Camille | |
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![]() Rare LP copy of Camille pressed prior to its 1986 cancellation, without cover artwork [1] | |
Studio album by | |
Released | TBA January 1987 (withdrawn) [2] |
Recorded | Late 1986 |
Genre | Funk [3] |
Label | |
Producer | Prince |
Camille is the upcoming [4] second posthumous studio album by American musician Prince. The album was originally recorded in 1986 under the pseudonym Camille, a feminine alter ego portrayed by Prince via pitch-shifting his vocals up to an androgynous register. [3] Prince planned to release the album without any acknowledgement of his identity. [3] The project was initially scrapped several weeks before its planned release, with rare early LP pressings eventually surfacing for auction in 2016; [3] several tracks recorded for Camille were instead included on various other projects, most prominently Prince's 1987 double LP Sign o' the Times .
In March 2022, Third Man Records announced that they had received the rights to release the album, with Ben Blackwell (co-founder of the label) saying "Prince’s people agreed – almost too easy." While the label indicated plans to release Camille, no release date or method of release has been announced yet. [5] [6] [7] [8] There have been no updates on the release since July 2022. [9]
After abandoning his Dream Factory LP and breaking up his backing band The Revolution in mid-1986, Prince entered the studio with engineer Susan Rogers in late October to begin a new project. [10] He began experimenting with his vocals in an artificially pitched-up style, achieved either by using a pitchshifter or by recording his vocals at a slower tempo and then speeding up the tape to create a higher, androgynous tone (he had previously experimented with this technique on his 1984 B-side "Erotic City"). [10]
Prince began referring to this new pitched-up voice as a feminine alter ego named Camille. [10] [11] The sessions commenced with the recording of the dance track "Housequake" [10] and within ten days he had completed enough material for an album, [10] which he planned to release pseudonymously under Camille's name as a self-titled debut. [11] He informed Warner Bros. that his image would not appear on the cover and that he would not acknowledge the album as his own work. [11] [12] [13] At some point, his plans for Camille also extended to ideas for a movie. [10] It has been suggested that the name was inspired by the 19th century French intersex person Herculine Barbin, who also used the alias Camille and was the subject of the 1985 film Mystère Alexina . [11] [14]
By November 5, the album had reached the mastering stage and a number of copies were pressed, but Prince abandoned it weeks before its intended release. His reasons for doing so are not entirely clear, [10] though it may have been in part due to Warner Bros.' unwillingness to release an album that would not be attributed to Prince's name. [12] It is unknown how many original printed copies of the album exist, [3] or whether prepared cover artwork was ever finalized, though the catalogue number 25543 was assigned to it. [10] After shelving Camille, Prince combined the tracks intended for that album (except "Feel U Up") with other unreleased recordings from the period into the proposed triple album Crystal Ball . [3] Against his wishes, Warner Bros. forced him to trim the tracklist down to a double album, which became Sign o' the Times (1987). This release included the Camille tracks "Housequake", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", and "Strange Relationship".
The remaining tracks from Camille would be released through other avenues in subsequent years. "Rebirth of the Flesh" was first released in its original form in 2020 on Sign o' the Times – Super Deluxe Edition. The NPG Music Club made a 1988 Lovesexy Tour rehearsal recording available in September 2001. "Feel U Up'" was released in 1989 as the B-side of "Partyman". "Shockadelica," originally written (unsolicited) by Prince as the title track for Jesse Johnson's then-forthcoming album titled Shockadelica (1986), was later included as a B-side of "If I Was Your Girlfriend". "Good Love" was later released on the Bright Lights, Big City film soundtrack in 1988.
Two other songs were credited to Camille after the album project was abandoned. The first was "Scarlet Pussy", which was released as the B-side of the 1988 single "I Wish U Heaven" featuring a black label. The second was "U Got the Look", which appeared on Sign o' the Times and was also released as a single. Another song was recorded using Camille vocals called "Cosmic Day", it was released alongside "Rebirth of the Flesh" on the super deluxe edition of Sign o' the Times. [15]
Prince later invoked Camille as the guiding force responsible for his next project, The Black Album (which contained "Rockhard in a Funky Place", again as the final track). [11] [16] Like Camille, this album was also shelved shortly before its intended release after Prince experienced a spiritual epiphany and became convinced it was "evil"; [17] he later blamed the album on an entity named Spooky Electric, described as a demonic alter-ego to Camille. [18]
In 2016, a rare LP pressing of Camille made before its official shelving was put up for auction. [3] The album sold for $58,787.
