Like a Prayer (album) except in Finland and Italy, where it peaked at number six. It ended Madonna's string of 16 consecutive top five singles in the United States. "Dear Jessie" was released as the fifth single from "Like a Prayer" on December 10, 1989. The release of "Dear Jessie" was limited to the United Kingdom, certain other European countries, Australia and Japan. Upon its release, "Dear Jessie" received mixed reviews from critics, who complained about the overdone fantasy imagery of the song, but complimented its composition. The track was a moderate success commercially, reaching the top 10 in the United Kingdom and Ireland
Like a Prayer (album) Platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) for shipments of three million units. After the advent of the Nielsen SoundScan era in 1991, the album sold a further 575,000 copies. "Like a Prayer" has sold over 4 million copies in the United States. In Canada, the album debuted at number two on the RPM Albums Chart on May 1, 1989. It remained on that position during four weeks, before dropping to the third position the week of May 29, 1989. The album was present for a total of 37 weeks on the chart, and was certified five times