Considering it's the biggest hit of his career, isn't it kind of weird that the song is rarely played live? Moreover, it hasn't really been a big part of any tour since Purple Rain, has it? I mean, in the Lovesexy and Hit n Run tours, for example, it got squished into basically a snippet (and reworked to sound a lot different too). Which is weird, because I think the song could go anywhere in a set--he could open with it, or close with it, or just middle with it. It's a crowd-pleaser no matter where you put it. So what's the deal?

I seem to recall he has been quoted as saying it doesn't work that well live. It's such a unique sounding studio song.

Having said that it worked OK during the 21 Nights gigs at the O2 where he would sing the first verse or two plus chorus live sat alone on his keyboard sampler trigger thing (but I guess he was playing the actual sampled studio backing track).

Hmmm. I guess that would make sense, but I totally disagree with him. I love, love, love the long-ass versions of it done during the Purple Rain tour. And I would think he could do some killer guitar stuff in it anytime he wanted.

I think it was played regularly, if not possibly ever main show in the 2004 Musicology Tour?

I really liked the SOTT / Lovesexy versions of When Doves Cry.

Efan said:

Hmmm. I guess that would make sense, but I totally disagree with him. I love, love, love the long-ass versions of it done during the Purple Rain tour. And I would think he could do some killer guitar stuff in it anytime he wanted.

I think it requires the right synths, and linn drum sounds.

It worked great on the purple rain tour with the revolution.

it's tricky to come up with the right arrangement with the live instruments.

it was also part of the nude tour

To me it's one of those studio songs.

All the versions I've heard live have had the baseline added back in, and I didn't care for it. Without the baseline, it sounds awkward live. Almost unfinished.

crazydoctor said:

Efan said:

Hmmm. I guess that would make sense, but I totally disagree with him. I love, love, love the long-ass versions of it done during the Purple Rain tour. And I would think he could do some killer guitar stuff in it anytime he wanted.

I think it requires the right synths, and linn drum sounds.

It worked great on the purple rain tour with the revolution.

it's tricky to come up with the right arrangement with the live instruments.

Key words.

TheVoid said:

To me it's one of those studio songs.

All the versions I've heard live have had the baseline added back in, and I didn't care for it. Without the baseline, it sounds awkward live. Almost unfinished.

I kind of feel that way about I Would Die 4 U--a live version never sounds anywhere near as good as the album version (which is weird, since the album version is supposedly based on an original live recording). But with When Doves Cry, I think the unfinished sound made it work on stage...or maybe it just went well with the Revolution's sound, because no matter how great his bands have been since, I've never heard any of them nail it the way the Revolution did.

Efan said:

TheVoid said:

To me it's one of those studio songs.

All the versions I've heard live have had the baseline added back in, and I didn't care for it. Without the baseline, it sounds awkward live. Almost unfinished.

I kind of feel that way about I Would Die 4 U--a live version never sounds anywhere near as good as the album version (which is weird, since the album version is supposedly based on an original live recording). But with When Doves Cry, I think the unfinished sound made it work on stage...or maybe it just went well with the Revolution's sound, because no matter how great his bands have been since, I've never heard any of them nail it the way the Revolution did.

Dude, we are so fucking. You hear me? F-U-C-K-I-N-G

mplsmike said:

it was also part of the nude tour

Michael B killed it on the drumming!!! The song on the Parade, SOTT, and Lovesexy tours was very weak sounding to me.

TheVoid said:

Efan said:

I kind of feel that way about I Would Die 4 U--a live version never sounds anywhere near as good as the album version (which is weird, since the album version is supposedly based on an original live recording). But with When Doves Cry, I think the unfinished sound made it work on stage...or maybe it just went well with the Revolution's sound, because no matter how great his bands have been since, I've never heard any of them nail it the way the Revolution did.

Dude, we are so fucking. You hear me? F-U-C-K-I-N-G

He's played it as recently as 2004 on the Musicology tour.

ernestsewell said:

He's played it as recently as 2004 on the Musicology tour.

That's not that recent, though, and it seems that ever since the PR tour, he's only played it in abbreviated versions. Granted, that's what he does with pretty much all of his songs in concert, but still. When Doves Cry has showstopper potential. He gives it pretty short shrift.

Efan said:

ernestsewell said:

He's played it as recently as 2004 on the Musicology tour.

That's not that recent, though, and it seems that ever since the PR tour, he's only played it in abbreviated versions. Granted, that's what he does with pretty much all of his songs in concert, but still. When Doves Cry has showstopper potential. He gives it pretty short shrift.

I can't imagine he didnt' play it in Vegas, or at the 02 area over the course of twenty-one nights. God knows he wasn't playing Planet Earth material that much, the album he should have been promoting.

