What do you think of Prince reworking his old songs.

On the whole I think they've always be sucessful.

Witness 4 The Prosecution reworked as a funkier electronic version was for me as good as the earlier rock version, It's just a damn straight up classic in any form.

The released version of I Can't Stop This Feeling I got is great but I'll always go for the 1985/86 version which I believe is a reworking of an ealier 1982 version.

The Dance first released version of The Dance was OK but the 3121 version is far superior.

I've always loved U're Gonna C Me so I'm looking forward to hear what I hope and presume will be a more electronic Version

You can add So Dark to that if you ask me! I like the version on Come, but the remixed Crystal Ball release hits the spot every time!!

mushmackalenta said:

I never got into ONA. I just am not a piano solo listening kinda guy...but now i want to pull it out again and check it before i hear.

There are too many, but Tick, Tick, Bang is absolutely brilliant in it's earlier form.

I don't think I've heard an electronic version of Witness..., but I love that track.

None of the reworked versions of the songs listed really trip my trigger, except to listen to them as earlier versions. Witness without the horn elements and the backup singers is kinds cool, but the released version of Can't Stop This Feeling I Got is a fuller listen on my ears. Can't speak about the original version of the Dance, and U're Gonna C Me could sound better updated - though I never much cared for the disc that it comes from, with the exception of the title track.

That said, I liked the early version of Guitar and thought it would have been better to release as a single than the album version. I also like the early version of Strange Relationship almost better than the album version. Around the World In A Day as an early version, however, has too much uptempo rhythm goin' on, and I think the version that ended up on the album was more thoughtful.

There's an unreleased version of Gold that is far superior to the released one, and listening to it makes me think that, as a rule, too much tinkering on a song leads to overproducing leads to mediocrity. I think almost every example cited so far on this thread is an example of a song that got worse the more he tinkered. In general, I think spontaneous, off-the-cuff Prince is superior to overly-thought-out Prince.

ollytheman said:

Gotta say that the claim for this song (a completely redone phatter joint than before of something) was one instance where you don't mess with classic Prince 90s sound (and that song, to me, was just right for the time it was released.

Efan said:

I agree with this except I like The Dance after being reworked.

The original version of Endorphinmachine (with a phatter, rawer guitar and less synth-heavy production) was better IMHO.

eaglebear4839 said:

totally agree

phunkymunky said:

That's different than what is really up for discussion. There will be changes in production styles, additions and omissions as a song evolves. But to go back and try and re-create the past by censoring the words is the equivalent of taking a family photo and cutting out the father claiming you were never married.

That this is the action of a once trailblazer is horrifying and a slap in the face of everything that brought him to where he is.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

OK, nevermind. I should read the actual thread before commenting Re-working them during the creation process, fine. Reworking them to suit an agenda you didn't have a the time, disgraceful.

The early albums all need to be remastered!

mushmackalenta said:

i prefer the original version. i've listened to the 3121 version about 5 or 6
times but i just can't stand it.

it's now one of the probably 8 or 9 songs in his entire catalogue that i just
cannot listen to at all, no matter how hard i try.

but the original version, now that's a beauty. i love that one. it's so nice
and understated, melodic and beautiful. it's an absolute gem.

the new version tries to hard to be "the beautiful ones" and ends up being a
parody of both that song and the original of the dance. falling totally flat.

i'm all for recycling

and environmentally friendly homes

thekidsgirl said:

As long as they don't compress the crap out of them like a lot of other remasters.

No dynamics, no light and shade... terrible.

I don't understand. If it's not loud enough. Turn the volume up! it's very simple.

I usually just like the originals.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

Agreed. Whatever work you produce in your life says soemthing about you at that time, whether good or bad. He can choose to not play stuff if he wants, but changing the fundamentals of a song because he's now a JW is pointless. His songs have always had a strong religious/spiritual dimension since the early days and that didn't stop him from spitting out some filthy lyrics. Yes, it's a contradiction (shared by half of the hiphop community) but changing them now is a bit too hypocritcial for my liking.

TyphoonTip said:

yeah, that's my biggest gripe too! The songs are perfect the way they are, just the sound quality and of course volume level needs to be updated

Why recycle old songs when there is a vault full of unreleased songs???

IstenSzek said:

I've never heard the original. I don't think. Is it on one of the NPGMC Ahdio shows?

NeptuneHQ said:

You're making an assumption that we know when Prince thinks a song is 'finished'.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

People change, their take on their past will change with them. Thats life.

There are certain songs that didn't need to be touched like Endorphinmachine or Come or Tick Tick Bang but there certain ones where I like the newer version to the old like So Dark or Witness 4 The Prosecution. There are a few where I like both equally like The Dance. It all depends on the song and what he does with it.

SupaFunkyOrgangrinderSexy said:

I think it was. "The Dance" was definately on The Chocolate Invasion and I got that from the Musicology Store in 05.

lezama said:

That's why you move the fuck on and create a new life instead of trying to recreate the past.

TyphoonTip said:

ive noticed that standard car stereos sound much better with uncompressed albums than new compressed music. even premium factory stereos in high end car sound better with uncompressed music than new compressed music.
people with their weak ass car stereos or cheap boom boxes trying to play their shitty compressed music super loud

there's a concept in psychology called "first imprint" and without getting to deep. i think that perhaps our exposure to songs before their "official" release creates an imprint that everything else has to measure up to and perhaps we don't give it the same CHANCE, because there's already a "standard" in our minds. i'm ambivalent actually about hearing some other versions of stuff i've heard so much about. i'm content with the album versions i actually got of:

We Can Funk
The Dance
Can't Stop
etc.

Cuddles said:

There, of course, has always been the need for a certain amount of compression. But recently it's gotten out of hand.

http://www.turnmeup.org/