I don't think there even is a concept, a persona or whatever you may call as Camille. It seems an aborted artistic project. It's hard to talk about something that never was accomplished.

BrazilianOnRaspberryBeret said:

I don't think there even is a concept, a persona or whatever you may call as Camille. It seems an aborted artistic project. It's hard to talk about something that never was accomplished.

The album was finished and had a catalog number, a single was tentatively planned. The Camille songs on SOTT are attributed to Camille, Camille was Prince's character in the original 1987 Graffiti Bridge, and Camille as a character or name is used in the Lovesexy tourbook. All these things aren't necessarily related other than the time period they come from 1986-88 and Prince using the name Camille for himself - this looks like definate proof of concept(s) and persona.

The concept is Prince playing as he always does with androgyny, duality, and shock/surprise - Camille is Prince, there's nothing really about Camille that wasn't already expressed by Prince before and after - we just like to pontificate on it and big it up because it's a cool thing for popstars to create these little personas and offshot projects, especially when they seem to crystalise and hit the core of what the artist is expressing overall.

Like the thread title says right at the start - Camille is total kick ass genius.

SquirrelMeat said:

[...]

The first 8 tracks were mastered as the camille album, "U got" is confirmed in the SOTT credits, "Scarlet" is labelled on the Single release and the Black album is confirmed by Prince in the Lovesexy tour book (and on the tour when he sings Bob George).

So Camille = normal vocal (Le Grind), sped up (Good Love) and slowed down (Scarlet Pussy).

People seem to get hung up, wanting to call anything sped up as "camille". They even litter wikipedia with that crap.

Camille was Prince's dark mindset, not a vocal style.

The credits to "U Got The Look" say "Vocals by Sheena Easton & Camille" whereas the other "Camille" tracks on SOTT say "Lead Vocal by Camille". I always thought Camille appeared as a "guest vocalist" towards the end of "U Got The Look" and that was a Prince lead vocal otherwise.

It's a bit tough to say what Camille was actually supposed to be. While it seems like Camille was originally conceived as a "dark" character the Lovesexy period makes it seem like Camille was the "good" side of him after all. Some of the tracks from the original LP like "Good Love" and "If I Was Your Girlfriend" do not suggest Camille was all about being the "dark" side of Prince in the beginning either.

Maybe Camille was really just some sort of a "hyper" version of Prince. He could say things that he wouldn't say "as Prince". He goes pretty far as the themes are concernced on most of the Camille tracks. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and "Bob George" are obvious examples, but I always thought the lyrics on "Rockhard In A Funky Place" were some of the most twisted he ever wrote. Prince himself was more about, you know, "Purple Rain" and "Kiss".

[Edited 11/15/12 3:33am]

Is Play in the Sunshine credited 2 Camille?

with Camille came alone Spooky Electric of course who was 'evil' of sorts

I wonder how would Prince have pulled off a Camille live show, if possible at all

novabrkr said:

SquirrelMeat said:

[...]

The first 8 tracks were mastered as the camille album, "U got" is confirmed in the SOTT credits, "Scarlet" is labelled on the Single release and the Black album is confirmed by Prince in the Lovesexy tour book (and on the tour when he sings Bob George).

So Camille = normal vocal (Le Grind), sped up (Good Love) and slowed down (Scarlet Pussy).

People seem to get hung up, wanting to call anything sped up as "camille". They even litter wikipedia with that crap.

Camille was Prince's dark mindset, not a vocal style.

The credits to "U Got The Look" say "Vocals by Sheena Easton & Camille" whereas the other "Camille" tracks on SOTT say "Lead Vocal by Camille". I always thought Camille appeared as a "guest vocalist" towards the end of "U Got The Look" and that was a Prince lead vocal otherwise.

It's a bit tough to say what Camille was actually supposed to be. While it seems like Camille was originally conceived as a "dark" character the Lovesexy period makes it seem like Camille was the "good" side of him after all. Some of the tracks from the original LP like "Good Love" and "If I Was Your Girlfriend" do not suggest Camille was all about being the "dark" side of Prince in the beginning either.

