Thieves in the Temple

"Thieves in the Temple" is a song by American musician Prince from the 1990 soundtrack album, Graffiti Bridge. Added at the last minute, it was the final song recorded for the album. "Thieves in the Temple" topped the US R&B chart and became a number six hit in the US,^[1] and a number seven hit in the UK. The single also peaked at number 9 on the dance chart.^[2]

The track has a unique sound, starting quietly with echoed keyboards and vocals before the main section of the song booms in with a pulsating synth bass, syncopated drum machines, Middle Eastern melodies and opera-like layered vocals. Prince also samples a harmonica solo from a recording by The Chambers Brothers. The vocals are emotional, and accuse the subject of rejecting Prince and lying to him. The "temple" in the title recalls the ever-present spirituality in many of Prince's songs. The maxi single contains extended lyrics that continue the theme before diverging into more dance-oriented material.

The maxi single also contains a Junior Vasquez remix called "Thieves in the House", which is distinctly more dance-oriented. It also contains samples from earlier Prince songs "Eye No" and "Batdance", as well as a dub version of the house track. The music video for the song was pulled from the film, but an extended video exists which mirrors the extended remix.

Track listing

7": Paisley Park / 7-19751 (US)

"Thieves in the Temple" – 3:20
"Thieves in the Temple" (Part II) – 1:41

12": Paisley Park / 0-21598 (US)

"Thieves in the Temple" (Remix) – 8:03
"Thieves in the House Mix" – 6:50
"Temple House Dub" – 5:06

also available on UK 12" picture disc (W9751TP)
also available on CD (9 21598-2)

Charts

Chart (1990)	Peak position
Australia (ARIA)^[3]	16
Belgium (Ultratop 50 Flanders)^[4]	9
Germany (Official German Charts)^[5]	21
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[6]	8
New Zealand (Recorded Music NZ)^[7]	5
Norway (VG-lista)^[8]	4
Sweden (Sverigetopplistan)^[9]	11
Switzerland (Schweizer Hitparade)^[10]	12
UK Singles (Official Charts Company)^[11]	7
US Billboard Hot 100^[12]	6

Cover versions

Herbie Hancock recorded an instrumental version of "Thieves in the Temple" on his 1996 album The New Standard, implicitly nominating the song as a contemporary jazz standard.
A version was also recorded by experimental band Ulver, in the style of their album Shadows of the Sun with guest vocals by Siri Stranger.
Prince's scream at the end of the song was sampled for the 1993 Eddie Murphy and Michael Jackson duet, "Whatzupwitu".

References

↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942-2004. Record Research. p. 471.
↑ Whitburn, Joel (2004). Hot Dance/Disco: 1974-2003. Record Research. p. 208.
↑ "Australian-charts.com – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". ARIA Top 50 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Ultratop.be – Prince – Thieves in the Temple" (in Dutch). Ultratop 50. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Prince – Thieves in the Temple" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Charts.org.nz – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". Top 40 Singles. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Norwegiancharts.com – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". VG-lista. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Swedishcharts.com – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". Singles Top 100. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Swisscharts.com – Prince – Thieves in the Temple". Swiss Singles Chart. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Prince: Artist Chart History" Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
↑ "Billboard Top 100 - 1990". Retrieved September 15, 2009.

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Prince singles

1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"

1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Bambi" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "Sexuality" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "D.M.S.R." "Delirious" "Automatic" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"

1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "Pope" (remix) "Come" "Letitgo" "Space" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "P Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"

2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We Be Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K." "Dance 4 Me"

2010s	"Extraloveable" "Rock and Roll Love Affair" "Screwdriver" "Fixurlifeup" "Breakfast Can Wait" "Pretzelbodylogic" "Fallinlove2nite" "Breakdown" "Clouds" "Baltimore" "Hardrocklover" "This Could B Us" "Free Urself"

Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "D.M.S.R." "Another Lonely Christmas" "Erotic City" "Hot Thing" "Trust" "Willing and Able" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Pope" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Come" "P. Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "Slave" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "Extraordinary" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Baby Knows" "Man'O'War" "She Loves Me 4 Me" "Last December" "One Nite Alone... Live EP" "Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart" "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed" (with Tamar Davis) "Chelsea Rodgers" "Future Baby Mama" "The One U Wanna C" "U're Gonna C Me"

Airplay-only songs	"International Lover" "Shhh" "Satisfied" "Better with Time"

Internet downloads	"One Song" "Cybersingle" "Bataclan" "Glass Cutter" "Live from Paisley Park" "Strange Relationship" (Live in Minneapolis) "Guitar" (original "demo" version) "Love" (acoustic version) "Rock and Roll Love Affair" (Remix 7) "Screwdriver" (Remix) "Boyfriend" (Demo) "That Girl Thang" "Live Out Loud" "Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone" "Extraloveable Reloaded" "Menstrual Cycle" "Octopus Heart" "Groovy Potential" "The Sweeter She Is" "Something in the Water" (Paisley Park Rehearsal) "Da Bourgeoisie" "What If" "The X's Face"

Streams	"U're Still the One" "Xylophone" "In a Large Room with No Light" "Purple and Gold" "Cause and Effect" "Hot Summer" "Rich Friends" "Same Page Different Book" "Stare"

EP's	The Scandalous Sex Suite EP New Power Generation Remixes Gett Off Remix EP Cream Remixes' My Name Is Prince Remixes 7 Remixes The Beautiful Experience Letitgo Remixes Space Remixes I Hate U Remixes 1999: The New Master The Greatest Romance Ever Sold Remixes Breakfast Can Wait

Other songs	"I Feel for You" "When You Were Mine" "Head" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "17 Days" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" "Housequake" "Starfish and Coffee" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"

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