the Truth will be given away free 2 the friends who.. donate database 2 the love4oneanother site

No Longer a Slave, now the Artist

The Truth is the first track on Prince's 21st album The Truth (his fifth under the name ), but a year before the album's release, The Truth was released as the album's first and only single by mail-order only. Specific recording dates are not known, but the track is believed to have been recorded in Autumn 1996 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (along with the rest of the album). -PrinceVault

Question: any accoustic songs in the future?
TheArtst: the truth album is almost completely acoustic

Personnel
Musicians
- all vocals, instruments and effects ("in association with nature") except where noted Rhonda Smith - bass guitar on 3rd , Animal Kingdom and One Of Your Tears, bass, vocals and percussion on Fascination Kirk Johnson - percussion and vocals on Fascination, beat programming on Circle Of Amour and One Of Your Tears Kat Dyson - vocals and percussion on Fascination Mike Scott - guitar solo on Fascination
Production
Prince - Producer and Arranger Hans-Martin Buff - engineer, mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA) Brian Gardner - mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA) Ric Wilson - mastering (Grundmann Mastering, Hollywood, CA, USA)

Rhonda Smith - bass guitar on 3rd Eye

Luv it-welcome 2 the dawn is a fav of mine. You make the best threads.

Don't Play Me is the second track on Prince's 21st album The Truth (his fifth under the name ), but a year before the album's release, the track was released as the b-side of The Truth, the album's first and only single (available by mail-order only). Specific recording dates are not known, but the track is believed to have been recorded in Autumn 1996 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (along with the rest of the album).

Don't Play Me – 2:48

Don't play me
I'm over 30 & I don't smoke weed
I put my ass away & music I've played
aint the type of stereo U're tryin to feed
Don't play me
Don't play me
I use proper English & I'm straight
I'm in the news again for paying dues my friend
And not the type of ganda U prop in my way
Don't play me

Don't play me
I've been to the mountain top & it aint what U say
Don't play me

Don't play me
I'm the wrong color & I play guitar
My only competition is well in the past
Time & time if time existed movin ever so fast
Don't play me

U couldn't play enough of me now
2 make me feel like a star
Don't play me I already do in my car
Don't play me

Don't be mad at me
The curtain puller in the game
Maybe how U call us Niggers aint the same
It's all good when u know the only fame
Is the light that comes from God & the joy U get to say his name
Don't play me

Don't play me
I've seen to the mountain top & it aint what U say
Don't play me

Rolling Stone

On the title track of The Truth, the Artist comes off like Tracy Chapman's older brother, the formal genius, turning his meticulously natural singing voice to tough questions about responsibility and honesty. Of course, he knows as well as anyone that there's no more "truth," necessarily, in this style of music than there is in "P. Control." But the game here is up-close folkiedom, and hearing the Artist minus his usual musical constructs is interesting. On songs like "Don't Play Me" and "One of Your Tears," the Artist reconditions his sensational studio style, buffing everything down to a fine shine on a guitar line or two. The shocker is "Circle of Amour," a Joni Mitchell-ish ballad with a quietly twisted rhythm track. This remarkable portrait of female friendship before and after cheerleading practice hits with the same wallop of teenage truth as Big Star's "Thirteen." Certainly not all of Crystal Ball scales such heights. But for Paisleyheads, it's one long party. (RS 785)

-- JAMES HUNTER

Hans Buff: '1997 was an interesting Paisley year. Prince recorded The Truth, and we compiled the Crystal Ball. Those two were eventually lumped together in one big helping of Funkitude, which is unfortunate, because I think The Truth would have been a fine individual album. Some of the outtakes from that one were pretty spectacular, too. By the way, the single The Truth/Don’t Play Me (minus the keyboard overdubs) was recorded as you hear it on the CD - in one ten-minute session, in sequence, vocals and all.'

fishwillbite said:

Very nice

DETROIT FREE PRESS * December 26, 1997

Detroit asks the questions,
and the artist reveals himself as a prince of mystery

BY BRIAN MCCOLLUM Free Press Pop Music Writer

THE ART

Q: You play so many instruments. Which are you primarily using for writing these days?

A: I write in my head. The rest is just dictation.

Q: Does the standard eight- to 10-song album still hold interest for you, or has it become too constricting?

A: 2 constricting, although with some sets, like "The Truth," it's cool.

FUTURE WORK

Q: The last three months alone, two bootleg, three-CD sets of very good-to-perfect quality artist outtakes have been released. I also have the unreleased album "The Truth." Does it concern you that bootleggers seem to be getting a jump on releasing material fans want to hear?

A: ZZZZZ!

fishwillbite said:

Hans Buff: '1997 was an interesting Paisley year. Prince recorded The Truth, and we compiled the Crystal Ball. Those two were eventually lumped together in one big helping of Funkitude, which is unfortunate, because I think The Truth would have been a fine individual album. Some of the outtakes from that one were pretty spectacular, too. By the way, the single The Truth/Don’t Play Me (minus the keyboard overdubs) was recorded as you hear it on the CD - in one ten-minute session, in sequence, vocals and all.'

