bonatoc said:

This is one of many productions where Prince overdubs the Linn with his mouth.

Really?? Is this speculation or you read it somewhere? To me Glam Life sounds more like LinnDrumm (LM2) snare on the record, but the original demo sounds like LM-1.

whitesockedfunk said:

The Glamorous Life literally changed my life from the moment I first saw the video in May of 1984. It's everything, from the Linn drum beats to the sax and cello, but above all the percussion! So that is why Prince's solo version pales in comparison, it's the damn cowbells man!

Anyone who thinks the Prince version is better should get their ears checked

Same here, it seems like a thing for people to assume the 'Prince version' is going to be better and that isn't always the case. Sometimes they are not sometimes they are on the same level.

I so appreciate the protege extensions, it made the purple 'culture' so much bigger.
.
Yes there are some version given to 'non protege' people that I would tend to like a Prince version more. But I appreciate the Family the Time Sheila E Madhouse Vanity 6 etc
.
I doubt a Prince version of Nasty Girls(rel) or Sex Shooter(unrel) can top what Vanity did on the rel and unrel versions

thx185 said:

bonatoc said:

214 said:

It looks more like a man than a vehicle,but what do i know, right?

Isn't the body supposed to be the vehicle for the soul?

please boy.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

bonatoc said:

Isn't the body supposed to be the vehicle for the soul?

i thought it was heath ledger maybe from A Knights Tale


Oh no maybe "the Patriot"?

[Edited 5/18/17 6:39am]

It's him when he was younger, by him i mean bonatoc.

Number23 said:

thx185 said:

Totally agree. You have the overwhelming amount of mainline Prince sound going on at that time (the purple MPLS / Revolution sound), and then out of nowhere comes this.

.

The sax player, Larry Williams, absolutely played his ass right off on this track. His playing really adds a new dimension in energy and chromatic style that distinguishes this jam from others.

.

In addition the rhythm groove combined with the synth notes is just perfect in it's funky style.

.

I just recently acquired / heard an earlier version with Prince vocals .. apparently the initial tracking. It has an amazing raw energy-- and what stands out most to me is again Larry Williams -- the most recognizable and perfect solo he plays at the end of the track is right there on the initial tracking. Perfection.

[Edited 5/13/17 14:39pm]

Hi Larry.

HA! I wish. As a sax player in school, I basically have wished I was him since the jam came out.

Number23 said:

thx185 said:

Totally agree. You have the overwhelming amount of mainline Prince sound going on at that time (the purple MPLS / Revolution sound), and then out of nowhere comes this.

.

The sax player, Larry Williams, absolutely played his ass right off on this track. His playing really adds a new dimension in energy and chromatic style that distinguishes this jam from others.

.

In addition the rhythm groove combined with the synth notes is just perfect in it's funky style.

.

I just recently acquired / heard an earlier version with Prince vocals .. apparently the initial tracking. It has an amazing raw energy-- and what stands out most to me is again Larry Williams -- the most recognizable and perfect solo he plays at the end of the track is right there on the initial tracking. Perfection.

[Edited 5/13/17 14:39pm]

Hi Larry.

I wish he was Larry, would love to talk to him about this recording

Number23 said:

thx185 said:

Totally agree. You have the overwhelming amount of mainline Prince sound going on at that time (the purple MPLS / Revolution sound), and then out of nowhere comes this.

.

The sax player, Larry Williams, absolutely played his ass right off on this track. His playing really adds a new dimension in energy and chromatic style that distinguishes this jam from others.

.

In addition the rhythm groove combined with the synth notes is just perfect in it's funky style.

.

I just recently acquired / heard an earlier version with Prince vocals .. apparently the initial tracking. It has an amazing raw energy-- and what stands out most to me is again Larry Williams -- the most recognizable and perfect solo he plays at the end of the track is right there on the initial tracking. Perfection.

[Edited 5/13/17 14:39pm]

Hi Larry.

GaryMF said:

Yeah I wonder why Larry never worked with Prince again or how he got involved to begin with. But glad Eric did!

well Eddie M too that was some wonderful stuff on the PR tour and the Nice show with Eric & Eddie together

this album is part of the purple rain era just as much as the rest of the prince protege albums released in the same year.All 4 albums have the same vibe to them,uplifting and vibrant.TGL stands out abit more than the rest partly cos tgl single was so successful and Sheilas own musical capalbilities. Sheila E coming from a family of musicians and her afro cuban roots give the album a color not heard on the time or apollonia 6 albums. The belle of st mark is pure pop.Shortberry strawcake is a track which could mark the beginnings of a project like Madhouse,a fusion track.Neon rendezvous a pop ballad.Olivers house is a funky track,light hearted and danceable. Next time...is okay and probably the reason why its almost last is cos prince probably wanted another ballad on the album.TGL,the title track funky and very catchy,maybe the reason why it did so well commercially,a great song.

