I'm listening to Jill Jones today--the Prince tunes--and it is such a shame that he didn't appreciate a vocal talent like this--compared to most of his protegees. I know threads about this have been posted before...but I feel like I have to give Jill her props.

The 'Jill Jones' album - for me - is easily the best album released on Paisley Park. Not sure if Prince didn't appreciate her as such - she's carried on working with him off and on for years - but more that the whole Warners promotion dept, his time and attention etc were stretched too thin for any of these projects to really get their due. The only Prince associated albums that sold in any quantity were the Sheila E debut and The Time albums really.

You can really hear the influence of Teena Marie on Jill's vocal approach after they worked together so long before she hooked up with Prince. Especially on tracks like Violet Blue + Baby You're A Trip.

The tracks from the 2nd unreleased album are sadly a bit rubbish. Do like her Sakamoto collab 'You Do Me' - that should have been a smash!

I wish that 1981-1986 Period was more extensive

*

I love Jill JOnes place in Prince's camp, her persona, her vibe, I wish we had more of her

*

I've said it before and will say it again, she should have had a Purple Rain album or some song releases and she should have had a Parade album or some song releases

*

and it would have been cool 2 have some co-lead songs with Jill and Prince or another protege group.

There is one Jill/Prince duet I know of - "For Lust" - it was for the unreleased 2nd Jill Paisley Park album. (Not to be confused with "For Love" on the "Jill Jones" album which was virtually a duet too!)

And don't forget, Jill was the "Lady Cab Driver"!

bleekerstreet77 said:

There is one Jill/Prince duet I know of - "For Lust" - it was for the unreleased 2nd Jill Paisley Park album. (Not to be confused with "For Love" on the "Jill Jones" album which was virtually a duet too!)

And don't forget, Jill was the "Lady Cab Driver"!

Right, 4 Lust

there should be an official "Erotic City/A Love Bizarre' Prince/Jill release

Jill was all over 1999: lover her responses on Automatic, and her piece on the extended part of Kiss

I didn't realise Jill was on the Kiss extended version? How did I not know this?! Will pull it out shortly and have a listen. Thanks!

bleekerstreet77 said:

I didn't realise Jill was on the Kiss extended version? How did I not know this?! Will pull it out shortly and have a listen. Thanks!

lol yes!!! How did u not know this???

jill has a damn good voice i wish prince would bring her back in2 his camp now he has with elisa.

Have just revisited Kiss Extended and feel shamed by not realising for over 3 decades of listening to this tune that it was Jill at the end.

its obvious that her first album got some exposure because I remember seeing the album poster hanging in dwayne's dorm room on an episode of a different world. I wanted to add that hear jill screaming and hollering on lady cab driver blew my mind at 3 yrs old.

she also did background vocals on I guess its all over by mazarati.

Oh my God...isnt that Prince on television, Saul? Is he the strangest lookin thing you've eva seen or what?

/

As for her album, "Violet Blue" and "For Love" were always my faves. I never dug her version of "With You" and have never seen what the big deal is about "All Day, All Night" (Jill's or Prince's version), but a fantastic album indeed. Oh...and I never, ever, ever get tired of "77 Bleeker Street". Just ridiculously good (should it have been on the album?)

[Edited 4/23/13 21:30pm]

I love Jill's album, I got in on vinyl when it was released and played it to death.

To my shame, I never even knew she was on the '1999' album, let alone 'Kiss'!!

She and Taja Sevelle were really talented vocally and it's a shame they didn't get more exposure.

Apart from maybe in his bedroom.

Who knows? Anyway, they were streets ahead in singing talent compared to Apples or Vanity, let alone some of the later batch who came along.

She said she did work on the Time albums, the Family, Mazarati, Sheila E. Vanity 6 & Apollonia 6

*

1.) 1999: rel 12.18.1982
Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun
colead vocals:Dez Dickerson & Lisa Coleman
background vocals:Jill Jones

6.) Automatic: background vocals-Lisa Coleman & Jill Jones
A promotional music video directed by Bruce Gowers, who previously directed the "1999" video, was produced for the song, which features band mates Lisa Coleman and Jill Jones whipping Prince in a simulated S&M session. The video was not released through conventional outlets but circulates amongst collectors.

