"Oh Father"
Single by Madonna from the album Like a Prayer
B-side	"Spanish Eyes" (1989 release) "Live to Tell" (live edit) (1995 release) "Why's It So Hard" (live) (1995 release)
Released	October 24, 1989 (Worldwide) December 1989 (Japan) December 25, 1995 (UK re-issue)
Format	CD, 7", Cassette
Genre	Pop
Length	4:59
Label	Sire, Warner Bros. (1989) Maverick, Warner Bros. (1995)
Writer	Madonna, Patrick Leonard
Producer	Madonna, Patrick Leonard
Madonna singles chronology
"Cherish" (1989) "Oh Father" (1989) "Dear Jessie" (1989)
Like a Prayer track listing
"Dear Jessie" (7) "Oh Father" (8) "Keep It Together" (9)
Something to Remember track listing
"Rain" (12) "Oh Father" (13) "I Want You (orchestral)" (14)

"Oh Father" is a pop song written and produced by American singer Madonna and Patrick Leonard for Madonna's fourth album Like a Prayer (1989). It was released as the fourth single in the fall of 1989 (see 1989 in music) and became Madonna's first single since 1984 to not go into the top ten in the United States, stalling at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100. It was not released as a single in the United Kingdom until 1995, when it appeared on Something to Remember, a ballads compilation. Image File history File links Ohfathercover. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... This article is about the American entertainer. ... This article is about the album. ... “B-Sides” redirects here. ... is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... A CD single is a music single in the form of a compact disc. ... A 12-inch record (left), a 7-inch record (right), and a CD (above) Two 7 singles (left), two colored 7 singles (middle), and two 7 singles with large spindle holes (right). ... Insert from the Winter cassette single by Tori Amos The cassette single was a music recording format that debuted in the 80s. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. ... Sire Records Company is an American record label, owned by Warner Music Group and distributed through Warner Bros. ... Warner Bros. ... Maverick Recording Company, is an American record label owned and operated by Warner Music Group, and distributed through Warner Bros. ... Warner Bros. ... A songwriter is someone who writes the lyrics to songs, the musical composition or melody to songs, or both. ... Patrick Raymond Leonard (born 1955 or 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings. ... In the music industry, a record producer (or music producer) has many roles, among them controlling the recording sessions, coaching and guiding the musicians, organizing and scheduling production budget and resources, and supervising the recording, mixing and mastering processes. ... This article is about the American entertainer. ... Audio sample Cherish is a pop song written by American singer Madonna and Patrick Leonard for Madonnas fourth album Like a Prayer (1989). ... Like a Prayer track listing Cherish (6) Dear Jessie (7) Oh Father (8) Dear Jessie is a single by Madonna released in December of 1989 in some European countries and Australia, from the album Like a Prayer. ... This article is about the album. ... Like a Prayer track listing Cherish (6) Dear Jessie (7) Oh Father (8) Dear Jessie is a single by Madonna released in December of 1989 in some European countries and Australia, from the album Like a Prayer. ... Keep It Together is a pop song written and produced by American singer Madonna and Stephen Bray for Madonnas fourth album Like a Prayer (1989). ... Something to Remember is the third compilation album by pop singer Madonna, released on November 7, 1995 by Maverick Records. ... Erotica track listing Something to Remember track listing Rain was the fifth (and final, in the US) single from Madonnas 1992 album Erotica. ... Something to Remember track listing Something to Remember track listing I Want You is a song by American singer Madonna from her 1995 compilation Something to Remember. ... For other uses, see Pop music (disambiguation). ... This article is about the American entertainer. ... Patrick Raymond Leonard (born 1955 or 1956) is an American songwriter, keyboardist and music producer, known for his longtime collaboration with Madonna on many different recordings. ... This article is about the album. ... A collection of various CD singles In music, a single is a short recording of one or more separate tracks. ... See also: 1989 in music (UK) Musical groups established in 1989 Record labels established in 1989 // January 7 - Genesis 88 and Sunrise/Back to the Future stage large-scale illegal Acid House party in London January 14 - Paul McCartney releases Снова в СССР exclusively in Russia. ... “Hot 100” redirects here. ... Something to Remember is the third compilation album by pop singer Madonna, released on November 7, 1995 by Maverick Records. ...

