"Keep It Together" is a song by American singer Madonna, from her fourth studio album, Like a Prayer (1989). It was released on January 30, 1990, by Sire Records as the sixth and final single from the album in the United States, Canada and Japan. Written and produced by Madonna and Stephen Bray, the main inspiration behind "Keep It Together" was Madonna's relationship with her family—whom she dearly missed after her divorce from actor Sean Penn. The song was dedicated to American funk and soul band Sly and the Family Stone. The lyrics deal with the realization of how important Madonna's family has been to her life. A pop and funk song consisting of an upbeat rhythm and groove, "Keep It Together" features percussion, banjo and a conga. 　　In the United Kingdom and some other countries, "Dear Jessie" (1989) served as the final single from the album and "Keep It Together" was not released as a separate single. Receiving mixed reviews from critics, "Keep It Together" was compared to the work of Sister Sledge, especially their song "We Are Family". The song was a commercial success, reaching a peak of number eight on the Billboard Hot 100 and Canadian charts, while topping the dance chart in the United States. In Australia it reached the top of the charts alongwith Madonna's next release, "Vogue". "Keep It Together" has been performed as the closing song of the 1990 Blond Ambition World Tour. The performances were inspired by the 1971 science fiction film, A Clockwork Orange, and during the introduction, Madonna sang a verse from "Family Affair" by Sly and the Family Stone.