This interview is very enjoyable, Professor. I have often been curious about Madonna's songwriters. Everything you have discussed here is what I have been interested in since 1989!
The grammars and the rock and roll hall of fame are just a popularity show of a few people who make the choices usually for financial reasons and only the opiions of the judges making the decission process
I have gathered so much respect for musicians like Patrick Leanord, only after watching these interviews...hope to see Madonna with you in an interview someday professor...!!
Madonna is one of the most interesting, transformative artists in music history. Play “Crazy for You” then “Vogue” then “Justify My Love”... keep going. Your head spins.
She’s literally experimented with virtually every modern musical genre except maybe out and out blues, metal and rap. Jazz, country, pop, rock, r&b, dance, disco, Motown, electronica, techno, hip hop, Latin, trance, world music... her artistry is very versatile and she collaborates with different people because she curious artistically and wants to learn and expand her musical understanding. The genius is her voice, which people criticize as ‘limited’ is actually unlimited in its ability to emote and perform in virtually any style of music.
Not bad for an artist with average talent..... let's say, just like some other 80's artists like Stacey Q, Toni Bassil or Alisha. What separates Madonna from the rest (less, equal or more talented than her) is her determination to do relevant successful music. No matter what It took to make It a hit, She would do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to push her music to the top. "Whatever it takes" was the key.
Patrick Leonard is such a musical genius.....when you hear him play the chords for "Like a Prayer," you hear the chords for "My heart will go on" from Titanic, and it is so amazing that he did this years before....Madonna was very wise to collaborate with this man!
Patrick collaborated with other artists as well but with no to limited success. This is where Madonna stood out. She's an underrated artist, more underrated as a songwriter with very great penchant for pop melody.
It’s also amazing that Leonard is from a tiny little town here in upper Michigan (Madonna is also from Michigan) which was in the middle of nowhere and he still became one of Pop’s biggest & best producers. You guys should also check out Leonard’s collaboration with Peter Cetera on his 1988 album (which was full of potential radio singles) and look for a song called “Scherezade”. Very cool & unique song. Madonna also sang b/g vocals on it.
it's crazy to actually say but Madonna is insanely underrated as an actual musician and as a songwriter, yeah she does get rightfully praised for her touring and videos and her themes but her actually artistry gets seldom discussed, and she's a pop genius.
What an effing MOMENT this song was. Everything came together. The song, the lyrics, the visuals, and Madonna’s absolute swag. Madonna was clearly channeling some otherworldly force with Pat and Mary on this one. It all built to an *immaculate* denouement. The fact that this was the first in the 1-2-3 punch with “Vogue” and “Justify My Love” is why she will always remain the queen of pop.
Pat Leonard and Madonna is combo that never failed. Her intelligence is unique. Sometimes I wonder what her angle is, she changed the world, paved a path on her terms and that light is still there, just waiting to find a new meaning.
I think what makes "Like A Prayer" so timeless is the composition of the song. Madonna always arranged it differently on her tours (which I find interesting), but the melody always stands out. In my opinion, the songs she wrote with Patrick Leonard had the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. "Frozen", "The Power Of Good-Bye", "Live To Tell" etc.. These are all songs that sound good, even if you only play them on the piano. Great timeless and sophisticated pop music 👍.
Good points, I agree. The vocal melody is what makes a pop song. It's like the "hook" for RnR or R&B. It's why I'll always consider the Beatles a good Rock band, but a great Pop band.
Must admit, when I was younger I never really appreciated Madonna. And I also thought Cyndi Lauper was hotter even though she chose to dress like a clown for attention. When Cyndi removed all that clownish make up she was hot, but that's a story for another day LOL. Anyway, back to Madonna. After listening to many of the brand name female artists today (Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, etc...), I can't help but realize Madonna had a bunch of great songs that ranged from generic pop to adult contemporary. And many of them can fit right in on a modern top 40 pop station without sounding outdated.
Most of her success is due to her ability to create controversy and provocative music videos, on the merits of its own sound, she falls somewhere in between Cyndi Lauper and Lisa Lisa and cult jam
@@michaelrochester48 On the merits of the like a prayer cd alone, it's indeed a great, great album. it's the first abum i heard that no matter how you rearranged the songs order, it would still be a one, very cohesive album! a very fantastic record from the queen of pop! period.
@@michaelrochester48 No, her success is writing great songs or recording great songs. Her music is what made her the most successful female artist ever. Controversy sure didn’t help Erotica which is now considered a dark masterpiece by critics. It was her lowest selling album for a long time.
This song is truly a classic and definitely one of the best 80s songs. At the time, this song and the album were hugely popular. But it’s very surprising looking back that it was not better received by critics. It wasn’t nominated for a Grammy. It really should have been. It’s tough to imagine a more groundbreaking or influential record from 1989. Thanks for covering this amazingly brilliant song.
More groundbreaking and influential? I'd say Disintegration by The Cure. That was something else, but then again I'm a Robert Smith fan. Commercial success wise, Rhythmnation set the charts on fire in 1989 too with very interesting subject matters.
The Scammys are a joke, and Madonna has never really been given enough respect for her artistry, just like ABBA back in the day. It’s musical snobbery that anyone commercially successful can’t also be artistically talented. Maybe now some critics are looking back and seeing her longevity, her talent and her obvious influence in the music industry. Virtually all female artists, and most of the male artists that have come after her are molded in part in her image.
So true. I read some scathing reviews about like a prayer back then. I ignored it. Still listened to the whole album. This is one of the very few albums that no matter how you rearranged the tracks order, it would still be a one, very cohesive, great record! And that's what I called a timeless, mega classic album!
It's so good to see good content about madonna's work! there's a new generation right now discovering her albums and older hits and she's an artist that deserves all the recognition!
I streamed your videos on my television beginning around noon. Five hours later still watching. Awesome job Professor. Two things I've noticed; 1. You have a great way of getting your interviewee's back on topic. Many interviewers just let them go on and on and on.... 2. When you plug your sponsor, Zenni, you always give the double pointers ( pointing with your index fingers). You're great POR. Keep'em coming. MS/WD
Madonna is my top fav artist. Is she the best singer? Definitely not. But her enthusiasm, concepts, passion, etc. are so much stronger than so many artists out there even to this day. I'm 23 and just have such a driven love for 70's and 80's music, I really don't know how I got so lucky to appreciate it. Her version of "Like a Prayer" on the Blonde Ambition tour was absolutely stellar and shows she was never this "bad live performer" some people make her out to be. I have a tattoo of the little cartoon version of herself from her movie "Who's That Girl." Madonna's music has made such a big impact on me and possibly even shaped me at a young age. It is always a pleasure when you cover her on here.
"Promise To Try" is one of the most sorrowful songs I have ever heard next to "The Rose" by Bette Midler and "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush. It takes me right to my Mothers passing. What an unbelievably beautiful song.
Madonna isn't even rock. She's pop. That's weird that your local rock station is playing her. It annoys me when the local classic rock station where I live is playing Stone Temple pilots and Pearl Jam because I'm a '90s child and I don't like feeling old.
1989 was an amazing year for chart music!!! It was full of great #1 hits, like When I'm With You, Straight Up, Lost In Your Eyes, The Living Years, Eternal Flame, The Look, I'll Be There For You, I'll Be Loving You (Forever), Toy Soldiers, Right Here Waiting, Cold Hearted, Don't Wanna Lose You, Listen To Your Heart, When I See You Smile, Blame It On The Rain........ and of course, LIKE A PRAYER!!! It was a great time for me to be 17/18, with these amazing songs (and plenty more). I wish we could go back & relive it. Now when I listen to good music in my car, I get weird looks. Then they play their "crap rap" & it makes me even happier that I was born when I was. We were definitely SPOILED!!!
