Madonna Like A Prayer
Madonna Like A Prayer
Madonna Like A Prayer
BIMM LONDON
BA Music Business
Level 6 2020/2021
Essay
Word Count:
3090
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Table of Contents:
Introduction p. 3
Feminism p. 4
Like a Prayer p. 5
Legacy p. 12
Conclusion p. 13
Reference List p. 14
Appendices p. 17
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Introduction
women to stand against various repressions they were facing over the time. One of
her most iconic pop albums Like a Prayer has changed popular music and other
singers have within it (Levine, 2019). The album explores a wide a range of topics
related to feminism, such as feminine role model, domestic violence and sexual
repression of religion. These are aimed to be studied through the current work by
analysing lyrics of the songs, music videos and opinion of critics in related literature.
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Feminism
With the second wave of feminism starting in the early 1970s, the upcoming decade
of 80s has seen the growing tendency of highlighting gender as category of physical
identification. The are four most popular feminism movements: radical, Marxist,
liberal and dual-system theory (Storey, 2018, p. 152-157). The one that Madonna
can be associated with is radical, which is defined by the women confront movement
against domination of patriarchy as the oppressing system. The way how this
voices speaking out for their rights instead of bending their identities to the needs of
men. The society had an opinion on female being passive figure, which was
displayed as an object of male gaze and sexual desire. Portrait of women in popular
industry was rather provoking than representing (Mulvey, 1975, p.19). Female artists
were revealing playful performances with hints of erotic pleasure calling out other
The main features of feminism resistance that can be noticed on television, press
and radio are escapism from domestic duties to Hollywood glamourous dreams,
popular industry production. Desirable object that was highly demanded in mass
erotic pleasure. All these are combined in a model of ‘triangular satisfaction: fatherly
protection, motherly care, and passionate adult love’ (Storey, 2018, p. 152-157).
Madonna came in times of and fights for women’s liberation. The rise of Gloria
Steinem activism, Solanas’ ‘SCUM Manifesto’ publishing in 1968, Equal pay and
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equality legislation of 1970, ‘Wages for Housework’ campaign in 1972 and World
Conference of the International Women's Year in 1975 (Karbo, 2019; Sisterhood and
After Research Team, 2013; Solanas, 1983; Toupin, no date; United Nations, no
date). Civil rights met anxiety for feminism demanding on abortion rights and stricter
punishments for rape crime. Popular culture was promoting exploitation of women as
Like a Prayer
Madonna was born on 16th August, 1958 in Michigan, United States, to a Catholic
family of Italian father Silvio Anthony and French-Canadian mother Madonna Louise
Ciccone. Madonna’s mother, after whom she was named, suffered from breast
cancer and died when the singer was only five. This loss is shown in two songs
included in Like a Prayer album: ‘Promise to Try’ and ‘Oh Father’ (O’Brien, 2018, p.
197). The first of these songs is a restraint piano ballad that portraits a conversation
addressed to little Madonna. Deep grief associated with these childhood memories
and the lack motherly love when growing up can be seen in the lyrics. As Madonna
sings ‘Will she see me cry when I stumble and fall/ Does she hear my voice in the
night when I call’. Footage of successful singer surrounded with fans and paparazzi
appear in music video showing her desire to have her mother around and share joy
and burden of popularity (Madonna, 1989). With the early loss of her mother, she
shifted her understanding of a role model to father. Although strict discipline rules set
by father were still in order in the family, she felt freedom of self-expression stating
that she has never been taught feminine manners and behaviour rules (Thompson,
2001, p.19). The second song, ‘Oh Father’ is talking about the relationship between
the singer and her father and the feeling of ‘betrayal’ she caried in her heart after he
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got married with the housekeeper. However, the song speaks more than that. ‘It's me
dealing with all authority figures in life’ states Madonna. The song is not
the ballad. Madonna never officially talked about her father physically abusing or
exploiting her in the childhood, but in the music video critics notice strong sense of
fear, closet beatings and even incest. These were more of an emotional neglect, lack
of fatherly attention while being locked up in grief. 'Maybe I wasn't the greatest
father in the world, said Tony Ciccone in the interview later, but life wasn't easy for
any of us.' As Madonna was the third child and the oldest daughter out of eight
children in Ciccone family, she has always need to show a sense of independency,
learning to rely only on herself and used her imagination to escape from insecurities.
