I love this track ! It's still definately one of my faves from the Gold Experience CD plus it kicks ass live.

However I still believe that the album version ended up being far too overproduced and killed that raw sound and energy that the earlier versions had.
The guitars ended up being lost in the album version.

Sometimes I thinks Prince just tries too hard in the studio to make everything sound so perfect that certain songs end up losing what he originally had in mind.

that song has some of his most amazing screams ever, regardless of how "enhanced" they may be...and i think it's a great trashy rock song in the vein of aerosmith. he may have polished it a bit too much, but that's prince for ya. i like the 'gold' version.

I like it fine, but then I havent heard any earlier versions you speak of!!

If we're going down that road though...if I had to pick one album that is overroduced in general it would be the Gold Experience, so this doesnt really surprise me. I mean I like it, but none of it is raw...

I love the Gold Experience version!

But then again, cowbells turn me on.

Controversy said:

I have heard an alternate version of Endorphinmachine that starts with a rocket-like countdown with beeping and then tears into the guitar intro. It is from a bootleg I heard a while ago, but the song kicks ass in any version!

He should of kept the keyboard part out.

funny, the only complaints i ever seem to hear about this song is from those who heard the earlier version first
that'll teach ya

I agree,the version from 'TGE' sounds too polished and overproduced.I prefer the earlier versions.

C'mon. The album version is still enough "raw" as it is. It might have modre reverb and some extra synths on it, but just to make it flow nicely with the rest of the cuts on the album. I don't think the original version was that much different.

DavidEye said:

Agreed. Its a great song that I think should be re-released. But only after it's been minimalized a bit. Prince does have a tendency to over-produce. I guess it's part and parcel with being a perfectionist. Even with that vice, however, masterpieces still make it through -- e.g. 7! I dug the acoustic version so much better. But the song was so phenomenal...almost nothing could ruin it's sheer brilliance...

WTF??? Surely your smoking something?? THAT SONGS AMAZING!!! Ok, so maybe during that periosd of time his music was oily and slick in production but you've got to admit you dont turn from the song when it comes on!!


But your right about Prince being over-perfectionist.

So, Prince was into slick sounding production in 95-96. Got it. Again.

To quote Christopher Walken from the Blue Oyster Cult sketch from Saturday Night Live:

"We need more cow bell."

I think, in the vein of Wally, the lyrics to Endorphinmachine were so personal, autobiographical, raw and painful that he kept adding extra effects to 'distance' himself from it. The original version is incredibly moving, and about his relationship with Susannah.















[Edited 1/20/06 6:57am]

OdysseyMiles said:

booyah said:

Yeah sometimes art can be a bit too revealing at times..

Early and live versions were much better.

He can fuck up a cup of coffee with his over-production. Less was always more back in the day. I wish he would realize that again.

To this day I'm not sure where the cowbells appear in the album version , its something I've never picked up on although everyone mentions it , and I heard the original version before TGE version too , I know theres obvious differences but cowbells ?

Coffee Machine.



The only time I heard this song though was on the VH1 Honor awards back in 1994. He rocked it!