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The Batman soundtrack for Tim Burton’s film was released on June 20, 1989. It sat in contrast to Danny Elfman’s score. Prince provided the songs that played within the world of the film. The two prodominantly worked in isolation, even though the producers had originally hoped that the two would work together.

The soundtrack was a hit on the Billboard 200, spending six consecutive weeks at 1. Other albums charting on the Billboard 200 in 1989 included:

• Fine Young Cannibals – The Raw & the Cooked
• Millie Vanilli – Girl You Know It’s True
• Madonna – Like a Prayer
• Janet Jackson – Rhythm Nation 1814

The bulk of the album was recorded between mid-February and late March 1989 at Paisley Park. The Batman era saw Prince exploring sampling and digital sequencing. While Prince produced, arranged, and performed almost everything himself, he did have a few key collaborators, such as Sheena Easton who duetted on “The Arms of Orion”.

The album was recorded quickly following the Lovesexy tour and it has a dark, stripped back sound. After several albums featuring full band performances, Batman was recorded almost entirely by Prince, with Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss being the only other instrumentalists. It is the first album to feature extensive sampling, with Prince using the Publison IM-90 Infernal Machine for sampling everything from guitars and keyboards to film dialogue.

Source: 1989 Batman by Guitarcloud

In addition to recording much of the album himself, Prince created a persona to help with the process. His Gemini persona represented the idea that every person has a “Batman” (order/justice/suppression) and a “Joker” (chaos/desire/liberation) inside them.

While Camille saw Prince firmly embrace an ongoing dalliance with his feminine side, Gemini allowed his hairy-chested masculine self out to play. One of the strongest drawcards for Prince taking on the Batman project was how much he identified with the dark/light struggle within AND between the lead characters. He would never have been satisfied with simply recording a soundtrack to a film in which he did not have a part, and so Prince created roles for himself.

Source: My Name Is…?: When Prince Was Not Prince by lEIGh5

The Future

Musically, the track is an example of late-80s “industrial funk,” (Janet Jackson’s “Rhythm Nation” is another example) built on a foundation of sampled choir hits and a relentless, programmed, rigid beat. The “sonic scaffolding” includes eerie, atmospheric synths and an undulating bass-line that creates a sense of urban dread. The arrangement is dense but clinical, moving away from the organic swing of his earlier work, such as “Raspberry Beret”, toward a more programmed, futuristic aesthetic that mirrors Tim Burton’s image of a decaying Gotham.

Lyrically, Prince adopts the persona of Batman, offering a prophecy of a world consumed by greed. He argues that political or physical strength isn’t enough to save the city; instead, the oppressed must find a “spirituality that will last.” By framing the struggle as a spiritual war rather than just a crime-fighting mission, Prince aligns the character of Bruce Wayne with his own career-long obsession with the struggle between the flesh and the spirit. Nobody puts Prince in the corner?

Electric Chair

Musically, the song is driven by a heavy, distorted, industrial stomp that feels far more aggressive than his standard funk. The keyboard line The jagged, staccato, “Superstition”-esque synth riff that works in counterpoint to the overdriven guitar. This is a constant through Prince’s work, with tracks such as “Darling Nikki”, Prince used the Zoom 9002 multi-effects processor to achieve the thin, “buzzy” guitar tone, which creates a sharp, digital edge. The heavy use of the Boss OC-2 Octave pedal on the bass and guitar riffs provides the “weight” that defines its threatening, high-voltage sound. These effects were connected direct-to-board. The song was made more synonymous by Prince’s 1989 SNL performance, which transitioned from machine-driven studio track to the thunderous live drumming of Michael Bland demonstrating the song’s rock potential.

Lyrically, the song is performed from the Joker’s perspective, portraying a mind so chaotic that “future crimes” are already being committed in thought. The metaphor of the electric chair serves as a dual-purpose image: it represents the literal punishment for a criminal and the “jolts” of lust Prince frequently wrote about.