Madonna performed an excerpt from "Of Father" during Act II of her Blond Ambition Tour in a medley that also included Like a Prayer, Live to Tell, and Papa Don't Preach. The medley took place in a church wherein Madonna rebelled against a group of dancers dressed as Catholic priests. The Blond Ambition Tour was a world concert tour by pop singer Madonna. ... Like a Prayer track listing Like a Prayer (1) Express Yourself (2) The Immaculate Collection track listing La Isla Bonita (11) Like a Prayer (12) Express Yourself (13) This article is about the 1989 single by Madonna. ... True Blue track listing White Heat (3) Live to Tell (4) Wheres the Party (5) The Immaculate Collection track listing Into the Groove (7) Live to Tell (8) Papa Dont Preach (9) Something to Remember track listing This Used to Be My Playground (6) Live to Tell (7... Papa Dont Preach is a song by Madonna and the second single from her third studio album True Blue (1986). ... Roman Catholic priest A priest or priestess is a holy man or woman who takes an officiating role in worship of any religion, with the distinguishing characteristic of offering sacrifices. ...

Music video

Madonna in "Oh Father" video.

The music video was filmed in late October 1989 at Culver Studios in Culver City, California and was directed by David Fincher. Shot entirely in black-and-white, the video is said to have taken stylistic inspiration from the Orson Welles film Citizen Kane. MTV world premiered the video on November 11, 1989. Image File history File links Oh-father-cap. ... Image File history File links Oh-father-cap. ... A music video is a short film or video that accompanies a complete piece of music, most commonly a song. ... 1989 is a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The Culver Studios is a historic Colonial-styled movie studio located at 9336 W. Washington Blvd. ... Motto: The Heart of Screenland Location of Culver City in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country State County Los Angeles Incorporated (city) 1917-09-07 [2] Government  - City Manager Jerry Fulwood [1] Area  - City  5. ... David Leo Fincher (born August 28, 1962) is an American music video and film director known for his dark and stylish portraits of the human experience, particularly Fight Club and Se7en. ... This article includes a list of works cited or a list of external links, but its sources remain unclear because it lacks in-text citations. ... Citizen Kane is a 1941 mystery/drama film released by RKO Pictures and directed by Orson Welles, his first feature film. ... This article is about the original U.S. music television channel. ... is the 315th day of the year (316th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

In the largely autobiographical video, Madonna portrays a character who is struggling to come to terms with her early childhood loss of her mother and the subsequent emotional abuse she suffered at the hands of her father. The video contains graphic depiction of the struggles faced by Madonna's character. Emotional abuse refers to a long-term situation in which one person uses his or her power or influence to adversely affect the mental well-being of another. ...

In an opening scene, Madonna's character, as a young girl, finds her way into a closet where her dead mother's clothes and jewelry is stored. The young girl tries on many clothes and jewels, only to be discovered by her father who proceeds to scold the girl, scream in her face, and shake her so hard that her mother's pearl necklace breaks, falls from her neck, and spills on the floor.

In a closing scene, an adult Madonna lay down in bed next to the actor who in earlier scenes depicted her father. The actor soon awakens from his sleep, emerges from the bed, slaps Madonna across the face for no apparent reason, and then proceeds to walk out of the room in silence. In an interview, Madonna said that this is symbolic dramatization of her belief that people "marry their parents", that is, are attracted to partners who behave in a manner similar to the behavior to that of their parents during their childhoods.

Later, Madonna's character, as a little girl, is depicted as participating in the funeral service for her mother. The child approaches the dead mother to kiss her on the cheek, and is surprised to find that her mother's lips are sewn together. In an interview, Madonna claims that MTV censors requested that the shot depicting the mother's lips be removed as they felt it was considered too graphic. Madonna claims that she refused to edit out the scene and that MTV censors eventually changed their positions and allowed the video to run in its entirety.

