Listening to Sirius XM Prince channel. on the Wendy and Lisa Purple Playlist hour, they said "Prince wrote this song Private Joy about Susie Moonsie, she was the one with the teddy bear."

Like most of you, I heard "When Doves Cry" was writtem about her, too.

So here is my question, there is also this rumor that Times Social Club wrote the line in the song Rumors about her that went "Did you hear the one about Susan/they say she's just a tease/In a camisole, she's six feet tall/she'll bring you to your knees."

Based on this song, all the biography sites list her at 6'0". First, that would be quite a height difference between she and Prince... but watch any of the Vanity 6/Apollonia 6 music videos and she's clearly the shortest in the band. Vanity, who I believe was 5'7" looks considerably taller.

Does anyone know the truth?

Anyone else hear the Times Social Club thing, too?

Last thing, for those who've listened to the Wendy and Lisa playlist, surprised Wendy said "We recorded America in 1986. We were in Europe doing the music video. That song closes the album PARADE."

C'mon girl.It's fine to be off a year but... Weren't you there? Don't you know that one of Prince's finest moments closes the Parade album??

[Edited 5/16/20 1:09am]

I don't know how tall she is, but there are pictures where Prince looks taller than her, and one record signing photo where she looks a couple inches taller than him. Apples is 5'4" and taller in old photos, but the recent museum photo Susan looks taller and closer to Jill's height. The difference is obviously good heels.

Moonsie doesn't get talked about nearly enough considering she was engaged to him, and was around before and after Vanity. I think fans tend to overlook how many songs could be for or about her.

Don't believe every rumor you hear...

Prince was taller than everyone else and here's to prove it:

I've always wondered why the Doctor looks transparent in this photo. Prince always had a reason behind everything he did. Things that make you go hmmmm......

CherryMoon57 said:

Prince was taller than everyone else and here's to prove it:

The "six feet tall, she'll bring you to your knees" means exactly that. When you're "on your knees" then whomever you are with, no matter how short, will appear to be six feet tall.

*

It's a metaphor, and a fun play on words.

Moving to associated artists forum

>surprised Wendy said "We recorded America in 1986.

She says 1984, 1985, which is correct.

lavendardrummachine said:

>surprised Wendy said "We recorded America in 1986.

She says 1984, 1985, which is correct.

She was thinking back, and initially said '86, but then corrected the statement. They were recording SO many tracks from '84 through '86. I'm sure it's hard to pinpoint exact dates, especially when they had just finished AWIAD, working on music for Parade, then filming the America video at the end of '85. Months and years bleed together when keeping that kind of schedule.

violetcrush said:

lavendardrummachine said:

>surprised Wendy said "We recorded America in 1986.

She says 1984, 1985, which is correct.

She was thinking back, and initially said '86, but then corrected the statement.

I didn't hear her say 1986 at all (which doesn't mean she didn't say that too, I very well could have spaced out). I was just surprised she does give an accurate guess given this thread and didn't expect to hear her say 1984, or 1985 at all.

America was first performed on the Purple Rain tour on the West Coast dates, but I can definitely see how it would have blurred for them though.

lavendardrummachine said:

violetcrush said:

She was thinking back, and initially said '86, but then corrected the statement.

I didn't hear her say 1986 at all (which doesn't mean she didn't say that too, I very well could have spaced out). I was just surprised she does give an accurate guess given this thread and didn't expect to hear her say 1984, or 1985 at all.

America was first performed on the Purple Rain tour on the West Coast dates, but I can definitely see how it would have blurred for them though.

Honestly, I'm surprised they remember half of the things they do, especially if neither were keeping track in a journal or diary. I can remember some events of 1985, but definitely not speicific dates.

*

Just listening to their Sirius XM playlist again, and Wendy did say 1985 first, then metioned '84, but then confirmed they recorded America live in France during the filming of UTCM. I think they were being specific about the actual recording of the song vs. when they first played it for a live audience.

*

Interestingly, in Alan Light's book "Let's Go Crazy" about the PR film and tour, he writes about attending one of the PR concerts and staying after the last encore and the lights coming on in the auditorium. He and his friend jumped seats to get to the front, and Prince and the band came back out to play America. He said he was in shock, because it was so unexpected.

violetcrush said:

Honestly, I'm surprised they remember half of the things they do, especially if neither were keeping track in a journal or diary. I can remember some events of 1985, but definitely not speicific dates.

*

Just listening to their Sirius XM playlist again, and Wendy did say 1985 first, then metioned '84, but then confirmed they recorded America live in France during the filming of UTCM. I think they were being specific about the actual recording of the song vs. when they first played it for a live audience.

