Mavis Staples (August 24, 1993) – The Voice Album Release
- GlamSlamEscape
- Aug 24, 1993
- 4 min read
The Voice is the eighth solo studio album by Mavis Staples, and her second and final release on Paisley Park Records. It is also her second album to feature creative contributions from Prince, who wrote eight of the twelve tracks.
Prince also performed on several tracks, while Ricky Peterson produced the five newly written Prince compositions and added production to the vault track A Man Called Jesus.
The album blends newly recorded material with earlier Prince‑related tracks completed over several years.
Two singles were issued — The Voice and Blood Is Thicker Than Time — but the album did not chart. In early 1995, the album was reissued by NPG Records with a revised running order and an additional track, Come Home, previously included on Time Waits For No One.
Two of these, Melody Cool and Positivity, had previously appeared in different forms on Prince’s own releases.
Album Details
Released: 24 August 1993
Early 1995 (NPG Records reissue — exact date needed)
Recorded:
Studios: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Length: 53:44 (1993) / 59:13 (1995)
Labels: Paisley Park Records
Producer: Prince; Ricky Peterson
Track List
The Voice (4:14) 1
House In Order (4:44) 2
Blood Is Thicker Than Time (3:13) 2
You Will Be Moved (4:12) 2
All Because Of You (5:06)
The Undertaker (7:26) 3
Melody Cool (3:46) 2
Kain’t Turn Back (4:03)
I’ll Be Right There (4:03)
A Man Called Jesus (3:56) 2
Why (4:27)
Positivity (4:34) 2
CD Reissue - NPG Records release (1995)
Blood Is Thicker Than Time (3:13) 2
I’ll Be Right There (4:03)
Why (4:27)
House In Order (4:44) 2
All Because Of You (5:06)
A Man Called Jesus (3:56) 2
Kain’t Turn Back (4:03)
Come Home (5:29) 2
You Will Be Moved (4:12) 2
The Voice (4:14) 1
The Undertaker (7:26) 3
Melody Cool (3:46) 2
Positivity (4:34) 2
1 Written by Prince, Rosie Gaines and Francis Jules
2 Written by Prince
3 Written by Prince, Tommy Barbarella, Michael B., Levi Seacer, Jr. and Sonny T.
Music Cassette
Side 1:
The Voice (4:14) 1
House In Order (4:44) 2
Blood Is Thicker Than Time (3:13) 2
You Will Be Moved (4:12) 2
All Because Of You (5:06)
The Undertaker (7:26) 3
Side 2:
Melody Cool (3:46) 2
Kain’t Turn Back (4:03)
I’ll Be Right There (4:03)
A Man Called Jesus (3:56) 2
Why (4:27)
Positivity (4:34) 2
Personnel (Full Track‑Specific Credits)
Mavis Staples • vocals
Prince • all instruments on The Voice, Melody Cool, A Man Called Jesus, Positivity • all instruments on Come Home (1995 reissue)
Levi Seacer Jr. • guitar, background vocals on The Voice • guitar on House In Order, Blood Is Thicker Than Time, You Will Be Moved, The Undertaker
Rosie Gaines • keyboards, background vocals on The Voice • background vocals on House In Order
Kirk Johnson • background vocals on The Voice • percussion on You Will Be Moved • keyboards on Positivity
Tony M. • background vocals on The Voice
Michael B. • drums on House In Order, Blood Is Thicker Than Time, The Undertaker
Paul Peterson • bass on House In Order, Blood Is Thicker Than Time, You Will Be Moved, The Undertaker, Melody Cool • guitar on A Man Called Jesus
Tommy Barbarella • keyboards on The Undertaker • additional keyboards on House In Order
Eric Leeds • saxophone on House In Order • saxophone on Come Home (1995 reissue)
Ricky Peterson • organ on House In Order, The Undertaker • organ/keyboards on You Will Be Moved • bass, drum programming, synthesizer, organ on A Man Called Jesus • keyboards on Positivity
The Steeles (Jevetta, Fred, JD, Jearlyn) • background vocals on House In Order, Blood Is Thicker Than Time, You Will Be Moved, The Undertaker, Melody Cool, Positivity • JD Steele — background vocal arrangement
Billy Franze / David Barry • guitar on Blood Is Thicker Than Time, You Will Be Moved
Pops Staples • background vocals on You Will Be Moved • guitar/background vocals on The Undertaker
Sonny T. • bass on The Undertaker
Horn Section (The Undertaker) • Brian Gallagher • Dave Jensen • Kathy Jensen • Michael Nelson • Steve Strand
Candy Dulfer • saxophone on A Man Called Jesus
Margie Cox • background vocals on A Man Called Jesus
Sheila E. • background vocals on A Man Called Jesus • drums/background vocals on Positivity
Boni Boyer / Janice Steele • background vocals on Positivity
Atlanta Bliss • trumpet on Come Home (1995 reissue)
Singles from The Voice
SOURCES Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2 All magazine scans, photographs, and original text excerpts referenced in this entry remain the property of their respective copyright holders. This Chronicle entry is a transformative, non‑commercial archival summary created for historical documentation and educational reference. No ownership of the original material is claimed or implied.
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