One of my Facebook friends posted that "Tricky" was written as a diss to George Clinton. Can anyone confirm this? I can't find any info on this at all.

Never heard that rumor... It's funny how in the first verse he calls the guy "beanpole-lookin'", then the rest of the song, he calls him fat! I guess looking at the lyrics, it could be construed as being about George, but it could also be about Sly, or Larry Graham for all we know.

This had to be recorded either directly before or after "Cloreen Baconskin", I wonder how long Morris played that drum beat that day!

Ha, this post was useless, sorry!

In my opinion it's not aimed at anyone in particular, like Cloreen Baconskin it is improved on the spot. Prince just riffing with the 'Tricky' persona. He's playing a character, a role, acting like a street punk in diss mode. It's been said it's Prince's comical version of Morris Day.

.....

Yes, 'The Vault' states according to the studio engineer who worked on the track, it was a good-natured jab at George Clinton.

I've heard the same thing from many sources.

It's true. Yes! Yes! That's right, yes! LOL!

Interesting. Thanks guys. I'm going to have to find The Vault and read it.

gagging !!!!!!

"You're....you're just old. That's all I know, you're just old. And you're fat. N' you know it too, don'tcha?" Love that shit. Prince and Morris trading off their best Morris voice.

I read somewhere it was about Bootsy Collins.

[Snip - luv4u]

George signed to Paisley Park not long after this song was made, so it must have been a good natured ribbing. George calls Prince "Primps", so they trade barbs back and forth.

kenkamken said:

George signed to Paisley Park not long after this song was made, so it must have been a good natured ribbing. George calls Prince "Primps", so they trade barbs back and forth.

"Tricky" came out in 1984. George's first PP album was released in 1989, so there was a LONG time span.

[Edited 6/3/10 15:29pm]

kenkamken said:

George signed to Paisley Park not long after this song was made, so it must have been a good natured ribbing. George calls Prince "Primps", so they trade barbs back and forth.

That time line is not correct.

"Tricky" was recorded February 1, 1984, later released that summer as the b-side to the lead off single, "Ice Cream Castles". It also served as the B-side for "Jungle Love".

Paisley Park Records was formed, on paper, in 1987. In June 1987, only one studio (A) was operating at the Park (B, & C were still being finished). The studio was fully functional soon after, and it was open for business with the public by late 1987, or early 1988.

Prince later signed Clinton to the label.

Clinton released his first album, The Cinderella Theory on August 2, 1989, well over five years after "Tricky" was recorded.

ernestsewell said:

kenkamken said:

George signed to Paisley Park not long after this song was made, so it must have been a good natured ribbing. George calls Prince "Primps", so they trade barbs back and forth.

That time line is not correct.

"Tricky" was recorded February 1, 1984, later released that summer as the b-side to the lead off single, "Ice Cream Castles". It also served as the B-side for "Jungle Love".

Paisley Park Records was formed, on paper, in 1987. In June 1987, only one studio (A) was operating at the Park (B, & C were still being finished). The studio was fully functional soon after, and it was open for business with the public by late 1987, or early 1988.

Prince later signed Clinton to the label.

Clinton released his first album, The Cinderella Theory on August 2, 1989, well over five years after "Tricky" was recorded.

In the states, "Tricky" was released only on the flip side of "Ice Cream Castles". In Germany, it was included on the 12in of "Jungle Love". In the states, the b-side to "Jungle Love" was "Oh Baby".

lotusflw3r said:

[Snip - luv4u]

lmao

daPrettyman said:

In the states, "Tricky" was released only on the flip side of "Ice Cream Castles". In Germany, it was included on the 12in of "Jungle Love". In the states, the b-side to "Jungle Love" was "Oh Baby".

Correctamundo.

i thought this is about Tricky the guy that Jerome benton plays on utcm...

but then i thought "why is the name in the apostrophes (sp?)"