The Cross

In the midst of a recording session that had already yielded another song, an unexpected event shook the studio. It was July 13, 1986, and a magnitude 5.4 tremor was felt in Southern California, near San Diego. For Prince, this seismic movement, which followed another that occurred days earlier, was particularly disturbing. According to Susannah Melvoin, he had a deep aversion to losing control, and the earth shaking beneath his feet was a frightening experience, almost as if he felt a divine warning. This jolt, far from paralyzing him, ignited his creative impulse, leading him to translate his reflections on faith and the solace he found in his connection with God into music. Thus, the sketch of The Cross was born, a piece conceived to offer relief to those who needed it. The idea of someone "carrying the cross" had already appeared in his song Heaven the previous year, but here the solace derived from his beliefs about Jesus was explored more directly. The song begins with an intimate guitar, perhaps evoking the initial notes of Santana's Samba Pa Ti, presenting the problem and the solution that God can offer. The piece builds with the addition of drums, bass, sitar, and a distorted guitar, enhanced by multiple layers of choirs, culminating in a powerful crescendo.

The recording of The Cross, which lasted just one day, took place at Sunset Sound. Prince performed all the instruments and vocals. However, there was a detail in the drumming that caused some concern for sound engineer Susan Rogers. The drum part, recorded in a single take, tended to progressively speed up. Although she found it a bit sloppy and expected it to be re-recorded, Prince was satisfied with the result, trusting his vision. This song was released as a promotional single only in South Africa in 1987. Later, in 1996, The Cross was included as part of the compilation album Girl 6, which accompanied the film of the same name directed by Spike Lee. Prince Rogers Nelson, born in Minneapolis in 1958 and passed away in Chanhassen in 2016, was a multifaceted artist who explored genres such as rock, soul, and funk, and is recognized as the creator of the "Minneapolis sound," consolidated in albums like Dirty Mind and Controversy.