The Arms of Orion

Musically, this is a lush, mid-tempo power ballad that leans heavily on the “pop” side of the soundtrack. While the LinnDrum provides a steady, understated pulse, the heavy lifting is done by Clare Fischer’s orchestral arrangement and synthesisers programmed to emulate high-end strings. The use of rain and thunder samples provides a literal “atmospheric” bridge to the film’s rainy Gotham setting. The piano-led melody is classic Prince balladry, utilising wide-open chords to create a sense of vast, celestial space.

Lyrically, the song was a collaboration with Sheena Easton, who penned the lyrics about the Orion constellation acting as a silent guardian for distant lovers. Assigned to Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale, it highlights their inability to be together in the “light.” The arms of the constellation serve as a metaphor for an embrace that can only happen at night, echoing Bruce’s dual existence as a creature of the dark who can only find “safety” under the stars.

Partyman

Musically, this is the most “Oingo Boingo-esque” track on the album, featuring a frantic, horn-heavy arrangement and a “bouncing” bass groove. The track is famous for the “Joker” laugh samples and the sped-up, “Camille”-style vocal flourishes that add to the manic, unpredictable energy. It is a dense “audio collage” that fits the museum-vandalism scene in the film perfectly.

Lyrically, the song is an anthem for The Joker. It celebrates chaos and the subversion of order, with the Joker declaring himself the “Partyman” who has come to turn Gotham upside down.

Vicki Waiting

Musically, this mid-tempo track features a restless, wandering bassline that provides a “busy” counterpoint to the steady drum beat. The “bending” keyboard lines are likely produced by a Fairlight CMI or a Yamaha DX7 using a pitch-bend wheel or a “glide” (portamento) setting to mimic the sliding notes of a cello or violin. The “jam” at the end, featuring live drums and jazzy flourishes, is a hallmark of Prince’s tendency to let the tape roll to capture a spontaneous groove.

Lyrically, the song is a direct address to Vicki Vale. While it originated as “Anna Waiting” (for his then-girlfriend Anna Fantastic), the rewrite successfully captures the tension of a woman waiting for a man (Bruce Wayne) who is perpetually distracted by the “chaos” of his secret life. The lyrics bridge the gap between a standard love song and a film tie-in, using the Joker’s presence in Gotham as a metaphor for the external forces that keep lovers apart.

Trust

Musically, this is high-energy “techno-funk.” The repetitive, building structure uses the Fairlight CMI to trigger the orchestral stabs and the “vocal chops” that punctuate the rhythm. The “Mel & Kim” style vocal effect is a result of digital sampling and sequencing, where a snippet of a vocal is looped or triggered rapidly to create a rhythmic “stutter.” The inclusion of live horns gives the track a “big band” feel that contrasts with the cold, digital drums.

Lyrically, the song is credited to The Joker, famously used during the parade scene where he throws money to the citizens of Gotham. The central question—“Who do you trust?”—is a cynical taunt. While it fits the film, it could also be seen to reflect Prince’s feelings toward his former band The Revolution and his management, as he was navigating a period of intense professional reorganisation and was emphasising “trust” as his most valued currency.

Lemon Crush

Musically, this track serves as a precursor to the 90s “New Jack Swing” and boy-band pop. The Roland R-8 drum machine provides the crisp, “clicky” percussion, while the vocal chops create a rhythmic texture that serves as a second drum kit. Prince uses distorted guitar licks to “stab” through the polished production, ensuring the song retains a rock edge despite its slick, pop-oriented foundation. The density of the vocal layering is a classic Prince technique, used here to simulate the “rush” mentioned in the title.

Lyrically, the song is presented from Vicki Vale’s perspective (or rather, Prince’s interpretation of her “crush” on Bruce). The “Lemon Crush” is a metaphor for a refreshing but sharp romantic sensation. Unlike the darker themes of the album, this song focuses on the sensory experience of attraction, using bright imagery to contrast with the “black and gray” palette of the rest of the soundtrack.

