New Power Soul era 1997-1998

2 the darkness — let there be light
2 the soundman — turn up my voice real tight
2 the N.P.G. — if U in this mother, scream
Show me how U all get down — 1 2 3, come on

weird time period, lots of Internet releases

proceeded by the Love 4 One Another charities & the Jam of the Year tour

and era of stepping into new territory, so it's expected that some things can go really wrong. Some good music.

Gemini rising on the 7th day
Makin' MAD SEX, UNTIL U'RE IN MY ARMS, OK?
Cuz WHEN U LOVE SOMEBODY like that, it's cool
U gots no need 4 the SHOO-BED-OOH-bed-ooh
THE GOOD LIFE, yeah, we'll be livin'
PUSHIN' UP on every FREAK THIS SIDE of heaven
COME ON, come on, shake it, come on
U know I be's THE ONE with the FUNKY MUSIC, hon'
And I'm layin' phat claims 2 the booty
Phat claims 2 the Newpower booty
Keepin' the crowd movin', y'all, is my one and only duty, ooh wee!
With the NEWPOWER SOUL
Right on

New Power Soul

Released June 30, 1998

1. Newpower Soul
2. Mad Sex
3. Until U're In My Arms Again
4. When U Love Somebody
5. Shoo-Bed-Ooh
6. Push It Up
7. Freaks on This Side
8. Come On
"The One" (Remix) only available on 1-800-NEW-FUNK maxi-single
9. The One
10. (I Like) Funky Music
11-48 [silent tracks]

49. Wasted Kisses (hidden track)

Newpower Soul is a 1998 album by The New Power Generation, but is de facto a

The album sold relatively poorly despite promotional efforts and many of the reviews for the album were poor as well.[citation needed] The title track reuses the music from "Big Fun", from the album Exodus. The album is currently the last from the New Power Generation, as their own entity.

Despite the negative reviews,[citation needed] the album is noted by fans for a few key tracks such as "The One", "Come On" (featuring vocals by soul legend Chaka Khan) and the bonus hidden track "Wasted Kisses".

I was going thru a bottle of wine by 10 am when this dropped, my memories are quite vague as a result.....Come On was a keeper though.

i love the outro to "When U Love Somebody". I wish Prince would make more grooves like that.

Newpower Soul
2 the darkness — let there be light
2 the soundman — turn up my voice real tight
2 the N.P.G. — if U in this mother, scream
Show me how U all get down — 1 2 3, come on

Get freaky, let the head bob {x2}
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul
Get freaky, let the head bob {x2} (Come on, come on)
It'll make U feel much better — come on, baby, let's go!

Every while in a great once there comes 2 town a show
That lives up 2 all your funkspectation no matter how high or low
A reason 2 get your freak on in a way U never freaked before
Newpower Soul lay claim 2 the booty — come on, let's go

(Lemme see U get down)
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob (Come on, come on)
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul
(Lemme see U get down)
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob {x2} (Come on, come on)
It'll make U feel much better — come on, baby, let's go!

Every while in a day twice funky matters in our ear
As long as we keep our love strong, we'll never shed no tears
The brothas be threatenin' 2 jump off buildings, Newpower's what they fear
Love 4 one another risin', Newpower Soul is here

(Lemme see U get down)
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob (Come on)
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul (Come 2gether)
(Lemme see U get down)
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob (Come on, come on)
It'll make U feel much better (feel better) — come on, baby, let's go!
Newpower Soul

(We should all) {repeat sample}
Gemini rising on the 7th day
Makin' MAD SEX, UNTIL U'RE IN MY ARMS, OK?
Cuz WHEN U LOVE SOMEBODY like that, it's cool
U gots no need 4 the SHOO-BED-OOH-bed-ooh
THE GOOD LIFE, yeah, we'll be livin'
PUSHIN' UP on every FREAK THIS SIDE of heaven
COME ON, come on, shake it, come on
U know I be's THE ONE with the FUNKY MUSIC, hon'
And I'm layin' phat claims 2 the booty
Phat claims 2 the Newpower booty
Keepin' the crowd movin', y'all, is my one and only duty, ooh wee!
With the NEWPOWER SOUL
Right on

We should all
We, we should all

Every while in the day 3 times my brother hit me on the one (Get freaky)
Abuse like that'll either make U funky or make U wanna buy a gun (We, we should all)
I'd much rather get my freak on and make U if I can
Newpower Soul lay claim 2 the booty — come on girl, let's jam!

