Thieves In The Temple

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Thieves In The Temple

Song details
from the album Graffiti Bridge		single art for Thieves In The Temple
Performer:	Prince
First Released:	17 July 1990 - Thieves In The Temple single
Album(s):	Graffiti Bridge The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides The Very Best Of Prince Ultimate 4Ever Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition
Writer(s):	Prince
Producer(s):	Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
2 June 1990: Stadion Feyenoord, Rotterdam, The Netherlands (clip only, during The Question Of U); 8 August 1990: Maimarkthalle, Mannheim, West Germany (full version) 4 March 2016: Oracle Arena, Oakland, CA, USA
Performed regularly on tour:
Diamonds And Pearls Tour (often including lyrics from It)
Performed occasionally in shows:
1990, 1991, 1992 (often including lyrics from It), 2016 (solo piano)

Thieves In The Temple is the twelfth track on Prince’s twelfth album Graffiti Bridge, and, six weeks prior to the album’s release, Thieves In The Temple was released as the album’s first single. The track is also featured in the movie Graffiti Bridge. In 1993, the track was included as the 16th track on Prince’s first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides). In 2001, the track was included as the 13th track on the compilation album The Very Best Of Prince. Also in 2001, Thieves In The Temple (Remix) was released as part of the NPG Music Club Edition # 8 as an mp3 download. In 2006, Thieves In The Temple (Remix) was included as the tenth track on the second disc of the compilation album Ultimate.

The track was the last to be recorded for Graffiti Bridge, on 11 February 1990 at the Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (five days after Move Me). The harmonica is sampled from I Can’t Stand It by The Chambers Brothers (from The Time Has Come, 1967, written by Lester Chambers, also released as a single in 1968), which is also sampled on Black M.F. In The House. The Thieves In The House Mix and Temple House Dub also include samples from Batdance and No, as well as Dish & Tell by House Of Venus (released as a single in 1990, written by Eddie de Clerq, Erik van Putten and Gert Van Veen).

Recording Information

Recording Sessions
Date	Studio	Additional info
11 February 1990	Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA	Tracking
1990	Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed)	Remix
Recording Personnel
Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Lester Chambers - harmonica (sampled from I Can’t Stand It by The Chambers Brothers, uncredited) Jevetta Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on the remixes Fred Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on the remixes JD Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on the remixes Jearlyn Steele - backing vocals (as part of The Steeles) on the remixes

Versions

Released Versions

Title	Length	Released	Version	Additional info
Thieves In The Temple	3:20	Graffiti Bridge Thieves In The Temple single The Crown Jewels promotional album The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides The Very Best Of Prince 4Ever	Studio
Thieves In The Temple (Part II)	1:41	Thieves In The Temple single	Studio	Additional instrumental coda
Thieves In The Temple (Remix)	8:03	Thieves In The Temple single NPG Music Club Edition # 8 mp3 download Ultimate	Remix	Extended version with slight remix, including main track and Part II; remix credited to Paisley Park
Thieves In The House Mix	6:50	Thieves In The Temple single	Remix	Remix by Junior Vasquez; engineered and programmed by Mark Plati; contains samples of Batdance, No and Dish & Tell by House Of Venus
Temple House Dub (Fade)	5:06	Thieves In The Temple single	Remix	Remix by Junior Vasquez; engineered and programmed by Mark Plati; contains samples of Batdance, No and Dish & Tell by House Of Venus
Thieves In The Temple (Live At Glam Slam 1992)	7:01	Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition	Live	11 January 1992, Glam Slam, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Video Versions

Title	Length	Released	Version	Additional info
Thieves In The Temple	?:??	Graffiti Bridge film	Studio	Released on VHS and DVD
Thieves In The Temple	1:00	Graffiti Bridge film	Studio	Instrumental version. Released on VHS and DVD.
Thieves In The Temple	4:06	Graffiti Bridge (2004 DVD release)	Promo video	Album version with slight remix. See Thieves In The Temple video for details
Thieves In The Temple	8:34		Promo video	Uses long Remix version; See Thieves In The Temple video for details
Thieves In The Temple (Live At Glam Slam 1992)	7:01	Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition blu-ray	Live	11 January 1992, Glam Slam, Minneapolis, MN, USA

Broadcasts/streaming (only)

Title	Length	Released	Version	Additional info
Thieves In The Temple	T.B.C.	Delayed concert TV broadcast	Live	19 January 1991 (a.m.), Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...

Title	Length	Released	Version	Additional info
Purple Medley	11:03	Purple Medley single	Studio medley	See Purple Medley for more details
Live 4 Love (Early Version)	7:33	Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition	Studio

Unreleased Versions

Title	Version	Additional Info
Thieves In The Temple	Studio	Acoustic 'blues' demo of the song with Prince singing and playing guitar
Thieves In The Temple	Remix	Unreleased remix by Junior Vasquez

Additional Information

	See also	Trivia

	Graffiti Bridge Thieves In The Temple single Thieves In The Temple video Graffiti Bridge movie	The concert at which Thieves In The Temple was first played in full is also the concert at which Prince first met his future-wife Mayte.

	References
	The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)