I love this version from the Diamonds & Pearls VHS. Please somebody tell me that this was indeed a live session and not a lip sync video of an alternate recording of the track.

This to me is without doubt the most organic production and performance i have ever heard Prince perform with a band. The vocals are stellar. The whole "i'm ready to whisper" up to the screams of the "highest, highest HOUSE!" are a masterclass in band leadership. I would rate this as one of his greatest perfomances (alongside the SOTT concert movie version of 'Forever in my life').

This style of performance and sound is something i would really like to see Prince do more of.

I love that too, but i don't see what difference it makes if it was lip-syched. you know it's been reworked.
[Edited 3/19/09 6:21am]

it looks lip-synced to a live take of the song ... same as the SOTT movie

Dayclear said:

Simply because i remember how deflated i was when i read that the SOTT movie was lip synced to a previous live recording.

johnny2000 said:

I had my suspicions. Particularly when Tony M raps his verse into a mobile phone


Still a wonderful rendition. Far superior to the version on the album.

3121 said:

The horns and chord changes are C R A Z Y!!!

Love this Song!

daPrettyman said:

The horns are on great form. How he 'closes' all the instruments down at the end of the song is wonderful, too.

3121 said:

Lip-synced or not .... it is still a great version of the song I would agree (it would have been nice to see the actual LIVE recording of it though).
I have the same feeling about the SOTT movie, it would have been nice to see the actual footage. The Lovesexy concert I think is my favorite because it is ... LIVE.

this version from the Diamonds & Pearls VHS.

Is it available on a bootleg?
Because I have the VHS but no player anymore.

johnny2000 said:

I totally agree. I love the crazy hornsection. I'm not so taken with Tony's Rap though.

"Willing & Able" is my favorite video. I hope they put that up on the site soon.