I was just listening to an acoustic version of this song, and I'm convinced that this is one of Prince's finest... rawest... rock jams.

The extended version that's on SOTT is just amazing!

I'm surprised that this song didn't become more of a classic. It's far from one of the first songs that you think of when you think of Prince... but it's stellar! Such an amazing song... from beginning to end!

Such a peak!

MantuaPharoah said:

Yes I truly agree and I think its one of his best ( I dont particularly like him but Jordan Knight did a really good remake of this song) For a new age remake he made me proud but of course no one can do it like "P" check it out
http://www.youtube.com/wa...FqQwdMkLhE

This is a Classic!!!!

Its the long version that goes to show you how bad-ass this dude is..its hypnotic and his use of the guitar within the groove he creates is classic.

IMO the best hit that never was and the performance from SOTT was brilliant!

10 outta 10!

It is a great song - even better live. The Goo Goo Dolls turned it into a rocker on one of their earlier albums.

MantuaPharoah said:

I agree!

Man, I would love to hear the original 1982 version of this song!

simply an awesome song.

The ending reminds me of a My Morning Jacket jam, and as it turns out, they've covered this song multiple times in concert. Jim James is a big Prince fan.

a Sign '☮' The Times classic,

the drums intro in the movie is incredible...

and so is the guitar solo...

I love the studio/ album version too,

a 10/10 song, imo.
[Edited 1/27/10 21:39pm]

This is one of my favourite Prince songs !
To me it's one of his most perfect pop songs, it has the perfect balance of predictability & innovation. There isn't a weak or boring spot in the entire song.
& I love having the coda at the ending because sometimes you want to listen to it & others you don't so you have the choice. It's also the first song I learned to play on guitar & it showed me that less is is often more. I was blown away when I heard this song & had it on repeat for agesssss I couldn't get enough. The second verse is my favourite part <3

I would love 2 hear this song & Guitar together, they have a similar vibe
I love the feel of the Dream Factory unrel. and the SOTT cut,it fit both albums very well



B-side "Hot Thing"
Released November 3, 1987
Format 7" single
12" single
Recorded Home studio, Minneapolis and Sunset Sound; 1982–1986

The track was originally cut in Prince's home studio in 1982. It was brought out of the vault and updated for the unreleased, final album with The Revolution, Dream Factory. At this time, the song had a few seconds of the bluesy coda just before the main guitar solo. It was edited out before Sign “☮” the Times.

The song is an upbeat pop number featuring a combination of live drumming with two drum machine patterns. Also featured are two guitar solos, one wild and energetic and one more bluesy and subdued in the full album cut. The song consists of two verses and two choruses, followed by a lengthy instrumental coda. Although the lyrics are somewhat sad, painting the image of a woman desperately seeking a man to replace the one who left, while Prince refuses, saying that she wouldn't be satisfied with a one-night stand, the infectious music and accompanying music video pushed this song to the top 10 in the U.S. The video was pulled from the Sign “☮” the Times film, and is a live take of the song, and included the horn section of Eric Leeds and Atlanta Bliss.

The live version of "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" from the video and Sign “☮” the Times film includes a horn solo in the song's coda. The solo lifts a part of the "Camille" and Black Album track, "Rock Hard In a Funky Place".



I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

It was only last June when her old man ran away
She couldn't stop cryin' cuz she knew he was gone 2 stay
10:35 on a lonely Friday night
She was standin' by the bar ... mmm, she was lookin' alright, yeah
I asked her if she wanted 2 dance
And she said that all she wanted was a good man
And wanted 2 know if I thought I was qualified, yeah

And I said - "Baby, don't waste your time
I know what's on your mind
I may be qualified 4 a one night stand
But I could never take the place of your man"

It hurt me so bad when she told me with tears in her eyes
(Tears in her eyes)
He was all she ever had and now she wanted 2 die
He left her with a baby and another one on the way, yeah
She couldn't stop cryin' cuz she knew he was gone 2 stay, yeah

She asked me if we could be friends
And I said - "Oh honey, baby, that's a dead end
U know and I know that we wouldn't be satisfied, no"

And I said - "Baby, don't waste your time
I know what's on your mind
We wouldn't be satisfied (wouldn't be satisfied) with a one night stand
And I could never take the place of your man"

Yeah, yeah, the place of your man

1 2, 1 2!

© 1987 Controversy Music - ASCAP
[Edited 1/28/10 6:47am]

Did someone say the hit that never was? It peaked at #10 on the Billboard Hot 100. That's pretty darn good.

I LOVE the guitar solo. So passionate. One of my favorite prince songs.

one of my absolute favorites
he really sold himself to every inch of this song, emotion's running eveywhere
& it has such a great feel-good sound

AND ontop of all that it has a very fitting and fun solo
the music video is so energetic and wonderful

Such a marvelous composition. Maybe one of his best.

I love the version from the SOTT film. The solo he takes up on the platform is sooooo cool. Love it when the lights go out and you just see his silouhette pointing towards the horn section for the 'rock hard in a funky place' horn riff. He used to be so sick. Mindblowing performance.

Great song. The performance in the "SOTT" movie is pure guitar god-ness.

But Jordan Knight?!? BLECHHH! Who turns one of the greatest power chord rock songs ever into a BALLAD?

YUCK!

squirrelgrease said:

It's on their Hold Me Up album (1990 or 91?). I like that cover

zaza said:

That's back in the day when the Goos had that lounge singer Lance Diamond do the vox their cover songs. It worked.

squirrelgrease said:

Our similar musical taste really surprises me

zaza said:

WAT IS THE BIG DEAL OF THIS SONG. ITS THE WEAKEST TRACK ON SOTT. THE SONG AS A WHOLE IS WEAK AND HAS SIMPLE LYRICS. AND ITS LAME IN PRINCE STANDARDS

It's a masterpiece!

Love it. There was a time when i was living that song..memories!

alexothetimes said:

You need to stop shouting.

This was the first Prince song I ever liked. Just to quibble with the original post: the version on SOTT is not "extended". It is, by virtue and defintion of it being on SOTT, the album version.

squirrelgrease said:

That's right! Great version, with guest vocals from a Buffalo scenster (Can't recall his name right now).

squirrelgrease said:

Lance Diamond! That's it.

I lost prince at ATWIAD but when this came out OMFG the video just blew me out of the water have to say this is in my top ten no top five and edging towards the top three songs of Prince.

alexothetimes said:

Ummm... okay. If you say so.

I honestly believe that people here need to have some sort of test in order to be qualified to make posts.

Mods, what do you think? I'm not talking an IQ test... just something that ensures that Org members are above the primate development stage.

Just a thought.

MantuaPharoah said:

HA! Membership would be cut in half at least!

TwiliteKid said:

Hehe... AT LEAST!!!!!