8.) Free background vocals: Lisa Coleman, Jill Jones, Vanity & Wendy Melvoin

9.) Lady Cab Driver
lady cab driver: Jill Jones

being a sessions vocalist for Prince she's probably on a lot of outtakes as well.

Prince and related artist recordings with guest appearances by Jill Jones.

Prince

Backing vocals on 1999, Automatic, Free, Lady Cab Driver and Hello (b-side). the Ladder... Jill also sang on Sign O The Times' It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night.

Sheila E

Backing vocals on The Belle Of St Mark.

Apollonia 6

Backing vocals on Oo She She Wa Wa.

The Bangles

Backing vocals on Manic Monday.

Mazarati

Backing vocals on Strawberry Lover and I Guess It's All Over.

The Time

Backing vocals on unspecified tracks.

^This is not a complete list.

From Jill's myspace page:

DISCOGRAPHY

1980 Lady T - Teena Marie(Gordy/Motown.)

Backing vocals Produced by Richard Rudolph

Co-produced by Teena Marie

1980 Irons in the Fire Teena Marie (Gordy/Motown.)

Backing vocals

Produced by Teena Marie

1981 It Must Be Magic - Teena Marie (Gordy/Motown)

Backing vocals

Co-wrote The Ballad of Cradle Rob and Me

Produced by Teena Marie

1982 1999 Prince (Warner Bros.)

Featured vocals on 1999 & Lady Cab Driver

Backing vocals

Produced by Prince

1984 Purple Rain Prince & The Revolution (Warner Bros.)

Backing Vocals

Produced by Prince & The Revolution

1984 Apollonia 6 Apollonia 6 (Warner Bros.)

backing vocals

Produced by Apollonia 6 & The Star Company

1984 The Glamorous Life Shella E (Warner Bros.)

Backing vocals on The Belle of St. Mark

1984 Starchild Teena Marie (Gordy/Motown)

Backing vocals

1985 Manic Monday The Bangles (Columbia)

Featured backing vocals (Uncredited)

Produced by David Kahne

1985 Hello (B- Side) Prince (Paisley Park / Warner Bros.,)

Backing vocals

1986 Mazarati Mazarati (Paisley Park/ Warner Bros.)

Backing vocals on Strawberry Lover & I Guess its All Over

1987 JILL JONES - Jill Jones (Paisley Park/Warner Bros.)

Produced by Jill Jones & David Z. (* Co-produced by Prince)(.. Video available)

Mia Bocca* .. b/w 77 Bleeker St

Extended & Dub version Mia Bocca Remixed by Arthur Baker G-Spot b/w Baby

Cries (Ay- Yah) For Love * b/w Baby Youre a Trip

1987 Its Gonna Be A Beautiful Night Prince (Paisley Park/ Warner Bros.)

Co- lead vocals

Produced by Prince

1988 Bright Lights, Big City (Warner Bros.)

Backing Vocals (Uncredited) for Good Love by Prince

Good Love Song included on independently released Crystal Ball by Prince

outsideofthebox said:

its obvious that her first album got some exposure because I remember seeing the album poster hanging in dwayne's dorm room on an episode of a different world. I wanted to add that hear jill screaming and hollering on lady cab driver blew my mind at 3 yrs old.

Haha, thought I was the only one who caught that Different World scene. Also recall Brenda on 227 wanting to go see the Sheila E. concert.

I like the song "My Man".I would have chosen that song to be the first single.

The first time I heard Jill was on the "Lady T" by Teena Marie. I didn't realise it at the time - the years later when her debut came out I read the credits again and figured it was the same person. Jill co-wrote a funky little number called 'Young Girl In Love' with Teena that will rock your sox off. She must have been 17, 18 yrs old.

If you're familiar with Teena's work you'll recognise a similiarity in Teena and Jill's vocal attack - Jill was clearly very influenced by her no-holds-barred delivery.