Performed Regularly On Tour

Purple Rain Tour

Parade Tour

Sign O' The Times Tour

Lovesexy Tour

Nude Tour

Act II (as part of a medley)

Hit N Run Tour

A Celebration

World Tour 2003

Musicology Live 4ever

21 Nights In London: Earth Tour (as part of a sampler snippet set)

I agree though, none of the live versions ever capture the great essense of the album version

Rinluv said:

Performed Regularly On Tour

Purple Rain Tour

Parade Tour

Sign O' The Times Tour

Lovesexy Tour

Nude Tour

Act II (as part of a medley)

Hit N Run Tour

A Celebration

World Tour 2003

Musicology Live 4ever

21 Nights In London: Earth Tour (as part of a sampler snippet set)

I agree though, none of the live versions ever capture the great essense of the album version

That's true, but my point with this is that he reduces his biggest song to a snippet, and not a very well done snippet. For example, when I saw the Hit n Run Tour, Prince was not even on stage when the band played When Doves Cry. His backup singers sang a couple lines from it and then the band moved on. I just think the song deserves a little more love.

I wish he performed it the way he performs Purple Rain

I wish he would perform GET OFF, Violet the organ grinder again.

mplsmike said:

I think it was played regularly, if not possibly ever main show in the 2004 Musicology Tour?

Yes he did it at the show I attended

i agree that it never really worked live IMHO even during the P.Rain tour [more down to Wendy's live vocals]. I would love just a simple full piano version with P and his Audience singing this in unison- now THAT would be freakin' amazing!.

funkyhead said:

i agree that it never really worked live IMHO even during the P.Rain tour [more down to Wendy's live vocals]. I would love just a simple full piano version with P and his Audience singing this in unison- now THAT would be freakin' amazing!

No, that would be fuckin' HORRIBLE!! Just Prince, not the audience too. I paid to hear him, not some heffas who THINK they can sing and drunk mofos>

When Doves Cry, is imo. the ultimate Prince song.

But... I have never heard a live version which lives up to the studio version.

The studio version, is a Prince classic. It will never be beaten live.

W-D-C studio.....

Efan said:

TheVoid said:

To me it's one of those studio songs.

All the versions I've heard live have had the baseline added back in, and I didn't care for it. Without the baseline, it sounds awkward live. Almost unfinished.

I kind of feel that way about I Would Die 4 U--a live version never sounds anywhere near as good as the album version (which is weird, since the album version is supposedly based on an original live recording). But with When Doves Cry, I think the unfinished sound made it work on stage...or maybe it just went well with the Revolution's sound, because no matter how great his bands have been since, I've never heard any of them nail it the way the Revolution did.

There's nothing supposed about it. The album version is based on the the live performance at First Avenue in August 1983. To my ears, its the one with the least amount of overdubbing too.

id argue that the lovesexy live version was as good as the studio version.

i loved the backing vocals of the girls.

what ruined it was that hideous horn part and dog parking parts at the end.

i thought the musicology version was AWeSOME.. except that he left out the chorus! mistake!

if prince thinks he cant match the original, then take an acoustic take on it like the barenaked ladies did... it would be awesome..

i have a feeling it has something to do with the song directly mentioning his mother and father who have both passed on. maybe there is something in his religion that wont allow him to refer to the dead? who knows..

but it is a very good question.. this is the song that is played the most on the radio, that people really want to hear.. but we havent gotten a full proper version in a very long time.... and i could be wrong but i think Prince totally ignored this song in the 90's....

I thought it never sounded better than the Tokyo dvd on the nude tour. GREAT version!! Definately the best live version to me. I wish he would play this one live and what he could do to take it over the top would be to play the guitar solo. That would rock!!

Efan said:

Rinluv said:

Performed Regularly On Tour

Purple Rain Tour

Parade Tour

Sign O' The Times Tour

Lovesexy Tour

Nude Tour

Act II (as part of a medley)

Hit N Run Tour

A Celebration

World Tour 2003

Musicology Live 4ever

21 Nights In London: Earth Tour (as part of a sampler snippet set)

I agree though, none of the live versions ever capture the great essense of the album version

That's true, but my point with this is that he reduces his biggest song to a snippet, and not a very well done snippet. For example, when I saw the Hit n Run Tour, Prince was not even on stage when the band played When Doves Cry. His backup singers sang a couple lines from it and then the band moved on. I just think the song deserves a little more love.

I hate those short snippet versions, so annoying. He could make a dramatic theatrical opening performance, but these days he prefers the same ol' with "Let's Go Crazy", "I Feel 4 U" and all.

It's one of his signature songs, technically his biggest selling hit, yet it never gets justice at his shows. I wonder what other artist would ignore one of their megahits?

Some PRince songs get better live (The Ride, Bambi, Days of Wild, Ballad of Dorothy Parker, even Little Red Corvette after he blew our minds with the arrangement from Montrueax last year). Doves is not one of them - though I have enjoyed it live every time I have heard it. Black Sweat is another.