GaryMF said:

Yeah I wonder why Larry never worked with Prince again or how he got involved to begin with. But glad Eric did!

Larry was one of the top saxophone session players in LA, along with Jerry Hey on trumpet he has played on hundreds of releases, including several that Sheila was involved in such as the "Follow The Rainbow" album by George Duke.

[Edited 5/20/17 2:54am]

GaryMF said:

bonatoc said:

This is one of many productions where Prince overdubs the Linn with his mouth.

Really?? Is this speculation or you read it somewhere? To me Glam Life sounds more like LinnDrumm (LM2) snare on the record, but the original demo sounds like LM-1.

Indeed!

The song, including the sax playing, was recorded before Sheila was really in the picture. That came later.

.

Personally I would probably love the Prince version (meaning, without the female voice, which detracts from the song more than the obvious guide vocal that Prince puts in). I went back to the Sheila version and noticed the added percussion, which I don't miss at all in the original version.

.

As it is, of all the songs that Prince handed over to others, I have yet to hear one where I prefer the version that is not with Prince on vocals. Not sure if that says something about the people Prince chose for his songs (not even talking about covers by others) or simply the quality of Prince's singing.

.

I think it comes down to Prince's music being uniquely Prince that his voice was just about the only one doing it justice. I love contributions that others made (mostly Wendy & Lisa, Eric Leeds and John Blackwell), but he had the midas touch, making odd or mediocre songs into gold. Taking out his voice often really hurt the songs.

Laydown said:

this album is part of the purple rain era just as much as the rest of the prince protege albums released in the same year.All 4 albums have the same vibe to them,uplifting and vibrant.TGL stands out abit more than the rest partly cos tgl single was so successful and Sheilas own musical capalbilities. Sheila E coming from a family of musicians and her afro cuban roots give the album a color not heard on the time or apollonia 6 albums. The belle of st mark is pure pop.Shortberry strawcake is a track which could mark the beginnings of a project like Madhouse,a fusion track.Neon rendezvous a pop ballad.Olivers house is a funky track,light hearted and danceable. Next time...is okay and probably the reason why its almost last is cos prince probably wanted another ballad on the album.TGL,the title track funky and very catchy,maybe the reason why it did so well commercially,a great song.

Agree 100%!!!

.

.

Except her roots are Afro-Mexican. Her mom is Creole from LA and her dad is Mexican.

mediumdry said:

The song, including the sax playing, was recorded before Sheila was really in the picture. That came later.

.

Personally I would probably love the Prince version (meaning, without the female voice, which detracts from the song more than the obvious guide vocal that Prince puts in). I went back to the Sheila version and noticed the added percussion, which I don't miss at all in the original version.

.

As it is, of all the songs that Prince handed over to others, I have yet to hear one where I prefer the version that is not with Prince on vocals. Not sure if that says something about the people Prince chose for his songs (not even talking about covers by others) or simply the quality of Prince's singing.

.

I think it comes down to Prince's music being uniquely Prince that his voice was just about the only one doing it justice. I love contributions that others made (mostly Wendy & Lisa, Eric Leeds and John Blackwell), but he had the midas touch, making odd or mediocre songs into gold. Taking out his voice often really hurt the songs.

mediumdry said:

The song, including the sax playing, was recorded before Sheila was really in the picture. That came later.

.

Personally I would probably love the Prince version (meaning, without the female voice, which detracts from the song more than the obvious guide vocal that Prince puts in). I went back to the Sheila version and noticed the added percussion, which I don't miss at all in the original version.

.

As it is, of all the songs that Prince handed over to others, I have yet to hear one where I prefer the version that is not with Prince on vocals. Not sure if that says something about the people Prince chose for his songs (not even talking about covers by others) or simply the quality of Prince's singing.

.

I think it comes down to Prince's music being uniquely Prince that his voice was just about the only one doing it justice. I love contributions that others made (mostly Wendy & Lisa, Eric Leeds and John Blackwell), but he had the midas touch, making odd or mediocre songs into gold. Taking out his voice often really hurt the songs.

