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1977 NBA Finals
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1977 NBA Finals
Team
Coach
Wins
Portland Trail Blazers Jack Ramsay 4
Philadelphia 76ers Gene Shue 2
Dates
May 22–June 5
MVP
Bill Walton
(Portland Trail Blazers)
Television
CBS (U.S.)
Announcers
Brent Musburger, Rick Barry, and Steve "Snapper" Jones
Referees
Game 1:
John Vanak and Earl Strom
Game 2:
Richie Powers and Joe Gushue
Game 3:
Darell Garretson and Jake O'Donnell
Game 4:
Don Murphy and Manny Sokol
Game 5:
Darell Garretson and Earl Strom
Game 6:
Jake O'Donnell and Richie Powers
Hall of Famers
76ers:
Julius Erving (1993)
George McGinnis (2017)
Trail Blazers:
Bill Walton (1993)
Coaches:
Jack Ramsay (1992)
Officials:
Darell Garretson (2016)
Earl Strom (1995)
Eastern Finals
76ers defeat Rockets, 4–2
Western Finals
Trail Blazers defeat Lakers, 4–0
< 1976
NBA Finals
1978 >
The 1977 NBA World Championship Series was the championship round of the National Basketball Association (NBA)'s 1976–77 season, and the culmination of the season's playoffs. The Western Conference champion Portland Trail Blazers played against the Eastern Conference champion Philadelphia 76ers, with the 76ers holding home-court advantage. Their four regular season meetings had been split evenly, 2–2, with neither side winning away from home. The series was played under a best-of-seven format, so the first team to win four games would win the series and become the league champions.
The 1976–77 NBA season started with the ABA–NBA merger. Portland had benefited from the resulting ABA dispersal draft as they acquired Spirits of St. Louis power forward Maurice Lucas to partner with Bill Walton, and Philadelphia had signed ABA All-Star and 3-time ABA MVP Julius "Dr. J" Erving, who had taken the New York Nets to the ABA title the previous year. In the 1977 NBA Finals, five of the ten starting players were former ABA players (Julius Erving, Caldwell Jones, George McGinnis, Dave Twardzik, and Maurice Lucas.).[1]
While it was no surprise that Philadelphia had made it to the championship series, having posted the best record in the east (50-32, #1), Portland's appearance in the finals was a mild surprise. Portland, a team that was founded only seven years earlier, was not only making its playoff debut with its first winning season (49-33, #3), but it was also making its finals debut as well after sweeping the Los Angeles Lakers in four close games in the Western Conference Finals.
The series quickly went 2-0 in favor of Philadelphia, but over the next four games, Portland mounted a comeback that has rarely been seen in professional sports.
Contents
1 Background
1.1 Road to the Finals
1.2 Regular season series
2 Team rosters
2.1 Portland Trail Blazers
2.2 Philadelphia 76ers
3 Series summary
3.1 Game 1
3.2 Game 2
3.3 Game 3
3.4 Game 4
3.5 Game 5
3.6 Game 6
4 Notes
5 See also
6 References
7 Further reading
8 External links
Background[edit]
The Portland Trail Blazers franchise entered the NBA as an expansion team in 1970, along with the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Buffalo Braves. Like all expansion teams, the Trail Blazers struggled, but in 1974, hope was along the way.
Bill Walton was drafted first overall by the Trail Blazers in the 1974 NBA draft. The Trail Blazers, though still missing the playoffs, continued to add key pieces, such as Dave Twardzik, Lloyd Neal, Lionel Hollins, and Maurice Lucas. In 1976, Jack Ramsay was hired as head coach, and with a healthy Walton, Portland made the playoffs for the first time in the 1976–77 season, winning 49 games. The 3rd seeded Blazers would defeat the Chicago Bulls in three games, the Denver Nuggets in six games, and then swept the top-seeded Los Angeles Lakers in the conference finals.
The Philadelphia 76ers made it back to the playoffs in 1976, after missing the previous four years, which included a league-worst nine wins in the 1972–73 season. They acquired former ABA All-Star Julius Erving, late of the New York Nets, in the offseason. The 76ers won 50 games the next season, something they hadn't achieved since 1969. In the playoffs, they defeated the defending champion Boston Celtics in a tough seven-game series, and then advanced to the finals for the first time since 1967 by ousting the Houston Rockets in six games.
Road to the Finals[edit]
Main article: 1977 NBA Playoffs
Portland Trail Blazers (Western Conference champion)
Philadelphia 76ers (Eastern Conference champion)
#
Western Conference
v
t
e
Team
W
L
PCT
GB
1
z-Los Angeles Lakers 53 29 .646 –
2
y-Denver Nuggets 50 32 .610 3
3
x-Portland Trail Blazers 49 33 .598 4
4
x-Golden State Warriors 46 36 .561 7
5
x-Detroit Pistons 44 38 .537 9
6
x-Chicago Bulls 44 38 .537 9
7
Kansas City Kings 40 42 .488 13
7
Seattle SuperSonics 40 42 .488 13
9
Indiana Pacers 36 46 .439 17
10
Phoenix Suns 34 48 .415 19
11
Milwaukee Bucks 30 52 .366 23
3rd seed in the West, 5th best league record
Regular season
#
Eastern Conference
v
t
e
Team
W
L
PCT
GB
1
z-Philadelphia 76ers 50 32 .610 –
2
y-Houston Rockets 49 33 .598 1
3
x-Washington Bullets 48 34 .585 2
4
x-Boston Celtics 44 38 .537 6
5
x-San Antonio Spurs 44 38 .537 6
6
x-Cleveland Cavaliers 43 39 .524 7
7
New York Knicks 40 42 .488 10
8
New Orleans Jazz 35 47 .427 15
9
Atlanta Hawks 31 51 .378 19
10
Buffalo Braves 30 52 .366 20
11
New York Nets 22 60 .268 28

1st seed in the East, 2nd best league record
Defeated the (6) Chicago Bulls, 2–1
First Round
Earned first-round bye
Defeated the (2) Denver Nuggets, 4–2
Conference Semifinals
Defeated the (4) Boston Celtics, 4–3
Defeated the (1) Los Angeles Lakers, 4–0
Conference Finals
Defeated the (2) Houston Rockets, 4–2
Regular season series[edit]
Both teams split the four-game series, each won by the home team.