Scandalous

Musically, this bedroom ballad turns the lights down low. It moves at a glacial pace, allowing the synth-string arrangements (again by Clare Fischer) to swell and breathe. The drum groove is minimal, leaving space for Prince’s multi-octave vocal performance. The song is an edit of the nearly 20-minute Scandalous Sex Suite, which used the Fairlight CMI to incorporate “environmental” samples (like Kim Basinger’s breathing and dialogue) to heighten the intimacy.

Lyrically, the song is an unabashed exploration of desire. In the context of the film, it serves as the “Love Theme” for Bruce and Vicki, playing during the closing credits to resolve the tension built up throughout the movie. It is “scandalous” not just because of the eroticism, but because it represents Bruce Wayne allowing his “human” side to emerge from behind the mask, even if only for a fleeting moment.

Batdance

Musically, “Batdance” is a revolutionary audio collage. It is not a traditional song but a 6-minute suite divided into movements (“The Bat,” “The Joker,” and “Rave”). Prince utilized the MPC60 to trigger dialogue samples from the film as rhythmic elements—treating Michael Keaton’s “I’m Batman” and Jack Nicholson’s “Gentlemen, let’s broaden our minds” as instruments. The track features a heavy industrial beat, chaotic guitar solos, and a mechanical “funk” that defined the cutting edge of 1989 production.

Lyrically, the “song” doesn’t have a traditional narrative. Instead, it serves as a meta-commentary on the film. By sampling the hero, the villain, and the love interest, Prince acts as a musical director, “remixing” the movie’s plot into a dance track. It is the ultimate expression of his “Gemini” persona—the artist who can inhabit both the light and the dark, the hero and the villain, all within a single rhythmic structure.

The Batman soundtrack represents a fascinating pivot where Prince’s ‘Gemini’ persona acts as a mediator between his internal dualities and the external archetypes of Gotham. Much like David Lynch’s recontextualization of Roy Orbison, Prince infects these characters with his own spiritual and carnal struggles. Using Winnicott’s framework, we see Gemini not as a mask, but as a ‘Potential Space’.

In our adult lives, potential space is the secret ingredient in enduring relationships. It lives in private jokes, silly games, inside references, mutual daydreams. Friends and partners create shared playgrounds, places where honesty and invention can flourish, and where new things can be dared. Even the grown-up worlds of art, science, and philosophy feed on this same in-between—anything that asks “what if?” and welcomes what hasn’t yet been worked out.

Source: The Magic of Potential Space: Why Grown-Ups Still Need Play by Stephen Salter

Ultimately, the album proves that for an artist of Prince’s complexity, the ‘Real’ is never found in a single identity, but in the friction between the personas he creates.

Sign o’ the Times is the ninth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 31, 1987, as a double album by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records.[2] The album is the follow-up to Parade and is Prince’s first solo album following his disbanding of the Revolution. The album’s songs were largely recorded during 1986 to 1987 in sessions for releases Prince ultimately aborted: Dream Factory, the pseudonymous Camille, and finally the triple album Crystal Ball. Prince eventually compromised with label executives and shortened the length of the release to a double album.

Sign o’ the Times – Wikipedia by Sign o’ the Times – Wikipedia

Sign o’ the Times was released on March 30, 1987. It arrived as a double album, a bold move at a time when the industry was leaning toward shorter, pop-friendly hits.

Other major albums on the Billboard 200 released in 1987 included:

• U2: The Joshua Tree (The undisputed heavyweight of ’87)
• Bon Jovi: Slippery When Wet
• Beastie Boys: Licensed to Ill
• Whitney Houston: Whitney (released shortly after)
• Fleetwood Mac: Tango in the Night

It was Prince’s ninth album and the first ‘solo’ album since Controversy after disbanding The Revolution. Prince subsequently played almost every instrument on the album himself, although there are still remnants of The Revolution sprinkled throughout.

