could not escape my past, nor could I relax". Saddened by what was happening with her, Madonna missed her family, her father and her siblings. She confessed to Becky Johnston for Interview magazine: The song was released as the fifth (sixth overall) and final single from the album on January 30, 1990, by Sire Records. "Keep It Together" was one of the first singles to be released in a CD maxi format, accompanied by an assortment of remixes. The radio mix stripped the track of its original instrumentation and added an R&B-House beat with the 12" mixes following this style. In Australia, it was released as a B-side with "Vogue" and charted as so; however it was distributed as a standalone 12" single by WEA Records International and later released as a standalone CD Maxi single in 1993. It was not released in the United Kingdom at all, where "Dear Jessie" served as the album's fourth single instead of "Oh Father" and "Keep It Together" respectively. Recording and composition "Keep It Together" is a pop, funk and deep funk song with an upbeat rhythm and groove. It was produced by Madonna and Bray, and features Paulinho da Costa on percussion, brass playing by David Boruff and Steven Madaio, Bill Bottrell as the audio engineer and guitars by Chester Kamen. Prince also played guitar on the song according to Madonna, though he was not credited. Sal Cinquemani of Slant Magazine noted that the song is influenced by the Sly and the Family Stone track "Family Affair" (1971). It starts as the sound of slap bass plays along with sequenced synth bass, as Madonna sings the opening lines, "Keep, keep it together, keep people together forever and ever". As the first verse starts, a guitar comes into play with Madonna's voice being backed by percussion and banjo. After the second chorus comes near the end, Madonna utters the line "Brothers and sisters, They hold the key, To your heart and your soul, Don't forget that your family is gold", the percussion sound is thinned out and a mixture of the sound from a live drummer and conga comes into the picture. The song ends with the main groove sound gradually fading out. According to Rikky Rooksby, author of The Complete Guide to the Music of Madonna, although "Keep It Together" sonically pays tribute to Sly and the Family Stone, the lyrics talk