November 5, 1976
Philadelphia 76ers 104, Portland Trail Blazers 146
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
December 11, 1976
Portland Trail Blazers 107, Philadelphia 76ers 108
The Spectrum, Philadelphia
March 1, 1977
Philadelphia 76ers 107, Portland Trail Blazers 108
Memorial Coliseum, Portland, Oregon
March 27, 1977
Portland Trail Blazers 116, Philadelphia 76ers 128
The Spectrum, Philadelphia
Team rosters[edit]
Portland Trail Blazers[edit]
show
v
t
e
Portland Trail Blazers 1976–77 NBA champions
3 Gilliam
10 Calhoun
13 Twardzik
14 Hollins
15 Steele
16 Davis
20 Lucas
30 Gross
32 Walton (Finals MVP)
34 Jones
36 Neal
42 Walker
Head coach Ramsay
Assistant coach McKinney
Regular season
Playoffs
Philadelphia 76ers[edit]
show
Philadelphia 76ers 1976–77 Eastern Conference Champions
6 Julius Erving
10 Mike Dunleavy, Sr.
11 Caldwell Jones
14 Henry Bibby
20 Doug Collins
21 World B. Free
23 Joe Bryant
25 Terry Furlow
30 George McGinnis
42 Harvey Catchings
50 Steve Mix
53 Darryl Dawkins
Coach Gene Shue
Series summary[edit]
Game
Date
Home Team
Score
Road Team
Game 1 Sunday May 22 Philadelphia 107–101 Portland
Game 2 Thursday May 26 Philadelphia 107–89 Portland
Game 3 Sunday May 29 Portland 129–107 Philadelphia
Game 4 Tuesday May 31 Portland 130–98 Philadelphia
Game 5 Friday June 3 Philadelphia 104–110 Portland
Game 6 Sunday June 5 Portland 109–107 Philadelphia
Trail Blazers win series 4–2
Game 1[edit]
May 22
Recap/Box
Portland Trail Blazers 101, Philadelphia 76ers 107
Scoring by quarter: 25-27, 28-28, 25-31, 23-21
Pts: Walton 28
Rebs: Walton 20
Asts: Hollins, Davis 6 each Pts: Erving 33
Rebs: C. Jones 11
Asts: Collins 6
Philadelphia leads series 1–0
Philadelphia Spectrum
Attendance: 18,276
Referees: Strom, Vanak
Game 1 started with a Dr. J windmill slam dunk off the opening tip, and never got much better for the Blazers, who committed 34 turnovers. Erving scored 33 points and Doug Collins had 30, as the 76ers won 107–101. Walton finished with 28 points and 20 rebounds.
Game 2[edit]
May 26
Recap/Box
Portland Trail Blazers 89, Philadelphia 76ers 107
Scoring by quarter: 26-31, 17-30, 21-20, 25-26
Pts: Walton 17
Rebs: -
Asts: - Pts: Collins 27
Rebs: -
Asts: -
Philadelphia leads series 2–0
Philadelphia Spectrum
Attendance: 18,276
Referees: Strom, Vanak
Game 2 was an easy win for the 76ers at 107–89, who at one point scored 14 points in under 3 minutes. In the final 5 minutes, however, Philadelphia's Darryl Dawkins and Portland's Bob Gross both went up for a rebound and wrestled each other to the floor. Dawkins and Gross squared off and both benches cleared, including the coaches. In the middle of the fray, Maurice Lucas, in an act of team unity and in support of Gross, slapped Dawkins from behind and challenged him. Dawkins and Lucas were ejected, and Doug Collins needed four stitches after he caught a punch from Dawkins that had missed its target. Dawkins and Lucas were each fined $2,500. This brawl is commonly looked upon as the turning point in this series, as the Blazers unified and showed the Sixers that they wouldn't be humiliated.
Game 3[edit]
May 29
Recap/Box
Philadelphia 76ers 107, Portland Trail Blazers 129
Scoring by quarter: 21-34, 32-26, 29-27, 25-42
Pts: Erving 28
Rebs: McGinnis 12
Asts: Erving 5 Pts: Lucas 27
Rebs: Walton 18
Asts: Walton 9
Philadelphia leads series 2–1
Portland Memorial Coliseum
The series moved to Portland for the next two games, and game 3 got underway following a few tense moments as Lucas approached the Philadelphia bench before the game and offered his hand in friendship to Dawkins and the 76ers. The Blazers offense took charge of the game, and posted a 42-point fourth quarter to win 129–107. The turning point came early in the fourth with the score 91-87, when Walton tipped in an alley-oop pass from Bob Gross over Darryl Dawkins, who knocked him to the floor. Dave Twardzik then stole the Sixers' ensuing inbounds pass and found Walton, who was back on his feet, for an alley-oop dunk. Lucas had 27 points and 12 rebounds, and Walton contributed 20 points, 18 rebounds, and 9 assists.
Game 4[edit]
Philadelphia attempted to use George McGinnis and Caldwell Jones on the inside for Game 4, but Walton had other ideas, going on a shot-blocking frenzy. Portland quickly led the game by 17 points and never looked back, scoring 41 points in the third quarter and winning 130–98, the largest margin of victory in a game 4 in NBA history.
Game 5[edit]
Game 5 returned to Philadelphia with the series tied 2–2. Philadelphia spent much of the first half fouling the Blazers, racking up 22 personal fouls and sending the half-time score into the 40s. The Blazers added another 40 points to their total in the third quarter, and with a little over 8 minutes left in the game, Portland led 91–69. Erving rallied his team late in the fourth, scoring 37 points himself, but ultimately lost 110–104. Portland set numerous rebounding records for its team, 59 (48 defensive, team record) in all which stood until 1985, 24 (20 defensive, another team record) of which belonged to Walton alone, whose team record still stands.
Game 6[edit]
“ Philadelphia ball.
Five seconds to go...Free will inbound.
Here we go.
The inbound to McGinnis.
Drives, stops, pumps, shoots, short, no good!
AND THE GAME IS OVER! THE GAME IS OVER! ”
— Bill Schonely, Blazers' play-by-play radio announcer
June 5, 1977
Portland, now leading the series 3–2, arrived back home for Game 6 in the middle of the night to a crowd of 5,000 fans waiting at the airport. With just 48 minutes separating the Blazers from their first championship, "Blazermania" had gripped the city. Philadelphia kept the game close throughout the first quarter, but were down by 15 at halftime after the Blazers netted 40 points in the second quarter. Erving tried in vain to force a game 7 for his team, scoring 40 points, but Bill Walton's 20 points, 23 rebounds, 7 assists and 8 blocks kept the game in Portland's hands, as Philadelphia's George McGinnis missed the game-tying jump shot with 4 seconds left for a heart-stopping 109–107 Portland win. The crowd stormed onto the court in a frenzy.