Maybe Camille was really just some sort of a "hyper" version of Prince. He could say things that he wouldn't say "as Prince". He goes pretty far as the themes are concernced on most of the Camille tracks. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" and "Bob George" are obvious examples, but I always thought the lyrics on "Rockhard In A Funky Place" were some of the most twisted he ever wrote. Prince himself was more about, you know, "Purple Rain" and "Kiss".

... like you said maybe a hyper version of Prince who will sing Sign o the Times, but it's still hard to put it together, because by the time Lovesexy came about Camille was an angry twisted person influenced by Spooky Electric as a result of his Blue Tuesday experience

*Matt Fink confirmed the sequence of events, saying he was told by bodyguard Gilbert Davison, who was present at Paisley Park that evening, that Prince had taken the drug Ecstasy. "He had a bad trip, and felt that [the Black Album] was the devil working through him," Fink said. Chavez has also said that in the course of the evening Prince decided that The Black Album represented an evil force

RHIAFPlace was probably a bit less 'twisted' than SuperFunkiCaliFragiSexy which is definately twisted, but not Camille but Prince

I think overall the release of the Camille album would be more like a protege ie Madhouse

So Camille found a new color...

SquirrelMeat said:

robertgeorgeakabob said:

the camille character was more than just a sped up vocal. it was an alter-ego, a persona. camille is to prince what ziggy or alladin sane was to david bowie. prince used camille as an extension of his personality, a playful, sexually ambiguous little shit.

Exactly. This topic comes up every couple of years. Camille is not a sped up vocal.

The only Camille tracks are:

Rebirth of the flesh

Housequake

Strange relationship

Feel U up

Shockadelica

Good Love

If I was your girlfriend

Rock hard in a funky place

U got the look

Scarlet Pussy

Le Grind

Cindy C

Dead on it

When 2 R in love

Bob George

Supafunkicalafragasexi

2 Nigs united 4 west compton

Sources:

The first 8 tracks were mastered as the camille album, "U got" is confirmed in the SOTT credits, "Scarlet" is labelled on the Single release and the Black album is confirmed by Prince in the Lovesexy tour book (and on the tour when he sings Bob George).

So Camille = normal vocal (Le Grind), sped up (Good Love) and slowed down (Scarlet Pussy).

People seem to get hung up, wanting to call anything sped up as "camille". They even litter wikipedia with that crap.

Camille was Prince's dark mindset, not a vocal style.

True, thanks 4 bringing this out

I guess without putting the Lovesexy Camille piece into perspective with the actual album it gets confusing, because overall Camille was not this dark angry person, Camille via SOTT was a persona with sped up vocals(except 4 Play in the Sunshine), the Black album comes out(unofficially) but we don't know this is Camille until the Lovesexy tour book

Actually until I read your post, it didn't click that the Black album is attributed to Camille even though, the opening line is

So, U found me
Good, I'm glad
This is Prince - the cool of cools
Some of U may not know this, but some of U may know
Some of U may not want 2 know
We are here 2 give U service
Please don't try 2 stop us 4 we come regardless
4 we are as strong as we are intelligent
So come vibe with us
Funk Bible - the New Testament

hmmm .. i think the lovesexy stuff attributing the black album to camille is a bit of revisionist history .. the entire "camille" album featured the sped up vocal .. every track on sott has the sped up vocal .. in my mind erotic city and love or money qualify as camille .. the sped up vocals that came after the "camille" period I consider to be camille clone .. a fraud .. i conclude that after the "camille" project was abandoned prince used the concept as a character in his lovesexy storytelling and in doing so undermined a lot of what was definative about the camille persona .. that said .. i personally cannot consider anything with a prince vocal at normal or slowed down speeds to be camille .. and some fruity passing thought of a story that prince whipped up for a tour book isn't going to change that .. camille is the helium voice from the 80's .. everything else about him/her is revisionist .. especially considering how prince pushed the black album as something very negative, when in fact the camille persona on record isn't negative ..

rebirth of the flesh

housequake

strange relationship

if eye was ur girlfriend

rock hard in a funky place

erotic city

love or money

feel u up

u got the look

shockadelica

good love

scarlet pussy

i think thats it ...