This might be how she come up with this work (O’Brien, 2018, pp. 198-199). ‘Oh
Father’ is often referred as the beginning of the prayer, addressed to Lord. The end
of the song is talking about forgiveness, which is also giving a hint to the religious
meaning of the album. ‘Maybe someday /When I look back I'll be able to say /You
didn't mean to be cruel /Somebody hurt you too (Madonna, 1989). Both music videos
for ‘Promise to Try’ and ‘Oh Father’ are filmed using black and white filter to add
dramatism. Some of the ‘Oh Father’ scenes are referencing to Orson Welles' film
"Citizen Kane", which is talking about egoism and vanity of powerful men (Boy Toy
Inc, 2021).
Since the early age Madonna has shown her desire for attention acting different from
other children. Resisting against the stepmother, was a constant trouble to her
parents, causing regular visits to hospitals and school principal’s office (O’Brien,
2018, p. 29). Madonna hated to look like other girls at Catholic school. Her private
joke was wearing razzle-dazzle underwear under the uniform skirt and run hide
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nuns, who were trying to punish her for lifting skirt in front of others or hanging
upside down like a monkey on the playground exposing those rainbow knickers.
Wearing skirts to church was another issue she did not want to accept. She was
putting trousers underneath the dress and showing it to her dad just to piss him
(Thompson, 2001, pp. 27-29). Even when her mother was still alive, she remembers
her being passionately religious and covering up the Sacred Heart statue if a woman
with zip-up jeans would come to their house. This image of sexuality against Catholic
repression was referenced in the cover art of Like a Prayer (O’Brien, 2018, p. 34).
The title song ‘Like a Prayer’ is echoing all the images of Church that were imprinted
in little girl’s mind by her deeply religious parents. Every object considered to be
sacred by Christianity has the power of transubstantiation. In this context the wine
and water are not only the symbols of Christ’s body, with every word in the prayer
enchanted during the mass, they become the thing. In ‘Like a Prayer’ Madonna
explores this power of words in prayer, remembering the vocation of her mother
being deadly ill and still being a good mother and wife hiding her suffers and trying to
knees, surrendering to God was seen by Madonna sexy serious. The song illustrates
songwriter is using liturgical text that would sound like a meditation on prayer and
adding catchy pop tune, featured with full sound of African American Los Angeles
Church of God gospel choir. This performance makes the sound so powerful
In 1980s it was a time where music videos were nearly as important as music itself.
For performers it was a way of building up their recognition and image through
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MTV, not only in houses but pubs and clubs (Brabazon, 2012, p. 77). Madonna
understood that very well. For her television was a way to fame. She aiming to
horrify conservatives and please liberals (Stanley,2013, p. 563). Just the day before
the release of this music video a Pepsi advertisement was launched featuring the
artist watching over her eight years old self on a birthday party. The official music
video had nothing to do with that. It portraits Madonna having romantic relationship
with the crying religious figure of St. Martin de Porres, the patron-saint of mixed-race
people with burning crosses on the background. Madonna was collecting crucifixes
and rosary beads for their mystic significance associated with religion and were
widely used in music videos and performances. She thought of Crucifixion and
all of that (Thompson, 2001, p.2). It was seen so controversial by the Pepsico, so the
brand made a decision to pull it out right next day, although paying $5 million to the
artist (New York Times, 1989). This shows how much power she already had at the
time remaining loyal to her art and vision. She was the one to set the rules
(Thompson, 2001, p. 174). Yet, she stated that she will not be satisfied until she
becomes as famous as God, and here she is, the feminine icon of mass worship, full
sexual empowerment and spirituality (Thompson, 2001, p.2). In addition, it is the only
music video in the album featuring Madonna with black hair. The singer felt that her
natural hair would go well in to the context of more personal album. She herself
admits having identity crisis at the time as blonde women were seen more sexual by
the society. Later she still was convinced by the management to go blonde again
Besides religion in Like a Prayer Madonna explores personal topic family and
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unhappy marriage that the artist experienced while being in relationship with actor
Sean Penn. On December 28, 1988 Madonna reported to Malibu sheriff’s office
about being assaulted by her spouse. There are two opinions on this point, one that
the actual violence against the singer has happened with witnesses from police and
hospital stating that Madonna was hardly recognisable on the night, second, the
contradicted statement of pop star herself that Penn has never physically assaulted
her, which appeared after more than twenty years of silence. Nevertheless, a few
days she asked for the divorce and this accident forever changed the view of
powerful and painful sacrifice that many women endure in marriage (Trotter, 2015).