Bill Walton was named finals MVP and was called "an inspiration" by the defeated Julius Erving. Maurice Lucas later said of Walton's post-game thrown jersey that was sent into the rushing crowd of fans, "if I had caught the shirt, I would have eaten it. Bill's my hero."
Portland was awarded two trophies for winning the NBA Championship: The Walter A. Brown Trophy, which was kept by the winning team for only a year until the next NBA Finals; and a newly designed trophy later to be known as the Larry O'Brien Trophy which was now to be kept by the winning team with a new one produced at every NBA Finals since. The Walter A. Brown Trophy was retired shortly after this game.
Notes[edit]
Game 6 of the Finals was originally scheduled to start at 10:30 local time on Sunday morning, because CBS wanted to accommodate a golf telecast of the Kemper Open (similar to 1976). Instead the NBA refused and CBS agreed to a noon start in Portland. Despite the fact that this was the Finals' clinching game, CBS cut away from their NBA coverage very quickly after the game ended, skipping the trophy presentation in the Portland locker room to instead televise the golf tournament.
The only known footage of the trophy presentation was of Blazers head coach Dr. Jack Ramsay voicing his opinion about Bill Walton's performance in the NBA Finals.
“ I've never coached a better player. I've never coached a better competitor. And I've never coached a better person than Bill Walton. ”
See also[edit]
1977 NBA Playoffs
1976–77 NBA season
References[edit]
Jump up ^ Pluto, Terry (1990). Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association. Simon & Schuster. pp. 435–436. ISBN 978-1-4165-4061-8.
Further reading[edit]
Love, Matt (2007). Red Hot and Rollin': A Retrospection of the Portland Trail Blazers' 1976-77 NBA Championship Season. Pacific City, Oregon: Nestucca Spit Press. ISBN 978-0-9744364-8-7.
External links[edit]
Portland Trail Blazers Playoff Records
NBA History: Walton, Lucas Ignite 'Blazermania'
1977 NBA Season Summary - Basketball-Reference.com
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Praying (song)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search
"Praying"
Single by Kesha
from the album Rainbow
Released
July 6, 2017 (2017-07-06)
Format
Digital download
Genre
Pop
Length
3:50
Label
Kemosabe
RCA
Songwriter(s)
Kesha Sebert
Andrew Joslyn
Ben Abraham
Ryan Lewis
Producer(s)
Jon Castelli
Lewis
Kesha singles chronology
"True Colors"
(2016) "Praying"
(2017) "Good Old Days"
(2017)
"Praying" is a song recorded by American singer Kesha for her third studio album Rainbow (2017). It was made available for digital download by Kemosabe Records on July 6, 2017 as the record's lead single. The track originated from Ryan Lewis, who contacted Kesha and offered her an early version of the song. "Praying" was written by the singer with Ben Abraham, Andrew Joslyn, and its producer, Lewis, and co-produced by Jon Castelli. Musically, the song is a gospel and soul-influenced pop piano ballad that features minimal production and accompaniment from violins, violas, strings, celli, backing vocals and drums. Inspired by suicidal thoughts she has had in the past, Kesha said that "Praying" is about hoping that people can heal. "Praying" was written to showcase the singer's vocal range and to represent her as a person, and also features her nearly screaming at the top of her register. Various reviewers suggested that the song is about Dr. Luke, whom Kesha accused of sexual assault and emotional abuse in a lawsuit, although Luke is never mentioned in the song by name.
"Praying" received universal acclaim, with music critics praising Kesha's vocals, finding the song powerful and noting it as a departure from the singer's previous efforts. Commentators offered conflicting interpretations of the song's message; some felt that "Praying" was about forgiveness, while others thought that Kesha displayed anger on the track. Commercially, "Praying" has reached number six in Australia as well as the top 20 in Canada, Hungary and Scotland, and the top 30 in Ireland, Spain, the United Kingdom, and the United States. It was also certified at least Platinum in the latter, Australia and Canada. "Praying" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance at the 60th Annual Grammy Awards.
An accompanying music video for "Praying" was directed by Jonas Åkerlund and was released simultaneously with the single. It features Kesha at Salvation Mountain along with various religious symbolism, both biblical and Hindu. The clip received a generally positive response from critics, and was often compared to Beyoncé's visual album Lemonade (2016). To promote the song, Kesha performed it live on multiple occasions, including her Rainbow Tour (2017–2018), at the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America, and the 60th Annual Grammy Awards. Critics praised Kesha's live performances.
Contents
[hide]
1 Background and release
2 Composition and lyrical interpretation
3 Critical reception and accolades
4 Commercial performance
5 Music video
5.1 Background and development
5.2 Synopsis
5.3 Reception and analysis
6 Live performances
7 Credits and personnel
8 Charts
8.1 Weekly charts
8.2 Year-end charts
9 Certifications
10 Release history
11 References
12 External links
Background and release[edit]
Ryan Lewis (pictured in 2013) co-wrote and produced "Praying".[1]
From July to October 2016, Kesha embarked on her third world tour, Kesha and the Creepies: Fuck the World Tour, where she performed various cover versions of songs and several rock and country reworkings of her own material.[2][3] During this time, the singer wrote multiple songs for what would become her third studio album Rainbow (2017).[4][5][6][7] Producer Ryan Lewis began working on the lyrics and production of "Praying" while he was on tour over a year before its release. He felt that the ballad would be suitable for a female artist, with his wife suggesting that Kesha should sing it. Lewis subsequently contacted the singer's management and Kesha later accepted the offer due to her fondness for his work with Macklemore, particularly admiring how their discography featured a mix of "fun" and politically progressive songs. Lewis came to Kesha with a "rough idea" for the song and encouraged her to do whatever she wanted on the track. When she belted out a whistle note, she surprised him; Lewis later said it was one of his favorite moments to occur in a studio. "Praying" was completed two days after Kesha began working on it. Lewis said that his ambitions when writing the song were to showcase the singer's vocal range and represent her as a person, eventually feeling that the finished track accomplished both goals.[8]
In a radio interview with SiriusXM, Kesha revealed that "Praying" deals with her past suicidal thoughts. On the same occasion, she said that she feels it is healthy to discuss such emotions, and that "[she] think[s] the beautiful part is that you hold onto hope [...] and you keep showing up for yourself."[9] Prior to its release, the singer premiered "Praying" and four other songs from Rainbow at a press playback in London. There, she expressed her feelings about the song, saying: "I've never been more excited about a piece of art I've ever done in my entire life. This is truly from the inside of my guts."[10] Kesha later announced the single's release in a video aimed at her fans.[11] In an accompanying letter posted to Lena Dunham's feminist blog Lenny Letter, she wrote about the meaning of the track: "I have channeled my feelings of severe hopelessness and depression, I've overcome obstacles, and I have found strength in myself even when it felt out of reach. I've found what I had thought was an unobtainable place of peace. This song is about coming to feel empathy for someone else even if they hurt you or scare you. It's a song about learning to be proud of the person you are even during low moments when you feel alone. It's also about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal."[12]
Composition and lyrical interpretation[edit]
"Praying"
A 19-second sample of "Praying", a gospel and soul-influenced pop piano ballad.[13][14][15]
Problems playing this file? See media help.
