It's completely different to all the other stuff that's been available for download lately.

One could say Prince is trying to tell us something...

Listen (if you can) to Adore at the Tokio Kokusai Forum. He sang that song with a totally different attitude compared to all the other times on the European and US tours. Normally he plays around with the song, with jokes in it or at least showing off his voice. None of that... This time you can hear he's really thinking about the words... It gave me shivers down my spine!

What happend...?

marcuskuip said:

He fell in love. . . perhaps.. OR he's getting old and is reminissing over Susannah M???

Bambi319 said:

Or he's reminissing over Mani because they split up...?

marcuskuip said:

You're not making a big leap here or anything

He didn't split up with Mani did he? How can I hear the Tokyo version?

marcuskuip said:

Or he's reminissing over his POPular days!

Who care's why he did it, I'm just glad he did! This version is absolutely amazing for a live rendition. I hated the original version of this song, this version kicks ass!

If You Have Been A Prince Fam From Day One,You Wouldn't Be Amazed Or Surprised,I Had Empty Room For 3Yrs Now,I Got All Prince Songs Before They Pulled The Plug!Make Love Not War,Peace:)

Anyone know when this song was recorded?

marcuskuip said:

Because everyone always talked about that unreleased jam

Because he had no doubts it was a choice that would totally please his fans...

If I remember correctly didn't Prince record "Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife" while he was in Japan? I can't remember where I heard that? Can anybody remember?

If this is the case, maybe Prince was reminiscing on the past with Mayte on his return trip to Japan.

But that's just pure speculation!

Hi there,

I am just wondering if anybody knows from which soundcheck/concert the download version of Empty Room is coming from. Any ideas?

Peace, 2 yall

To answer the subject at hand:

"why did Prince pick Empty Room?"

Answer: 2 attract members for year 3, pure & simple

EmptyRoom is wild on that npgmc d/l . . . what is that song that is real mellow & sexy,& at about 4:20 the guitar solo kicks in?
that piece is magic i love it!

joecoco i thought u were leaving this joint a while ago?
wtf happened brotha?

Joshy84au said:

Hi brotha,

"don't get it twisted" 4 i am NOT -JoeyCoco- ...
A small letter that makes a big difference...

Peace

Empty Room is one of my favorite Prince songs, but I think the download version is kinda dissapoiting...espessially after hearing the version he did at Xenophobia. But don´t get me wrong I´m very happy with the download!!!

I´m also wondering why he´s playing it so much lately...Crystal Ball 2 (???)

sabaisabai said:

You read it in the Emancipation jewelcase booklet.Doubt it.

Empty Room was first recorded in 1985 and is understood to have been written after a disagreement with Susannah Melvoin. The song was subsequently re-recorded in 1992 for the I'll Do Anything sessions. The 1985 version was revamped in 1995, and a video made, which was sometimes aired before the European Gold Experience concerts. (Most info from Turn It Up 2.0)

Prince surprised everyone by playing the song live for the first time at the 2002 Celebration (last night).

On the European leg of ONA it was played three times during soundchecks (I believe) - Dublin, Antwerp and Copenhagen - and live twice (I believe) in London (3/10) and Manchester (7/10). As reported on prince.org, he was asked at The Click after the London show if he had any intention of releasing 'Empty Room', to which he replied 'No.'

I've not seen any setlists from Japan showing it was played there.

the version played in London was very electric and Prince expected that every one in the Npg front rows knew it...he was well aware that we knew it well!

When Prince sang adore, maybe he was singing to the person he loves or maybe even God.

LaVisHh said:

The origional version is from (I believe) 93,but its not as good as the updated Empty Room '95,which has more guitar,and is WAY better!!

---

langebleu & thebumpsquad, thanks for both responses. So it seems what is agreed upon is that it got it's finishing touches in 1995.

It's always hard to guess, but if he wrote it when his heart was in pain, perhaps he's been looking back at his life.

It's always cool to read the why's and who's involved in a song being produced, esp when written in the liner notes.

joecoco said:

It was recorded live at the Copenhagen soundcheck.

Love4oneanother,
Marcus

thebumpsquad said:

I would put the dates as:

Original recording: 4 August 1985

Remake version for 'I'll Do Anything': 1992

Version based on original recording, together with video and publication of lyrics: 1994

Turn It Up suggests that it was recorded originally as far back as 4th August 1985. When Prince came to take on the 'I'l Do Anything Project' in 1992, he is known to have recorded and worked on 9 songs for the film in Sydney, during April - although Empty Room is not mentioned. He undertook further work during May of that year back in the US, which is possibly when the song was re-recorded.

Lyrics to the song were printed in the Paisley Park publication, 'Neo Manifesto - Audentes Fortuna Juvat' in July, 1994.

The remake version I originally (incorrectly) cited as the '95 remake (based on the '85 original') was recorded in 1994 - later to be aired sometimes in 1995 before some of the 'Ultimate Live Experience' concerts.

Marcus points out that the download version is from the Copenhagen soundcheck, 25 October, 2002
[This message was edited Tue Jan 7 7:04:14 PST 2003 by langebleu]

Let's face it, we ALL want new music, and the more the merrier, but I'm a little disappointed with this rendition. I'm glad I have it, but NOTHING beats the 94/95 version. That kicks serious ass. Why it still lurks in the vaults is beyond me.

What a peculiar fella Prince is; sitting on tunes like that, that he KNOWS are killer!

R E L E A S E I T !!!

langebleu said:

Sorry, I was referring to why what happened with his serious rendition of Adore at the Tokio Kokusai Forum, and
that maybe just his trip back to Tokyo was bringing back fond memories of time with Mayte. Nothing about Empty Room!

Peace,
Ben

marcuskuip said:

Was it? I was there, and hmm.. let me think, I can't really remember that, but.. hm..strange!..now when I think about it,.. I did think he played this song...

sabaisabai said:

No probs. My misinterpretation.

I think all these downloads us members recieved from him ...Xpectation somethin to do with OUR xpectation of him...Empty Room...something to do with t he fact they still aint a 2003 NPGMC ans NO WORD on one either!