I don't know what it is about this song...but I absolutely dig it. I don't think its that popular amoungst Prince fans, and non-Prince fans that I know HATE it when it comes up on my iPod at a party. But I crank it up to 11 and dance around like a fool. The guitar, the sound effects, and his falsetto are just cool as all hell.

I am not that crazy over the rest of the album (cept, Greatest Romance, I Love U But Don't Trust U, Strange But True, & Pretty Man).

So question for the experts...I know this song originated around 88/89...has anyone heard the original version? is it different than the released version? We all know that Prince likes to tweak older songs and sometimes takes the soul out a little (We Can Funk anyone?). So not soliciting here...just curious to know more about the origins of this fab tune.

The version that is on the album is the original version. It was recorded at Olympic studio in London in 1988 while on the Lovesexy tour.

The version you hear on the Rave album has only very minimal tweaks added from when it was originally recorded. Maybe an expert on this can correct me if i am wrong.

There is also a remix of the song on the special edition NPGMC remix version of the Rave album, which has a faster, more techno driven beat to it.

I think it is a great song and one of the best on the album, it sounds kind of futuristic to me, and i really like his raw sounding falsetto on it.

Hopes of hearing new developments in sound might have been dashed slightly with the name of the album and the opening track. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic as we all know was a Batman cast off, and made a cameo in the batman remixes. Immediately I was taken back to the joy and excitement of listening to those remixes and hearing those unreleased songs. Was this going to be a return to form or rehashing old things?

Slotting in the cd, and putting on headphones I waited. That beautifully layered vocal intro just engulfed me, and the groove was classic Prince. Slower in this incarnation than the sped up version that appeared in the remixes, the song seemed to lack a sense of urgency. There was no punch that I was expecting from an opener, and instead I felt like the song was searching a little for a bit of purpose. Listening to it now, I’m reminded more of The Black Album than Batman – I can hear bits of Bob George in here. And I still feel like it is a glance to the past than a look to the future.

I think there's more than one version from 1988.

Basically the released track is the same, but the 1988 version that's circulating has a couple of breaks with a keyboard arrangement which sounds sort of Eastern.

MikeyB71 said:

It was recorded at Olympic studio in London in 1988 while on the Lovesexy tour.

Overdubs were made in London to a recording made in Paisley Park prior to the London sessions.

very creative and original sounding track. i think it gets unfairly hated on too. glad to hear that not many tweaks were made from the original. now if he'd only make the npgmc remix album widely available, so i can hear the alternate version

datdude said:

very creative and original sounding track. i think it gets unfairly hated on too. glad to hear that not many tweaks were made from the original. now if he'd only make the npgmc remix album widely available, so i can hear the alternate version

I find 'Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic' (the remix version) a much better album. But the track i do not really like is the clubbier version of the title track....hehe.

definitely a favorite

soulyacolia said:

Cool song but the studio version is totally eclipsed by the guitar heavy Small Club performance

You are absolutely right. The small Club version is the best one. Brilliant!

wouldn't have opened the album with it. my least fav song on the album.

great album. some classics on it love tangerine.

MikeyB71 said:

The version that is on the album is the original version. It was recorded at Olympic studio in London in 1988 while on the Lovesexy tour.

The version you hear on the Rave album has only very minimal tweaks added from when it was originally recorded. Maybe an expert on this can correct me if i am wrong.

There is also a remix of the song on the special edition NPGMC remix version of the Rave album, which has a faster, more techno driven beat to it.

I think it is a great song and one of the best on the album, it sounds kind of futuristic to me, and i really like his raw sounding falsetto on it.

I believe Claire Fischer did string arrangements for the original, which aren't on the released version. They're on a hissy version I have and they should have been left in. Anyone else know the version I'm talking about?

[Edited 6/21/10 13:04pm]

PopcornFetus said:

MikeyB71 said:

The version that is on the album is the original version. It was recorded at Olympic studio in London in 1988 while on the Lovesexy tour.

The version you hear on the Rave album has only very minimal tweaks added from when it was originally recorded. Maybe an expert on this can correct me if i am wrong.

There is also a remix of the song on the special edition NPGMC remix version of the Rave album, which has a faster, more techno driven beat to it.

I think it is a great song and one of the best on the album, it sounds kind of futuristic to me, and i really like his raw sounding falsetto on it.

I believe Claire Fischer did string arrangements for the original, which aren't on the released version. They're on a hissy version I have and they should have been left in. Anyone else know the version I'm talking about?

[Edited 6/21/10 13:04pm]

Now that would be interesting. I also love that Small Club version too, and half to be honest when I first heard the official version, I liked it, but was surprised the tempo was so much slower. But it has SO grown on me. My fave Prince tunes always are those growers

soulyacolia said:

Cool song but the studio version is totally eclipsed by the guitar heavy Small Club performance

I dont agree.

I love the drum programming...aI also like the orchesrta samples taken out which they sounded very cut and paste..this is also more clean and polished...plus there are more vocal tweaks.

That Claire Fisher orchestra was definitley not made into the song I hear..sounds like samples to me.

Never could really get into the song

nursev said:

Never could really get into the song

Even the small club version? Cause that's the best.