"Praying" is a pop piano ballad[13] written by Kesha, Ryan Lewis, Ben Abraham, and Andrew Joslyn that features elements of gospel[15] and soul music.[14] The song was produced by Lewis[15] and is written in the key of G minor, with a moderately slow tempo of 74 beats per minute.[16] Vox's Caroline Framke felt that the track was a departure from the "dive bar party anthems" which Kesha has become known for.[17] The song's production is minimal,[18] with Kesha joined on the track by violins, violas, strings, celli, "distant" backing vocals and drums.[19][20][21] Dan Weiss of Billboard deemed "Praying"'s arrangement "unfashionable" and said the song does not sound like contemporary music.[22] The chorus of "Praying" features Kesha singing "I hope you're somewhere praying, praying/ I hope your soul is changing, changing/ I hope you find your peace falling on your knees, praying."[11] The refrain has been described as "soaring but simple" by Spencer Kornhaber of The Atlantic, in the vein of "Beautiful" (2002) by Christina Aguilera and "Til It Happens to You" (2015) by Lady Gaga.[23]
According to Kesha, "Praying" is "about hoping everyone, even someone who hurt you, can heal."[12] The song addresses a tormentor with the lyrics: "You brought the flames and you put me through hell/ I had to learn how to fight for myself/ And we both know all the truth I could tell/ I'll just say this: I wish you farewell."[19] The Atlantic's Kornhaber thought that the track's message was "love your enemies" and displayed "Christlike grace", further noting that Kesha did not exude invulnerability on "Praying" the way she did in some of her previous songs, like "Dinosaur" (2010).[23] Similarly, Eve Barlow of Variety said that Kesha "pushes through her demons and possesses a remarkable level of empathy and understanding" on the track.[24] Conversely, Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes felt that the song's sentiments were akin to "telling the person who ruined your life to 'take care' when you really mean 'fuck you,'"[25] while Billboard's Weiss interpreted the recording as a "coded threat that [Kesha] will no longer be silenced."[22] According to Tatiana Cirisano of the same publication, "While the chorus aims for reconciliation with an unnamed listener...there's still a flicker of anger in the singer's words, like in the lyric '...When I'm finished, they won't even know your name.'"[26]
The Guardian, The Atlantic, MTV UK, and Complex each reported that the song was about Dr. Luke, the producer whom Kesha accused of sexually assaulting and emotionally abusing her in a lawsuit,[13][10][23][18] although the song never mentions Dr. Luke by name. Kornhaber felt that the song's opening lyrics — "You almost had me fooled / Told me that I was nothing without you" — recall the singer's allegation that Dr. Luke told her: "You are not that pretty, you are not that talented, you are just lucky to have me....You are nothing without me."[23] Weiss of Billboard found the track similar to Alanis Morissette's "You Oughta Know" (1995), which "empowered women to...call out men's abuses," "A Torch" (1998), a song about a vengeful rape victim from Sarge's album The Glass Intact, and Rihanna's "Russian Roulette" (2009), which deals with the singer's assault at the hands of Chris Brown.[22]
Kesha has said that "Praying" "showcases [her] voice in a way [her] voice has never been showcased in [her] entire life."[27] According to sheet music published by Musicnotes.com, her vocals on the track span from D3 to F6.[16] Mapes of Pitchfork noted that the singer's voice on "Praying" is less digitally manipulated than on her past material.[25] Three minutes and 14 seconds into the track, she sings at the top of her register, nearly screaming[13] in a manner reminiscent of Mariah Carey.[23] The song's highnote was compared to Demi Lovato's vocal performance on "Skyscraper" (2011) and Sia's vocal performance on "Alive" (2015) by Billboard's Weiss.[22] Ryan Dunn, writing for The United Methodist Church, thought that the story of Jonah is woven throughout "Praying" and that for both Kesha and Jonah, prayer was instrumental in bringing them through distress.[28]
Critical reception and accolades[edit]
"Praying" received universal acclaim from music critics,[29] who positively regarded it as a departure from Kesha's past work and public image, and called it a neat comeback. Maria Sherman of Complex thought the track was "more purposeful than the music that made [Kesha] famous. Those looking to make pop music with real resonance would be wise to look to this song, and whatever Kesha does next."[13] Forbes's Hugh McIntyre labelled "Praying" "very important", adding that "[Kesha] will have no trouble collecting many new fans as she enters this next phase of her career."[1] Issy Sampson of The Guardian noted that the recording was to Kesha's oeuvre what "Fighter" (2002) was to Aguilera's.[10] The New York Times' Jon Pareles described "Praying" as "a perfectly aimed missile of revenge and career rebooting."[30] HuffPost's Daniel Welsh wrote that it was an "empowering and haunting ballad" which "may come as something of a surprise to more casual Kesha listeners, who are perhaps more used to hearing her glittery songs about partying and having a good time."[31] According to Matthew Rozsa of Salon, "'Praying' is likely to be remembered as the moment when Ke$ha became Kesha — that is, when her overproduced image of a party girl transformed into that of a soulful artist".[29] Caroline Framke of Vox said that "as Kesha embraces her pain and rage, the song becomes something much more intense and weird and furious and hopeful — something that feels much more like Kesha herself."[17]
