Hi,
i was wondering what songs u think prince doesnt do justice to in his live sets (past or present).

I remember prince once told a press conference that when he eventually did a live album then perhaps 'he'd get when doves cry right for once'.

i have to agree that with the man on that choice, i just dont think that the song is suited for a concert setting. Maybe the track is just too intimate between the author and listener to be shared? i always imagined him doing this track in a very intimate setting with him at the piano accompianied only by a small chamber string section. just the thought of such a performance just blows me away.

so, its over to you, what track do you think prince doesnt do justice to live and why? how would you like to see it performed?

Billy Jack Bitch, Now, and few other Gold tracks didn't sound right seeing them live at the Miami Glam Slam.

Too many overdubs playing in the background.

Perhaps that was the problem, if he would have left his voice sample out of the live performance the songs could have been better.


I think this is when this sort of performance was still new to him. With the sampling and all.

"The Digital Garden" would be fairly strange played live...

I've never thought Kiss sounds good live. Just something about that song that doesn't translate...

People are always ecstatic to hear the opening chords of raspberry beret and then what happens? He butchers it!

Just for once i'd love to hear a full version live.

I didn't like 1+1+1=3 during ONA. Much better on the CD. I thought for sure it would kick ass and it sounded very bland.

GOD

That's not true, I got an amazing live record of "GOD" back from '85 (oh shame on me for owning such thing). Anyway I think "tamborine" is a song I wouldn't want to hear live.

loon, he plays the full version of raspberry on the ONA tour...or at least he did at the show i saw. it was GREAT hearing this FINALLY in its entirety.

i kinda agree with you supa on 1+1+1, or at least i did until i heard the live one on the latest single (which is from lakeland, the show i went to...and i can hear myself making some silly WHOO!! after prince says, "i'm talking 'bout theocratic order, are you with me tonight?") -- now that's my get-happy-cuz-you're-going-to-work song, as well as my get-happy-cuz-you're-finished-with-work song. i do remember being a bit disappointed in that song at the show...feels like it's a bit slower and more laid-back than on the album.

i'm sorta going the other way with the whole overdubs debate now, cuz days of wild sounds SO much better with the "hold on 2 your wigs" sample included...

WHEN DOVES CRY LOVE THE SONG BUT NOT LIVE

allanb said:

true...it just don't sound right live 4 some reason...

'Lovesign' live didn't nearly live up to the recorded song--at least from the Today show appearance. Too bad cuz i like that song.

I know I'm gonna get a lot of slack for this one but it would be just fine with me if he NEVER played "Purple Rain" again. I didn't like it in 1984 and I don't like it 2002. Although i have to admit that it sounds a whole lot better live.

dearlybeloved said:

i totally agree with u on this one. it's like, "couldja please play somethin other than that??? u got like, what, a gadrillion other songs in your repertoire that u can do 4 an encore!!! surprise us!!!"

When Doves Cry, Prince has hardly played it live, i think cuz of its pace, it is problematic 2 perform.

Sam

Thecherryloon said:

The ONA tour he plays it full and its great. Previous to this tour his version was appalling. Check out a recent live boot if you can as he finally does this song justice.

?
[This message was edited Wed Feb 26 4:33:35 PST 2003 by IstenSzek]

dearlybeloved said:

I can relate, but at the Celebration he played it on piano and it was somewhat different and very beautiful.
that said, i would rather hear the Cross, Anna Stesia, The Ladder, Sometimes it Snows, or the Holy River--but that's me.

Wedding Feast! Although this goes without saying.

PlastikLuvAffair said:

While I agree that the Purple Rain tour version of When Doves Cry was a bit 'off', the SOTT/Lovesexy version was a real spine tingler - One of the Finkmeisters finest moments I thought!

I have heard the version of "When Doves Cry" from the "Neon Rendezvous" rehearsal, and I LOVE it! There is such an outpouring of emotion! However, I'd say that as a whole, it is a very difficult song to translate live. Others I believe would be hard to capture live:

-Sexuality
-Tamborine
-Around the World in a Day
-Do U Lie?
-Life Can Be So Nice
-The Future
-Lemon Crush
-Live 4 Love
-Thunder
-The Continental
-Loose!
-Pheremone
-Emale
-Slave
-New World
-The Human Body
-Crystal Ball- wouldn't THAT be an achievement?
-Dream Factory
-Movie Star
-Cloreen Baconskin
-Strange But True

Of the ones you have listed here I know I've heard "Life Can Be So Nice" and "The Future". Both sounded great live.

TRON said:

Really? I'd like to hear them! They are both great, but I get the feeling that it would be hard to translate the feeling of the studio versions in a live performance.

Moonbeam said:

Get a bootleg of Nude 90 Moonbeam. The Future kicked that show off and it seriously kicked arse.Awesome.

Malloy said:

Wow! "The Future" is one of my favorites from "Batman." It truly transcends the whole theme and rocks my world every time I hear it! I'd love to hear it live based on the input here!

Sexy Dancer always sounds lame live as does, Dirty Mind.

Actually, Lets Go Crazy bores me live. It was done one great time on PR.


PR is great on the Germany 94 bootleg.

Bob George makes no sense live.

Kiss is usually lame live as is, Gett Off.

And please Prince, stop with the Sly covers and the Larry covers!

love or money

The future was the 1st track I saw and heard Prince do live, back in 1990- it was pumpin.. the whole stadium went up and down...'Around the world...' and 'Life can be so nice' sounded quite like the originals when he played them live during the Parade tour.

Moonbeam said:

Its Gonna Be A Beautiful Night

Well I wouldn't say they're not good but Adore, I love you, But I don't trust U, Sometimes it Snows...

Every concert nearly, he sits down at the piano for a min. and he plays little hints to the songs, short versions. To a fan like me that's nerve wreckin.

When the crowd hears the opening chord to 'Adore' then, "until the end of time" (slowly sang) The crowd goes wild! But he doesn't finish the song

You can't tease us like that...

Blue
[This message was edited Thu Sep 26 16:24:05 PDT 2002 by TheBluePrince]