On April 19, 1986, Prince was having a moment at the top of the Billboard Hot 100. Not only did the multi-talented artist score his third No. 1 hit on the chart with the funky, playful “Kiss,” but the song in the No. 2 spot, The Bangles’ “Manic Monday,” was also written by him.
Videos by American Songwriter
Prince recorded “Kiss” with his band The Revolution, and it was the lead single from their 1986 album, Parade. Parade, which was Prince’s eighth studio effort, also was the soundtrack to the film Under the Cherry Moon, which he starred in and directed.
“Kiss” spent two weeks at No. 1 on the Hot 100. His previous chart-topping hits were “When Doves Cry” and “Let’s Go Crazy,” which were both from his massively successful 1984 album Purple Rain—another soundtrack, by the way.
“Kiss” went on to win a Grammy in the Best R&B Performance by a Duo or Group with Vocals category.
In 1988, “Kiss” became a hit again when the British synth-pop group The Art of Noise recorded it with guest vocals by veteran pop idol Tom Jones. The track reach No. 5 on the U.K. singles chart and No. 31 on the Billboard Hot 100.
About “Manic Monday”
Prince originally wrote “Manic Monday” in 1984 for Apollonia 6, the female pop/R&B trio he created, to record, but he eventually decided not to release that group’s version.
In 1985, Prince offered The Bangles the song, after becoming a fan of that band’s 1984 debut album, All Over the Place, and particularly the song “Hero Takes a Fall.” Word had it he was hoping to gain the romantic attention of the group’s main singer, Susanna Hoffs. Prince was credited as the tune’s songwriter under the pseudonym Christopher, which was the name of his character in Under the Cherry Moon.
The Bangles recorded “Manic Monday” for their second album, A Different Light, and released it as that record’s lead single. The song became the band’s first hit, peaking, as previously mentioned, at No. 2.
According to Songfacts, after “Manic Monday” became a hit, Prince joined The Bangles twice to perform it with them live. The first show took place on May 14, 1986, at the Warfield Theatre in San Francisco, and the second on October 20, 1986, at The Palace in Hollywood. He also played guitar on “Hero Takes a Fall” with the group at the latter concert.
Prince’s demo of “Manic Monday” finally was released on the posthumous 2019 demo collection, Originals.
