Like a Prayer (song) the lyrics, "Like a Prayer" sounded religious to him but has an undertone of sexual tension. This was achieved by the gospel choir, whose voice heightens the song's spiritual nature, while the rock guitar sound keeps it dark and mysterious. For O'Brien, the lyrics describe Madonna receiving a vocation from God. Certain portions of the lyrics also alluded to Sean Penn and their failed marriage. According to Priya Elan from "NME", the line "Just like a muse to me, You are a mystery" was an example of this, befitting the description of an unattainable lover. This was also evident in
Like a Prayer (album) language and imagery". According to the list of "All-TIME 100 Albums" by "Time" magazine's critics, "Like a Prayer" is one of the 100 greatest and most influential musical compilations since 1954. In 2003, "Rolling Stone" magazine named it the 239th greatest album of all time. Apart from that the album was also featured in the "Women Who Rock" list made in 2012, at number 18. "Like a Prayer" is also featured in the book "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die". In 2006, "Q" magazine placed the album at number 14 in its list of "40 Best Albums of