Get freaky, let your head bob (Get freaky, let your head bob)
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul (Come 2gether)
Come on, get your freak on
It'll make U feel much better — come on, baby, let's go!
(Lemme see U get down)
Oh!
Yeah, yeah, yeah
Come on horns, freak on
Yeah (We should all come 2gether)
Right on

Everybody's coming 2 the Newpower Soul
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob (Yeah)
(Lemme see U get down)
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul (Come on)
(2 the Newpower Soul)
Let the head bob
Get freaky, let the head bob (Yeah, well come on)
(Lemme see U get down)
We should all come 2gether 2 the Newpower Soul (Come 2gether)
Right on

Lemme see U get down
Newpower Soul

OldFriends4Sale said:

Initial tracking took place on 15 May, 1994, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (on the same day as Count The Days, Get Wild, The Exodus Has Begun, Hallucination Rain, Slave 2 The System and It Takes 3). The song was included as the eighth track (fourth song) on the 19 June, 1994 configuration of Exodus, and was included as the ninth track (sixth song) on the 2 December, 1994 configuration.

Hey, OldFriends... isn't this the background info for the FIRST "New Power Soul" tune from Exodus, not the title track from the third NPG release? Sure looks to be the case.

pzlyprk said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Initial tracking took place on 15 May, 1994, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (on the same day as Count The Days, Get Wild, The Exodus Has Begun, Hallucination Rain, Slave 2 The System and It Takes 3). The song was included as the eighth track (fourth song) on the 19 June, 1994 configuration of Exodus, and was included as the ninth track (sixth song) on the 2 December, 1994 configuration.

Hey, OldFriends... isn't this the background info for the FIRST "New Power Soul" tune from Exodus, not the title track from the third NPG release? Sure looks to be the case.

U R right Pzlyprk, I typed in New Power Soul instead of Newpower Soul.

Will correct that later.

In contrast to the studio output, the live shows from this era exhibited a certain degree of promise.

love,

Spirit

Released January 29, 1998

"The Plan" – 2:02
"Kamasutra" – 11:49
"At Last... The Lost Is Found" – 3:38
"The Ever Changing Light" – 3:00
"Cutz" – 3:03
"Serotonin" – 0:46
"Promise/Broken" – 3:45
"Barcelona" – 2:17
"Kamasutra/Overture #8" – 3:13
"Coincidence or Fate?" – 3:22
"Kamasutra/Eternal Embrace" – 4:02

April 24, 1998 . Aragon Ballroom, Chicago

1.The Ride
2.Bambi
3.Days Of Wild W/ Larry Graham
4.Everyday People W/ Larry Graham
5.Free W/ Larry Graham
6.You Got The Love W/ Chaka Khan
7.Sweet Thing W/ Chaka Khan
8.Stop On By W/ Chaka Khan
9.Tell Me Something Good W/Chaka
10.Purple Rain
11.Face Down W/DougE..Fresh
12.Come On W/DougE..Fresh
13.Push It Up W/DougE..Fresh
12.Mad Sex W/DougE..Fresh
13.Groove On
14.I Wanna Take U HigherW/ Larry
15.Alphabet St.
16.Release Yourself W/ Larry Graham
17.The Jam W/ Larry Graham

August 28 ,1998
( New Power Soul Tour)
"Brixton Academy" London. England
Chaka Khan
Larry Graham
Prince
1.Push It Up
2.Jam Of The Year
3.Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing
4.Let's Work
5.Delirious
6.Purple Rain
7.Little Red Corvette
8.I Would Die 4 U/Get Yo' Groove On
10.I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
11.The Ride
12.Bambi
13.The Christ
14.The One
15.Go-Gos/Also Sprach Zarathustra
16.Come On/Freaks On This Side
17.I Love U In Me/ Diamonds & Pearls
/The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
/Diamonds & Pearls/The Beautiful Ones
/Darling Nikki
18.Nothing Compares 2 U
19.Take Me With U
20.Raspberry Beret

Its by no means one of my favourites but i really like new power soul, come on, the one and wasted kisses. not bad i'd give it 3 out of 5

