OldFriends4Sale said:

Efan said:

The playfulness is what makes it so great, I think. Since it's about childhood masturbation and playing doctor and how that evolves as you grow up, I think making the music kind of whimsical suits the song. It's a mixture of naughtiness and innocence.

wish it would have been more like ' Sister ' + ' Tamborine ' + A Love Bizarre

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Olivers House had that kinda youthful teenager/college age being naughty in the suburbs

very playful with all the bad stuff that happens when youth are unsupervised.

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For some reason Toy Box doesn't work for me. Will listen again and a couple of live versions.

There's more than one live version? The only one I've heard is the one on Live Romance 1600 (and the soundboard from that show). THAT live version is incredible; it gets really great toward the end. But if there are other live versions out there, I'd love to know what they are on...there are several Sheila boots from the Purple Rain era, but I've always been disappointed about the lack of Sheila boots from her Romance 1600 and Sheila E. tours.

Efan said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

wish it would have been more like ' Sister ' + ' Tamborine ' + A Love Bizarre

.

Olivers House had that kinda youthful teenager/college age being naughty in the suburbs

very playful with all the bad stuff that happens when youth are unsupervised.

.

For some reason Toy Box doesn't work for me. Will listen again and a couple of live versions.

There's more than one live version? The only one I've heard is the one on Live Romance 1600 (and the soundboard from that show). THAT live version is incredible; it gets really great toward the end. But if there are other live versions out there, I'd love to know what they are on...there are several Sheila boots from the Purple Rain era, but I've always been disappointed about the lack of Sheila boots from her Romance 1600 and Sheila E. tours.

I prefer that one to the studio version.

I think of "Toy Box" as the only song on Romance 1600 besides "A Love Bizarre" that had strong hit potential.It would have been a strong first single,imo.

PurpleJedi said:

Efan said:

I'm not gonna say that Sex Cymbal was great...but I like it a ton.

I always liked Sex Cymbal. Can't understand why it's so disliked (other than the fact that it was post-Prince).

Remember that it was out waaay before Ricky Martin and the "Latin Invasion"...so I was really digging the latin-themed tunes. "Dropping Like Flies" should've been a HIT (were it not for that regrettable C&C Music Factory remix)

Sex Cymbal is a mixed bag for me.There are some good tracks and a few mediocre tracks.When it's good,it very good ("Cry Baby" and "Whatcha Gonna Do" are my favorites) but I think it lacks that one big,knock-em dead single that it really needed.

I agree! That remix of "Sex Cymbal" is so much better than the album version.

Efan said:

BTW - I like the 'Sex Cymbal' remix WAAAAY better than the album version. I remember hearing it on the radio one day and being sorely dissapointed when I bought the cassingle (yeah remember those?) which was the album version.

"Listen to the rhythm while I'm hyping up the tempo!"

Never really liked "Toy Box", but then again, I never did like the entire "Romance 1600" album. Even A Love Bizarre overstays its welcome in my opinion. Love the spiced up live version from the Warfield show, though.

Now "Sheila E" was a very consistent and fantastic album, but it went down the drain as Sheila preferred to join Prince's band. I never understood why there wasn't a video for "Hold Me". With a video, it could have crossed over to the pop charts instead of just the R&B tracks.

"Sex Cymbal" was another mixed bag, some horribly produced synthy songs before the album finally hits its stride with the latin-influenced tracks. The Sex Cymbal remix should have been on the album instead of the horrible album mix, same goes for Funky Attitude, the soundtrack version is so much better than the album mix, yikes! Don't know what Warner and/or Sheila were thinking, the Droppin Like Flies video was a big budget extravaganza, but those remixes are awful... And why release Cry Baby as a single??

whitesockedfunk said:

"Sheila E" was a very consistent and fantastic album, but it went down the drain as Sheila preferred to join Prince's band. I never understood why there wasn't a video for "Hold Me". With a video, it could have crossed over to the pop charts instead of just the R&B tracks.

I agree.I can't understand why Sheila didn't have videos for all of her singles.It was the 80s! In those days,music videos were essential.You couldn't have a hit record without one."Hold Me" did very well on the R&B charts and like you said,it could have done even better with a video.

"Koo Koo" was a poor choice for the second single.Even with a video,that song didn't stand a chance.The song has a funky groove and a good message,but it lacks a strong chorus/hook.They should have chosen the punchy,catchy "Faded Photographs" as the second single.But then again,it wouldn't have made a difference anyway,since Sheila had put her solo career on hold by that point.

I love that song It's the most Prince-sounding song on the album.I think it had potential but,once again,no video! To me,if there's not gonna be a video,there's no point in releasing it as a single.

SoulAlive said:

Why release Cry Baby as a single??

