Romance 1600

Infobox Album
Name = "Romance 1600"
Type = Album
Artist = Sheila E.


Released = 1985
Recorded =
Genre = Funk, Pop, R&B
Length = 38:59
Label = Warner Bros., Paisley Park Records
Producer = Sheila E. and Prince
Reviews =
*Allmusic Rating|4|5 [http://wc02.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w9ftxqy5ldfe~T1 link]
Last album = "The Glamorous Life"
(1984)
This album = "Romance 1600"
(1985)
Next album = "Sheila E."
(1987)

"Romance 1600" is the second album from singer/drummer/percussionist Sheila E.. The only track that Prince co-wrote and co-produced with Sheila is "A Love Bizarre", which became a major hit and finds the two of them performing a vocal duet. Prince's influence is strong throughout the album. [ [http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:w9ftxqy5ldfe~T1 allmusic ((( Romance 1600 > Review ))) ] ]

This album was Sheila E.'s second album, and was highly anticipated. During her hiatus between albums, she had garnered a lot of exposure via the media, including appearing in Krush Groove, in which she performed "A Love Bizarre" and "Holly Rock". She had also performed to a wide audience as an act on Prince & the Revolution's Purple Rain Tour.

Fans were in for a shock when the video for "Sister Fate" (the album's lead single) introduced a new image of the performer—a somewhat female-Prince influenced protégée. Sister Fate's B-side featured the cryptic protest tune "Save The Children". However, the album itself featured many tracks that were personal and help to support the embodiment of the thematic faux-French episodic adventure that the lead single's video and the album art helped to set up for the listening audience. This concept/theme album had become a staple within Prince's camp at the time. Although the album received mixed reviews it did produce the enormous hit single and duet with Prince "A Love Bizarre". On January 28, 1986 the album was RIAA certified Goldhttp://riaa.com/goldandplatinumdata.php?table=SEARCH_RESULTS and to date is well regarded amongst Prince fans

Track listing

All tracks composed by Prince; except where indicated

#"Sister Fate" - 3:50
#"Dear Michaelangelo" - 4:38
#"A Love Bizarre"* - 12:18 (Prince/Sheila E.)
#"Toy Box" - 5:32
#"Yellow" - 2:11
#"Romance 1600" - 3:56
#"Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer"(Sheila E.) - 2:47
#"Bedtime Story" - 3:45

Credits

*Sheila E. - Lead Vocals, Percussion, Drums, Strings, Guitar (Bass), Keyboards, Arranger, Producer, Writer
*Juan Escovedo - Percussion (track 3, 8)
*Eddie M. - Background Vocals (tracks 3, 4); Saxophone (tracks 1-4; 6-8)
*Ken Grey - Organ (track 1)
*Stef Burns - Guitar (tracks 2, 8)
*Karl Perazzo - Bongos (track 6)
*Prince - Guitar, Bass (track 3,4); Vocals, Arranger, Producer, Writer ; Vocals (track 5)
*Micheal Weaver - Background Vocals (track 4)
*Stef Birnbaum - Background Vocals (tracks 3, 4)
*Sue Davis - Background Vocals (tracks 2, 3, 6)
*Benny Rietveld - Background Vocals (track 6)

References