TrevorAyer said:

hmmm .. i think the lovesexy stuff attributing the black album to camille is a bit of revisionist history .. the entire "camille" album featured the sped up vocal .. every track on sott has the sped up vocal .. in my mind erotic city and love or money qualify as camille .. the sped up vocals that came after the "camille" period I consider to be camille clone .. a fraud .. i conclude that after the "camille" project was abandoned prince used the concept as a character in his lovesexy storytelling and in doing so undermined a lot of what was definative about the camille persona .. that said .. i personally cannot consider anything with a prince vocal at normal or slowed down speeds to be camille .. and some fruity passing thought of a story that prince whipped up for a tour book isn't going to change that .. camille is the helium voice from the 80's .. everything else about him/her is revisionist .. especially considering how prince pushed the black album as something very negative, when in fact the camille persona on record isn't negative ..

rebirth of the flesh

housequake

strange relationship

if eye was ur girlfriend

rock hard in a funky place

erotic city

love or money

feel u up

u got the look

shockadelica

good love

scarlet pussy

i think thats it ...

right, the original concept to me was an alter ego for a side album, the Camille album probably would have been put out around the same time Dream Factory went out

also Crystal Ball has the sped up vocals & Play In the Sunshine

oh yeah totally forgot about crystal ball and dream factory

definately camille!!

OldFriends4Sale said:

Time upon a once
There was a boy named Camille
Now this boy named Camille
didn't know how 2 feel.
Sometimes he was lonely
sometimes he was sad
but most times
he just took 4 granted
all the nice things
that he had.

Some people said they loved him
but Camille said
"Contempt!
Winter, Spring,
Summer, or Fall,
love is no good
unless it's felt by all"

So, naive & terrifically in need
Camille started looking for answers
His paintbrush the questioner,
his canvas the arena,
Camille set out to silence his critics.
"No longer daring" - his enemies laughed.
"No longer glam, his funk is half-assed...
one leg is much shorter
than the other one is weak.
His strokes are tepid,
his colors are meek."

So Camille found a new color.
The color black:
strongest hue of them all.

He painted a picture
called Le Grind --
hittin' so tall.
And then Cindy C --
THE vogue fantasy.
Horns & vocals 2 die 4.
Lollipops -- in yours!

Stroke after stroke callin' all others a joke.
Superfunkycalifragisexi.

Camille rocked hard in a funky place.

Stuck his long funk in competition's face.

Tuesday came. Blue Tuesday.
His canvas full, and lying on the table,

Camille mustered
all the hate that he was able.

Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his game.

Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his name.

"Tis nobody funkier -- let the Black Album fly."

Spooky Electric was talking, Camille started 2 cry.

Tricked.
A fool he had been.

In the lowest utmostest.

He had allowed
the dark side of him 2 create something evil.

2 Nigs United
4 West Compton.

Camille and his ego.

Bob George.

Why?

If you notice Prince goes on to name songs off The Black Album in the this poem. I always wondered if Lollipops and Blue Tuesday were outtake from The Black Album that have yet to surface.

joyinrepetition said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

He painted a picture
called Le Grind --
hittin' so tall.
And then Cindy C --
THE vogue fantasy.
Horns & vocals 2 die 4.
Lollipops -- in yours!

If you notice Prince goes on to name songs off The Black Album in the this poem. I always wondered if Lollipops and Blue Tuesday were outtake from The Black Album that have yet to surface.

Lollipops ,very interesting

Blue Tuesday was a specific event 'after' the Black album was ready 4 release though

But I can see prince writing a song for it

joyinrepetition said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Time upon a once
There was a boy named Camille
Now this boy named Camille
didn't know how 2 feel.
Sometimes he was lonely
sometimes he was sad
but most times
he just took 4 granted
all the nice things
that he had.

Some people said they loved him
but Camille said
"Contempt!
Winter, Spring,
Summer, or Fall,
love is no good
unless it's felt by all"

So, naive & terrifically in need
Camille started looking for answers
His paintbrush the questioner,
his canvas the arena,
Camille set out to silence his critics.
"No longer daring" - his enemies laughed.
"No longer glam, his funk is half-assed...
one leg is much shorter
than the other one is weak.
His strokes are tepid,
his colors are meek."

