"Erotic City ("make love not war Erotic City come alive")" is a song by the musician
Prince
A prince is a male ruler (ranked below a king, grand prince, and grand duke) or a male member of a monarch's or former monarch's family. ''Prince'' is also a title of nobility (often highest), often hereditary, in some European states. Th ...
. It was released as the
B-side
The A-side and B-side are the two sides of phonograph records and cassettes; these terms have often been printed on the labels of two-sided music recordings. The A-side usually features a recording that its artist, producer, or record compan ...
to the 1984 single "
Let's Go Crazy
"Let's Go Crazy" is a 1984 song by Prince and The Revolution, from the album '' Purple Rain''. It was the opening track on both the album and the film '' Purple Rain''. "Let's Go Crazy" was one of Prince's most popular songs, and was a staple f ...
" 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. The artwork for the single features the same image of Prince that was used for the cover of "
I Would Die 4 U
"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and the Revolution, the fourth single in the US from their 1984 album, '' Purple Rain''. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit—the final one from the album—in the US, reaching number 8 on the Billbo ...
". The extended version of the latter was included as the B-side of "Erotic City".
The song was released in two versions. The extended remix was released as the B-side to Let's Go Crazy, while the edit (pitched nearly a key higher) made it to "The Hits/The B-sides".*
"Erotic City" was re-released on
CD on ''
The Hits/The B-Sides
''The Hits/The B-Sides'' is a box set by American recording artist Prince. It was released on September 10, 1993, by Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. The album is a comprehensive three- disc set consisting of many of his hit single ...
'' in 1993 and the ''
Girl 6
''Girl 6'' is a 1996 American black comedy film produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Theresa Randle, Isaiah Washington, and Lee. Suzan-Lori Parks wrote the screenplay, making it the first film directed by Lee in which he did not wr ...
'' soundtrack in 1996. The song can be heard in the
Spike Lee
Shelton Jackson "Spike" Lee (born March 20, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor. His production company, 40 Acres and a Mule Filmworks, has produced more than 35 films since 1983. He made his directorial debut ...
film ''
Girl 6
''Girl 6'' is a 1996 American black comedy film produced and directed by Spike Lee. The film stars Theresa Randle, Isaiah Washington, and Lee. Suzan-Lori Parks wrote the screenplay, making it the first film directed by Lee in which he did not wr ...
''.
While delivering his speech prior to the induction of the Funk collective known as
Parliament-Funkadelic
Parliament-Funkadelic (abbreviated as P-Funk) is an American music collective of rotating musicians headed by George Clinton, primarily consisting of the funk bands Parliament and Funkadelic, both active since the 1960s. Their distinctive fu ...
into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame
The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), sometimes simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum
A museum ( ; plural museums or, rarely, musea) is a building or institution that cares for and displays a collection of artifacts and othe ...
in May 1997, Prince explained that "Erotic City" was recorded directly after seeing Parliament-Funkadelic at the Beverly Theatre in Los Angeles in 1983.
The song starts with a guitar string plucked and whammied, before dropping into the drum track (which sounds as if he may have reversed on the 4/8 like a computer). The experimental number relies on a strong
bass
Bass or Basses may refer to:
Fish
* Bass (fish), various saltwater and freshwater species
Music
* Bass (sound), describing low-frequency sound or one of several instruments in the bass range:
** Bass (instrument), including:
** Acoustic bass gui ...
line and a simple
keyboard
Keyboard may refer to:
Text input
* Keyboard, part of a typewriter
* Computer keyboard
** Keyboard layout, the software control of computer keyboards and their mapping
** Keyboard technology, computer keyboard hardware and firmware
Music
* Musi ...
riff. 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.
Sheila Cecilia Escovedo (born December 12, 1957) better known under the stage name Sheila E., is an American percussionist and singer. She began her career in the mid-1970s as a percussionist and singer for The George Duke Band. After leaving t ...
, in her recording debut (with Prince), who became a close associate with Prince and worked with him extensively over the years. Even though the song was a B-side to a #1 hit, it received significant radio play.
The song was notable for its sexual references, and the use of the word ''
fuck
''Fuck'' is an English-language expletive. It often refers to the act of sexual intercourse, but is also commonly used as an intensifier or to convey disdain. While its origin is obscure, it is usually considered to be first attested to aro ...
'' ("we can fuck until the dawn"), although some people, especially Sheila E. (who sings the chorus), have claimed the word is actually ''
funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in African American communities in the mid-1960s when musicians created a rhythmic, danceable new form of music through a mixture of various music genres that were popular among African Americans in the m ...
'', allowing it to be played on the radio in the late 1980s into the 1990s. However, since 2004, the radio version is edited to repeat part A of the hook and omit the potential obscenity misheard in part B because the
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is an independent agency of the United States federal government that regulates communications by radio, television, wire, satellite, and cable across the United States. The FCC maintains jurisdiction ...
has levied fines against stations that played the song for broadcasting allegedly indecent material, including
KLUC-FM
KLUC-FM (98.5 MHz) is a legacy commercial radio station located in Las Vegas, Nevada. KLUC airs a Top 40 (CHR) music format. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station's studios are located in the unincorporated Clark County area of Spring Valley, whi ...
in Las Vegas, Nevada;
KTFM
KTFM (94.1 FM, "San Antonio's Sports Star: ESPN AM 1250 and 94.1 FM") is a radio station serving the San Antonio area. The Alpha Media outlet operates with an effective radiated power of 10.5 kw and its city of license is Floresville, Texas. ...
in
San Antonio, Texas
("Cradle of Freedom")
, image_map =
, mapsize = 220px
, map_caption = Interactive map of San Antonio
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = United States
, subdivision_type1= State
, subdivision_name1 = Texas
, subdivision_t ...
; and KBZR (now
KZON
KZON (103.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Gilbert, Arizona, and broadcasting to the Phoenix metropolitan area. KZON airs a Rhythmic Hot AC radio format branded as "Hot 97.5/103.9" (simulcasting with KMVA 97.5 FM Dewey-Humboldt ...
) in
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix ( ; nv, Hoozdo; es, Fénix or , yuf-x-wal, Banyà:nyuwá) is the List of capitals in the United States, capital and List of cities and towns in Arizona#List of cities and towns, most populous city of the U.S. state of Arizona, with 1 ...
.
Track listing
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
Mini CDs, or pocket CDs, are CDs with a smaller diameter and one-third the storage capacity of a standard 120 mm disc.
Formats
Amongst the various formats are the
*Mini CD single, a small disc. The format is mainly used for audio CD si ...
References
{{authority control
1984 songs
1989 singles
1990 singles
Prince (musician) songs
Songs written by Prince (musician)
Dance-pop songs
Warner Records singles
Paisley Park Records singles
Song recordings produced by Prince (musician)