XPN’s Gotta Hear Song(s) of the Week: “Manic Monday” and “The Glamorous Life” by Prince

When Prince died in 2016, a hefty collection of unreleased music was left behind — a collection that the legendary artist clearly intended to keep hidden. Over the past year, his estate has begun sifting through it, first for Piano and a Microphone 1983, and now for  a compilation of polished demos for songs he gifted to other artists, many of which went on to become those artists’ signature songs. 

The new album Originals features tracks like “Sex Shooter” (originally for Apollonia 6), “Jungle Love” (originally for Morris Day and The Time), and “Nothing Compares 2 U” (made famous by Sinéad O’Connor).

Track three on Originals is “Manic Monday”, which became The Bangles’ signature tune in 1985. A video for it pairs the pitch-perfect pop song with a montage of never-before-seen footage of Prince in his Paisley Park Studio, providing a window into the creative process that had such a significant influence on the music world.

The album also features Prince’s take on “The Glamorous Life,” a dancefloor ready jam popularized by his longtime percussionist Sheila E.

Both of these are XPN’s #GottaHearSongs of the Week. Listen to Prince’s version’s above, and revisit the better known “originals” below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeJLZi0uyJw