Ok.

Holy shit. How come I have never been made aware of this track, seen the live version and how come it's never been released? I watched this performance on (an un-named and un-linked online video site) and was blown the fuck away watching and hearing our guy dressed like a hippie and channeling Hendrix like it was 1968.

Where is the Whole Album of trax like this one, "The Ride", "Calhoun Square", "Joy in Repetition", "Bambi", the SNL version of "Fury", "DaBang", "Purple Rain", et al?

Jesus God, this song/performance was rediculously good, and the (aforementioned un-named website) I watched it on had a whopping 15 views and ZERO comments, while that American Idol debacle had 223 and 25, respectively.

Where is this from? Did he write it, and who else has heard it?

Org note me...

Yes indeed! The first time I saw Motherless child "over there" I was completely blown away. The level of passion Prince puts into this performance is mindblowing, he is feeling all the pain of his childhood and this song like I've never seen beforeI agree 100% this is a masterpiece.

herb4 said:

I mentioned this performance on this site some time ago(didn't know it was a cover), and no one really said much about it.
It is one of the most soulfull performances I have ever seen him put down, and can you believe it? I haven't been able to find it since. Know it was on MYSPACE somewhere buried as a link in one of his video clips.

All songs you mentioned here have hellatious guitar solos, especially Joy in Repetition, but does anyone have a live clip of him doing "I'm Yours"?
[Edited 10/19/06 17:37pm]

dseann said:

Cover of whom? That guitar part felt like 100% purple holiness.

herb4 said:

Someone mentioned his cover of Motherless Child, so I'm asuming it's a cover.
The performance and guitar like you said, could not have been a part of the original if indeed, there was an original.

Well...

A Google search of this song revealed that it is a Christian/African American Gospel song, which makes sense, but the lyrics are different. It also revealed a Clapton and Peter, Paul& Mary songs that also don't match up.

Whatever the fuck it's origins, I have to get this thing burned to a CD post haste, and all Prince/guitar/blues fans should watch/hear it.

Seek it out.

It's fantastic-I agree!

dseann said:

Can't find it. You're talking about really old song, right? If it's what I'm remembering, I can't recall much guitar work....

hm...?

yep..it's a classic gospel tune...my uncle Ray http://www.allmusic.com/c...vdjzz96~T0 used to play it especially for my mother @ family cook outs...

Is it the same performance in 2002 during the week of the celebration?

It is likely the performance from the Spanish TV show Septimo from 1999. He was dressed in white trousers with a multicoloured tanktop and baggy black hat, right? He also performed Baby Knows, Prettyman, The Jam and Everyday People with Larry Graham.

It is a great version with some wierd guitar distortion effects Prince I've not heard Prince use much. The backing beat is essentially the same as 'Love... Thy Will Be Done".

herb4 said:

Ritchie Havens did it back in the 60's.

wlcm2thdwn said:

Yes, that's it. I don't know the details but AFAIK, he improvised this at Woodstock back then. If he completely made up both lyrics and music there I don't know, maybe just the music.

Housequake had it in their video forum some months ago too.

I think Metalorange is right--it's from the Septimo performance.

I'm sure you could find it on DVD if you knew where to look.

I like the acoustic version from the Xenophobia Celebration.

This performance was inspired by Ritchie Haven's performance of the song which is in the GREAT movie documentary of WOODSTOCK. Prince even mentions Ritchie in this performance "like Ritchie says..."

Also it fits the entire woodstock vibe of this outfit and setlist, being that Larry Graham is there and they do those Sly songs....

GO RENT WOODSTOCK!

but yes, the guitar stuff/melodies/drama is purely invented by Prince, he made this a GREAT song and performance.

Amazing performance.

Best TV performance of the 'RAVE era' by far ...

ufoclub said:

Absolutely spot on

If I'm not mistaken, Tina Turner pinned that song

Eric Clapton has a great song called Motherless Child.
different song altogether but its still great.

I love the whole Septimo clip
especially that song!

Harlepolis said:

Not according to this information taken from http://www.originals.be/e...ow&id=4269

SOMETIMES I FEEL LIKE A MOTHERLESS CHILD - trad.

o: Edward Boatner (1919) - Broom Special Phonographer
> Comes from an old hymn, first published in 1899 as Motherless Child. Always popular with street musicians. Sentimentality sells. Edward H. Boatner (NO 1898 - NY 1981) was a black composer who wrote many popular concert arrangements of negro spirituals. Reissued on Lost Sounds: Blacks and the Birth of the Recording Industry, 1891-1922 (ARCH).

c: Paul Robeson (1926) popularised it almost singlehandedly, with Lawrence Brown on piano, Blind Willie Johnson (1927) as Mothers' Children Have A Hard Time, Carter Family (1929) , Golden Gate Jubilee Quartet (1938) , Dixie Hummingbirds (1939) as Mothers' Children Have A Hard Time, Odetta (1956) idem, Felix Dukes (1959) with Fred McDowell on guitar, Count Basie (1962) , Richie Havens (1969) in Freedom at Woodstock, Joe South (1970) as Motherless Children, Eric Clapton (1974) idem, Charlie Rich (1976) , Boney M (1977) as Motherless Child, Big Joe Williams (1978) as Motherless Children, Van Morrison (1987) , Crime & The City Solution (1990) as Motherless Child, Big Sugar (1992) as Mothers' Children Have A Hard Time, Henry Qualls (1994) idem, Elmo Williams & Hezekiah Early (1997) as Mother's Dead, Sweet Honey In The Rock (1998) , Tom Jones (1999) with Portishead, Blind Boys Of Alabama (2001) , Alvin Youngblood Hart (2002) as Motherless Child,

> Also by Ethel Waters, Fats Waller, Artie Shaw, Jo Stafford, Barbara Hendricks, Julie London, Wynton Marsalis, Dave Van Ronk, Jimmy Witherspoon and Nana Mouskouri, all as Sometimes I Feel Like A Motherless Child.

I remembered the Richie Havens preformance from Woodstock , but for some reason the only thing I retained was the "freedom" chant. Went back and watched it again as a refresher.

herb4 said:

I think "Freedom" is a completely seperate song. Not sure though,even though I watch "Woodstock" fairly weekly.

this thread is soo:



good stuff!

metalorange said:

Thanx for the info

Come to think of it, I remember hearing a rendition of it from Alberta Hunter and Fats Waller.

herb4 said:

I'm Yours is from his first album "For You"
The songs goes out with a wicked solo that all Prince fans appreciate, it was the sign of things to come.