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Friday, March 17, 2023

"The Arms of Orion" by Prince with Sheena Easton

Song#:  4077
Date:  10/21/1989
Debut:  91
Peak:  36
Weeks:  14
Genre:  Pop, Soundtrack


Pop Bits:  By this point in time, Prince's #1 soundtrack to the film Batman had surpassed the double platinum mark. It got there thanks to the #1 platinum single "Batdance " and its gold-selling #18 follow up "Partyman." Things would keep on rolling with this third single. Apparently Sheena Easton had written a set of lyrics that she sent to Prince. He liked them enough to write music for them. The pair then recorded it as a duet and it was included on the Batman soundtrack. The ballad didn't fully ignite and it would only get inside the Pop Top 40. A fourth single, "Scandalous!," would be issue out and while it would do well at R&B getting to #5, it would not make the Pop chart. The tune and soundtrack album would wrap up a hugely successful 80s for Prince. Over the decade he earned seven Top 10 albums, including three #1s, and thirteen Pop Top 10 hits including four #1s. He would also win four Grammys.

ReduxReview:  Back in the day I figured this would be released as a single. It was a nice tune that had the added bonus of a Sheena Easton appearance. However, its prospects were 50/50. Save for the epic "Purple Rain," Prince wasn't known for hit ballads, so this tune was certainly a change of pace. While there seemed to be enough hooks to make it single-worthy, it wasn't necessarily a straight-forward pop ballad - it had its Prince-isms for sure. Yet with the film and soundtrack doing well along with being the second pairing with Easton (following "U Got the Look"), the tune had a chance. In the end, it didn't become a hit, but it wasn't a total flop. A Top 40 finish was the best it could do, which was probably appropriate.

ReduxRating:  6/10

Trivia:  Prince's next album would also be a soundtrack. However, this time it was one from his own film. Prince would write and direct the musical drama Graffiti Bridge. Although not initially conceived to be one, the movie ended up being a sequel to the Prince-starring 1984 hit Purple Rain. Unfortunately, the film was a critical and box office bomb. Despite that, the soundtrack album was warmly received and it would become a #6 gold seller thanks to the #1 R&B/#6 Pop gold single "Thieves In the Temple" and the #3 R&B/#12 Pop gold seller "Round and Round" that was sung by Tevin Campbell. Prince would continue his hit streak with '91's Diamond and Pearls. It would be a #3 double platinum seller that spawned a pair of Pop Top 10 hits with the #3 title track and the #1 gold record "Cream," which would end up being Prince's final Pop chart topper. After that, things got strange in the Prince realm. He had label issues, changed his name to a symbol, issued out a couple multi-disc sets, and released a famed shelved album. He would have two further Pop Top 10s in the 90s with '92's "7" and '94's "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World." The latter would be his last Pop Top 10 hit. Prince would continue to release albums over the years to varying success. His 2006 album 3121 would be his last studio album to reach #1 and his last to hit the gold level mark. In 2004, Prince would be inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. He would unexpectedly die of an accidental overdose on April 21, 2016.

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