I love hearing background info like this

---

YAHOO INTERNET LIFE * October 1997

Sites O' the Times

Artists have always been interested in
new technologies. DaVinci was.
Duchamp was. And the Artist is, too.

By Ben Greenman

YIL: Why did you close your previous official site, The Dawn?

the Artist: Because without my involvement, the message was getting blurred. In my humble opinion, the dawn occurs when spiritual enlightenment takes place. When 1 learns of his or her relationship 2 everything on Earth and the universe. The new Web site will mirror the positive aspects of the dawn. In my rush 2 enlighten myself and others, I tried 2 "buffalo the vibe thru" when it was not ready. Love 4 One Another is the dawn.

When the things U know are right
are far from what they seem
When the past becomes the future
and time becomes a dream
When the light of God
is the only thing in life that will redeem
Welcome, welcome 2 the dawn
When the voices U hear commands U
2 entertain thee absurd
When U do the action unlocks
thee apocalypse of that you've heard of
When the day lies before U
seems the dakness in a word
Welcome, welcome 2 the dawn

Every pieces a puzzle and every name a clue
Every charge U make is karma
So be careful what U do
Welcome, welcome 2 the dawn

(Welcome 2 the dawn) (Thank U)

Specific recording dates are not known, but a full "electric" version of the song was recorded at some point in 1995-6 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA and a portion of the track was played as on-hold music on the 1-800 New Funk phone service. The acoustic version of the track is believed to have been recorded in Autumn 1996 at Paisley Park Studios (along with the rest of the album). The Holy River cassette single states that Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version) is from the "4thcoming album The Dawn" - the time of the single's release coincides with the originally planned release of The Truth, however, so it is likely that The Truth was, at one point, titled The Dawn

(a name /Prince has used at various points), or, more likely, the packaging's information meant that the non-acoustic version of Welcome 2 The Dawn was from The Dawn, an album which remains unreleased. This is supported by the fact that, despite The Truth being billed as an "acoustic album", Welcome 2 The Dawn is the only track to receive the tagline "(Acoustic Version)".-PrinceVault

INTERVIEW * MAY 1997

THE ARTIST
By Spike Lee

TA: To be honest, I thought I had emptied the gun with this one [Emancipation] and I wouldn't have to record for awhile, but some new things came up that are all acoustic.

SL: Acoustic?

TA: Yeah, just me and a guitar in a room. One song is called "The Truth" and one is called "Don't Play Me." There is a line about ebonics in it but I won't get into that. [both laugh]

SL: No, let's get into that. What do you think about ebonics? I think it's a plot! And there's black people behind that plot.

TA: Comedian Chris Rock said it best: There is language that will get you a job and there is language that won't. Make that choice as an American. This is where you live now.

Cool as the other side of the pillow
Smooth as another glass of wine, oh yes sir
Im so glad ure my baby, oh yeah
Im so glad that ure mine
Bad as bonny when she ran with barrow {clyde}, yeah
When u kiss me, feels like Im committing a crime, oh yeah
U use furniture in new ways, yes you do
I can't find the adjectives enough to say
Im so glad ure my baby...okay (yeah yeah yeah yeah)

Cool as the other side of the pillow (oh baby)
So smooth there's another glass of wine (bubbly, bubbly)
Im so glad ure mine, ure my baby (oh yes I am), oh yes I am (oh yes I am)
Im so glad ure mine

Cool as the other side (ure my baby) of the pillow
Smooth, I wanna drink u all out
How did u learn that trick with the ... chair?
I don't care
Just as long as u do it again

Cool as the other side, cool as the other side, cool as the other..
Cool as the other, cools as the other side...
As the other side of the pillow, baby
Cool (cool),
Glas of wine
Ill get tipsy and I ... {whistling}
Cool as the other side of the pillow
Cool

The Truth (: 1998)
An acoustic guitar-based set recorded in 1997 and given away for free to purchasers of Crystal Ball. Some tracks are focused and compelling, including the smooth love song "The Other Side Of The Pillow," and the gritty title track. The bare sound is effective when he sticks to it, but too often he can't leave well enough alone, layering on distracting ambient background noise or superfluous keyboard parts ("Don't Play Me"). Plus there's a lot of easy listening filler - "Dionne" (like an acoustic version of "Dinner With Delores"), "Circle Of Amour," "Fascination" - Steely Dan-style soft rock is not his strong point. On the other hand, the arena rock vegan rant "Animal Kingdom" is shockingly good. Like most of his late 90s work, this has no appeal to the broader public: he's preaching to the converted, but he does come up with some good sermons. [The rating reflects the record's value if you could get it as a single disc, which you can't.] (DBW)

Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Best friends as far as I could tell
Chearleaders except 4 Denise
She was the wild one
She was the beast
She was the one who named the group
The original gang of 4
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Circle Of Amore