Kesha's vocals and emotional delivery were also praised by reviewers. Eve Barlow of Variety commented that the song would "be enough to induce goosebumps in even the harshest of cynics."[24] Weiss of Billboard similarly commended the track, saying: "It would hard for even the biggest pop agnostic to not be rendered speechless by Kesha's new video and song 'Praying.'"[22] In a separate Billboard article, Gil Kaufman thought that the song was "pure ecstasy for your ear buds."[8] Time's Raisa Bruner called "Praying" "powerfully emotional", adding that "when she breaks out into a flawless whistle tone, it pretty much seals the deal: this new Kesha is stronger than ever, both as an artist and, seemingly, as a human."[32] The Atlantic praised it for being "deeply felt", and said that "Kesha's voice is powerful here—and more capable than people might expect".[23] William Ferrer of The Seattle Times said that "Praying" was "a bone-chilling must-listen," writing that "we're only one single into Rainbow...and I'm already certain her record is going to be one of the year's finest."[33] According to Sampson of The Guardian, "Praying" is "a full-on chest-thumping, foot-stamping inspirational ballad, and [Kesha's] voice sounds better than ever....and it's good enough to make you forgive her for 'Timber' [sic]."[10] Pitchfork's Jillian Mapes said that the song was "a powerful statement of resiliency, even if the resulting song's familiar piano melody sounds comparatively tepid." She favorably compared "Praying" to the work of Adele and Florence Welch.[25] Althea Legaspi and Elias Leight of Rolling Stone similarly called the track "triumphant" and "uplifting",[19] while Patrick Hosken of MTV deemed it "about as soul-baring as anything gets."[34] Tom Breihan of Stereogum opined that the recording was "grand and expansive".[35] At the 60th Annual Grammy Awards, "Praying" was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance.[36]
Commercial performance[edit]
"Praying" debuted at number four on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 chart for the week ending July 22, 2017,[37] although it was released during the last day of the sales, streaming and radio tracking week from June 30 to July 6, 2017.[38] According to Nielsen SoundScan, "Praying" sold 17,738 copies in the United States in its first day of release.[39] The song entered the Billboard Hot 100 at position 25 on July 29, 2017, falling down to number 40 the next edition with sales of further 27,000 copies.[40] The track eventually reached a new peak at number 22 following the release of Rainbow. It also peaked on the Adult Top 40 and Mainstream Top 40 charts at numbers six and nine, respectively.[37] Nielsen SoundScan reported in October 2017 that the recording had moved 428,120 total copies in the United States,[41] with it being certified Platinum by the nation's Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA).[42] Worldwide, "Praying" reached the top ten in Australia,[43] while charting within the top 40 in multiple countries like Canada, Scotland, Ireland and Spain.[44][45][46][47] The single was certified triple Platinum by Australia's Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA) and Canada's Music Canada for selling 210,000 and 160,000 units, respectively.[48][49]
Music video[edit]
Background and development[edit]
The music video for "Praying" was partially shot at Salvation Mountain.
The song's accompanying video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund, was released on July 6, 2017.[19][23] Kesha has described the experience of working with Åkerlund as "a dream come true" and said that the process of shooting the video was akin to a good, long therapy session.[27] The video was shot at Salvation Mountain, Niland, California, and the Salton Sea over the course of a single day. The outfits that the singer wore were inspired by the locations of the clip, as well as her fondness for vintage 1960s and 1970s clothing. Kesha and her stylist for the video, Samantha Burkhart, picked a rainbow dress for the singer to wear in the video, despite Åkerlund's concerns that the dress was too similar to that used for Beyoncé's "Hold Up" (2016) video. The director also wanted the singer to wear black angel wings in the video to make her appear "fucked-up", but Burkhart insisted that Kesha should wear white angel wings to emphasize her purity and beauty.[50] Kesha has said that the music video depicts her life metaphorically.[27] According to Burkhart, Kesha portrays a fallen angel who is "still very pure" in the clip.[50]
Synopsis[edit]
The video alternates between black-and-white and color,[19] while featuring title cards stylized to resemble Hindi script.[51] The video commences with a shot of Kesha inside of a coffin, flanked by a pair of men wearing suits and drooling pig masks with a neon cross in the background.[20] While inside of the casket, Kesha is seen wearing a nose ring, dark blue lipstick and a headpiece.[52] Following this, she appears on the surface of the open ocean lying in a rafter.[17] In a voice-over, she says: "Am I dead? Or is this one of those dreams? Those horrible dreams that seem like they last forever? If I am alive, why? If there is a God or whatever, something, somewhere, why have I been abandoned by everyone and everything I've ever known? I've ever loved? Stranded. What is the lesson? What is the point? God, give me a sign, or I have to give up. I can't do this anymore. Please just let me die. Being alive hurts too much."[15] In the clip, the singer plays the piano while wearing a crown of thorns, angel wings and what Christina Cauterucci of Slate described as "a scaly mermaid-looking suit". Later, Kesha is seen with an eye painted on her forehead as she prays at an altar before a neon cross,[51] while also chased by the men with pig masks.[20] A recurring scene in the video features a wall of television sets with messages such as "the television will not be revolutionized", "weapons of mass deception", "do not engage," and "you're too thin" painted on them in red, with Kesha eventually ravaging them.[51][53] Shots of her crying black tears are interspersed throughout the main plot of the visual.[53] At the song's climax, Kesha throws around colored powder in a manner similar to what is done during Holi, a Hindu festival which celebrates the victory of good over evil. The clip ends with the singer walking on water[51] and text that says "the beginning".[23]
Reception and analysis[edit]
Multiple critics compared the "Praying" video to Beyoncé's visual album Lemonade (2016).