@@Jcrash71 I think they were, but that's because I love all top 40, all styles... at least through the first decade of the 2000's. I think every song I mentioned is amazing.
Great album. One of my fav. Did you listen to his posthume track This Is How (we want you to get high) ? It seems no one cared but it’s a great pop song.
Madonna had so many great songs. There's something about 'Crazy for You' that stays in your memory like the perfume of an old girlfriend. She didn't write it, but everything came together in the production of that song.
My favorite Madonna co-writer and co-producer is Mirwais, but Patrick Leonard is a solid second. The Like a Prayer album was described by Rolling Stone at the time as being “as close to art as pop music gets.” Three decades later, it’s still a masterpiece.
The Like a Prayer album did actually include a full duet with Prince called "Love Song," but it was never released as a single in the U.S. I'm guessing that was because of Prince's involvement with the Batman Soundtrack that year and the record company not wanting his soundtrack singles to compete with a Madonna duet.
The entire album is flawless. Definitely her masterpiece, and not just because of the title track. I can hardly think of another 80s pop album who's this consistent. The lyrics were personal, incisive, sensitive, and the songs remained as immediately catchy nonetheless. Proof that pop doesn't have to be shallow.
@@Cicilo1983 - Sounds like you're the one who's too stupid to know that female pop stars don't write any of their own hit songs. TRUE or FALSE: The following female pop stars did not write a single one of their hit songs: Madonna, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Cher, Shania Twain, Whitney Houston, Avril Lavigne, Selena Gomez, Selena (Mexican pop star who was killed), The Go Go's, The Bangles, Bananarama, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Debbie Gibson, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Ke$ha, Alanis Morissette, Sinead O'Connor (her #1 hit "Nothing Compares 2 You" was in fact written entirely by Prince, who also wrote "Manic Monday" for the Bangles). FEMALE POP STARS DO NOT WRITE ANY OF THEIR HIT SONGS. That's why if you ever listen to them in interviews, they are complete idiots and never talk about the origin or meaning of any of 'their' songs.
@@Cicilo1983 - Ever ask yourself why Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift all had that little public pow wow moment on social media a few years back when Ke$ha accused Dr. Luke of raping her? Ever ask yourself why all these women feel so indebted to the same Dr. Luke that that would feel obligated to commiserate over having regret sex with him? Gee, I wonder what Dr. Luke did for them that would make them feel so indebted as to feel compelled to sleep with him. ANSWER: it's because Dr. Luke wrote all their hit songs (along with other industry musicians). The fact that you think these airhead girls wrote a single one of their hit songs tells me you are clueless about how the music industry works. How about that email from Dr. Luke that was publicly revealed when Ke$ha sued him because she wanted to get out of her contract with him (the judge ruled against Ke$ha) that stated that he and other songwriters wanted to give Ke$ha some new songs but they are reluctant to do so because they were concerned about her weight having ballooned to like 170 lbs. In other words, Dr. Luke told Ke$ha's management that if Ke$ha doesn't lose some weight, they'll just give their hit songs to another up-and-coming girl who can stay thin. That's who these women singers are: they are fake Milli Vanilli acts. They are nothing more than a pretty face... American Idol karaoke acts. ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• www.reuters.com/article/us-people-kesha-idUSKBN15V28T Documents filed in New York state court this week show an email chain between Kesha’s manager Monica Cornia and Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, in which he chastised the singer for breaking her juice diet by drinking soda and eating turkey. “We all get concerned when she is breaking her diet plan... we have seen it happen multiple times ... almost every day,” Dr. Luke wrote to Cornia on June 28, 2012. “It is also double concerning when the A list songwriters and producers are reluctant to give Kesha their songs because of her weight.” ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••• Ever listen to any of these women talk in interviews? They're vapid airheads. They don't write any of their hit songs. Not one. It's obvious.
On another note to the creator, Mr. Professor of Rock. Even though I'm not a fan of all the artists and songs you deep dive into, I'm a fan of musicians and songwriters regardless of whether I like their music or not. Rick Beato has a segment "What makes this song great" which goes into the creative process, theory etc. PoR goes into the other aspects of what makes songs great...social impact, how the artist created and the other people involved in making the hits. What they were thinking and feeling and their interactions with the artist. I'd love to see a colab with you and Rick Beato both doing the same song but with your individual takes on what makes a song great.
Great comment - I also love Rick Beato’s deep insight into the mechanics of songs, as well as POR’s insight into the surrounding stories and influences on the artists and songs.
Beato has a totally different “take”, vibe or viewpoint on the music! I like you professor better because you seem like a true fan( like me) I relate more to you as a fan of the band, singer or specific song , as opposed to Beatos musical expertise as he breaks down the songs etc. and your radio friendly voice and persona is friendlier too, I feel like your talking to me personally! I’m your fan Professor! Love every one of your videos!
What is astonishing is the caliber of talent that Adam (POR) brings into this channel. He literally sits down with legends of music....and he was doing this back when he barely had 50k subscribers! Adam must be just an amazing, heartfelt guy to convince these legends to be a part of his channel. I like Rick Beato as well.....especially when he did an episode of what makes this song great - Tears For Fears!
I love Madonna and Like a Prayer is still my favorite album of all time. It is a masterpiece. Like a Prayer is my favorite song of all time as well. Madonna is so talented and honestly at this point, underrated
I think if I had to choose between Madonna's and Michael Jackson's music, I'd choose Madonna's for sure. Madonna had a lot more range in her music. Also in the end Michael didn't have as good as a solo career as Madonna did. He may have shined a little more brightly for a short period, but Madonna had great music all through the 80's and 90's and even into the early 00's. I did like Diamonds and Pearls song from Prince during the early 90's . Cream was another one that made radio play.
Maybe You are right, but I would argue that Michael album efforts until Dangerous were more memorable... both Their Carreers fell hard in the 90s. What Madonna had and Michael did not was a comeback in the late 90s... Going back to Like A Prayer, Guess who had a gospel inspired song with the Andree choir in 1987?
Personally, I like them both equally, but I thought about that sometimes. You're right in what you say about the range of music styles. It would be interesting to know how Michael would sound these days. Maybe he would have tried more styles, who knows. Ironically, MJ's downside was that his songs were so iconic that he could never really change them. For instance, with "Billie Jean" everyone expected the moonwalk and with "Smooth Criminal" everyone expected the lean, so he could never change the performances or arrangements of the songs. Madonna, on the other hand, didn't have iconic dance routines like Michael, but was able to rearrange her songs over the years, although there are also certain songs that only sound best in the original version, such as "Vogue". One of my favorite rearragements would be the version of "True Blue" that she did on the Rebel Heart Tour. It sounds even cuter when she just sings it with the ukulele 😊.
When was Madonna not a solo artist? Am I missing something? If I am I'm sure it's not much with the bonehead she turned into over the past 30 years. Never cared much for her music as a young boy in the 80s. Her songs on the radio were ok and my first girlfriend at 12 who was 13 had a Madonna cassette that had some spanish sounding song I kinda dug but I can't recall the name of. Just did but still don't know how to pronounce it, latis sta la ninia?
