BATMAN

With the Batman hype machine in full swing, I grabbed my copy of the Batman CD and rushed home to listen to it. Reading the liner notes I loved that the songs were designed to be from the characters points of view. I heard the album before I saw the film and was hoping to see how the songs would fit (unfortunately only two songs made the cut).

And as I pressed play (oh how I missed placing the needle on a record), I sat back and prepared to run wild on the streets of Gotham.

Matching the darker feel of “The Dark Knight” comics this film was to based on a lot of the work on the album seems to come from the underground. Emerging from this comes THE FUTURE with its dark post apocalyptic vibe with a bass line that gets a work out. I would love to hear to hear this one live. It just has a sense of scale to it that I love. (the remix of this and electric chair are kicking too)

ELECTRIC CHAIR fusing rock and a strong funk groove just grabbed me from a first airing. - apart from a wicked line in the chorus this has always been a hidden away fave of mine. Just so rocky fused with a strong funk groove it's one of his finest from that period.

ARMS OF ORION just never moved me. It seemed too saccharine, and ok if this was the “love theme” for the movie maybe I can let it pass, but it just seems so twee. A competently delivered ballads that some artists would build careers on, but for Prince they leave me a bit ~ yeah ok, what next.

PARTY MAN – at the time I thought this was an ok song, and was a little disappointed that it was chosen over some of the other stronger songs for a single – but considering it made it into the movie it seemed like a logical choice. While not his strongest party jam it does have some cool elements to it, like the zigzagging horn section and bass line.

VIKKI WAITING - I played that song over and over - it's just smooth with that shuffling beat and musical arrangement. The song just grooves along with such ease you just can't help but feel it. Prince’s sense of humour is so right on here, especially that joke. And his vocal delivery is on point - a mix of understanding that he is trying the patience of his lover and a feeling of somewhat being helpless to change.

TRUST - WXYZ, this is the party jam of the album (even more so than the predetermined Party Man) and at the time I use to love playing it over and over, but now it seems a little dated. And the gospel inspired break down towards the end is just so perfect for the message of the song.

LEMON CRUSH - a wonderfully charged song that just screams of passion and desire, all tinged with that trademark Prince humour. Showing once again the kind of intricate drum patterns prince is capable of dishing up when left to his own devices.

SCANDALOUS – the opening chimes always remind me of a doorbell, and it’s kind of like as soon as the bells toll the seduction begins. This is Prince in sensual smooth mode, with a splash of daring thrown in on the side. A precursor to Insatiable, this sets the tone for future Prince ballads with such a wonderful vocal performance set alight with passion.

BATDANCE - ideal first single as it gave you a feel for what the album was, I love the vibe of this 2 songs in 1 fit with the frenetic power dancebeats and the funky shuffling groove giving you the impression that Prince was really working that blender in the studio that night sampling no fewer than six songs ~ "200 Balloons", "Power and Soul", "House in Order" "Rave unto the Joy Fantastic", "The Future", and "Electric Chair". I loved how he mixed the dialogue from the film throughout the tracks and especially on Batdance. A more fitting ending for the album than the intended “Dance with the devil”.

Although many have since criticized the album, as i'm listening to it now it reaffirms my love for it at the time, this IS a cool album.

So for those out there who haven't heard it for a while - pull it out and stick it in the computer - ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.... hey we got the power ... ohh we got the soul.

I liked the Batman era. It has that dark funk sound to it that i like.

The remixes were cool as well, The Future and Electric Chair remixes still managed to sound quite dark, while The (Japanese) Scandalous Sex Suite has the wonderful extra long version of Scandalous, and the great Partyman remixes.

Good album.

[Edited 9/25/10 6:04am]

Batdance is amazing.

A watershed moment in Prince history. Rushed, weak throwaway songs. The start of the decline.

But yeah, the maxis were great. Weird.

[Edited 9/25/10 12:42pm]

WOW!!! I had VICKI WAITING come on today on my iPod, & thought " The BATMAN album gets no love!!!". It's one of my fave Prince albums...hyper, experimental, & he went all out on the videos. LOVE THIS ERA

I dug it then and still do. I know alot of people don't like it, but I like that the songs actually have something to do with the characters in the movie, unlike alot of soundtracks that just put songs on a soundtrack that have nothing to do with anything in the movie.

