I'm pretty sure this has been discussed a million times here, but hey, I wasn't here for any of them......

I really really like this track a lot [funky as hell], but it always confuses me as to why it was on Sheila E's "Glamorous Life" album when I don't hear her anywhere vocally. Why were the vocals backwards & does anyone know the lyrics?

What are you fellow orgers thoughts on this song?

Btw, does anyone know the reason why most of the albums Prince produced for others were only 5 & 6 tracks long?

[Edited 1/19/12 17:53pm]

I thought it was written or at least co-written by Jese Johnson. Maybe on there as a way for Prince to give Jesse some shine for staying on and to get him some publishing moola. Isnt that Sheila at least on live drums?

Edit: It seems like in 83-84, he was really into backwards masking. I remember at that time there was this religious program that had these special reports on the evils of rock music, backwards masking in rock music, and the album covers etc that were all satanic based (see the inside inlay of The Eagles Hotel California with a satanic like figure on the balcony for example). Seems like Prince was influenced by this by really really making PR a rock n roll album by using these techniques, but of course, with his special twist on some of the backwards lyrics being spiritual etc and not just dirty etc. Hell he even had someone doing the devil horns hand sign on that iconic Lets Go Crazy bent down post that he is backlit on. We all know the one.

rdhull said:

Edit: It seems like in 83-84, he was really into backwards masking. I remember at that time there was this religious program that had these special reports on the evils of rock music, backwards masking in rock music, and the album covers etc that were all satanic based (see the inside inlay of The Eagles Hotel California with a satanic like figure on the balcony for example). Seems like Prince was influenced by this by really really making PR a rock n roll album by using these techniques, but of course, with his special twist on some of the backwards lyrics being spiritual etc and not just dirty etc. Hell he even had someone doing the devil horns hand sign on that iconic Lets Go Crazy bent down post that he is backlit on. We all know the one.

Yeah, that track confuses the shit out of me.....

Tittypants said:

Btw, does anyone know the reason why most of the albums Prince produced for others were only 5 & 6 tracks long?

The songs were often 7-9 minutes long. You could only fit so much music on a vinyl record. Most of the albums were an average [about 40 minute] length.

kenkamken said:

Isn't it Shortberry Strawcake? I like these instrumental jams he would produce. I think this song definitely influenced Jamiroquois' Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. Some others along this line... 2 Nigs United For West Compton Oilcan Pheromone

You're absolutely right. I just changed it. I totally forgot that, thanks for the reminder.

[Edited 1/19/12 17:54pm]

CrabalockerFishwife said:

Tittypants said:

Btw, does anyone know the reason why most of the albums Prince produced for others were only 5 & 6 tracks long?

The songs were often 7-9 minutes long. You could only fit so much music on a vinyl record. Most of the albums were an average [about 40 minute] length.

I just look @ the fact that he never really did that with his albums back then, but he did it to theirs.....

Tittypants said:

CrabalockerFishwife said:

The songs were often 7-9 minutes long. You could only fit so much music on a vinyl record. Most of the albums were an average [about 40 minute] length.

I just look @ the fact that he never really did that with his albums back then, but he did it to theirs.....

I don't know, but he's always had 12" extended mixes of his songs, too, so I guess he just likes long songs. He probably edited his songs so he could release more songs on each album.

All I know is that track is on Sheila E's "The Glamourous Life" album.

rdhull said:

I thought it was written or at least co-written by Jese Johnson. Maybe on there as a way for Prince to give Jesse some shine for staying on and to get him some publishing moola. Isnt that Sheila at least on live drums?

I remember reading that Jesse had nothing at all to do with this song. Prince took a track that Jesse was working on and turned it into "The Belle of St. Mark".

Prince's way of repaying him was giving him song writing credit on Shorberry Strawcake.....

Years and years ago, there was a thread about this song on Housequake and a user there named Legrind posted the lyrics that s/he was able to decipher:

"Yesterday, I had a dream
I had a dream that love you gave me
You're giving me these.... (Unsure on last word)
Leave me in a fever"

Then someone else in that that thread said that Prince played his recorded voice through his guitar and then put it on backwards to make the weird effect we hear on Shortberry Strawcake.

CrabalockerFishwife said:

Tittypants said:

Btw, does anyone know the reason why most of the albums Prince produced for others were only 5 & 6 tracks long?

The songs were often 7-9 minutes long. You could only fit so much music on a vinyl record. Most of the albums were an average [about 40 minute] length.

I don't know for sure, but it seems he never wanted an associate's album to overshadow his. They could have easily fit a seventh, or even an eighth, song on The Glamorous Life, and certainly another one on Romance 1600. Plus, maybe he just ran out of steam creating songs that fit into another person's image and he wanted to keep the best songs for himself.

Efan said:

CrabalockerFishwife said:

The songs were often 7-9 minutes long. You could only fit so much music on a vinyl record. Most of the albums were an average [about 40 minute] length.

I don't know for sure, but it seems he never wanted an associate's album to overshadow his. They could have easily fit a seventh, or even an eighth, song on The Glamorous Life, and certainly another one on Romance 1600. Plus, maybe he just ran out of steam creating songs that fit into another person's image and he wanted to keep the best songs for himself.

Thinking about it, Sheila E was only on 5 of the 6 songs. I never got why The Times first 3 albums were so short. 8 songs even would have been cool.....

Tittypants said:

Efan said:

I don't know for sure, but it seems he never wanted an associate's album to overshadow his. They could have easily fit a seventh, or even an eighth, song on The Glamorous Life, and certainly another one on Romance 1600. Plus, maybe he just ran out of steam creating songs that fit into another person's image and he wanted to keep the best songs for himself.

Thinking about it, Sheila E was only on 5 of the 6 songs. I never got why The Times first 3 albums were so short. 8 songs even would have been cool.....

