give it up for this song. i know a lot of you dislike it, for some
strange reason, but tonight we'll celebrate it, lol.



last song written for the grafitty bridge album and imo the best of
the new songs on that project.

the 'old' songs on there are superb: ? of U, Joy In Repetition etc.
but of the new ones, this one is surely the best.

but soundwise, imo, it doesn't belong on the album. and neither can
you compare it to the sound of the following "diamonds and pearls".

i always thought it was a pretty unique and one off sounding song in
his catalogue. and that's quite special since most of his pop songs
are instantly recognisable as prince productions. thieves is too, but
it has a different edge. it sounds almost as if it were produced by
someone else.

especially the extended version is perfection. love it so much that
it's hard to explain, lol.



I'm holdin' on the best that I can (Holdin' on)
Love - please let me be the better man (Let me be)
Better than the ones that wanna count me out (Thieves, thieves)
Better than the ones that don't know what my love's about
I'm talkin' 'bout the kinda love that could move a mountain
The kinda love that could part the sea
The kinda love that'll last 4ever
(No matter what U say, we should be 2gether)
U should be with me (Thieves in the temple)
Yeah, U should be with me

I said I wanna know one thing (Talk 2 me, talk 2 me)
Said I wanna know, I wanna know one thing, baby (Talk 2 me, talk 2 me)
How come U said that I was your baby
When U and your love was gonna leave?
U led me on, led me on thinkin' U was Moses
Herdin' sheep blindly through a fantasy
U done me wrong and everybody knows it (Thieves in the temple)
Now the sound of my voice is pumpin' in your chest
More or less, I am here 2 tell U that
I am the best, better than the rest
Better than the thieves in the temple 2night
2night, 2night, 2night, 2night… hurt me!

Put it in here
(Thieves in the temple) {x2}
Thieves in the temple 2night

What the…? (Thieves in the temple)

Put your foot on the rock
Let me show U how 2 clock
Put your foot on the rock
Let me show U how 2 clock

(Thieves in the temple)
(Thieves, thieves)
What the...? (Thieves in the temple 2night)

Who got the party, who got the party - who? {x4}
(Thieves in the…)
Hurt me! (Thieves in the temple)


now go listen to that again and tell me that is not one of his
very best songs.

damn

Oh YES!

The extended version is the BOMB.

the extended version always makes me want to play "soulpsychodelicide",
well, after i've listened to the extended version about three times in
a row.

i love this song to death and reminds me of when i first started to get into prince.

great track, and the extended version kicks ass!

great topic thread!!

Thieves In The Temple [extended version]

Yet I'd prefer he didn't break the best part of the LP version:

K i c k i n g me in my heart, tearing me all apart
(Tearing me, tearing me, tearing me all apart)
'Cause me and u could have been a work of art
Thieves in the temple

Baby don't u know I'm holding on
The best that I can
Love please help me be
The better man
Better than the thieves in the temple
In the temple tonight

You led me on, thinking you was Moses
Heardin' sheep blindly through a fantasy
You don't me wrong
and everybody knows it.


Some of the most fun lyrics. LOVE the extended version.

Thives In The Temple: one of his best extended singles....

IstenSzek said:

i give it up for a lot less, but this song is awesome, i love it. wasn't this this the last time Prince "put [his] foot on the rock"?

@ the love for the extended version. i've been awake for 45 minutes
and i've already listened to it three times.

At 12:21pm!!!

IstenSzek said:

The extended version is the BIZNESS!

And you're right about the sound being unique in terms of what came before and what came after--the gated kick drum from way down in the bottom, the (synth?) harmonica, the overall spareness of the production, had a very clean sound that wasn't cluttered.

And then there's the amazing vocal arrangements. One of the things that people don't comment enough is on Prince's abilities as an arranger. His layering/harmonizing of his own vocals, the interplay with the Steeles (I think?), is top notch.

One of my favorite extended mixes!!!

Check it out, Thieves is only three chords, basically.

Intro: Dm, Cm, Gm

"Love come quick" notes are simply an arpeggiated Gm chord.

And the rest of the song pretty much revolves around the same v iii i progression.


BUT

I have nothing but love for this song. One of my all time favorites. Prince is one of the only artists I know who can make SO many GREAT songs out of extremely basic chord progressions and make them ridiculously intricate and expressive.

NuPwrSoul said:

Oh speak it!

Every damn thing U say here is dead on.

Finally, someone is talking about his vocal harmony arrangements!!!

PANDURITO said:

NuPwrSoul said:

and indeed, the vocal arrangement on this song is wonderful.

THIS is why I love the Org so much. This thread made me dust off my copy of this and get it on my iPod. Jamming to it now...U guys rock...

Omigod That's gotta be my favorite video!!


Love come quick, love come in a hurry!
[Edited 6/12/09 14:37pm]

My only friend is U.....

Yeah Thieves In The Temple is the best song off graffiti bridge and one of the songs that made me a prince fan and the extended version is the best i bought the 2 disc Ultimate just for the extended remixes

Giovanni777 said:

YES I LOVE THIS, LOVE THIS!
One of my Top Five Prince songs.

"Thieves in The Temple" to me is really one of the last "Prince Golden Era" classics, and as you said the Extended Version is fantastic.

Anyway, to tell the truth, I bought the original CDsingle on that days and as I was happy for the "Extended Version" I was also shocked (in a bad way) and worried from the other two mixes, absolutely forgettable and not "Princely".

Looking at this now, it seems that it was one of the first signs of things going not in the better way, if you know what I mean.

How about the great, yet short, Thieves in the temple part II on the B-side of the 45! I love that too!

Dayclear said:

and the first time prince showed us his butt cheeks. i'd seen that vid
at least 50 times before i noticed his cheeks were hangin out his pants

djdaffy1227 said:

oh yes, that's a great track

I was listening to this the other day and digging it of course. You really do have to admit that it's "When Doves Cry Part2". I can't say I mind though. I'd rather Prince play with his classic sounds and kick my ass with it than lay goose eggs playing snooze-jazz and stuff. Imagine if he hooked up a new song with the kick's processed like Thieves and Doves. Oh my God!

CerpinTaxt said:

Modern Prince should take note. Keep it simple. If you listen to the songs on the 'Sign Of The Times' album. It's the same thing, really simple chord structure, light arrangement. Sexy vibe. Less is more, Prince.

Nice track, hope Prince gets his baby back

Thieves need to get out of the temple

This song makes me want to touch myself.

LAWD JEEZUS!!!

Put yo foot on the rock,
Let me show u how 2 clock...



BTW, I think Prince's dancing in the video is the best he's ever moved....he was inspired.