Weiss of Billboard praised the video, highlighting it as the best work Kesha released in her career. He found the religious imagery in the video reminiscent of Madonna's "Like a Prayer" (1989) and the clip's use of pigs similar to the videos for Nine Inch Nails' "Closer" (1994) and Silverchair's "Tomorrow" (1994).[22] Stereogum's Breihan said the video was "a vivid, surreal vision from director Jonas Åkerlund"[35] while MTV's Patrick Hosken called it emotional.[34] Bruner of Time labelled the music video as "a powerful, colorful, and, yes, glitter-filled celebration of overcoming," further deeming it a comeback for the singer.[54] HuffPost's Daniel Welsh felt that the video "feature[s] [Kesha's] usual mix of bright colours and outlandish costumes [and] an important message about overcoming troublesome times and seeing the light in the darkness."[31] Jezebel writer Julianne Escobedo Shepherd found that the clip portrayed well Kesha's personal struggles in the past years.[55] Mike Wass of Idolator deemed the video "an intense viewing experience."[56] Nashville Scene's Stephen Trageser commented that the clip was psychedelic and bore similarities to the work of Alejandro Jodorowsky; he also felt that it marked a "glorious return" for Kesha.[57]
Racked.com's Elana Fishman praised the singer's outfits in the video, including her rainbow gown,[50] while Pareles of The New York Times felt they were influenced by the work of Lady Gaga.[30] Kornhaber of The Atlantic said the clip is "a high-gloss technicolor pop production from one of the masters of the form, director Jonas Åkerlund" and that it reminded him of Kesha's earlier work.[23] Conversely, The Arizona Republic's Zachary Hansen opined that the video's aesthetic was in stark contrast to it, showing "[the singer] at her most serious."[58] Maria Sherman of Complex complimented the use of the Salvation Mountain in the video, writing: "It's the perfect backdrop for the song, [with its] bright, colorful bible [sic] verses painted on neon adobe in the Colorado Desert in California. It's an unexpected place to find hope, mirroring Kesha's move from desolation to empowerment."[13] Cauterucci of Slate opined that the clip's use of religious symbolism "confuses the thrust of the song", adding that the imagery "speak[s] to [Kesha's] vision for her new album as a kind of rebirth."[51]
Vox's Framke felt that the video referenced Beyoncé's visual album Lemonade (2016) multiple times. Framke found the monologue in the video similar to Beyoncé's "Pray You Catch Me" (2016), while the rainbow outfit that Kesha wore reminded her of the yellow dress that Beyoncé sported in her "Hold Up" video,[17] which was also directed by Åkerlund.[33] The author further wrote that "evoking Beyoncé's imagery at the video's onset dilutes the message, making it feel more like an homage than the emotional purge [Kesha] says it is."[17] Similarly, The Stranger's Amber Cortes negatively felt that Kesha was taking influence from the latter's work in the "Praying" clip, writing that it emulated the "watery imagery" of the video for "Hold Up".[59] William Ferrer of The Seattle Times also found the visual similar to Lemonade, but "yet, there's something haunting about 'Praying' that sets it apart from Lemonade. [It] feels more ethereal, more eerily uncertain than Beyonce's self-assured tour de force. And [...] 'Praying' is better for it."[33]
Live performances[edit]
Kesha performed "Praying" live during her Rainbow Tour, which lasted from September to November 2017. Other appearances occurred at the Electric Birxton in South London, the YouTube Space in Los Angeles, the 2017 iHeartRadio Music Festival, The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Good Morning America. The singer's performances received praise from editors of multiple publications, such as LA Weekly, The Daily Telegraph, The Fader, Billboard, Vanity Fair, Rolling Stone and Entertainment Weekly, for her vocals, stage presence and emotional delivery.[60]
During the 60th Annual Grammy Awards ceremony on January 28, 2018, Kesha, who was nominated for Best Pop Solo Performance and Best Pop Vocal Album, performed the song with Cyndi Lauper, Julia Michaels, Bebe Rexha, Camila Cabello and Andra Day.[61]
Credits and personnel[edit]
Credits adapted from the liner notes of Rainbow.[21]
Recording
Engineered at The Village (Los Angeles, California), Studios 301 (Alexandria, Australia) and Robert Lang Studios (Shoreline, Washington)
Mixed at Mirrorball Studios (North Hollywood, Los Angeles)
Personnel
Kesha Sebert – writing, lead vocals
Ben Abraham – writing
Justin Armstrong – engineering
Heather Borror – violins
Ingmar Carlson – assistant engineering
Jon Castelli – engineering
Billy Cenrenaro – engineering
Hannah Crofts – backing vocals
Rebecca Chung Filice – cello
Christopher Foerstel – viola
Antonia Gauci – engineering
Andrew Joslyn – writing, strings, violins
Andrew Kam – violins
Ryan Lewis – writing, production
Sarah Malmstorm – violins
Seth May-Patterson – viola
Georgia Mooney – backing vocals
Ryan Nasci – engineering assistance
Garrett Overcash – violins
Elana Stone – backing vocals
All Our Exes Live in Texas – backing vocals
Eli Weinberger – cello
Katherine Wighton – backing vocals
Charts[edit]
Weekly charts[edit]
Chart (2017–18)
Peak
position
Australia (ARIA)[43]
6
Austria (Ö3 Austria Top 40)[62]
68
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)[63]
19
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[44]
11
Canada AC (Billboard)[64]
27
Canada CHR/Top 40 (Billboard)[65]
7
Canada Hot AC (Billboard)[66]
13
Czech Republic (Singles Digitál Top 100)[67]
50
France (SNEP)[68]
75
Hungary (Single Top 40)[69]
13
Ireland (IRMA)[46]
23
Japan (Japan Hot 100)[70]
84
Netherlands Tip (Single Top 100)[71]
4
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)[72]
37
Portugal (AFP)[73]
53
Scotland (Official Charts Company)[45]
16
Slovakia (Singles Digitál Top 100)[74]
49
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[47]
30
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)[75]
77
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)[76]
64
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)[77]
26
US Billboard Hot 100[78]
22
US Adult Contemporary (Billboard)[79]
17
US Adult Top 40 (Billboard)[80]
6
US Dance/Mix Show Airplay (Billboard)[81]
14
US Mainstream Top 40 (Billboard)[82]
9
Year-end charts[edit]
Chart (2017)
Position
Australia (ARIA)[83]
58
Canada (Canadian Hot 100)[84]
63
US Billboard Hot 100[85]
67
Certifications[edit]
Region
Certification
Certified units/Sales
Australia (ARIA)[48]
3× Platinum 210,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[49]
2× Platinum 160,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[86]
Silver 200,000
United States (RIAA)[42]
Platinum 428,120[41]
*sales figures based on certification alone
^shipments figures based on certification alone
sales+streaming figures based on certification alone
Release history[edit]
Region
Date
Format(s)
Label
Ref
Various
July 6, 2017 Digital download Kemosabe [15]
Italy
July 14, 2017 Contemporary hit radio Sony [87]
United Kingdom
RCA [88]
United States
July 18, 2017
Kemosabe
RCA
[89]
October 16, 2017 Adult contemporary radio [90]
References[edit]
^ Jump up to: a b McIntyre, Hugh (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Returns Triumphantly With New Single 'Praying'". Forbes. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Announces Kesha and The Creepies: The Fuck the World Tour". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 24, 2016. Retrieved October 25, 2016.