Often wondered how her transition from the Teena camp (if I'm not mistaken I think they were related, maybe cousins?) to the Prince one. Didn't Teena and Prince tour at one point in the US?

OldFriends4Sale said:

I've said it before and will say it again, she should have had a Purple Rain album or some song releases

I agree it's such a shame that Jill wasn't able to take advantage of the Purple Rain hype.Imagine if her debut album had been released in late 1984 or early 1985.Songs like "G-Spot","All Day/All Night" and "Mia Bocca" were perfect for that time period.By the time her album was finally released in 1987,those songs were old and didn't stand a chance on pop radio.

Didn't know much about her or her music, during or right after the Purple Rain tours. Only found out about her years later, that she was the girl working at the club in the movie.

OldFriends4Sale said:

1984 The Glamorous Life Shella E (Warner Bros.)

Backing vocals on The Belle of St. Mark

She's also on Oliver's House, isn't she? It almost sounds like a co-lead vocal.

bleekerstreet77 said:

MissEmeraldCity said:

bleekerstreet77 said:

The first time I heard Jill was on the "Lady T" by Teena Marie. I didn't realise it at the time - the years later when her debut came out I read the credits again and figured it was the same person. Jill co-wrote a funky little number called 'Young Girl In Love' with Teena that will rock your sox off. She must have been 17, 18 yrs old.

If you're familiar with Teena's work you'll recognise a similiarity in Teena and Jill's vocal attack - Jill was clearly very influenced by her no-holds-barred delivery.

Often wondered how her transition from the Teena camp (if I'm not mistaken I think they were related, maybe cousins?) to the Prince one. Didn't Teena and Prince tour at one point in the US?

They are not related. Jill's mom was Teena's first manager and at the start of her career, Teena lived with Jill's family. Jill's stepfather was Fuller Gordy, Berry Gordy's brother. Jill met Prince on the Dirty Mind Tour, where Teena was the opening act and Jill was singing background for her.

That's interesting - I didn't know Jill was connected to the Gordy family.
Odd that Teena would be opening for Prince at that time - she was a much bigger star than him at that point. I wondered how that happened? Maybe Warners putting a lot of $s into promoting Prince and bought her onto the tour?

Efan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

1984 The Glamorous Life Shella E (Warner Bros.)

Backing vocals on The Belle of St. Mark

She's also on Oliver's House, isn't she? It almost sounds like a co-lead vocal.

I don't know, she's on more than I posted.

This is why I wish 'credits' on those albums back then were correct

Jill was on a lot of songs, also reading the Susannah Melvoin interview she also was used as a sessions singer during the PR period. Lisa Coleman said Prince had her sing 'underneath' Apollonias vocals on Take Me With U, Wendy played guitar on some Family tracks etc etc etc Mico was also a sessions guitarist

Mia Bocca was the first single to be released from Jill Jones' first album Jill Jones, and was released shortly before the album. Mia Bocca was written, produced and largely performed by Prince. The b-side, 77 Bleeker St., was a non-album track featuring Prince as a guest musician. Some versions of the single also contained remixes of Mia Bocca.
The single did not enter the charts except in Italy where it reached #4 (more information needed).
Mia Bocca was initially recorded by Prince in May, 1982.

Tracklist

[Edited 5/2/13 11:55am]

[Edited 5/2/13 11:50am]

1985 Eddie M Jill Jones (correction:Suzie Davis) & Miko Weaver Romance 1600 crew

[Edited 5/2/13 10:54am]

SoulAlive said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I've said it before and will say it again, she should have had a Purple Rain album or some song releases

I agree it's such a shame that Jill wasn't able to take advantage of the Purple Rain hype.Imagine if her debut album had been released in late 1984 or early 1985.Songs like "G-Spot","All Day/All Night" and "Mia Bocca" were perfect for that time period.By the time her album was finally released in 1987,those songs were old and didn't stand a chance on pop radio.

Yep,

G-Spot

All Day All Night (maybe a duet with Prince)

Wednesday (What Will I Do?)

Sugar Walls

...

Mia Bocca did sound really good with the Parade era (that should have been the next period she had an album)