Madonna, Prince and the pope

Madonna was back on top of the charts 30 years ago this week with her most controversial song to that point in her career. "Like a Prayer" was a mashup of religion and sexuality.

Pope John Paul II felt that the video for the song was blasphemous and called for a boycott of Madonna's performances in Italy.

The producer of the song revealed in an interview that Prince recorded a guitar solo, which was cut from the final mix. You can hear him playing for few seconds at beginning of the track before the sound of the door slamming.

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.