Cherish (Madonna song)

Cherish (Madonna song)
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Name	Cherish
Type	single
Artist	Madonna
Album	Erotica
Released	6 August 1989
Format	7-inch, 12-inch, cassette, CD
Recorded	1989
Studio	Sigma Sound Studios, New York City
Genre	Pop, Doo-wop
Length	5:36
Label	Sire, Warner Bros.
Writer	Madonna, Patrick Leonard
Producer	Madonna, Patrick Leonard
Prev title	Express Yourself
Prev year	1989
Next title	Oh Father
Next year	1989

Cherish (Madonna song) is a 1989 single by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album, Erotica. Co-written and co-produced with Patrick Leonard, the song contrasts the album's darker themes with a nostalgic, romantic sound influenced by 1950s and 1960s pop. Released by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records, it became one of Madonna's commercially successful singles and a notable entry in late-1980s mainstream pop music.

Background and writing

Madonna collaborated with Patrick Leonard following previous work on True Blue and Like a Prayer, seeking to expand sonic palettes after the Who's That Girl World Tour and the film Dick Tracy involvement. Sessions at Sigma Sound Studios in New York City brought in musicians associated with Prince-era funk and session players from Philadelphia International Records alumni. The songwriting credits list Madonna and Patrick Leonard; their partnership had produced hits for Madonna and influenced contemporaries such as Whitney Houston, Cyndi Lauper, George Michael, Sting, and Janet Jackson. Management by Freddie DeMann and business strategies from Warner Bros. Records shaped the single selection process amid the cultural backdrop of the 1980s and the controversies surrounding Madonna's public image post-Blonde Ambition World Tour planning.

Composition and lyrics

"Cherish" is built around a retro-inflected arrangement that evokes doo-wop harmonies and the melodic sensibilities of The Beach Boys, The Ronettes, and Phil Spector-style production. Instrumentation includes soft percussion, clean electric guitar lines akin to The Smiths' jangle pop, warm bass reminiscent of Motown grooves and layered vocal harmonies that recall The Supremes and Dionne Warwick. Lyrically, Madonna delivers a romantic ode referencing classical and contemporary icons of affection in lines that echo themes explored by Paul McCartney, John Lennon, Carole King, and Gerry Goffin—blending sentimentalism with pop-craft. The structure follows verse–chorus conventions used by Neil Sedaka and Burt Bacharach while integrating bridge passages that nod to Elvis Presley balladry.

Release and promotion

Released in August 1989, the single followed "Express Yourself" and preceded "Oh Father" in Madonna's promotional cycle managed by Sire Records and Warner Bros. Records executives including Lenny Waronker. Promotional appearances were coordinated with television outlets such as MTV, The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson and David Letterman's program, as well as print interviews in Rolling Stone, Spin, Vogue, Time, and The New York Times. Formats included 7-inch, 12-inch, cassette single and CD single issued across markets including the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, Germany and Japan. Remixes and B-sides reflected input from remixers influenced by Shep Pettibone, Stock Aitken Waterman, and club culture associated with Studio 54 veterans.

Critical reception

Contemporary reviews in publications such as Billboard, NME, Melody Maker, The Guardian, and Los Angeles Times offered mixed to positive assessments. Critics compared the song's retro approach to work by Phil Spector, Brian Wilson, Roy Orbison, Smokey Robinson, Carole Bayer Sager compositions and praised Madonna's vocal restraint, citing echoes of Debbie Gibson-era pop and classic songwriting by Chet Baker influences. Some reviewers from Village Voice and The New Yorker critiqued the track for perceived sentimentality amid the provocative persona Madonna projected in other songs, while defenders in Spin and Rolling Stone highlighted its melodic strength and radio-friendly arrangement.

Commercial performance

"Cherish" reached top 10 positions in multiple national charts, including the Billboard Hot 100, where it attained a high placement driven by airplay from Top 40 stations and adult contemporary playlists such as Billboard Adult Contemporary. Internationally, it charted well across Europe (notably in United Kingdom, Germany, France, Sweden, Netherlands), as well as in Australia and Canada. Sales certifications were awarded by bodies including the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), British Phonographic Industry (BPI), and Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). The single's performance reinforced Madonna's commercial dominance alongside peers like Michael Jackson, Prince, Whitney Houston, George Michael, and U2.

Music video

The music video, directed by a filmmaker associated with Madonna's visual collaborators following work with directors who had filmed for Madonna such as Jean-Baptiste Mondino and David Fincher, presented a stylized, pastel-hued tableau evoking seaside carnival imagery and mid-century romance. The video's mise-en-scène referenced cultural touchstones including Vintage Hollywood aesthetics, Grease-era choreography, and iconography tied to Coney Island and retro Americana often used by visual artists like Andy Warhol and David Hockney. Airplay on MTV and rotation in Europe contributed to the single's visibility; coverage appeared in VH1 specials and year-end video roundups.

Live performances and covers

Madonna incorporated the song into set lists for promotional performances and regional tours, occasionally presenting it in acoustic or reworked medley formats comparable to interpretations she gave other ballads from Erotica and earlier albums. Covers and reinterpretations were recorded by artists across genres, including performers influenced by Dolly Parton, Aimee Mann, Heaven 17, and contemporary indie acts; tribute compilations alongside songs by Elvis Costello, Tom Petty, R.E.M., and Patti Smith featured alternate takes. The song's durable melody ensured placements in compilation albums, retrospective box sets curated by labels such as Rhino Entertainment and inclusion in Madonna anthology releases overseen by Warner Music Group.

Category:1989 singles Category:Madonna songs