Video: Partyman: Difference between revisions

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It features [[Prince]] again as a 'Gemini'-like person, as in the video for [[Video: Batdance|Batdance]], only this time his left half is [[Prince]] while the right is The Joker, making up ''Partyman''.  
It features [[Prince]] again as a 'Gemini'-like person, as in the video for [[Video: Batdance|Batdance]], only this time his left half is [[Prince]] while the right is The Joker, making up ''Partyman''.  


Partyman arrives at a party where like him all the guest have half white faces, most of them wearing a masks rather than face paint. There is also a band playing in tuxedos, also with their faces painted half white. The beginning of the video shows two big doors opening atop of a wide staircase and four purple suited valets walking in. One of unrolls a scroll and announces: ''All Hail to the new king... Partyman!''  
Partyman arrives at a party where, like him, all the guests have half white faces, most of them wearing a masks rather than face paint. There is a band playing in tuxedos, also with their faces painted half white. The beginning of the video shows two big doors opening atop of a wide staircase and four purple suited valets walking in. One of them unrolls a scroll and announces: ''All Hail to the new king... Partyman!''  


Partyman then comes walking in casually whistling the melody of [[The Arms Of Orion]]. With a nod of his head he cues to band to begin the song. At first Partyman dances at the top of the staircase, but then he descends into the crowd swinging from a long rope and proceeds to empty a bottle of fluid in a large fish tank, saving the final sip for himself. Party-goers rush to the tank to fill up their glasses. Partyman uses a big silver plate to reflect the flashes of the cameras of a bunch of paparazzi. He then interacts with two women (one blond, Vicki Vale like character and a dark haired one). He also plays a short piano solo lying first under and than on top of the piano.  
Partyman then comes walking in casually whistling the melody of [[The Arms Of Orion]]. With a nod of his head he cues the band to begin the song. At first Partyman dances at the top of the staircase, but then he descends into the crowd swinging from a long rope and proceeds to empty a bottle of fluid in a large fish tank, saving the final sip for himself. Party-goers rush to the tank to fill up their glasses. Partyman uses a big silver plate to reflect the flashes of the cameras of a bunch of paparazzi. He then interacts with two women (one blond, Vicki Vale like character and a dark haired one). He also plays a short piano solo lying first under and than on top of the piano.  


The full version of the video also has some scenes with a chimpanzee, wearing a Batman logo t-shirt, seemingly a dig at Michael Jackson, who famously had his chimp 'bubbles' at the time. Partyman gives the chimp a banana and when he peals it, it reads 'psyche'.
The full version of the video also has some scenes with a chimpanzee, wearing a Batman logo t-shirt, seemingly a dig at Michael Jackson, who famously had his chimp 'bubbles' at the time. Partyman gives the chimp a banana and when he peels it, it reads 'psyche'.
[[Prince]] also approaches a third woman whom he asks what she is smoking. When she answers 'baloney' he offers to light her up, but does this with such an enormous flame that it sets her hair on fire in the process. Three policemen arrive at the party, trying to end the whole thing. More and more people now start falling over. By the end of the video it appears Partyman had poisoned the tank of fluid and all party-goers are dead.
[[Prince]] also approaches a third woman, asking her what she is smoking. When she answers 'baloney' he offers to light her up, but does this with such an enormous flame that it sets her hair on fire in the process. Three policemen arrive at the party, trying to end the whole thing. More and more people now start falling over. By the end of the video it appears Partyman had poisoned the tank of fluid and all party-goers are dead.


The video was again directed by [[Albert Magnoli]], director of [[Film: Purple Rain|Purple Rain]] and [[Film:_Sign_O’_The_Times|Sign O’ The Times]], whom by 1989 also acted as [[Prince]]’s manager.
The video was again directed by [[Albert Magnoli]], director of [[Film: Purple Rain|Purple Rain]] and [[Film:_Sign_O’_The_Times|Sign O’ The Times]], whom by 1989 also acted as [[Prince]]’s manager.

Revision as of 23:04, 10 May 2024

1988: Batdance ◄ Music Videos
(Prince) 		Music Videos
(Related Artists) 		► 1989: Scandalous!
Partyman
Partyman music video selected snapshots

Music Video details

First aired: Week of 18 September 1989
Producer(s): Tim Clawson & Scott Flor
Director: Albert Magnoli
Related home video/DVD: Batman 2-DVD Special Edition
First (Commercially) Released: 18 October 2005

Awards

Date Institution, Country Award
This music video has not received any awards in the USA

Partyman is a Prince video released for broadcast and to promote the single.