The album actually went through many ideas and iterations. It included pieces from three discarded projects (Dream Factory, Camille, and Crystal Ball).

in early 1987 he picked the best bits from all of them, and assembled a double album that took diversity to new margins, bubbling over with ideas and bouncing between sex and religion, between Joni Mitchell and Sly Stone, via searing funk, coy ballads, rap, prog and the obligatory drum machine. It was the perfect rock’n’soul interface, a record of vaulting ambition, whose music still encompassed an extraordinarily varied range of styles, including soul, psychedelia, electro, rockabilly and rock – yet again making a virtue of eclecticism. As ever he appeared to be wrestling with the twin pillars of carnality and spirituality that had defined his career, yet with a new kind of music – naked funk, skinny R&B. Some of the songs were so bare they didn’t sound finished.

Source: Shiny and New: Ten Moments of Pop Genius That Defined The 80s by Dylan Jones

Unlike the reverb-heavy 80s pop of the time, much of the album (especially the title track) is startlingly sparse and “dry.” In part, this was made possible by the Fairlight CMI “clean” digital samples. Just as 1999 was the album that announced the LM1, this album feels like the album that announced the Fairlight CMI. It is almost as if he traded the “drum machine era” for the “sampler era”.

Here is my notes on each of the tracks:

Sign o the Time

Musically, it’s incredibly stark and “dry.” It certainly lacks the lushness of the ‘Minneapolis Sound’ associated with 1999. The main characters are the repetitive LM1 drums and bass pattern that is contrasted with the guitar that breaks things up in a similar way to say ‘Darling Nikki’. The song was built up using the Fairlight CMI, including the classic orchestra hit.

To track the song in the studio, Prince laid down an LM-1 and live drum/percussion mixture, and covered it with the Fairlight, and a few other elements, including his voice, which was when the song took a dramatic turn, according to Rogers. “When the vocal was done saying what it had to say, that’s when the guitar could take over for the vocal and say the same thing the vocal said, but with short melodic phrases.”
He tracked several guitar parts, but like many of his songs, he over-recorded for the track, including extra background vocals, sound effects, and additional drums, but when he mixed the track, he eliminated most of the unnecessary sounds because they likely distracted from the message.

Source: Prince and the Parade and Sign O’ the Times Era Studio Sessions by Duane Tudahl

Lyrically, sobering “state of the union” address covering the AIDS epidemic, the crack-cocaine crisis, and the threat of nuclear war. It is a explicit political statement literally comes from Prince and Susannah paging through the LA Times and Minneapolis Star Tribune. Tadahl describes it as the cousin to Marvin Gaye’s ‘What’s Going On’.

“What’s Going On,” “Sign O’ The Times” contains Prince’s own reflections on society, and similar to Gaye, the solution he offers to solve the problems of the world are to focus on love and the relationships of the heart. With the exception of “The Cross,” Prince doesn’t try to match the weight of the title track and instead relies on a variety of topics including sex, joy, relationships, and what some people refer to as “experimental” songs.

Source: Prince and the Parade and Sign O’ the Times Era Studio Sessions by Duane Tudahl

Play in the Sunshine

Musically, a frantic, high-energy pop-rock explosion. We have guitar, drums, keys, xylophone (Fairlight?) It acts as the “light” to the title track’s “dark,” featuring manic drums and layering. The song then morphs into a hazy outro where the feel drops out.

Lyrically, a hedonistic plea to ignore the world’s problems for just one day and focus on feeling good, ignore enemies, find a four leaf clover, play in the sunshine, have fun. Coming after the political opening track, this feels like 1999 all over again?

Housequake

Musically, I am reminded of Kendrick Lamar’s ‘King Kunta’ with that rhythmic, “stomp-and-clap” funk and the high-pitched, distorted vocal delivery. Prince introduces his “Camille” persona to command a fictional dance craze. It’s pure, boastful James Brown-style showmanship.