Finally found the song and it was off an older album from '86, True Blue, called La Isla Bonita. Dug that song when my girlfriend would play it on her lil pink boombox. I think that was our lil song. Now that I think about it I liked the song True Blue too. Even though I never really cared what people thought ya still tried to keep it between you and your girl that ya dug anything Madonna, didn't really want your boys knowing and giving ya hell(I caught enough hell for liking Prince)even though that's what was part of me pulling the ladies while my friends couldn't quite figure it out yet. Tried to tell em even but they weren't having it. A few years later they got it. Good memories. Ain't that what music is about?
My Madonna jam may always be "Live to Tell", even though "Like a Prayer" runs a close second. If I ever felt as though I were in a position to be produced by (or co-produce with) Patrick Leonard, I would do it more because of these two numbers than his output with Elton John. With Elton, it was as though Patrick sought to oppose his successes with Madonna. The "Like a Prayer" video saga affects me somewhat differently. Right when the 90s began, the local Pepsi distributor in Orange County, NY suffered a major setback because their payroll went on strike and most of the people living in that part of the country were encouraged over the local radio airwaves to avoid drinking Pepsi products until the striking workers settled. Truth be told, the whole controversy regarding that video and the havoc ensued historically gave us another reason to boycott the drink line.
I really enjoyed this story also the behind the scene on INXS recording. So glad I lived in that time. Thanks Professor. Prince on guitar. Yeah man..grooovy
I've been a subscriber for a little while and I really like the show. I would like to see something on Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. Brass In Pocket was a great song
One of my psych professors back in college, early 80s, utilized this song as an illustration of borderline personality disorder. Never forgot this as I became a psychiatric social worker. You know what? He was spot on.
One of the greatest songs of the 80s, any genre.😎 I still get goosebumps when it switches from loud parts to the quiet parts. Incredible production as well!
A side note on George Michael from 1989: He sang backing vocals for Deon Estus (the base player from Wham!) on the song "Heaven Help Me," which got up to No. 5 on the Billboard Chart in early 1989.
I was 8 years old when this song came out and definitely considered Madonna a guilty pleasure until the mid 90s, when I felt that we were both maturing musically.
She's not one of my most favorite people. But there's no denying that she helped shape and influence pop-culture of the 80's and 90's. I "liked" this video because of your passion and ability to convey the details and nuances that would have otherwise been missed. Thank You, Adam. Keep up the great work. I certainly admire your passion for the music.
I'll be honest....when Madonna hit the scene I loved it and the music being a 80s teen. My favorite by her, of course is Crazy For You. Her songs started happy go lucky fun grooves and you could tell by end of 80s how they matured. There were a few songs in early 90s but I kinda went my way and she went hers.
I remember it..sheesh; the only thing that managed to push it off the front pages was the fall of the Wall of Berlin. And we got to learn it in school, too.^^
Love this channel and LOVE your respect for Madonna as writer and vocalist. Her collaborations with Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray are indelible, as is much of her work with others across her vast career. People who dis her and assume she’s a constructed phenomenon are just ignorant, and often misogynist, in their assumptions. They’d never come for a male singer-songwriter who worked with another composer, or wrote with their band, but to their mind a woman is either a pretty image with a pretty voice, or if they’re a singer songwriter they have to be a multi-instrumentalist writing every layer of every song to get respect. Likewise a male singer can have a unique, nuanced and even flawed voice because men’s humanity is assumed, but a female vocalist, especially in pop, must have a technically perfect voice because even vocally women are so often reduced to objects of ornamentation. And a woman’s talent and depth will always be doubted and diminished by critics if sexuality is part of their art. Especially if it’s profitable for them. Madonna has been the sole lyricist or primary lyricist, and composed the vocal melody lines, on some of the most world shakingly brilliant popular music of our time. Like A Prayer quite simply saved my life. Respect.
Thanks Prof for having the courage to ask the deep questions. It can be uncomfortable at first but often times it forces the subject to be a little bit more honest and transparent. As a Detroit Native, Madonna was a staple on the radios. I didn't know she was White until the Like A Virgin/Boarderline videos.
Awesome episode! Thanx a million for sharing this great history of a brilliant Decade. Would love to get some in-depth history on George Michael. A brilliant, yet often overlooked, Super Star in my opinion.
THIS by far was some of your best work Adam! I really like that you are doing more “revelations”. However the way you did this video was magnificent! The song playing in the background, the imagery of the Rosary and the MTV video playing on an period TV, was....(lost for words). My wife and I had a 19” Tv like that.. You really evoked some memories with this video as well as educated on how the song came into being. I wish everyone could have lived in that magical time period. It seems so long ago now, I was 29 then. I sometimes find myself longing for an era like that. Probably everyone who lived in that time period longs for it, especially with what we are dealing with in this decade. Thank You again!
Am I the only one who listens to a song differently after PoR does commentary on it? It’s like I have a newfound appreciation for said song, keep it on repeat and fall in love with a song all over again... Thanks for that PoR.
@@deadtolove Yes. I remember when the song and video came out. PEOPLE WERE VERY UPSET WITH MADONNA. Called her a satanist because she danced sexy and kissed a black Jesus and had burning crosses, etc. The commercial she did with Pepsi aired for a week or two before the video for LAP came out, then when the video came out and caused such an uproar, Pepsi pulled the commercial because so many people were so upset. The way people acted, you'd think Madonna murdered God or something. Ridiculous.
At about the time Like A Prayer was released, Rupert Murdoch converted to Catholicism. The Australian TV network he owned refused to play the video on its Top 40 program, and the program's end of year edition cooked its Top 40 so that Like A Prayer wasn't #1 for the year (which it was on the most authoritative chart).
I COMPLETELY agree with you about his beautiful piano interpretation of the song -- so much so that when you said it to him, I screamed "THANK YOU!" out loud in my car. I've always been a sucker for those bluesy, melancholy sevenths and ninths, and for taking a familiar piece of music and re-interpreting it in a new, unfamiliar way. I hope he takes to heart your suggestion to create an album of those!
Like A Prayer is one of the best Madonna's albums ever...!!! Totally flawless and iconic. I still remember the controversy of that time. Everybody talk about Madonna and the video. What an Icon !!!
Hearing your knowledge about Madonna, I can tell you are a true fan of The Queen. I love these type of videos! The fact that you sat down with Patrick Leonard is crazy! Do make more videos on Madonna! Keep Rockin' Professor!!!
Man, I feel like you and Rick Beato complete each other. You come at these musical stories and interviews from such different directions, but you both pull these amazing artists out of the backround and back into the light. In the 80's, we never, EVER, had the chance to experience these people as. . . people. So they were enjoyable, but not personally inspiring. But now. . . SO inspiring to hear these stories, ty so much for this.
She continued and continues to be the most groundbreaking pop star and all of her incarnations have created whole genres. She thinks and moves her azz and has introspection. Deal with it 😎
I have to say that I absolutely love this channel and this video. My favorite song by Madonna. That interview was fantastic. Loved hearing the song just played on the piano.
For so many years we've heard all these songs on different playlists and they would be grouped together and simply labeled as 80s music or maybe pop or Rock, but it's interesting to go back and look and see how music changed between 1980 and 1990 with the changes in what was popular as well as how the artists themselves changed over that time. Anything you feel like sharing on that subject from particular artists or looking at trends or anything else, as you mentioned in the intro, would be interesting to me.
This song brings me right back to the spring of 1989, probably the greatest days of my life. Professor you are such a great interviewer. You as interesting questions and then allow the guest to talk freely. I commend you on this! Too many interviewers want to talk, you are an exceptional listener!
