Graffiti Bridge is the twelfth studio album

Studio album

A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...

 by Prince

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...

 and the soundtrack

Soundtrack album

A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...

 to the 1990 film Graffiti Bridge

Graffiti Bridge (film)

Graffiti Bridge is a 1990 drama/musical written, directed, and starring Prince. It is a sequel to his first film, Purple Rain, though notorious for its relatively low quality and poor performance at the box-office...

.

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 performing, including Tevin Campbell

Tevin Campbell

Tevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...

, Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples

Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...

 and The Time

The Time (band)

The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...

. The album produced the hit singles "Thieves in the Temple

Thieves in the Temple

"Thieves in the Temple" is a song by Prince from the 1990 soundtrack album, Graffiti Bridge. Added at the last minute, it was the final song recorded for the album. "Thieves in the Temple" topped the U.S. R&B chart and became a number six hit in the U.S., and a number seven hit in the UK...

" and "New Power Generation

New Power Generation (song)

"New Power Generation", or "N.P.G.", is a song by Prince from the 1990 album and film, Graffiti Bridge. It is an anthem for his backing band, The New Power Generation, who were officially co-credited on his album covers for a time, and continue to back him up, albeit with a changing lineup...

", an anthem in two parts celebrating Prince's newly created backing band, The New Power Generation. The band would get its first official outing on Prince's next album, Diamonds and Pearls

Diamonds and Pearls

Diamonds and Pearls is the thirteenth studio album by American recording artist Prince, released October 1, 1991, on Paisley Park Records and Warner Bros. Records. It is his first album to have The New Power Generation, his backing band at the time, receive co-billing...

. Though its 17 tracks constituted a double album

Double album

A double album is an audio album which spans two units of the primary medium in which it is sold, typically records and compact discs....

, the significance of this was paled by the rising popularity of the CD

Compact Disc

The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...

 format.

Evolution of the album

The concept for the album and film began as early as 1987, or possibly earlier, but kept getting delayed for various reasons. The title track was originally recorded during this period, hence the liner notes listing Sheila E.

Sheila E.

Sheila Escovedo , known by her stage name Sheila E., is an American drummer and percussionist, perhaps best known for her work with Prince, George Duke and Ringo Starr.-Early life and Prince period:...

 and Boni Boyer as performers on the track. In fact, nearly the entire album is composed of previously recorded tunes that were updated for this release.

"Tick, Tick, Bang" was originally from 1981 during the Controversy sessions, and considered for Vanity 6

Vanity 6

Vanity 6 was a female vocal trio assembled by Prince in the early 1980s.They released one studio album, which blended the sounds of pop, New Wave, dance music, R&B, and funk.-Formation:...

. Originally a more punk rock

Punk rock

Punk rock is a rock music genre that developed between 1974 and 1976 in the United States, the United Kingdom, and Australia. Rooted in garage rock and other forms of what is now known as protopunk music, punk rock bands eschewed perceived excesses of mainstream 1970s rock...

 number with a bass synthesizer, the update of the song includes an uncredited drum sample from Jimi Hendrix

Jimi Hendrix

James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...

's "Little Miss Lover". "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got" was from 1982, but later updated in 1986 for his unreleased project Dream Factory

Dream Factory (album)

Dream Factory was an unreleased double LP project recorded by Prince and The Revolution from 1986.-History:Unlike the three previous Prince and The Revolution albums, the entire band was invited to the studio to contribute to a majority of the album's material, with the notable exceptions of "The...

, along with a 1983 track, "We Can Funk". A melody similar to that of "Purple Rain

Purple Rain (song)

"Purple Rain" is a power ballad by Prince and The Revolution. It is the title track from the 1984 album of the same name, which in turn is the soundtrack album for the 1984 film of the same name, and was released as the third single from that album. The song is a combination of rock, pop, gospel,...

" can be heard during the bridge of "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got". The two tracks were drastically updated for Graffiti Bridge.

"The Question of U" was from 1985 during the Parade sessions, surviving with little updating to the original version. "Joy In Repetition" was a Crystal Ball

Crystal Ball (unreleased album)

Crystal Ball is an unreleased studio album by Prince recorded throughout 1986. The album was planned to consist of 3 LPs and cover a broad range of musical styles.-Evolution of the album:...

outtake from 1986 that survived unchanged. Prince even kept the original segue

Segue

A segue is a smooth transition from one topic or section to the next.-In music:In music, segue is a direction to the performer. It means continue without a pause. It comes from the Italian "it follows". The term attacca is also used in classical music.For written music it implies a transition...

 of party noise at the beginning of the song, which is also found at the end of "Eye No", leading into "Alphabet St.

