I remember when this was aired I had to work early that Sunday morning so I Tivo'd it. I played it in the morning and my jaw hit the floor. There is so much "right" about this performance; his vocal delivery, the blazing solos, the dancers, the background vocals, the "red suit"...

I remember being so deflated when I heard the studio version. The live recording has such a cool vibe and urgency to it.

[No asking where can I get/how can I get it snip - luv4u]

It was stellar and made the studio version sound like a complete dud. It is truly a shame that real live vibes don't often make it to the albums..... I remember how great Life of the Party was live only to vomit when I heard it on Musuckology

I like the live version better

[Prince videos not allowed on this site for legal reasons snip. And as stated on the banner at the top of the forum - luv4u]

- "Please do not post any Prince/Assoc. Artists videos from sites such as YouTube, MySpace etc. This is strictly prohibited for legal reasons, and we ask that all Org members please respect this. Note: Violating posts will be removed. 'Repeat offender' accounts will be deleted - permanently. You have been warned! The same goes for fake tracklists, attention-seeking 'rumor' threads etc - don't!"


Absolute brilliance from beginning to end! Thank God this shit is memorialized

And I wonder if the vibe of this album will feel more like that. Already guitar sounds live-ish so there might be some really kickin cuts on it

Probably the best thing about it is how it solidified himself as a top notch guitar player among people who either forgot or didn't really ever realize

I'll never forget it.. was on my birthday .. (as well as the SuperBowl )

If Guitar rocks this hard in studio, can you just imagine it live!

Many songs sound much better live, for example Fury, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man ( the album version pales in comparison to the live versions, no matter what era) and countless other songs. Then again, there are also certain songs that work better as a studio version, for instance Kiss or When Doves Cry.

And then there are those songs that always sound great, and their many live incarnations and variations just add more to their greatness....like Something In The Water....which is great as a studio version and as a live version.

But, in general, Prince´s songs always sound a bit stronger performed live. Another example would be Days Of Wild, or Now, or Shhhh.

KoolEaze said:

Since that is the case then why can't the songs be performed the same way in the studio? His live songs do sound better and have a lot more energy in them

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Yeah on my Dvd player
But u know . i thought the SNL per4mance of Beautiful , Love & Blessed was cool 2, P appeard 2 B so..Happy

Id prefer to reflect on the dude he´s trying to copy...JIMI HENDRIX !
go search for Jimi Hendrix "machine gun" on Youtube, then tell me who´s the man !

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Really!?!

I guess I need to read the rules again Prince is such a fucking goddamned twat man What legal reason is there for preventing fans from watching a performance? Who here is making money off that shit. NOBODY. It's shit like this that makes me pinch my tits in glee that Prince is hated by so many

The performance still kicks ass

mplsmike said:

Funny you mention that. I thought Prince's performance of BLB was really bad. He sounded off-key the whole song - like he had a cold. I think he missed a cue at one point. Tamar started tentatively, then really gave it her all. She was good, but Prince was not, IMHO.

Seventeen said:

My thoughts exactly!

jpav said:

The recording of the whole show, including the Prince performances were distributed on DVD by NBC Universal. The recording was distributed to the Emmy Awards voting panel for consideration. Some copies were also accompanied by a supplementary disc, 'Saturday Night Live in the '80s, Lost and Found'.

The disc(s) are marked specifically 'Not for sale or further distribution'.

That, I believe, is the only 'official' recording of the performances that has leaked.

Interestingly, to my eyes / ears, this 'soundboard' recording sounds slightly less intimate and exciting than when it was seen / heard as a broadcast.

.

jpav said:

this is so true...It was a Saturday in February and my wife and i had a long day...I couldnot keep my eyes open to I decided to TIVO it so I wouldn't have to sit through the other crap. When I played it the next morning...I just smiled. I was literally blown away. The opening keyboard riffs, the killer guitar and the channeling of Hendrix with the voca and guitar playing. It was simply and incredible performance. My wife who is not a huge fan just sat there and said..."dang that boy is bad"
[Edited 6/19/07 14:14pm]

the SNL performance of Fury was HOTT! it was awesome! i love rewatching it over and over and over.....

This performance of Fury is one of his redeeming aspects i think.

Personally, i am quite dissapointed by most of the material he released on 'record' since the Gold Experience, but as a live artist he still has the quality that he can leave you in awe from time to time.

Indeed, the more raw guitar work on this live version and also / especially the vocals are really spirited, and make it so much better then version on the album.

And i have 'witnessed' him delivering some other, very inspired, brilliant live-versions in the last 12 years. To name a few:

The version of DMSR performed on a (french?) TV-show with the audience dancing close around him.

The sober, but deep-digging version of Reflection with Wendy on Tavis Smileys show

The version of The Ride on the Vegas-DVD: his best version so far, especially because of the way he 'croons' his vocals (such a playfull sense of timing!)

Musicology on the Jay Leno show, so much better with a splendid live band and a new arrangement then the version on the Musicology album.

The same goes up for the Everlasting now, again on Leno's show (or was it David Letterman, i dont exactly remember).

The version of Dinner with Dolores on an american TV-show, in the streets of New York (with Prince on piano, and Eric Leeds on flute)

Get on the boat performed during the ALMA-show. The elaborated arrangement (with the help of Gruppo Fantasma) sure makes it more lively and energtic then the version on the album.

Personally i hope Prince has been able to translate this lively, vivid 'vibe' to the songs and production on Planet Earth.
I mean: in terms of composing / songwriting Musicology and 3121 were probably better then Chaos and Disorder, But i really prefer the energy and livelieness the material on Chaos and Disorder was presented with over the flat, unspired deliverance of most of the songs on Musicology and 3121 (let alone the horrible Kirky J productions on Emancipation, New Power Soul, Rave and the totally uninspired sounding albums The chocolate invasion and The Slaughterhouse)

The first time I saw Tamar and the Twinz with him, Yuck!

Riverpoet31 said:

Yeah now Musicology on Leno, thats something that deserves reflection! He killed it.

The album should have been released immediately after the SNL performance. Instead of going gold, it may have gone platinum if this was the case.

jpav said:

Amazing...it is amazing. Readhead Stepchild fits right in with that song. Only thing it misses is a chorus to make u say.."thats what that song sounds like"