I've been on a Dream Factory kick lately and have been really digging on the track "Crystal Ball."

I'll get into why I love the song later, but I'm wondering if anyone else is intrigued by the differences/similarities in the different versions of the songs. To me, the song is comparable to "Computer Blue" in that each version has something special, something different that doesn't necessarily make it better, but significant enough to warrant repeated separate listens.


I first discovered the 9:30 version and loved it immediately. The sparse arrangements, twangy guitars and echoes on his voice really give the track a haunting feel that differs from P's pop/rock type songs. I also love how he features the female vocals (I believe it's Susannah in a lot of the background, but I'm not positive) and of course, Wendy and Lisa. To me, this version has a suite-like feel that isn't present in other versions, mainly because of the intense tempo changes and overall lack of instrumentation.


I then found a 11:10 version that is a little spookier, mainly because of the intense introduction. It's pretty creepy in a lot of ways, especially when the siren sound comes in. Somehow, the extra percussion and strings make his vocals that much more haunting. Still, I think the most intense part of the song "My Baby licked me fast..." gets drowned out by all of the added instrumentation.


I finally got the Crystal Ball CD-set and thus received the "official" version of the song, which I'm still trying to digest. Clare Fischer's arrangements are overwhelming, especially after listening to the more basic versions. The added strings and intro give the the song a really mysterious vibe that I can't say I'm in love with.

Ok, enough of what I think. Any thoughts?

Mind clearing. The song reminds me a little of "Around the world in a day" and "Dance On" with the percussion. I really like it, and it is playing now...

X-pert Lover....Have U ever had a Crystal Ball?

I suppose the eyes of Love can see True love for miles and miles.

Song rocks - prefer the sparse version (non orchestra)...just the opening drum beat, and he starts....sinister mind blowing stuff

Tame said:

An absolute masterpice - whatever version you listen to.

My favorite section: "aaaallll right... expert lover it's gonna be aaaallll right"

One of P's greatest moments. Amazing that he played everything by himself with that crazy arrangement. Spooky but funky at the same time. Claire Fisher's strings really make this song standout.

The last verse with the police siren makes me visualize the character killing the girl after begging her for some. Telling her "hey this is gonna be cool if you take this ride with me" and then "pow".

I like it!

I don' tknow i have to ask my mommmy first. lololol

LOVE it! I always imagine this song having a mini-movie, kinda like Thriller but more trippy and psychodelic and without the zombies . This song is just pure FIYAH!!!

My favourite version of this song, or 'suite', is the original 10 minute version with Clare Fishers orchestral arrangement and the speech about 'brothers and sisters of the purple underground'.

One of his best experimental songs ever!

toejam said:

followed right behind .."i don't know ..i'll have ask my mommy 1st..ahhhhh"

L4OATheOriginal said:

If I am asked why I am such a huge prince fan, rather than respond with my own words -- I would only need to give them Crystal Ball and The Exodus Has Begun. Both of these are in the same category -- beautifully complex, detailed, and brilliant masterpieces that no other artist could come close to creating. A full band would even have a hard time. Neither of these songs ever become repetitive, boring, or old. I'm no musician or art-historian, but these works are timeless in my opinion and transcend genre to become as masterful as any artist in western-era history.

This is an absolute masterpiece.

Thank you for the analysis. This is what the board needs more of vs what condom does Prince use,etc.

Anyway I first heard this at age of 15 when I went to Revolver Records and picked up the Jewel Box 1.

I had no idea what I was hearing, it was creepy, haunting, and fng groovin.

This song should be studied in music school for it's ability to bring a mood to life, stay complicated throughout and it's use of layers.

It's is also illustrates why many of us feel his last few albums have been filler.... Not asking for Crystal ball part 2, but something pushing boundaries again.

aalloca said:

those were the days ..

Jatrig said:

That's an interest context to put the song in Jatrig, I've never thought about it that way. I would be a little afraid of handing over "Crystal Ball" to someone who has just heard the mainstream hits...maybe it would scare them away?


I agree though, I think songs like these and Computer Blue are some of the most important songs that P ever wrote and preformed, they show his range and the amount of experimentation is extraordinary.

I think I need to go cue up the track again!

aalloca said:

Thanks for your thoughts aalloca, I really appreciated the response. I love writing, reading and responding to posts like these - the discussion that they can generate makes coming here worthwhile. I won't lie, I click on my fair share of silly threads (photos, outfits, etc) but the reason I came to the org originally was to find deeper analysis and information from fellow fans.

