Thieves in the Temple
Encyclopedia
"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
. The single also peaked at number 9 on the dance charts.
The track has a unique sound, starting quietly with echoed keyboards and vocals before the main section of the song booms in with a pulsating synth bass, syncopated drum machine
s, Middle Eastern melodies and opera
-like layered vocals. Prince also samples a harmonica
solo from a recording by The Chambers Brothers
. The vocals are emotional, and accuse the subject of rejecting Prince and lying to him. The "temple" in the title recalls the ever-present spirituality in many of Prince's songs. The maxi-single contains extended lyrics that continue the theme before diverging into more dance-oriented material.
The maxi-single also contains a Junior Vasquez
remix called "Thieves in the House", which is distinctly more dance oriented. It also contains samples from earlier Prince songs "Eye No" and "Batdance
," as well as a dub
version of the house track. The music video
for the song was pulled from the film, but an extended video exists which mirrors the extended remix.
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...
from the 1990 soundtrack album, 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...
. Added at the last minute, it was the final song recorded for the album. "Thieves in the Temple" topped the U.S. R&B
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs
Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs, is a chart released weekly by Billboard in the United States.The chart, initiated in 1942, is used to track the success of popular music songs in urban, or primarily African American, venues. Dominated over the years at various times by jazz, rhythm and blues, doo-wop, soul,...
chart and became a number six hit in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, and a number seven hit in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The single also peaked at number 9 on the dance charts.
The track has a unique sound, starting quietly with echoed keyboards and vocals before the main section of the song booms in with a pulsating synth bass, syncopated 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, Middle Eastern melodies and opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
-like layered vocals. Prince also samples a harmonica
Harmonica
The harmonica, also called harp, French harp, blues harp, and mouth organ, is a free reed wind instrument used primarily in blues and American folk music, jazz, country, and rock and roll. It is played by blowing air into it or drawing air out by placing lips over individual holes or multiple holes...
solo from a recording by The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers
The Chambers Brothers is a soul-music group, best known for its 1968 hit record, the 11-minute long song "Time Has Come Today". The group was part of the wave of new music that integrated American blues and gospel traditions with modern psychedelic and rock elements, spawning a heady mix...
. The vocals are emotional, and accuse the subject of rejecting Prince and lying to him. The "temple" in the title recalls the ever-present spirituality in many of Prince's songs. The maxi-single contains extended lyrics that continue the theme before diverging into more dance-oriented material.
The maxi-single also contains a Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez
Junior Vasquez, , is an American club DJ and remixer/producer.-Career:...
remix called "Thieves in the House", which is distinctly more dance oriented. It also contains samples from earlier Prince songs "Eye No" and "Batdance
Batdance
"Batdance" is a song by Prince, from the 1989 Batman soundtrack. Helped by the film's popularity, the song reached number one in the U.S., becoming Prince's fourth number-one single, and first since 1986's "Kiss".-Song development:...
," as well as a dub
Dub music
Dub is a genre of music which grew out of reggae music in the 1960s, and is commonly considered a subgenre, though it has developed to extend beyond the scope of reggae...
version of the house track. The music video
Music video
A music video or song video is a short film integrating a song and imagery, produced for promotional or artistic purposes. Modern music videos are primarily made and used as a marketing device intended to promote the sale of music recordings...
for the song was pulled from the film, but an extended video exists which mirrors the extended remix.
7": Paisley Park / 7-19751 (US)
- "Thieves in the Temple" – 3:20
- "Thieves in the Temple" (Part II) – 1:41
12": Paisley Park / 0-21598 (US)
- "Thieves in the Temple" (Remix) – 8:03
- "Thieves in the House Mix" – 6:50
- "Temple House Dub" – 5:06
- also available on UK 12" picture disc (W9751TP)
- also available on CD (9 21598-2)
Charts
| End of year chart (1990) | Position |
|---|---|
| U.S. Billboard Hot 100 | 98 |
Cover versions
- Herbie HancockHerbie HancockHerbert Jeffrey "Herbie" Hancock is an American pianist, bandleader and composer. As part of Miles Davis's "second great quintet," Hancock helped to redefine the role of a jazz rhythm section and was one of the primary architects of the "post-bop" sound...
recorded an instrumental version of "Thieves in the Temple" on his 1996 album The New StandardThe New Standard (album)The New Standard is the fortieth album by jazz pianist Herbie Hancock, released in 1996 on Verve. It consists of jazz-fusion renditions of classic and contemporaneous rock and R&B songs.-Track listing:...
, implicitly nominating the song as a contemporary jazz standardJazz standardJazz standards are musical compositions which are an important part of the musical repertoire of jazz musicians, in that they are widely known, performed, and recorded by jazz musicians, and widely known by listeners. There is no definitive list of jazz standards, and the list of songs deemed to be...
. - A version was also recorded by experimental band UlverUlverUlver is a musical group from Norway. Since their first, folklore-influenced black metal release entitled Bergtatt – Et eeventyr i 5 capitler , Ulver’s musical style has been fluid and increasingly eclectic, blending genres such as rock, electronica, symphonic and chamber traditions, noise and...
, in the style of their album Shadows of the SunShadows of the SunShadows of the Sun is the seventh studio album by the Norwegian experimental band Ulver, released on October 1, 2007 in Europe and on October 2 in the United States. The title was announced on July 13, 2007 and the album was described as "low-key, dark and tragic"...
with guest vocals by Siri Stranger.