Lyrically, it is all about a brand new groove, the ‘Housequake’.

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker

Musically, ‘Ballad of Dorothy Parker’ has a famous “underwater” sound. A power outage during the session caused the console to record at a lower voltage, resulting in the warm, murky, lo-fi texture. The song involves a layer of keys, drums and slap bass.Vocally, the lyrics are layered creating this multifaceted Prince, a voice that is in more than one place at once.

Lyrically, a dreamy, surreal story about a brief encounter with a waitress who shares the name of the famous poet. It’s subtle, witty, and surprisingly platonic.

It

Musically, it’s driven by a relentless, industrial-leaning Fairlight beat. It feels claustrophobic and tense, with a pulsing bass synth. Listening to this, I am always reminded of Sabrina Carpenters “House Tour”.

Lyrically, An obsessive, singular focus on “it” (sex). The lyrics are repetitive and primal, mirroring the mechanical nature of the beat.

Starfish and Coffee

Musically, it’s whimsical “Sgt. Pepper-era” psych-pop. It features backwards drum loops and a nursery-rhyme melody built on top of a repetitive piano chord pattern.

Lyrically, a charming story about an eccentric schoolmate named Cynthia Rose. It celebrates being “different” and seeing the world through a surreal lens.

Slow Love

Musically, this track turns the lights down, but still has the horns blowing. It’s a classic, orchestral soul ballad that sounds like it could have been written in the 1960s. Feels like early Prince, pre-1999, just bigger.

Lyrically, a straightforward, sensual plea to take things slow and savour the moment.

Hot Thing

Musically, the synth and slap bass almost have industrial vibes, something off NIN Pretty Hate Machine, but not the horns. The song progressively lets loose into a heavy funk jam, with the addition of a distorted guitar.
Lyrically, An unapologetic “club track” about pursuing a beautiful woman. It’s the sonic equivalent of neon lights in a dark basement.

Forever in My Life

Musically, driven by a basic drum loop, a little like Tina Turner in its rhythmic simplicity. Prince is singing with himself, using a delayed vocal effect that creates a “round” or “canon” feel. It is broken up at the end with the introduction of an acoustic guitar, that structurally reminds me of Peter Gabriel.

Lyrically, one of his most sincere declarations of commitment. It’s a spiritual “marriage proposal” song, likely written for Susannah Melvoin.

U Got the Look

Musically, a high-gloss, “crunchy” pop-rock duet with Sheena Easton. It features heavy distortion on the drums and a very radio-friendly hook, not to be confused with Roxette’s ‘The Look’.

Lyrically, a playful, flirtatious back-and-forth about fashion, attraction, and the “war” between the sexes. First time I listened i thought the lyrics were kruchiev, I think I wantcha.

If I Was Your Girlfriend

Musically, it’s deeply weird. Slow, funky, and features the pitch-shifted “Camille” voice over a sparse, eerie beat. We get spoken word Prince too.

Lyrically, one of his most complex songs. He wonders if his lover would be more open with him if they were platonic female friends instead of a romantic couple.

Strange Relationship

Musically, it features a bouncy, Indian-influenced percussion loop (sitar-like synths) that contrasts with the heavy lyrical content.

Lyrically, a brutal look at a toxic, co-dependent relationship where the protagonist admits, “I only want you when you’re gone.”

I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man

Musically, a straight-up power-pop anthem. It’s catchy, guitar-driven, and ends with a surprisingly long, bluesy guitar solo. Reminds me in part of ‘Manic Monday’.

Lyrically, A narrative about a woman looking for a rebound and the narrator turning her down because he knows he can’t be the stable partner she actually needs.

The Cross

Musically, it starts as a quiet, acoustic folk song and builds into a massive, distorted wall of “stadium rock” sound, reminiscent of a religious epiphany.

Lyrically, a deeply spiritual track about finding hope and salvation in the afterlife. It’s Prince’s version of a modern gospel hymn. I feel that it sits with ‘The Ladder’ from Around the World in a Day.