10th grade Central in September
That was a year I remember
On this chilly cold afternoon
I overheard the gang in the locker room
Rendezvous, Mary's house
Dirty words and wine
Needless 2 say they all spend the day
Just counting time, counting time
Halfway through her history class
Denise she kindly raised her hand and asked
If she could be excused ("Can I be excused?")
Then she ran from school (ran from school) in a hurry,
The other girls, ooh they knew
This is what friends are really 4
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Circle Of Amore

Circle of amore

Imagination showed a window (imagination)
On a cold September day (ooh)
Leaves are brown (brown), passion sounds (ooh)
Memory self astray
4 hands in the place where the feet connect
(Gang of 4)
Circle of sex
In the vicious race 2 maturity
They're almost phased from ecstasy
Sweat upon the necks of dames
Loser in the circle game
Cause memorie's R worth so much more (so much more)
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Circle Of Amore

(Ooh)
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Circle Of Amore

Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Mary, Claire, Denise and Belle
Circle Of Amore
Circle Of Amore

Kirk Johnson - beat programming on Circle Of Amour

---

AOL LIVE / JULY 22, 1997

TheArtst: the artist is here...where r u?
TheArtst: prince is dead
OnlineHost: Welcome !
OnlineHost: We are so happy to "see" you
TheArtst: thank u all
OnlineHost: Well, we are a little behind, so let's get started....
OnlineHost: OK?
TheArtst: ok

.

Question: What is the Truth? What is CB Set?
TheArtst: crystall ball was inspired by the sites that dig r music
TheArtst: the truth will be given away free 2 the friends who..
TheArtst: donate database 2 the love4oneanother site

.

Question: are you coming out with any love songs
TheArtst: there is a song on the truth album...
TheArtst: entitled- comeback...
TheArtst: which was written 4 a lost friend

.

Question: What's different about your music now vs when you were with Warner?
TheArtst: listen 2 crystal ball and the truth u will hear what freedom sounds like..
TheArtst: there is a track called baconskin that thumps 4 fifteen minutes..SICK

Question: any accoustic songs in the future?
TheArtst: the truth album is almost completely acoustic

4-01		The Truth	3:34
4-02		Don't Play Me	2:48
4-03		Circle Of Amour	4:43
4-04		3rd Eye	4:53
4-05		Dionne	3:13
4-06		Man In A Uniform	3:07
4-07		Animal Kingdom	4:01
4-08		The Other Side Of The Pillow	3:21
4-09		Fascination Guitar – Mike Scott (7) Vocals, Percussion – Kat Dyson*	4:55
4-10		One Of Your Tears	3:27
4-11		Comeback	1:59
4-12		Welcome 2 The Dawn (Acoustic Version)	3:17

Comeback

Walking up the stairs
Just the afternoon
Sweet wind blew
Not a moment 2 soon
(Hoo) I cry when I realized
That sweet wind was U

Spirits come and spirits go
Some stick around 4 the aftershow
Don't have 2 say I miss U (don't have 2 say I miss U)
Cause I think U already know
If U ever lose someone
Dear 2 U
Never say the words their gone
They'll come back, yeah
They'll come back, yeah yeah
They'll come back
Tears go here
Tears go here
Tears go here
Tears go here

Recording Sessions
Date	Studio	Additional info
Autumn 1996	Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Recording Personnel
- all vocals and instruments

---

NME

THE ARTIST
Crystal Ball: the Truth
(NPG)

It's diverse stuff yet for the most part, always reminiscent of a Prince song you'd swear you've heard before.

Not so with the fourth and final disc. Featuring 12 new songs, 'The Truth' is The Artist's 'Unplugged' album and is a minor revelation. The overly earnest title track out of the way, it slips between '60s soul, acoustic funk and, for the bizarre Dionne, easy-listening exotica with ease. Declining "red meat/White fish (and) funky, funky blue cheese" over Animal Kingdom's dolphin samples, The Artist's tongue remains lodged in his cheek for the most part but as the gags and the funk relent, one song stands out. It's a simple ballad, it clocks in at under two minutes and, unlike the outtakes that precede it, it sounds like nothing Prince, Squiggle or The Artist has ever recorded.

It's called Comeback and while the rest of 'Crystal Ball' looks back, it's in here you can foresee the future. Hopefully.

7/10

Mike Goldsmith

---

SIDEWALK.COM

CRYSTAL CLEAR
If you can stick with The Artist through this bizarre marketing scheme, the long-awaited
"Crystal Ball" is music to the ears.

By Mark Brown, Denver Sidewalk
February 12, 1998

4 STARS (OUT OF 5)

"The Truth," however, comes tightly carved - sharp, snappy and lively. Simply hearing The Artist's voice adorned with just crisp acoustic guitar is so compelling that it's hard to tell exactly how good the songs are. Far from a collection of demos, this is a genuine, full album that could be an adult radio hit if released separately; it'd fit in well with the Tracy Chapmans and Dog's Eye Views of the world. "Circle of Amour" is one of the prettiest ballads he's written in a while; the execution and production is perfect. For a man who has at times made a career of excess, the restraint of "The Truth" is a delight, despite the occasional loopy lyric in something like the anti-milk anthem "Animal Kingdom."