Scandalous
Encyclopedia
"Scandalous!" is a smooth, romantic ballad by Prince
, released as a single from his 1989 album, the soundtrack
to Batman
. The song continues a long tradition of Prince's sexually charged ballads, with gasped, passionate vocals on lyrics such as "I can't wait till I can wrap my legs all around U." The track features a drum machine
and synthesizer
s, which sample Clare Fischer
's orchestra
. The music is attributed to Prince and his father, John L. Nelson
.
The Scandalous Sex Suite, released three days later, transforms the song into a three-part suite
. "The Crime" is a seductive conversation between Prince and Kim Basinger
with various lyrics from the song interspersed. "The Passion" features the main song with new lyrics sung over the original lyrics. "The Rapture" includes a long guitar solo
before finishing up the conversation from part one.
The B-side, "Sex", is a minimalist funk
number featuring mainly a drum machine
loop, a repeated synth hook, and bass guitar
. The song lyrics state that safe sex is preferable, and sex with multiple partners can lead to death. The song was co-written with bassist Levi Seacer, Jr.
The 7" single received the Lovesexy
song, "When 2 R In Love" as its B-side; the song was also included on The Scandalous Sex Suite.
"Scandalous!" replaced "Still Would Stand All Time" as Batmans main ballad and love theme. The discarded song would later end up on Graffiti Bridge
. Composer Danny Elfman
adapted elements of "Scandalous!" into his Batman
film score, where it served as a love theme.
As Prince's final single released in the 1980s, "Scandalous!" reached No. 5 on the U.S Black Singles chart, but didn't touch the US Hot 100.
Due to licensing issues with the Batman
franchise, Prince was not allowed to include songs from this album on any compilations. Even on concert T-shirts listing Prince's albums, the Batman title was replaced by the song "Scandalous!".
12" single (The Scandalous Sex Suite)
Compact disc EP (Japan)
Prince (musician)
Prince Rogers Nelson , often known simply as Prince, is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and actor. Prince has produced ten platinum albums and thirty Top 40 singles during his career. Prince founded his own recording studio and label; writing, self-producing and playing most, or all, of...
, released as a single from his 1989 album, the soundtrack
Soundtrack
A soundtrack can be recorded music accompanying and synchronized to the images of a motion picture, book, television program or video game; a commercially released soundtrack album of music as featured in the soundtrack of a film or TV show; or the physical area of a film that contains the...
to Batman
Batman (album)
Batman is the eleventh studio album by musician Prince and the soundtrack for the 1989 film Batman. As a Warner Bros. stablemate, Prince's involvement in the soundtrack was designed to leverage the media company's contract-bound talent as well as fulfill the artist's need for a commercial revival...
. The song continues a long tradition of Prince's sexually charged ballads, with gasped, passionate vocals on lyrics such as "I can't wait till I can wrap my legs all around U." The track features a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
and synthesizer
Synthesizer
A synthesizer is an electronic instrument capable of producing sounds by generating electrical signals of different frequencies. These electrical signals are played through a loudspeaker or set of headphones...
s, which sample Clare Fischer
Clare Fischer
Clare Fischer is an American composer, arranger, pianist and organist. His parents were of German, French, Irish-Scot, and English backgrounds.-Early years:...
's orchestra
Orchestra
An orchestra is a sizable instrumental ensemble that contains sections of string, brass, woodwind, and percussion instruments. The term orchestra derives from the Greek ορχήστρα, the name for the area in front of an ancient Greek stage reserved for the Greek chorus...
. The music is attributed to Prince and his father, John L. Nelson
John L. Nelson
John Lewis Nelson , also known as Prince Rogers, was an American jazz musician.-Life:Nelson was born in Louisiana. He traveled to Minneapolis to become a musician in 1948...
.
The Scandalous Sex Suite, released three days later, transforms the song into a three-part suite
Suite
In music, a suite is an ordered set of instrumental or orchestral pieces normally performed in a concert setting rather than as accompaniment; they may be extracts from an opera, ballet , or incidental music to a play or film , or they may be entirely original movements .In the...
. "The Crime" is a seductive conversation between Prince and Kim Basinger
Kim Basinger
Kimila Ann "Kim" Basinger is an American actress and former fashion model.She is known for her portrayals of Domino Petachi, the Bond girl in Never Say Never Again , and Vicki Vale, the female lead in Batman . Basinger received a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture...
with various lyrics from the song interspersed. "The Passion" features the main song with new lyrics sung over the original lyrics. "The Rapture" includes a long guitar solo
Guitar solo
In popular music, a guitar solo is a melodic passage, section, or entire piece of music written for an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. Guitar solos, which often contain varying degrees of improvisation, are used in many styles of popular music such as blues, jazz, rock and metal styles such...
before finishing up the conversation from part one.