It’s Gonna Be a Beautiful Night

Musically, a 9-minute live funk party. It’s a massive jam session featuring a full horn section and a complex, call-and-response structure. The initial idea was captured during a soundcheck/concert at Le Zenith in Paris on August 25, 1986, during the Parade tour and is significant as it features The Revolution before Prince disbanded the group shortly afterwards.

Lyrically, mostly celebratory chants and “house party” vibes, including the “Transmississippirap” recorded over the phone and Wizard of Oz references.

Adore

Musically, a masterclass in quiet-storm R&B. It features lush vocal harmonies, a slow-burn tempo, and those iconic, punctuating horns and Rhodes Organ.
Lyrically, a “holy grail” love song. It’s an ultimate declaration of devotion, famously featuring the line about “smashing his most prized possessions.”

A mash of ideas and concepts, it feels like the title track ‘Sign O’ The Times’, as with ‘Kiss’, is somewhat misleading. It teases the idea of a highly political album. Yes there are politics (everything is political in the end), however it is not overt like the opening track. Dylan Jone’ suggests that the album is a sign of the times of what is happening in the world and Prince’s own life:

Sign O’ the Times is certainly austere, a panoramic picture, almost, of what Prince thought was happening around him, and of course what was happening in his own head.

Source: Shiny and New: Ten Moments of Pop Genius That Defined The 80s by Dylan Jones

On such thing on Prince’s mind is his relationship with Wendy Melvoin’s sister Susannah:

Although the Revolution is only mentioned in passing (with the exception of “It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night”) and the overwhelming contributions of Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman are minimalized, the album is an acknowledgement about his relationship with Wendy’s sister Susannah, as she either sang on or influenced more than half of the songs, including his most heartfelt love songs on the album “Forever In My Life,” “Adore,” and “If I Was Your Girlfriend.” The Melvoin twins and Lisa’s presence are felt through the entire collection.

Source: Prince and the Parade and Sign O’ the Times Era Studio Sessions by Duane Tudahl

Others talk about the ‘experimental’ nature of the album, however I find all of Prince’s albums experimental, especially once you go beyond the hits. For me, Prince is always about exploring the new. I think the biggest experiment was releasing an album so long, and it was meant to be longer.

Parade was released on March 31, 1986. It was the soundtrack to the second film staring Prince, Under the Cherry Tree.

Under the Cherry Moon is a 1986 American romantic musical comedy-drama film directed by Prince in his directorial debut. The follow-up to his 1984 film debut Purple Rain, it stars himself along with former The Time member Jerome Benton, Steven Berkoff, Kristin Scott Thomas (in her feature film debut) and Francesca Annis. Although the film underperformed both critically and commercially at the time of its release, winning five Golden Raspberry Awards and tying with Howard the Duck for Worst Picture, its associated soundtrack album Parade sold over a million copies and achieved platinum status. Since Prince’s death in 2016, several contemporary critics have also revisited the film and now consider it a cult classic.

Source: Wikipedia

It was Prince’s eigth album and the last to feature his band, The Revolution. Other major albums on the Billboard 200 released in 1986 included:

• True Blue by Madonna
• So by Peter Gabriel
• Pretty in Pink soundtrack
• Top Gun soundtrack
• Different Light by The Bangles
• Control by Janet Jackson

Although the film was deemed a failure, the album charted at number 3 on the pop chart and at number 2 on the R&B chart. It was certified Platinum by the RIAA just months after its release, eventually selling over two million copies in the US and millions more worldwide.

Parade marked a radical departure from the “Minneapolis Sound” (heavy synths and Linn drums) that Prince had pioneered. It featured lush cinematic strings and genre-blending, weaving together psychedelic pop, jazz, French chanson, and gritty funk. All in all, it proved Prince was an “artist’s artist” who would prioritised his evolving vision over repeating a successful formula.

