Not only a lovely pair of words but an flabberghastingly
stunning song by
Prince and performed with his band,
The Revolution:
Power Fantastic
Prince and the Revolution
Originally recorded March 19, 1986
Late at night, when the world is sleeping
U r frightened, 'cause the Power's creeping
In your room is something u're afraid of
Life or doom is what this feelings made of
Power Fantastic
Is in your life at last
U're a little apprehensive
'Cause what it is is what u want and need
Minor G is the chord of pleasure
It will be played eleven measures
U will see fire, but u're cool as ice
U lie if u say this isn't nice.
Power Fantastic
Is in your life at last
U're a little apprehensive
What it is is what u want and need
Power, Power
Power Fantastic
Is in your life at last
U're a wee bit apprehensive
'Cause what it is is what u want and need
Power, Power, Power Fantastic
© 1993 Controversy Music - ASCAP
Produced, arranged and composed by Prince
Originally intended for the aborted
Dream Factory project, this amazing song was apparently based on an instrumental track by
Wendy and Lisa,
Carousel. Prince immediately wrote this song after hearing it, and it's interesting for many different reasons: it was never officially released until 1993 on
Prince - The Hits/The B-Sides; thus was one of his most-
bootlegged songs, and is one of the few tracks where
Prince uses the 3/4 time signature.
It's not hard to guess what he's singing about but very hard to know for sure (claims range from it being about the first manual orgasm of your life to religious ecstasy) but it's worth noting that 'Power Fantastic' was one of his
metaphors for God (and by the by, 'Spooky Electric' was the concurrent euphemism for Satan - see
Lovesexy).
Recorded in just one take with the piano on another floor in Prince's shiny new house, the version officially released on said compilation does not include the one-odd minute of
jazzy intro that Prince suggested just as the tape started to roll... but the bootlegs do.
Piano led and breathy
falsetto fantastic, this is a song you really have to hear, Prince appreciator or not.