Cherish (Madonna song)

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“Cherish”
Single by Madonna from the album Like a Prayer
B-side	"Supernatural" (previously unreleased track)
Released	August 1, 1989
Format	CD, 7", Cassette
Genre	Pop, Dance-pop
Length	5:03 (original album version) 4:03 (7" Version) 3:51 (Immaculate Collection edit)
Label	Sire, Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Madonna Patrick Leonard
Producer	Madonna Patrick Leonard
Madonna singles chronology
"Express Yourself" (1989) "Cherish" (1989) "Oh Father" (1989)
Audio sample
Info (help·info)

"Cherish" was the third single by American singer-songwriter Madonna from her 4th studio album Like a Prayer and was released on August 1, 1989 by Sire Records. It also appears in a shorter and slightly remixed form on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection. The single included the previously unreleased track "Supernatural".

[edit] Music video

Madonna on a beach in the black and white "Cherish" video.

"Cherish" featured a black and white music video that was directed by Herb Ritts and was filmed in July 1989 at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. It world premiered on MTV on August 28, 1989.

In the video Madonna splashes in low tide in a black button-up dress. She flexes her muscles, poses playfully, and cavorts with a little merchild, who seems to have lost his way from a school of nearby mermen, who were played by the men's water polo team from nearby Pepperdine University. The final closeup of Madonna's face is a virtual copy from Janet Leigh's Psycho closeup after the shower scene murder.

Herb Ritts was one of Madonna's preferred photographers at that time and is best known for his photograph of Madonna on the cover of her 1986 album True Blue. In "Cherish" Ritts makes his photographs come to life, smoldering as they show Madonna reclining in the surf. According to fans and critics, his greatest achievement in the video was perfectly capturing Madonna's free spirit. When she told Ritts she wanted him to direct the "Cherish" video, Ritts reportedly tried to talk her out of it saying, "But I'm a still photographer. I don't know anything about film." Undaunted, Madonna replied simply, "Well you have a few weeks to learn."

The video also features model Tony Ward, one of Madonna's ex-lovers. He makes his first appearance alongside Madonna in this video by playing one of the mermen. He has also appeared in the music videos for "Justify My Love" and "Erotica".

• Director: Herb Ritts
• Producer: Sharon Oreck
• Director of Photography: Herb Ritts
• Production Company: O Pictures

[edit] Formats and track listings

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

• Cassette single

1. "Cherish" (7" Version) — 4:03
2. "Supernatural" — 5:12

• U.S. 7" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" (7" Version) — 4:03
2. "Supernatural" — 5:12

• U.K. 7" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" — 5:03
2. "Supernatural" — 5:12

• 12" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" (Extended Version) — 6:18
2. "Cherish" (7" Version) — 4:03
3. "Supernatural" — 5:12

[edit] Charts and Trivia

On August 1, 1989, "Cherish" was released in the United Kingdom. The song became Madonna's twenty-first top ten single when it peaked at number three in its second week on the singles chart, and spent a total of eight weeks in the top seventy-five. Outside of the UK, the song was also successful. It reached number two in Ireland, Israel and South Africa, number 3 in Japan and number four in Australia, becoming Madonna's sixteenth top ten single. The single sold considerably well in many territories, being certified gold in Australia and silver in the UK.

In the United States, it debuted at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. "Cherish" climbed the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart at a steady rate for eight weeks and peaked at number two(blocked by Janet Jackson's "Miss You Much") on October 7, 1989. "Cherish" became Madonna's 17th straight Top 10 single, although "Oh Father" would end this streak months later.

Unlike previous Madonna singles, "Cherish" was not a dance hit and did not make an appearance on the dance chart, but was a number one adult contemporary hit (her third after "Live to Tell" and "La Isla Bonita"), becoming one of the singles that helped Madonna emerge as the number one adult contemporary singles artist of 1989.

• In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all-time by Q-Magazine. "Cherish" was allocated the #18 spot.
• The release of "Cherish" marked the release of Madonna's 25th hit single.

[edit] References

• Billboard.com. link. Last accessed on Mar. 4, 2006. - U.S. chart positions.
• MoCaW: Madonna on Charts around the World. link. Last accessed on Mar. 4, 2006. - Worldwide chart positions and certifications.
• EIL.com. link. Last accessed on Mar. 4, 2006. - Formats and track listings.