Prince´s ¨Batdance¨: A brief history of a track that—for better or worse—changed the music industry and Batman forever.

Picture an era before the current grittiness we associate with the crime-riddled streets of Gotham City. Before critics and fans deplored the casting of Heath Ledger and eyebrows were raised at George Clooney’s controversial nipple suit, there was Tim Burton’s Batman. Every odd was against this film from its inception. Burton created whimsical, horror-adjacent films, while Michael Keaton was known as a skinny, comedic actor. Neither were cut out to do the Caped Crusader justice. This would be Batman’s first live-action outing since Adam West grappled around in pastel spandex and a franchise was riding on the film’s success.

While Batman was wrestling with its casting and directorial scrutiny, Prince was dealing with his own commercial woes. Following the incredible success of his Purple Rain era, which consisted of a feature film, a full-length album, and a North American tour, he found himself stagnating. Despite many of his albums following Purple Rain being critically acclaimed, they could not commercially keep up with the money lost on Under the Cherry Moon, his next feature film. Additionally, Prince was losing money via his infamous battles over creative control and the extravagance of his Lovesexy album tour. He hadn’t had a No.1 hit since “Kiss” in 1986 and was in desperate need of one. And so, his then manager began sifting through projects that would be commercially successful, while also stimulating Prince on a creative level.

Get the Funk Up!

Albert Magnoli, Prince’s manager at the time, was determined to introduce Prince into the musical marketplace without the hassle of another album circuit. Warner Brothers Music was certain that Batman was going to be a franchise in need of an in-house superstar to produce a powerhouse soundtrack. Danny Elfman was hired to compose the film’s scores, leaving a gap for the soundtrack’s direction.

Many films during this period were known for album collaborations that accompanied the film’s release; however, these soundtracks were based around tracks featured throughout the film itself. Unlike Dirty Dancing, Flashdance or Saturday Night Fever, the Batman accompaniment was to be inspired by the film—not made for it. After some back and forth between Burton, Prince and Magnoli, it was determined that Prince would watch a draft of the film and create tracks inspired by what he saw. “’Batdance” is a result of watching the movie,” says Magnoli (Siegel 2022). Prince then began sampling small phrases of interest throughout the film and started his work.

Prince’s crew chief, Matt Larson, noted that “We were in the recording studio all the time. The lights were dimmed and we worked throughout the whole night. So you could say that all musicians are Batmen,” (Siegel 22). Notorious for working at all hours of the day and night, Prince was able to quickly produce what he believed was a throwaway record for the album which later became the introductory track.

“Batdance” was a seven-and-a-half-minute long experiment filled with vocal clippings, techno beats, and Prince’s signature guitar solos. The final product, in essence, was not a song—at least in the traditional sense—but an experience. An encounter. An absolute scene. There had been nothing like it prior to hit mainstream radio—the closest to it having been Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” released in 1975.

Keep Bustin’

Like any hit, “Batdance” needed a music video. No song of the era stood a chance of becoming a massive hit without a dynamic, eye-catching video accompaniment that could be aired repeatedly on MTV. Prince and Magnoli envisioned a battle of good and evil. He imagined hordes of Batmen and Jokers dueling one another via a dance off in a gloomy cave while a plethora of Vicki Vales appeared in tight miniskirts.

Amid the chaos was Gemini, Prince’s alter-ego created specifically for the Batman project. An allusion to the Batman rogue, Two-Face, this character was a perfect split between the Joker and Prince/Batman. With a purple and bat-clad split suit, half a face of white makeup, and a portion of his hair spray-dyed green, Gemini was a force. The character became a focal point throughout the Batman project and can even be seen as a credited writer on the album liner notes.

The young choreographer, Barry Lather, was tasked with meshing these ideas together to create a freakishly cohesive dance number fit for the Clown Prince of Crime and Caped Crusader. Lather and the backup dancers performed the preliminary choreography for Prince and received Prince’s characteristically cool nod of approval. He and Prince would then privately practice Prince’s dance solos, as many celebrities do initial rehearsals alone to avoid possible embarrassment that can occur during the learning process. Lather has stated that, “When we started shooting, there were times when I said, ‘We can do better.’ He trusted my eye.” (Clayton 2016).

Costume designers, Helen Hiatt and Susan Stella, decked “Gemini” out in a split suit of eggplant purple and PVC designed to showcase Prince’s tiny waist, along with a pair of bat embossed Cuban heels (Ritchie 2021). Prior to this suit, Prince’s costuming on the Lovesexy tour was notorious for its frills, ruffles, pussybow blouses, and tight bottoms. The Batman project and Gemini character began Prince’s era of “power dressing,” which is characterized by wide, padded shoulders, sharp silhouettes, and strong colors. This era of dressing was highly inspired by old Hollywood and the impact made by designers such as Coco Chanel and Yves Saint Laurent. When not in his Gemini get-up, Prince is seen with a blowout hairstyle and cap sleeve jumpsuit outfit surrounded by keyboards and a Batarang-clad guitar on his back.

Turn the Music Back Up!

Prince’s Batman album hit stores 12 days after the “Batdance” single was released, selling over 2 million copies and building hype around the film, which would gross over $411.6 million at the global box office. Bill Gerber, Warner Bros. Production executive, noted that “Batman really ushered in a whole new era of blockbusters.” It is important to recognize that the “Batdance” era is an integral part of the franchise’s overall success. For all its theatrics, at its core “Batdance” was a creative venture into Prince’s world of experimentation, much like the Batman film itself. Where Tim Burton created a universal Gotham that could be from any era, aesthetically, Prince created a body of work that sits firmly in the time of its creation. There is an unmistakable feeling of the late 80’s emanating from the project that juxtaposes Tim Burton’s vision for the film. Some find the juxtaposition sits awkwardly among fans.

While some fans find the differences in aesthetics and tone to be jarring, others find the contrast endearing and that it adds to the overall mystique and lore of the project. Is the project kitschy? Absolutely. Does “Batdance” feel dated when compared to other works Prince has released throughout his career? Yes, it does. Do either of those factors change the impact the project and “Batdance” have had on the film and music industries and the overwhelming success of the Batman franchise. Absolutely not. “Batdance” is a product of its era and the bridge between the 80’s and 90’s and while it may not be everyone’s favorite style of music (it may not even be everyone’s favorite style of Prince’s music), there is no denying its importance.