Man, I ain't got time 4 that girl
Say what?
Yeah, she always want 2 talk 2 somebody
Believe me, I know her
Yeah

I see U at another party
Dancin' all over the place
Lookin' 4 the perfect body
2 go with the perfect face

Bushy head mulatto breakdown
And your lips got wet 2day (Lips got wet 2day)
Same damn bird from London (Same damn cuckoo)
Finally had the nerve 2 say (What'd she say?)
(I'll tell ya C listen)

CHORUS:
I used 2 have mad sex in the horny morning
I used 2 have mad sex in the afternoon
I used 2 have mad sex when me and this mulatto go down
2 dirty up another room

Do it till your tattoo's dizzy
And the stud in your mouth turns gold
Till the animal prints U flaunt so lovely
Is full of little bloody holes

Bushy head mulatto breakdown
And your lips got wet 2day
The same damn bird from London
Uh, finally had the nerve 2 say (What'd she say?)

CHORUS

Mad sex

Steppin' up on the others tryin' 2 make a jealous brotha
Get U nothin' but another night of vibration
One nation under your groove and still U can't break my cool

I see U at another party
Once again the talk of the town
Break another heart, U sorry... skench!
One day U're gonna tumble down, down, down, down
(Tumble down, down, down)

Bushy head mulatto breakup
And U never really knew my name (What good is time)
What good is time if U take up (What good is time if U take up)
Every day 2 complain? (Oh)

CHORUS

Dirty up another, dirty up another, dirty up another room (Mad sex)
Oh yeah {x4} (Mad sex)
I used 2 have mad sex {x3}
(Mad sex)
2 dirty up another room (Dirty, dirty, dirty)
Mad sex
Dirty, dirty
Mad sex

While specific recording dates are now known, initial tracking took place between mid-November and December, 1997, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. On 20 February, 1998, Love4OneAnother.com announced that was deciding between Mad Sex, Newpower Soul and Push It Up as the first single, but it is not known if artwork or tracklists were compiled for these singles.

August 28 ,1998
( New Power Soul Tour)
Brixton Academy London

1.Push It Up
2.Jam Of The Year
3.Talkin' Loud & Sayin' Nothing
4.Let's Work
5.Delirious
6.Purple Rain
7.Little Red Corvette
8.I Would Die 4 U
9.Get Yo' Groove On
10.I Could Never Take Place Of Your Man
11.The Ride
12.Bambi
13.The Christ

Q

New Power Generation
Newpower Soul

Yes, it's Prince by yet another nom-de-disc -- this time letting Paisley Park acolytes New Power Generation play some of the instruments, although make no mistake, the diminutive one is in charge of proceedings here. The career of the artist fleetingly known as Victor may have stalled -- "enslavement" by Warner Brothers notwithstanding -- but some things remain immutable in the man's ever-burgeoning canon -- namely the marrying of Sly-meets-Parliament funkadelicism with lashings of lyrical prurience.

Thus things kick-off predictably enough with the propulsive groove of Gemini Rising On The Seventh Day and the difficult-to-misinterpret Mad Sex which details a typical litany of groinular encounters over a snapping snare-drum-led, although it's ultimately a pedestrian funk jam. Until Ure In My Arms Again revisits the saccharine pop-soul of The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, while Shoo-Bed-Ooh starts promisingly, like a slippery re-working of Sly & The Family Stone's Family Affair before demurring to an insouciant chorus that The Real Thing might have thought twice about. After such an opening, Push It Up! and Freaks On This Side -- the latter featuring an angular horn arrangement worthy of Neal Hefti -- come as something of a relief, both being easier on the steamhammer rhythmic assault and multi-overdubbed Princely harmonies.

Come On, Gett Off's laid-back cousin, contains some deliciously elastic guitar chops and contrastingly cheesy string synthesizers and Prince's apparently helium-assisted vocals describing an unconventional love triangle in London. Further respite arrives on the leatherette-smooth muzak-ballad The One, although its airbrushed blandness is hardly a cause for celebration. Much better, despite the less-than-groundbreaking title, is the closing Funky Music wherein loquacious clavinets and popping percussion vie for dominance over a dance groove. Buried deep in the run-off groove, or CD equivalent thereof, is an uncredited bonus track, possibly titled Why Do I Waste My Kisses On You, that sees our narrator getting into a lather about burgundy stockings over some suitably sleazy jazz-funk stylings. So no change there, then. It's a meticulously executed exercise in treading water. It's been the case for too long now. More artistry next time, please.

