Pray (MC Hammer song)

"Pray"
Single by MC Hammer
from the album Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em
B-side	"U Can't Touch This" (LP version)
Released	August 21, 1990 (1990-08-21)
Length	5:11
Label	Capitol
Songwriter(s)	MC Hammer, Prince
Producer(s)	MC Hammer
MC Hammer singles chronology
"Have You Seen Her" (1990) "Pray" (1990) "Here Comes the Hammer" (1990)

"Pray" is a song released in August 1990 by Capitol as the third single from American rapper and dancer MC Hammer's third album, Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em (1990). Produced by Hammer, the song heavily samples Prince's 1984 song "When Doves Cry", the first of just a few times that Prince allowed samples of his compositions. The track also interpolates Faith No More's "We Care a Lot".^[1][2] The word "pray" is mentioned 147 times during the song, setting the record for the number of times a song title is repeated in an American Top 40 hit.^[3]

"Pray" became MC Hammer's biggest hit on the US Billboard Hot 100, where it peaked at number two. The track also became a top-40 hit in multiple countries, and helped make Please Hammer Don't Hurt 'Em the number-one album of the year.^[4] The song was certified gold in the US on November 26, 1990 (with sales over 500,000 copies). The song, accompanied with music videos, 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).

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

^[5][6]

Charts

Weekly charts Chart (1990–1991) Peak position Australia (ARIA)[7] 7 Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[8] 13 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[9] 4 Canada Top Singles (RPM)[10] 14 Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[11] 3 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[12] 5 Finland (Suomen virallinen lista)[13] 7 Germany (GfK)[14] 4 Ireland (IRMA)[15] 13 Netherlands (Dutch Top 40)[16] 3 Netherlands (Single Top 100)[17] 3 New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[18] 2 Norway (VG-lista)[19] 5 Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[20] 18 Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[21] 10 UK Singles (OCC)[22] 8 US Billboard Hot 100[23] 2 US 12-inch Singles Sales (Billboard)[24] 27 US Dance Club Play (Billboard)[25] 3 US Hot R&B Singles (Billboard)[26] 4 US Hot Rap Singles (Billboard)[27] 7 US Cash Box Top 100[28] 3

Year-end charts Chart (1990) Position Canada Dance/Urban (RPM)[29] 27 Chart (1991) Position Australia (ARIA)[30] 56 Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)[31] 75 Europe (Eurochart Hot 100)[32] 59 Europe (European Hit Radio)[33] 86 Germany (Official German Charts)[34] 55

Certifications

Region	Certification	Certified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[35]	Gold	35,000^^
France	—	25,000[36]
United States (RIAA)[37]	Gold	500,000^^
^^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

1. "MC Hammer | Biography, News, Photos and Videos". Contactmusic.com. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
2. Corcoran, Michael (May 17, 1990). "MC Hammer: Please Hammer, Don't Hurt 'Em : Music Reviews". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on October 21, 2007. Retrieved June 1, 2012.
3. "American Top 40 with Shadoe Stevens". Webcitation.org. Archived from the original on October 25, 2009. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
4. "MC Hammer - Biography". Billboard.com. March 30, 1962. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
5. "MC Hammer - Pray Album Reviews, Songs & More - AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
6. "MC Hammer's Pray (Jam the Hammer Mix) remix by MC Hammer". Who Sampled. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
7. "MC Hammer – Pray". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
8. "MC Hammer – Pray" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
9. "MC Hammer – Pray" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
10. "Top RPM Singles: Issue 9085." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
11. "Top RPM Dance/Urban: Issue 9168." RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
12. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 2. January 12, 1991. p. 31. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
13. Pennanen, Timo (2006). Sisältää hitin – levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla vuodesta 1972 (in Finnish) (1st ed.). Helsinki: Tammi. ISBN 978-951-1-21053-5.
14. "MC Hammer – Pray" (in German). GfK Entertainment charts.
15. "The Irish Charts – Search Results – MC Hammer". Irish Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
16. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 51, 1990" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
17. "MC Hammer – Pray" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
18. "MC Hammer – Pray". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
19. "MC Hammer – Pray". VG-lista. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
20. "MC Hammer – Pray". Singles Top 100. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
21. "MC Hammer – Pray". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
22. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
23. "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. November 10, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
24. "Dance Singles Sales". Billboard. November 17, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
25. "Dance Club Songs". Billboard. December 8, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
26. "Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs". Billboard. November 10, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
27. "Hot Rap Songs". Billboard. November 24, 1990. Retrieved July 25, 2023.
28. "Top 100 Singles" (PDF). Cash Box. Vol. LIV, no. 16. November 17, 1990. p. 4. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
29. "Top 50 Dance Tracks of 1990". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
30. Ryan, Gavin (2011). Australia's Music Charts 1988–2010. Mt. Martha, VIC, Australia: Moonlight Publishing.
31. "Jaaroverzichten 1991" (in Dutch). Ultratop. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
32. "Eurochart Hot 100 Singles 1991" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 21. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
33. "EHR Year-End Top 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 8, no. 51–52. December 21, 1991. p. 20. Retrieved February 24, 2024.
34. "Top 100 Singles–Jahrescharts 1991" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved April 28, 2021.
35. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1991 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved June 4, 2023.
36. Legrand, Emmanuel (March 23, 1991). "EMI Prays With A Hammer" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 8. Retrieved March 5, 2023.
37. "American single certifications – Hammer – Pray". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved April 28, 2021.