Can I ask what Jewel Box 1 is? I assume it's a boot? I've only been a hardcore P fan for the past 6 months or so, so I'm not really familiar with the world of CD boots.

Good point about filler on the last few albums. I always get angry when people completely dismiss his last few albums because I don't feel like they're horrible pieces of music, but they definitely don't go anywhere near the amount of depth and experimentation that P approached in the 1980s. They're decent albums, but certainly don't approach the heights of songs like Crystal Ball, Computer Blue, etc.

Maybe at this point he's incapable of reaching that far within, maybe he doesn't want to? Either way, we'll probably never get an answer, and it's probably none of my business, but I think the strength of tracks like Crystal Ball make a pretty strong case for why we should continue to follow his musical output.

What other songs do you think approach this level? I'm extremely partial to the different versions of Computer Blue, but like I said, I'm a relatively new fan and have really only skimmed the surface in the last few months. I've digested most of the studio albums from For You to Sign 'o' the Times and a few assorted outtake collections.

Masterpiece! Loved it from the first time I heard it!

PurplePony said:

Love your sig!

Great song. When people say that Prince is a musical genius I automatically think of this song. The arrangements and changes within the song are fantastic. A true masterpiece which often seems to be forgotten.

I always think of Prince like a Picaso absrtact artist when i hear this song.
The work of a great artist.
Musicaly Prince was so on top of him game at this time, simply incredible.

violetblues said:

Definitely, I would say that it's one of his last big masterpieces. Messy, sprawling and the culmination of several years of great work.

Never heard it, like many of his hard to find things.

I really like the song although I know only one version of it.

It would have interesting to know what fans and critics would have made of
it back in 1987 when it was originally intended to be released. I love the track,
and personally I'd have loved to seen Prince segue it with 'The Ball' (starting
with 'The Ball' and segueing into 'Crystal Ball' instead of 'Joy In Repetition')
Which would have created a track almost a quarter of an hour long!

BorisFishpaw said:

Interesting thought Boris. I'm a relatively new fan and a youngin' (21) so I don't think any amount of research would allow me to accurately gauge how the media and fans would have reacted. It's hard for me to imagine the Prince mania that existed in the early 80s. I mostly grew up in the early 90s when Prince was really laughed at and made fun of most of the time, so it's hard to see envision as a such a truly popular AND well-regarded artist who ALSO sold extremely large amounts of albums.

From what I understand, at that point in time P had never released something quite so detailed and sprawling...and the public would probably be a little overwhelmed already by Dream Factory in its entirety - it seems rather ambitious compared to the simple psychedelic pop of ATWIAD and Parade. Still, I would have loved to see an official CD release of this song (adding "The Ball" is a most interesting idea! 15-minute P track = heaven for me!) and Dream Factory, because it's most definitely one of my favorite P albums.

Great song!
I think the album is Fantastic~ it!

Just found this from Uptown:

"Three 1986 tracks were released in different versions on the Crystal Ball three-CD set in 1998: "Crystal Ball" (included on Dream Factory and Crystal Ball), "Movie Star (a Dream Factory track), and "Crucial." There are three different unreleased versions of "Crystal Ball." All three versions include a spoken segment by Wendy and Lisa that begins "sisters and brothers of the purple underground." Prince decided to omit the "purple underground" speech when he released the song on the Crystal Ball set. The 11:10-minute version #1 is longer than the released track (10:28 minutes). Versions #2 and #3 include an echo on Prince's voice that is not on version #1 or the released track. At 9:28 minutes, version #3, which is from the final configuration of Dream Factory, is the shortest version. It appears to be an edit of version #2 as it has some slight edits here and there that make it shorter than #2."

Adds a little more clarity to my rambling descriptions! It seems like I was wrong...the track was originally longer, rather than shorter, which is what I thought...
[Edited 5/18/08 20:38pm]
[Edited 5/18/08 20:40pm]

^ That Uptown info isn't entirely correct (or rather, it implies things which
aren't entirely correct). The version of Crystal Ball included on the 1998
"Crystal Ball" set was not edited for this release. The 'purple underground'
speech had already been edited out in 1987 when the song was included
as the title track on the original 1987 "Crystal Ball" album (which was later
pared down and released as "Sign O' The Times").

It's a great song and possibly one of his greatest single-song artistic acheivements.

If I had to play someone ONE song that epitomized Prince, this would be it. It's rock, it's funk, it's quirky and has a lot of psychosexual stuff going on. And it's a got a spiritual bent to it as well.



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