You also asked us to respond to George Michael. Freedom ‘90 and Praying for Time, of course, in terms of his journey. I’m also always struck by Fast Love (1996), one of the most tragic but upbeat songs. Both songs preceded his arrest in 1998, but I think so illustrative of his struggle between public and personal persona. When Adele sang Fast Love at his tribute concert, I think she finally captured how tragic that song is and how difficult his struggle was.
@@Jcrash71 yeah, agree that Older wasn’t his strongest album. (Maybe it was called Older for a reason. 🤣) I was just trying to think of specific songs that showed his personal struggles and transformation in persona.
You have the most wonderful ability to draw out suc interesting information. Madonna is a force of nature, and Like a Prayer is a pop masterpiece. But hearing Patrick Leonard adds pieces I didn't know I needed to hear. Thanks again.
Funny story: Back in the late 90’s, Madonna actually booked a room at my Aunt & Uncle’s bed & breakfast on a fairly remote island here in upper Michigan. They’re very conservative ppl and I’m almost certain that they thought she was doing the Devil’s work with her sexual image & controversial videos. I think she used a nickname to book the room (in order to protect her privacy) so they were quite shocked when they found out it was the Queen of Pop who was coming to stay with them. But when they actually met her and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie, they totally changed their minds. My aunt told me “She was so nice & such a tiny little thing too!”. Haha. Apparently Madonna was supposed to stay for several days but decided to leave early because the beaches were full of rocks. But she still paid them anyway even for the days she wasn’t there. My Aunt now has the check that Madonna wrote her sitting in a frame.
She and pat made absolute gold together- would love an album again with just him and her and not these terrible rent a rappers / DJs she seems accustomed too
Wow, thank you! I've never taken this song seriously, never took the time to try. This video, especially the interview, has at least opened my mind to the possibility of looking into it. Thanks, again!
1989 what a year, 17 turning to 18. Final year of high school and crashing weekend parties of the richer kids in school and playing lots of sports. It was a great year for music and great end to the decade of Brit bands as well before the advent of dance / house and grunge
As always, another wonderfully scripted, beautifully presented bit of music history. Certainly one of my all-time favorite channels. Keep up the great work, PoR!
Great show, Prof. Crazy focus, yes. My studio experience mirrors Patrick's comments. Was once told, "You know how some 'artists' take years to 'perfect' their recording? You guys have today." Thanks!
How are you today Professor, what do we have today!! I knew when I first heard Prince I know he had it in him to be a blockbuster star and he was!! Then Madonna I could go on thanks lpve this!! Rock On!!✌
I love "Till Death do us Part" from this album, a hidden gem
Agree!
I've alway liked the song but hated that one synth sound that played in it. Otherwise was a great song imho
@@guillermovilla9517 one of my favorite Madonna songs
OMG I loved too
I’ve never forgiven the Grammy awards for ignoring this album too. Shame on them 😟
It’s hard to believe and even for True Blue to, the success they both had, we had to wait till Ray of Light , clearly the Grammys didn’t like her
This interview is very enjoyable, Professor. I have often been curious about Madonna's songwriters. Everything you have discussed here is what I have been interested in since 1989!
Not to mention Erotica & Bedtime Stories, she’s earned more Grammy’s than she for sure.
They finally gave it up to her on Ray Of Light.
The grammars and the rock and roll hall of fame are just a popularity show of a few people who make the choices usually for financial reasons and only the opiions of the judges making the decission process
I have gathered so much respect for musicians like Patrick Leanord, only after watching these interviews...hope to see Madonna with you in an interview someday professor...!!
Any love for Stephen Bray, who was the sonic architect behind Madge’s 1st album?
@@iwasanangryyoungman I have lots of love for Stephen Bray and for that album.
Madonna is one of the most interesting, transformative artists in music history. Play “Crazy for You” then “Vogue” then “Justify My Love”... keep going. Your head spins.
..... then play “Secret”, “Ray of Light” and “Music” .
You are spot on!
@@gaylefranklin Yes! So many songs over the decades. She just keeps transforming and evolving. But that’s also part of Madonna’s artistic mystique. 😊
She’s literally experimented with virtually every modern musical genre except maybe out and out blues, metal and rap. Jazz, country, pop, rock, r&b, dance, disco, Motown, electronica, techno, hip hop, Latin, trance, world music... her artistry is very versatile and she collaborates with different people because she curious artistically and wants to learn and expand her musical understanding. The genius is her voice, which people criticize as ‘limited’ is actually unlimited in its ability to emote and perform in virtually any style of music.
Not bad for an artist with average talent..... let's say, just like some other 80's artists like Stacey Q, Toni Bassil or Alisha.
What separates Madonna from the rest (less, equal or more talented than her) is her determination to do relevant successful music.
No matter what It took to make It a hit, She would do ANYTHING and EVERYTHING to push her music to the top. "Whatever it takes" was the key.
Madonna was one of the most overrated artists of all time. All flash no talent.
Patrick Leonard is such a musical genius.....when you hear him play the chords for "Like a Prayer," you hear the chords for "My heart will go on" from Titanic, and it is so amazing that he did this years before....Madonna was very wise to collaborate with this man!
Patrick collaborated with other artists as well but with no to limited success. This is where Madonna stood out. She's an underrated artist, more underrated as a songwriter with very great penchant for pop melody.
I heard the Titanic theme song too in that little piano bit even though Patrick Leonard was not one of the co-writers of that.
It’s also amazing that Leonard is from a tiny little town here in upper Michigan (Madonna is also from Michigan) which was in the middle of nowhere and he still became one of Pop’s biggest & best producers.
You guys should also check out Leonard’s collaboration with Peter Cetera on his 1988 album (which was full of potential radio singles) and look for a song called “Scherezade”. Very cool & unique song. Madonna also sang b/g vocals on it.
‘Dear Jessie’ is my favorite track of this album. The fact that it was written in a day blows my mind.
it's crazy to actually say but Madonna is insanely underrated as an actual musician and as a songwriter, yeah she does get rightfully praised for her touring and videos and her themes but her actually artistry gets seldom discussed, and she's a pop genius.
She is the queen
@Kaia6485 not true, she brought a lot of fans back and made new fans with Evita, Ray of Light, Music and Confessions on a Dancefloor all HUGE sellers
@@Kaia6485but that’s part of the whole artistry of Madonna. To push limits. To not let public taste dictate what she did.
@@habbogigi let’s hope she still remains relevant at her age
@@habbogigi drowned world and words are probably 2 of her finest songwriting moments especially the final verse of words
What an effing MOMENT this song was. Everything came together. The song, the lyrics, the visuals, and Madonna’s absolute swag. Madonna was clearly channeling some otherworldly force with Pat and Mary on this one. It all built to an *immaculate* denouement. The fact that this was the first in the 1-2-3 punch with “Vogue” and “Justify My Love” is why she will always remain the queen of pop.
Elizabeth - Madonna didn't write a single one of her hit songs... same with all the female pop stars. All fake MILLI VANILLI acts.
Pat Leonard and Madonna is combo that never failed.
Her intelligence is unique. Sometimes I wonder what her angle is, she changed the world, paved a path on her terms and that light is still there, just waiting to find a new meaning.
I know i love her so much!
I think what makes "Like A Prayer" so timeless is the composition of the song. Madonna always arranged it differently on her tours (which I find interesting), but the melody always stands out. In my opinion, the songs she wrote with Patrick Leonard had the most beautiful melodies and harmonies. "Frozen", "The Power Of Good-Bye", "Live To Tell" etc.. These are all songs that sound good, even if you only play them on the piano. Great timeless and sophisticated pop music 👍.