*

Interestingly, in Alan Light's book "Let's Go Crazy" about the PR film and tour, he writes about attending one of the PR concerts and staying after the last encore and the lights coming on in the auditorium. He and his friend jumped seats to get to the front, and Prince and the band came back out to play America. He said he was in shock, because it was so unexpected.

Right she gives the correct date, and saying 85 is totally understandable.

Plus the substance of the story is shooting the music video and why they picked the song.

Yeah, according to the Vault they play America at soundcheck and then as the encore in Inglewood with guests Springsteen and Madonna. America does sound like something Bruce would jam out on. They play Raspberry Beret and America the next week at Cow Palace shows in San Francisco.

"When Doves Cry" was the last song recorded for the Purple Rain movie, a day after Prince lost all the Grammys to Michael Jackson, and became a perfect summary for the movie's montage.

I don't think it was inspired by a real chick.

dodgers1970 said:

So here is my question, there is also this rumor that Times Social Club wrote the line in the song Rumors about her that went "Did you hear the one about Susan/they say she's just a tease/In a camisole, she's six feet tall/she'll bring you to your knees."

This one is true, even if she isn't 6 feet tall.

Cinny said:

dodgers1970 said:

So here is my question, there is also this rumor that Times Social Club wrote the line in the song Rumors about her that went "Did you hear the one about Susan/they say she's just a tease/In a camisole, she's six feet tall/she'll bring you to your knees."

This one is true, even if she isn't 6 feet tall.

Right - it's a play on words. When you're on your knees she would appear to be 6 ft tall

Cinny said:

"When Doves Cry" was the last song recorded for the Purple Rain movie, a day after Prince lost all the Grammys to Michael Jackson, and became a perfect summary for the movie's montage.

I don't think it was inspired by a real chick.

It's been said/rumored to have been about his fights with Susan M before she left 'the harem". However, on the 25th anniversary DVD of PR Albert Magnoli states that he asked Prince to write a song for the montage idea he had. He told Prince it should be about his family drama in the film - parents fighting, etc. He said Prince brought him a tape the next day.

*

Still may have been inspired by someone he was dating - Vanity or Susan - but also may not.

violetcrush said:

Cinny said:

"When Doves Cry" was the last song recorded for the Purple Rain movie, a day after Prince lost all the Grammys to Michael Jackson, and became a perfect summary for the movie's montage.

I don't think it was inspired by a real chick.

It's been said/rumored to have been about his fights with Susan M before she left 'the harem". However, on the 25th anniversary DVD of PR Albert Magnoli states that he asked Prince to write a song for the montage idea he had. He told Prince it should be about his family drama in the film - parents fighting, etc. He said Prince brought him a tape the next day.

*

Still may have been inspired by someone he was dating - Vanity or Susan - but also may not.

Right

violetcrush said:

The "six feet tall, she'll bring you to your knees" means exactly that. When you're "on your knees" then whomever you are with, no matter how short, will appear to be six feet tall.

*

It's a metaphor, and a fun play on words.

I'll go even further and say I think it has to do with her having that much power over you, not even a physical meaning like actual distance.

looks 6ft tall to me

violetcrush said:

It's been said/rumored to have been about his fights with Susan M before she left 'the harem". However, on the 25th anniversary DVD of PR Albert Magnoli states that he asked Prince to write a song for the montage idea he had. He told Prince it should be about his family drama in the film - parents fighting, etc. He said Prince brought him a tape the next day.

*

Still may have been inspired by someone he was dating - Vanity or Susan - but also may not.

I buy Magnoli's story simply because the content comes off more overtly autobiographical and raw than his usual, including all the lovesick abandonment issue songs. It's closer to what we thought Wally would be lyrically. I'm sure people can name others (Old Friends for Sale?) but this is still pretty peronal. Doing it for the character, and as an assignment might be why he could write that to Susan (or vanity?).

TheTruth123 said:

violetcrush said:

The "six feet tall, she'll bring you to your knees" means exactly that. When you're "on your knees" then whomever you are with, no matter how short, will appear to be six feet tall.

*

It's a metaphor, and a fun play on words.

I'll go even further and say I think it has to do with her having that much power over you, not even a physical meaning like actual distance.

Agreed!

lavendardrummachine said:

violetcrush said:

It's been said/rumored to have been about his fights with Susan M before she left 'the harem". However, on the 25th anniversary DVD of PR Albert Magnoli states that he asked Prince to write a song for the montage idea he had. He told Prince it should be about his family drama in the film - parents fighting, etc. He said Prince brought him a tape the next day.

