Journey 2 The Center Of Your Heart is the seventh track on Chaka Khan’s tenth solo studio album Come 2 My House. The song was written by Prince (as ), and produced by Chaka Khan and Prince (as ).
While specific recording dates are not known, basic tracking took place between April-May 1995, at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
In June 1995, Prince also offered the song (along with Over The Rainbow) to Stacy Francis (formerly a member of the American girl-band Ex Girlfriend), and she recorded lead vocal overdubs, also at Paisley Park Studios. Her planned solo album never saw the light of the day. Prince (as )’s version was then included as the seventh track on a July 1995 configuration of Emancipation, and as the eighth track on another 1995 configuration, before being removed when the album underwent many changes before its release. It was copyrighted at the Library of Congress on 25 August 1995 (along with Die, Right Back Here In My Arms and Poom Poom).
Somewhere in 1995, Right Back Here In My Arms was planned for a single release, with Journey 2 The Center Of Your Heart (stylized as Journey 2 The Center Of Your ♥) as its b-side, but the single was left unreleased.
A version was recorded with Chanté Moore on lead vocals, presumably also in June 1995 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, during a day-off while she was touring with Barry White on his Icon World Tour (she most likely also recorded background vocals on La, La, La Means Love U during the same sessions). It is not known if Chanté Moore recorded her version before or after Stacy Francis. did not let Chanté Moore use Journey 2 The Center Of Your Heart for any of her project at that time as he was unwilling to give away songs to artists who were signed to a major label (she had a contract with MCA Records). Moore’ background vocals were kept for Chaka Khan’s released version, however.
Chaka Khan recorded lead vocal overdubs on the track between November 1997, and January 1998, also at Paisley Park Studios. Her version was included as the eighth track on a February 1998, configuration of Come 2 My House, before the tracklist was revised for the final release.
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