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The P is an unreleased track recorded on 13 September 1992 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (during the same set of sessions that produced Extraordinary, Down, Holly Don’t Care, The Halls Of Desire, Paris 1798430, Uncle Sam, Super Hero and a remake of Shhh).
It was intended for use on Tevin Campbell’s second album I’m Ready (including the spelling "T.E.V.I.N." even in Prince’s version), and Tevin Campbell recorded lead vocals at some point between late 1992 and mid-1993. The track was sent back to  , who worked further on the song on 12 August 1993 at Bullet Sound Studios, Nederhorst den Berg, The Netherlands. Prince’s version (guide vocal) of The P. was one of the Vault tracks recorded between 1990 and 1992 slated to appear on the planned Diamonds & Love expected to be released by The Prince Estate in the summer of 2022. That project, which consisted of material spanning both the Diamonds And Pearls and eras, was reduced to the Diamonds And Pearls era, excluding songs recorded after October 1991 (and this track as a result).
The lyrics are sexually charged, and "the P" refers to the penis; it is likely that Tevin Campbell felt the song was too sexual for his album. The song uses the same backing track as This Is My House (a sample of Boyz II Men’s “Sympin’ (Remix)”).
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