Power of Good-Bye is Madonna/Rick Nowels
@@diegolcl You're right, Pat Leonard only co-produced it. I mixed it up. "The Power Of Good-Bye" is still one of my favorite songs of hers anyway 😉.
@@aleccopile I agree with you, and "Live to Tell" is highly underrated IMHO.
Good points, I agree. The vocal melody is what makes a pop song. It's like the "hook" for RnR or R&B. It's why I'll always consider the Beatles a good Rock band, but a great Pop band.
Must admit, when I was younger I never really appreciated Madonna. And I also thought Cyndi Lauper was hotter even though she chose to dress like a clown for attention. When Cyndi removed all that clownish make up she was hot, but that's a story for another day LOL. Anyway, back to Madonna. After listening to many of the brand name female artists today (Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, etc...), I can't help but realize Madonna had a bunch of great songs that ranged from generic pop to adult contemporary. And many of them can fit right in on a modern top 40 pop station without sounding outdated.
No doubt Like A Prayer was a massive undertaking & a song that was instantly overpowering in its sound. A perfect pop masterpiece.
Most of her success is due to her ability to create controversy and provocative music videos, on the merits of its own sound, she falls somewhere in between Cyndi Lauper and Lisa Lisa and cult jam
@@michaelrochester48 On the merits of the like a prayer cd alone, it's indeed a great, great album. it's the first abum i heard that no matter how you rearranged the songs order, it would still be a one, very cohesive album! a very fantastic record from the queen of pop! period.
@@michaelrochester48 No, her success is writing great songs or recording great songs. Her music is what made her the most successful female artist ever. Controversy sure didn’t help Erotica which is now considered a dark masterpiece by critics. It was her lowest selling album for a long time.
This song is truly a classic and definitely one of the best 80s songs. At the time, this song and the album were hugely popular. But it’s very surprising looking back that it was not better received by critics. It wasn’t nominated for a Grammy. It really should have been. It’s tough to imagine a more groundbreaking or influential record from 1989. Thanks for covering this amazingly brilliant song.
More groundbreaking and influential? I'd say Disintegration by The Cure. That was something else, but then again I'm a Robert Smith fan.
Commercial success wise, Rhythmnation set the charts on fire in 1989 too with very interesting subject matters.
The Scammys are a joke, and Madonna has never really been given enough respect for her artistry, just like ABBA back in the day. It’s musical snobbery that anyone commercially successful can’t also be artistically talented. Maybe now some critics are looking back and seeing her longevity, her talent and her obvious influence in the music industry. Virtually all female artists, and most of the male artists that have come after her are molded in part in her image.
So true. I read some scathing reviews about like a prayer back then. I ignored it. Still listened to the whole album. This is one of the very few albums that no matter how you rearranged the tracks order, it would still be a one, very cohesive, great record! And that's what I called a timeless, mega classic album!
@@GopiKrishnanz because critics back then had more backbone than they do today, and weren't in the tank for the NWO at the time..
Didn’t Joshua Tree come out this year? I can’t remember?
It's so good to see good content about madonna's work! there's a new generation right now discovering her albums and older hits and she's an artist that deserves all the recognition!
I streamed your videos on my television beginning around noon. Five hours later still watching. Awesome job Professor. Two things I've noticed; 1. You have a great way of getting your interviewee's back on topic. Many interviewers just let them go on and on and on.... 2. When you plug your sponsor, Zenni, you always give the double pointers ( pointing with your index fingers). You're great POR. Keep'em coming. MS/WD
i enjoy all of madonnas 80s music..cool and catchy.oh father on that same album is powerful
I love the song, and the interviews with Patrick are great. I think I'd love to hear an album of him playing Madonna hits on the piano as well.
Madonna is my top fav artist. Is she the best singer? Definitely not. But her enthusiasm, concepts, passion, etc. are so much stronger than so many artists out there even to this day. I'm 23 and just have such a driven love for 70's and 80's music, I really don't know how I got so lucky to appreciate it. Her version of "Like a Prayer" on the Blonde Ambition tour was absolutely stellar and shows she was never this "bad live performer" some people make her out to be.
I have a tattoo of the little cartoon version of herself from her movie "Who's That Girl." Madonna's music has made such a big impact on me and possibly even shaped me at a young age. It is always a pleasure when you cover her on here.
@@Figmafaniac1 -With a “Fan” like you, who needs enemies,Christ on a cross.
This guy needs to put out a piano acoustic album with the artists involved.
There’s a few performances of Patrick Leonard playing them on piano. It’s on UA-cam.
"Promise To Try" is one of the most sorrowful songs I have ever heard next to "The Rose" by Bette Midler and "This Woman's Work" by Kate Bush. It takes me right to my Mothers passing. What an unbelievably beautiful song.
Not to mention Mer Girl a decade later.
Now they're playing Madonna on the big classic rock station here where I live. Where did the time go? 🤔
80s music is oldies this century.
so is 90s music.
@timmybmn Yeah, it's crazy. Doesn't feel that long ago to me, but it makes you feel old when you hear it on those classic stations anyway.
@@MrPhilm00r case v. ,, c. M
Madonna isn't even rock. She's pop. That's weird that your local rock station is playing her. It annoys me when the local classic rock station where I live is playing Stone Temple pilots and Pearl Jam because I'm a '90s child and I don't like feeling old.
Baby they are probably playing Britney these days 😂
I remember that cd was scented with patchouli.
I have the vinyl edition, and it still smells of patchouli. I can smell it just by writing this comment !
I had the CD with the long box with the patchouli scent. I would love to have it again.
I had a massive allergic reaction to the patchouli when I opened my CD long box--for real--had to go to the ER. Still am horribly allergic to it.
Smellovision!
That’s what that smell was? I thought it was just my nose picking up something that was in my head.
1989 was an amazing year for chart music!!! It was full of great #1 hits, like When I'm With You, Straight Up, Lost In Your Eyes, The Living Years, Eternal Flame, The Look, I'll Be There For You, I'll Be Loving You (Forever), Toy Soldiers, Right Here Waiting, Cold Hearted, Don't Wanna Lose You, Listen To Your Heart, When I See You Smile, Blame It On The Rain........ and of course, LIKE A PRAYER!!! It was a great time for me to be 17/18, with these amazing songs (and plenty more). I wish we could go back & relive it. Now when I listen to good music in my car, I get weird looks. Then they play their "crap rap" & it makes me even happier that I was born when I was. We were definitely SPOILED!!!
@@Jcrash71 They were all top notch, but I love everything from that time.
@@Jcrash71 I think they were, but that's because I love all top 40, all styles... at least through the first decade of the 2000's. I think every song I mentioned is amazing.
Also, “The Sensual World” was 1989. Underrated Kate.
George Michael's "Listen without prejudice" album is amazing. One of the few I can listen to all the way through over and over.
I agree. I’d love to see an episode highlighting this album.
Praying for Time ... wow
Great album. One of my fav.
Did you listen to his posthume track This Is How (we want you to get high) ? It seems no one cared but it’s a great pop song.
@@MusicTlse31 don't think I've heard that.
So Right.
Definitely a Master Piece.
Madonna had so many great songs. There's something about 'Crazy for You' that stays in your memory like the perfume of an old girlfriend.
She didn't write it, but everything came together in the production of that song.
I've always wanted to describe that feeling I get when listening to 'Crazy For You' but couldn't until now.
I know ! That song is a classic and I will never get tired of it. It needs to be in every concert she ever does !