Jump up ^ Spanos, Brittnany (July 19, 2016). "Kesha Announces Tour, 'Creepy' New Music Project". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
Jump up ^ McHenry, Jackson (October 26, 2016). "Kesha Has Already Written and Recorded 22 New Songs That Are Just Waiting to Be Released; Dr. Luke Claims 'She Exiled Herself'". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 8, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
Jump up ^ McDermott, Maeve (October 26, 2016). "Kesha wrote a 22-song album — and can't release it". USA Today. Archived from the original on December 7, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
Jump up ^ Ungerman, Alex (September 13, 2016). "Kesha Sparks Taylor Swift Collaboration Rumors With Cryptic Photo -- See What She Said!". Entertainment Tonight. Archived from the original on December 2, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
Jump up ^ Denham, Jess (September 13, 2016). "Taylor Swift and Kesha rumoured to be collaborating after mysterious Instagram post". The Independent. Archived from the original on December 1, 2016. Retrieved December 1, 2016.
^ Jump up to: a b Kaufman, Gil (July 21, 2017). "Kesha Says Working With Ryan Lewis on 'Praying' Was 'Easy, Perfect and Beautiful'". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 22, 2017. Retrieved July 21, 2017.
Jump up ^ Reed, Ryan (July 7, 2017). "Kesha: Recording New Album Was 'Way to Cope' With Depression". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d Snapes, Laura (July 6, 2017). "Kesha returns: 'Rainbow is truly from the inside of my guts'". The Guardian. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017. Cite error: Invalid <ref> tag; name "guardian" defined multiple times with different content (see the help page).
^ Jump up to: a b Lawrence, Derek (July 6, 2017). "Kesha references Dr. Luke turmoil in emotional new single, music video". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Kesha (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Fights Back in Her New Single, "Praying"". Lenny Letter. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Sherman, Maria (July 6, 2016). "Kesha Takes Aim at Dr. Luke on "Praying," a Pop Anthem Fueled by Injustice". Complex. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Luz Henning Santiago, Amanda (July 7, 2017). "Kesha shared the powerful meaning behind her first single in 4 years". Business Insider. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Kaufman, Gil (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Returns With Emotionally Charged Single 'Praying': Watch the Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Kesha 'Praying' Sheet Music". Musicnotes.com. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 9, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Framke, Caroline (July 6, 2017). "Kesha's new single "Praying" is a scorched-earth ballad on betrayal and hope". Vox. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Brand New Kesha Single 'Praying' Has Landed". MTV UK. July 6, 2016. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Legaspi, Althea; Leight, Elias (July 20, 2017). "Kesha Previews New Album With Triumphant Song 'Praying'". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Cinquemani, Sal. "Review: Kesha Makes a Defiant Return with Powerful New Single and Video "Praying"". Slant Magazine. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Rainbow (liner notes). Kesha. Kemosabe, RCA. Barcode: 889854593629. 11 August 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f Weiss, Dan (July 6, 2017). "8 Precedents for Kesha's Gut-Wrenching 'Praying' Video". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e f g h i Kornhaber, Spencer (July 6, 2017). "Kesha's Comeback Message: Love Your Enemy". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on July 9, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Barlow, Eve (July 6, 2017). "Song Review: Kesha's 'Praying'". Variety. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Mapes, Jillian (July 7, 2017). "Kesha "Praying"". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Jump up ^ Cirisano, Tatiana (July 6, 2017). "With Confessional, Defiant 'Praying' Lyrics, Kesha Opens About Tumultuous Past Five Years". Billboard. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Valentine, Claire (July 6, 2017). "Watch Kesha's Behind-the-Scenes Look at Her Triumphant "Praying" Video". Paper. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
Jump up ^ Dunn, Ryan (2017). "Forgiveness and Kesha's "Praying"". The United Methodist Church. Archived from the original on August 16, 2017. Retrieved 16 August 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Rozsa, Matthew (July 14, 2017). "I demand a critical reappraisal of Kesha's brilliant, brilliant music". Salon. Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Pareles, Jon; Caramanica, Jon; Russonello, Giovanni (July 7, 2017). "The Playlist: Kesha and Lil Wayne Return, Fighting for Their Independence". The New York Times. Archived from the original on July 28, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Welsh, Daniel (July 6, 2017). "Kesha's New Song 'Praying' Is Here, And It's A Powerful Statement About Leaving Darkness Behind". HuffPost. Archived from the original on July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Jump up ^ Bruner, Raisa (July 7, 2017). "5 Songs You Need to Listen to This Week". Time. Archived from the original on July 20, 2017. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Ferrer, William (July 6, 2017). "Review: Kesha is back with emotional, haunting new single 'Praying'". The Seattle Times. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Hosken, Patrick (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Returns with Emotional Gut-Punch Video for 'Praying'". MTV. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Breihan, Tom (July 6, 2017). "Kesha – "Praying" Video". Stereogum. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
Jump up ^ Lynch, Joe (November 28, 2017). "Grammys 2018 Nominees: The Complete List". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 28, 2017. Retrieved November 28, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Chart Search – Kesha". Billboard. Archived from the original on October 22, 2013. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ Cantor, Brian. "Kesha's "Praying" Debuts On Bubbling Under Hot 100 Chart". Headline Planet. Archived from the original on July 15, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 07/06/2017" (PDF). Nielsen SoundScan. Archived from the original (PDF) on September 19, 2017. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ Trust, Gary (July 28, 2017). "Hot 100 Chart Moves: Kesha's 'Praying' Keeps in Top 40 & 'Woman' Debuts". Billboard. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved September 7, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Nielsen SoundScan charts – Digital Songs – Week Ending: 10/05/2017" (PDF). Nielsen SoundScan. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2017. Retrieved October 9, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "American single certifications". Recording Industry Association of America. If necessary, click Advanced, then click Format, then select Single, then click SEARCH
^ Jump up to: a b "Australian-charts.com – Kesha – Praying". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Kesha Chart History (Canadian Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved July 15, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "IRMA – Irish Charts". Irish Recorded Music Association. Archived from the original on June 14, 2017. Retrieved August 19, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "Spanishcharts.com – Kesha – Praying" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b "ARIA Chart Watch #458". auspOp. February 3, 2018. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
^ Jump up to: a b "Canadian single certifications – Kesha – Praying". Music Canada. Retrieved November 23, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c Fishman, Elana (July 10, 2017). "Kesha's 'Praying' Video Looks Are a 'F*cked-Up Angelic' Fever Dream". Racked.com. Archived from the original on July 19, 2017. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b c d e Cauterucci, Christina (July 6, 2017). "Kesha's New Video Tracks Her Transformative Struggle Through Religious Symbolism". Slate. Archived from the original on July 12, 2017. Retrieved July 12, 2017.
