"Cherish"
Single by Madonna
from the album Like a Prayer
B-side	"Supernatural" (previously unreleased track)
Released	August 1, 1989
Format	CD, 7", 12", Cassette
Genre	Pop
Length	5:03 (album version) 4:03 (7" version) 3:49 (greatest hits versions)
Label	Sire, Warner Bros.
Writer(s)	Madonna Patrick Leonard
Producer	Madonna Patrick Leonard
Certification	Gold Australia Silver UK
Madonna singles chronology
"Express Yourself" (1989) "Cherish" (1989) "Oh Father" (1989)
Like a Prayer track listing "Promise to Try" (5) "Cherish" (6) "Dear Jessie" (7) The Immaculate Collection track listing "Express Yourself" (13) "Cherish" (14) "Vogue" (15)

"Cherish" is a song by American singer-songwriter Madonna. It was released as the third single from her fourth studio album Like a Prayer on August 1, 1989 by Sire Records. It has since appeared in a shorter form on the 1990 compilation album The Immaculate Collection (also slightly remixed in this case) and the two-disc edition of her 2009 compilation of hits titled Celebration. The single included the previously unreleased track "Supernatural."

 Chart performance

In the United States, "Cherish" debuted at number thirty-seven on the Billboard Hot 100 singles chart. It eventually peaked at number two on October 7, 1989. "Cherish" became Madonna's sixteenth consecutive top-five single, a record in Hot 100 chart history.^[1]

Unlike previous Madonna singles, "Cherish" was not a dance hit and did not make an appearance on the dance chart, but was a number one adult contemporary hit (her third after "Live to Tell" and "La Isla Bonita"), becoming one of the singles that helped Madonna emerge as the number one adult contemporary singles artist of 1989.

On August 1, 1989, "Cherish" was released in the United Kingdom. The song became Madonna's twenty-first top ten single when it peaked at number three in its second week on the singles chart, and spent a total of eight weeks in the top seventy-five. Outside of the UK, the song was also successful. It reached number two in Ireland, Israel and South Africa, number three in Japan and number four in Australia, becoming Madonna's sixteenth top ten single. The single sold considerably well in many territories, being certified gold in Australia and silver in the UK.

 Music video

Madonna on a beach in the black-and-white "Cherish" video.

"Cherish" features a black-and-white music video that was directed by Herb Ritts and was filmed in July 1989 at Paradise Cove Beach in Malibu, California. It world-premiered on MTV on August 28, 1989. Madonna also used this beach location for her The Power of Good-Bye music video from her Ray of Light album.

Herb Ritts was one of Madonna's preferred photographers at that time ^[2] and shot Madonna for the cover of her 1986 album True Blue. When she told Ritts she wanted him to direct the "Cherish" video, Ritts reportedly tried to talk her out of it, saying, "But I'm a still photographer. I don't know anything about film." Undaunted, Madonna replied simply, "Well you have a few weeks to learn."^{[citation needed]}

One of the reasons that this video was shot in black and white was due to the fact that the water was very cold, causing Madonna's already pale complexion to look even whiter.^{[citation needed]} She is known for avoiding the sun.^{[citation needed]}

The video also features model Tony Ward,one of Madonna's ex-lovers. He makes his first appearance alongside Madonna in this video by playing one of the mermen. He has also appears in the music videos for "Justify My Love" and "Erotica".

Madonna performed this song on her 1990 Blond Ambition Tour while strumming a harp; her stage dancers were dressed as mermen.

• Director: Herb Ritts
• Producer: Sharon Oreck
• Director of Photography: Herb Ritts
• Production Company: O Pictures

 Formats and track listings

These are the formats and track listings of major single releases of "Cherish":^[3]

• Cassette single

1. "Cherish" (7" Version) – 4:03
2. "Supernatural" – 5:12

• U.S. 7" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" (7" Version) – 4:03
2. "Supernatural" – 5:12

• U.K. 7" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" – 5:03
2. "Supernatural" – 5:12

• 12" vinyl single

1. "Cherish" (Extended Version) – 6:18
2. "Cherish" (7" Version) – 4:03
3. "Supernatural" – 5:12

 Official versions

• Album Version (5:03)
• 7" Version/Fade (4:03)
• Extended Version (6:18)
• The Immaculate Collection Version (3:49)
• Celebration Version (3:49)
• Video Version (4:33)

 Charts

 Chart procession and succession

 Trivia

• In 2003, Madonna fans were asked to vote for their Top 20 Madonna singles of all-time by Q-Magazine. "Cherish" was allocated the #18 spot.
• In a 2009 interview with Rolling Stone, Madonna called "Cherish" one of her most 'retarded' songs.^[6]

 Cover versions

• The late Brazilian singer Renato Russo included an acoustic cover of the song on his 1994 album The Stonewall Celebration Concert.
• The 2000 compilation album Virgin Voices: A Tribute To Madonna, Vol. 2 contains a cover by worldbeat group Loop Guru.
• An alternative rock cover of the song by The Prayers was included on the 2007 Madonna tribute compilation Through the Wilderness.
• Indie artist Mr. Boogie recorded an acoustic cover which was available for download on the Internet.