I found myself watching a retrospective on the late Robert Palmer and during the course of an interview he is asked to name his favourite record of the year. He highly recommended The Family album, and he waxed lyrical about the record quite enthusiastically for several minutes.

The more obvious Prince connection was of course the fact that he turned down a song called "Lust U Always", an instrumental track that was fleshed out during The Family recording sessions for that album.

It turns out, of course that there is an unreleased version of "Lust U Always" with Prince on vocal, recorded back in 1982, that sounds like a cross between "1999" and Vanity 6's version of "Sex Shooter".

Speaking of which, the Vanity 6 album contains a song called "Wet Dream", a Prince composition featuring a very prominent synth line that is identical to the one on "Every Kinda People", a song that Robert Palmer had recorded four years earlier.

Does anybody know whether the version of "Lust U Always" that was turned down by Robert Palmer was the vocal version or the instrumental version?


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The thought occurred to me and it's this:

"I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" sounds not a million miles away from "Lust U Always" instrumental version...

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Of course, the link from Prince to Robert Palmer might be a little less complex. Cherrelle recorded it in the early 1980's. Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis founded her and produced the record. Palmer also recorded it. I don't know about the other song, though.

Don't know 'bout any Prince connections but Robert Palmer was a stylish man, I loved his music and his clips. Man, the clips were so cool with him looking like a complete distinguished gentleman and all these identical model chicks!

laylow03 said:

"I Didn't Mean To Turn You On" is a Harris/Lewis composition (as well as production for Cherelle).
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[Edited 11/28/04 2:32am]

Robert Palmer came from my home town. Never saw him around though. I think he lived abroad most of his life. Good choice.

Thanks for the feedback. Yes, I was aware of the composition/production credits as mentioned above, but the link still connects Prince to Palmer.

Anybody willing to share additional info on "Lust U Always"? There are two versions of this song currently in circulation.

I am particularly intrigued by the vocal version from 1982. I believe that's the version that was submitted to Palmer.

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This may sound really dumb, but when did Robert Palmer die and of what?

The only Robert Palmer/ Prince connection I´ve heard of is that a lot of people think Palmer´s " Addicted to Love " influenced a Prince song ...but I forgot which one because I don´t remember the melody of Addicted to Love.
Maybe Hot Thing? U Got the Look ? Don´t know...

absolutely NO vocal version of lust u always exsist's among collectors.

wallysafford said:

Don't be too sure about that.

I have a 15 second snippet of the original vocal version of "Lust U Always" by Prince in spanking sound quality.

Perhaps it's time for "T" to shed some light on this. I hope he sees this thread soon.

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giotto said:

yeah, i was gonna say...i have a snippet of it too, but it's a lot shorter than 15 seconds.

THE DRUM INTRO TO CREAM IS THE EXACT SAME AS I DIDNT MEAN TO TURN YOU ON !

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

SWEET!falsetto or normal vocal?lyric?hard to imagine this cut with words after hearing it all these years as an instrumental.i bet it rocks!i stand corrected.

KoolEaze said:

U Got The Look was the one.

Another connection would b Chaka & Prince's collaboration album, "Come 2 my house". Robert Palmer contributed on & even co-wrote one song, which means he probably met Prince during the recording session at Paisley Park.

Lust U Always

Recorded in Prince's home studio 1982, "Lust U Always" has most of the characteristics of the 1999 sound, including a prominent LN-1 drum machine beat and a synth-led arrangement. The track also features lyrical references and thematic similarities to contemporaneous songs such as "Extra Loveable," "Turn It Up," "Possessed," and "Purple Music." The lyric concerns Prince's uncontrollable lust for a woman. His therapist has assured him that it is just a phase, but he cannot stop the "hunger," admitting, "I lust you always, you're all I wanna do." After some screams of desperation, the song ends with Prince expressing his burning desire in a spoken monologue. "I will rape you if I must," he says at one point, which brings to mind the threat of rape in "Extra Loveable." The spoken segment is overlaid with chants of "work out" and "turn it up," two catchphrases Prince was clearly fond of at the time as they found their way into songs like "Irresistible Bitch," "Turn It Up," "All The Critics Love U In New York," "Jerk Out," and "Let's Work." At the end, Prince sums up his "purple music" manifesto, "That's what purple music is all about, I mean it ain't rude if you're in the mood."

Musically, "Lust U Always" is a somewhat plain and monotonous pop/funk offering, carried by a synth bass figure and an intricate LN-1 drum machine pattern. The melody takes shape around a simple recurrent guitar/synth riff. Much like many of Prince's early songs, it includes a brief build-up to the chorus, which is then sung over the main theme. The track is certainly not up to the prevailing musical standards of the 1999 album.

"Lust U Always" was filed for copyright registration at the Library of Congress on December 14th 1987. It was subsequently offered to Robert Palmer, but he turned it down. The track is amongst the 17 titles that has been shortlisted for inclusion on the projected Crystal Ball Volume II.


---taken from the uptown book-turn it up 2.0

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

I only have the instrumental (it's kickas)