Jump up ^ Laurean Yates, Jacqueline (July 6, 2017). "Kesha's New Video "Praying" Is Filled with Enviable Beauty Looks". Yahoo. Archived from the original on July 24, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
^ Jump up to: a b Rizzo, Laura. "6 Breathtaking Moments From Kesha's "Praying" Music Video". Elite Daily. Archived from the original on July 30, 2017. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
Jump up ^ Bruner, Raisa (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Doesn't Hold Back About Her Depression in Powerful Comeback Music Video". Time. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 11, 2017.
Jump up ^ Escobedo Shepherd, Julianne (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Is Back (!!!) With an Emotional New Video". Jezebel. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ Wass, Mike (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Returns With Powerful, Symbolic "Praying" Video". Idolator. Archived from the original on July 11, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ Trageser, Stephen (July 6, 2017). "Watch Kesha Make Her Glorious Return in 'Praying' [Fresh Vid]". Nashville Scene. Archived from the original on July 6, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ Hansen, Zachary (July 6, 2017). "Kesha drops new song 'Praying,' striking video addresses Dr. Luke suit". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ Cortes, Amber (July 6, 2017). "Kesha Takes Back the Mic with Her New Single, "Praying"". The Stranger. Archived from the original on July 8, 2017. Retrieved July 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ Citations regarding Kesha's live performances:
Cooper, Michael (November 1, 2017). "Free From Dr. Luke, Kesha Is a More Powerful Pop Star Than Ever". LA Weekly. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Solomon, Kate (November 15, 2017). "Kesha lights up the Electric Brixton – review". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on November 15, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Renshaw, David (August 8, 2017). "Watch Kesha's First TV Performance Of "Praying"". The Fader. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Weatherby, Taylor (September 24, 2017). "Kesha & DJ Khaled's Superstar Surprises, Niall Horan & Miley Cyrus' Live Debuts and More iHeartRadio Fest Day 2 Highlights". Billboard. Archived from the original on September 24, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Bradley, Laura (August 11, 2017). "Kesha's First Late-Night Comeback Performance Is a Gut-Wrenching Triumph". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on January 20, 2018. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Reed, Ryan (August 9, 2017). "Watch Kesha Perform on 'Good Morning America,' Talk 'Life-Saving' New Album". Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on November 16, 2017. Retrieved November 15, 2017.
Suskind, Alex (January 28, 2018). "Kesha fights back tears in emotional 'Praying' performance at Grammys". Entertainment Weekly. Retrieved January 30, 2018.
Jump up ^ Spanos, Brittany (January 28, 2018). "Watch Kesha's Emotional, Star-Studded Delivery of 'Praying' of Grammys 2018". Rolling Stone. Retrieved February 6, 2018.
Jump up ^ "Austriancharts.at – Kesha – Praying" (in German). Ö3 Austria Top 40. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Ultratop.be – Kesha – Praying" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved August 11, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Canada AC)". Billboard. Retrieved March 1, 2018.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Canada CHR/Top 40)". Billboard. Retrieved October 12, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Canada Hot AC)". Billboard. Retrieved November 16, 2017.
Jump up ^ "ČNS IFPI" (in Czech). Hitparáda – Digital Top 100 Oficiální. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201733 into search. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Le Top de la semaine : Top Singles Téléchargés – SNEP (Week 28, 2017)" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Archived from the original on January 20, 2018. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Archívum – Slágerlisták – MAHASZ" (in Hungarian). Single (track) Top 40 lista. Magyar Hanglemezkiadók Szövetsége. Retrieved July 20, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Japan Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 24, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Kesha – Praying" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Archived from the original on November 20, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Charts.org.nz – Kesha – Praying". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved August 25, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Portuguesecharts.com – Kesha – Praying". AFP Top 100 Singles. Retrieved July 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ "SNS IFPI" (in Slovak). Hitparáda – Singles Digital Top 100 Oficiálna. IFPI Czech Republic. Note: insert 201733 into search. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Kesha – Praying". Singles Top 100. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Swisscharts.com – Kesha – Praying". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved August 21, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved August 26, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Hot 100)". Billboard. Retrieved August 22, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Adult Contemporary)". Billboard. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Adult Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Dance Mix/Show Airplay)". Billboard. Retrieved October 26, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Kesha Chart History (Pop Songs)". Billboard. Retrieved October 30, 2017.
Jump up ^ "ARIA End of Year Singles 2017". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on January 5, 2018. Retrieved January 5, 2018.
Jump up ^ "Canadian Hot 100 – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 17, 2017. Retrieved December 17, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Hot 100 Songs – Year-End 2017". Billboard. Archived from the original on December 16, 2017. Retrieved December 12, 2017.
Jump up ^ "British single certifications – Kesha – Praying". British Phonographic Industry. Retrieved February 23, 2018. Enter Praying in the search field and then press Enter.
Jump up ^ "Ke$ha - Praying RadioDate". Radioairplay.fm. Archived from the original on July 29, 2017. Retrieved July 18, 2017.
Jump up ^ "BBC – Radio 1 – Playlist". BBC Radio 1. Archived from the original on March 25, 2014. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Top 40/M Future Releases — Mainstream Hit Songs Being Released and Their Release Dates". AllAccess Music Group. July 6, 2017. Archived from the original on September 6, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
Jump up ^ "Hot/Modern/AC Future Releases". All Access Music Group. Archived from the original on June 19, 2017. Retrieved October 3, 2017.
External links[edit]
"Praying" (Official Video) on YouTube
Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics
[hide]
v
t
e
Kesha songs
Discography
Animal
"Your Love Is My Drug"
"Tik Tok"
"Take It Off"
"Stephen"
"Blah Blah Blah"
"Dinosaur"
Cannibal
"We R Who We R"
"Sleazy"
"Blow"
Warrior
"Die Young"
"C'Mon"
"Crazy Kids"
Rainbow
"Woman"
"Hymn"
"Praying"
"Learn to Let Go"
"Old Flames Can't Hold a Candle to You"
Other singles
"Right Round"
"Dirty Picture"
"My First Kiss"
"Till the World Ends (The Femme Fatale Remix)"
"Timber"
"True Colors"
"Good Old Days"
"This Is Me"
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Praying_(song)&oldid=828335998"
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