I really enjoy Sheila E's voice on this, with Prince shadowing her in the background. I've heard him sing it live on his own, and it never had the same spark when Sheila E led it.

.

I prefer the Family version of Nothing Compares 2 U vs the latter (live?) Prince version / I never cared for the oversung way he did it with Rosie. The demure simplicity of it makes the song. Yet I could also be 100% with the 'purple rain' sounding pre 1985 version

.

I love Sheila E/w Brenda Bennett on Noon Rendezvous and I love Prince & the Revolution.
One thing I like about a lot of this is getting 'different' perspectives of the song. When Sheila E sings it, we are getting a womans vulnerabity and hopes, and Prince really cannot give that, but when he does sing it, we are getting like a response from the ambiguously male side.

.

St Paul/Susannah on Desire love it, I don't love Prince's version more, I love them equally Purple Rain meets Parade

.

Morris Day I would not ever want to replace what he did on the songs. I would love to hear (if it is in the Vault) the Time version of International Lover.

.

Mazarati's work on Kiss is better than Prince's demo. But of course when it all comes together Prince's version is best, Casey Terry's delivery wasn't so good. His falsetto is not so strong.

.

Our Destiny I actually prefer Lisa Coleman on lead vocals over Prince

.

Jill Jones lead on Mia Bocca, I love better than Prince's lead on the song.

.

But those percussions on Glamorous Life take the song to a different level and brings in waves of sound missing from the pre Sheila E touch.

OldFriends4Sale said:

I really enjoy Sheila E's voice on this, with Prince shadowing her in the background. I've heard him sing it live on his own, and it never had the same spark when Sheila E led it. [/quote]

ME TOO!

.

I prefer the Family version of Nothing Compares 2 U vs the latter (live?) Prince version / I never cared for the oversung way he did it with Rosie. The demure simplicity of it makes the song. Yet I could also be 100% with the 'purple rain' sounding pre 1985 version

.

.

SAME HERE!!! Love St Paul's voice!

.

.

But those percussions on Glamorous Life take the song to a different level and brings in waves of sound missing from the pre Sheila E touch.

.

.

TOTALLY!!

OldFriends4Sale said:

mediumdry said:

As it is, of all the songs that Prince handed over to others, I have yet to hear one where I prefer the version that is not with Prince on vocals. Not sure if that says something about the people Prince chose for his songs (not even talking about covers by others) or simply the quality of Prince's singing.

I prefer the Family version of Nothing Compares 2 U vs the latter (live?) Prince version / I never cared for the oversung way he did it with Rosie. The demure simplicity of it makes the song. Yet I could also be 100% with the 'purple rain' sounding pre 1985 version

.

When Prince finally realized that Nothing Compares was a good song, it had been tainted by Sinead and he thought it was a stadium rock anthem. His latter versions were horrible. Much like he thought he could finally grant me my wish by doing Piano & a Microphone and then ruin it all by not taking a piano but a synthesizer and throwing cheap strings over most of the songs. It could have been so much better than it already was. Luckily he did not do that during the acoustic set during Musicology.

.

One thing I like about a lot of this is getting 'different' perspectives of the song. When Sheila E sings it, we are getting a womans vulnerabity and hopes, and Prince really cannot give that, but when he does sing it, we are getting like a response from the ambiguously male side.

.

To each their own, I suppose. I've never felt that there was a new perspective from any of the proteges, always Prince's vision, performed to the best of their abilities.

.

St Paul/Susannah on Desire love it, I don't love Prince's version more, I love them equally Purple Rain meets Parade

.

I love the Family album and most of the tracks on it, but it always pains me a little to hear St Paul strain to sound like Prince. Didn't he say in an interview that it took him a long time to get his performance close to Prince's original? Wish I could find that quote. I much prefer Prince's voice in the outtakes, if only there was a pristine source for it.

.

Morris Day I would not ever want to replace what he did on the songs. I would love to hear (if it is in the Vault) the Time version of International Lover.

.

Here we differ most in our opinion, I guess. I feel that Prince was much, much better in the persona he created for the Time's lead singer than Morris Day. (even though the character was based on Morris) See, for instance, Tricky, with Prince on vocals on an official The Time song, which blows pretty much the entire Ice Cream Castle out of the water. Or, most clearly, Chocolate. A great and funny track with Prince on vocals, a rather boring and overly long track with Morris Day... even though it is almost the same! This holds true especially after even Morris seemingly got somewhat tired of the egomaniacal, mysogynistic charicature. (after the first two albums) I'd give good money to hear the original Prince vocals on the tracks that ended up on the first Time album.

