This is the jam!

I can't imagine why this was never released, it would have been a perfect addition to 1999. Who agrees?

There are a number of reasons why this never made the 1999 album.

It has blatant references to rape and Prince lightly mocks Dez Dickerson during a brief passage ("Dez, don't you like my band", despite the fact that Prince recorded the whole shebang on his own). Perhaps Prince deemed none of this to be cool and therefore ended up shelving the song.

Besides, he knew he already had plenty of good material recorded for 1999 and the track remained discarded.

.

TBeatty716 said:

I do! Or maybe even for the TIME.
I wonder if he's ever done this in concert?

Snake said:

no, he hasn't.

giotto said:

Agreed. I really like the cut. The violence towards women does echo other material on 1999. The "rape" during "Lady Cab Driver" for instance.

I agree the lyrics are a little questionable, but the music is grade A.

One of his very best songs- not outtakes- songs.

Possibly my favorite Prince outtake. It rocks!

I also think this song should have been released back then,if not on the '1999' album,then as a B-side.It's an excellent track.

blackguitaristz said:

Its an angry fuck (at first), but I don't think "Lady Cab Driver" is about rape. I took the whole cab driver/ride thing to be a metaphor describing an encounter with a hooker.
[Edited 5/27/05 1:16am]

TBeatty716 said:

very fresh "door number pants"

I would love to do a cover of this someday, sans la rape. Pretty please, Prince?

GangstaFam said:

ive always wondered if someone tried to cover one o his bootlegs....what would happen? besides his suing and all can u do that?!

Christopher said:

I really have no idea. I'm sure I'd need permission. And I'm sure I'd be swiftly denied.

GangstaFam said:

funny you mention wanting to cover this...ive always pictured someone doing it. it was gonna be released at one time on some outtake set or something..but nothing ever came of it i remember.

Christopher said:

Yeah, I think it got mentioned as being part of Crystal Ball 2, titled "Xtralovable".

I would totally turn this song out!

"Extra Loveable" is one my all time favorite unreleased Prince songs. Another one I really love is "Heaven".

Good song. And he played everything on this one too.

I LOVE this song!! (Just showing my appreciation!!)

Moonbeam said:

my thoughts exactly. For me it ranks right up there with anything officially released.

If someone were to cover it there would probably be legal recourse. Even though it remains unreleased it can still be copyrighted, and that's the problem.

It was most probably meant to be released on some other project, maybe the 1983 follow-up album for "1999" that never saw the light of day. Wouldn't fit on the future albums, and Prince couldn't be arsed to re-record it for "Graffiti Bridge" with tinkly drums and Roland D50 patches since he had the title track canned already.

GangstaFam said:

I actually know what would happen!

My best friend fronts an ambient/industrial band called Burn Unit. His dream of dreams was to do a cover of "There's Others Here With Us". He contacted Paisley Park and Londell's people regarding the matter and he was met with a vehement NO. They went on 2 say that any unauthorized released recordings were strictly off limits in ANY capacity whatsoever.

and yes, "Xtra Loveable" is the jam so baaaad that'd make ya turn around an' slap yo Grandma...

butter4yourmuffin said:

I know the song isn't about rape. I never said it was. I said the "rape" part in the song.

Novabreaker said:

It was meant to be on the 1999 follow up album in 83. I wrote a thread about this well over a year ago. But since it was scrapped, like DavidEye said, it should have definately been a b-side.

i love this song!!!

one of my favs where prince talks shit 2 the women

-never do u boast like other girls who think they're fine
and love 2 flaunt it
-baby u're so sharp..wanna see u dancing naked

blackguitaristz said:

is a rape part in lady cab driver?? i hope not.

nah i dont believe it.

npgmaverick said:

Burn Unit?

Novabreaker said:

Yeah, that was my initial reaction as well...

TBeatty716 said:

Depends on the original composition date. It seemed a bit pre-1999ish to me. Controversy would have been a better fit maybe.