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"Express Yourself" is a song by American singer Madonna from her fourth studio album ''Like a Prayer'' (1989). It was released as the second single from the album on May 9, 1989 by Sire Records. The song was included on the greatest hits compilation albums ''The Immaculate Collection'' (1990), and ''Celebration'' (2009). "Express Yourself" was the first song that Madonna and producer Stephen Bray collaborated on for ''Like a Prayer''. Written and produced by them, the song was a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to go for second-best and to always express their inner feelings. "Express Yourself" is an upbeat dance-pop song that features instrumentation from brass, hand claps and drum beats, while the chorus is backed by the sound of saxophone and percussion. The lyrics talk about rejecting material pleasures and only accepting the best for oneself; subtexts are employed throughout the song. "Express Yourself" received positive reviews from critics, who applauded the gender equality message of the song and complimented the song for being a hymn to freedom and encouragement to women and all oppressed minorities. Commercially, the song peaked at number two on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 and became Madonna's sixth number-one hit on the European Hot 100 Singles chart. It also reached the top of the singles charts in Canada, Italy and Switzerland, and the top five elsewhere. The accompanying music video, directed by David Fincher, was inspired by the Fritz Lang classic film ''Metropolis'' (1927). It had a total budget of $5 million ($ million in dollars), which made it the most expensive music video made up to then, and currently the third most expensive of all time. The video portrayed a city full of tall skyscrapers and railway lines. Madonna played the part of a glamorous lady and chained masochist, with muscular men acting as her workers. In the end, she picks one of them—played by model Cameron Alborzian—as her date. Critics noted the video for its exploitation of female sexuality and came to the conclusion that Madonna's masculine image in the video was gender-bending. "Express Yourself" has been performed on four of Madonna's world tours, and has been covered by the female leads of the Fox TV show ''Glee'', who performed the song in the episode titled "The Power of Madonna". The song and the video are noted for their freedom expression and feminist aspects, and its postmodern nature entranced academics, by resisting definition. It has also left its mark on the work of contemporary music artists, including the Spice Girls, Christina Aguilera and Lady Gaga. ==Background== "Express Yourself" was released as the second single from her fourth studio album, ''Like a Prayer'', on May 9, 1989, with "The Look of Love", from the 1987 film soundtrack ''Who's That Girl'', on its B-side.〔 When Madonna started work on ''Like a Prayer'', she considered many options, and thought about the musical direction for it. She had certain matters on her mind, including her troubled relationship with her ex-husband Sean Penn, her family, her lost mother and even her belief in God. Madonna thought about lyrical ideas for the songs on topics that, until then, were personal mediation never to be shared with her public so openly and pointedly.〔 She came to the realization that as she and her fans were growing up, and it was time for her to move away from the teen appeal to wider audiences, and en-cash on the longevity of the album market.〔 Madonna wanted her new sound to be calculative and indicative of what was fashionable, and ride the changing trend of music. As Madonna considered her alternatives, producers Patrick Leonard and Stephen Bray had individually began to tinker with various instrumental tracks and musical ideas to present to her for consideration.〔 "Express Yourself" was the first song that Madonna and Bray collaborated on for ''Like a Prayer'', co-written and co-produced as a tribute to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The main inspiration behind the song is female empowerment, urging women never to "go for second-best" and to put their love "to the test".〔 Madonna explained to Becky Johnston in the May 1989 issue of ''Interview'':
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