.

Mazarati's work on Kiss is better than Prince's demo. But of course when it all comes together Prince's version is best, Casey Terry's delivery wasn't so good. His falsetto is not so strong.

.

Mazarati... I like a lot about their album, but the outtakes... Yes, Kiss is much improved from the demo, but the transformation it gets once Prince takes out the bass, gets the song swinging with his guitar licks and really brings it live with... his vocals.

.

It always seems to me that in the outtakes, Casey Terry wanted be anywhere but in the vocal booth. This is true on Kiss and probably even more on Jerk Out. It seemed he disliked the song to much, he "sang" the vocals in such as way to sound as bored as could be. Like he's reading the phone book, and not in a good way.

.

Our Destiny I actually prefer Lisa Coleman on lead vocals over Prince

.

is there a studio version circulating with Prince vocals? Or just the birthday show? A better comparison might be Place In Heaven, and while I don't think Lisa's voice is an obvious choice for lead, her takes do have an almost equal charm, even to me.

.

Jill Jones lead on Mia Bocca, I love better than Prince's lead on the song.

.

Not sure anyone could really save Mia Bocca, not Clare Fischer, not JJ.

.

I will give Jill props though for the album start/close variation on Baby You're a Trip. It's the only song of Prince I know where someone completely makes the song her own and surpasses how Prince sung it. And I'm not even such a fan of JJ's singing, like some on this forum.

.

Before it seems like I am being very negative here, most of the proteges are not bad at what they do, some are even quite good, they just hardly ever get to be exceptional, which is what Prince tended to be quite often.

.

Back on the topic of the Glamorous Life, I love the song, although the percussion doesn't add much to the song for me (it's equal with or without) and since the Prince version isn't the Prince version, because it is a "duet", much like Take Me With U, so I prefer Sheila E's version from what we have available now.

.

[Edited 5/21/17 2:11am]

whitesockedfunk said:

GaryMF said:

Really?? Is this speculation or you read it somewhere? To me Glam Life sounds more like LinnDrumm (LM2) snare on the record, but the original demo sounds like LM-1.

Indeed!

Pure speculation based on the tiny variations I hear and there on the percussive sounds.
I may be audio-hallucinating. But he was boomboxing a lot circa 1999/PR. Sometimes in your face, sometimes slightly accentuating a beat. I hear the latter in TGL.

She wore a long fur coat of mink

even in the summertime/

Everybody knows from the coy little wink

the girl's got a lot on her mind.

She's got big thoughts...big dreams...and a big brown Mercedes sedan

Everybody knows what she really wants to be be in love with a man.

She don't need the Glamorous Life

She only needs a man's touch

She don't need the Glamorous Life

Without love...it ain't much.

Prince could write his ass off!

williamb610 said:

What I think this girl, she really wants, to be be in love with a man.

.

She wants to lead the Glamorous Life

She don't need a man's touch

She wants to lead the Glamorous Life

Without love...it ain't much.

.

Prince could write his ass off!

.

FTFY

[Edited 5/22/17 23:07pm]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Yuuup the video is EVERYTHING

carmy said:

Ok , it just hit me that I never thought of this . Why wasn't this incredible song in the movie PUrple Rain ?? How huge would Sheila have gotten from that feature! I mean really this is one of his best songs . I'm sure f there was no story line for Sheila they could've dropped in a performance scene like they did with Dez ?? Wow talk about a missed opportunity .

I think the same way...

The movie moved so fast and was short in a way that a feature of the song being performed would have been wonderful

*this is all way the UTCM movie failed/partially, band scenes were needed

I"d have to look up the dates but the movie was probably in the can before she recorded it.

yeah, it's really difficult to change a movie once the wheels are in motion.

It was originally set for the Apollonia 6 album and started in Dec 1983

It was completed with Sheila E April 1984

was the movie done at this point?

Filming for Purple Rain started 31 October 1983 and the final configuration of the Purple Rain album was 14 April 1984. It might have been possible, but The Glamorous Life as a Sheila E song (and the concept of her album) was basically done after the filming had wrapped and all of the Purple Rain project had come to and end. It was basically too late, by a hair.

would have been cool if some of the protege singles/videos where shot by Magnoli and done as scenese from Purple Rain. Like having those outdoor/night life scenes as something happening during/after a First Avenue show, and the band scenes shot in the club

the Ice Cream Castles & Sex Shooter video could have used something more.

Blue Limousine ...