Colonized Mind is the fifth track on Prince’s 33rd studio album Lotusflow3r. The track was premiered on Los Angeles radio station Indie 103 on 18 December 2008, along with Crimson And Clover, Wall Of Berlin and 4ever. In October 2015, the album version was featured as a Tidal Purple Pick of the Week, accompanied by a 2012 article focusing on Prince’s guitar skills.
Basic tracking took place on 19 November 2004, during a three-and-a-half hour session with Michael B. on drums and Sonny T. on bass at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota that also yielded 3121, From The Lotus..., ...Back 2 The Lotus, Love Like Jazz, Wall Of Berlin, Planet Earth, Guitar and a song titled Shameless as well as two or three others.
A tape photographed in Prince’s vault at Paisley Park Studios lists Wall Of Berlin as 19 November 2004, which alludes this is the exact date for all of the songs in this sessions.
In an August 2006 interview, Michael B. said [they recorded] eleven or twelve tracks in three and a half hours that night. On a different occasion he later indicated that this was the last recording session they did with Prince for a while after that.
The presence of Támar Davis on background vocals suggests that the track was overdubbed by her before Summer 2006, while Shelby J.’s vocals are not likely to have been recorded before 2007 when she first started performing with Prince.
Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
19 November 2004 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA Tracking
2005 / 2006 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed) overdubs
2007 (assumed) unknown studios overdubs
Recording Personnel
Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
Michael B. - drums
Sonny T. - bass guitar
Mr. Hayes - keyboard effects
Shelby J. - background vocals
Marva King - background vocals
Támar Davis - background vocal