I've been on a bit of a Sheila E tip since seeing her in London last week and have re-discovered 'Paradise Gardens' on the B-side of Koo Koo. It's a really cool song, rather unlike anything else Sheila's done.

I just wondered if anyone knew any details about the recording of this particular track - who was involved; roughly when it was recorded, etc? A lot of the tracks for that album seem to have been recorded during 1986 - was this recorded during the same time-frame or sometime earlier?

I know Prince not being credited as writer doesn't always preclude his involvement, although PrinceVault seems fairly certain stating, "The b-side, Paradise Gardens, was a previously-unreleased track with no input by Prince." However, the basic track does sound very Princely to my ears and the arrangement, and harmonies sound very much like Wendy & Lisa to me. Does anyone know if the girls had any involvement? (Or Jill Jones? I know she did some bvox on earlier Sheila tracks). If recorded in '86 I guess at least the timelines would work for W&L's involvement.

I did search the .org (and elsewhere) for any other discussions and whilst it has been mentioned briefly a few times it's never with anything very definite. Maybe it's just that not much is known but I thought I'd ask the collective brain here in case anyone was able to share a nugget or two.

I loved that song from the moment the needle hit the record! The 12" version KILLS!!!! If Sheila ever played this live and I was in attendance I'd friggin' die!!!

I think this song sounds very "Under the Cherry Moon"/Parade-ish and very Prince-ly...

2 me it sounds like a combination of Purple Rain & Parade era

the opening especially sounds like Purple Rain music

but it's like God the Love theme & Alexa de Paris have very similar feels but some distinct touches that seperate them

the piano in this song sound like that echoey 1999/PR era piano

But alot of that music even then was started at earlier times and then changed

Like alot of the Family music has a 'Parade' era feel but the originals sound like Purple Rain music