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From album
Camille
Prince · 1986 · Track 4
Details
Duración6:30
ÁlbumCamille
Año1986
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The story behind
When you dive into Prince's music, you sometimes find hidden gems that shine on their own, even if they were the B-side of a more well-known release. That is the case with Feel U Up. What's interesting about this track is that, although we heard it in 1989 as a companion to the single Partyman, its roots go much further back, dating to 1981. It was originally recorded around that time, but later received new life in 1986 when it was shaped for the album Camille, a project that Prince conceived under his female alter ego, playing with his voice to create an androgynous register. This 1986 version is the one that ended up reaching us on the Partyman single, although it was credited directly to Prince and not Camille. The track has an energy that recalls the rhythms James Brown explored in songs like Talkin' Loud and Sayin' Nothing, and its chorus, "young and old, gather round; everybody hail the new king in town," follows a rhythmic pattern that had already appeared in Rebirth of the Flesh, a song that was also part of the Camille sessions.
The story of Feel U Up is a good example of how Prince worked with his material. What began as an idea in 1981 went through a rewrite and re-recording in 1986 for an album that, although it didn't see the light of day at the time, left its mark on other productions. Finally, in 1989, this song found its place as the B-side of Partyman, a single from the album Batman. The version accompanying Partyman is an extended mix, known as "Long Stroke," which lasts about six minutes, offering a more immersive experience. Later, in 1993, Feel U Up was included in the compilation The Hits/The B-Sides, allowing more listeners to discover this facet of the artist. Even an original 1981 recording, combined with Irresistible Bitch, saw the light of day on a deluxe edition of the album 1999 in 2019, showcasing the longevity and constant reinvention of his catalog.