That Was a Hit?!?: Prince, 'Batdance'

Soundcheck | Mar 18, 2013

Can you name all five of Prince's hits that have hit #1 on the Billboard Hot 100?

Go ahead, try.

If you guessed "Kiss," "Let's Go Crazy" and "When Doves Cry," you'd be right. But the last two are pretty tricky. One is "Cream" -- Prince's only #1 hit of the 1990s -- and the toughest of all... is "Batdance."

As music writer and pop chart columnist Chris Molanphy tells us, "Batdance," written for the 1989 Batman film, is more of a mashup or remix than an actual song. It jumps from tempo to tempo, theme to theme -- and includes a lot of maniacal Joker laughter. And, strangely enough, it went higher on the charts than some of Prince's other best known songs -- like “Purple Rain" or "1999."

WNYC is funded by sponsors and member donations

WNYC Homepage - Top Stories

Jack Schlossberg, the Kennedy Running for Congress in New York. Plus, the Astronaut Reid Wiseman

The candidate on the role of social media in politics, and speaking out against his cousin R.F.K., Jr. Plus, the commander of NASA’s Artemis II mission on the dark side of the moon.

The New Yorker Radio Hour |

NJ Gov. Sherrill: If state police were too aggressive at Delaney Hall, we'll look into it

New Jersey Gov. Mikie Sherrill took call after call Wednesday night from people who told her state police had been overly aggressive in violent clashes with protesters outside the Delaney Hall immigration detention center this weekend.

Ask Governor Sherrill |

I.C.E.'s "Wartime Recruitment" Campaign

Hiring at the highest-funded U.S. law enforcement agency.

On the Media |

Ask the Mayor Recap and More News From City Hall

Elizabeth Kim discusses the issues Mayor Mamdani talked about in his first "ask the mayor" segment.

The Brian Lehrer Show |