What's the story on this track? To me it sounds like it was meant to be the final song on Parade... Did he replace it with Sometimes it Snows in April?? Any info is much appreciated on this amazing unreleased track

Romeoblu said:

It was recorded after the release of Parade in July 1986. Susan Rogers was highly critically of the song calling it "silly and Sappy" and "not worthy of his best work". When the song got leaked in full it got pretty much universal acclaim from the Prince fan community. For me it stands as one of his best ever songs and it's a shame it never got included on an album.

thanks Romeoblu! I think it's incredible too@@!!!

Romeoblu said:

It was recorded after the release of Parade in July 1986. Susan Rogers was highly critically of the song calling it "silly and Sappy" and "not worthy of his best work". When the song got leaked in full it got pretty much universal acclaim from the Prince fan community. For me it stands as one of his best ever songs and it's a shame it never got included on an album.

Agreed! Amazing song.

I totally get where Susan Rogers was coming from about this song being absolutely ridiculous, but it is a top-drawer Prince outtake. I love it

I only heard this song a few weeks ago, and I frickin' love it! Interesting to read those comments from Susan Rogers. I wonder if what she's getting at is that when Prince does anything 'psychedelic', it can sound a bit contrived. My counter to that would be that, with a song like this, he brings such unadulterated joy and soul to it, one can forgive any daftness of the concept. When I finally heard it recently, it reminded me of what I used to feel listening to his music as a teenager, and what I loved about it.

As a technical point, I also like that guitar sound and the way he has it there, bubbling away, further back in the mix than he's had it in recent years. Seemed to be his thing on a few tracks from that era, and I like it for some reason.

deebee said:

he brings such unadulterated joy and soul to it, one can forgive any daftness of the concept.

.

Absolutely. The energy and power is incredible, you can ignore the foolish lyrics. The music is stunning. I heard it recently for the first time and it just blew me away.

I can understand that Susan thought it was sloppy from a technical point of view, listen to how much Prince's drumming speeds up and slows down!! But ignore the technical stuff and listen to how much inspiration and creativity was flowing from the man's brain at that time, he was on fire.

here's the actual quote:

'"It was sappy and just plain silly", says Susan Rogers of 'Adonis and Bathsheeba', which she describes as a syrupy and sentimental ballad. "I mean, there's romantic love and there's syrupy love - this was pure saccharine. The chorus went 'Adonis and Bathsheeba in a garden of love' and a harp came on.

I was sitting there as quiet as possible but I had a laughing fit and I just couldn't stop. And I was really embarrassed because I was sitting next to Prince and he asked "What's the matter with you?". I said, "I'm sorry, I just think the song is really funny". And he said, "You don't like the harp?". He would often ask us our opinion. I said, "I've got to be truthful, I think the whole thing is just silly. I just don't think it's worthy of your best work". He didn't like criticism but we didn't work much longer on it".

I think she has a point, it is syrupy and sentimental; it's an absolutely ridiculous song. It's also fucking awesome. Agree totally with deebee.

If Susan Rogers thought this song was laughable garbage, I wonder if Wally was really all that it was cracked up to be.

He was such a master at taking the act of sex and communicating it in his songs back then. The disorienting strings, the humpy and erotic tempo, the blistering guitar solo that sounds like pure lust, the climax, the afterglow.

And the harp makes you feeling like you're right there with them in the garden, watching them chase each other around. This has to be one of the best, and most unique things he's ever done.

I love this song...I think its awesome. It's also well, this lets you know that Prince for all his cool, is a sappy midwestern cheeseball at heart and I love him for it

terrig said:

I love this song...I think its awesome. It's also well, this lets you know that Prince for all his cool, is a sappy midwestern cheeseball at heart and I love him for it

I think it's to weird to be sappy and cheesy. The chords hint at doubt and danger, the over top vocals suggest emotions getting out of control and borders on the hysterical and as Schlomo said the strings are disorienting

deebee said:

I only heard this song a few weeks ago, and I frickin' love it! Interesting to read those comments from Susan Rogers. I wonder if what she's getting at is that when Prince does anything 'psychedelic', it can sound a bit contrived. My counter to that would be that, with a song like this, he brings such unadulterated joy and soul to it, one can forgive any daftness of the concept. When I finally heard it recently, it reminded me of what I used to feel listening to his music as a teenager, and what I loved about it.

As a technical point, I also like that guitar sound and the way he has it there, bubbling away, further back in the mix than he's had it in recent years. Seemed to be his thing on a few tracks from that era, and I like it for some reason.

Well said!

Love it! top 10 outtake. The Atlanta Bliss/Eric Leeds Era was one of my favorites.

Consider this abourt Susan's opinion. It is based on what was being recorded at the time. Maybe it was inferior to his output during that time period to her? Would the harps be more prominent on an official release? And would it alter our opinions?

