Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

smoothcriminal12 said:

nursev said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

as long as he keeps andy away from it

This song is perfect for fanfic, come on nursev show us your skills.

I gotta say I hate this song with a passion the size of The Rainbow Children. Fingernail and chalkboard sounds just isn't my thing. I have tried many times to find something redeeming in this track, but always feel whoever made sure this track never officially saw the light of day deserves a medal of honor.

smoothcriminal12 said:

Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

I agree.

I love me some large Room(original version).

The newest version is by far one of the greatest records prince has ever released.

BHD97 said:

What bootleg could I hear this on? I'm not asking where to get it, but just what boot.

I'm gonna take a stab and say The Work or Work It still has the best version, since it's one of those tracks that hasn't seen a significant quality upgrade in a long time - I think I'm right in saying it hasn't been on any of the later goodies like 30 Years... or Box O' Chocolates.

Unfortunately....

[Edited 6/18/12 23:54pm]

Up until today, I had only heard the Montreux version, which was OK. It didn't, like, jump out at me, maybe b/c it sounded a little too lounge-y for my tastes, or maybe b/c I love it when Prince sing-sings, not sing-talks. (Although at this point, I should be happy to be hearing him and no one else! ) Also, from the Montreux version, it was hard to figure out the lyrics, but I did instantly like the image from the chorus: "Did you ever feel that life was like looking for a penny / In a large room with no light?" Pretty cool.

I just managed to find the 1986 version and I like the background music better here. I also think the backup vocals make the song softer/lighter. The lyrics are interesting too. Hmm... I think it's still in the growing phase for me.

nursev said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

as long as he keeps andy away from it

I cringe just thinking about it.

LOVE this song, a live band recording Sheila E on drums

Listend to this after Power Fantastic and then place Sexual Suicide & Life Can Be So Nice right after it

nursev said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

as long as he keeps andy away from it

And himself, he has already fucked it up the arse once already.

OldFriends4Sale said:

LOVE this song, a live band recording Sheila E on drums

Listend to this after Power Fantastic and then place Sexual Suicide & Life Can Be So Nice right after it

I think I'm one of the few that love the new version but don't care much for the old. There's something about the sonic quality of it that grates on me. It's also the same for Sexual Suicude and Life Can Be So Nice, not keen on their sound either.

TheEnglishGent said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

LOVE this song, a live band recording Sheila E on drums

Listend to this after Power Fantastic and then place Sexual Suicide & Life Can Be So Nice right after it

I think I'm one of the few that love the new version but don't care much for the old. There's something about the sonic quality of it that grates on me. It's also the same for Sexual Suicude and Life Can Be So Nice, not keen on their sound either.

mmm, I love those, sometimes that quality of those boots makes it more interesting to me

I love quirky stuff though

the new version to me was just too watered, it was ok that a bit too loungy

You only get the kinda people. That open their mouth...just to swallow...pee?

http://prince.org/wiki/In...h_No_Light

Saturday, May 3, 1986
Studio 3, Sunset Sound, Los Angeles

P rince asked his engineer Coke Johnson to set up the studio for a new batch of recordings. Because the Revolution was rehearsing and touring together during much of this period, they were invited into the studio.

C oke arrived at the studio at 11:30 and began the set up for a band recording, but it wasn’t until 4 that people started showing up. During group jams, it wasn't uncommon for Prince and whoever was invited in the studio to just groove and record the entire session. Sometimes Prince would be inspired, sometimes he would hear something amazing and that would dictate the direction of the session. It was not an exact science and sometimes people got left off of credits, depending on Prince's mood and generosity. On other occasions, a familiar song would come up in the groove and everyone would start focusing on recording a cover of that song. On this day, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Sheila E., Levi Seacer Jr., Eric Leeds, and Matt Blistan joined Prince to work on the classic song “Get On Up” by The Esquires (from their 1967 release on Bunky Records).

A fter laying down the familiar jam, Prince led them into recording a new jazz-fusion song called “In A Large Room With No Light” (sometimes inaccurately referred to as “Welcome 2 The Ratrace”). The song was based on a jam by Wendy and Lisa.

Eric Leeds remembered this session:
“We also did … another song that Wendy and Lisa...we recorded live with Wendy and Lisa. I cannot remember whether Levi was there, I want to believe he was. Sheila played drums, the vocals, the background vocals were done by Sheila and Wendy and Lisa. Susannah might have been there but I don't remember. The horns were myself, Matt Blisston, and Norbert Stachel, who was Sheila's saxophone player by now, Eddie M having left. He was there for that session, playing alto sax, for a song called "Have you ever felt that love was like looking for a penny in a large room with no light”. It is like....Prince does Fifth Dimension. It was one of my favorite songs we ever did. It was an absolutely wonderful performance live, Sheila just absolutely kicked butt on it, it was just a great song, and unlike anything Prince has ever done. Very unique song, and a great song. It was another one of those cases where I thought, just really felt that we were part of something special on that one. And that's a song that I really hope sees the light of day some time, personally."

The recordings took place until midnight.

Sunday, May 4, 1986
Studio 3, Sunset Sound

Prince asked various members of the Revolution to show up for overdubs for yesterday’s session. Prince also included Sheila’s band member, Norbert Stachel to record various saxophone overdubs. From 3pm to midnight, additional layers were added to GET ON UP and to IN A LARGE ROOM WITH NO LIGHT. Prince and Coke spent the next 5 hours mixing the tracks.

