Madonna's Like Prayer was definitely her best album of the 1980's, if not ever. Its a semi Autobiographical, honest, and jam packed full of great melodies and hooks. Madonna celebrates love, spirtuality, her family, and independance in a pop tour de force. This is the first Madonna album to get really good and radical remixes, where the vocal is left in tact, but the music is totally recreated (mostly by remixer and future collaborator Shep Pettibone)

The catchy and powerful Like A Prayer was the first single. I'll ignore the video controversy and just talk about the song. The soaring choir, Madonna's finest lyrics since live to tell, its an infections and bubbling song. Not credited, but Prince plays guitar.Great remix package.

Express Yourself Was an ode to women stepping up and and speaking out in their relationships. Motown horns meet slick late 80s production, with a great chorus. Its blippy house remix by Shep Pettibone is almost as popular as the original.

Love Song leaves a lot of peoples head scratching. A collaboration with Prince which I have always loved, leave some wondering what it was all about. I found it sexy and very experimental.

Till Death Do Us Part is probably the best lyrics Madonna has ever written. The story of a crumbling abusive relationship, it takes bits and pieces from relationship with Sean Penn that had dissolved before the making of this album.

Promise To Try is one of the best Madonna ballads ever, in rememberance to her dead mother.

Things turn on a lighter note to the insidiously catchy 50/60s girl group pop of Cherish Nothing lyrically ground breaking, but its a lot of fun.

Dear Jessie is a whimsical fairy tale of a song. Some people dont like it, but I always found it fun, like a Disney cartoon in song.

Oh Father has Madonna turning to a more serious note. Madonna reflects on her father and childhood. A great ballad, but far too serious to be released as a single (which it was)

Keep It Together is a great nod to Sly and the Family Stone, while Madonna sings on the virtues on the preservation and importance of family. Prince plays guitar on this one.

Spanish Eyes is Madonna's token "latin" song of the album. Not her most inspired moment, but its certainly not horrible.

Act of Contrition A very strange art rock piece? Kind of silly with Madonna saying the prayer of contrition over a backwards loop of Like A Prayer.

Recommended: Yes

Great Music to Play While: Driving