The 1981 Roxy version has the best jam of head. I wanted to be his guitar.

The Detroit 86 Show is also a lot of fun.

I think it was on a BET interview and the interviewer asked P if he would play Head or Erotic City live again. P said no because young kids were in the audience and he hoped he was more responsible now. But I always found it funny that he still played Cream and Little Red Corvette.

For another fun clip there is a Leno clip online. At the end they are filming the promos with Leno, Prince, Kathy Lee Gifford and a couple of children. In the audience someone yells "shut up and give me head" The look on Kathy's face is priceless as she covers the girls ears.

[Edited 5/29/16 16:31pm]

My favourite on Dirty Mind (though the title track has snuck up on me these last few years), and my favourite track he recorded up to that point. Probably tied with "Controversy" as my favourite early-period Prince song. I read some speculation that "Head" was a litmus test for which band members could hang - Gayle Chapman was out, Lisa was in, and she obviously had to be willing to sing "But you're such a hunk, so full of spunk..." In a setlist, I think of this like his "Dazed and Confused," for many years it was the place for the band to stretch out. I can't believe this thread has gone so far without noting that incredible Dr. Fink solo. And while other hits have had big hits that mentioned "head" before ("Walk on the Wild Side") and plenty of songs since ("Go Down"), yes, in the early 80s, only Prince and Zappa were this outlandish about sex. Creme-de-la-creme.

GENIUS song. I can't imagine being around when Prince released Dirty Mind. It was such a complete 180 from what had come before, it must have been baffling.

My favorite dirty Prince song.

nursev said:

avajane said:

I doubt Lisa minded singing the song. She seems like she's always been open-minded about things.

She had to be cuz most women woulda been like "I aint doing that on stage"

Prince knows how to pick women then, because he got Wendy and Cat both to simulate giving him head on stage.

bookwomen said:

The 1981 Roxy version has the best jam of head. I wanted to be his guitar.

The Detroit 86 Show is also a lot of fun.

I think it was on a BET interview and the interviewer asked P if he would play Head or Erotic City live again. P said no because young kids were in the audience and he hoped he was more responsible now. But I always found it funny that he still played Cream and Little Red Corvette.

For another fun clip there is a Leno clip online. At the end they are filming the promos with Leno, Prince, Kathy Lee Gifford and a couple of children. In the audience someone yells "shut up and give me head" The look on Kathy's face is priceless as she covers the girls ears.

[Edited 5/29/16 16:31pm]

I saw that BET interview and the interviewer said that he saw Prince perform that song on the LoveSexy tour and Prince denied that he did the song then, but I found a video of him doing it on the LS tour. I guess his memory was getting selective.

Btw, Cream is not about sex. Prince said during his MTV Unplugged performance that he wrote that song while looking in mirror. In other words, it's about him thinking that he is all that. When I listen to it in that contexxt, the song actually makes more sense.

This song still makes me happy. those synth solos are medicine

CherryMoon57 said:

tmo1965 said:

bookwomen said:

The 1981 Roxy version has the best jam of head. I wanted to be his guitar.

The Detroit 86 Show is also a lot of fun.

I think it was on a BET interview and the interviewer asked P if he would play Head or Erotic City live again. P said no because young kids were in the audience and he hoped he was more responsible now. But I always found it funny that he still played Cream and Little Red Corvette.

For another fun clip there is a Leno clip online. At the end they are filming the promos with Leno, Prince, Kathy Lee Gifford and a couple of children. In the audience someone yells "shut up and give me head" The look on Kathy's face is priceless as she covers the girls ears.

[Edited 5/29/16 16:31pm]

I saw that BET interview and the interviewer said that he saw Prince perform that song on the LoveSexy tour and Prince denied that he did the song then, but I found a video of him doing it on the LS tour. I guess his memory was getting selective.

Btw, Cream is not about sex. Prince said during his MTV Unplugged performance that he wrote that song while looking in mirror. In other words, it's about him thinking that he is all that. When I listen to it in that contexxt, the song actually makes more sense.

I must have a Dirty Mind because when I heard him say he wrote it while looking in the mirror I thought of something completly different.

nursev said:

BobGeorge909 said:

This is one of his studio version only songs... I've heard it many times live but none ever seem to have the punch and bit of the album version. This is boot only though...I think I might feel differently if I had personally heard it live at a venue.

Well he played it on the Controversy tour...thats the only live version?

No. He played it on pretty much every tour from 1980-1989.

MNredandblue said:

I wish I could remember where I read it, but I read that Cream was a pep talk to himself....telling himself (in the mirror) you're the best and it is time to rise to the top. That is what I tell my kids, anyway They watched his mtv unplugged performance and loved the song.

It's on YouTube he says that. For some reason I believe him.

DiscoBallz said:

nursev said:

Well he played it on the Controversy tour...thats the only live version?

No. He played it on pretty much every tour from 1980-1989.

Yep, 100% correct Even on the Purple Rain tour , but I don't know about the SOTT tour, he didn't do much outside of album tracks... A little Little Red Corvette Kiss Girls & Boys 1999 Purple Rain When Doves Cry Let's Go Crazy where mixed around on different shows. I don't think he did Head on this one.

OldFriends4Sale said:

DiscoBallz said:

No. He played it on pretty much every tour from 1980-1989.

Yep, 100% correct Even on the Purple Rain tour , but I don't know about the SOTT tour, he didn't do much outside of album tracks... A little Little Red Corvette Kiss Girls & Boys 1999 Purple Rain When Doves Cry Let's Go Crazy where mixed around on different shows. I don't think he did Head on this one.

