So the classic Take That song – "Pray" isn't their best, but it very much sets a template – wanders like a lost puppy on the verses then pulls itself together for a monster chorus.

[7] Another Melody Maker editor, David Bennun, named it "one of Nineties pop's most exalted moments, and the only song so far to justify the talk about Gary Barlow's writing talent.

He found that it is a "fairly intricate mid-tempo workout [that] has pleasant harmonies and a glossy sheen, although the song itself is more slight than some of the group's previous efforts – none of which really matters, as it's bound for the Top Five.

[11] Smash Hits gave "Pray" four out of five, praising the chorus as "a fab gospel tune with the group sharing vocals and doing those beautiful harmonies that they seem to be getting so good at these days."

The band members are paired with a goddess of the four elements, taking on a different form with each – Air (Mark Owen), Fire (Jason Orange), Earth (Robbie Williams) and Water (Howard Donald) – with the exception of Gary Barlow who is represented in a neutral black and white context.

"[15] David Bennun from Melody Maker praised "the gorgeous, sinister, young Aryan cod-arcadia of "Pray", Leni Riefenstahl on MTV.

"[8] The video was later made available remastered on Take That's official YouTube channel in 2009, and had generated more than eight million views as of early 2024 on the platform.