Decided to start up writing after a year or so's break. Started with a blog post on a Prince B-Sides compilation I've been compiling... what d'ya think?

---

On the Flipside... - Prince B-Sides compilation

Everything Prince released between 1979 and 1989 is essential listening for any serious fan of popular music, and the B-sides to the many singles from this period are no exception. For a long time now I've intended to compile these flipsides in a way that would highlight individual tracks but also feel like a cohesive collection, an actual release. So, where to start?

Firstly, it was case of finding the best versions of each of the 21 flipsides from the 1980s, be that the edits from the 1993 compilation The Hits/The B-Sides, the original 7" sides, or the extended cuts that appeared on the 12" vinyls. For some, the choice was obvious. The extended cut of 'La, La, La, He, He, Hee', for example, is outrageously funky, with the verses and chorus giving way to some truly astounding modulated bass playing from Prince. '17 Days', on the other hand, does not quite carry the same groove in it's extended form - in fact, the edit should have been a single itself.

From there, I discarded 'Escape', a hotch-potch of unrelated ideas from Lovesexy, and two cuts already given greater context on the unreleased Camille album, 'Shockadelica' and 'Feel U Up'. I also decided to add the stunning ballads 'Power Fantastic' and 'Pink Cashmere' from The Hits/The B-Sides, even though they were not actually released as B-Sides, as they dated back to 1986 and 1988 respectively.

The temptation to include the higher quality outtakes from the period was huge, especially as some really deserve this considered treatment. There was also an argument for simply compiling the tracks chronologically. But this would do many a disservice. For a start, it would mean that the compilation would end with '200 Balloons', perhaps the weakest of the bunch, and that the vocal and instrumental versions of 'God' would be sandwiched together - surely too much to take in one sitting.

In the end, I've decided to leave off the outtakes altogether and divide the tracks into two CD's worth of material. Taken separately, both discs would stand up to Prince's run of classics between Dirty Mind and Lovesexy. In fact, the first disc would be considered amongst his best from that period. Still, the flipsides have a feel and charm all their own - loose, spontaneous and supremely confident. They feature Prince at his most fearless and, arguably, his most enjoyable.

Here's the final tracklisting:

DISC 1
1. God (Vocal) - [4:05] - B-Side to 'Purple Rain' (1984)
2. Hello - [6:14] - B-Side to 'Raspberry Beret' (1985)
3. Erotic City - [5:31] - B-Side to 'Let's Go Crazy' (1984)
4. 17 Days - [3:55] - B-Side to 'When Doves Cry (1984)
5. She's Always In My Hair - [6:31] - B-Side to 'Paisley Park' (1985)
6. Power Fantastic - [4:44] - From The Hits/The B-Sides compilation (1993)
7. La, La, La, He, He, Hee - [10:45] - B-Side to 'Sign of the Times' 12" (1987)
8. How Come You Don't Call Me Anymore? - [3:52] - B-Sides to '1999' (1982)
9. Another Lonely Christmas - [6:47] - B-Side to 'I Would Die 4 U' (1984)
10. God (Instrumental) - [8:01] - B-Side to 'Purple Rain' UK 12" (1984)

DISC 2
1. 200 Balloons - [5:06] - B-Side to 'Batdance' (1989)
2. Irresistible Bitch - [4:13] - B-Side to 'Let's Pretend We're Married' (1983)
3. Gotta Stop (Messin' About) - [2:55] - B-Side to 'Let's Work' (1982)
4. Horny Toad - [2:13] - B-Side to 'Little Red Corvette' (1983)
5. Girl - [7:35] - B-Side to 'Pop Life' UK (1985)
6. ♥ or $ - [6:47] - B-Side to 'Kiss' (1986)
7. Scarlet Pussy - [6:11] - B-Side to 'I Wish U Heaven' (1988)
8. Pink Cashmere - [6:15] - From The Hits/The B-Sides compilation (1993)
9. Alexa de Paris - [4:58] - B-Side to 'Mountains' (1986)
10. I Love U In Me - [4:14] - B-Side to 'The Arms of Orion' (1989)

Biggs31 said:

Just wanted to point out that there isn't an extended version of 17 Days.
(the one everyone's picked up on file-sharing sites is fan-made)

Also, the edits on 'The Hits/The B-Side' ARE the original 7" versions.

Sooooo, basically The B-Sides disk, give or take a couple of tracks. I like the disk as is.

If you really wanted to go B-side, then pick up on stuff like Get Off, Lubricated Lady, Loveleft - Loveright, Violet The Organ Grinder, Gangsta Glam, Clockin' The Jizz, Rock N Roll Is Alive, Sex, Feel U Up, etc etc.