I would need to pore over rehearsals and one-off shows to verify that he didn't do it in '87, but it does sound correct that he didn't. However, every other tour of the decade had a version of Head in the setlist. My favorites being the Dirty Mind and Lovesexy versions!

CherryMoon57 said:

nursev said:

DarlingKris said:

Head is my jam! It makes me want to dance and I love the performance from his birthday show in '86. I have never wanted to be a mic/mic stand so badly in my life

JAM indeed

Me too - Can I be your mic? Only Prince can get away with that!

DiscoBallz said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Yep, 100% correct Even on the Purple Rain tour , but I don't know about the SOTT tour, he didn't do much outside of album tracks... A little Little Red Corvette Kiss Girls & Boys 1999 Purple Rain When Doves Cry Let's Go Crazy where mixed around on different shows. I don't think he did Head on this one.

I would need to pore over rehearsals and one-off shows to verify that he didn't do it in '87, but it does sound correct that he didn't. However, every other tour of the decade had a version of Head in the setlist. My favorites being the Dirty Mind and Lovesexy versions!

Yes, thanks, I'm scanning through setlists too

Mazarati used to add it to their setlists 1986 too

I appreciate Head on the Parade tour more than I ever did.
one of my faves though is @ First Avenue 3.8.1982 where he premiered All the Critics Love U in NY and the Time played a few songs

BobGeorge909 said:

CherryMoon57 said:

There is also a brilliant video of a 1982 live version (at the Capital theatre). And another, recently uploaded, from 1981 live in New York. The last one has just been uploaded and it's really hot!

I had seen the Lovesexy one ages ago and was not impressed. I also saw the capital theater performance that's been on YouTube for ages despite web sherriff because of some strange ownership issue think and that wasn't all that either. But YES my friend...YES!...the one in New York Uve just hipped me to was FIRE. Three alarm, slap the fire cheif AND YO MAMM,A FIRE. Totally entertaining and completely figuring. I sucked in that whole 13 mins...lol...no pun intended.... Anywhichway, I completely enjoyed it. For much different reasons than I enjoy the album version. He entirely took advantage of having a band and an audience and masterfully worked them both to death and it was awesome. But still...the album version is just to punchy and so obscenely tight and in sync(some of the live versions r tight...just not as tight as th album). Also, all the little variances going on are things I ended up completely memorizing over the years and the live versions never hit those, and I always feel muself iss them. Seriously tho....thanx for shipping me to that new York version again. It's on my 'will obtain' list as I intend to enjoy that repeatedly. Brilliant? U completely sold it short my friend. Brilliant my ass... [Edited 5/30/16 5:32am]

Glad you like it, and sorry about my moderate lingo, I was being distracted at the time, multitasking and all... In my defense though, I did say it was really hot...

CherryMoon57 said:

DarlingKris said:

DMarieP said:

DarlingKris said:

Head is my jam! It makes me want to dance and I love the performance from his birthday show in '86. I have never wanted to be a mic/mic stand so badly in my life

Yes, Yes! My jam! He always surprised me with his naughtiness and I gleefully loved it. Morning, noon & night.

I watched it a week after his passing when it popped up on my suggested video list and I couldn't stop blushing. If objects were able to get pregnant, I'm sure that mic stand would of been knocked up

jdcxc said:

CherryMoon57 said:

There is also a brilliant video of a 1982 live version (at the Capital theatre). And another, recently uploaded, from 1981 live in New York. The last one has just been uploaded and it's really hot!

His insane chicken scratch funk guitar at the end of one of these videos is mind boggling...unfortunately it cuts off at the climax. He looks possessed.

i always think the same exact thing when i see that part of the video... the 81 Roxy video has the best arrangement of "Head" ive ever seen...the way Prince, Dez, & Andre, visually & sonically, break down the instrumental groove right before Prince goes into his solo antics, is some incredible musicianship...and yeah, LOL, the faces P is making before during and after the chicken scratch guitar riffs looks demonic...when he's playing the chords, his fretting hand and fingers are going at an unhuman speed...him and the Telecaster look like they both need a Newport after he's done...i watch that over and over, just to see if im seeing and hearing what i think im seeing and hearing...that was the most amazing live display of rhythm guitar playing ive ever seen...and ive seen Al McKay, Nile Rodgers, Emmanuel Raheim Leblanc, Ray Parker, etc...

Only Prince cound make such a funky dirty little song about oral sex, great song i love it.

Santana (and others) tought P how to conjure up them spirits ...

RJOrion said:

DarlingKris said:

Head is my jam! It makes me want to dance and I love the performance from his birthday show in '86. I have never wanted to be a mic/mic stand so badly in my life

You and me both

I went on a little road trip this weekend with a good friend of mine. She was really interested in hearing his music since she doesn't know much. I played Head for her and this was her face the entire time, LOL! She had no idea what else was in store for her. She really enjoyed it all though which was cool. But yes, never gets old. What cracks me up is I clearly listened to this as a child, (my parents played his albums all the time) yet I had no clue what the hell I was singing about

GD, that was HOT!! Better taping than the Capital show........I am tingly and blushing red over here! I would've loved to have been the one to make him pull on his own hair! My mind is definitely dirty out here!

leslievette said:

DarlingKris said:

Head is my jam! It makes me want to dance and I love the performance from his birthday show in '86. I have never wanted to be a mic/mic stand so badly in my life

You and me both

I went on a little road trip this weekend with a good friend of mine. She was really interested in hearing his music since she doesn't know much. I played Head for her and this was her face the entire time, LOL! She had no idea what else was in store for her. She really enjoyed it all though which was cool. But yes, never gets old. What cracks me up is I clearly listened to this as a child, (my parents played his albums all the time) yet I had no clue what the hell I was singing about

that is hilarious

[Edited 5/30/16 22:11pm]