Pop Life (Prince song)
- This article is about the song by Prince and the Revolution. For the album by Bananarama, see Pop Life (album).
| "Pop Life" | |
|---|---|
| Song | |
| B-side | "Hello" (US) "Girl" (UK) |
"Pop Life" is the second US (and final UK) single off of Prince and The Revolution's 1985 album, Around the World in a Day. The lyrics relate the pitfalls of being a celebrity. The song starts with a faded-in synth line and quickly starts the main tune. The easy groove is achieved with a smooth bass guitar and piano embellishments. A drum machine provides handclaps to make the song danceable. The single reached #7 in the U.S..
The song was released in 2 extended versions. The UK 12" single version is a 9 minute extension of the tune and ends with a similar synth sound as the beginning. The U.S. received a "Fresh Dance Mix" that is a remix that included some portions of the longer UK version. It clocks in at 6:16, and was include on the 2006 compilation album, Ultimate.
The US B-Side of the track was "Hello", written quickly as a response to those who criticized Prince's lack of participation in the "We Are the World" event. The angry lyrics lambast the prying media and false friendships and is driven by a pulsing beat. the 12" single version of the song ends with a spoken word by Prince that contains some self-humor about his high-heeled shoes. The UK B-side was "Girl", which the US had as the flipside of "America" (see "America").
Trivia
- Elvis Costello once planned to do a cover version of the song, with altered lyrics. However, Prince refused him permission to do so.