Another fine vault track

paulludvig said:

terrig said:

I love this song...I think its awesome. It's also well, this lets you know that Prince for all his cool, is a sappy midwestern cheeseball at heart and I love him for it

I think it's to weird to be sappy and cheesy. The chords hint at doubt and danger, the over top vocals suggest emotions getting out of control and borders on the hysterical and as Schlomo said the strings are disorienting

Its heavily orchestrated yes...but its beautiful and lush - sounding like the aural garden of eden.......I think the the disparate sounds of doubt and anger along with over the top vocals and emotions getting out of control reflect the subject matter ....

Adonis & Bathsheba...I think probably isnt a literal reference to either figure but more of a reference to beauty and lust....and the yearning to blend the two without ill consequence....

If you read about Bathsheba, David (Adonis) sees her bathing, and he covets and then beds another mans wife....they both suffer ill consequences as a result...so the song is a perfect justaposition of joy and pain...

[Edited 6/21/15 13:30pm]

terrig said:

paulludvig said:

Its heavily orchestrated yes...but its beautiful and lush - sounding like the aural garden of eden.......I think the the disparate sounds of doubt and anger along with over the top vocals and emotions getting out of control reflect the subject matter ....

Adonis & Bathsheba...I think probably isnt a literal reference to either figure but more of a reference to beauty and lust....and the yearning to blend the two without ill consequence....

The orchestration is indeed lush - to me it suggests the overwhelming impressions created by something seen or experienced for the firts time. Or perhaps a wide-eyed innocence.

paulludvig said:

terrig said:

Its heavily orchestrated yes...but its beautiful and lush - sounding like the aural garden of eden.......I think the the disparate sounds of doubt and anger along with over the top vocals and emotions getting out of control reflect the subject matter ....

Adonis & Bathsheba...I think probably isnt a literal reference to either figure but more of a reference to beauty and lust....and the yearning to blend the two without ill consequence....

The orchestration is indeed lush - to me it suggests the overwhelming impressions created by something seen or experienced for the firts time. Or perhaps a wide-eyed innocence.

The wide-eyed innocence of it all is what makes it cheesy...but Prince has a fascination with that kind of innocence doesn't he? Its everywhere in his music.

terrig said:

paulludvig said:

The orchestration is indeed lush - to me it suggests the overwhelming impressions created by something seen or experienced for the firts time. Or perhaps a wide-eyed innocence.

The wide-eyed innocence of it all is what makes it cheesy...but Prince has a fascination with that kind of innocence doesn't he? Its everywhere in his music.

Maybe - but again I think in this song it reflects the subject matter. Seems like we're hearing many of the same things though.

paulludvig said:

terrig said:

The wide-eyed innocence of it all is what makes it cheesy...but Prince has a fascination with that kind of innocence doesn't he? Its everywhere in his music.

Maybe - but again I think in this song it reflects the subject matter. Seems like we're hearing many of the same things though.

I listen to this on repeat regularly. Its particularly perfect today where the rain is coming down like crazy and I'm surrounded by jungle here in Costa Rica. Looks like eden, smells like eden, Prince singing to me in my headphones...sounds like eden.

Must be eden.

terrig said:

paulludvig said:

Maybe - but again I think in this song it reflects the subject matter. Seems like we're hearing many of the same things though.

I listen to this on repeat regularly. Its particularly perfect today where the rain is coming down like crazy and I'm surrounded by jungle here in Costa Rica. Looks like eden, smells like eden, Prince singing to me in my headphones...sounds like eden.

Must be eden.

Sounds wonderful!

KingSausage said:

And it's so uniquely PRINCE.

That is really the best way to describe it. No one else could get away with this song except for him.

terrig said:

paulludvig said:

Maybe - but again I think in this song it reflects the subject matter. Seems like we're hearing many of the same things though.

I listen to this on repeat regularly. Its particularly perfect today where the rain is coming down like crazy and I'm surrounded by jungle here in Costa Rica. Looks like eden, smells like eden, Prince singing to me in my headphones...sounds like eden.

Must be eden.

Looks...smells...sounds... must be Eden!!! Get the funk outta here! Fantastic description terrig! Thank you brotha! I dig.

ComeHereLetMeCutYourHair said:

terrig said:

I listen to this on repeat regularly. Its particularly perfect today where the rain is coming down like crazy and I'm surrounded by jungle here in Costa Rica. Looks like eden, smells like eden, Prince singing to me in my headphones...sounds like eden.

Must be eden.

Looks...smells...sounds... must be Eden!!! Get the funk outta here! Fantastic description terrig! Thank you brotha! I dig.

sister, cuz i'm a girl. glad to share the beauty i'm experienceing here....

Sounds a bit like Crucial

kae510 said:

Sounds a bit like Crucial

to me it sounds like All My Dreams except with guitar

One of my favourite outtakes. And in such good quality too. Wasnt it intended for Roadhous Garden at some point? Perhaps with Susan Rogers critique of it, it was never destined for anything in the end. I wonder what other gems she has slammed to Prince's face that may have otherwise been released?

kae510 said:

Sounds a bit like Crucial

There are so many parts in the song where I'm on the verge of starting to sing "CRUUUUCIAL" over it.

I can easily hear a progression from A&B to Crucial and from Crucial and Adore. It's like he was aiming to write the final word in love songs and just kept on perfecting it.