On a side note, the turn to ‘authentic’ instrumentation with the strings by Clare Fischer seemed to be common in the mid-1980’s, as Dylan Jones’ captures in a comment from Jon Savage:

The Eurythmics made a couple of terrific pop records, and then they went all authentic and started making really shit records. As soon as those groups stopped making synth pop, they all turned to shit. It was really embarrassing when Tears for Fears, who had made a couple of pretty good synth records, started going all authentic.

Source: Sweet Dreams – The Story of the New Romantics (Dylan Jones)

Here is my notes on each of the tracks:

Christopher Tracy’s Parade

Musically, Prince cut a ten‑minute opening suite in one day, moving from song to song playing drums, laying down bass, adding piano and guitars, beginning with a song called ‘Wendy’s Parade’, which was eventually changed to ‘Christopher Tracy’s Parade’ as the new movie idea took shape. Sonically, the song begins with an electronic feel that sounds like YMO, but it does not take long to announce a theatrical, cinematic sensibility, with Clare Fischer’s strings heightening that feel. It has something of a Magical Mystery Tour vibe.

Lyrically, it introduces the character of Christopher. The “parade” can be considered as framing his life as spectacle.

New Position

Musically, ‘New Position’ is a dry funk workout that immediately follows ‘Christopher Tracy’s Parade’ in that initial ten‑minute suite. The groove is spare but restless: LM1 drum punch, steel drum (a gift from Susan Moonsie) and all manner of Fairlight noises.

Prince first used a IIx model on the Parade album. Prince asked his engineer “Cubby” Colby to acquire the $70,000 keyboard [approximately $200,000 in 2026] for the sessions. It was first used for overdubbing the opening suite on the album (“Christopher Tracy’s Parade”, “New Position”, “I Wonder U”, “Under The Cherry Moon”).

Source: Fairlight CMI IIx

Lyrically, the song involves Prince making the case for a literal and metaphorical “new position” as a fix for boredom within the relationship, bridging Dirty Mind‑style frankness with a more playful, Euro‑cabaret tone.

I Wonder U

Musically, this track is a trippy affair reminiscent of his foray into psychedelia on Around the World in a Day. It was the third track cut in the initial session, with a rather of keyboard, piano, and synth flute sounds. Lisa & Wendy’s background vocals were so central that Prince turned them into the lead.

Lyrically, it’s skeletal and dreamlike, more an impression of obsession than a narrative.

Under the Cherry Moon

Musically, this track is built around piano, light percussion and later, Fischer’s strings, it sounds like a 1930s chanson beamed into 1986. James Campion describes it as a callback to the Great American Songbook:

A callback to Cole Porter and the Great American Songbook, “Under a Cherry Moon,” a piano number he’d been playing on tour.

Source: Revolution by James Campion

Lyrically, it romanticises the film’s setting so that the song functions as both a diegetic cabaret piece, as well as a narrative foreshadowing of a doomed affair.

Girls & Boys

Musically, this song has a driving beat, rubbery bass, sax and strings. It’s Parade’s most straight‑up groove track, but with the off‑kilter horn stabs and chant‑like vocals that keep it odd.

Lyrically, the French spoken‑word section and call‑and‑response flirtations expand the album’s pan‑European, pan‑sexual atmosphere—desire cutting across gender, language and class.

Life Can Be So Nice

Musically, this tracks tumbling drum intro, driven string, and harpsichord‑like keyboard line align with his picture of Parade as “pop confections” with jagged rhythmic edges.

Lyrically, it presents a competing take on domesticity, with joy and claustrophobia jostling together.

Venus de Milo

Musically, this tracks is essentially a chamber piece for piano and strings, like a short romantic interlude from an old TV soap or film.