It was very common back then to have 30 minutes long albums and as said above, vinyl drew the limit at around 45 minutes anyway.

http://www.princevault.co..._Strawcake

Shortberry Strawcake is the second track (the first instrumental track) on Sheila E.'s first album The Glamorous Life. Although writing credit is given to Sheila E.and Jesse Johnson, the track was solely written by Prince.

Initial tracking took place on 9 January, 1984 at Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (four days after Oliver's House and The Belle Of St. Mark), and the song was originally intended for Apollonia 6 until Prince began to work with Sheila E. in February, 1984, at which time he set the song aside for her. Sheila E.'s percussion was recorded in the first few days of April, 1984 at Sunset Sound.

Some distorted and backmasked vocals by Prince can be heard in the background of the track, marking the earliest Prince-related release to feature backmasked lyrics (released three weeks before Purple Rain, which also contained some).

Tittypants said:

I'm pretty sure this has been discussed a million times here, but hey, I wasn't here for any of them......

I really really like this track a lot [funky as hell], but it always confuses me as to why it was on Sheila E's "Glamorous Life" album when I don't hear her anywhere vocally.

Well, the whole idea back then was to make her look like she'd done the album by herself, so an instrumental track was possibly part of that strategy. And even though she doesn't sing, she actually does play percussions on it, so she's there...

kenkamken said:

Isn't it Shortberry Strawcake? I like these instrumental jams he would produce. I think this song definitely influenced Jamiroquois' Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. Some others along this line... 2 Nigs United For West Compton Oilcan Pheromone

Merci 4 the Speed of a Mad Clown In Summer (Romance 1600) I saw Sheila E and her band perform this live, I love it

GlamLife B side 2 Sexy is an instrumental with Sheila E & Steph B her guitarist, She says 2 Sexy a few times and has some moaning

Tittypants said:

Efan said:

I don't know for sure, but it seems he never wanted an associate's album to overshadow his. They could have easily fit a seventh, or even an eighth, song on The Glamorous Life, and certainly another one on Romance 1600. Plus, maybe he just ran out of steam creating songs that fit into another person's image and he wanted to keep the best songs for himself.

Thinking about it, Sheila E was only on 5 of the 6 songs. I never got why The Times first 3 albums were so short. 8 songs even would have been cool.....

2 me sometimes it's best to leave u wanting more, too many songs might risk having a dud

I think the Glamorous Life is her best and most cohesive album

kenkamken said:

Doesn't Irresistible Bitch also have backmasked vocals?

Girl the extended version does and Baby I'm A Star

OldFriends4Sale said:

Tittypants said:

Thinking about it, Sheila E was only on 5 of the 6 songs. I never got why The Times first 3 albums were so short. 8 songs even would have been cool.....

2 me sometimes it's best to leave u wanting more, too many songs might risk having a dud

I think the Glamorous Life is her best and most cohesive album

8 songs is too many? Prince should just let others help out with the production. Prince was/is too big of a control freak imho.....

Tittypants said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

2 me sometimes it's best to leave u wanting more, too many songs might risk having a dud

I think the Glamorous Life is her best and most cohesive album

8 songs is too many? Prince should just let others help out with the production. Prince was/is too big of a control freak imho.....

I think when Rolling Stone reviewed The Glamorous Life they mentioned something like "six songs isn't even a full set for a concert," so while the album is great, it was certainly noticed that there could have been another song or two. Actually, there are songs on Apollonia 6's album that would have been perfect on Sheila's album. Too bad that didn't happen.

Tittypants said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

2 me sometimes it's best to leave u wanting more, too many songs might risk having a dud

I think the Glamorous Life is her best and most cohesive album

8 songs is too many? Prince should just let others help out with the production. Prince was/is too big of a control freak imho.....

Of course I LOVE that album so another song or 2 for me would have been heaven

I agree, he had the people to do the job and some good song writers and producers in his band and camp that know his sound and vision they could have easily given a little extra

But I can't see her doing a 'concert' on her own yet, not a full concert anyway. She was able to do mini shows though. She had the 6 songs from the album, 2 Sexy(Bside) and Erotic City for her shows. 8

Something I like that Sheila e & Mazarati would do on their shows(Sheila's follow up) is include songs like Head America etc. I'm going to look back thru her GL show set list and see if they did any other Prince or protege songs outside of Erotic City

OldFriends4Sale said:

kenkamken said:

Doesn't Irresistible Bitch also have backmasked vocals?

Girl the extended version does and Baby I'm A Star

Maybe the backmasking in Irresistible Bitch aren't backwards lyrics, but it would be interesting to investigate. I don't have the technology or an old record player to check it out.

OldFriends4Sale said:

kenkamken said:

Isn't it Shortberry Strawcake? I like these instrumental jams he would produce. I think this song definitely influenced Jamiroquois' Wolf in Sheep's Clothing. Some others along this line... 2 Nigs United For West Compton Oilcan Pheromone

Merci 4 the Speed of a Mad Clown In Summer (Romance 1600) I saw Sheila E and her band perform this live, I love it

GlamLife B side 2 Sexy is an instrumental with Sheila E & Steph B her guitarist, She says 2 Sexy a few times and has some moaning

These songs r great but not by Prince.

databank said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Merci 4 the Speed of a Mad Clown In Summer (Romance 1600) I saw Sheila E and her band perform this live, I love it

GlamLife B side 2 Sexy is an instrumental with Sheila E & Steph B her guitarist, She says 2 Sexy a few times and has some moaning

These songs r great but not by Prince.

but it come under the Prince protege umbrella

Yep I said 2 Sexy was by Sheila E & Steph B, she said in an interview that she would have her band and her listen to other Prince music to get 'the sound' down