Shockadelica

The story behind Shockadelica is a fascinating example of how musical ideas can compete and coexist. Originally conceived as a track for an album to be released under Prince's alter ego, Camille, this song ended up having a different destiny. The idea behind Camille was to explore a more androgynous sound, with Prince's voice manipulated to sound higher. However, this project was shelved, and many of its tracks, including Shockadelica, were relocated to other works.

What makes Shockadelica particularly interesting is its origin as a direct response to a self-titled album by Jesse Johnson, a former member of The Time. Upon hearing Johnson's work before its release, Prince felt the title deserved a song to match. When Johnson disagreed, Prince decided to record his own version. The track was disseminated on a Minneapolis radio station before Johnson's album went on sale, creating a public perception that suggested Johnson was imitating Prince, which generated some tension between the two. Ultimately, Shockadelica was included as the B-side to the single If I Was Your Girlfriend, released on May 6, 1987, and also appeared on the compilation The Hits/The B-Sides. The recording of the song took place at Hollywood's Sunset Sound studio, with Prince as composer and producer.