“Like A Prayer” Lyrics & Meaning (Madonna)

Madonna has never been one to shy away from controversy.

Quite the opposite: she always revelled in creating it.

And Like A Prayer is one of the most famous example.

Madonna has always maintained that the Like A Prayer lyrics meaning is completely innocent.

But few believe her.

What does Madonna claim the song is about? And what meaning is much more likely?

Keep reading to learn all about the lyrics to Madonna’s Like A Prayer and their most likely meaning. We’ll also get into the controversy the song (and especially the video) caused with the Catholic church.

 

Like A Prayer Lyrics & Meaning

Madonna released the song Like a Prayer in 1989. This single sold over 5 million copies worldwide and is one of the best-selling singles of all time. Rolling Stone included it on their list of the 500 Greatest Songs of All Time. It is at number 55.

In addition to its popularity, Like a Prayer, and with it Madonna, was the source of much controversy. The music video included several Catholic symbols. There are also lines that seem to allude to sex.

As a result, the Vatican denounced the song stating that it defamed Catholicism. This hurt Madonna financially. She had signed a deal with Pepsi for a campaign featuring this song. But due to the controversy surrounding the song, Pepsi ultimately dropped the campaign.

 

Like A Prayer Lyrics

Intro

Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home

Chorus

When you call my name
It’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees
I want to take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I’ll take you there

Verse 1

I hear your voice
It’s like an angel sighing
I have no choice
I hear your voice
Feels like flying
I close my eyes
Oh God, I think I’m falling
Out of the sky
I close my eyes
Heaven, help me

Chorus

When you call my name
It’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees
I want to take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I’ll take you there

Verse 2

Like a child
You whisper softly to me
You’re in control
Just like a child
Now I’m dancing
It’s like a dream
No end and no beginning
You’re here with me
It’s like a dream
Let the choir sing

Chorus (2x)

When you call my name
It’s like a little prayer
I’m down on my knees
I wanna take you there
In the midnight hour
I can feel your power
Just like a prayer
You know I’ll take you there

Reprise

Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home

Chorus

Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice
Your voice can take me there

Bridge

Just like a prayer, I’ll take you there
It’s like a dream to me (Mmmm…)
Just like a prayer, I’ll take you there (I’ll take you there)
It’s like a dream to me (Oh, oh-oh-oh yeah)
Just like a prayer, I’ll take you there (I’ll take you there)
It’s like a dream to me (Oh yeah, yeah, yeah yeah yeah yeah)
Just like a prayer, I’ll take you there (Oh, yeah)
It’s like a dream to me (Oh, oh)

Chorus

Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice
Your voice can take me there

Just like a prayer
Your voice can take me there
Just like a muse to me
You are a mystery
Just like a dream
You are not what you seem
Just like a prayer, no choice
Your voice can take me there
Your voice can take me there
Like a prayer

Outro

It’s like a prayer, your voice can take me there
It’s like a prayer
It’s like a prayer, your voice can take me there
It’s like a prayer
It’s like a prayer, your voice can take me there
It’s like a prayer
It’s like a prayer, your voice can take me there
It’s like a prayer

 

Like A Prayer Meaning

Madonna adamantly claims that she wrote, Like a Prayer from the perspective of a girl expressing her love for God. She got inspiration from her Catholic upbringing. Madonna claims the girl singing the song is so in love with God that she considers him to be the true prominent male figure in her life.

When you call my name it’s like a little prayer

Based on Madonna’s inspiration for the song, this line refers to God speaking to her. However, it makes it seem like the song is about someone answering a prayer rather than speaking one. A direct interpretation would be that God is praying for her or that God is praising her.

I’m down on my knees, I wanna take you there

This is the line that sparked the most controversy. In fact, Madonna’s producer wanted her to pull this line from the song as it alludes to oral sex. Madonna refused.

Following the idea that this song is a love song to God, the “on my knees” portion of the line could be referring to praying. No one seems to understand where “there” is. That ambiguity caused an uproar within the Catholic community as it could be interpreted to mean sexual satisfaction.

In the midnight hour I can feel your power

Again, the reference to nighttime has sparked questions about alluding to sex. It has also been considered that most unrest and self-doubt happen late at night. Following the religious theme, the Devil is believed to act at night. Madonna could be saying God is protecting her from evil.

Heaven help me

Madonna described her song as being a prayer to God. This line seems like a request for help. However, it could also be interpreted as appealing for forgiveness. She knows she is doing or thinking about something she shouldn’t and is trying to avoid temptation.

Just like a muse to me, you are a mystery

This line seems to align better with Madonna’s explanation of the song. God is generally described as being all-being and all-knowing. Mystery and religion are undoubtedly tied.

Referring to God as her muse also connects to the idea that the song is sung from the perspective of a girl who sees God as the only man in her life.

 

Like A Prayer Music Video

The music video for Like a Prayer ignited the most controversy. Madonna is scantily clad in a lot of the video and the overall theme is very sensual. There is a lot of Christian imagery.

The controversial content (and message) resulted in several boycotts. Pepsi was boycotted for sponsoring Madonna and subsequently ended the partnership. 

Not everyone agreed that Madonna’s explanation of the song and its accompanying video aligned. However, the controversy is what made the song a success.

Despite pushback from the Vatican and other Christian groups, Like a Prayer went on to win an MTV Music Video Award in 1989. The song is certified quadruple platinum in the United States and is still beloved by pop music fans to this day.

 

Like A Prayer Lyrics Meaning: Final Thoughts

In the end, it is up to you how you want to understand the song. You can accept the explanation Madonna has given: that it is a song about a girl who loves God.

However, it seems far more likely given all of the lyrics, the video, and Madonna’s overall career, that she wrote this song to screw with the Catholic church. Perhaps to point out their hypocrisy. Like A Prayer is about sex and that is fitting, since the church itself has faced numerous sex scandals.

For another song about sex, but in a very different way, check out our look at the lyrics and meaning of Closer by Nine Inch Nails.

Heart Shaped Box by Nirvana is very similar to Like A Prayer, in that writer Kurt Cobain also claims an innocent meaning to his song, but it almost certainly has a double meaning that has to do with sex. Our breakdown of the lyrics and meaning of Heart Shaped Box has more.

Another artist that had to explain his song was not about sex was Bunny Wailer. But unlike Madonna, he seems to be telling the truth when he says that the Electric Slide lyrics meaning is completely innocent.