*

Still may have been inspired by someone he was dating - Vanity or Susan - but also may not.

I buy Magnoli's story simply because the content comes off more overtly autobiographical and raw than his usual, including all the lovesick abandonment issue songs. It's closer to what we thought Wally would be lyrically. I'm sure people can name others (Old Friends for Sale?) but this is still pretty peronal. Doing it for the character, and as an assignment might be why he could write that to Susan (or vanity?).

Yes, I agree. I think the song can really describe any of Prince's relationships with the girls of that time - Kim Upsher, Susan M, Vanity, Jill, and even Susannah as he had become more serious with her by the time he wrote the song.

*

It's more about him comparing the dynamic of his parents to his own relationships, and how that had carried the dysfuntion and toxic behavior had carried over to his own personal relationships.

Cat Glover recalled meeting Prince Susan Moonsie and (Vanity 6) as the came out of an elevator during the 1999 tour period

Cat Glover(1982)

Home studio, early 1981
She's Just A Baby #1 (4:44)
Broken (3:04)
Commercial #1
Hump You
Susan

The Hookers, home studio, 1981 - Jamie Shoop & Susan Moonsie
I Need A Man #1 – lead vocal: Jamie Shoop
Make-up (2:39)*
Wet Dream #1
Jealous Girl #1 – offered to The Bangles in 1985
Pizza
Drive Me Wild (2:32)*

Home studio, autumn-winter 1981
The Second Coming (1:58) (autumn)

According to the screenshots, this is one of the sequences where Prince emerges from a corridor flanked by two lingerie-clad women. Correct?

Yes. Funny enough, his management wasn't too happy about the lingerie. They came in and said, "You can't have them dressed like that—we'll never get this film to fly!" Which in retrospective sounds absurd, but they at the time thought Prince was pushing the boundaries. Now remember this was back in Prince's bikini and stockings days, so he wanted the women to be in the scenes in lingerie, which they were.

Anyhow, we finally blew out a transformer on a utility pole and the power company was called to come fix it. We were down for a few hours and trying to kill time. I remember sitting outside on his steps and he came out with an acoustic guitar. He was entertaining one of the lingerie ladies [Susan Moonsie of Vanity 6] and started doing this Elvis Presley imitation that would have blown any impersonator out the water. It was spot on. He can be informed by any musician out there and, I believe, replicate it.

The public rarely sees this playful and relaxed side. There is another remarkable shot of him blowing bubblegum bubbles on the set. Was that intended for the film or just a candid aside?

That was actually for inclusion in the film. It started as a boom shot on his white boots with the bandana wrapped around his ankle. Then we boomed straight up; Prince had this duster jacket on, flipped it back and revealed his little black bikini. It continued to come up and ended on his face. Right then he blew a pink Hubba Bubba bubble. He starts chewing the gum, takes it out of his mouth, wraps it around his finger and sticks it back in his mouth.

Now this was late in what felt like a three-day drill, but in reality was probably more in the area of twenty-plus hours of production. After about so many takes I say, "Okay, we got it. Let's go on to the next shot." Prince looks at me and says, "No—I'll tell you when we got it." Now there might have been some minor rubs before that, but it was at that moment...I said, "Okay—if that's the way you want it."

We shot roll after roll after roll on that boom shot. The crew was exhausted and started passing out. So I go over to the management to tell them we're already in platinum time. We already shot a thousand feet for this shot. [laughs] It was insane, but I realized he was making a statement—"We'll stop when I decide." That was definitely a moment there. We did a few shots after that, and I was like, "Prince, you tell me when you got it." The subsequent takes were less strenuous, about a half a dozen or so. It was costly but money was no object for him. I still don't think it is! But I have to say, I think he's easier to work with now, but back in the day he certainly had a reputation as being tough and at times difficult.

Possessed
Chapter 4: PAWNS

pg 56

Vanity's badmate Susan Moonsie, who for several years had been the closest thing to Prince's true girlfriend, refused to tolerate thsee shenanigans and withdrew from the romantic sweepstakes. Rather than play the wounded ex-lover, she forged a friendship with Vanity, and while her relationship with Prince remained strong, it was of a platonic nature. But in the eyes of some colleagues, the end of his romance with Moonsie eliminated an important grounding influence from his life. "She was never frantic about him," said Bennett. "She knew who he was, what he was up to, and she wouldn't take his shit."

actually, Wendy, whom I like said "America was recorded for the Parade album. This song closes the Parade album"

Go back and listen. Wendy is cool. She doesn't need anyone to come to her defense.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Well, if Prince towers over you...