The music video has been honoured by Rolling Stone as one of the "The 100 Top Music Videos", placed at number sixty-six. It is commercially available on Madonna's The Immaculate Collection (1990) DVD/VHS companion. In the 1991 MTV special hosted by Kurt Loder titled "Breakfast with Madonna", Loder described the video as "the most amazing video". He then asked Madonna if her father, Silvio Ciccone, had seen the video. Madonna responded, "To tell you the truth, I don't know if he's seen it. I'm sort of afraid to ask." This article is about the magazine. ... The Immaculate Collection is Madonnas first greatest hits compilation to be commercially released. ... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... Bottom view of VHS cassette with magnetic tape exposed Top view of VHS cassette with front casing removed The Video Home System, better known by its abbreviation VHS, is a recording and playing standard. ... Promotional photo of Kurt Loder Kurt Loder (born May 5, 1945) is a film critic, author, and television personality. ...

• Director: David Fincher
• Producer: Vicki Niles
• Director of Photography: Jordan Cronenweth
• Editor: Jim Haygood
• Production Company: Propaganda Films

Chart performance

"Oh Father" was released in the United States on October 24, 1989. The song became Madonna's first single since "Holiday" in 1983 not to go top ten in the United States, stalling at number twenty on the Billboard Hot 100. The song first appeared in the top forty on the Billboard Hot 100 single chart during the week of November 25, 1989, but it ended Madonna's streak of consecutive top ten hits. is the 297th day of the year (298th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ... Madonna UK chronology Rescue Me (1991) Holiday (UK re-issue) (1991) This Used to Be My Playground (1992) Holiday is a song and the third single by pop singer Madonna, released on September 7, 1983 by Sire Records. ... is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday (link displays 1989 Gregorian calendar). ...

Outside the U.S. the song also failed to reach the top ten except in Ireland where at peaked at number 8. It reached number twelve in Japan.

It reached number twenty-six in France where the song was released in March 1990 as the third commercial single from the "Like A Prayer" album, six months after the low charting "Cherish" and only four weeks before "Vogue" , thus showing how terrible the Warner Bros France promotion of "Like A Prayer" was. It is Madonna's lowest charting single in Australia, where it only reached number fifty-nine, breaking a run of twenty consecutive top forty singles. For the song by KMFDM, see Vogue (single). ...

"Oh Father" was not released as a single in the United Kingdom until December 25, 1995, when it appeared on Something to Remember. Released in the UK only, the song peaked at number sixteen on the UK singles chart. is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... “British Hit Singles” redirects here. ...

Charts

Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Oh Father."

3" CD single

1. "Oh Father"
2. "[Pray for] Spanish Eyes"

US cassette single and 7" single

1. "Oh Father"
2. "Pray for Spanish Eyes"

CANADA 7" single (*)

1. "Oh Father" 4:20 (edit)
2. "Pray for Spanish Eyes" 5:15 (LP Version)

(*) http://www.madonnarecords.com/data/record.asp?id=5061

UK cassette single (1995)

1. "Oh Father"
2. "Live to Tell" (live edit from Ciao Italia)

UK CD single (1995)

1. "Oh Father"
2. "Live to Tell" (live edit from Ciao Italia)
3. "Why's It So Hard" (live from The Girlie Show)

True Blue track listing White Heat (3) Live to Tell (4) Wheres the Party (5) The Immaculate Collection track listing Into the Groove (7) Live to Tell (8) Papa Dont Preach (9) Something to Remember track listing This Used to Be My Playground (6) Live to Tell (7...

References

• Billboard.com. link. Last accessed on March 6, 2006. - U.S. chart positions.
• MoCaW: Madonna on Charts around the World. link. Last accessed on March 6, 2006. - Worldwide chart positions and certifications.
• EIL.com. link. Last accessed on March 6, 2006. - Formats and track listings.