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"Private Joy" is a song by American musician Prince from his 1981 album Controversy, released as the B-side of the single "Do Me, Baby". The song describes how Prince will never reveal the identity of his secret lover. This is the first time Prince used the LM-1 machine, which he would use throughout his career.

In this bouncy disco-pop number, Prince explains that his lover is no one's but his. He sings about what they do together, and the times they share. He claims that he "strangled Valentino", and that she was "his ever since" and that she "belongs to Prince".

The song ends with guitar riffs and feedback from Prince, and segues into "Ronnie, Talk to Russia", the next track on Controversy. These guitar sounds were sampled and used in "Orgasm", a song on Prince's 1994 album Come.

Track listings

1. "Do Me, Baby" (edit) – 3:57
2. "Private Joy" – 4:25

Personnel

Sourced from Benoît Clerc and Guitarcloud.

• Prince – lead and backing vocals, Oberheim OB-X, ARP Omni, electric guitar, bass guitar, Linn LM-1, Pearl SY-1 Syncussion

La Toya Jackson version

"Private Joy"
Single by La Toya Jackson
from the album Heart Don't Lie
Released	1984
Recorded	1983
Genre	Pop, R&B, soul, dance
Length	4:49
Label	CBS, Sony Records
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Amir Bayyan
La Toya Jackson singles chronology
"Hot Potato" (1984) "Private Joy" (1984) "Baby Sister" (1985)

American singer La Toya Jackson covered this song for her 1984 album Heart Don't Lie. Her single had limited release in Japan as a 7" single. Her U.S. hit single "Heart Don't Lie" can be found on the B-side.

According to Jackson, Prince's publishing company, Controversy Music, "approached me about recording songs of his that hadn't gone over too big the first time around. They submitted several songs and I picked 'Private Joy' because it sounded so up-to-date." Though "Private Joy" was Jackson's favorite song from Heart Don't Lie, it was never released as a single outside Japan. Said Jackson at the time, "I loved the song and my record company loved it, but my father manages me and it was his decision to not release that cut."

The Los Angeles Times stated that "note for note, she matches Prince's intensity with her own hard-edged snap, crackle and pop."

Track listings

Japan 7" (#07 SP 815)

1. "Private Joy" – 4:51
2. "Heart Don't Lie" (7") – 3:29

Cheyne version

Artist Cheyne recorded a version for the soundtrack of the 1985 film Weird Science.

Track listings

U.S. 12" vinyl (#MCA-23583)

1. "Private Joy" (extended version) – 5:30
2. "Private Joy" (instrumental) – 5:44
3. "Private Joy" (bonus beats plus bass) – 4:28

References

1. Clerc, Benoît (October 2022). Prince: All the Songs. Octopus. ISBN 9781784728816.
2. "Controversy". guitarcloud.org. Retrieved 2023-04-30.
3. JOHNSON, CONNIE (13 January 1985). "Rock Stars Turn Out Their Versions Of Princely Songs". Retrieved 23 April 2018 – via LA Times.
4. JOHNSON, CONNIE (13 January 1985). "Rock Stars Turn Out Their Versions Of Princely Songs". Retrieved 23 April 2018 – via LA Times.
5. "Latifaheaston.co.uk". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2009-08-09.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
6. "Cheyne - Private Joy". Discogs. Retrieved 23 April 2018.

• 1981 songs
• 1984 singles
• Prince (musician) songs
• La Toya Jackson songs
• Songs written by Prince (musician)
• Song recordings produced by Prince (musician)
• CBS Records singles