"Pray"
Single by Tina Cousins
from the album Killing Time
Released2 November 1998 (1998-11-02)
Length3:56
Label
Songwriter(s)
  • Mark Topham
  • Karl Twigg
Producer(s)Pete Waterman
Tina Cousins singles chronology
"Mysterious Times"
(1998)		 "Pray"
(1998)		 "Killin' Time '99"
(1999)
Music video
"Pray" on YouTube

"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.

"Actually I've appeared on loads of religious programmes since "Pray" was released. I was really surprised at first, because the song is more about respecting the environment we live in, rather than any particular religion. But my mum and dad were delighted."

—Tina Cousins talking about the song.[1]

Critical reception

AllMusic editor MacKenzie Wilson remarked that the high-tempo R&B sounds on "Pray" "are so energetic and exciting, the club/dance scene can only be heightened".[2] Michael Paoletta from Billboard complimented it as a "hugely anthemic single".[3] Talia Jackson from Dayton Daily News felt that on the "Gothic-style track, she appeals for salvation while a futuristic cadence creates a compelling sound."[4] Chuck Campbell from Knoxville News Sentinel said "it's hard to escape the overwhelming hope and positivity of the histrionic first single", "Pray".[5] Pan-European magazine Music & Media wrote, "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."[6]

Chart performance

"Pray" was a notable hit on the charts in several countries. In Europe, it entered the top-10 in Finland (10) and Scotland (9), and the top-20 in Belgium (12), Spain (13) 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.[7] But on the UK Indie Chart, it was an even bigger hit, reaching number five. Additionally, "Pray" was a top-30 hit in Sweden (23), a top-40 hit in the Netherlands (29) and a top-50 hit on the Eurochart Hot 100, where it reached number 48 in November 1998. Outside Europe, it was very successful in Australia, where it hit number eight, while in New Zealand, it went to number 48. "Pray" was awarded with a gold record in Australia, after 35,000 singles were sold.

Music video

A music video was produced to promote the single. 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.[8]

Track listings

Charts

Certifications

Region CertificationCertified units/sales
Australia (ARIA)[27] Gold 35,000^

^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

Release history

Region Date Format(s) Label(s) Ref.
United Kingdom 2 November 1998
  • 12-inch vinyl
  • CD
  • cassette
[28]
United States 22 May 2000 Hot adult contemporary radio Republic [29]
23 May 2000 Contemporary hit radio [29]

References

  1. ↑ Sinclair, Amy (16 July 1999). "My Perfect Cousin". The Sun.
  2. ↑ Wilson, MacKenzie. "Tina Cousins - Killing Time". AllMusic. Retrieved 17 February 2020.
  3. ↑ Paoletta, Michael (17 Jun 2000). "Republic/Universal Imports Brit Cousins' 'Killing Time'". Billboard. Vol. 112. Issue 25.
  4. ↑ Jackson, Talia (11 Aug 2000). "Recordings On Review". Dayton Daily News.
  5. ↑ "Olsson's new 'Words' don't make a point". Daily News. 28 June 2000. Retrieved 15 March 2020.
  6. ↑ "Airborne" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 49. 5 December 1998. p. 17. Retrieved 23 December 2019.
  7. 1 2 "Official Singles Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  8. ↑ "Tina Cousins - Pray". YouTube. Retrieved 14 September 2020.
  9. ↑ Pray (UK CD single liner notes). Tina Cousins. Jive Records, Eastern Bloc. 1998. 0519162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  10. ↑ Pray (UK 12-inch single sleeve). Tina Cousins. Jive Records, Eastern Bloc. 1998. 0519160.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  11. ↑ Pray (UK cassette single sleeve). Tina Cousins. Jive Records, Eastern Bloc. 1998. 0519164.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  12. ↑ Pray (European CD single liner notes). Tina Cousins. Jive Records, Eastern Bloc. 1998. 0589162.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  13. ↑ Pray (Australian CD single liner notes). Tina Cousins. Jive Records, Eastern Bloc. 2000. 9201032.{{cite AV media notes}}: CS1 maint: others in cite AV media (notes) (link)
  14. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray". ARIA Top 50 Singles.
  15. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50.
  16. ↑ "Eurochart Hot 100" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 15, no. 48. 28 November 1998. p. 13. Retrieved 14 January 2018.
  17. ↑ "Tina Cousins: Pray" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat.
  18. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray" (in French). Les classement single.
  19. ↑ "Nederlandse Top 40 – week 49, 1998" (in Dutch). Dutch Top 40. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  20. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray" (in Dutch). Single Top 100.
  21. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray". Top 40 Singles.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Singles Sales Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company.
  23. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray" Canciones Top 50. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  24. ↑ "Tina Cousins – Pray". Singles Top 100.
  25. ↑ "Official Independent Singles Chart Top 50". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 5 November 2018.
  26. ↑ "ARIA Top 100 Singles for 2000". ARIA. Retrieved 6 July 2021.
  27. ↑ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2000 Singles" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 28 November 2018.
  28. ↑ "New Releases: Singles" (PDF). Music Week. 31 October 1998. p. 35. Retrieved 13 July 2021.
  29. 1 2 "Going for Adds" (PDF). Radio & Records. No. 1351. 18 May 2000. pp. 48, 87. Retrieved 3 August 2021.
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