When I did some studio work (lead guitar) with Morris and Andre back in 95, I talked to Andre about his solo albums and how I dug them. I asked Andre how did it come about him doing "The Dance Electric", with it being a P song and all. He said that P wanted him to do it, so he checked it out and he dug it. Simple as that. He said he felt that enough time had elapsed and he was more comfortable at that time doing a cut that P had actually wrote. Plus, he said, P was "hot" with "the Purple Rain thing", so he wanted to capitalize on that, saying the material that he already had "in the can" fit well with P's song. He said that "Red Light" (from A.C.) dated back to late 82. Anyway, I love "The Dance Electric" and always have. It's a cut that I wish P would have kept for himself, although I don't like his version as well as Andre's. Great lyrics as well and although P's lead guitar is too low in the mix, I like it still. Andre sounds so natural doing this song, like he could have written it himself. I like how P's backing vocals on the chorus blend with Andre's. Again, it's more natural sounding and more fluid than say his backing vocals on the first Time's album. Very, very cool video as well. The video is slamming. Should have been a bigger hit than it was, truth be told. Anyway, who else here digs Andre's "The Dance Electric"?

This was funk at its
best in the 80's!!!!
Would've been a great B-side..
if Prince had kept it....
[Edited 5/2/05 14:19pm]

funkpill said:

man, I think P should have released it as a single! Scrapped the whole "Around The World In A Day" project and followed up the Purple Rain album with a concept album built around "The Dance Electric" track.

blackguitaristz said:

I guess we'll never know....

LOVE THAT SONG!

blackguitaristz said:

I agree with you. He should've scrappped the AWIAD and followed it with the Dance Electric track b/c it would've been a more appropriate follow up.

debbiedean2 said:

u can shout as loud as want, babygirl!

MsLegs said:

Hell yeah.

blackguitaristz said:

Just my opinion....
But I think it would've fitted well
during the "Around The World" period....
Could've been a great B-side....
Just my opinion....

love your enemies- there isn´t much time..
i don´t understand why a.c. isn´t available on CD. He should reissue this album.
that thing about the b-side is funny: On Prince´s "God" P hits some phrases from The Dance electric- perfect condition to move it on- as you said, at that time prince was a purple Flame.

DonSpectrofuzz said:

Its just my opinion.....

12" version ... and an honorable mention to the b-side, Red Light.

One of my favorite minneapolis cuts! The most distinctive part of the song for me is the guitar solo - it had a cutting tone - a different sound from P. Plus, I love when the funk guitar kicks in towards the end (though I wish the guitar was a little bit louder in the mix).

If you haven't noticed already, I LUV this song

Being a huge Andre Cymone fan, you know I love this one. Andre is a hell of a talent on his own but this cut really shows how great it is when Andre and Prince work together. This is my all time favorite Andre Cymone song.

By the way blackguitaritz, the next time you see Andre, tell him Andy said hello.

Oh hell yeah! I've always thought the same thing myself. An album like that would have been the absolute perfect follow-up to "Purple Rain" and Prince would have not lost the droves of fans that he lost with "Around The World In A Day". Of course, he picked up a whole new set of fans with that album but he would have not lost the respect of many of his old fans that were loyal supporters years before "Purple Rain".

blackguitaristz said:

....oh yeah - one of my all time favourites! The groove is just so hypnotic, the rumbling bass just so, erm, rumbling, and the tease at the start of the guitar solo just makes me wanna crank up the system even louder! Only disappointment was that andre didn't have his hilarious swim suit costume on the cover...

if i could have one outtake released and remastered I think it would be the 12 minute version of this! let's start a petition !!

funkpill said:

Right on, funkpill. I can dig it.

vainandy said:

When I first joined this site, I ran a thread about the "in between album" from 83. It was an album that P himself talked about in a Rolling Stone interview, "Prince Talks". It was an album that was AFTER 1999 and BEFORE Purple Rain. WB told P to hold off on another album in 83 and wait untill the movie dropped. I remember reading an article about this in Black Beat in late 83/early 84. It actually listed some song titles. "Electric Intercourse" was one that was definately mentioned. What would have been cold is that P hit with "The Dance Electric" album AFTER Purple Rain with "Electric Intercourse" and "GOD" that album.

blackguitaristz said:

oops, meant to say "GOD" on THAT album.

funkpill said:

Really? O.K. funkpill, check this out. Now, if P had scrapped the ATW album and took "She's Always In My Hair" and put THAT along with "Electric Intercourse" on "The Dance Electric" album, then ww would have had something!

blackguitaristz said:

Here's my thang Black....

I believe that Prince stay true to the funk when he
made "ATWIAD"...And the "Parade" album too...That was stuff nobody was doing in that era.. "I had a fit when I discovered the extended
version of "America"... I just believe that "Dance Electric" would've fitted right in as a great B-side...And that's not a bad thing...His b-sides were great..Others artist's were still copying his "1999" material, when he had already threw away his drum machine...
He was on a whole new thang....And when they finally caught-up, he was doing "Sign O The Times....

Funk can do airthang!!!!

Again my friend....just my opinion...

funkpill said:

Great points, my friend. And I agree.

This track was my introduction to Andre Cymone. I think it's a good song with, as someone else said, a great "rumbling" beat, but honestly I think I liked the second single, "Lipstick Lover" a little better at the time. I was really excited to find that 12" back in the day. I'm gonna have to play this record again when I get home, because I haven't listened to it in years. I think the 12" version of "The Dance Electric" is actually shorter than the album version, no?

sextonseven said:

Yeah, it is. Weird. "Lipstick Lover" was cool, too. The whole album, reeally. Andre's best lp. He wasn't trying to run from his past. A lot of what he hand his hand in creating.

I used to think Andre was not that good.I used to own all his stuff,though. I have grown ,in time, to appreciate him much more. It's a shame he hasn't released more. He has done a lot more production worjk that I realized,though. I really like most of his 3 albums. Very talented brotha. I am slowly getting copies of everything on cd-r. Very cool! My andre cassette has been smoking from all the use.My next thing is the andre concert footage.

I have seen some obscure re-issues of albums on cd over the years. Why hasn't his stuff been done this way? I mean,he did have 2 hit singles. And info can be found on him on almost every music site. There must be interest so,I wonder why the holdup? He could probably release it himself or P could start his Rhino-style label and make some of that cool old music available. Imagine a Mazarati re-issue or The Family or even things not PP associated.He could release old hip hop,too.I can't find "official" copies of Dougie Fresh's big album or Malcolm McLaren's "buffalo gals" ep(those are some hot tracks!)

Anyway, Andre rocks!!Andre is funkier than a mosquito's tweeter!