U Got the Look

Not to be confused with The Look.
"U Got the Look"

U.S. 7" single
Single by Prince
from the album Sign “☮” the Times
B-side "Housequake"
Released July 14, 1987
Format 7" single
12" single
Recorded Sunset Sound; December 22, 1986
Genre Pop, funk, rock
Length Album/7": 3:49
12": 6:45
Label Paisley Park
Writer(s) Prince
Producer(s) Prince
Prince singles chronology
"If I Was Your Girlfriend"
(1987)		 "U Got the Look"
(1987)		 "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"
(1987)
Sign “☮” the Times track listing
"Forever In My Life"
(9)		 "U Got the Look"
(10)		 "If I Was Your Girlfriend"
(11)

"U Got the Look" is a song by American musician Prince. It opens the second disc of Prince's 1987 double album Sign “☮” the Times, and became the album's highest charting single. Musically, the song is standard 12-bar rock song with emphasis on the contrast between heavy drum beats by a Linndrum 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, who sings co-lead with Prince. 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."

The music video for the song now featuring Sheena Easton was filmed in Paris, France, and was directed by American music video director David Hogan. It was included in the Sign “☮” the Times film, and features the intro from the extended version of the song. The entire video is portrayed to be as a dream sequence by Prince, dozing off in his dressing room. In the U.S., the single went to the #2 position on the Billboard Hot 100 singles tally, the week of October 17, 1987, only behind "Lost in Emotion" by Lisa Lisa and Cult Jam. The single stayed in the Top 10 of the charts for six weeks.

The extended version of the song (called the "Long Look") is similar to the video but has an additional musical section in the middle of the song with Sheena Easton's vocal, and continues for a few more seconds instead of fading out at the end. The "Long Look" was included on the Ultimate compilation album in 2006.

The B-side of the single was the P-Funk-influenced album track, "Housequake". The song was considered for release as the first single from the unreleased "Camille" album, and therefore, arguably holds a place of importance in Prince's album history, considering the events that followed the creation of the track. The 12" also included an extension of the song called "7 Minutes Mo'Quake", which was a mostly instrumental version with the end of the album version tacked on. The remix is noteworthy for some of Atlanta Bliss's trumpet solos, which often were included in live versions of the song. Leaked versions of an unedited "original version" (often called "Camille's Mix") are attainable on the internet. Upon listening to them it is clear that the track required significant changes in the composition before arriving at the album version, which is now a fan favorite, and was often considered one of the standout tracks on the album.

Both songs are occasionally still performed in concert by Prince.

Track listing

7": Paisley Park / 7-28289 (US)

  1. "U Got the Look" – 3:46
  2. "Housequake" (edit) – 3:24

12": Paisley Park / 0-20727 (US)

  1. "U Got the Look" (Long Look) – 6:45
  2. "U Got the Look" (Single Cut) – 3:46
  3. "Housequake" (Album Cut) – 4:38
  4. "Housequake" (7 Minutes MoQuake) – 7:15

12": Warner Bros. / W8289T (UK)

  1. "U Got the Look" (Long Look) – 6:45
  2. "Housequake" (7 Minutes MoQuake) – 7:15
  3. "U Got the Look" (Single Cut) – 3:46

*Also available as a picture disc (W8289TP)

Cover versions

References in other media

External links

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