So Camille found a new color.
The color black:
strongest hue of them all.

He painted a picture
called Le Grind --
hittin' so tall.
And then Cindy C --
THE vogue fantasy.
Horns & vocals 2 die 4.
Lollipops -- in yours!

Stroke after stroke callin' all others a joke.
Superfunkycalifragisexi.

Camille rocked hard in a funky place.

Stuck his long funk in competition's face.

Tuesday came. Blue Tuesday.
His canvas full, and lying on the table,

Camille mustered
all the hate that he was able.

Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his game.

Hate 4 the ones who ever doubted his name.

"Tis nobody funkier -- let the Black Album fly."

Spooky Electric was talking, Camille started 2 cry.

Tricked.
A fool he had been.

In the lowest utmostest.

He had allowed
the dark side of him 2 create something evil.

2 Nigs United
4 West Compton.

Camille and his ego.

Bob George.

Why?

If you notice Prince goes on to name songs off The Black Album in the this poem. I always wondered if Lollipops and Blue Tuesday were outtake from The Black Album that have yet to surface.

This is something I've never seen before. What is it?

Milty said:

joyinrepetition said:

If you notice Prince goes on to name songs off The Black Album in the this poem. I always wondered if Lollipops and Blue Tuesday were outtake from The Black Album that have yet to surface.

This is something I've never seen before. What is it?

from the Lovesexy tourbook

o.k. we're heading into nerdsville now..i forgot about bloody spooky electric. It's all to complex. The simple fact is that anything with the sped up voice is genius. End of discussion, lock the thread up!

funkyhead said:

o.k. we're heading into nerdsville now..i forgot about bloody spooky electric. It's all to complex. The simple fact is that anything with the sped up voice is genius. End of discussion, lock the thread up!

lol no, it's Princeipedia

Why does the discussion which is a cool discussion, I just learned something today, have to end and be locked, It doesn't break the rules lol

OldFriends4Sale said:

funkyhead said:

o.k. we're heading into nerdsville now..i forgot about bloody spooky electric. It's all to complex. The simple fact is that anything with the sped up voice is genius. End of discussion, lock the thread up!

lol no, it's Princeipedia

Why does the discussion which is a cool discussion, I just learned something today, have to end and be locked, It doesn't break the rules lol

indeed. Here's a Q4U then...do think all the sped-up tracks would work well in his normal voice?. The Camille voice adds a bit of freakiness, I can't imagine Crystal Ball, Shockadelica etc with his normal voice.

funkyhead said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

lol no, it's Princeipedia

Why does the discussion which is a cool discussion, I just learned something today, have to end and be locked, It doesn't break the rules lol

indeed. Here's a Q4U then...do think all the sped-up tracks would work well in his normal voice?. The Camille voice adds a bit of freakiness, I can't imagine Crystal Ball, Shockadelica etc with his normal voice.

some work very well in his normal voice like House Quake & Strange Relationship, I love the camille voice on If I Was Ur Girlfriend, how it come in and out on Lovesexy

I wonder is there a technical devise now that would allow thru a mic, for his voice to do that or do the deeper tones of LeGrind opening & Bob George

"Tis nobody funkier -- let the Black Album fly."

Spooky Electric was talking, Camille started 2 cry.

No! - is what Spooky Electric say, it's not OK (No!)
But I know that Love is the only way till my dyin' day (No!)

No! (People) - is what Spooky Electric say (Tell me, what'd he say?) (No!)
But don't U know that I know Love is the only way till my dyin' day (No!)

In every man's life there will be a hang-up
A whirlwind designed 2 slow U down
It cuts like a knife and tries 2 get in U
This Spooky Electric sound
Give up if U want 2 and all is lost
Spooky Electric will be your boss"

Call People Magazine, Rolling Stone
Call your next of kin, cuz your ass is gone
He got a 57 mag with the price tag still on the side - uh!
Cuzzin' when Spooky say dead, U better say died
Or U can fly high right by Spooky and all that he crawls 4
Spooky and all that he crawls 4
Don't kiss the beast

Fonkyman said:

I think he just found out how to tweak his voice. Played with the buttons in the studio and liked it.

