Alright so yesterday was Watching purple Rain cause it was on Vh1
I hardly ever watch cause i think its a dreadful movie IMO
but was bored and was nothing else on so i watched it
and it was at the part where his father was at the Piano playing that delightful melody
the next scene was P doing Computer Blue
it was all going pretty fine until when it got toward the middle where i heard the same strikingly familiar melody except it was on a Guitar
me being a musician, got on my computer
took out my purple rain C.D.
and got a Concert version of the melody his father played
and matched them up
was the same notes
the only difference was the tempo on Computer Blue was faster and had guitar and syths
and father's song was slower and just piano

now how many of you knew this lol?
and if you didn't check it out lol
Computer blue 2;30
[This message was edited Sun Aug 22 13:07:51 2004 by Luv4oneanotha]

Luv4oneanotha said:

Computer Blue has long been known for it being taken from/containing Father's song. The practially the only way one figures this out is by watching the movie. It hit me over the head too a few years back. I am hoping that Fathers song shows up on the re-issue of PR CD...but I am not holding my breath.

Thinking about it, the reason he doesn't play Computer Blue on this tour is because it contains Fathers song...or could remind him too much of his father.

that explains a whole lot, thanks
i've always had Father's Song concert version
and everytime i listened to it before, i've always thought their should be a Distinctive guitar riff at a certain point
all these years i thought it was my Genuis! lol
the guitar riff i was thinking of was in computer blue lol

this is what i get for not watching all of Purple Rain
i always fall asleep within the first 20 mins lol

The writing credit to 'Father's Song' is given solely to John L. Nelson and a writing credit is also given to his father for 'Computer Blue' (shared with Prince, Wendy and Lisa) presumably for inclusion of the melody from 'Father's Song'.

It's never been made clear as to whether Prince's father actually wrote the tune or Prince gifted him the credit.

As to why he doesn't play 'Computer Blue' on this tour ... I would doubt it has to do with his father. It's not a song he has played on tour since the Purple Rain tour.

Prince's father is also co-credited with the writing of 'The Ladder' (apparently because the chord structure came from his father), and this was a song that Prince played during the later legs of the 'One Nite Alone' tour in 2002
.

The 'Fathers Song / Computer Blue' bit is part of the story of the movie.

The Kid hears his father playing the tune on the piano (father's Song), and in the very next
scene we see him playing 'Computer Blue' on stage and incorporating what he'd heard his
father playing into the song. It's done on purpose, to show that he is open to other people's
musical ideas, and despite his father's violence, he still cares for him and respects him.

Oh and by the way, despite it being called 'Father's Song', Prince actually wrote it himself.

I noticed that way back in 1984.

BorisFishpaw said:

...and as the story unfolds, "Purple Rain" was also supposedly written by the "girls in the band"

There really WAS a little bit of magic in the storytelling.

But, we all know that already, or else we wouldn't be here right now!

langebleu said:

I know that it is not played that often...but I recall it being one some boot/tour as of recent ...unless that's just a listing like Housequake is (played just a portion) for this tour.

Better question. Does anyone know the reason he neglects this song when on tour? It's clearly one of his best. Is it the Wendy&Lisa part? I can't imagine that would be it.

BorisFishpaw said:

why would he give credit to a John L. Nelson
if he created the melody?
[This message was edited Sun Aug 22 14:06:03 2004 by Luv4oneanotha]

BorisFishpaw said:

which would make total sense. add to the mystery/myths. he helped write the movie and wrote all of the music for it...a scene where the dad is playing a song on the piano...what would you call it for reference..um fathers song...DUH!
[This message was edited Sun Aug 22 14:05:53 2004 by superspaceboy]

ok am i missing something ,
Did Prince say he wrote it himself?
or are we all just Assuming here...?

cause Computer blue is credited for 4 people John L. Nelson,Wendy,Lisa And
Prince?
[This message was edited Sun Aug 22 14:13:12 2004 by Luv4oneanotha]

now that i think about it i remember seeing a J nelson in a bunch of other C.D.s
i think
one of them where parade

Did My Own Research
The Song Father's Song was Written By a John L. Nelson
Along with Computer Blue Co-written by john L. Nelson
John Nelson released an Album Entitled Father's Song in 1992
in Parade John Nelson is credited for 2 songs in Parade

Christopher Tracy's Parade
and Under the Cherry moon
he is also credited for The Ladder
and around the world in a day
[This message was edited Sun Aug 22 14:54:09 2004 by Luv4oneanotha]

LET's say it's kinda like Vanity wrote "Nasty Girl"

or Morris Day wrote "Cool"

or The Family wrote "High Fasion"

WHO KNOWS for SURE???

BFP

Luv4oneanotha said:

To give his pops some cash.

A writing credit on an album like Purple Rain must have brought in a nice bit of pocket change.

NouveauDance said:

Rubbish,
His Father Was a Musician an Active Musician at the time and a Well Known Pianist
Plus that would only be if Prince was Psychic and new Purple Rain was gonna be a Blockbuster
and if Prince is Psychic why the hell is he a JW !

Prince wrote 'Father's Song'. It was originally listed as being a soley Prince composition.
It was later re-submitted for copyright around the time that the album Purple Rain was,
this time listing John L. Nelson as the sole composer (but it still listed Controversy Music
as the publisher, which is of course Prince).

Another thing is that 'Computer Blue' was originally submitted for copyright with only Prince,
Wendy & Lisa as composers. Again, it was later re-submitted in May '84 adding Prince's
father to the co-writers credits for both words and music.

There are differences in the credits for these songs from various published sources too.
In the end credits of Purple Rain (the movie) it lists the following...

Father's Song - John L. Nelson
Computer Blue - Prince, Wendy & Lisa
(no mention of Prince's father)

On the sheet music for Purple Rain they're listed as...

Father's Song - Prince
Computer Blue - Prince, Wendy, Lisa & John L. Nelson

I've always thought "Father's Song" was just an informal way of pointing out the scene in Purple Rain.

The first time I heard it , I KNEW that it was computer blue.

So, it's actually considered it's own composition?

you know what...
I don't care anymore! lol
thanks
Prince has had people play and write for him
as he does for other people
without giving credit or reciving credit

so u know what

Just Forget it lol

nayroo2002 said:

Not really considering that they helped him a lot with the song, including Lisa orchestrating the song.

Prince's dad gets a credit on imdb for Darlin Nikki, that kind of surprised me.

BorisFishpaw said:

The sheet music I have gives 'Father's Song' as being written by John L. Nelson, (but also confirms the publishing rights are in the name of Controversy Music).
.

Luv4oneanotha said:

Rubbish. He was never well known or even active for that matter. Prince used to give other people writing credits out of respect even though there was no participation involved. He also sometimes used to LEAVE OUT other people's credits when they did participate, but that's another story.

Why do you even start threads like these if you are so adamant on your knowledge? The title of your topic ends with a question mark. Look above.

newbies

Luv4oneanotha said:

Well duh...