Studio Album · No. 11
Batman Songwriting Credits by Prince
Produced by Prince · Engineered by Femi Jiya, David Friedlander, Chuck Zwicky
Holds writing credit on 9 of 9 tracks
Authorship Breakdown 9 / 9 documented
Scored across the 9 tracks with documented writers, by whether Prince carries a lyricist or composer credit.
Share of the 9 tracks where a band member is credited, by role.
By the Numbers
Prince wrote, arranged, produced, and performed all nine tracks himself, replacing Danny Elfman's orchestral score with his own song cycle inspired by the 1989 Tim Burton film. He voiced multiple character perspectives across the record, sampling film dialogue from Batman, the Joker, and Vicki Vale to frame songs sung in their personas. Sheena Easton shares the duet vocal on 'The Arms of Orion,' which she co-wrote, the album's only outside writing contribution.
Batman is the ninth studio album by Prince, released in June 1989 on Warner Bros. Records and produced entirely by Prince. Created as the official soundtrack to Tim Burton's blockbuster Batman film, the album gave Prince a vehicle to explore theatrical funk, hard rock, and pop songwriting within the dark, neo-Gothic world of Gotham City. 'Batdance,' the lead single, reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 and became a surreal pop cultural artifact, blending samples from the film with Prince's avant-garde sensibility. Though viewed by some as a commercial project, the album is filled with inventive songwriting and Prince's signature layered production techniques. Batman sold over one million copies in the U.S. and demonstrated Prince's ability to subordinate his experimental instincts to a commercial brief while still producing something distinctly his own.
Track Listing & Credits 9 tracks
| # | Title | Lyricist(s) | Composer(s) | Producer(s) | Performers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
The Future
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 2 |
Electric Chair
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 3 |
The Arms of Orion
#36
|
Prince Rogers NelsonSheena Easton | Prince Rogers NelsonSheena Easton | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist)Sheena Easton (Guest Vocalist) |
| 4 |
Partyman
#18
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 5 |
Vicki Waiting
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 6 |
Trust
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 7 |
Lemon Crush
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 8 |
Scandalous
|
Prince Rogers NelsonJohn L. Nelson | Prince Rogers NelsonJohn L. Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |
| 9 |
Batdance
#1
|
Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince Rogers Nelson | Prince (Lead Vocals, Multi-Instrumentalist) |