Alphabet St.

"Alphabet St." was the first single from Prince's 1988 album, Lovesexy, and the album's only top 10 single, reaching the top-10 in both the UK and U.S.. The song includes a rap by Cat Glover and is full of samples, and generally repeats themes from Lovesexy...

" from 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...

. As mentioned, the title track was updated from the 1987 recording, as well as "Elephants & Flowers" (from the unreleased Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic album) and "The Latest Fashion" (later given to The Time). "Melody Cool" and "Still Would Stand All Time" were considered for an album called Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic in 1988, with the later two performed in some Lovesexy aftershows. "Still Would Stand All Time" was also considered for 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...

, but was replaced by "Scandalous". The four tracks featuring The Time were originally going to be on their unreleased Corporate World album, recorded in 1989, though "The Latest Fashion" shares elements with "My Summertime Thang" from their album Pandemonium

Pandemonium (The Time album)

Pandemonium is a 1990 album by The Time. Much like the three previous albums, the album consists of music in the funk-pop or ballad genre, although this album breaks the 6-song album tradition. Originally, the album began life as Corporate World, with nearly all of the material written and...

.

The only truly "new" material recorded for the album was "Round and Round", "New Power Generation", and "Thieves in the Temple", recorded in January 1990, and included at the last minute. Many outtakes for the album are also in circulation, several of which exist as samples in "New Power Generation (Pt. II)".

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
U.S. Billboard 200 Billboard 200 The Billboard 200 is a ranking of the 200 highest-selling music albums and EPs in the United States, published weekly by Billboard magazine. It is frequently used to convey the popularity of an artist or groups of artists...	6
U.S. Billboard R&B Albums	6
UK Albums Chart UK Albums Chart The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...	1

Track listing

All songs performed, composed and arranged by Prince

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...

 unless otherwise noted.

Side one

1. "Can't Stop This Feeling I Got" – 4:24
2. "New Power Generation
   New Power Generation (song)
   "New Power Generation", or "N.P.G.", is a song by Prince from the 1990 album and film, Graffiti Bridge. It is an anthem for his backing band, The New Power Generation, who were officially co-credited on his album covers for a time, and continue to back him up, albeit with a changing lineup...
   
   " – 3:39
3. "Release It" (performed by The Time
   The Time (band)
   The Time is a funk and dance-pop ensemble formed in 1981. They are close Prince associates and arguably the most successful artists who have worked with him.-Prince, Formation and Success:...
   
   ) (Prince, Morris Day
   Morris Day
   Morris E. Day is an American musician and composer. He is best known as the lead singer of The Time.-1970s and 1980s:...
   
   , 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...
   
   ) – 3:54
4. "The Question of U" – 3:59

Side two

1. "Elephants & Flowers" – 3:54
2. "Round and Round
   Round and Round (Tevin Campbell song)
   "Round and Round" is the Prince-produced first single from R&B Singer Tevin Campbell's debut album T.E.V.I.N. This is Tevin's first solo single as he was featured in "Tomorrow " alongside music legend Quincy Jones. The song is featured on the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack as well...
   
   " (performed by Tevin Campbell
   Tevin Campbell
   Tevin Jermod Campbell is an American R&B singer-songwriter and actor. He scored a string of R&B chart hits as a teenager in the early to mid-1990s.-Music career:...
   
   ) – 3:55
3. "We Can Funk" (performed by Prince and George Clinton
   George Clinton (funk musician)
   George Clinton is an American singer, songwriter, bandleader, and music producer and the principal architect of P-Funk. He was the mastermind of the bands Parliament and Funkadelic during the 1970s and early 1980s, and launched a solo career in 1981. He has been cited as one of the foremost...
   
