At some point or other, I've heard so many people here talk about this song. Or at least they used to. I've heard the name several times. I've listened to it recently and fell in love with it the first time I heard it.

Is this one of Prince's most famous songs (even though it was never officially released)? Or is it more "infamous"?

Great minds, two threads about the ever popular Moonbeam Levels
It's a stunner....would have made a great single and inclusion on 1999.

what year was it made

also currently being discussed here: http://www.prince.org/msg/7/230347
originally from 1982.
It's a very popular outtake, so I guess that makes it "infamous" DPR . Widely circulated from way back when. Was incorrectly known as "A Better Place to Die".

paisley16 said:

yeah, definitely... considering there are 2 threads up about the same song, do we really need both of them?

Ever since hearing the name and it happened to be part of something someone gave me, I checked it out and wanted to know why I've heard so much about it.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Told u so. U were gonna start finding "the jewels" and be blown away

all this talk about Moonbeam Levels- still havent heard it

ps
thx 2 Marty McFly 4 filling me in on the history behind the song- i thought it was a made up, fake thread- song title til then

A classic.....

It was at one point going to be included on the 1988 unreleased album Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic, in revamped form I believe.

It has also been rumored that it was going to be included on about the last 6 or 7 albums.

I can confirm that it is on Planet Earth, revamped with a killer guitar solo.

My source for this info is a guy called Tom Ato he works for Sony in the catering deptartment and got a sneal preview of the new album last night.

bboy87 said:

in that case, i cant wait to hear more... they definitely keep adding 2 the amazing person he is... or songwriter, w/e

Prince performed a bit of it in the 3/28/83 concert from Cali.

Love this song. I have a theory that this song was NOT replaced by Free (which it shares a few similarities with), but by Little Red Corvette. The beginning of Moonbeam Levels sounds like it comes right out of 1999.


One of those songs outtakes that I want to slap him for never releasing. I'd take the original. Or the 1988 version. Or even a re-recording. I don't care. Just put it out! I have a decent quality version of it, but still.

Should have been the b-side to Little Red Corvette, since it didn't have one.
[Edited 6/9/07 9:18am]

prb said:

I haven't heard it, either!

love4oneanother said:

we need 2 start up a support group- the I havent heard moonbeam levels and cant handle all the talk about how good it is group

or the "insert title here" group, it is very flexible

You know..I allways thought A Better Place To Die was a better title 4 this song

I LOVE this song. No matter how often I hear it I still love it.

Love2tha9s said:

Ranks in my Top 3 alltime outtakes

mplsmike said:

note 2 self, dont read anymore threads with Moonbeam Levels in title

but its the org, i cant help myself

mplsmike, wot were your other 2 outtakes so i can add them to my dont read list as well

the most extraordinary thing I picked up about it other than the beginning lyrics is just the overall tone of it.

I feel like he pulled out something from deep inside his soul... that's why its so beautiful.

prb said:

I don't know if he has any others but I have at least two.

Extra Loveable (all except the ending)

Electric Intercourse

Love2tha9s said:

ok, adding 2 my list

with all the outtakes around that list is going 2 b huge!

'yesterday I tried to write a novel, but didnt know where to begin, so I lay down in the grass', ?

Moonbeam Levels
Electric Intercourse
All My Dreams
The Line

You can hear some main ideas from Moonbeam Levels in
Free
3 chains of gold
and
Same December
thus I don't think it will ever be revamped for an actual album, only some Vault/outtake collection like CB.

Romeoblu said:

What?

Waltervandenvogelwejde said:

oh, please. he pulled out "Rave" from '88 to be the title track of his album in 1999, even though he'd originally shelved it for being too similar to "Kiss"

Very average, even below average song, I don't get the fuss about this song....

Raze said:

plus he used that Rave guitar-theme in "The Max". It was really disappointing that of all known outtakes this was released on a new album (not even re-recorded) AND even as title song (if this had been a "hidden track" like pretty man then I would have seen it as a very nice bonus)
of course it is possible this could be on an album (and would fit at least the title of the new one, though guitar hints it's not a thematical concept album)

but as I said all the main ideas were borrowed by those other songs