It features Prince again as a 'Gemini'-like person, as in the video for Batdance, only this time his left half is Prince while the right is The Joker, making up Partyman.

Partyman arrives at a party where, like him, all the guests have half white faces, most of them wearing a masks rather than face paint. There is a band playing in tuxedos, also with their faces painted half white. The beginning of the video shows two big doors opening atop of a wide staircase and four purple suited valets walking in. One of them unrolls a scroll and announces: All Hail to the new king... Partyman!

Partyman then comes walking in casually whistling the melody of The Arms Of Orion. With a nod of his head he cues the band to begin the song. At first Partyman dances at the top of the staircase, but then he descends into the crowd swinging from a long rope and proceeds to empty a bottle of fluid in a large fish tank, saving the final sip for himself. Party-goers rush to the tank to fill up their glasses. Partyman uses a big silver plate to reflect the flashes of the cameras of a bunch of paparazzi. He then interacts with two women (one blond, Vicki Vale like character and a dark haired one). He also plays a short piano solo lying first under and than on top of the piano.

The full version of the video also has some scenes with a chimpanzee, wearing a Batman logo t-shirt, seemingly a dig at Michael Jackson, who famously had his chimp 'bubbles' at the time. Partyman gives the chimp a banana and when he peels it, it reads 'psyche'. Prince also approaches a third woman, asking her what she is smoking. When she answers 'baloney' he offers to light her up, but does this with such an enormous flame that it sets her hair on fire in the process. Three policemen arrive at the party, trying to end the whole thing. More and more people now start falling over. By the end of the video it appears Partyman had poisoned the tank of fluid and all party-goers are dead.

The video was again directed by Albert Magnoli, director of Purple Rain and Sign O’ The Times, whom by 1989 also acted as Prince’s manager.

Of note, Partyman features Michael B.'s first appearance in a Prince video. The audio of the long version of the video is slightly censored (the smoking girl part) compared to the version released as Partyman (The Video Mix) on the maxi-single.


Shooting Information
Shooting Sessions
Date Location Additional info
week of 14 August 1989 Culver Studios, Culver City, CA, USA
Cast
Crew
  • Tim Clawson -producer (Propaganda Films)
  • Scott Flor -producer (Propaganda Films)
  • Albert Magnoli - director
  • Mark Reshovsky - director of photography
  • Roy Bennett - assistant lighting designer
  • Steve Purcell - editor
  • Barry Lather - choreography
  • Helen Horatio - costume design
  • Sarah Daubney - costume design
  • Jim Bienke - make-up and masks
  • more information needed

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Partyman 3:53 Batman 2-DVD Special Edition (2005)

Prince streaming video platforms (2017)

Edit, not credited as such
Partyman (The Video Mix) a.k.a. Extended Version 7:15 Prince streaming video platforms (2017, before that promo only)

Released for sale as separate track on iTunes (2017)

Full length version


 
Additional Information
See Also Quotation & triva

  • The beginning sequence of (the extended version of) this video with the band playing Jazz, then approaching chants of 'yo we rock this party, yo we rock this house. We rock the whole world north east and south,' a valet announcing 'All hail to the new king... Partyman' , and then Partyman coming in, whistling the melody of The Arms Of Orion, before cueing the song to start was also acted out live on Nude Tour. Beginning 4 August 1990 this was even done with the band playing a jazz tune as in the full Video Mix version of the song.
  • While filming this video, Prince went to a set nearby where Kahoru Kohiruimaki was shooting a video for her song Dreamer (from her album Time The Motion which contains two Prince-penned tracks, Bliss and Mind Bells). Kohiruimaki’s video featured Lori Elle (Werner) and Robia LaMorte as dancers. They were later recruited by Prince and nicknamed 'Diamond' and 'Pearl' respectively for the Diamonds And Pearls album promotional activities, videos and tour.
  • Footage of Partyman was later included in the Pink Cashmere video.
References
◄ 1988
Batdance 		Music Videos (Prince) Music Videos (Related Artists) 1989
Scandalous! 		►
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