My favorite Madonna co-writer and co-producer is Mirwais, but Patrick Leonard is a solid second. The Like a Prayer album was described by Rolling Stone at the time as being “as close to art as pop music gets.” Three decades later, it’s still a masterpiece.
Listen to True Blue.
There is something very spiritual about that song that speaks to me, Probably my favorite Madonna song.
The song is about God. It doesn’t get more spiritual.
I love this album cover, it was bold of her to not show her face and I love Promised To Try.
Back when there were dance floors, Like a Prayer would get all the honeys wildin' out like there's no tomorrow.
Madonnawannabees
Militant feminists Gone Wild!
How did I know it would be “Like a Prayer” when I saw it was from 1989 and highly controversial.
I had long hair and wore Motley Crue t shirts in 89. I had this album.
I'd like to think most rockers have a soft spot for madonna. She was stunning too, such a strong and creative person.
@@Daniel189HLL and she was hot. She doesn’t have a bad song.
I was listening to hardcore. Motley Crue was junk.
@@keirfarnum6811 crue still going. How's the hardcore?
I love this comment! 🙂
The Like a Prayer album did actually include a full duet with Prince called "Love Song," but it was never released as a single in the U.S. I'm guessing that was because of Prince's involvement with the Batman Soundtrack that year and the record company not wanting his soundtrack singles to compete with a Madonna duet.
The entire album is flawless. Definitely her masterpiece, and not just because of the title track. I can hardly think of another 80s pop album who's this consistent. The lyrics were personal, incisive, sensitive, and the songs remained as immediately catchy nonetheless. Proof that pop doesn't have to be shallow.
Great album. Similar to thriller with all of the hits but thriller was better IMO
Madonna didn't write a single one of her hit songs... same with all the female pop stars. All fake MILLI VANILLI acts.
Oh boy... Talk about revelling in your own ignorance, Bionic Puma...
@@Cicilo1983 - Sounds like you're the one who's too stupid to know that female pop stars don't write any of their own hit songs.
TRUE or FALSE: The following female pop stars did not write a single one of their hit songs: Madonna, Mariah Carey, Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Cher, Shania Twain, Whitney Houston, Avril Lavigne, Selena Gomez, Selena (Mexican pop star who was killed), The Go Go's, The Bangles, Bananarama, Paula Abdul, Janet Jackson, Debbie Gibson, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Ke$ha, Alanis Morissette, Sinead O'Connor (her #1 hit "Nothing Compares 2 You" was in fact written entirely by Prince, who also wrote "Manic Monday" for the Bangles). FEMALE POP STARS DO NOT WRITE ANY OF THEIR HIT SONGS. That's why if you ever listen to them in interviews, they are complete idiots and never talk about the origin or meaning of any of 'their' songs.
@@Cicilo1983 - Ever ask yourself why Lady Gaga, Ke$ha, Katy Perry, and Taylor Swift all had that little public pow wow moment on social media a few years back when Ke$ha accused Dr. Luke of raping her?
Ever ask yourself why all these women feel so indebted to the same Dr. Luke that that would feel obligated to commiserate over having regret sex with him? Gee, I wonder what Dr. Luke did for them that would make them feel so indebted as to feel compelled to sleep with him.
ANSWER: it's because Dr. Luke wrote all their hit songs (along with other industry musicians). The fact that you think these airhead girls wrote a single one of their hit songs tells me you are clueless about how the music industry works.
How about that email from Dr. Luke that was publicly revealed when Ke$ha sued him because she wanted to get out of her contract with him (the judge ruled against Ke$ha) that stated that he and other songwriters wanted to give Ke$ha some new songs but they are reluctant to do so because they were concerned about her weight having ballooned to like 170 lbs. In other words, Dr. Luke told Ke$ha's management that if Ke$ha doesn't lose some weight, they'll just give their hit songs to another up-and-coming girl who can stay thin. That's who these women singers are: they are fake Milli Vanilli acts. They are nothing more than a pretty face... American Idol karaoke acts.
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www.reuters.com/article/us-people-kesha-idUSKBN15V28T
Documents filed in New York state court this week show an email chain between Kesha’s manager Monica Cornia and Dr. Luke, whose real name is Lukasz Gottwald, in which he chastised the singer for breaking her juice diet by drinking soda and eating turkey.
“We all get concerned when she is breaking her diet plan... we have seen it happen multiple times ... almost every day,” Dr. Luke wrote to Cornia on June 28, 2012. “It is also double concerning when the A list songwriters and producers are reluctant to give Kesha their songs because of her weight.”
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Ever listen to any of these women talk in interviews? They're vapid airheads. They don't write any of their hit songs. Not one. It's obvious.
On another note to the creator, Mr. Professor of Rock. Even though I'm not a fan of all the artists and songs you deep dive into, I'm a fan of musicians and songwriters regardless of whether I like their music or not. Rick Beato has a segment "What makes this song great" which goes into the creative process, theory etc. PoR goes into the other aspects of what makes songs great...social impact, how the artist created and the other people involved in making the hits. What they were thinking and feeling and their interactions with the artist. I'd love to see a colab with you and Rick Beato both doing the same song but with your individual takes on what makes a song great.
Great comment - I also love Rick Beato’s deep insight into the mechanics of songs, as well as POR’s insight into the surrounding stories and influences on the artists and songs.
Beato has a totally different “take”, vibe or viewpoint on the music! I like you professor better because you seem like a true fan( like me) I relate more to you as a fan of the band, singer or specific song , as opposed to Beatos musical expertise as he breaks down the songs etc. and your radio friendly voice and persona is friendlier too, I feel like your talking to me personally! I’m your fan Professor! Love every one of your videos!
What is astonishing is the caliber of talent that Adam (POR) brings into this channel. He literally sits down with legends of music....and he was doing this back when he barely had 50k subscribers!
Adam must be just an amazing, heartfelt guy to convince these legends to be a part of his channel.
I like Rick Beato as well.....especially when he did an episode of what makes this song great - Tears For Fears!
I love Madonna and Like a Prayer is still my favorite album of all time. It is a masterpiece. Like a Prayer is my favorite song of all time as well. Madonna is so talented and honestly at this point, underrated
I think if I had to choose between Madonna's and Michael Jackson's music, I'd choose Madonna's for sure. Madonna had a lot more range in her music. Also in the end Michael didn't have as good as a solo career as Madonna did. He may have shined a little more brightly for a short period, but Madonna had great music all through the 80's and 90's and even into the early 00's.
I did like Diamonds and Pearls song from Prince during the early 90's . Cream was another one that made radio play.
Maybe You are right, but I would argue that Michael album efforts until Dangerous were more memorable... both Their Carreers fell hard in the 90s. What Madonna had and Michael did not was a comeback in the late 90s... Going back to Like A Prayer, Guess who had a gospel inspired song with the Andree choir in 1987?
Personally, I like them both equally, but I thought about that sometimes. You're right in what you say about the range of music styles. It would be interesting to know how Michael would sound these days. Maybe he would have tried more styles, who knows. Ironically, MJ's downside was that his songs were so iconic that he could never really change them. For instance, with "Billie Jean" everyone expected the moonwalk and with "Smooth Criminal" everyone expected the lean, so he could never change the performances or arrangements of the songs. Madonna, on the other hand, didn't have iconic dance routines like Michael, but was able to rearrange her songs over the years, although there are also certain songs that only sound best in the original version, such as "Vogue". One of my favorite rearragements would be the version of "True Blue" that she did on the Rebel Heart Tour. It sounds even cuter when she just sings it with the ukulele 😊.
