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.
Recording process
Sessions for the album began in late March 1983, at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (while Prince and The Time were still on the 1999 Tour), beginning with Jungle Love. Chili Sauce (under its original title, Proposition #17) and If The Kid Can't Make You Come followed in mid-April 1983.
The Bird was recorded live at First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA in early October 1983, and a studio recording followed in early January 1984, but the live version was chosen for release instead. 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 (recorded in late March 1983, and later released on The Time's fourth album Pandemonium). Cloreen Bacon Skin was recorded during the same two-day session in late March 1983, with Morris Day on drums, but isn't believed to have been intended for the album.
Later tracks considered for the album include Chocolate (released on Pandemonium), My Love Belongs To You and Velvet Kitty Cat (all 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.
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