Prince / Batman All Mixed Up (2CDR)

Disc 1

Intro - I'm Batman
The Power
Vicky Waiting
Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic
The Future
Batdance - Vicky Vale
The Arms Of Orion (Dance Remix)
Partyman
Sex
Lemon Crush
Electric Chair
Me Touch Myself

Disc 2

Dance With The Devil
Feel U Up
Trust
Batdance
200 Balloons

*Batman* is Prince's 11th full-length studio album and the only soundtrack to a film in which he did not act. The album reached number 1 on the US Billboard Top Pop Albums chart, staying at number 1 for six consecutive weeks. It also reached number 5 on the Billboard Top Black Albums chart.

Director Tim Burton used Prince's songs "1999" and "Baby I'm A Star" in the film's rough cut, and found them to be a perfect fit for the movie. In mid-December 1988, he contacted Prince and asked him to re-record those songs or provide new ones for use in the film. Prince was initially hesitant, but after visiting the film's set in January 1989 and seeing parts of the rough cut, he was very impressed and met with Burton to discuss the concept. He was so fascinated by creating music for the film that he even considered canceling his Lovesexy Tour performances scheduled in Japan, but the cost was too great, so he abandoned that idea. In mid-February 1989, immediately after returning from the Lovesexy Tour, he began working on songs for the album. By the end of February, he had narrowed it down to 11 songs, including "Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic," "200 Balloons," and "Batman Theme." In March 1989, production continued, and "Partyman" and "Trust" were recorded, which were used as replacements for "Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic" and "200 Balloons." "Dance With The Devil" had also been recorded as the album's final track, but Prince felt it was too dark and opted for "Batdance" instead. As a result, "Batdance" became the last track recorded on the album.

Most of the album was recorded between mid-February and the end of March 1989. However, "Electric Chair" was recorded in June 1988, and "Scandalous" in October 1988. Also, "Vicki Waiting" is a revised version of "Anna Waiting," which was first recorded in December 1988.

Notably, while Prince is credited as the lead vocalist, the lyrics are actually written from the perspective of the film's characters, with Prince singing on their behalf. "The Future" and "Scandalous" are sung from Batman's perspective, while "Electric Chair," "Partyman," and "Trust" are sung from the Joker's perspective. "The Arms of Orion" is a duet between Bruce Wayne and Vicki Vale, "Vicki Waiting" is from Bruce Wayne's point of view, and "Lemon Crush" is from Vicki Vale's. "Batdance" features lines from various characters in the films, and also includes Gemini, a character created by Prince, a fusion of Batman and Joker. It's worth noting that Prince intentionally left very few lyrics attributable to him, including the final lines of "Trust" ("Who do ya trust if you can’t trust God? Who can you trust - who can ya? Nobody.") and the "Stop!" in "Batdance."

This release is a fantastic 2-CD set of dance DJ remixes, featuring tracks from the Batman soundtrack (excluding the ballad "Scandolous"), B-sides, and outtakes. The tracks are cleverly blended, remastered, and flow smoothly.

The set opens with a unique, slowed-down version of "Batdance," followed by the unreleased track "The Power," then a seamless transition to "Vicky Waiting," a clever mix of "Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic" vocals over the rhythm of "The Future," and remixes of "The Future" and "The Batdance." Even the ballad "The Arms Of Orion" is transformed into a cool, danceable mix with the rhythm of "Rave." "Partyman" includes the call-and-response from "Housequake," and is a superb blend of multiple remixes. "Sex" uses the rhythm of "Partyman" to give it a jazzy feel. The transition from "200 Balloons" to "Lemond Crush" is fantastic. "Electric Chair" uses a remix version, which perfectly matches the danceable progression. "Me Touch Myself," included because it was made during the production of Batman, is paired with the rhythm of "Rave" to eliminate the darkness. Disc 2 then begins with the dark "Dance With The Devil." "Feel U Up" features an interesting effect with a duet between the original vocals and Camille's voice. From the lively sound of "Trust" to the final "Batdance" and the fantastic remix of "200 Balloons," the album unfolds at a breathtaking pace.