Madonna is a joke compared to mj.
When was Madonna not a solo artist? Am I missing something? If I am I'm sure it's not much with the bonehead she turned into over the past 30 years. Never cared much for her music as a young boy in the 80s. Her songs on the radio were ok and my first girlfriend at 12 who was 13 had a Madonna cassette that had some spanish sounding song I kinda dug but I can't recall the name of. Just did but still don't know how to pronounce it, latis sta la ninia?
Finally found the song and it was off an older album from '86, True Blue, called La Isla Bonita. Dug that song when my girlfriend would play it on her lil pink boombox. I think that was our lil song. Now that I think about it I liked the song True Blue too. Even though I never really cared what people thought ya still tried to keep it between you and your girl that ya dug anything Madonna, didn't really want your boys knowing and giving ya hell(I caught enough hell for liking Prince)even though that's what was part of me pulling the ladies while my friends couldn't quite figure it out yet. Tried to tell em even but they weren't having it. A few years later they got it. Good memories. Ain't that what music is about?
My Madonna jam may always be "Live to Tell", even though "Like a Prayer" runs a close second. If I ever felt as though I were in a position to be produced by (or co-produce with) Patrick Leonard, I would do it more because of these two numbers than his output with Elton John. With Elton, it was as though Patrick sought to oppose his successes with Madonna.
The "Like a Prayer" video saga affects me somewhat differently. Right when the 90s began, the local Pepsi distributor in Orange County, NY suffered a major setback because their payroll went on strike and most of the people living in that part of the country were encouraged over the local radio airwaves to avoid drinking Pepsi products until the striking workers settled. Truth be told, the whole controversy regarding that video and the havoc ensued historically gave us another reason to boycott the drink line.
Albums that shaped me. Yes, this is up there. One of the most influential albums of an era, and for me personally. Loving this channel. 😀❤
Its so interesting seeing Patricks' face 'twitch' when he's trying to re-live the piano chorts to the song.. You can see his brain working! Brilliant.
I really enjoyed this story also the behind the scene on INXS recording. So glad I lived in that time. Thanks Professor. Prince on guitar. Yeah man..grooovy
Pat’s cords mixed with Madonna’s melodies and lyrics= Art
A timeless masterpiece and one of the greatest songs and video of history
Always fascinating hearing Pat Leonard discuss music.
I've been a subscriber for a little while and I really like the show. I would like to see something on Chrissie Hynde and the Pretenders. Brass In Pocket was a great song
One of my psych professors back in college, early 80s, utilized this song as an illustration of borderline personality disorder. Never forgot this as I became a psychiatric social worker. You know what? He was spot on.
I agree that Brass In Pocket was/is a very good song.
@@suedesilets5660 I've never heard that but it's gonna stick in my head as well, it is very true. Thank you lol
@@russmoore5564 Every time I have heard that song, since that course way back when, I think in terms of personality disorders!😄🤔
@@suedesilets5660 lol, it makes more sense when you listen to it in that context
Her Immaculate Collection is still one of my favorite CD's to pop in and just dance!!
A masterpiece of a song, just brilliant 🙏
One of the greatest songs of the 80s, any genre.😎 I still get goosebumps when it switches from loud parts to the quiet parts. Incredible production as well!
A side note on George Michael from 1989: He sang backing vocals for Deon Estus (the base player from Wham!) on the song "Heaven Help Me," which got up to No. 5 on the Billboard Chart in early 1989.
I thought of Like a Prayer immediately when I saw the title. I was 14 and it was a big deal to me.
This album is so diverse and so cohesive at the same time, funk, gospel, rock, latin, psychodelic, balad, dance, all in 11 songs
I was 8 years old when this song came out and definitely considered Madonna a guilty pleasure until the mid 90s, when I felt that we were both maturing musically.
She's not one of my most favorite people. But there's no denying that she helped shape and influence pop-culture of the 80's and 90's. I "liked" this video because of your passion and ability to convey the details and nuances that would have otherwise been missed. Thank You, Adam. Keep up the great work. I certainly admire your passion for the music.
Yes please do George Michaels journey from wham to solo to whatever I don’t know. Love the channel
"Cherish" from Like a Prayer also presented an entirely different sound for Madonna at the time, as did "Express Yourself."
“Cherish” was an extension of True Blue but still very much a welcome addition to Like A Prayer!
1989-1991 was M’s absolute pinnacle.
You can also hear that a bit in Donna de Lory's "Just A Dream", which was originally attempted by Madonna during the LAP sessions.
I'll be honest....when Madonna hit the scene I loved it and the music being a 80s teen. My favorite by her, of course is Crazy For You. Her songs started happy go lucky fun grooves and you could tell by end of 80s how they matured. There were a few songs in early 90s but I kinda went my way and she went hers.
As soon as I saw the title ,it was none other than the Queen of Pop Madonna!!
I remember it..sheesh; the only thing that managed to push it off the front pages was the fall of the Wall of Berlin. And we got to learn it in school, too.^^
Love this channel and LOVE your respect for Madonna as writer and vocalist. Her collaborations with Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray are indelible, as is much of her work with others across her vast career. People who dis her and assume she’s a constructed phenomenon are just ignorant, and often misogynist, in their assumptions. They’d never come for a male singer-songwriter who worked with another composer, or wrote with their band, but to their mind a woman is either a pretty image with a pretty voice, or if they’re a singer songwriter they have to be a multi-instrumentalist writing every layer of every song to get respect. Likewise a male singer can have a unique, nuanced and even flawed voice because men’s humanity is assumed, but a female vocalist, especially in pop, must have a technically perfect voice because even vocally women are so often reduced to objects of ornamentation. And a woman’s talent and depth will always be doubted and diminished by critics if sexuality is part of their art. Especially if it’s profitable for them. Madonna has been the sole lyricist or primary lyricist, and composed the vocal melody lines, on some of the most world shakingly brilliant popular music of our time. Like A Prayer quite simply saved my life. Respect.
Thanks Prof for having the courage to ask the deep questions. It can be uncomfortable at first but often times it forces the subject to be a little bit more honest and transparent. As a Detroit Native, Madonna was a staple on the radios. I didn't know she was White until the Like A Virgin/Boarderline videos.
I ❤️ the Queen of Pop, Madonna!! Adam ALWAYS speaks with potential and has a perfect choice of words, truly phenomenal. His Channel deserves an Emmy.
Awesome episode! Thanx a million for sharing this great history of a brilliant Decade.
Would love to get some in-depth history on George Michael. A brilliant, yet often overlooked, Super Star in my opinion.
THIS by far was some of your best work Adam! I really like that you are doing more “revelations”. However the way you did this video was magnificent! The song playing in the background, the imagery of the Rosary and the MTV video playing on an period TV, was....(lost for words). My wife and I had a 19” Tv like that.. You really evoked some memories with this video as well as educated on how the song came into being. I wish everyone could have lived in that magical time period. It seems so long ago now, I was 29 then. I sometimes find myself longing for an era like that. Probably everyone who lived in that time period longs for it, especially with what we are dealing with in this decade. Thank You again!
Am I the only one who listens to a song differently after PoR does commentary on it? It’s like I have a newfound appreciation for said song, keep it on repeat and fall in love with a song all over again... Thanks for that PoR.
This controversy seems so quaint by today's standards.
that's what happens when society degrades significantly.
@@deadtolove I hate that "boomer" has simultaneously lost all meaning and is used unironically.
