Pray (MC Hammer song)

"Pray"
Single by M.C. Hammer
from the album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
Released September 21, 1990
Format Vinyl, Cassette, CD
Recorded 1989
Genre Hip hop
Length 5:11
Label Capitol
Writer(s) Stanley Burrell, Prince Rogers Nelson, Billy Gould, Roddy Bottum
Producer(s) M.C. Hammer
Certification Gold (RIAA)
M.C. Hammer chronology
"Have You Seen Her"
(1990)		 "Pray"
(1990)		 "Here Comes the Hammer"
(1990)

"Pray" was the third single released from M.C. Hammer's third album, Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em. Produced by M.C. Hammer himself, the song heavily sampled Prince's hit song, "When Doves Cry", the first and one of the few songs legally sanctioned by Prince to incorporate samples of one of his compositions. The track also sampled Faith No More's "We Care a Lot".[1]

"Pray" became Hammer's biggest hit on the Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number two, becoming a Top-20 hit in nine countries. The track helped make Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em the number one album of the year.[2] In the U. S., the song was certified gold on November 26, 1990, with sales over 500,000 copies.

This hit single (accompanied with music videos[3]) became one of Hammer's most popular songs and has appeared on several compilation albums, including Greatest Hits, Back 2 Back Hits and The Hits. It also appeared in Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em: The Movie (1990). "Pray" was repeated 147 times during the song, setting the record for an American Top 40 hit.[4]

Track listing

  1. "Pray" (Slam The Hammer Mix) - 8:01 (aka Maxi-Single Remix)
  2. "Pray" (Slam The Hammer Piano Dub) - 5:26
  3. "Pray" (Jam The Hammer Mix) - 5:00
  4. "Pray" (Hit 'Em Hard Mix) - 5:25
  5. "Pray" (Nail 'Em Down Chant) - 4:56
  6. "U Can't Touch This" (LP Version) - 4:15

Additional versions released

  1. "Pray" (LP Version) - 5:16
  2. "Pray" (Radio edit) - 4:11
  3. "Pray" (Instrumental) - 4:43[5]

Charts

Chart (1990) Peak
position
Billboard Hot 100 2
Billboard Hot R&B Singles 4
Billboard Hot Rap Singles 7
Billboard Dance Music/Club Play Singles 3
Billboard Hot Dance Music/Maxi-Singles Sales 27
Australian Singles Chart 7
Austria 13
Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[6] 7
Germany (Media Control Charts)[7] 4
Netherlands 3
New Zealand 2
Norway 5
Sweden 18
Switzerland 10
UK Singles Chart 8

References

  1. ↑
  2. ↑
  3. ↑
  4. ↑ American Top 40 with Shadoe Stevens - 1992
  5. ↑
  6. ↑ Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin - levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
  7. ↑ "Chartverfulgong > MC Hammer > Pray – musicline.de" (in German). Media Control Charts. PhonoNet GmbH.

External links