The ‘Till Death Do Us Part' song features a sad story over a happy beat. Lyrics tell
bruises (‘The bruises they will fade away’), physical violence (‘You hit so hard’),
alcohol (‘He takes a drink’) and demands from man’s side (‘He makes demands’).
Feministic line ‘I’m not your friend / I’m just your little wife’ refers to a ‘housewife’
label given to women by men (Madonna, 1989). Divorce is a sin in Catholicism that
keeps so many unhappy people together. Madonna herself said that she drew the
line and would never stay in sadomasochistic violent relationship until death. After
stressful divorce, Madonna highlights the importance of family in the next track ‘Keep
It Together’, stating ‘Don’t forget that your family is gold’ (Madonna, 1989). The failed
marriage and support of family brought her back to roots and songwriting. This
more palatable for mass consumption. I wrote what I felt’ said singer to SongTalk
(Zaleski, 2014). She was working hard reflecting on her personal life, family and
marriage. Critics label Like a Prayer as her ‘divorce album’ (O’Brien, 2018, p. 191).
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Although Madonna did not have her own children at the time of release, she included
in the album a sugary lullaby ‘Dear Jessie’, dedicated to Patrick Leonard’s daughter.
Leonard is a producer and songwriter that was working with the artist on Like a
Prayer (1989), as well as True Blue (1986) and Who's That Girl (1987). One day the
producer brought little Jessie to the studio when Madonna was recording the title
track. He saw the connection the singer had with the girl and proposed to finish a
lullaby he composed for her. Madonna agreed on that. Herself Madonna once
mentioned: "It was like as if I was my mother and [she] was me. We were playing in
our backyard again." (Bego, 2000, p. 219). The song was criticised as it is very
different from the rest of the album and sounds like children's lullaby, rather than
usual pop song of her (Rooksby, 2004). However, expresses all her motherly love
along with innocent girl’s escape into ‘psychedelic fairytale landscape’ full of magical
Another important feministic song in the album that must be mention is ‘Express
Yourself’. It is a call for all women to respect themselves and make men treat you
well or ‘You’ll do much better, baby, on your own’. Here Madonna propagates anti-
materialism, as she says: ‘You don’t need diamond rings or eighteen karat gold’, the
most important thing that every woman needs in a relationship is ‘…a big strong
hand/ To lift you to your higher ground/Make you feel like a queen on a throne’
‘"The ultimate thing behind the song is that if you don't express yourself, if you don't
say what you want, then you're not going to get it. And in effect you are chained
down by your inability to say what you feel or go after what you want. [...] I wrote
'Express Yourself' to tell women around the world that pick and choose the best for
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yourself, before that chain around your neck, kills you instead. It's my take on how
man can express what they want, the same prerogative should be there for a woman
too’.
With a budget of $5 million the music video filmed by David Fincher, inspire by
Metropolis movie, it became the most expensive music video in history at the time
(Boy Toy Inc, 2021). Musclemen chained in iron collars in the factory and Madonna
cross-dressed in men’s suit controlling them. This shocking feministic video full of
power and fantasy of sex gained much of attention from her female fanbase
Madonna finishes her album with ‘Act Of Contrition', which is a reference to the
actual Christian prayer expressing sorrow for sins (Vatican News, no date). It is a
reversed version of the first song in the album and her Madonna confesses to the
God, exploring the nature of sins. St. Augustine in his On Christian Doctrine (397; p.
71) declares sexual intercourse as act of devil. Miachael Foucault (1976, p.119) in
The History Sexuality discuss how sexual behaviour been silent for centuries in
Western societies. Moreover, it has been not only a taboo, but a reason for women
to be monitored and preached. Growing up in a Catholic family where sex was taboo
Madonna preserved this view until her girlhood. In interview to Paul Zollo (1989).
Madonna says that in her opinion people have problems in the relationship because
have an affair is born when someone idolises the partner and is looking for a low-
down relationship on the side. Her vision was to encourage her female audience to
let go the stereotype that sexual behaviour is bad, She was talking openly about sex
stating nobody should ashamed of their desires. As she said: ‘I’m proud of the way I
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acted [with sex] because it set a precedent and gave women the freedom to be
freedom. She was an image of ‘a good catholic girl gone bad’ provoking an awaking
for Christian girls to chase their sexual desires and fight for equality (O’Brien, 2018,
Legacy
Madonna have made a significant impact on popular music, setting a standard for
female pop artists and inspiring many world-famous female performers. If we see in
Madonna a bit of Merilyn Monroe, we can notice her legacy in such performers as
Christina Aguilera, Britney Spears, Kylie Minogue and others (Thompson, 2001, p.