@@deadtolove Yes. I remember when the song and video came out. PEOPLE WERE VERY UPSET WITH MADONNA. Called her a satanist because she danced sexy and kissed a black Jesus and had burning crosses, etc. The commercial she did with Pepsi aired for a week or two before the video for LAP came out, then when the video came out and caused such an uproar, Pepsi pulled the commercial because so many people were so upset. The way people acted, you'd think Madonna murdered God or something. Ridiculous.
At about the time Like A Prayer was released, Rupert Murdoch converted to Catholicism. The Australian TV network he owned refused to play the video on its Top 40 program, and the program's end of year edition cooked its Top 40 so that Like A Prayer wasn't #1 for the year (which it was on the most authoritative chart).
Can you give more details of this. What show was it?
One Madonna song I think I like more now than back then is “Cherish”. For some reason that melody gets stuck in my head all the time lol
I COMPLETELY agree with you about his beautiful piano interpretation of the song -- so much so that when you said it to him, I screamed "THANK YOU!" out loud in my car. I've always been a sucker for those bluesy, melancholy sevenths and ninths, and for taking a familiar piece of music and re-interpreting it in a new, unfamiliar way. I hope he takes to heart your suggestion to create an album of those!
Like A Prayer is one of the best Madonna's albums ever...!!! Totally flawless and iconic. I still remember the controversy of that time. Everybody talk about Madonna and the video. What an Icon !!!
Thanks for the Patrick Leonard interview, it was awesome. It was nice to see his contribution to Madonna's music. Great work.
Wow! Music flows through Michael, I want to hear more... another great interview.
I have loved this song since I was a kid when it was big
Wow. Fantastic episode. Thank you and I really hope Patrick records that album❤👍
Hearing your knowledge about Madonna, I can tell you are a true fan of The Queen. I love these type of videos! The fact that you sat down with Patrick Leonard is crazy! Do make more videos on Madonna! Keep Rockin' Professor!!!
Man, I feel like you and Rick Beato complete each other. You come at these musical stories and interviews from such different directions, but you both pull these amazing artists out of the backround and back into the light.
In the 80's, we never, EVER, had the chance to experience these people as. . . people. So they were enjoyable, but not personally inspiring.
But now. . . SO inspiring to hear these stories, ty so much for this.
She continued and continues to be the most groundbreaking pop star and all of her incarnations have created whole genres. She thinks and moves her azz and has introspection. Deal with it 😎
I have to say that I absolutely love this channel and this video. My favorite song by Madonna. That interview was fantastic. Loved hearing the song just played on the piano.
For so many years we've heard all these songs on different playlists and they would be grouped together and simply labeled as 80s music or maybe pop or Rock, but it's interesting to go back and look and see how music changed between 1980 and 1990 with the changes in what was popular as well as how the artists themselves changed over that time. Anything you feel like sharing on that subject from particular artists or looking at trends or anything else, as you mentioned in the intro, would be interesting to me.
@@Jcrash71 I agree there. From about the mid-90s on there was less and less I liked on the radio, and I started listening to other genres.
This song brings me right back to the spring of 1989, probably the greatest days of my life.
Professor you are such a great interviewer. You as interesting questions and then allow the guest to talk freely. I commend you on this! Too many interviewers want to talk, you are an exceptional listener!
OMG! Thank you for this!! I didn't want the interview to end!! so much information from one of the most iconic songs of the 80s'!!
"Like a prayer" is the closest that pop music has been to art" (Rolling Stone).
Kate Bush to Rolling Stone: am I a joke to you?
@@austintrousdale2397 I see what you’re saying but Kate represents something much more sophisticated than “pop music”.
@@gaylefranklinAnd her highest charting song before Stranger Things only peaked at 30
Like a Prayer is just as "sophisticated" as any Kate Bush song. Maybe even more so.
‘Like A Prayer’ is my top favorite Madonna song ever since 1989!!!
You also asked us to respond to George Michael. Freedom ‘90 and Praying for Time, of course, in terms of his journey. I’m also always struck by Fast Love (1996), one of the most tragic but upbeat songs. Both songs preceded his arrest in 1998, but I think so illustrative of his struggle between public and personal persona. When Adele sang Fast Love at his tribute concert, I think she finally captured how tragic that song is and how difficult his struggle was.
Freedom ‘90 would be a good one to highlight
@@Jcrash71 yeah, agree that Older wasn’t his strongest album. (Maybe it was called Older for a reason. 🤣) I was just trying to think of specific songs that showed his personal struggles and transformation in persona.
You have the most wonderful ability to draw out suc interesting information. Madonna is a force of nature, and Like a Prayer is a pop masterpiece. But hearing Patrick Leonard adds pieces I didn't know I needed to hear. Thanks again.
Professor of Rock! Another great episode. I love behind the scenes of these stories. Can’t wait for more.
It's honestly amusing that the Like a Prayer (the album) was recorded in two weeks and most of the songs were done in one take.
Such a great channel! Keep up the good work! I'm really enjoying it! Madonna is the best and along with Pat Leonard, this is the result!!
Would love to see a longer interview with Patrick Leonard. And thanks for this short and informative talk, as well!
Funny story: Back in the late 90’s, Madonna actually booked a room at my Aunt & Uncle’s bed & breakfast on a fairly remote island here in upper Michigan. They’re very conservative ppl and I’m almost certain that they thought she was doing the Devil’s work with her sexual image & controversial videos. I think she used a nickname to book the room (in order to protect her privacy) so they were quite shocked when they found out it was the Queen of Pop who was coming to stay with them. But when they actually met her and her ex-husband Guy Ritchie, they totally changed their minds. My aunt told me “She was so nice & such a tiny little thing too!”. Haha. Apparently Madonna was supposed to stay for several days but decided to leave early because the beaches were full of rocks. But she still paid them anyway even for the days she wasn’t there. My Aunt now has the check that Madonna wrote her sitting in a frame.
Continue to pursue him about making an album that’s just him playing the songs he wrote on piano! I’d listen to that all day too! Great interview!
She and pat made absolute gold together- would love an album again with just him and her and not these terrible rent a rappers / DJs she seems accustomed too
Wow, thank you! I've never taken this song seriously, never took the time to try. This video, especially the interview, has at least opened my mind to the possibility of looking into it. Thanks, again!
Great interview! Also, would love a George Michael one
Thank you for this. I am a huge Madonna fan, but I love these behind-the-scenes views, knowing the creation process...this is awesome.
"Live to Tell" is my favorite Madonna song
1989 what a year, 17 turning to 18. Final year of high school and crashing weekend parties of the richer kids in school and playing lots of sports. It was a great year for music and great end to the decade of Brit bands as well before the advent of dance / house and grunge
As always, another wonderfully scripted, beautifully presented bit of music history. Certainly one of my all-time favorite channels. Keep up the great work, PoR!
I just 6 years old when Madonna released this song. I grew up listening to it.
Great interview, could have listened for a few more days. Thanks
Great show, Prof. Crazy focus, yes. My studio experience mirrors Patrick's comments. Was once told,
"You know how some 'artists' take years to 'perfect' their recording? You guys have today." Thanks!
How are you today Professor, what do we have today!! I knew when I first heard Prince I know he had it in him to be a blockbuster star and he was!! Then Madonna I could go on thanks lpve this!! Rock On!!✌
he's about as much a 'professor' as ARYAN adin steinsaltz is a descendant of Isaac......
The fact that her recent album is so ambitious as well shows she's a true icon
Madonna singing her classics with just a piano that would be a great album.
I immediately knew what song this would be about. Gotta love Madonna.