Soundtrack to the Batman Motion Picture
Released June 20th, 1989
High Level Review
A return to a rather commercial work, with dark musical themes matching the feelings of the dark movie. There's not a lot of breathtaking innovation here, but it is a professional, creative, mature songwriter putting out some very danceable, enjoyable pop.
Despite what some folks say, it's really more a Prince album than a movie soundtrack.
Lyrics
The lyrics are in support of the Batman movie, and are thus fairly dark. The battle between good an evil is symbolized by a character called "Gemini", a dualistic character which Prince uses in the videos.
Singles
- Batdance (1 pop / 2 UK)
- Partyman (18 pop / 14 UK)
- Arms of Orion (32 pop / 27 UK)
- Scandalous (5 R&B)
Tour
The "Nude Tour" hit Europe and Japan. It was called "Nude" because it was a stripped down show missing the fancy lights and theatrics done on the Lovesexy tour.
The Critics
The album received mixed reviews, but most critics appreciated the tour.
Notes
Ok, so why did Prince do this soundtrack? There are several reasons commonly invoked:
- He had been a fan of the Batman TV series as a child, learning to play the theme song on the piano at home.
- The struggle between good and evil was an inspiration for a man who was struggling with his own dualities.
- He had lost a lot of popularity, and needed some commercial success to reestablish himself.
Hype for the movie made this Prince's 2nd best-selling album.
The Nude Tour introduced the "Game Boyz", 3 dancers: Tony, Damon, and Kirk, who would later become part of the NPG.
Managed by Albert Magnoli, who had directed Purple Rain.
Source for the specifics: Per Nilsen, "Prince: A Documentary", 1993, Omnibus Press
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