562).
Laura Rosenfeld (2011) discusses how influential is Madonna for younger generation
artists on example of Lady Gaga. Gaga, as an avant garde pop persona have been
accused in similarity between her song ‘Born This Way’ and Madonna’s ‘Express
Yourself’. However, Madonna herself expressed support for the artist and the single
after the statement of plagiarism was made. Another example of Madonna’s album
Like a Prayer inspiring Lady Gaga can be noticed in music video of ‘Alejandro’,
which portraits different stages of Madonna’s career. These include several pastiche
references of crucifixion, sexualised nun’s outfit, crosses, stripped men and black
Concluding this, Madonna broke norms of ‘acceptable behaviour’ for women and
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Conclusion
Madonna came years before popular female artist talking about feminine pride and
power. She laid a foundation of allowing women to express their sexual desires on
public without being ashamed (Levine, 2019). She was different from manufactured
icons of her time. Expressing herself the way she is through her music and art she
was sharing her brave ideas directly with the female audience (O’Brien, 2018, p. 13).
Concluding all this, Madonna was not just an idol for younger ‘wannabees’, her
cultural impact has changed standards for women in entertainment industries and
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Reference List
Bego, M. (2000) Madonna: Blonde Ambition. 2nd edn. New York: Cooper Square
Press.
Karbo, K. (2019) ‘How Gloria Steinem became the 'world’s most famous feminist',
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/culture/2019/03/how-gloria-steinem-became-
Levine, N. (2019) ‘Like a Prayer Was Madonna's First Masterpiece’, Vice, 21 March.
2021).
Longhurst B. and Bogdanovic D. (2014) Popular Music and Society. 3rd edn.
Mulvey, L. (1975) ‘Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema’, Visual and Other
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New York Times (1989) Pepsi Cancels Madonna Ad. Available at:
https://www.nytimes.com/1989/04/05/business/pepsi-cancels-madonna-ad.html
O’Brien, L. (2018) Madonna: Like an Icon. 2nd edn. London: London: Bantam Press.
Rooksby, R. (2004) Madonna: the complete guide to her music. London : Omnibus.
Rosenfeld, L. (2011) ‘Lady Gaga, born the Madonna way?’, North by Northwestern,
https://web.archive.org/web/20130202001251/http:/northbynorthwestern.com/story/
Sisterhood and After Research Team (2013) ‘Equal pay and equality legislation’,
Solanas, V. (1983) SCUM Manifesto. 3rd edn. London: Matriarchy Study Group.
Stanley, B. (2013) Yeah Yeah Yeah: The Story of Modern Pop. London: Faber &
Faber.
St. Augustine (397) On Christian Doctrine, in Four Books. Grand Rapids, MI:
Storey, J. (2018) Cultural Theory and Popular Culture: an Introductio. 8th edn.
London: Routledge.
Publishing.
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Toupin, L. (no date) ‘The History of Wages for Housework’, Pluto Press. Available at:
https://www.plutobooks.com/blog/wages-housework-campaign-history/ (Accessed:
28 January 2021).
https://gawker.com/did-sean-penn-beat-up-madonna-an-archaeology-of-hollyw-
United Nations (no date) World Conference of the International Women's Year. 19
https://www.un.org/en/conferences/women/mexico-city1975 (Accessed: 28
January 2021).
https://www.vaticannews.va/en/prayers/act-of-contrition.html (Accessed: 28
January 2021).
2021).
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Appendices
Appendix 1 – Thematic analysis of Like a Prayer
# Song Background Lyrics Themes Visuals
1 Like a Prayer The song shows the Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone
Mystery;
Loneliness;
power of prayer, I hear you call my name Power of prayer;
fusioning sexuality And it feels like home Home;
and religion.