There's another whole segment of B-sides that could go on a new disk instead of rearranging the ones already released.

BorisFishpaw said:

Right, the real extended version is in the vault.

My B-sides and rarities compilation:

B-sides and Rarities 1

1 We want Prince-Sexual Harassment (long version)
2 Gotta stop (messin’ about)
3 How come u don’t call me anymore
4 Horny toad
5 Irresistible bitch
6 17 days
7 Erotic city (dance mix)
8 God
9 God (instrumental)
10 Another lonely Christmas (long version)
11 4 the tears in your eyes (“We are the world” version)
12 She’s always in my hair (new mix)
13 Hello (fresh dance mix)
14 Girl (long version)

B-sides and Rarities 2

1 Love or $ (extended version)
2 Alexa De Paris (extended version)
3 6 ½-Madhouse
4 10 ½-Madhouse
5 13 ¼-Madhouse
6 La la la he he hee (highly explosive) (with Sheena Easton)
7 Shockadelica (extended version)
8 Escape (long version)
9 Scarlet pussy (long version)
10 Good love (“Bright lights, big city” version)
11 200 balloons
12 Feel u up (long stroke)
13 I love u in me

B-sides and Rarities 3

1 Sex
2 Love song-Madonna
3 T.C.’s rap
4 Brother with a purpose
5 Get off
6 The lubricated lady
7 Loveleft, loveright
8 Horny pony
9 Violet the organ grinder
10 Gangster glam
11 Clockin’ the jizz
12 Things have gotta change (Tony M rap)
13 2 the wire
14 Get some solo
15 Do your dance
16 Housebangers
17 Q in doubt


B-sides and Rarities 4

1 Ethereal mix
2 Call the law-New Power Generation
3 51 hours-Diamond and Pearl
4 2 whom it may concern
5 Power fantastic
6 4 the tears in your eyes (video mix)
7 Interactive (CD-ROM version)
8 Kirk J’s B-sides remix
9 Free the music-New Power Generation
10 Rock N Roll is alive (and it lives in Minneapolis)
11 On sale now
12 When will we b paid
13 Underneath the cream
14 Gamilah
15 2045 radical man
16 Magnificent
17 United States of Division
18 Silver tongue

B-sides and Rarities 5

1 Purple house
2 Brand New Orleans
3 PFUnk
4 The morning after
5 In a large room with no light
6 We all wanna be Prince-Felix Da Housecat

B-sides and Rarities 6 (the live B-sides)

1 Face down (NYC live)
2 1+1+1=3 (live)
3 Gotta broken heart again (live at Las Vegas)
4 Strange relationship (live at Las Vegas)
5 Sometimes it snows in April (live at Las Vegas)
6 Dear Mr man (live at Webster Hall)
7 Vicki waiting (live at Paisley Park)
8 We march (live at Paisley Park)
9 Te amo Corazon / Fury (recorded live at the 2006 Brit awards)
10 Just my imagination
11 Blues in C (if I had a harem)
12 While my guitar gently weeps (at the 2004 Rock N Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony) (with Tom Petty, Jeff Lynne, Dhani Harrison, Steve Winwood and others)

First off, I love threads about b-sides. There are very few Prince b-sides that I don't care for. I would never put Another Lonely Christmas on any compilation that I want to listen to on a regular basis. I just don't do Christmas songs - but that's my hang-up. Also, my preference is to use extended versions when possible and place them in their respective time-line. I'll usually go with the God Love Theme over the vocal version too. Oh, and Escape is a must-have for me.

That said, your comp is a great start Biggs. DJDaffy's is killer. I think I'll do something very similar. What happened to SST, though? I snipped out the gap between SST and Brand New Orleans and it makes a pretty cool extended cut.

djdaffy1227 said:

I agree, I only miss 'when eye lay my hands on U'

I'd never leave Shockadelica or Feel U Up off any B-side compilation. Two of my favourites. I'd go with the official release and add Love or Money and Horny Pony, with extended versions across the board.

My "Horny Toad," single has "Delirious," on the back.

Great Songs.

squirrelgrease said:

SST was the a-side. It's on the "singles" portion of my set. I also have an "alternate mixes" set. I haven't updated it yet to put "Dance 4 me (icon mix)".

djdaffy1227 said:

I just always consider those orphan singles double b-sides since they haven't been released on an album. SST/BNO always seem inseparable to me. But I understand your logic.

i would add

Space universal love mix

oldpurple said:

That's a bit more of a remix, not a B-side.

ernestsewell said:

yep, it's on the "alternate mixes" discs I made.