A super deluxe edition of Sign o' the Times was released on September 25, 2020, which includes outtakes from the Dream Factory/Camille/Crystal Ball sessions as bonus tracks.
All tracks are written by Prince, except "Rockhard in a Funky Place" by Prince and Eric Leeds
No. | Title | Other releases | Length |
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1. | "Rebirth of the Flesh" | Sign o' the Times – Super Deluxe Edition | 4:54 |
2. | "Housequake" | Sign o' the Times | 4:34 |
3. | "Strange Relationship" | Sign o' the Times | 4:04 |
4. | "Feel U Up" | B-side of "Partyman" The Hits/The B-Sides | 6:27 |
No. | Title | Other releases | Length |
---|---|---|---|
5. | "Shockadelica" | B-side of "If I Was Your Girlfriend" The Hits/The B-Sides Sign o' the Times – Super Deluxe Edition | 6:12 |
6. | "Good Love" | Bright Lights, Big City soundtrack Crystal Ball (edited version) | 5:11 |
7. | "If I Was Your Girlfriend" | Sign o' the Times | 4:47 |
8. | "Rockhard in a Funky Place" | The Black Album | 4:30 |
Credits from Duane Tudahl, Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud [19] [20] [21] [22] [23]
The untitled sixteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, referred to as The Black Album, was re-released with re-mastered audio on November 22, 1994, by Warner Bros. Records after its original release on December 8, 1987. The follow-up to Sign o' the Times, the album was to appear in an entirely black sleeve with no title or even a credit to Prince; hence it being referred to as The Black Album. Dubbed The Funk Bible by preceding press releases, and in a hidden message within the album itself, the work seemed to be a reaction to criticism that Prince had become too pop-oriented. It was his attempt to regain his black audience.
"Mountains" is a 1986 song by American musician Prince and The Revolution, from his eighth album, Parade (1986), and the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon. It was written by The Revolution members Wendy & Lisa together with Prince. The extended 12" single version of the song runs nearly ten minutes. It reached number 23 in the US but only 45 in the UK. The B-side was the instrumental "Alexa de Paris", one of the few tracks from this project featuring a guitar solo. Both songs appear in the film Under the Cherry Moon, with the video for "Mountains" playing as the credits roll. The version shown on MTV to promote the single was in color as opposed to the film's black-and-white version.
"I Wish U Heaven" is a song by Prince, and the third single from his 1988 album, Lovesexy. The 12" single is a substantially extended three-part suite which runs over ten minutes. This song was a replacement for "The Line", an upbeat jam featuring Boni Boyer and Sheila E. on backing vocals. "I Wish U Heaven" is a joyful, spiritual song with few lyrics
"If I Was Your Girlfriend" is a song by American singer and songwriter Prince. The song serves as the second single from his ninth studio album Sign o' the Times (1987). The single was a hit in the UK (#20) but was only a minor hit in America (#67) but a major hit on black radio in America. It was originally from the Camille album, which was to be released under the guise of Prince's alter ego named Camille.
Crystal Ball is an unreleased studio album by Prince recorded throughout 1986. The album was planned to consist of 3 LPs and cover a broad range of musical styles. Many of its tracks were repurposed for the 1987 album Sign o' the Times, while others remained officially unreleased for years.
"Sign o' the Times" is a song from American musician Prince's 1987 album of the same name, released as a single on February 18, 1987. The song was originally intended for two separate Prince studio albums meant to be released in 1986, both shelved: Dream Factory and Crystal Ball. Prince performed all vocals and instruments on the song. "Sign o' the Times" was reportedly written and composed on a Sunday, when Prince usually wrote his most introspective songs.
"U Got the Look" is a song by American musician Prince. It opens the second disc of Prince's double album Sign o' the Times (1987), and became the album's runner-up chart single. Musically, the song is a standard 12-bar rock song with emphasis on the contrast between heavy drum beats by a Linn LM-1 drum machine and Sheila E.'s live percussion, and a vastly distorted almost completely saturated guitar sound. Although not credited on the single release, the song also features Scottish recording artist Sheena Easton. Prince sings in his sped-up "Camille" voice, although the song was not intended for the Camille album. The lyrics recite the familiar "boy versus girl in the World Series of love" line.
"Partyman" is a song by American musician Prince from his 1989 Batman album, and the follow-up to his number one hit, "Batdance". The song is one of the few on the album to be prominently featured in the film, accompanying the scene in which the Joker and his minions deface exhibits in the Gotham City Art Museum before meeting Vicki Vale.
"Take Me with U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, and the final US single released from their album, Purple Rain (1984).
