Promise to Try
Madonna * Track #5 On Like a Prayer
Download "Promise to Try"
Promise to Try by Madonna
Release Date
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MadonnaAbout
“Promise to Try” is a melancholy ballad by Madonna from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer. When asked about the album itself, Madonna responded saying it was “about my mother, my father, and bonds with my family.”
“Promise to Try” carries the theme of family, dedicated to Madonna’s mother, Mad...
Promise to Try Lyrics
[Verse 1]
Little girl, don't you forget her face
Laughing away your tears
When she was the one who felt all the pain
[Verse 2]
Little girl, never forget her eyes
Keep them alive inside
I promise to try
But it's not the same
[Chorus]
Keep your head held high
Ride like the wind
Never look behind, life isn't fair
That's what you said, so I try not to care
[Verse 3]
Little girl, don't run away so fast
I think you forgot to kiss
Kiss her goodbye
[Chorus]
Will she see me cry when I stumble and fall?
Does she hear my voice in the night when I call?
Wipe away all your tears, it's gonna be all right
[Bridge]
I fought to be so strong
I guess you knew
I was afraid
You'd go away too
[Verse 4]
Little girl, you've got to forget the past
And learn to forgive me
I promise to try
But it feels like a lie
[Chorus]
Don't let memory play games with your mind
She's a faded smile frozen in time
I'm still hanging on
But I'm doing it wrong
[Outro]
Can't kiss her goodbye
But I promise to try
Promise to Try Q&A
Who wrote Promise to Try's ?
Promise to Try was written by Madonna & Patrick Leonard.
Who produced Promise to Try's ?
Promise to Try was produced by Madonna & Patrick Leonard.
When did Madonna release Promise to Try?
Madonna released Promise to Try on Tue Mar 21 1989.
What has Madonna said about how music helped her cope with her loss?
I’ve turned my need on to the world and said, ‘OK, I don’t have a mother to love me, I’m going to make the world love me.’
-Madonna, via Rolling Stone
What has Madonna said about how her mother dealt with her sickness?
But I don’t think she ever allowed herself to wallow in the tragedy of her situation. So in that respect I think she gave me an incredible lesson.
-Madonna, via Chicago Tribune
How did Madonna's mother's death influence her career?
I became very obsessed with death, and the idea that you never know when death will arrive, so one has to do as much as possible all the time to get the most out of life. That would be a motivating force. And death was a big part of my life growing up. I went to lots of funerals … But you digress.
...
What has Madonna said about the negative effects of her mother's death?
I know that some of my lack of inhibition comes from my mother’s death. For example, mothers teach you manners. And I absolutely did not learn any of those rules and regulations. And because I had such a large family, I realized that I would only be noticed and heard if I made the biggest noise. If...
What has Madonna said about "Promise to Try" and "Oh, Father"?
Madonna considers “Promise to Try” and “Oh Father” companion tracks, as they both contemplate relationships with her past and her parents. The tracks were also both co-written and produced by Patrick Leonard.
Does this song appear in any documentaries?
“Promise to Try” appears in Madonna’s documentary, Truth or Dare, in the scene where Madonna visits her mother’s grave.