The B-side, "Sex", is a minimalist funk
Funk
Funk is a music genre that originated in the mid-late 1960s when African American musicians blended soul music, jazz and R&B into a rhythmic, danceable new form of music. Funk de-emphasizes melody and harmony and brings a strong rhythmic groove of electric bass and drums to the foreground...
number featuring mainly a drum machine
Drum machine
A drum machine is an electronic musical instrument designed to imitate the sound of drums or other percussion instruments. They are used in a variety of musical genres, not just purely electronic music...
loop, a repeated synth hook, and bass guitar
Bass guitar
The bass guitar is a stringed instrument played primarily with the fingers or thumb , or by using a pick....
. The song lyrics state that safe sex is preferable, and sex with multiple partners can lead to death. The song was co-written with bassist Levi Seacer, Jr.
Levi Seacer, Jr.
Levi Seacer, Jr. is an American musician. He was an early associate of Sheila E. when he was tapped by Prince to form a new touring band after the demise of The Revolution in 1986. Seacer became the band's bassist, as well as a backing vocalist. Later, he began collaborating with Prince as a...
The 7" single received the Lovesexy
Lovesexy
Lovesexy is the tenth studio album by Prince, released on May 10, 1988. Lovesexy was issued as a substitute record after the release of the infamous The Black Album had been suddenly cancelled. The Black Album and Lovesexy almost act as companion pieces, sharing the song "When 2 R in Love", but...
song, "When 2 R In Love" as its B-side; the song was also included on The Scandalous Sex Suite.
"Scandalous!" replaced "Still Would Stand All Time" as Batmans main ballad and love theme. The discarded song would later end up on Graffiti Bridge
Graffiti Bridge (album)
Graffiti Bridge is the twelfth studio album by Prince and the soundtrack to the 1990 film Graffiti Bridge.The album was much better received in sales than the film, reaching #6 in the US and #1 in the UK. Nearly every song on the record was written by Prince despite the handful of artists...
. Composer Danny Elfman
Danny Elfman
Daniel Robert "Danny" Elfman is an American composer, best known for scoring music for television and film. Up until 1995, he was the lead singer and songwriter in the rock band Oingo Boingo, a group he formed in 1976...
adapted elements of "Scandalous!" into his Batman
Batman (score)
Batman: Original Motion Picture Score is the score album for the 1989 film Batman by Danny Elfman. According to the Batman DVD Special Edition, Elfman said that producer Jon Peters was not sure about him as a composer until Tim Burton made him play the main titles...
film score, where it served as a love theme.
As Prince's final single released in the 1980s, "Scandalous!" reached No. 5 on the U.S Black Singles chart, but didn't touch the US Hot 100.
Due to licensing issues with the Batman
Batman
Batman is a fictional character created by the artist Bob Kane and writer Bill Finger. A comic book superhero, Batman first appeared in Detective Comics #27 , and since then has appeared primarily in publications by DC Comics...
franchise, Prince was not allowed to include songs from this album on any compilations. Even on concert T-shirts listing Prince's albums, the Batman title was replaced by the song "Scandalous!".
Track listings
7" single (Scandalous!)- "Scandalous!" (edit) – 4:12
- "When 2 R in Love" – 3:58
12" single (The Scandalous Sex Suite)
- "The Crime" – 6:25
- "The Passion" – 6:20
- "The Rapture" – 6:30
- "Sex ("the ’80s are over and the time has come 4 monogamy and trust")" – 6:56
- "When 2 R in Love" – 3:58
Compact disc EP (Japan)
- "The Crime" – 6:25
- "The Passion" – 6:20
- "The Rapture" – 6:30
- "Sex ("the ’80s are over and the time has come 4 monogamy and trust")" – 6:56
- "When 2 R in Love" – 3:58
- "PartymanPartyman"Partyman" is a song by 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 that is prominently featured in the film, accompanying the scene where the Joker and his minions gleefully desecrate the Gotham City Art Museum...
" (The Purple Party Mix) – 6:02 - "Partyman" (Partyman Music Mix Remix) – 4:31
- "Partyman" (The Video Mix) – 6:20
- "Feel U Up" (Short Stroke) – 3:42