Thieves in the Temple
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| “Thieves in the Temple” | |||||
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UK 7" single
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| Single by Prince from the album Graffiti Bridge |
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| B-side | "Thieves in the Temple (Part II)" "Thieves In the House" (12") "Temple House Dub" (12") |
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| Released | 17 July 1990 | ||||
| Format | 7" single 12" single CD Maxi single |
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| Recorded | Paisley Park Studios, January, 1990 | ||||
| Genre | Pop | ||||
| Length | Album/7": 3:20 12" Remix: 8:08 |
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| Label | Paisley Park Records/Warner Bros. Records | ||||
| Writer(s) | Prince | ||||
| Producer | Prince | ||||
| Certification | Gold - (2 October, 1990) | ||||
| Prince singles chronology | |||||
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| Prince (UK) singles chronology | |||||
| "The Future" (1990) |
"Thieves in the Temple" (1990) |
"New Power Generation" (1990) |
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"Thieves in the Temple" is a song by Prince from the 1990 soundtrack album, Graffiti Bridge. Added at the last minute, it was the last song recorded for the album, and became a #6 hit in the U.S., and a #7 hit in the U.K.. It also topped the U.S. R&B chart.
The track has a unique sound, starting quietly with echoed keyboards and vocals before the main section of the song booms in with a pulsating synth bass, syncopated drum machines, Middle Eastern melodies and opera-like layered vocals. Prince also samples a harmonica solo from a recording by The Chambers Brothers. The vocals are emotional, and accuse the subject of rejecting Prince and lying to him. The "temple" in the title recalls the ever-present spirituality in many of Prince's songs. The maxi-single contains extended lyrics that continue the theme before diverging into more dance-oriented material.
The maxi-single also contains a remix called "Thieves In the House," which is distinctly more dance oriented. It also contains samples from earlier Prince songs "Eye No" and "Batdance," as well as a dub version of the house track. The music video for the song was pulled from the movie, but an extended video exists which mirrors the extended remix.
Contents |
[edit] Track listing
[edit] 7": Paisley Park / 7-19751 (US)
- "Thieves in the Temple" – (3:20)
- "Thieves in the Temple" (Part II) – (1:41)
[edit] 12": Paisley Park / 0-21598 (US)
- "Thieves in the Temple" (Remix) – (8:03)
- "Thieves In the House Mix" – (6:50)
- "Temple House Dub" – (5:06)
- also available on UK 12" picture disc (W9751TP)
- also available on CD (9 21598-2)
| Preceded by "Crazy" by The Boys |
Billboard's Hot R&B Songs number one single September 29, 1990 |
Succeeded by "Giving You the Benefit" by Pebbles |
[edit] Cover version
Herbie Hancock recorded an instrumental version of "Thieves in the Temple" on his 1996 album The New Standard, implicitly nominating the song as a contemporary jazz standard.
[edit] External links
- "Thieves in the Temple" lyrics
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