily referred to as a punishment. It is seen as a strong connection with Christ that could not be developed in any other way. Saints given the stigmata were brought closer to Christ and given a power to heal;although they suffered from their marks, it was not because they needed to be punished, but because they wanted to gain that empowerment through Jesus. The Apostle St Paul says in his letter to the Colossians “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for the sake of his body, that is, the church."(Colossians 1:24). The church was outraged at the misuse of the Stigmata and it was seen as utterly inappropriate. Madonna took this religious "miracle of the saints" and associated it with erotic emotions towards a saint. The Catholic Church and it's followers accused Madonna of blasphemy, or disrespect to God, so it was regarded as extremely offensive.
Background: When Jesus Christ was crucified, nails were put through his hands and feet to hold him to the cross. Stigmata refers to bodily sores and marks that correspond to those given to Christ. Stigmata is associated with the Roman Catholic faith. Someone who has stigmata is referred to as a stigmatic, who is usually a member of the religious order. Stigmata has been shown mostly on saints who have suffered extreme pain. Sometimes the wounds don't stop bleeding and other times they are invisible, but still produce huge amounts of pain. In his paper Hospitality and Pain, Christian theologian Ivan Illich states: "Compassion with Christ... is faith so strong and so deeply incarnate that it leads to the individual embodiment of the contemplated pain." He claims that stigmata results from extreme sadness and regret towards religious faith and "desire to associate oneself with the suffering Messiah." Those saints who were given stigmata achieved a special connection with Jesus by suffering in union with him. Stigmata scars are also recognized as Miracles of the Saints. Referencing Saint Paul, who was given the stigmata markings, the bible states: "...And God did extraordinary miracles by the hands of Paul, so that handkerchiefs or aprons were carried away from his body to the sick, and diseases left them and the evil spirits came out of them." (Acts 19:11) This shows that the blood from the stigmata marks was used to cure the sick, showing the religious power and spirit associated with them.
In Like a Prayer: Madonna gives herself the stigmata in her music video. As Madonna explains the plot of her own video she says, "Still dreaming, she returns to the saint, and her religions and erotic feelings begin to stir. The saint becomes a man. She picks up a knife and cuts her hands. That's the guilt in Catholicism that if you do something that feels good you will be punished." With this, it was clear that Madonna was aware that the mix of sex and religion was indeed a sin, but her usage of stigmata was still seen as inappropriate. This sparked controversy with the Catholic church because stigmata is not necessarily referred to as a punishment. It is seen as a strong connection with Christ that could not be developed in any other way. Saints given the stigmata were brought closer to Christ and given a power to heal;although they suffered from their marks, it was not because they needed to be punished, but because they wanted to gain that empowerment through Jesus. The Apostle St Paul says in his letter to the Colossians “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I complete what is lacking in Christ's sufferings for the sake of his body, that is, the church."(Colossians 1:24). The church was outraged at the misuse of the Stigmata and it was seen as utterly inappropriate. Madonna took this religious "miracle of the saints" and associated it with erotic emotions towards a saint. The Catholic Church and it's followers accused Madonna of blasphemy, or disrespect to God, so it was regarded as extremely offensive.
Racism in a "White Patriarchal World" (stereotypes)
In the beginning of the music video, only quick snapshots of the rape scene and the perpetrators are displayed. The longest clip shown of the crime is a black man getting arrested and being taken away by the police. Madonna does this to allow her viewers to form a judgement and fall into "[their] own trap of expectation of racial stereotype", later to be proven incorrect (Hamilton). As the video proceeds, you begin to find out what really happened and learn that the white man is actually the wrongdoer. The church served Madonna as a safe haven from the white perpetrator (who saw her witness the crime), in which there are no racial stereotypes. Here, she also gained the courage to stand up to the injustice of the black man who had been wrongly accused. This video can be seen as a "tale of a young white woman finding power in interracial (Italian American immigrants and African Americans) harmony."
Sexual Fantasy/ Frisky Relations With a Saint
The combination of sex and religion was opposed in many minds during the time of the debut of "Like a Prayer". Within the video, Madonna becomes seduced by the saint (whom came to life from statue form). When he returns, they kissed, as depicted in the photo below. This outraged the Catholic church community and added to the protest and outrage towards the video. This behavior was seen as sacrilegious and disgraceful. This scene has been referred to as the "elephant in the room" which created most of the disapproval surrounding the music video.
In the beginning of the music video, only quick snapshots of the rape scene and the perpetrators are displayed. The longest clip shown of the crime is a black man getting arrested and being taken away by the police. Madonna does this to allow her viewers to form a judgement and fall into "[their] own trap of expectation of racial stereotype", later to be proven incorrect (Hamilton). As the video proceeds, you begin to find out what really happened and learn that the white man is actually the wrongdoer. The church served Madonna as a safe haven from the white perpetrator (who saw her witness the crime), in which there are no racial stereotypes. Here, she also gained the courage to stand up to the injustice of the black man who had been wrongly accused. This video can be seen as a "tale of a young white woman finding power in interracial (Italian American immigrants and African Americans) harmony."
- Burning Crosses as a Link to the Ku Klux Klan
- Background: Cross burning is widely associated with the KKK. The KKK is a secret society of white Southerners who opposed the abolition of slavery and showed extreme measures of hatred and violence towards people of color. They performed this action near homes of those they wished to intimidate. They used crosses as a symbol of their Christian faith. It is now considered a crime to burn a cross, and is accepted as an extremely racist ordeal.
- In Like A Prayer: Madonna is shown on a field, dancing in front of burning crosses. This caused extreme controversy during the time because of the link to the KKK. The Vatican, the Catholic Church, the government, and many other groups saw it as promoting the interests of the KKK and were insulted and furious about the video. These crosses were representing the "political and social extremities of racism that should not be forgotten (Hamilton)."
