"Batdance" is a song by Prince, from the 1989 soundtrack. Helped by the film's popularity, the song reached number one in the U.S., becoming Prince's fourth number-one single, and first since 1986's "Kiss".

"Batdance" was a last-minute replacement for a brooding track titled "Dance with the Devil", which Prince felt was too dark. Incidentally, though "Dance with the Devil" remains unreleased, some of the lyrics appear on the album's liner notes.

"Batdance" is almost two songs in one—a chaotic, mechanical dance beat that changes gears into a slinky, funky groove before changing back for the song's conclusion. The track is an amalgam of many musical ideas floating around at the time. Elements from at least seven songs (some unreleased) were incorporated into "Batdance": "200 Balloons", "We Got the Power", "House in Order", "Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic" (later released on the album, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic), "The Future", and "Electric Chair", as well as the 1966 "Batman Theme" by Neal Hefti. Some of these were mere snippets, and other segments showed up only in remixes of the track. The song was also loaded with dialog samples from the film.

The song's music video, directed by Albert Magnoli and choreographed by Barry Lather, featured dancers costumed as multiple Batmen, Jokers and Vicki Vales. Prince appears both as himself, and as well as a costumed character in face paint known as "Gemini", with one side representing the Joker (evil), and the other, Batman (good). The Batmen and Jokers alternate dance sections, while Prince/Gemini sing the lyrics. Eventually the video ends with Gemini hitting a detonator, exploding an electric chair (referenced in the song), and Prince warning, "Stop" as the video abruptly ends. The video also features one Vicki Vale wearing a shirt with the words "All this and brains too", a reference to Batman: The Dark Knight Returnsby Frank Miller, in which a female news presenter wears a top with the same slogan.

Gemini is Prince's astrological sign, and is a reference to the duality throughout his music. "Gemini" would also make an appearance in the "Partyman" video, but with the "Batman" half replaced by Prince's normal appearance.

The B-side to the "Batdance" is "200 Balloons", which was recorded for the film and serves as the musical blueprint for the main portion of "Batdance". The song was rejected for the film by Tim Burton and replaced with "Trust". However, the lyrics of "200 Balloons", as well as its namesake, reference the scene which it was created for, while the replacement track does not. Prince did little more than replace the lyrics of "200 Balloons" in its transition into "Batdance". Some lyrics even survived the transition, and more showed up in "The Batmix". "200 Balloons" also contains samples of "Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic", another song submitted for inclusion in the movie, but rejected (it was replaced by "Partyman").

The 12" vinyl and CD Maxi versions of the single included two remixes of "Batdance" that were done by Mark Moore and William Orbit, "The Batmix" and "Vicki Vale Mix". "The Batmix" focuses on the chaotic "rock" section of "Batdance", and is supplemented with electronic distortion and sampling of voices, instruments, and larger excepts of Prince's then-unreleased "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic". The "Vicki Vale Mix" is an extension of the middle part of "Batdance", which includes dialog between Bruce Wayne and Vicki. In addition to "200 Balloons", the CD Maxi single (9-21257-2) features both of these remixes.

For You(1978): "Soft and Wet"  ·"Just as Long as We're Together"

Prince(1979): "I Wanna Be Your Lover"  ·"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?"  ·"Still Waiting"  ·"Bambi"  ·"Sexy Dancer"

Dirty Mind(1980): "Uptown"  ·"Dirty Mind"  ·"Do It All Night"

Controversy(1981): "Controversy"  ·"Let's Work"  ·"Do Me, Baby"  ·"Sexuality"

1999(1982): "1999"  ·"Little Red Corvette"  ·"Delirious"  ·"Automatic"  ·"Let's Pretend We're Married"

Purple Rain(1984): "When Doves Cry"  ·"Let's Go Crazy"  ·"Purple Rain"  ·"I Would Die 4 U"  ·"Take Me with U"

Around the World in a Day(1985): "Paisley Park"  ·"Raspberry Beret"  ·"Pop Life"  ·"America"

Parade(1986): "Kiss"  ·"Mountains"  ·"Anotherloverholenyohead"  ·"Girls & Boys"

Sign “☮” the Times(1987): "Sign o' the Times"  ·"If I Was Your Girlfriend"  ·"U Got the Look"  ·"I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man"

Lovesexy(1988): "Alphabet St."  ·"Glam Slam"  ·"I Wish U Heaven"

Graffiti Bridge(1990): "Thieves in the Temple"  ·"New Power Generation"

Diamonds and Pearls(1991): "Gett Off"  ·"Cream"  ·"Diamonds and Pearls"  ·"Money Don't Matter 2 Night"  ·"Insatiable"  ·"Thunder"

Love Symbol Album(1992): "Sexy MF"  ·"My Name Is Prince"  ·"7"  ·"The Morning Papers"  ·"Damn U"

The Hits/The B-Sides(1993): "Pink Cashmere"  ·"Peach"  ·"Nothing Compares 2 U"

Come(1994): "Letitgo"  ·"Space"

The Gold Experience(1995): "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World"  ·"I Hate U"  ·"Gold"

Chaos and Disorder(1996): "Dinner with Delores"

Emancipation(1996): "Betcha by Golly Wow!"  ·"The Holy River"  ·"Somebody's Somebody"

Crystal Ball(1998): "The Truth"

The Rainbow Children(2001): "The Work, pt. 1"

Musicology(2004): "Musicology"  ·"Call My Name"  ·"Cinnamon Girl"

3121(2006): "Te Amo Corazón"  ·"Black Sweat"  ·"Fury"

Planet Earth(2007): "Guitar"  ·"Chelsea Rodgers"

(album) · (score) ·  · (soundtrack) · (score) ·  ·  ·

( (TV series)) · ( Batman(TV series)) · ( The New Adventures of Batman) · ( The New Adventures of Batman) · ( (1989 film) and Batman Returns) · ( Batman(1989 film)) · ( Batman(1989 film), Batman: The Animated Seriesand Batman Beyond) · ( Batman Foreverand Batman & Robin) · ( Batman Beyondand Batman: The Brave and the Bold) · ( Batman Beyondand Batman: The Brave and the Bold) · ( The Batman) · ( The Batman) · ( Batman Beginsand The Dark Knight) · ( Batman Beginsand The Dark Knight)

"Batman Theme" · "Batusi" · "The Future"  · "The Arms of Orion" · "Partyman" · "Scandalous" · "Batdance"  · "Super Freak" · "Face to Face" · "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me, Kill Me" · "Where Are You Now?"  · "Kiss from a Rose" · "Smash It Up" · "The Riddler" · "The Passenger" · "Moaner" · "The End Is the Beginning Is the End"  · "Look into My Eyes" · "Gotham City" · "Foolish Games" · "Lazy Eye"