The Prince (song)

Infobox Single
Name=The Prince


Artist=Madness
from Album=One Step Beyond...
B-side="Madness"
Released=August 10, 1979
Format=7"
Recorded=Pathway Studios, Highbury 1979
Genre=Ska/Pop
Length=2:30
Label=2 Tone
Writer=Lee Thompson
Producer=
Chart position=
* #16 (UK)
Reviews=
Artist=Madness
Last single=
This single="The Prince"
(1979)
Next single="One Step Beyond"
(1979)
Misc = Extra musicsample |filename=Madness - The Prince.ogg |format=Ogg |title=The PrinceExtra tracklisting
Album = One Step Beyond...
Type = studio
Tracks = ;Side One
# "One Step Beyond"
# "My Girl"
# "Night Boat to Cairo"
# "Believe Me"
# "Land of Hope and Glory"
# "The Prince"
# "Tarzan's Nuts";Side Two
# "In the Middle of the Night"
# "Bed and Breakfast Man"
# "Razor Blade Alley"
# "Swan Lake"
# "Rockin' in A-flat"
# "Mummy's Boy"
# "Madness"
# "Chipmunks Are Go!" Extra tracklisting
Album = Divine Madness
Type = Compilation
prev_track =
prev_no =
this_track = "The Prince"
track_no = 1
next_track = "One Step Beyond"
next_no = 2

"The Prince" is a song by British ska/pop band Madness. It was written by Lee Thompson, Greene, Jo-Ann.cite web|url= http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:09fixqq5ldhe |title="Allmusic.com One Step Beyond... Overview" Retrieved on June 28, 2007.] and was the band's first single. On August 10, 1979, the single was released through 2 Tone Records and peaked at number 16 in the UK singles chart, spending a total of 11 weeks in the charts. cite web|url= http://www.madness.co.uk/time/1979/text.htm |title= "The Madness Timeline: 1979" Retrieved on June 27, 2007.]

"The Prince" is a tribute to Jamaican ska singer Prince Buster who highly influenced Madness (the band took their name from one of his songs, "Madness", which they also covered on the b-side of "The Prince").

Music video

. This performance has since become associated with the single, and has featured on compilations featuring the band's music videos.

Different recordings

The song was initially recorded on 16 June, 1979 at the Pathway Studio, Highbury. The track was then remixed on 9 July of the same year, along with the single's B-Side, "Madness". The remix was in order to remove the hum from Thompson's saxophone solo. However, Mike Barson showed displeasure at the mix of "Madness".

The song was rerecorded later that year for the "One Step Beyond..." album. As well as having a distinctively clearer sound, the song had a slight change in lyrics. Furthermore, the song was recorded at a John Peel session, and the recording was preferred by Barson to the single version. The B-side, "Madness", was also re-recorded for the album in a more multi-layered arrangement.

Track listing

#"The Prince" (Thompson) - 2:30
#"Madness" (Campbell) - 2:32

Notes