06/25/2025
In late 1984, The Bangles received a mysterious demo cassette from their manager with a handwritten label that simply read “Manic Monday.” The track had a dreamy, chiming pop sound and lyrics that instantly captivated the band. But what stunned them more was the name of the songwriter scribbled on the sleeve: Christopher. None of the band members knew who that was, but their curiosity was piqued.
At that time, The Bangles were still finding their place in the Los Angeles music scene. Their album “All Over the Place” had earned critical praise but had not cracked into mainstream radio. Then came the demo that would change everything. The band was told by their management that the song came from someone who admired them and wanted them to record it, no strings attached. The track fit The Bangles’ sound perfectly, especially Susanna Hoffs’s vocal tone. She sang the demo over and over, sensing something oddly familiar about the song's melodic structure.
Weeks later, the mystery unraveled backstage at an event when Susanna Hoffs was approached quietly and told the truth. Christopher was a pseudonym Prince often used for side projects. He had written "Manic Monday" for one of his own groups, Apollonia 6, but decided not to include it on their 1984 album. Instead, after hearing “Hero Takes a Fall” by The Bangles, Prince shifted direction. He had seen the band perform live in Los Angeles and was especially moved by Susanna’s stage presence. Without informing them, he made the decision to give the song to them instead.
Prince had passed the tape directly to a representative in The Bangles' camp without identifying himself, believing that if they liked the song for what it was, they would record it on its own merits. When Susanna learned this, her reaction was one of disbelief and gratitude. She said in an interview, “We were stunned that Prince even knew who we were. And then to hear that he wanted us to sing one of his songs, it was one of those surreal moments where you question if it’s really happening.”
Prince never formally met with the band during the recording process, but he maintained a quiet watch from the shadows. He gave no instructions, offered no critiques. The Bangles arranged the song to suit their harmonic style, and the result was a polished pop track layered with delicate vocals and chiming guitars. Released in January 1986 as the lead single from their second album “Different Light,” "Manic Monday" became an international hit and reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100, sitting directly behind Prince’s own song “Kiss” on the chart that week.
What made the experience even more powerful for Susanna was the silent nature of the validation. Prince did not call, did not show up in the studio, and never tried to steer the production. His gesture was pure and artist to artist. She later said that the gift made her feel like they had been seen, understood, and lifted without expectation or publicity. In an industry crowded with power plays and ego, it was a moment rooted in quiet generosity.
Susanna Hoffs kept the original cassette labeled “Christopher” for years, considering it one of her most meaningful possessions. The unexpected encouragement from Prince not only launched the band into pop stardom, it also became a private anchor of self-worth for a young singer still trying to find her place in the music world.
The moment Prince passed along that tape, without a name or agenda, changed the course of The Bangles' career and deepened Susanna’s confidence in her voice forever.
