I recently heard the Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic from the Hague 88 show (that modal guitar solo is the trippiest he's ever played!), and I finally get why people were excited when the track finally came out years later on a proper album.

However, we all know how the proper release turned out. Poop on toast!

I feel like there's always this weird thing with Prince, where he's playing these amazing shows with raw energy and intense instrumentation, and then either the songs never get released, or we get the watered-down version.

Can you imagine an album where he just recreated (and shortened) the versions we hear in concerts? Would be mind-blowing, even with some of the material he's done recently.
[Edited 1/17/08 5:11am]

That´s why bootlegs are so popular among the real fans because they give you a glimpse of what he´s really capable of. And no, don´t even suggest editing the live versions, I like them the way they are..the longer, the better . Those who have heard that infamous "Neon Rendezvous" rehearsal with that 14 min. raw version of Something In The Water and that 15 min. version of Noon Rendezvous with Prince on vocals know what I´m talking about. Sure, the album versions of these songs in particular are very good but the rehearsal versions are pure , uncut, raw magic.

It all depends on the song in question because some songs sound better as a studio version ( Kiss, When Doves Cry etc. ) and some sound better live. Then again, there´s that half live, half studio version of If I Was Your Girlfriend off the SOTT movie, and I prefer the movie version over any live or the album version. That rendition with that voice was superb.

KoolEaze said:

That version of Noon Rendezvous is still of my top fav live performances from Prince. Guess it's a personal choice. Reading more of your comment. I much prefer the studio version of If I was your girlfriend over any time I've heard it live.

I was just listening to It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night and thinking it was a good idea putting a live version on the album.I could'nt imagine a studio version because it sounds like it was meant to be live.

Absolutely. I actually was flipped out excited to hear the studio version of Life of the Party after hearing it on the first Musicology concert. I never thought the official version would make me want to jump off a cliff

Fury is testament to this as well. The studio version aint got shit on the SNL performance.
[Edited 1/16/08 20:23pm]

cracknbush said:

So true , that´s what I´m saying , too. Most live versions pale in comparison to the studio/album version of If I Was Your Girlfriend. Especially the version at the O2 with that horrible horn or whatever it was, and the singing style....that´s a very intimate song and not really effective as a live song.

However, I really like that movie version, and that New Year´s Eve version from that 1987 Paisley Park concert ( where Miles showed up ) was also kinda special and very heartfelt and intimate. But, all in all, I share your opinion. And yes, Noon Rendezvous ( rehearsal ) is a song that is always on high rotation in my household, probably the most listened to song at my place. I love it, can´t get enough of it. It´s that good. Sometimes I put it on repeat for hours.

I kinda see what you're saying, but for me I find that hearing tracks live actually make me like the album versions more.

The most recent example of this is Chelsea Rodgers at the O2 shows, and the earliest examples I can remeber is A.U.T omatic on Parade tour, or The Cross on SOTT and Lovesexy.

I remember at the end of NPG act2 at the end of '93 at Wembley arena after the encore, he came back onstage with the band while the lights were on and thrashed out a 10 minute version of Peach!!!!

And I really do mean "thrashed"!!! It was nice to get a studio released version to hear what the song was actually meant to sound like ?!!!

You also need to take into account that alot of the live stuff sucks you in because of the atmosphere of the live shows. Its not just the music.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Both great examples...I remember thinking, my god, LotP is a new classic

MendesCity said:

That's what I thought too! I would have bet a month's pay on it

KoolEaze said:

and the way the keyboards come in with that instant blast

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I was so jazzed to hear Fury on 3121 based on the SNL performance. And while it was fine - it was definitely not "hot like fire."

KoolEaze said:

Purple Rain?

His most successful/known album. Nearly half of that is live. Let's Go Crazy could almost be live. Always reminds me of the beginning of the film.

Prince is definitely a class act live and I agree, alot of his songs were superb live, but the studio versions didn't quite live up.

Classic live songs

Days of Wild (all releases are live)
Peach
Come
The Ladder
Anna Stesia
3121
Guitar
Black Sweat

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Great examples. I remember after the SNL performance, EVERYONE it seemed was hyped up about hearing Fury on SNL and I was telling people not to get there hopes up too high and sure enough, people here were moaning for the rest of 2006 about how lame Fury was on record. I should have told everyone "I told you so". I still enjoyed Fury cause I was ready for what was coming but it was NOTHING compared to that performance.
[Edited 1/17/08 12:08pm]

PocketRocket said:

HELL YEAH

the live songs don't sound like the studio songs and the studio songs don't sound like the live songs. That's a good thing. Two seperate type of experinces to enjoy.

PocketRocket said:

Hmmm, Black sweat live! the only bit that was good at the O2 about this was when he would do the massive 2/3minute bass solo before hand (which he didn't do all nights).


I think the more studio produced songs such as Black sweat, Kiss and Alphabet st, come out worse when played in the live shows.

Its the time when real music by real musicians kind of backfires a bit!

MendesCity said:

I think the point is not so much that Prince is bad in the studio, but he is just so damn good live.

Having said that, I would love to hear a full album of Prince simply laying down 10 or so new songs in a recorded live set. No overdubs, no electronic effects added, nothing of that. That garage rock version of "Chaos and Disorder" posted on 3121.com a couple of weeks ago was mind blowing - it made the White Stripes sound like Michael Bolton!

Prince is the best entertainer out there today, because he can do it all and he does not disappoint.

mentalist said:

i do agree that black sweat sounds better in the studio than live ..but as 4 kiss the arrangement during 87-88 kicked the studio's version but now it's lost a lot of bite..and alphabet st hasn't changed in arragement since 2002

all in all i agree with ya

KoolEaze said:

I just saw the COntrovery Tour in Texas....

I definitely see your point. Why do the records seem so tame compared to the shows?

But even the live recordings don't pack the power of the show. I remember hearing Days of Wild after hearing about it. It didn't move me like it did the people who saw it performed live.

NDRU said:

i would say it has more of an impact on people who saw it live because it brings back the memories of that night the buzz of waiting for a show, even the little silly little things

b3xy said:

yeah I like Live in Vegas & ONA, but they weren't the same as actually being at a concert, music at full blast actually being created at that moment by Prince & the NPG