   ) (Prince, George Clinton) – 5:28
4. "Joy In Repetition" – 4:53

Side three

1. "Love Machine" (performed by The Time) (Prince, Morris Day, Levi Seacer, Jr.) – 3:34
2. "Tick, Tick, Bang" – 3:31
3. "Shake!
   Shake! (The Time song)
   "Shake!" is a song by The Time, from Prince's 1990 Graffiti Bridge soundtrack. The song was originally recorded during sessions for The Time's Corporate World project from June–September, 1989. Prince played all instruments and provided backing vocals. Morris Day performs the lead vocals and...
   
   " (performed by The Time) (Prince, Morris Day) – 4:01
4. "Thieves in the Temple
   Thieves in the Temple
   "Thieves in the Temple" is a song by Prince from the 1990 soundtrack album, Graffiti Bridge. Added at the last minute, it was the final song recorded for the album. "Thieves in the Temple" topped the U.S. R&B chart and became a number six hit in the U.S., and a number seven hit in the UK...
   
   " – 3:19

Side four

1. "The Latest Fashion" (performed by Prince and The Time) – 4:02
2. "Melody Cool" (performed by Mavis Staples
   Mavis Staples
   Mavis Staples is an American rhythm and blues and gospel singer, actress and civil rights activist who recorded with The Staple Singers, her family's band.-Biography:...
   
   ) – 3:39
3. "Still Would Stand All Time" – 5:23
4. "Graffiti Bridge" – 3:51
5. "New Power Generation (Pt. II)" – 2:57

Singles and Hot 100

Billboard Hot 100

The Billboard Hot 100 is the United States music industry standard singles popularity chart issued weekly by Billboard magazine. Chart rankings are based on radio play and sales; the tracking-week for sales begins on Monday and ends on Sunday, while the radio play tracking-week runs from Wednesday...

 chart placings

• "Thieves in the Temple
  Thieves in the Temple
  "Thieves in the Temple" is a song by Prince from the 1990 soundtrack album, Graffiti Bridge. Added at the last minute, it was the final song recorded for the album. "Thieves in the Temple" topped the U.S. R&B chart and became a number six hit in the U.S., and a number seven hit in the UK...
  
  " maxi-single (#6 US, #1 R&B, #7 UK)

1. "Thieves in the Temple" (extended)
2. "Thieves in the House"
3. "Temple House dub"

• "New Power Generation
  New Power Generation (song)
  "New Power Generation", or "N.P.G.", is a song by Prince from the 1990 album and film, Graffiti Bridge. It is an anthem for his backing band, The New Power Generation, who were officially co-credited on his album covers for a time, and continue to back him up, albeit with a changing lineup...
  
  " maxi-single (#64 US, #27 R&B, #26 UK)

1. "New Power Generation" (funky weapon remix)
2. "T.C.'s Rap"
3. "Brother with a Purpose"
4. "Get Off"
5. "The Lubricated Lady"
6. "Loveleft/Loveright"

• "Round and Round
  Round and Round (Tevin Campbell song)
  "Round and Round" is the Prince-produced first single from R&B Singer Tevin Campbell's debut album T.E.V.I.N. This is Tevin's first solo single as he was featured in "Tomorrow " alongside music legend Quincy Jones. The song is featured on the Graffiti Bridge soundtrack as well...
  
  " maxi-single (#12 US, #3 R&B)

1. "Round and Round" (Solu Mix Edit)
2. "Round and Round" (The House Mix)
3. "Goodbye" (Tevin's Dub - Part 1 & 2)
4. "Goodbye" (Soiddub & Listen)

• "Melody Cool" maxi-single (#36 R&B)

1. "Melody Cool" (Extended LP Mix)
2. "Melody Cool" (Extended Remix)
3. "Melody Cool" (Deep House Vocal)
4. "Melody Cool" (Mellow Dub Mix)
5. "Time Waits for No-one" (Edit)

• "Shake!
  Shake! (The Time song)
  "Shake!" is a song by The Time, from Prince's 1990 Graffiti Bridge soundtrack. The song was originally recorded during sessions for The Time's Corporate World project from June–September, 1989. Prince played all instruments and provided backing vocals. Morris Day performs the lead vocals and...
  
  " maxi-single

1. "Shake!" (Extended Mix) – 5:03
2. "Shake!" (Battle Mix) – 4:06
3. "Shake!" (Funky House Mix) – 8:20
4. "The Latest Fashion" (Remix) – 6:20
5. "Shake!" (Boom Mix) – 5:01
6. "Shake!" – 4:00