***

David Sheppard

I really liked this album. Despite a few mediocre songs, if you added in some other 1998 songs, you could make a classic album.

My NPS playlist (contains 6 album tracks+3 songs supposedly recorded in 1998).

1. Come On
2. Madrid 2 Chicago
3. Breathe
4. Mad Sex
5. Shoo-Bed-Ooh
6. When U Love Somebody
7. The One
8. Beautiful Strange
9. Wasted Kisses

... sequencing isn't perfect, but it was the best I could do. This would have been a 5 * album for me.

CrabalockerFishwife said:

I really liked this album. Despite a few mediocre songs, if you added in some other 1998 songs, you could make a classic album.

My NPS playlist (contains 6 album tracks+3 songs supposedly recorded in 1998).

1. Come On
2. Madrid 2 Chicago
3. Breathe
4. Mad Sex
5. Shoo-Bed-Ooh
6. When U Love Somebody
7. The One
8. Beautiful Strange
9. Wasted Kisses

... sequencing isn't perfect, but it was the best I could do. This would have been a 5 * album for me.

thanks 4 sharing a playlist

I find the creation of fans playlists for albums with the 1990's and 2000's music more interesting than the original albums

Will have to put this 1 2gether and have a listen

Isn't Prince on record as saying that he allowed NPG of that time a free reign on this album and that it was just a 'fun' record.

I quite like the album but the tour was imho a let down....

Saw P/ Chaka and Larry when they came to London and, sorry to say, I was unimpressed - and remember at the time thinking that P's magic was waning. Thankfully i think he's recovered some what since.

citypages.com
WEB: love4oneanother.com

James Cook
Published on August 06, 1997
http://www.love4oneanother.com

Love4oneanother.com represents another of The Artist's efforts to transcend stardom in favor of becoming a movement. The intent of the site is to promote Love 4 One Another, a charity established by The Artist to advance "the beginning of a webwide effort 2 change the vibration of the world..." Changing the vibration of the world includes founding a hospital and a school with proceeds from sales of Emancipation and concerts that took place between late 1996 and early 1997. It also seems 2 involve nothing less than an open rebellion against standard lettering and spelling.

In the spirit of emancipation and independence, a free copy of the acoustic album The Truth "will b given 2 all who help conduct the New Power Generation's 'Xperiment in Truth.'" Visitors can also sample tracks from the forthcoming Crystal Ball CD. I was particularly impressed by the track titled "Calhoun Square," a funk tune that rivals the old-school days of the Revolution and creations like "She's Always In My Hair."

Ultimately, love4oneanother.com sheds dim light on the mysterious nature of an artist--make that The Artist--who here has transmuted the art of groove into the art of giving. While the motive behind Love 4 One Another is ostensibly altruistic, the complete rationale remains unclear. Then again, spreading random acts of kindness makes about as much sense as changing one's name to a symbol. (James Cook)

All of my life I've never wanted anyone like I wanted U
Every night I said a prayer 2 God and His angels
I'm sure they knew
The many tears that I'd have 2 cry
If I ever had 2 leave your side

CHORUS:
Until U're in my arms again
I know this pain will never end
This broken heart will never mend
Until U're in my arms again

Every mornin' when I awaken, I imagine U sleepin' in your bed
Wrong or right the reason U're taken from my embrace
Well, it's never said
Cuz every day that U don't return
Is another day that my heart just yearns and yearns
That's why???

CHORUS
If life remains a mystery
Then there's no reason 2 the rhyme
And U, U'll never know what U mean 2 me till U're mine, all mine
Until U're in my arms again {x3}

(CHORUS)
Until U're, until U're, until U're in my arms again!
No, ain't never gonna end
Never gonna mend
Until U're back, right back in my arms again
I'll never see like others see
(I know that U'll come back 2 me)
I know U're gonna come right back 2 me (Come on back 2 me)
And this time U will never leave my arms again
(Never leave my arms again)
Until U're in my arms again {x3}
Come on back, baby
Come on back