Sexual Fantasy/ Frisky Relations With a Saint
The combination of sex and religion was opposed in many minds during the time of the debut of "Like a Prayer". Within the video, Madonna becomes seduced by the saint (whom came to life from statue form). When he returns, they kissed, as depicted in the photo below. This outraged the Catholic church community and added to the protest and outrage towards the video. This behavior was seen as sacrilegious and disgraceful. This scene has been referred to as the "elephant in the room" which created most of the disapproval surrounding the music video.
"If the Madonna video shows an almost seamless blending of the various apparently oppositional [pairings], black vs. white, sex vs. religion, multiple vs. single, into ambiguities, which reveal the lack of one ... meaning, then as viewers, we may take that first step, even if only tentative, toward the freedom to choose for ourselves."-Steven E. Young
Pepsi Controversy
In the late 1900s, big companies found it extremely beneficial to endorse their product by using stars in commercials. Going of of this, 25 years ago, when "Like A Prayer" was introduced, Madonna made a $5 million endorsement deal with Pepsi Co.. Pepsi thought that she would be a great spokesperson who would widely reach a teenage audience because of her popular dance tunes and ballads. She recorded the commercial to "Like a Prayer" and refused to insert the word "Pepsi". "I wouldn't put Pepsi in any of my songs -- Pepsi is Pepsi and I'm me," she explained. "I do consider it a challenge to make a commercial that has some sort of artistic value." Although this wasn't what the company originally wanted, they continued to pursue Madonna for the commercial. The scene was set as Madonna watching a home movie of her own 8 year old birthday with small clips of her dancing in the streets and with a gospel choir. It showed Madonna in her own age, and as a child, who either caught a glimpse of her past (current age) or future (child). It ends with both Madonna's having a pepsi can/bottle from the decade in which they were living in (60s for child/ 80s for current age). They have a toast and thirty-year old Madonna says "Make a Wish" as her younger self blows out the birthday candles. The commercial was titled "Make A Wish" and utilized the logo "A Generation Ahead". When aired during "The Cosby Show", this commercial was unoffensive and went along with the "sitcom's family image". Pepsi hoped and believed that this commercial would be extremely successful, however it only aired one time. When the real, full length music video came out, one day after the commercial, controversy emerged. People then began to link the real music video (with stigmata, burning crosses, and the "seduction of a saint") to Pepsi's ad. Although the two were completely unassociated with one another, consumers did not agree. They saw Pepsi as an advocate for Madonna's provocative, sexual, racy, and controversial nature in the official music video. This was seen as detrimental to Pepsi's name since religious groups and customers were disapproving of Madonna's music video and felt threatened. Madonna publicly discussed the difference between her own video and the commercial prior to it's release: "The treatment for the video is a lot more controversial. It's probably going to touch a lot of nerves in a lot of people. And the treatment for the commercial is . . . I mean, it's a commercial. It's very, very sweet. It's very sentimental." Pepsi then stopped airing the video to see how the public would continue to react. A Bishop from Texas, Rene Gracido, started a boycott of Pepsi and any fast-food companies that were affiliated with it. Also, Catholic groups in Italy started to protest and the Pope banned Madonna from appearing in Italy. In fear of losing a fortune, Pepsi's final decision was to completely cancel the commercial because of the controversial uproar. Madonna still kept the $5 million fee. "Pepsi backing out of their deal with the star is an example of big conglomerates being scared to buck the system and take a risk less they lose customers."
Madonna said: "When I think of controversy, I never really think people are going to be half as shocked as they are at what I do. I really couldn't believe how out of control the whole Pepsi thing got." In Madonna's opinion, the whole situation was blown out of proportion and context. The public's reaction truly surprised her.
Something to think about... was the "Like A Prayer" video actually controversial, or were reactions to the video blown out of proportion?
This leads us to interesting discussion questions...
Madonna said: "When I think of controversy, I never really think people are going to be half as shocked as they are at what I do. I really couldn't believe how out of control the whole Pepsi thing got." In Madonna's opinion, the whole situation was blown out of proportion and context. The public's reaction truly surprised her.
Something to think about... was the "Like A Prayer" video actually controversial, or were reactions to the video blown out of proportion?
- Critic Andrew Greeley believes: "The music video is utterly harmless, a PG-13 at the worst, and, by the standards of rock video, charming and chaste. More than that, it is patently a morality play. In the singer's own words it is "a song of a passionate young girl so in love with God that it is almost as though He were the male figure in her life." He claims it to be a morality story with Catholic imagery that is a "work of art". He believed that the Christian's boycott against pepsi-co was ridiculous and was an outrageous, over the top, response towards the video.
- “The video is only communicating the power of some force of faith to empower her.”
- "People who no doubt did not actually watch the video created most of the controversy. ..What might be more fruitful is attempting to understand where the video's imagery, themes, and narrative come from, what it could actually mean--if anything at all--and how it serves its purpose as an advertisement for Madonna (Shmoop Like A Prayer Meaning)."
This leads us to interesting discussion questions...
- Is the use of sexual passion a metaphor for God's passion in the video?
- Do you believe that this video is undoubtedly controversial, or can it be viewed in other ways?
- Do you think that Pepsi made the right decision by not continuing the commercial utilizing Madonna's "Like a Prayer"?
- If the majority of a community finds a religious representation offensive, should it be censored? Why or why not?
- Does anyone take a personal offense to the "Like a Prayer" video?
- Despite the controversy that emerged from the video release, Madonna's "Like a Prayer is No. 300 on Rolling Stone's list of the greatest songs of all time. This leads me to the question: is controversy the fuel to Madonna's success or could the song have thrived itself, without the music video at all?