"Paisley Park" is a 1985 song by Prince and The Revolution. It was the first single released in some international markets from their 1985 album, Around the World in a Day and so is also the album's last single internationally. "Paisley Park" was recorded 3 months after the Purple Rain album was released. Violin on the song was played by Novi Novog, and Wendy & Lisa provide backing vocals. The rest of the song was performed by Prince. The song reached the Top 40 in all of the countries it was released in. It peaked within the Top 20 in both Ireland and the UK.
"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" is a song written and recorded by American musician Prince. It was released as the final single from his ninth studio album Sign o' the Times (1987), becoming the third top-ten hit off the album. It has since been covered by numerous artists.
"Anotherloverholenyohead" is a 1986 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album Parade, the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon. The song is essentially a solo performance by Prince, with backing vocals from Susannah Melvoin, and the horn section of Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss on the extended version. The song also features a string arrangement by Clare Fischer. The song is set in a minor key, and written around a piano chord sequence, although the arrangement emphasizes an upfront guitar synth and a drum machine. The lyrics are about a man trying to reclaim a lover who is intent on leaving him for another. The song's title is a combination of the main idea of the song, and the line "U need another lover like u need a hole in yo head" from the chorus. The single received a 12" extended release with intricate piano work, a horn overdub and some dance commands from Prince.
"Girls & Boys" is a 1986 song by American musician Prince and the Revolution, from his eighth studio album, Parade (1986), the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon. The song was released as a single in the UK, and as the B-side to "Anotherloverholenyohead" in the US.
"The Future" is a song from American musician Prince's 1989 Batman soundtrack, and the final single released from the album. The single was not the album version, but a remixed version by S'Express' Mark Moore and William Orbit. "The Future" was released as a single only in Europe. The standard European 7-inch single was backed with the album version of "Electric Chair", but on the maxi-single, "Electric Chair" was also remixed by Moore and Orbit. Moore and Orbit's remix of "The Future" is house-inspired, whereas Prince's original is minimalistic. Moore and Orbit substituted a muted, pulsating beat in place of the original elements of Prince's song. Moore and Orbit also removed Prince's original bassline, synthline, and snippets of sampled dialogue. This would be the last time Orbit would work with Prince for several years. In most countries, neither "The Future" nor its B-side were a hit on the pop or dance floors. The single peaked at #9 in the Dutch charts.
Sign o' the Times is the ninth studio album by the American singer, songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Prince. It was first released on March 30, 1987, as a double album by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album is the follow-up to Parade and is Prince's first solo album following his disbanding of the Revolution. The album's songs were largely recorded during 1986 to 1987 in sessions for releases Prince ultimately aborted: Dream Factory, the pseudonymous Camille, and finally the triple album Crystal Ball. Prince eventually compromised with label executives and shortened the length of the release to a double album.
Sheila E. is the third solo album by Sheila E., released on Paisley Park Records/Warner Bros. Records in 1987.
"Adore" is a song by Prince. It is the last track on his 1987 double album Sign o' the Times, following the live track "It's Gonna Be a Beautiful Night". A long, ornate slow jam featuring Atlanta Bliss and Eric Leeds on horns, it was described by NME reviewer Paolo Hewitt as "a sugar ballad that harks back to the Stylistics but is indelibly Prince's, a lush yet remarkable piece of music, and a fitting climax". It received significant radio play despite never being released as a single, and became an occasional part of Prince's concert repertoire. A 4:39-long edit of the song appears on the 1993 compilation album The Hits/The B-Sides, and the Girl 6 soundtrack album contains the full-length version. Prince's 2002 box set One Nite Alone... Live! includes a solo performance of "Adore" with piano accompaniment.
Jill Jones is the self-titled debut solo album from the artist of the same name; Jill Jones. The album was released in 1987 on Paisley Park / Warner Bros. Records. It was produced by Jones and Prince.
"Starfish and Coffee" is a song performed by Prince, and written by him and Susannah Melvoin. It is the sixth track on his 1987 double album Sign o' the Times, and was based on a true story about a girl named Cynthia Rose that went to the same school as Susannah and Wendy Melvoin. Susannah, Prince's girlfriend at the time, would receive a writing credit for the lyrics on the track due to the story that she told of Cynthia.
"The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" is a song written and performed by Prince. It is the fourth track on his 1987 double album Sign o' the Times, and features a reference to one of Prince's favorite artists, Joni Mitchell. The track was planned to be the album's fifth and final single, but this never came to fruition and remains unreleased in that format.