Jungle Love (The Time song)
Encyclopedia
"Jungle Love" is a song from The Time
's third album, Ice Cream Castle
. The track was one of the first songs recorded for the album, being cut in late March 1983 during Prince
's 1999 tour. "Jungle Love" was also one of the first Time tracks to involve other members of the band in the creation of the song. Morris Day
and Jesse Johnson
both contributed to writing the song. Day provided lead vocals and Johnson played guitar on the recording. Prince played all the other instruments.
"Jungle Love" is a funk
-pop
offering relying mainly on bass and drums (drum machine
s), although there are elements of New Wave
keyboards and a rock
guitar solo, allowing the song to cross musical boundaries. Added to this are animalistic sound effects by Day and good-humored sexual lyrics. All this, combined with the Purple Rain
momentum, propelled the song to The Time's second-highest position thus far on the pop charts (#20 on the Billboard Hot 100
). Their highest song was "Jerk Out
" at #9.
The song is one of The Time's signature numbers and is played at every concert to this day. Live versions of the song have been released on two DVDs, including one of the band performing the song on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
. A live recording from 1998 was also included on the Morris Day release, It's About Time
(released in 2004).
It can be heard in the movies Bringing Down the House
(2003) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall
. It is also featured in the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
, where it is performed by the full band. A cover version can be heard in the Super Mario Bros Super Show episode 'Jungle Fever" during the original run and is the only song intact on Shout! Factory
's DVD box set of the show.
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:...
's third album, Ice Cream Castle
Ice Cream Castle
Ice Cream Castle is a 1984 album by The Time. Much like the two previous albums, the album consists of six tracks in the funk-pop or ballad genre and it was produced and arranged by Prince as "The Starr ★ Company"...
. The track was one of the first songs recorded for the album, being cut in late March 1983 during 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...
's 1999 tour. "Jungle Love" was also one of the first Time tracks to involve other members of the band in the creation of the song. 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:...
and Jesse Johnson
Jesse Johnson (musician)
Jesse Woods Johnson is a musician best known as the guitarist in the original lineup of The Time....
both contributed to writing the song. Day provided lead vocals and Johnson played guitar on the recording. Prince played all the other instruments.
"Jungle Love" is a 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...
-pop
Pop music
Pop music is usually understood to be commercially recorded music, often oriented toward a youth market, usually consisting of relatively short, simple songs utilizing technological innovations to produce new variations on existing themes.- Definitions :David Hatch and Stephen Millward define pop...
offering relying mainly on bass and drums (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...
s), although there are elements of New Wave
New Wave music
New Wave is a subgenre of :rock music that emerged in the mid to late 1970s alongside punk rock. The term at first generally was synonymous with punk rock before being considered a genre in its own right that incorporated aspects of electronic and experimental music, mod subculture, disco and 1960s...
keyboards and a rock
Rock music
Rock music is a genre of popular music that developed during and after the 1960s, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States. It has its roots in 1940s and 1950s rock and roll, itself heavily influenced by rhythm and blues and country music...
guitar solo, allowing the song to cross musical boundaries. Added to this are animalistic sound effects by Day and good-humored sexual lyrics. All this, combined with the Purple Rain
Purple Rain (film)
Purple Rain is a 1984 film directed by Albert Magnoli and written by Magnoli and William Blinn. Prince makes his film debut in this movie, which was developed to showcase his particular talents, hence, the film contains several extended concert sequences. The film grossed more than US$80 million at...
momentum, propelled the song to The Time's second-highest position thus far on the pop charts (#20 on the Billboard 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...
). Their highest song was "Jerk Out
Jerk Out
"Jerk Out" is a song from The Time's 1990 album Pandemonium. The song was originally recorded in December 1981 by Prince at his home studio during sessions for What Time Is It?. Prince originally performed all instruments and vocals and this recording remains unreleased. Prince reworked the...
" at #9.
The song is one of The Time's signature numbers and is played at every concert to this day. Live versions of the song have been released on two DVDs, including one of the band performing the song on Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American action adventure comedy film written, directed by, and starring Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks...
. A live recording from 1998 was also included on the Morris Day release, It's About Time
It's About Time (Morris Day album)
It's About Time, released in 2004, is the fourth and latest solo album to date by R&B singer Morris Day. Released 12 years after his previous album Guaranteed, It's About Time is somewhat a return to form for Day. With the exception of four new songs, the album consists of previous hits, recorded...
(released in 2004).
It can be heard in the movies Bringing Down the House
Bringing Down the House (film)
Bringing Down the House is a 2003 American romantic comedy film, written by Jason Filardi and directed by Adam Shankman. The film stars Steve Martin and Queen Latifah.-Plot:...
(2003) and Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Forgetting Sarah Marshall
Forgetting Sarah Marshall is a 2008 American romantic comedy film directed by Nicholas Stoller and starring Jason Segel, Kristen Bell, Mila Kunis and Russell Brand...
. It is also featured in the movie Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back
Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back is a 2001 American action adventure comedy film written, directed by, and starring Kevin Smith as Silent Bob, the fifth to be set in his View Askewniverse, a growing collection of characters and settings that developed out of his cult favorite Clerks...
, where it is performed by the full band. A cover version can be heard in the Super Mario Bros Super Show episode 'Jungle Fever" during the original run and is the only song intact on Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory
Shout! Factory is an entertainment company founded in 2003 that was started by Richard Foos , Bob Emmer and Garson Foos initially as a specialty music label...
's DVD box set of the show.