Pray (Tina Cousins song)

"Pray" is a song recorded by British singer Tina Cousins. It was written by Mark Topham and Karl Twigg, and released in November 1998 as the lead single from her debut album, Killing Time. The song was her second consecutive top-twenty hit in the United Kingdom and her first top-ten 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
ReleasedNovember 1998
Recorded1998
GenreTrance music
Length3:56
LabelJive/eBul
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] 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 major hit on the charts on several continents, becoming one of the singer's most successful songs to date. 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 November 15, 1998.[4] But on the UK Indie Chart, it was a even bigger hit, reaching number 5. 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 8. 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 September 2020, the video had more than 4,7 million views.[5]

Track listing

CD single - Europe (1998)

  1. "Pray" (Radio Edit) - 3:55
  2. "Pray" (Original Version) - 4:23

Charts and certifications

References
  1. "Tina Cousins - Killing Time". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  2. "Olsson's new 'Words' don't make a point". Daily News. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  3. "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  4. "Official Singles Chart Top 100 15 November 1998 - 21 November 1998". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 16 September 2020.
  5. "Tina Cousins - Pray". YouTube. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  6. "Australian-charts.com – Tina Cousins – Pray". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  7. "Ultratop.be – Tina Cousins – Pray" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  8. "Music & Media: Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  9. "Tina Cousins: Pray" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland.
  10. "Lescharts.com – Tina Cousins – Pray" (in French). Les classement single.
  11. "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40 Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  12. "Dutchcharts.nl – Tina Cousins – Pray" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  13. "Charts.nz – Tina Cousins – Pray". Top 40 Singles.
  14. "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  15. "Spanishcharts.com – Tina Cousins – Pray" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  16. "Swedishcharts.com – Tina Cousins – Pray". Singles Top 100.
  17. "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  18. "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  19. "ARIA Charts – End Of Year Charts – Top 100 Singles 2000". ARIA. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  20. "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles". Australian Recording Industry Association. Archived from the original on 10 August 2020. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
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