The Voice

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Violet The Organ Grinder   < < < Non-Prince Songs All Prince Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   The Voice Inside
The Voice

Thevoice album.jpg
from the album The Voice
Thevoice single.jpg

single art for The Voice

Song details
Performer: Mavis Staples
First Released: 24 August 1993 - The Voice album
Album(s): The Voice
Writer(s): Prince, Rosie Gaines and Francis Jules
Producer(s): Prince (as Paisley Park)
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

The Voice is the first track on Mavis Staples' second Paisley Park Records album, The Voice (tenth track on the 1994 re-issue), and, around the same time as the album's release, The Voice was released as the album's first single (the single was also re-released in 1994). The track was written by Prince, with Rosie Gaines and Francis Jules, and was produced by Prince under the name Paisley Park. Prince also played most of the instruments on the track.

Basic tracking took place on 25 April 1991 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (two days after Go Carmen Go, the same day as I Hear Your Voice), and the song was originally intended for Rosie Gaines's proposed album Concrete Jungle, which later developed into Closer Than Close. Beyond Prince's 'guide' version, however, it is not known if Rosie Gaines recorded lead vocals for the track. Mavis Staples' lead vocal overdubs were recorded in late 1992 or early 1993 at Paisley Park Studios.

In 1993, a brief sample of The Voice was used in a Segue from Carmen Electra's album Carmen Electra, as if heard while scanning through a radio dial (clips of Hit U In The Socket, In A Word Or 2, Sexy M.F., With This Tear and Goldnigga are also heard).


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
25 April 1991 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Basic tracking
Late 1992 - early 1993 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Lead vocal overdubs by Mavis Staples
Recording Personnel

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Voice 4:14 The Voice

The Voice single

Studio
The Voice (Extended Remix Edit) 5:01 The Voice promo Studio Rap by Tony M.
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Voice 4:18 Promotional release only Promo video See The Voice video for more details
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Segue [# 1] 0:29 Carmen Electra Segue See Segue for more details
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
The Voice Studio Prince guide vocals; recorded 25 April 1991
The Voice Studio Prince and Mavis Staples duet version
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
Violet The Organ Grinder   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   The Voice Inside