Well thank god for realplayer, I do like this version, could not really get into the original, a bit before my time. Now John Blackwell Renato Neto and Rhonda Smith, ONA band I really like.

This should be on Lotusflower, am really trying to find out why I paid $77 seeing as my t-shirt has not arrived yet.....

Imago said:

Gotta love that wit and humor of yours.

IstenSzek said:

Better production for a start due to technological developments.

I think it's safe to say that extreme as the example may be to the layman, a mono gramophone sounds inferior to an 8-track - my point being is that with different generations, there ARE different developments in among other things technology - it's called progression.

My point being is that even a 17-year old could probably tell the sonic difference between the same track recorded now to someting recorded even 10, never mind 23 years ago.

Which they would like is subjective.

'dre

Graycap23 said:

Some whiny ass MFs. Nothing is ever good enough for them. I mean they still have the "original" version right? For what ever reason Prince as not released that "original' version he may and he may not, but its not his problem that fans get a hold of an unauthorized version of his work. That's on them. U can't expect prince to feel like u feel about the music. He may cringe when he hears the "original" version. People are so damned spoiled. U would think after the recent death of MJ folks would realize that none of this a given.

First of all ,i don't know what guys like Bart van Hemelen still do on org,
'cuz he never ever praise prince,Are you on a mission to bash Prince everyway
and anyway you can just because he closed your
fan site 10 years ago,get a life.
go somewhere else Bart you are pathetic.YOU ARE all day on FAN site of the guy you hate

And if a musician remakes his old idea it doesn't mean
he lives in the past it just means that it was too good idea to be unreleased.

I agree, ahead of it's time,
A lot of his 80's music was,
I can't put a time on the original of this song

DreZone said:

funksterr said:

add Tick Tick Bang

RodeoSchro said:

I agree completely. I love the original version. Regardless, this jazzy version works pretty well for me.

tricky99 said:

Well said.

I like both versions of the song and while montereux version is more mellow it contains much better arangment that allows this song o breathe.
original demo is great also but one thing bothers me.

there is too much things going on i think original is over aranged and because of that fact some parts go unnoticed .
people give a chance to this new recording of In a large room with no light .
p.s.
Prince is still doing his thing and he is really trying,give him credit for that.
he is not like that guy who made every tour the same as his first tour.

tricky99 said:

I do agree with some of your points but, why so aggressive and defensive? This is a Prince music discussion forum, right? And I think people have every right to DISCUSS in a friendly manner whether they like a reworked version of an old song or whether they find it weaker than the original. And yes,the old one is an "original" regardless of it being a bootleg song.I for instance will always regard the circulating We Can Funk 1986 version as the "original" version even though I had the Graffiti Bridge version years before I got the bootleg 1986 version...but I still consider the bootleg version closer to the "original" idea of that song. I mean,it was one of Chick Huntsberry´s favorite songs, it is one of MY favorite songs, so what if it´s a bootleg ? The released version is , IMO, ridiculous and just wrong, so I never listen to it.

This being said, I am the kind of listener who , most of the time, enjoys all interpretations of a good Prince song. There doesn´t even have to be a real progression compared to the original,sometimes a very sparse and minimalistic reworking can be very interesting, too.
For instance, I LOVE all versions and incarnations of Something In The Water, from rehearsals to reworkings and live renditions,I can´t get enough of it and don´t compare one version with another but, to each his own, I find it perfectly normal for Prince fans to discuss a new version the way some people do over here.

Then again, I do agree with what you said about MJ and appreciating Prince while he´s still here with us, still out there on the road, performing and looking healthy and happy, no doubt about that. We should appreciate that and not take it for granted but, in all fairness, nothing wrong with some critical scepticism.

KoolEaze said:

tricky99 said:

Perfect. Well said.

As for the song, i went and listened to the original after years of leaving it alone as i never "got" it and thought it was interesting, checked the new...loads better! Better production and better instrumentation.

Nothing groundbreaking but, as a free song created as promotional purposes (i'm guessing), it's fantastic.

Worthy of a top album track.

Love the fills and the fade out is astounding.

KoolEaze said:

Critical of a song that u got 4 free that Prince was kind enough 2 share?
Seems a bit over the top IMHO. Prince did NOT have 2 put this track up.
Would the fans rather not have anything?

This is a really good update of the song. Quite a surprise! I never expected to hear this song done again!

i think orgers think its hip to say everything by Prince after 1988 is shit but that isn't true at all

Graycap23 said:

again, it's perfectly cool to appreciate the gesture but at the same time have your own opinion of the content. i think it's cool that he shared it.

polkadotbliss said:

Maybe there's an agreement that he'd give them an EXCLUSIVE song, which means not posting it on his site.

Graycap23 said:

I think if Prince weren't smack dab in the middle of ripping off his own fans then some people might be more positive about this song.

Graycap23 said:

Do you seriously expect longtime Prince afficionados to just remain silent and grateful instead of having a discussion in a forum called Prince:MUSIC and More ? Isn´t that an insult to the intelligence of grown folks who have been following and supporting him for decades through the thick and the thin ?
What´s so wrong about discussing a song or having an opinion ....just because the song in question hasn´t been released before?
The old versions DO exist, and just like cineasts who discuss alternative versions of their favorite films, interesting trivia and little tidbits, people here love to share their opinion, whether positive or negative, when it comes to the music of Prince.
I for one,as I said in my post above, appreciate a lot of things about Prince and his music but I think we are not doing any of us, least of all Prince, a big favor when we remain silent or act like sheep just because a song has not "officially" been released.

Prince knows why people go bananas when he plays Empty Room, Large Room or even released but rarely played gems like I´m Yours....he knows that we know these songs and it´s a tongue-in-cheek situation for both parties involved.
And he should finally understand that, no matter how long these gems have been floating around in various quality, that we´d still luckily shell out big bucks to get a proper release of the old gems OR new versions or both, even if we already own them as bootlegs.

I just don´t understand the mutually negative tone of some people around here, whether in favor of Prince or not. Appreciate Prince but also appreciate his intelligent and diverse fan base ( and this great website and its mods).

Serena said:

-----
Yes, it is quite possible but do not waste your time trying to explain that to some of these people They will find something to bitch about no matter what P does.

nice...I always thought the old one sounded too much like a demo and that Prince was mumbling the lyrics a bit. I like this new version.,,love the old one too ,but this one is nice.

KoolEaze said:

Lol.....intelligence? Thanks 4 that laugh.
Bottom line, mofos should stop complaining so damn much. It is all good, I suppose it comes along with the territory.

KoolEaze said:

The version of 'We Can Funk' on GB is based on the original 1983 version, so it is more the 'original' version than the 1986 version.

Just saying, I dug what you were saying

Efan said:

I'm one who got ripped off but these are 2 mutually exclusive actions.

Graycap23 said:

an opinion that by its own definition does not allow for differing opinions to exist, or that dismisses or condemns differing opinions, is not what i consider intelligent. you might want to stifle that laugh.

NouveauDance said:

Oh, I stand corrected. I had read that somewhere before but I forgot about that when I wrote my comment. However, you catch my drift. The version with George Clinton does nothing for me and even though I had that one first, and even though it IS based on the original version, I still prefer that other version.

Anxiety said:

.....and If i DON'T?

Nice cut

It's good.
Let's see in 20 years which version we like most.
Judging it now is impossible. I've listened to the original so many times, there's no way I can be impartial!