music.wikisort.org - Composition

"Pray" is a song by British singer Tina Cousins. It was written by Mark Topham and Karl Twigg and released on 2 November 1998 as the lead single from her debut album, Killing Time (1999). The song was her second consecutive top-20 hit in the United Kingdom and her first top-10 hit in Australia, where it achieved gold status. In Europe, "Pray" also reached the top 10 in Finland and Scotland, and it peaked at number 48 on the Eurochart Hot 100 in November 1998.

"Pray"
Single by Tina Cousins
from the album Killing Time
Released	2 November 1998 (1998-11-02)
Length	3:56
Label	Jive Eastern Bloc
Songwriter(s)	Mark Topham Karl Twigg
Producer(s)	Pete Waterman
Tina Cousins singles chronology
"Mysterious Times" (1998) "Pray" (1998) "Thank ABBA for the Music" (1999)
Music video
"Pray" on YouTube

Critical reception

AllMusic editor MacKenzie Wilson said that the "high-tempo R&B sounds on "Pray" are so energetic and exciting, the club/dance scene can only be heightened".[1] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel noted that "it's hard to escape the hope of the histrionic first single "Pray"".[2] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote in their review of the song that "Ms. Cousins' first real claim to fame was her presence on Sash!'s huge hit Mysterious Times earlier this year. With this effort, she proves that she is perfectly capable of going it alone. This song is well suited to a fairly broad range of formats, and should do well on the dancefloor as well."[3]

Chart performance

"Pray" was a hit on the charts in several countries. In Europe, it managed to climb into the top 10 in Finland and Scotland. It was a top-20 hit in Belgium, Spain and the United Kingdom. In the latter, the single peaked at number 20 in its first week at the UK Singles Chart, on 15 November 1998.[4] But on the UK Indie Chart, it was a even bigger hit, reaching number five. Additionally, "Pray" was a top-30 hit in Sweden, a Top 40 hit in the Netherlands and a top-50 hit on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number 48. Outside Europe, it was very successful in Australia, where it hit number eight. It was awarded with a gold record there, after 35,000 singles were sold. In New Zealand, it went to number 48.

Music video

A music video was made to accompany the song. It was filmed in the North East England town of Whitley Bay. It features scenes shot in the town's Spanish City leisure complex which was by the late 1990s past its heyday and only a few years away from partial demolition and dereliction. Other scenes are staged in St Mary's Lighthouse, around its island, along the coast and in a terraced back street at the rear of Whitley Bay Baptist Church. "Pray" was published on YouTube in March 2009. By June 2022, the video had more than 7 million views.[5]

Track listings

Charts and certifications

Release history

Region	Date	Format(s)	Label(s)	Ref.
United Kingdom	2 November 1998	12-inch vinyl CD cassette	Jive Eastern Bloc	[25]
United States	22 May 2000	Hot adult contemporary radio	Republic	[26]
	23 May 2000	Contemporary hit radio		[26]

References

External links

• Tina Cousins - Pray on YouTube

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