I was wondering why When Doves Cry hasn't been played live in a very long time?

Last versions where in the Lovesexy tour of 1988 if i am correct.

I find it rather strange since it's one of his mayour songs...

Snippets in sampler-mania don't count as far as i am concerned.

It's more of a studio track, I guess. A little bit like "Kiss".

This song has never worked live for me.

The best he ever did it was on the PR tour with the Revolution, which as we are constantly led to believe was one of his worst bands*

*except they weren't.

It's one of those songs, like Kiss, which has never really worked live for me. I definitely think there are songs like that which are great from the studio, but poor live. The converse is also true - there are plenty mediocre songs which are much better live.

It's been done since the Lovesexy tour, though - pretty regularly.

http://princevault.com/in..._Doves_Cry

Ah okay.

I will look up som erecordings from the 1998 period

Personally i liked the 1987/88 version with the Lovesexy band.

About Kiss, well the early electro-like versions in 2010 sounded pretty cool i think.

Cthulhu said:

Ah okay.

I will look up som erecordings from the 1998 period

Personally i liked the 1987/88 version with the Lovesexy band.

About Kiss, well the early electro-like versions in 2010 sounded pretty cool i think.

I like that they pulled the WDC video dance into it but the live rendition during 87/88 didn't do it for me, it lacked that punch the Revolution rendered. the horns especially made it kinda 'sappy'

Marrk said:

This song has never worked live for me.

The best he ever did it was on the PR tour with the Revolution, which as we are constantly led to believe was one of his worst bands*

*except they weren't.

lol they definately duplicated the sound of the album cuts very well

PR tour is my fav rendition of the song,

but overall When Doves Cry is not a good 'live' song

Cthulhu said:

I was wondering why When Doves Cry hasn't been played live in a very long time?

Last versions where in the Lovesexy tour of 1988 if i am correct.

I find it rather strange since it's one of his mayour songs...

Snippets in sampler-mania don't count as far as i am concerned.

He did WDC on the Musicology tour, and managed to just sing the 1st verse and chorus and make it sound like the whole song. He put a bar of music in between each of the lines. I don't think he likes playing the song live, and I imagine he does it more for the fans rather than for himself. On the hit and run tour the NPG did it while he was off stage (if my memory serves me). But like the others said, WDC and Kiss seem to be "studio" tracks that don't translate very well live.

The 1986 live rendition is the best in my ears. Nice slow start and the various guitar/horn/drum parts towards the end works well.

donnyenglish said:

He did it at US Air Arena in DC for the Jam of the Year tour. The only time that I have seen him do the full version.

That must be the only tour post-Nude where he did the full version. On Musicology and the more recent appearances had the short version and other 90s tours had the sample thingy. I was amazed to hear it last year because it was such an unexpected surprise but it really is like a karaoke version for the fans.

WDC does not transfer live well-unless you do it acoustic.

As for kiss not kickin ass live-that theory don't fly. What about his Arsenio Hall performance?

Llanishenlad said:

Nude tour 1990 has a blistering version but uses the original sample with a live band on top, but it still rocks

Agreed. The intro is freaking awesome!

Interestingly, Sheila E is able to do both WDC and KISS LIVE and make them shine whereas historically Prince has not been able to ake these studio gems work live.

THe exception would be Kiss on the W2A tour, though he was using a sample of the rhythm guitar.

kewlschool said:

WDC does not transfer live well-unless you do it acoustic.

As for kiss not kickin ass live-that theory don't fly. What about his Arsenio Hall performance?

Definitely not true. I'm assuming you haven't heard some of the versions he and The Revolution did back in 1984, most notably from the 6/7 show and a couple of the rehearsals?? And their Parade tour version worked quite well, as well (just not quite as terrific as the '84 versions, though).

alexnvrmnd777 said:

KingSausage said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

Definitely not true. I'm assuming you haven't heard some of the versions he and The Revolution did back in 1984, most notably from the 6/7 show and a couple of the rehearsals?? And their Parade tour version worked quite well, as well (just not quite as terrific as the '84 versions, though).

What boots is the 6/7 show on?

"From the Soundboard: Birthday '84 at First Ave".

The rehearsals I was speaking of are a part of the Purple Rush series, but I can't tell you which one at the moment. I'll have to look at my collection again real quick and get back to you on it. I do know it's also on the same boot where they're rehearsing in the warehouse, and they're playing 17 Days, Something In The Water (Does Not Compute) - his best version of it by the way - and others. The name escapes me again because I don't have it in front of me.

KingSausage said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

Definitely not true. I'm assuming you haven't heard some of the versions he and The Revolution did back in 1984, most notably from the 6/7 show and a couple of the rehearsals?? And their Parade tour version worked quite well, as well (just not quite as terrific as the '84 versions, though).

What boots is the 6/7 show on?

Neon Rendezvous

alexnvrmnd777 said:

KingSausage said:

alexnvrmnd777 said: What boots is the 6/7 show on?

"From the Soundboard: Birthday '84 at First Ave".

Isn't that where he seems to get annoyed because the crowd don't get it because there's no bassline or something?

[Edited 9/3/12 15:21pm]

I've never felt this song worked live outside of the studio. The closest it came was in 1984 in those rehersals, one-off shows and on the PR tour. It was a major set-piece of the show and all over the radio at the time, so he gave it the proper attention it deserved, stretching it out, building and building and building to a climax.

Since then, it's never really been given the space required to make it work in a show. It's usually a quick reference in a medley, and even then, it seems he hasn't come up with a new take on it that really works with any of his band line-ups.

sibly74 said:

alexnvrmnd777 said:

"From the Soundboard: Birthday '84 at First Ave".

Isn't that where he seems to get annoyed because the crowd don't get it because there's no bassline or something?

[Edited 9/3/12 15:21pm]

He ACTS like he's annoyed with the crowd because they're not jammin', but he was really covering up his mistake of singing the wrong lyrics at the beginning.

alexnvrmnd777 said:

sibly74 said:

Isn't that where he seems to get annoyed because the crowd don't get it because there's no bassline or something?

[Edited 9/3/12 15:21pm]

He ACTS like he's annoyed with the crowd because they're not jammin', but he was really covering up his mistake of singing the wrong lyrics at the beginning.

Ah thanks!