I thought it was creative, especially the way he put parts of the movie dialogue into the songs. I think my love for this soundtrack is because the movie itself is like permanently seared into my mind because I watched it so much.

I don't know.. I just thought it was cool that he was doing something different.

the FUTURE

My total favorite from this album.

This is Prince a kind of Sign o the Times

The 'empty feel' also reminds me of the times 4 Prince, his whole life by the time of the release was changed. Everyone except for Dr Fink & Mico from his previous musical life was gone.

[Edited 9/25/10 15:26pm]

majissty said:

WOW!!! I had VICKI WAITING come on today on my iPod, & thought " The BATMAN album gets no love!!!". It's one of my fave Prince albums...hyper, experimental, & he went all out on the videos. LOVE THIS ERA

I couldn't agree more. Can't wait for SNL to release an official performance of Prince performing Electric Chair on their fifteenth anniversary show. The man kicked a**! He was creative with the songs and videos from this album.

First subpar album since Prince and For You. What a bad way to end the decade of gloriousness where every single album was flawless except this one. This album and the hip hop infused stuff from 90-93 are why people say P's last good album was Lovesexy. That's a long time to be off the artistic radar cuz your music is lame.

Spinlight said:

First subpar album since Prince and For You. What a bad way to end the decade of gloriousness where every single album was flawless except this one. This album and the hip hop infused stuff from 90-93 are why people say P's last good album was Lovesexy. That's a long time to be off the artistic radar cuz your music is lame.

= my wavelength.

Spinlight said:

First subpar album since Prince and For You. What a bad way to end the decade of gloriousness where every single album was flawless except this one. This album and the hip hop infused stuff from 90-93 are why people say P's last good album was Lovesexy. That's a long time to be off the artistic radar cuz your music is lame.

BATMAN is one of the least listened albums that I've listened over the years from PRINCE. Doesn't mean the songs were letdowns as I do like a few of the songs but I just can't put them on the same level of the albums that DIRTY MIND to LOVESEXY were.

violetskye said:

Spinlight said:

First subpar album since Prince and For You. What a bad way to end the decade of gloriousness where every single album was flawless except this one. This album and the hip hop infused stuff from 90-93 are why people say P's last good album was Lovesexy. That's a long time to be off the artistic radar cuz your music is lame.

BATMAN is one of the least listened albums that I've listened over the years from PRINCE. Doesn't mean the songs were letdowns as I do like a few of the songs but I just can't put them on the same level of the albums that DIRTY MIND to LOVESEXY were.

Then don't, just listen to it as the album that it is.

It's interesting that the first 3 releases leveraged the Batman association, whereas the final 2 singles seem to abandon that association and try and stand on their own two legs as Prince releases - may have had something to do with the timing of the releases and they hype dying down over Batman once the movie had been released.

Spinlight said:

First subpar album since Prince and For You. What a bad way to end the decade of gloriousness where every single album was flawless except this one. This album and the hip hop infused stuff from 90-93 are why people say P's last good album was Lovesexy. That's a long time to be off the artistic radar cuz your music is lame.

As much as I LOVE Electric Chair, my sentiments are the same.

Swa said:

It's interesting that the first 3 releases leveraged the Batman association, whereas the final 2 singles seem to abandon that association and try and stand on their own two legs as Prince releases - may have had something to do with the timing of the releases and they hype dying down over Batman once the movie had been released.

Well, the back cover of The Scandalous Sex Suite has a big Batman logo over the whole thing.

Difficult album to like...not a disaster but not what we would have expected from P at the time.

eireboy34 said:

Difficult album to like...not a disaster but not what we would have expected from P at the time.

Do you think it was that much of a departure? Considering it sounds like a mix of the brooding of Black Album with some moments of joy from LoveSexy, it feels like musically it was a natural progression, and given the movies subject matter I think it hits its mark.

