Sugar Walls

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Sugar Walls

from the album A Private Heaven single art for Sugar Walls Song details Performer: Sheena Easton First Released: 7 September 1984 - A Private Heaven album Album(s): A Private Heaven The Best Of Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only: The Best Of Sheena Easton The World Of Sheena Easton: The Singles Collection Sheena Easton: Greatest Hits Sheena Easton: The Divine Sheena Easton: The Definitive Singles 1980-1987 A Private Heaven Deluxe Edition A Private Heaven 40th Anniversary Edition Writer(s): Prince (as Alexander Nevermind) Producer(s): Prince (credited to Greg Mathieson) Live Appearances First and last live appearance: This track is not believed to have been performed live by Prince Performed regularly on tour: none Performed occasionally in shows: none

Sugar Walls is the second track on Sheena Easton’s fifth album A Private Heaven, and, around the time of the album’s release, Sugar Walls was released as the album’s third single. The song was written by Prince under the pseudonym Alexander Nevermind. In 1989, it was included as the ninth track on The Best Of Sheena Easton compilation. Also in 1989, it was included as the 18th and final track on the For Your Eyes Only: The Best Of Sheena Easton compilation. In 1993, it was included as the 13th track on The World Of Sheena Easton: The Singles Collection compilation. In 1995, it was included as the fourth track on Sheena Easton: Greatest Hits compilation. In 2000, it was included as the eleventh track on Sheena Easton: The Divine compilation. In 2021, a remastered version was included as the 18th track of Disc 1 on Sheena Easton: The Definitive Singles 1980-1987. In 2022, it was included as the second track of Disc 1 on the Deluxe Edition of A Private Heaven. On 26 April 2024, a digital EP was released with all the remixes as well as a previously unreleased and mostly instrumental version of the track. The song is the first of many collaborations between Sheena Easton and Prince. Sugar Walls was listed on the Parents Music Resource Center’s "Filthy Fifteen" (along with Prince and the Revolution’s Darling Nikki) which led to the introduction of parental advisory stickers on explicit releases. Basic tracking took place on 20 January 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, and the song was originally tentatively intended for Jill Jones. However after Prince saw Sheena Easton perform on The Tonight Show With Johnny Carson that night he thought she should sing it and it was subsequently sent over to The Sound Factory on 22 January 1984, Super Bowl Sunday. Sheena Easton recorded her vocals on that same day. In a 2012 interview, Sheena Easton explained how the collaboration occurred. Both Prince and Easton were working with the same engineer, David Leonard at the time. Leonard told her: "'Prince sent over a track for you. We saw you on The Tonight Show the night before and Prince said 'Ya, I gotta write something for that girl.' And so he sent over Sugar Walls, and it was one of those things where it was like, 'Here it is. If you want to do it, here’s my number." Sheena Easton adds: "Then when we worked in the studio, we got along really well. We cracked each other up, we made each other laugh." Although Greg Mathieson is listed as the executive producer, Prince was in fact very hands-on in producing the track on the spot. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 20 January 1984 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA Tracking 22 January 1984 The Sound Factory, Hollywood, CA, USA Sheena Easton vocal recording 19 & 20 June 1984 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA Additional mixes Recording Personnel Sheena Easton - lead vocals Prince - all instruments (uncredited) Carlos Vega - credited for drums, but did not participate Abraham Laboriel - credited for bass guitar, but did not participate Lee Ritenour - credited for guitar, but did not participate Mike Landau - credited for guitar, but did not participate Greg Mathieson - credited for keyboards, but did not participate Michael Boddiker - credited for keyboards, but did not participate Lennie Castro - credited for percussion and psycho bongos, but did not participate Richard Page - credited for background vocals (uncertain involvement) Steve George - credited for background vocals (uncertain involvement) Tom Kelly - credited for background vocals (uncertain involvement) Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Sugar Walls 4:09 A Private Heaven Sugar Walls single The Best Of Sheena Easton For Your Eyes Only: The Best Of Sheena Easton Sheena Easton: The Divine The World Of Sheena Easton: The Singles Collection Sheena Easton: Greatest Hits Studio Sugar Walls 4:09 Sheena Easton: The Definitive Singles 1980-1987 A Private Heaven Deluxe Edition Sugar Walls EP Studio Remastered in 2020/2021 by Simon Murphy Sugar Walls (Dance Mix) 7:01 Sugar Walls single Remix Remixed by Greg Mathieson and Rusty Garner; David Leonard - remix engineer Sugar Walls (Dance Mix) 7:01 Sheena Easton: The Definitive Singles 1980-1987 The Definitive 12" Singles 1983-1987 A Private Heaven Deluxe Edition Sugar Walls EP Remix Remixed by Greg Mathieson and Rusty Garner; David Leonard - remix engineer. Remastered in 2020/2021 by Simon Murphy Sugar Walls (Long Roman Version) 6:38 A Private Heaven Deluxe Edition Sugar Walls EP Alternate version Also known as Long Version. Remixed by Greg Mathieson and Rusty Garner; David Leonard - remix engineer. Remastered by Simon Murphy of Another Planet Music Sugar Walls (Red Mix) 5:26 Sugar Walls single Remix Remixed by Greg Mathieson and Rusty Garner; David Leonard - remix engineer Sugar Walls (Red Mix) 5:26 Sheena Easton: The Definitive Singles 1980-1987 A Private Heaven Deluxe Edition Sugar Walls EP Remix Remixed by Greg Mathieson and Rusty Garner; David Leonard - remix engineer. Remastered in 2020/2021 by Simon Murphy Sugar Walls (TV Mix) 4:43 Sugar Walls EP Remix Mostly instrumental version with chorus and background vocals Video Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Sugar Walls 3:52 Sugar Walls video download Promo video Official music video Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in... Title Length Released Version Additional info Hot Thing (Extended Remix) Remix This Shep Pettibone remix of this song samples Sugar Walls Unreleased Versions Title Version Additional Info Sugar Walls Studio Original recording with Prince vocals

Additional Information See also Trivia A Private Heaven album Sugar Walls single Sugar Walls was listed on the Parents Music Resource Center’s "Filthy Fifteen" (along with Prince and the Revolution’s Darling Nikki) which led to the introduction of parental advisory stickers on explicit releases. Whether intentionally or not, the horn arrangement for the song Frida recorded in 2015 is not too far removed from the main synth riff of Sugar Walls. References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition, paperback), Duane Tudahl (2018) Sheena Easton: Looking back at her musical history by Marc 'Moose' Moder (8 Aug. 2012 Windy City Media Group)

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