Papa Don't Preach

Infobox Single
Name = Papa Don't Preach


Artist = Madonna
from Album = True Blue
B-side = "Pretender" (US)
"Ain't No Big Deal" (Europe)
"Think of Me" (Japan)
Released = June 11, 1986 (U.S.)
June 23, 1986 (U.K.)
Format = 7" single, CD video, 12" single, 5" CD single
Recorded = 1985
Genre = Pop
Length = 4:27 (Album/Single Version)
Label = Sire, Warner Bros.
Writer = Brian Elliot
Additional lyrics by Madonna
Producer = Madonna
Stephen Bray
Last single = "Live to Tell"
(1986)
This single = "Papa Don't Preach"
(1986)
Next single = "True Blue"
(1986)
Misc = Extra tracklisting
Album = True Blue
Type = studio
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "Papa Don't Preach"
track_no = 1
next_track = "Open Your Heart"
next_no = 2Extra tracklisting
Album = The Immaculate Collection
Type = compilation
prev_track = "Live to Tell"
prev_no = 8
this_track = "Papa Don't Preach"
track_no = 9
next_track = "Open Your Heart"
next_no = 10

"Papa Don't Preach" is the second single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 3rd studio album "True Blue" and was released on June 11, 1986 by Sire Records. It was an international #1 hit and caused huge controversy with its music video depicting a pregnant young teenage mother. The song later appeared remixed on the 1990 compilation album "The Immaculate Collection".

Controversy

"Papa Don't Preach" is sung from the perspective of a teenage girl who admits to her father (played by Danny Aiello in the music video) that not only is she pregnant, but she plans to keep and raise the child. Typically for Madonna, the single caused some controversy because of its somewhat taboo subject matter. It was criticized by parents, conservative religious groups, and women's organizations because it seemed to glorify teenage pregnancy. [ [http://mad-eyes.net/disco/tb/papa-dont-preach.htm http://mad-eyes.net/disco/tb/papa-dont-preach.htm] "Mad-eyes.net" ] Madonna has always flatly denied these criticisms, stating that the song aims to illustrate the real-life experience of young girls who fall in love. Actress Debi Mazar plays one of Madonna's friends in the video, and actor Alex McArthur plays the role of her boyfriend.

The song also earned Madonna her first praise from former critics from across the political spectrum. Tipper Gore, who just a year earlier had denounced Madonna and her single "Dress You Up" as "vulgar" and had led a campaign against vulgar music, commended Madonna for speaking candidly about such a relevant and important social issue. Conservatives also supported Madonna's message that she was choosing to keep her unborn child rather than undergoing an abortion.

Despite, or perhaps because of, the controversy surrounding the song, it was a huge success that topped the singles charts in several countries, including the US.

Music video

*Director: James Foley
*Producers: David Naylor, Sharon Oreck
*Director of photography: Michael Ballhaus
*Production company: O Pictures

The lyrics of the song clearly match the story of the video, allowing the message to be more straight-forward. Set in New York, the video features Madonna as a young teenager who lives with her father. Camcorder footage shows him playing with her as a little girl, showing the depth of their relationship. However, there is also indication of the father's concern for his young daughter as she grows while Madonna pleads with him in the song not to consider her as a "baby" anymore.

Madonna's character connects with and falls in love with a young car-mechanic, actor Alex McArthur, a man whom her father had apparently "warned her all about" and to stay away from. Yet the young man appears genuinely loving towards Madonna, acting somewhat shyly around her and taking her for a trip on the night-boat where they are admired by an older couple. Feeling blessed, they dance together on-deck, happy and carefree. Yet this more light-hearted footage of two teenagers in love is integrated with more serious shots of Madonna's anguish over her child, clashing with her friends over her decision to keep it as well as her father's clear disapproval and convern over her relationship. It appears that as Madonna has grown, her bond with her father has come under some strain as although they do the same chores together, they no longer appear to spend quality time together as they used to in the past.

In between the shots of the story being played out, Madonna is featured dancing and singing against a dark blackground in a strapless boustier top and tight trousers, possibly as a representation of her inner-emotions.