Swa said:

eireboy34 said:

Difficult album to like...not a disaster but not what we would have expected from P at the time.

Do you think it was that much of a departure? Considering it sounds like a mix of the brooding of Black Album with some moments of joy from LoveSexy, it feels like musically it was a natural progression, and given the movies subject matter I think it hits its mark.

I agree, a lot of the songs were very similar to the sound of the 1988 Outtakes.

and the subject matters were similar to Prince's sound

It's a Prince album but of course not like his own

Never understood the venom that Arms of Orion gets, I like it. The weakest songs on the album are Vicki Waiting and Lemon Crush for me. Much love for the Batmix and both the Video Mix and Purple Party Mix versions of Partyman.

The first Prince album I ever bought with my own money. I love how the vibe of the album fits perfectly with the movie - very dark, gothic, and solitary. Awesome.

Nobody's mentioned the great b-sides from the era:

Sex - awesome

The Crime/Passion/Rapture - Rapture solo kicks major arse

Feel U Up - awesome

I Love U In Me - meh

200 Balloons - classic!

The Partyman Video mix has replaced the original on my iPod.

The outtakes from this time period are some of his best.

A mediocre album in its original form at best and in no way, up there with his earlier stuff.

The version that I listen to on my Ipod have the original tracks such as The Future, Partyman, Scandalous etc deleted and replaced with the various (and in my opinion, far superior) remixes and the various B-Sides from the project.

Definitely makes for a better listening experience and much darker album to complement a rather dark and excellent take on the Batman mythos.

I really like "Partyman" (quite overrated), "electric chair" and "trust".

The outtakes from this time period are some of his best.

Yep, i heard some nice outtakes recently but sound quality was really poor. Is there outtakes with enjoyable sound ?

trickykid59 said:

I really like "Partyman" (quite overrated), "electric chair" and "trust".

The outtakes from this time period are some of his best.

Yep, i heard some nice outtakes recently but sound quality was really poor. Is there outtakes with enjoyable sound ?

200 Balloons and I Love You In Me are on the Hits/B Sides CD.

billymeade said:

The first Prince album I ever bought with my own money. I love how the vibe of the album fits perfectly with the movie - very dark, gothic, and solitary. Awesome.

Nobody's mentioned the great b-sides from the era:

Sex - awesome

The Crime/Passion/Rapture - Rapture solo kicks major arse

Feel U Up - awesome

I Love U In Me - meh

200 Balloons - classic!

The Partyman Video mix has replaced the original on my iPod.

The outtakes from this time period are some of his best.

I think I Love U In Me is one of his most beautiful ballads - but more on that when we get to the Hits/B-Sides discussion.

Batman 1989 , The Movie Was Good And The Soundtracks By Danny Elfman & Prince Were Great.

It's A Shame Prince Is Not Looking For Some Way To Remaster His Back Catalog.

I For One Would Love To See A 3 Disc Version Of The Batman Album With Outtakes , Remixes ,

Edits And Unreleased Tracks.....

akaexodus said:

Batman 1989 , The Movie Was Good And The Soundtracks By Danny Elfman & Prince Were Great.

It's A Shame Prince Is Not Looking For Some Way To Remaster His Back Catalog.

I For One Would Love To See A 3 Disc Version Of The Batman Album With Outtakes , Remixes ,

Edits And Unreleased Tracks.....

Keep the dream alive.

OldFriends4Sale said:

the FUTURE

My total favorite from this album.

This is Prince a kind of Sign o the Times

The 'empty feel' also reminds me of the times 4 Prince, his whole life by the time of the release was changed. Everyone except for Dr Fink & Mico from his previous musical life was gone.

[Edited 9/25/10 15:26pm]

I know people hate to discuss it but those folks must have far more input than anyone wants to admit. Because never made those AMAZING albums again after everyone left he made some good one and still is better than most but never those "WOW did you hear that????"

the batman soundtrack gets props from me.

matter of fact, the movie was on t.v. yesterday

"...... m runnin out of things to call your HSURC NOMEL....

don't wanna do without your"......wanna scream and shout your....."