About The Song
“Papa Don’t Preach” is a song by American singer Madonna from her third studio album, True Blue (1986). Written by Brian Elliot, it was produced by the singer and her collaborator Stephen Bray. In the United States, the song was released as the album’s second single on June 11, 1986, whereas in most European countries, the release was five days later. A dance-pop track with that mixes elements of baroque, post-disco and classical music, its lyrics deal with teenage pregnancy. Elliot wrote it inspired by teen gossip he’d hear outside his recording studio. Originally intended for a singer named Christina Dent, Warner Bros. Records A&R executive Michael Ostin convinced Elliot he let Madonna record it instead. The singer then added and altered a few of the lyrics, and got a songwriting credit.
Upon release, the song was lauded by critics, with praise being given to Madonna’s vocals. Additionally, it became her fourth number one single in the US Billboard Hot 100. “Papa Don’t Preach” also topped the charts in Canada, the United Kingdom and Australia, and peaked within the top-five of multiple European countries. The accompanying music video, directed by James Foley, shows the singer in her first “head-to-toe” image makeover, with a leaner, more muscular body. In it, Madonna plays a teenager who confesses her pregnancy to her father, played by actor Danny Aiello. The scenes are juxtaposed with shots of her dancing and singing in a small, darkened studio.
The song caused controversy because of its lyrical content and video. Women’s organizations and others in the family planning field accused Madonna of promoting teenage pregnancy, while groups opposed to abortion saw the song as having a positive pro-life message. Madonna has performed “Papa Don’t Preach” in five of her concert tours, the last being 2019―2020’s Madame X Tour. The single’s performance at the Who’s That Girl World Tour (1987) caused Madonna’s first conflict with the Vatican, as she dedicated it to Pope John Paul II, who urged Italian fans to boycott her concerts. In 2002, British personality Kelly Osbourne released a cover of the song, which received mixed reviews but achieved commercial success.
Brian Elliot wrote “Papa Don’t Preach”. Based on teen gossip he would hear outside his recording studio, which had a large front window that was used as mirror by schoolgirls from the Los Angeles’ North Hollywood High School, Elliot described the track as a “love song, maybe framed a little bit differently […] about a young girl who found herself at a crossroads in life and didn’t know where to turn”. In 1986, Elliot ―who’d previously attempted a singing career to no avail― was working and writing songs for Christina Dent, an upcoming singer signed up to Warner Bros. Records. Elliot then played the demos he’d created for Dent, among them “Papa Don’t Preach”, to Warner Bros. A&R executive Michael Ostin. Ostin had discovered “Like a Virgin”, and asked Elliot if he could play “Papa Don’t Preach” to Madonna, who at the time was working on True Blue, her third studio album, alongside Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray. Madonna heard and liked the song, so Ostin talked Elliot into letting her record it. Elliot had been working with Dent for six months and was reluctant to let the song go to another artist, but he eventually gave in, finding the idea of Madonna recording one of his songs “hard to resist”. Madonna’s contribution was limited to a few altered and added-on lyrics, making “Papa Don’t Preach” the only song on the album that she did not have a strong hand in writing; nonetheless, she managed to get a songwriting credit.
“Papa Don’t Preach”, along with the rest of the True Blue album, was recorded at Los Angeles’ Channel Recording studios. When they met at the studio, Madonna allegedly asked Elliot if she had “wrecked his song”, and the two got into a brief discussion that was eventually resolved. Personnel working on the song included Bray on keyboards and percussions, alongside Fred Zarr and Jonathan Moffett; David Williams, Bruce Gaitsch and John Putnam played guitars, while background vocals were provided by Siedah Garrett and Edie Lehmann. Zarr had worked on Madonna’s 1983 debut, and she called him back to work on True Blue. When working on the song, Zarr came up with a string sequence while “doodling around” on an Emulator II synthesizer. After Madonna heard it, she liked it and decided to use it as introduction, putting it at the beginning of the song; Zarr, however, remained uncredited.
Video
Lyrics
Papa, I know you’re going to be upset
‘Cause I was always your little girl
But you should know by now
I’m not a baby
You always taught me right from wrong
I need your help, daddy, please be strong
I may be young at heart
But I know what I’m saying
The one you warned me all about
The one you said I could do without
We’re in an awful mess
And I don’t mean maybe, please
Papa, don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa, don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I’m keeping my baby, hm
I’m gonna keep my baby, hm
He says that he’s going to marry me
And we can raise a little family
Maybe we’ll be all right
It’s a sacrifice
But my friends keep telling me to give it up
Saying I’m too young, I oughta live it up
What I need right now is some good advice, please
Papa, don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa, don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I’m keeping my baby, hm
I’m gonna keep my baby, ooh ooh
Daddy, daddy if you could only see
Just how good he’s been treating me
You’d give us your blessing right now
‘Cause we are in love
We are in love (in love), so please (so)
Papa, don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa, don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
But I made up my mind, I’m keeping my baby, hm
I’m gonna keep my baby, ooh ooh
Papa, don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa, don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
Papa, don’t preach, I’m in trouble deep
Papa, don’t preach, I’ve been losing sleep
Papa, don’t preach (oh, I’m gonna keep my baby)
Papa, don’t preach (ooh)
Papa, don’t preach (don’t stop loving me, daddy)
Papa, don’t preach (I know I’m keeping my baby)