The video has become somewhat notorious for a split-second "nipple-slip". At one point while Madonna is dancing in her black boustier top, her left nipple slips out from her top a split second before the scene cuts away. The video was one of the first video singles ever to be released on the CD Video format.

Awards and popularity lists

*"Papa Don't Preach" won Best Female Video honors at the 1987 MTV Video Music Awards.
*In 2003, the song was voted #9 in a fan vote of the Top 20 favorite Madonna singles of all time by "Q-Magazine".
*In 2005, the song placed at #486 on "Blender" magazine's "The 500 Greatest Songs Since You Were Born". [http://www.blender.com/guide/articles.aspx?ID=1760]

Track listings and formats

;European 12" single & CD single
# "Papa Don't Preach" (Extended Version) 5:43
# "Ain't No Big Deal" (previously unreleased) 4:12
# "Papa Don't Preach" (LP Version) 4:27

;U.S. 12" maxi single
# "Papa Don't Preach" (Extended Remix) 5:43
# "Pretender" (LP Version) 4:30

;International CD video single
# "Papa Don't Preach" (Extended Remix) 5:43
# "Papa Don't Preach" (LP Version) 4:27
# "Pretender" (LP Version) 4:30
# "Papa Don't Preach" (video) 5:06

Official versions

Official versions
* Papa Don't Preach (Album Version) 4:27
* Papa Don't Preach (Edit) 3:50
* Papa Don't Preach (Immaculate Collection Version) 4:08
* Papa Don't Preach (Video Version) 5:05

Remixes
* Papa Don't Preach (Extended Remix) 5:43
* Papa Don't Preach (Disconet Mix) 7:28
* Papa Don't Preach (Danny Ailleo Mix) 6:45
* Papa Don't Preach (White Label Remix) 6:16

Charts (Madonna version)

Kelly Osbourne cover version

Infobox Single
Name = Papa Don't Preach


Artist = Kelly Osbourne
from Album = Shut Up
B-side =
Released = September 10 2002 (UK)
Format = CD single
Recorded =
Genre = Rock
Length =
Label = Epic
Writer =
Producer =
Chart position =

• #3 (UK, Australia)
• #5 (Finland)

#3 (France)

Last single = –
This single = "Papa Don't Preach"
(2002)
Next single = "Shut Up"
(2003)

"Papa Don't Preach", in a harder pop rock style, was covered in 2002 by Kelly Osbourne and members of Incubus for "The Osbournes Family Album", the soundtrack to the hugely popular TV Show, "The Osbournes". Older sister Aimee Osbourne was originally asked to record the song, but declined and suggested Kelly sing on it instead. Kelly premiered the song at the 2002 MTV Movie Awards where she performed for the first time. Kelly's version was released as her debut single and reached number three in the UK and Australia, and number five in Finland. The popularity of the song and TV Show led to the release of her debut album "Shut Up". In both the Madonna and Kelly Osbourne songs, there is a shirt with the quote "Italians do it Better." Madonna is wearing that shirt and Kelly Osbourne has it hanging behind her.

amples, appearances in other media, etc.

* English house music duo Nomad sampled the violin intro of "Papa Don't Preach" for their own track "Higher Than The Heavens" on their self-titled album in 1991.
* The violin intro of the track was sampled in 1992 for the classic rave/oldschool jungle tune "Field of Dreams" by The Brothers Grimm on Production house label.
* It was also sampled as the backing for a UK and Ireland top-ten dance music track by Boy Wunda presented by Progress in the song "Everybody" in 1993.
* The intro also appeared on several Vauxhall car adverts between 1998 and 2001.
* Also, the beginning of the song was sampled on Mario Winans' 2004 single "Never Really Was", and a slowed down version samples Keshia Chante's 2006 single "Fallen".
*The song appears in the game Karaoke Revolution Volume 2.
* It is mentioned in Master of Disguise
* Neja (Italian dance artist) had covered this song in her new 2008 album AcousticClub

References

*
* [http://www.mad-eyes.net/disco/tb/papa-dont-preach.htm Mad-Eyes.net - "Papa Don't Preach" Single Page]