The song premiered in a two-minute Pepsi commercial that aired during "The Cosby Show" on March 2, 1989. (Pepsi was set to sponsor Madonna's upcoming Blond Ambition Tour.) The next day, "Like a Prayer's" music video debuted -- you know, the one with the burning crosses, stigmata and so on? Yes, well, Pepsi high-tailed it away from Madonna and she -- again -- outraged the masses.
The Like A Prayer writeup forgot to mention how Madonna got to keep those millions from that Pepsi deal (and some semblance of indie cred intact for not "selling out" after all).
Such a masterpiece of a track.