dumb question,i'm sorry.but i always wondered this.the name is obviously a girl's name but he usually sings with it from a man's(his)perspective.the only thing that made me think otherwise is the song "shockadelica".there was something on wikipedia about it being about some hermaphrodite or something.is there any truth to this?love this effect anyways!

I can see why you might be confused.

Camille is a boy.

it is both.

My brother said that Prince tried to sound like a girl with the Camille voice. I just thouht that was funny.

I thought it was Prince ripping off Sly Stones style

No, Prince's character Camille was male. Not female, not both.

According to the Lovesexy Tour Book

"Camille was a boy who didn't know how to feel."

camille was mj's alias..

lazycrockett said:

Exactly. And the male lead character in the original Grafitti Bridge plot.

Rinluv said:

Camille is not just the the sped up voice. That's a common mis-conception. Its this misconception that has lead to people thinking songs like PFUnk and Partyman are Camille songs when they are not.

SquirrelMeat said:

i thought too.. Camille was his alter ego.. since he's gemini, he wanted to name the other side ...

SquirrelMeat said:

I am already aware of what you've just stated. I've been listening to Prince for a very long time and I am already aware of that whole thing. Only certain songs are actually "Camille" songs. I was just going by of what my crazy brother said.

Rinluv said:

Sorry, I thought you were asking! I Didn't mean to sound high and mighty!

SquirrelMeat said:

It's cool.

Camille is Prince.

Prince is a boy.

End of story.

vainandy said:

It seems tha there is some truth in that story actually. i recall when Prince was asked during an online chat whether camille was based on the hermaphrodie herculine barbarin (or a name similar to this, who was often refer to as camille) he replied "your brother is very wise" - this was because the interview asked on his brothers behalf.

vainandy said:

Wikipedia is full of shit!!!

KidaDynamite said:

Agreed. However, i wouldnt be so quick to dismiss this claim.

3121 said:

Herculin Barbin - you were close enough

thebumpsquad said:

ahh, thats it. thanks... i was nearly there.

SquirrelMeat said:

ok so what is it exactly?

electrorock said:

Camille is one of Prince's many alter ego characters. After Parade, Prince seemed to be having a battle in himself between pop and funk. He has always wanted a separate outlet for him funk music. The first outlet was The Time,later it was The Family, and later still it was the NPG.

As well as outlet bands, he decided upon the idea if releasing less commercial material himself, but under a different name.

He created Camille, and was set to release an album of material pre Sign O The Times. The record company didn't go for it (long story) and eventually Prince abandoned the idea. However, some of the original tracks made it onto Sign O The Times, and he still credited the lead vocal to Camille (see in the SOTT credits).

All of the original Camille tracks featured Prince with a sped up voice (a technique he developed in 84 with Erotic City & Love or Money), which some people though made him sound like a woman, but you just have to listen to the lyrics of "If I was your girlfriend" to realise that Camille is a boy.

In the Lovesexy period, Prince decided that Camille was his evil side, and was responsible for the creation of the Black Album. He was still happy for Camille to pop his head up every now and then, even performing live as a low voice character singing Bob George. The low voice Camille even performed a new song ("Scarlet pussy") as the B-side to I wish U Heaven.

Officially that’s the last time we ever heard from Camille, although one of the remaining Camille session tracks, Feel U up did appear as a B-side to Party man in 1989, although the official credit has now been reverted back to Prince.

So Camille was a character of the time, and was all about the evil music, rather than a sped up or slowed down voice. Many would agree thought; the Camille period was one of Prince's most creative periods in his career.

Here is the background about Camille from Prince himself....


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? Spooky Electric must die. Die in the hearts of all who want love. Die in the hearts of men who want change. Die in the bodies of women who want babies that will grow up with a New Power Soul. Love Life, Lovesexy -- the feeling u get when u fall in love, not with a girl or boy but with the heavens above. Lovesexy -- endorphin. Camille figured out what 2 feel. Glam Slam Escape -- the Sexuality Real. Tonight we make love with only words. Girls first. This feeling's so good in every single way.
God is alive! Let Him touch u and He will quench
every thirst. Let him touch u and an aura of peace will adorn u.
God is alive!
Let Him touch u and your own Lovesexy will be born.
Let Him touch u, let Him touch u, and Heaven is yours.
Welcome 2 the New Power Generation.

SquirrelMeat said:

LOL
I was thinking of posting that whole thing myself, but thought do I really care that much?!!

Camille is a freak, the way they should be.

Camille is the yang presence (yin-yang) in Prince.

thank u

so who is spooky electric? i though he was the bad side and camille the good one

electrorock said:

Spooky electic is the devil, leading Prince's bad side (Camille) astray! He sure comes up with some bollocks doesn't he!