“In This Bed I Scream” is an upbeat funk ballad and a hopeful plea for reconciliation after a communication breakdown. The song originated when Prince set his guitar down in the studio and inadvertently started a feedback loop; he began building the song around that sound (which can still be heard in the outro).

In Emancipation’s liner notes, the song is dedicated to Prince’s former collaborators Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman, and to Wendy’s twin sister Susannah (with whom he was romantically involved in the mid-80s), leading to the impression that the song is an apology for how badly their relationships ended. In fact, he sent the song in demo form to Wendy & Lisa for their creative input; they responded with some ideas which were never acknowledged or incorporated.