The Future (song)

The Future (song)

"The Future" is a song from Prince's 1989 Batman soundtrack, and the final single released from the album. The single was not the album version, but a remixed version by William Orbit. "The Future" was released as a single only in Europe. The standard European 7" single was backed with the album version of "Electric Chair", but on the maxi-single, "Electric Chair" was also remixed by Orbit. Both 12-inch remixes add little to the original versions heard on Prince's Batman release. Orbit's remix of "The Future" is house-inspired, whereas Prince's original is minimalistic and foreboding. Orbit substituted a muted, pulsating beat in place of the original elements of Prince's song. Orbit also removed Prince's original bassline, synthline, and snippets of sampled dialogue. Neither "The Future" nor its B-side were a hit on the pop or dance floors. Orbit's remixes were not well received, and therefore charted in only one country. This would be the last time Orbit would work with Prince for several years.

"Electric Chair", was recorded well before the album concept had begun, being cut in June 1988. Despite this, it fits well into the theme of the film, and evokes the Joker's madness. The track blends hard rock and funk with a loud, booming drum machine pattern, and aggressive bass and lead guitar wailing throughout. The bridge combines a funky, percussive bass line with a meshed guitar synth phrase.

The LP version of "The Future" features the sampled strings of Clare Fischer lifted from the then unreleased 1986 track "Crystal Ball", and samples the Sounds of Blackness choir. The song is rather menacing, evoking the theme of the film. The lyrics speak of a bleak future, recalling Gotham City, and that it needs "spirituality that will last."