I love that song It's the most Prince-sounding song on the album.I think it had potential but,once again,no video! To me,if there's not gonna be a video,there's no point in releasing it as a single.

By 1991 the Prince-sound was out anyway. And it stood as much of a chance of becoming a hit as Bedtime Story did...

Agree with you on Koo Koo, another bad single choice, the Sheila E album had a lot more stronger tracks and Faded Photographs could have been a smash! WE should have worked for WB/Sheila back in the day lol

whitesockedfunk said:

SoulAlive said:

I love that song It's the most Prince-sounding song on the album.I think it had potential but,once again,no video! To me,if there's not gonna be a video,there's no point in releasing it as a single.

By 1991 the Prince-sound was out anyway. And it stood as much of a chance of becoming a hit as Bedtime Story did...

Agree with you on Koo Koo, another bad single choice, the Sheila E album had a lot more stronger tracks and Faded Photographs could have been a smash! WE should have worked for WB/Sheila back in the day lol

these are the singles that I would have chosen from the Sheila E. album:

"Hold Me"---a good choice for the first single and it did reasonably well on the R&B chart.

"Faded Photographs"---with a great video and lots of MTV exposure,this would have done well with pop audiences

"Pride And The Passion"---another strong track with major pop potential

"Love On A Blue Train"---a sexy R&B/funk jam.Put "Boys Club" on the B-side,release a 12" featuring remixes of both songs,and Sheila could have had a double-sided club hit.

whitesockedfunk said:

SoulAlive said:

I love that song It's the most Prince-sounding song on the album.I think it had potential but,once again,no video! To me,if there's not gonna be a video,there's no point in releasing it as a single.

By 1991 the Prince-sound was out anyway. And it stood as much of a chance of becoming a hit as Bedtime Story did...

I would have thought Whatcha Gonna Do or Loverboy or Private Party would have made a better choice as a single, but just the fact that Warner released three singles seems to show they were trying to make the album successful. They must have believed in the album at least somewhat. Sheila was still recovering from her lung collapse, but she could have done a little more to promote it if she wanted. Although by that point she was a B- or C-list celebrity, so maybe she couldn't get on any of the big shows in the States, except for Arsenio.

Efan said:

whitesockedfunk said:

By 1991 the Prince-sound was out anyway. And it stood as much of a chance of becoming a hit as Bedtime Story did...

I would have thought Whatcha Gonna Do or Loverboy or Private Party would have made a better choice as a single, but just the fact that Warner released three singles seems to show they were trying to make the album successful. They must have believed in the album at least somewhat. Sheila was still recovering from her lung collapse, but she could have done a little more to promote it if she wanted. Although by that point she was a B- or C-list celebrity, so maybe she couldn't get on any of the big shows in the States, except for Arsenio.

These are the singles that I would have chosen:

*Title track (the remix version that you guys were raving about)----the album version could appear on the album,as a bonus track...but that remix version should have been the "official" single.

*"Funky Attitude"---there are better songs on the album,but to me,this is the most commercial/radio friendly track.

*"Cry Baby"---but with a great video and some strong promotion!

SoulAlive said:

I think of "Toy Box" as the only song on Romance 1600 besides "A Love Bizarre" that had strong hit potential.It would have been a strong first single,imo.

not a strong lead song but a strong 'Purple SOng' is Dear Michaelangelo

.

that's one of those 'Prince' songs with a vibe that has a distinct feel, like I Don't Want 2 Leave U by the Time as well as A Love Bizarre

whitesockedfunk said:

SoulAlive said:

I love that song It's the most Prince-sounding song on the album.I think it had potential but,once again,no video! To me,if there's not gonna be a video,there's no point in releasing it as a single.

By 1991 the Prince-sound was out anyway. And it stood as much of a chance of becoming a hit as Bedtime Story did...

Agree with you on Koo Koo, another bad single choice, the Sheila E album had a lot more stronger tracks and Faded Photographs could have been a smash! WE should have worked for WB/Sheila back in the day lol

It didn't have a chance anyway, because once he pulled her as his drummer there would be no really promotion,

.

Sad, but he could h.ave at least had her lead the band on some songs like "Koo Koo' which did have some kind of SOTT feel

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Hold Me was on the top charts for a while. This 3rd album could have taken Sheila E to the next level.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Hold Me was on the top charts for a while. This 3rd album could have taken Sheila E to the next level.

Yes,"Hold Me" did very well on the R&B charts.The momentum was there.I remember buying this album and thinking that it would be Sheila's big breakthrough album....the album that would turn her into a major superstar.But once "Hold Me" started tumbling down the charts and Sheila focused on being Prince's drummer,the album was left behind.