This Could B Us

In the next article we are going to explore the fascinating world of This Could B Us. From its origins to its impact on today's society, This Could B Us has been the object of study and interest in various disciplines. Throughout history, This Could B Us has played a crucial role in the evolution of humanity, influencing aspects as diverse as culture, economics, politics and technology. Through comprehensive analysis, we will examine the many facets of This Could B Us, from its most fundamental aspects to its most contemporary implications. Get ready to immerse yourself in an exciting journey that will lead you to better understand the importance and meaning of This Could B Us in today's world.

"This Could B Us"
Single by Prince
from the album Hit n Run Phase One
ReleasedAugust 28, 2015
RecordedSpring 2014[1]
GenreElectro-funk[2]
Length4:11
Label
Songwriter(s)Prince
Producer(s)
  • Prince
  • Joshua Welton
Prince singles chronology
"Hardrocklover"
(2015) 		"This Could B Us"
(2015) 		"Free Urself"
(2015)

"This Could B Us" is a song by American musician Prince, released on August 28, 2015, as the third single from his 38th album Hit n Run Phase One. The album was released two weeks later.[3]

The single version of the song was the same as that first streamed on Tidal three days earlier; a remix (with additional recording) of the original track, which was released the previous year on Art Official Age.[4]

Background

The track was first mentioned in a June 23, 2014, article by Jon Bream in the Minneapolis Star Tribune (along with "The Gold Standard", a remix of "Funknroll" and an unnamed duet with Rita Ora). Bream mentions that Prince explained the track was named in reference to the #ThisCouldBeUsButYouPlayin meme. Prince explained that he was inspired by a widely retweeted image taken from his 1984 film Purple Rain, showing him and co-star Apollonia Kotero on a motorcycle, with the words "This could be us... but you playin" emblazoned above and below their faces.[5][6] On June 26, 2014, a 35-second snippet of "This Could Be Us" was made available on 3rdEyeGirl Twitter account via a dropbox link.[7]

The original version, "This Could Be Us", is the seventh track on Prince's 37th album Art Official Age. This version charted for 12 weeks on Billboard's Adult R&B Airplay chart, peaking at No. 19 on March 7, 2015.[8] A remix of the track (titled "This Could B Us") is the fifth track on Prince's 38th album Hit n Run Phase One, and "This Could B Us" was released as the album's third single ten days before the album's release.

Critical reception

In artist/writer Tora Borealis's review, she writes "Out of the two versions of This Could Be Us, the remix is punchier and puts some meat on the space-ballad's delicate bones. The original starts off with a Close Encounters melody, twinkles like a malfunctioning holodeck and slows to a close HAL-style. But HITnRUN's revisit takes the sci-fi effects and ramps it up into warp-drive. The second half is now basically an instrumental and all the better for it, although the song's lyrics aren't as corny as they first sound."[9]

References

  1. ^ "This Could Be Us". Princevault.com.
  2. ^ Wood, Mikael (April 21, 2021). "All 85 Prince singles, ranked 4 u from worst 2 best". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved February 3, 2025.
  3. ^ "Prince - This Could B Us..." November 19, 2015 – via www.discogs.com.
  4. ^ "Single: This Could B Us – Prince Vault". princevault.com.
  5. ^ Dewey, Caitlin (2021-10-26). "A complete history of "This Could Be Us But You Playin", the meme that inspired an unlikely Prince song". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2023-11-19.
  6. ^ McCormick, Rich (June 24, 2014). "Prince exploits meme with announcement of new solo album". The Verge.
  7. ^ "This Could Be Us - Prince Vault". princevault.com.
  8. ^ "Prince | Biography, Music & News". Billboard.
  9. ^ Borealis, Tora (October 28, 2017). "228: This Could B(e) Us".