When you call my name it's like a little Power of prayer;
prayer
I'm down on my knees, I wanna take you
there Submission;
In the midnight hour I can feel your
power
Just like a prayer you know I'll take you
there Power;
Delight;
I close my eyes
Oh God I think I'm falling
Out of the sky, I close my eyes
Heaven help me Submission;
Power of prayer;
Power of prayer;
Like a child
You whisper softly to me
You're in control just like a child
Now I'm dancing Submission;
Life is a mystery
Everyone must stand alone Submission;
I hear you call my name
And it feels like home
Power;
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Idol;
Just like a prayer, your voice can take
me there
Just like a muse to me, you are a Power;
mystery
Just like a dream, you are not what you
seem
Just like a prayer, no choice your voice Power of prayer;
can take me there
Your voice can take me there
Like a prayer
Power of prayer;
Just like a prayer Dream, escapism;
Just like a prayer, your voice can take Power of prayer;
me there Dream, escapism;
Just like a prayer
Just like a prayer, your voice can take
me there
Power of prayer;
Dream, escapism;
Power of prayer;
Dream, escapism;
Power of prayer;
Idol;
Power;
Power of prayer;
Power of prayer;
Idol;
Power;
Power of prayer;
Power of prayer;
Dream, escapism;
Power of prayer;
Dream, escapism;
Power of prayer;
Dream, escapism;
2 Express Feminist call for Come on girls
You believe in love
Call to women;
Faith;
Yourself self-love, pride and 'Cause I've got something to sing about it
anti-materialism And it goes something like this
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Express yourself
You've got to make him Feminism;
Express himself
Hey, hey, hey, hey
So if you want it right now, make him
show you how
Express what he's got, oh baby ready or
not Dignity, pride;
Express yourself
Express himself, hey, hey
So if you want it right now, better make
him show you how
Express what he's got, oh baby ready or
not
Express yourself
Respect yourself, hey, hey
So if you want it right now, better make
him show you how
Express what he's got, oh baby ready or
not
Express yourself
Escapism;
Pride;
Anti-materialism;
Pride;
Dignity, pride;
Call to action;
Dignity, pride;
Call to action;
Dignity, pride;
Self-respect;
Call to action.
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3 Love Song Collaboration with Je suis prête. Vous êtes prêt aussi? French;
Prince
Are you wasting my time, are you just Pride;
being kind
Oh no baby, my love isn't blind
Are you wasting my time, are you just Caring;
being kind
Don't give me one of your lines
Honesty;
Are you just being kind (no, oh) Attachment;
Am I losing my mind (losing your mind) Religion;
Oh no, baby
Yeah
Caring;
Madness
Are you wasting my time? (Wasting my
time)
Are you just being kind?
Oh no baby, my love isn't blind
Are you wasting my time? (time, time,
time)
Are you just being kind? (huh?)
Don't go give me one of your lines
Pride;
Ah, say what you mean, mean what you
say
Don't go and throw our love away
God strike me dead if I did you wrong Caring;
(did you wrong)
This is not a love song, ooh
Pride;
Waste of time;
Mean what you say or baby I am gone
This is not a love song
Yeah
Love song, love song
Don't try to tell me what your enemies
taught you
I'm gone but I just want you to know (love
song)
That this is not a love song that I want to Caring;
sing Madness
Pride;
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Caring;
Pride;
Caring;
Escapism;
Honesty;
Caring;
Madness
Enemies
4 Till Death Do This song is an Our luck is running out of time Time;
You're not in love with me anymore Faded love;
Us Part reflection of an I wish that it would change but it won't Lost hope;
abusive 'Cause you don't love me no more Faded love;
relationship
Madonna had with You need so much but not from me Needs;
Turn your back in my hour of need Being left;
Sean Penn Something's wrong
But you pretend you don't see
Blindness;
Time;
They never laugh, not like before Faded love;
She takes the keys, he breaks the door Lost hope;
She cannot stay here anymore Faded love;
He's not in love with her anymore
Regrets;
The bruises they will fade away Invasion;
You hit so hard with the things you say Alienation;
I will not stay to watch your hate as it Faded love;
grows
Abuse;
You're not in love with someone else Abuse;
You don't even love yourself Pride, hate;
Still I wish you'd ask me not to go
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Faded love;
Pride;
Comeback;
Second chance;
Sacrifice.
5 Promise to Try This song is a Little girl don't you forget her face
Laughing away your tears
Mother’s death;
Dealing with the
conversation When she was the one who felt all the loss;
addressed to her pain Pain, suffering;
little self. It
expresses suffering Little girl never forget her eyes Memories;
Keep them alive inside
of dealing with I promise to try, it's not the same
mother’s death, the
importance of her
Keep your head held high, ride like the
role in one’s life. wind
Music video Never look behind, life isn't fair
Pride;
That's what you said, so I try not to care
features the singer Past;
speaking to her
mother’s grave with Little girl don't run away so fast
I think you forgot to kiss, kiss her
her father goodbye
observing this from
far. Photoaged of Will she see me cry when I stumble and Mother’s loss;
Madonna’s fall
success, Does she hear my voice in the night
when I call
appearance on Wipe away all your tears, it's gonna be
stadiums, all right
surrounded by
press are also I fought to be so strong, I guess you Need of mother;
knew
shown here I was afraid you'd go away, too
expressing the
sadness that her
Little girl you've got to forget the past
mother is not And learn to forgive me
around during I promise to try, but it feels like a lie
Mother’s love
these moment.