At 5 in the morning, Prince realized the mixes were missing some additional vocals so he spent the next 7 hours adding his vocals as well as other background vocals to the tracks. If you listen closely to LARGE ROOM, you can hear the layered vocals behind the busy track.

Monday, May 5, 1986
Studio 3, Sunset Sound

The session didn’t stop. It was not uncommon for Prince to continue for hours at a time if he felt like he had a mission. This was one of those instances. From noon to 2:30 pm, Prince spent the time mixing the new vocals into the song and copying them on to cassette (2 TDK C-60 tapes).

Prince left the studio for a short time but soon afterwards, asked to be set up for some additional mixing. Apparently he wasn’t completely happy with the songs once he played them in the car and wanted to continue working on them. Although Coke set up for the next session, Susan Rogers was called in to take over for Coke now that he had been in the studio for over 24 hours straight.

Prince showed back up just after 8pm and he and Susan spent the next 5 hours working on crossfades and edits in the tracks.

Prince would continue to tweak the track over the next few days, eventually adding it to the collection he was compiling called “Dream Factory” but that is another story for another day.

- this information is from an early draft of PRINCE: The Studio Sessions.

JoeyC said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Such a great song. We NEED a better quality version.

I agree.

I love me some large Room(original version).

ABSOLUTELY

Indeed a very unique & compelling track and at the time quite a departure from what he had already officially released. I LOVED it upon the first time I played it!!!!

[Edited 6/20/12 13:48pm]

[Edited 6/22/12 15:22pm]

Isn't

A sophisticated man reduced 2 company in no win situations

Actually

A sophisticated mass produced cacophany of no win sutuations?

OldFriends4Sale said:

LOVE this song, a live band recording Sheila E on drums

Listen to this after Power Fantastic and then place Sexual Suicide & Life Can Be So Nice right after it

Co-sign!

I think it's one of the best things he has ever done! Thank you for the story you posted below as well! I really appreciate the information! You have so much knowledge! When you are going to write a book!? lol.

I had no clue Prince spent so much time on this song, It shows in the nature of its atmosphere. Something unlike anything else. Who spends so many hours on a song? It proves that Prince is serious about his work when he's inspired. He just doesn't record it and puts it out there..He wants it to feel right!

I am also going to make a playlist in this order! Thanks a lot!

Any more suggestions for Dream Factory Playlists??? Haha

EyeJester7 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

LOVE this song, a live band recording Sheila E on drums

Listen to this after Power Fantastic and then place Sexual Suicide & Life Can Be So Nice right after it

Co-sign!

I think it's one of the best things he has ever done! Thank you for the story you posted below as well! I really appreciate the information! You have so much knowledge! When you are going to write a book!? lol.

I had no clue Prince spent so much time on this song, It shows in the nature of its atmosphere. Something unlike anything else. Who spends so many hours on a song? It proves that Prince is serious about his work when he's inspired. He just doesn't record it and puts it out there..He wants it to feel right!

I am also going to make a playlist in this order! Thanks a lot!

Any more suggestions for Dream Factory Playlists??? Haha

Rave U2 the Power Fantastic !!

That was an amazing period for Prince with all the people in his camp, from his solo stuff to the interactive stuff

Didn't know like Power Fantastic this was another Lisa Coleman compo

I have tons of DF playlists

1.) Power Fantastic intro

2.) Power Fantastic

3.) In A Large Room With No Light

4.) Sexual Suicide

5.) Life Can Be So Nice

6.) Witness 4 the Prosecution

7.) Girl O My Dreams

8.) Big Tall Wall

9.) It

10.) Data Bank

11.) Ball

12.) Joy In Repetition

13.) Can't Stop This Feeling I Got

14.) We Can Funk

15.) Suzie Lovelace

LittleBear said:

Lana drew a picture in school 2day
One that made her mother cry
A picture of a woman with a drink in her hand
Standing by a child with no eyes
Washington reaction based upon revenge
Babies blown 2 kingdom come
Damn the logic
Cartoon characters look better when they're on the run
Danny dropped the dime on his girlfriend
He said he didn't wanna go 2 jail alone
The seed lives in the same mind
With the thought that says we all should be stoned
And people lookin' 4 angels in the sky
Whenever they're broken-hearted
Love is grown, seeds are sown
A fire don't burn unless it's started

Did U ever feel that life was like lookin' 4 a penny
In a large room with no light?
A sophisticated man reduced 2 company in no-win situations
That aren't right

Everytime U wake up there's a little motherfucker
Talkin' big stuff in your face (Are U happy?)
U only get the kind of people that open their mouth just 2 swap feet
Welcome 2 the rat race

Did U ever feel that life was like lookin' 4 a penny
In a large room with no light?
A sophisticated man reduced 2 company in no-win situations
That aren't right

Oh, if U could just pass your history class
Maybe life would be alright
Until then U'll be lookin' 4 a penny
In a large room with no light

Yeah!
Life {repeat 2 fade}

Not sure where you got these, but there are several inaccuracies (one being the aforementioned "A sophisticated..." line).

TheDigitalGardener said:

And himself, he has already fucked it up the arse once already.

pzlyprk said:

Not sure where you got these, but there are several inaccuracies (one being the aforementioned "A sophisticated..." line).

Hmm... Yeah... Found these online. I don't want to change the direction of the thread, but I'll happily make the changes, or maybe someone else can post the correct lyrics, and I'll delete these? Thought it might be interesting to comment on the lyrics too, but obviously they have to be the right ones!