Mountains

Musically, the LM1 clearly makes a statement with the stomp. We again get the short keys bouncing off the rhythmic guitar and chord progression brought in by Lisa Melvoin. The horns then come in during the chorus almost as a call and response. James Campion describes this as a ‘Greek chorus’:

Elevating into one of Prince’s most majestic choruses, held aloft by BrownMark’s rumbling bass, Leeds and Bliss first underscore the double-time sung pre-chorus before powering sharp horn blasts to answer the multitude of voices. Acting as a brass Greek chorus, they boost the track with a sound Prince had previously captured with vocals or keyboards.

Source: Revolution by James Campion

Vocally, we get all Prince’s variants, the low, the falsetto. This is also backed up. In the bridge we get a reminder of James Brown with ‘On the One’. The song ends with a strange jazz interlude where the song changes key or something only to hit again with the arrival of percussion. I imagine that there might have been longer live versions where the ending was drawn out.

Lyrically, it’s a faith‑in‑love anthem, where mountains are obstacles that can be moved by collective love and belief. I am reminded of ‘Ain’t No Mountain High Enough’.

Do U Lie?

Musically, with the piano, double bass, brushes on the drums and strings, this track feels like a track from the 1930’s. The main vocal is in constant conversation with the backing vocals. It is a significantly different feel.

Lyrically, it’s playful but barbed, interrogating fidelity in a theatrical manner. It explores that space between truth and disguise.

Kiss

Musically, this song feels stripped back compared to the rest of the album. It has drums, a repetitive synth line and the vocals. The vocals are often doubled with a clear contrast made between the rigid and free. Something missing from Mazarati’s demo of the track. The guitar is used sparingly with a small part in the verse, particularly after the solo, the classic phrase at the end of rhe chorus is something that Prince brought to the track. In the Strong Songs episode, Kirk Hamilton touches on the blues origins to the song and describes the feel as ‘tiny fury’.

Lyrically, it is hyper‑sexual, funny, and oddly moralistic.

Anotherloverholenyohead

Musically, there is slap bass and a clear groove, this track is dirty. We get the strong presence of the backing vocals to add emphasis. The song also features the Roland G-707 synthesiser guitar:

Later in the planning of the final album sequencing Prince spent considerable time on “Anotherloverholenyohead,” an unctuously alliterative nod toward Sly and the Family Stone’s “Thank You (Falettinme Be Mice Elf Agin)” that modified keys and time signatures and featured the otherworldly whine of the Roland G-707 electric guitar. Despite attacking it with his usual zeal, Prince found the instrument difficult to keep from spastically shifting pitch annoying engineer Susan Rogers so much she referred to it as “that piece of crap.”

Source: Revolution by James Campion

Lyrically, the song is about a past lover with Prince justifying why they really need him.

Sometimes It Snows in April

Musically, this track is a slow ballad built around piano and acoustic guitar. I’d love to hear Matt Corby cover it. Vocally, the intensity is sustained through the piano and vocals. Again the backing vocals in the chorus ensure that things remain on task when Prince engages in a dalliance. Such a simple song it is amazing how it holds the tension for so long through subtly.

Engineer Peggy McCreary later noted that the recording of “Sometimes It Snows in April” was so perfect it was the only track on Parade that was never tinkered with thereafter, complimented only by Clare Fischer’s melancholy strings.

Source: Revolution by James Campion

Lyrically, mourning a death in April that echoes Prince’s own Minneapolis winters. It can also be considered as a goodbye to The Revolution before everything fractured.

I read that “Kiss” served as a means of listening to the rest of the album/soundtrack. Personally, I found it as an outlier to the rest of the album. I am not sure if it is because it was the only track that I really knew? James Campion suggests that it is the rightful descendant of Dirty Mind.

Parade is simply a chronological marvel of creativity wrapped in pop confections, funk workouts, and psychedelic meandering. It is understandable Prince chose a black-and-white cover—beyond underlining his Jazz Age movie theme—positioning Parade as the rightful descendent of Dirty Mind, another record that challenges and cavorts, teases and enrages, confuses and enlivens.

Source: Revolution by James Campion