Do people count Good Love as a Camille job?

IIWYG's a lovely Camille too, etc. etc...

I've always counted it as a Camille song

funkyhead said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

lol no, it's Princeipedia

Why does the discussion which is a cool discussion, I just learned something today, have to end and be locked, It doesn't break the rules lol

indeed. Here's a Q4U then...do think all the sped-up tracks would work well in his normal voice?. The Camille voice adds a bit of freakiness, I can't imagine Crystal Ball, Shockadelica etc with his normal voice.

personally i feel most of prince best work is done with voices other than his own .. even his high falsetto 'kiss' is a bit of a departure from his normal voice .. the time wouldn't be as awesome with prince singing .. nasty girl .. the family .. i wonder u .. sinead .. chaka .. don't get me wrong .. at times prince voice is amazing .. but if he isn't doing something totally freaky or harmonizing with some unique sounds like rosie gaines or wendy and lisa or sheena easton or sheila e or thet bangles or whomever .. i don't find him as fun or interesting .. even his pimp voice on chocolate or do yourself a favor add so much more color than just plain prince ... not only does the sped up voice make camille sound extra awesome .. but the twang it gives the sped up guitars is fantastic as well .. prince is one of the best there is but he just doesnt seem like prince if he is not fuckin up his voice or guitar sounds or throwing on some wierd ass backwards drums or incorporating some disonent claire fisher ominous tones .. i guess that is part of why i am bored with him .. his sound is just so plain and boring .. which would be fine if the songwriting was better .. but its not .. he just sounds like any old person, band, drum machine etc .. these days .. feels like he is painting with 2 or 3 colors instead of a full rainbow ... and when he goes for the camille sound these days it just sounds like some wierd computer gadget instead of the old analaog sped up tape method .. not as good .. i do like his slowed down if eye was ur girlfriend oprah style .. but the camille version is hands down one of his best pieces ever .. normal voice .. maybe not as cool sounding at all .. tho the lyrics hold up anyway u slice it

Absloutly.

hw3004 said:

funkyhead said:

oh shit, Camille crisis on the org. Prince needs to don his cape and dive in and give us a definitive list!!!

Surely, the only Camille tracks are the unreleased Camille album:

1. Rebirth Of The Flesh
2. Housequake
3. Strange Relationship
4. Feel U Up
5. Shockadelica
6. Good Love
7. If I Was Your Girlfriend
8. Rockhard In A Funky Place ¹

....plus U Got The Look and Scarlet Pussy.

Camille =>

Truth be told, if you put Camille vs. The Black Album, Camille wins hands down on every track. It's way funkier in every aspect. Camille should have the title of the most bootlegged album.

joyinrepetition said:

Truth be told, if you put Camille vs. The Black Album, Camille wins hands down on every track. It's way funkier in every aspect. Camille should have the title of the most bootlegged album.

totally!! it's when prince totally declares his genius for me. it's fucking spage age electro funk, a totally unique sound. it's futuristic, even in 2012, and will be in 20 years time.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

joyinrepetition said:

Truth be told, if you put Camille vs. The Black Album, Camille wins hands down on every track. It's way funkier in every aspect. Camille should have the title of the most bootlegged album.

totally!! it's when prince totally declares his genius for me. it's fucking spage age electro funk, a totally unique sound. it's futuristic, even in 2012, and will be in 20 years time.

and the reason is Camille...

robertgeorgeakabob said:

joyinrepetition said:

totally!! it's when prince totally declares his genius for me. it's fucking spage age electro funk, a totally unique sound. it's futuristic, even in 2012, and will be in 20 years time.

Just listened to $, does it pass as a Camille track (in the broadest sense)?

Dandroppedadime said:

Just listened to $, does it pass as a Camille track (in the broadest sense)?

I think it does I listen 2 it with Rock Hard in a Funky Place and Strange Relationship and they flow well and similarly

yes....especially with the idea of Cosmic day being sped up higher than the usual camille songs....I heard that he did this song after he finished the camille lp. with that being said, Cosmic Day is a camille track just total kick ass genius even though I havent heard the full version yet.

[Edited 11/17/12 12:00pm]

[Edited 11/17/12 12:01pm]