Madonna (March 21, 1989) Like A Prayer - Album A Dream Collaboration

Madonna’s most ambitious studio album — and the only one to feature direct creative collaboration with Prince.

RELEASE DETAILS

Artist: Madonna

Label: Sire / Warner Bros. Records Date: March 21, 1989

Catalogue: Varies by territory (e.g. 25844-1 US LP)

Format: LP / Cassette / CD Country: Worldwide

Album: Like A Prayer (1989)

THE STORY

Like A Prayer is Madonna’s fourth studio album, released on March 21, 1989. It marks her most personal and ambitious work to date, blending pop, rock, gospel, and dance. The album features significant contributions from Prince, including the duet “Love Song” and uncredited guitar and instrumentation on several tracks.

CONTEXT & NOTES

Prince and Madonna collaborated during 1988 sessions. Prince wrote, produced, and performed “Love Song” in full (all instruments and co-lead vocals). He also added guitar to “Like A Prayer,” “Keep It Together,” and constructed the sonic bed for “Act Of Contrition.” The album became a global blockbuster, spawning six singles and serving as the foundation for the Blond Ambition World Tour. A 30th Anniversary digital edition was released in 2019.

TRACK LIST

Standard CD / LP Tracklist Side One

1. Like A Prayer — 5:42 (Guitar by Prince – uncredited)

2. Express Yourself

3. Love Song — 4:52 (Duet with Prince – all instruments by Prince)

4. Till Death Do Us Part

5. Promise To Try

Side Two

1. Cherish

2. Dear Jessie

3. Oh Father

4. Keep It Together — 5:03 (Guitar by Prince – uncredited)

5. Spanish Eyes

6. Act Of Contrition — 2:19 (Instrumentation by Prince – uncredited)

PACKAGING HIGHLIGHTS

• Iconic cover with Madonna’s face behind a burning cross

• 30th Anniversary digital edition includes bonus remixes

WHAT THE SLEEVE SHOWS Front cover features a striking close-up of Madonna with religious imagery and bold typography. Classic late-’80s Warner Bros. design with high artistic impact.

RELATED MATERIAL

• Madonna – Express Yourself (Single, 1989)

• Madonna – Keep It Together (Single, 1990)

• Prince – Various unreleased collaborations from 1988

SOURCES Prince Vault, Discogs, Wikipedia

COPYRIGHT NOTICE All album artwork, photographs, logos, and original text excerpts remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This entry is a transformative, non-commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.