I mean the versions on Graffiti Bridge and the Small Club bootleg from the aftershow in The Netherlands in 1988.

I recently had the privilege to listen to the Small Club recording and I'm particularly impressed with Still Would Stand All Time. The song begins softly, after a while Prince fills his voice with very strong emotions, there's the guitar solo and then everything gets calm again. It's very good! It had been a while since I listened to the Graffiti Bridge version so I listened to that too.

I think the version on Graffiti Bridge is so good towards the end with the choir and Prince's singing. So good that it makes this version the winner overall. But when it comes to the first minutes of both versions, the version on Small Club is better, the singing is very beautiful and melts together very well with the music. So I'm glad for both these versions of an amazing song!

What do you think?

Who's the fool sing Will when its Would!?

rdhull said:

Who's the fool sing Will when its Would!?

Yes, that was pretty funny.

graffiti bridge. princey takes us to church. "we're not alone, people!"

Album version. The live ones tend to be a little repetitive.

I once had Small Club (no longer do), but I never listened to that song on there. Judging by these responses, it's not worth my time to go get the boot again. I already have 'DMSR' and 'Just My Imagination' and that's all that really matters to me.

'Still Would Stand All Time' is, however, my favorite song on Graffiti Bridge (an album I don't like very much).

[Edited 1/15/12 16:11pm]

CrabalockerFishwife said:

I once had Small Club (no longer do), but I never listened to that song on there. Judging by these responses, it's not worth my time to go get the boot again. I already have 'DMSR' and 'Just My Imagination' and that's all that really matters to me.

'Still Would Stand All Time' is, however, my favorite song on Graffiti Bridge (an album I don't like very much).

[Edited 1/15/12 16:11pm]

to edit one of his greatest aftershows down to 2 worthwhile tracks is mental!!

the graffiti bridge version is pompous, over produced and has its head up its arse. small club is intimate, warm and tender, much more melodic.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

CrabalockerFishwife said:

I once had Small Club (no longer do), but I never listened to that song on there. Judging by these responses, it's not worth my time to go get the boot again. I already have 'DMSR' and 'Just My Imagination' and that's all that really matters to me.

'Still Would Stand All Time' is, however, my favorite song on Graffiti Bridge (an album I don't like very much).

[Edited 1/15/12 16:11pm]

to edit one of his greatest aftershows down to 2 worthwhile tracks is mental!!

the graffiti bridge version is pompous, over produced and has its head up its arse. small club is intimate, warm and tender, much more melodic.

Maybe I will check it out, then. I'm not huge on the bootlegs to begin with, but I lost Small Club somewhere along the line, and I haven't bothered to get it back because I already have my 2 favorite songs off of it. I never got around to listening to "Still Would Stand All Time", though I think I've actually heard every single other song off Small Club.

I have to go with the album version. That is a GREAT song. I like the Small Club performance as well, but if I want to listen to that song I prefer to hear the studio version.

Neither. I always found that song disappointing. Before it was officially released (when the Small Club & the Taylor Dane live version had been circulating for at least 2 years) the song was being touted as a important & epic song in the Prince cannon. I respect the sentiment of the track but I have always felt that the song was overworked and disappointing "Graffitti Bridge" & "Welcome 2 the Dawn" also fall into this category". When Prince finally writes a song about "The Dawn" it winds up being somewhat underwhelming. But thats my opinion. The songs I like the least could be another fans favorite and I respect that. As for the Small Club version, Prince correcting a band member over "Will" and "Would" is a funny moment, but not criteria for judging the merit of the song (And I find the comment funny). I honestly feel that the song is discussed more because of the "Will" & "Would" moment than the song itself on it's own.

Big Chick

There is a particular Lovesexy aftershow where this song was played and the show started out with the most beautiful rendition of Just My Imagination - n2 Rave

That performance of Still Would Stand All Time is my fav but it gets ruined with the big voiced gospel touch near the end I think with Taylor Dayne

I like both versions. I think it would've been epic, if he actually merged the two versions, making the studio version a little more upbeat with the vocals, and re-working the guitar solo a bit. But I still like having the two versions we have.

great song, but since I was listening to the live version 1st - from "Small Club",

I was very much disappointed when I heard the GB album version.

I think the production could have been better. The song is a little "stiff", weak on the album.

Live it's really a killer track, excellent.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

CrabalockerFishwife said:

I once had Small Club (no longer do), but I never listened to that song on there. Judging by these responses, it's not worth my time to go get the boot again. I already have 'DMSR' and 'Just My Imagination' and that's all that really matters to me.

'Still Would Stand All Time' is, however, my favorite song on Graffiti Bridge (an album I don't like very much).

[Edited 1/15/12 16:11pm]

to edit one of his greatest aftershows down to 2 worthwhile tracks is mental!!

the graffiti bridge version is pompous, over produced and has its head up its arse. small club is intimate, warm and tender, much more melodic.