Ice Cream Castle is the third full-length studio album by The Time, and was released in conjunction with the band’s appearance in the movie Purple Rain.
Like the two previous albums, Ice Cream Castle was largely written, recorded and produced by Prince, and contained little input from band members other than Morris Day and Jesse Johnson.
Sessions and compiling
Sessions for the album began in late March 1983, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California (while Prince and The Time were still on the 1999 Tour), beginning with Jungle Love.
The Bird (in a studio version that was not used), Chili Sauce (under its original title, Proposition 17) and If The Kid Can’t Make You Come followed in mid-April 1983.
The live version of The Bird, chosen for release was recorded live at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota in early October 1983. Ice Cream Castles and My Drawers were the final tracks recorded for the album in mid-January 1984.
Other tracks recorded and considered for the album included My Summertime Thang, later released on The Time’s fourth album Pandemonium) and Cloreen Bacon Skin were recorded in late March 1983. The latter was with Morris Day on drums, but it is not believed to have been intended for the album.
Later tracks considered for the album include Chocolate (released on Pandemonium) and possibly My Love Belongs To You, both recorded in mid April 1983.
Promotion
The album produced three singles, Ice Cream Castles, Jungle Love and The Bird.
It reached number 24 on the US Billboard 200 Chart, and number 3 on the Billboard Soul LP’s Chart.
|