Erotic City
| "Erotic City" | |
|---|---|
 German CD single |
|
| Single by Prince | |
| B-side | "I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)" |
| Released | 1989 (3" CD) June 29, 1990 (5" CD) |
| Format | 3" CD single 5" CD single |
| Recorded | 1984 |
| Genre | Pop, funk, synth-pop |
| Length | Original: 3:55/Dance Mix: 07:24 |
| Label | Paisley Park/Warner Bros. Records 21185 |
| Writer(s) | Prince |
| Producer | Prince |
"Erotic City ("make love not war Erotic City come alive")" is a song by the musician Prince. It was released as the B-side to the 1984 single "Let's Go Crazy" and the 12" version of the 1986 single "Girls & Boys". The dance mix of "Erotic City" was released as a 3" and 5" CD single in Germany in 1989 and 1990 respectively.[1] The artwork for the single features the same image of Prince that was used for the cover of "I Would Die 4 U", the extended version of which is the B-side of "Erotic City".
The song starts with a guitar string plucked and whammied, before dropping into the drum track. The experimental number relies on a strong bass line and a simple keyboard riff in an arrangement heavily indebted to "White Horse" by Laid Back. The song features Prince's voice both sped up and slowed down at various times to sound like different singers. Also featured is Sheila E., in her recording debut, who would become a close associate with Prince and work with him extensively over the years. Even though the song was a B-side to a #1 hit, it received significant radio play itself.
The song was quite notable for its sexual references, and the use of the word fuck, although people have claimed the word was actually funk, allowing it to be played on the radio.[2] However, the Federal Communications Commission has in the past levied fines against stations that played the song for broadcasting allegedly indecent material, including KLUC-FM in Las Vegas, Nevada [3]; KTFM in San Antonio, Texas; and KBZR (now KEXX) in Phoenix, Arizona[4].
"Erotic City" has been heard in the 1996 Spike Lee film Girl 6, and was re-released on CD on the Girl 6 soundtrack, and The Hits/The B-Sides in 1993.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
[edit] CD maxi-single: Paisley Park/Warner Bros. Records 21185 (Germany)
- 1. "Erotic City" (Dance Mix) – 7:24
- 2. "I Would Die 4 U" (extended version) – 10:15
* also available as a 3" Mini CD
[edit] Cover versions
- George Clinton covered "Erotic City" for the 1994 film PCU.
- Arto Lindsay recorded a version for his 1996 album, Mundo Civilizado.
- Semisonic covered it on its 1998 maxi-single, Singing In My Sleep.
- Berlin recorded a version on its 2005 album, 4play.
- Yo La Tengo bassist James McNew's sideproject Dump recorded a version on That Skinny Motherfucker with the High Voice? an entire album of Prince covers.
- Supafly released a 12-inch single of "Erotic City" in 2004.
[edit] Live cover performances
- Beck & Chris Whitley have covered the song live.
[edit] Samples
- Diddy sampled the track on "Last Night (The Official Bad Boy Remix)" on his album Press Play (2006).
- Ashanti's 2007 single "Hey Baby (After The Club)" uses a sample from the drum beat.
[edit] References
- ^ "PRINCE". musicline.de. http://www.musicline.de/de/product/75992118521///1321187. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ^ "Prince - Erotic City Lyrics". Lyricstime.com. http://www.lyricstime.com/prince-erotic-city-lyrics.html. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ^ "Leykis Leads Counterattack Against FCC Fines : Radio: KFI afternoon drive-time personality says he'll probably dedicate several shows to indecency issue. - Los Angeles Times". Articles.latimes.com. 1989-10-28. http://articles.latimes.com/1989-10-28/entertainment/ca-726_1_radio-stations. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
- ^ "Indecent Links". Ruf.rice.edu. http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~willr/cb/indecentx.shtml. Retrieved 2012-01-07.
| Preceded by "No Favors" by Temper |
Billboard Hot Dance Club Play number-one single (with "Let's Go Crazy") September 29, 1984 |
Succeeded by "The Medicine Song" by Stephanie Mills |
