The Holy River

"The Holy River"
"The Holy River"
	UK CD single
Single by Prince
from the album Emancipation
B-side	"Somebody's Somebody" (Radio edit); "Somebody's Somebody" (Livestudio Mix); "Somebody's Somebody" (Ultrafantasy Edit); "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" (Mustang Mix); "On Sale Now!";
Released	January 13, 1997 ; (CHR/Pop radio) ; (CD single)
Recorded	Paisley Park Studios, 1995–1996
Genre	Pop rock
Length	4:00 (Radio Edit); 6:55 (Album Version)
Label	NPG/EMI
Songwriter(s)	Prince
Producer(s)	Prince
Prince singles chronology
Prince (UK) singles chronology

"The Holy River" is a song from Prince's (his stage name at that time being an unpronounceable symbol, see cover art) 1996 album, Emancipation.^[1]

The song is pop/rock-based number that tells the story of spiritual enlightenment and of Prince's decision to marry Mayte Garcia. The mid-tempo number features a guitar melody without a chorus. The song climaxes in a searing guitar and Pipe organ solo.

The UK CD single was released as a two separate discs which fit in a double jewel case that was included with the first disc. Both discs had different picture sleeves and different contents, other than a "radio edit" of "The Holy River" and edit of "Somebody's Somebody" (also from Emancipation). Disc one also included two remixes of "Somebody's Somebody": a "Livestudio Mix" and an "Ultrafantasy Edit". Both were mostly re-recorded versions of the song with additional lyrics. Disc 2 included the previously released "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (Mustang Mix)" and a one-minute commercial called "On Sale Now!". The UK cassette single was the same as disc 2, but without "On Sale Now".

A US promotional release was sent to pop radio stations at the same time as "Somebody's Somebody" was sent to Urban radio stations, it was also made available to consumers for free, and only through book chain, Borders Music. It was a cassette single with the previously unreleased "Welcome 2 the Dawn", advertised as being from the upcoming album The Dawn. In reality, the song was later released on The Truth. A music video for the single was also produced.^[2]

Excluding the re-release of "1999", "The Holy River"/"Somebody's Somebody" became his final UK Top 40 single in his lifetime.

Charts[]

Chart (1997)	Peak position
Belgium (Ultratip Flanders)^[3]	4
Germany (Official German Charts)^[4]	92
Netherlands (Single Top 100)^[5]	63
US Billboard Hot 100 Airplay	58
US Billboard Mainstream Top 40	19
US Billboard Hot Adult Top 40 Tracks	31

The Holy River/Somebody's Somebody (1997)	Peak position
UK Singles (OCC)^[6]	19

References[]

^ "The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince) – The Holy River". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
^ "The Holy River of Prince in video on Jukebox". Jukebox. Retrieved 2016-06-22.
^ "Ultratop.be – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Offiziellecharts.de – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Dutchcharts.nl – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.
^ "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

This 1990s rock song-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by .

[1] "The Artist (Formerly Known As Prince) – The Holy River". Discogs. Retrieved 2016-06-22.

[2] "The Holy River of Prince in video on Jukebox". Jukebox. Retrieved 2016-06-22.

[sc_Flanders_Tip_The_Artist_Formerly_Known_as_Prince-3] "Ultratop.be – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in Dutch). Ultratip. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_Germany_The_Artist_Formerly_Known_as_Prince-4] "Offiziellecharts.de – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_Dutch100_The_Artist_Formerly_Known_as_Prince-5] "Dutchcharts.nl – The Artist Formerly Known as Prince – The Holy River" (in Dutch). Single Top 100. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

[sc_UKsinglesbyname_Prince-6] "Prince: Artist Chart History". Official Charts Company. Retrieved May 2, 2016.

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hide v t Prince singles
1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"
1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Gotta Stop (Messin' About)" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "Delirious" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"
1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "Letitgo" "Space" "Purple Medley" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"
2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K."
2010s	"Breakfast Can Wait"
Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "Erotic City" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Somebody's Somebody" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Man'O'War" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart"
Airplay-only songs	"International Lover"
Internet downloads	"Guitar (original "demo" version)"
EPs	The Beautiful Experience NYC 1999: The New Master
Other songs	"I Feel for You" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"