Don't let memory play games with your
mind
She's a faded smile frozen in time
I'm still hanging on, but I'm doing it wrong Pride, strength;
Can't kiss her goodbye, but I promise to
try
Fear of loss.
Past;
Forgiveness;
Illusions;
Memories;
Mistakes.
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Shakespeare, tragic
love story;
Attachment;
7 Dear Jessie Lullaby to Pat Baby face don't grow so fast Call not to rush
Make a special wish that will always last growing up;
Leonard's young Rub this magic lantern Magic;
daughter. He will make your dreams come true for Fairy tales;
you
Fairy tales;
Pink elephants and lemonade, dear
Jessie
Hear the laughter running through the
love parade
Candy kisses and a sunny day, dear
Jessie Escapism;
See the roses raining on the love parade Fairy tale;
Your dreams are made inside the love Call not to rush
parade growing up;
It's a holiday inside the love parade Dreams;
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Fairy tales;
Your dreams are made inside your love
parade
It's a holiday inside the love parade
Motherly love;
Escapism;
Escapism;
Fairy tale;
Magic;
Laughter;
Motherly love;
Dreams;
8 Oh Father "Oh father" is often It's funny that way, you can get used
To the tears and the pain
Dealing with the
loss;
referred as the What a child will believe Pain;
beginning of the You never loved me Not being loved;
prayer, addressed
to Lord. The song You can't hurt me now Pride, abuse;
I got away from you, I never thought I Independence,
is talking about would Escapism;
mother’s loss and You can't make me cry, you once had Pride, strength;
the power Self-love,
difficult I never felt so good about myself confidence;
relationships with
father, which are
Seems like yesterday Patriarchy;
reflected in all other I lay down next to your boots and I
abusive prayed
For your anger to end
relationship with Oh Father I have sinned
Abuse;
Sins;
men.
You can't hurt me now
I got away from you, I never thought I
would
You can't make me cry, you once had Pride, abuse;
the power Independence,
I never felt so good about myself leaving;
Pride, strength
abuse;
Self-love,
Oh Father you never wanted to live that confidence;
way
You never wanted to hurt me
Why am I running away
Oh Father you never wanted to live that Regrets;
way Pain, abuse;
You never wanted to hurt me Escapism;
Why am I running away Regrets;
Pain, abuse;
Escapism;
Maybe someday
When I look back I'll be able to say
You didn't mean to be cruel
Somebody hurt you too
Forgiveness;
Abuse;
You can't hurt me now
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I got brothers
I got some sisters too Call to stay together;
Stuck in the middle
Tell you what I'm gonna do
Siblings;
I'm tired of sharin' all
The hand me downs
To get attention
I must always be the clown
I wanna be different
I wanna be on my own
But Daddy said, "Listen
You will always have a home" Escapism;
Need to be different;
People can be so cold Uniqueness;
Never want to turn your back Father;
Just givin' to get something Home;
Always wanting somethin' back
Family;
Brothers and sisters
They've always been there for me
We have a connection Success;
Home is where the heart should be Sadness;
Alienation;
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Siblings;
Keep, keep it together Support;
Forever keep people together Connection;
Keep, keep it together Home;
Forever keep people together
Family;
Brothers and sisters
They've always been there for me
We have a connection Past;
Home is where the heart should be Misery;
Pain;
I wouldn't change it
For another chance
'Cause blood is thicker
Than any circumstance
Recognition;
Keep, keep it together
Keep people together forever and ever
(ah-ha) Siblings;
Support;
Connection;
Keep, keep it together Home;
Keep people together forever and ever
(ah-ha)
Past;
Misery;
Keep, keep it together Pain;
Keep people together forever and ever
Family;
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Sorrow;
I light this candle and watch it throw
Tears on my pillow
And if there is a Christ, he'll come tonight
To pray for Spanish eyes
And if I have nothing left to show
Tears on my pillow
What kind of life is this if God exists
Then help me pray for Spanish eyes Tears;
Religion;
Resistance;
Tears;
Religion;
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Tears;
Religion;
Tears;
Memory;
Loss;
Pain;
Loss;
Love;
And I detest all my sins because of Thy
just punishment
Sins, confession;
Religion;
Love.
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