Wow.

http://www.drfunkenberry.com/2013/03/07/elvis-costello-covers-unreleased-prince-song-moonbeam-levels-for-tribute/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=twitter

Wonder what Prince will make of this.

Christ, it's awful. As bad as Bono warbling "The Cross".

[Edited 3/7/13 11:22am]

More or less how i'd imagine it if Prince played it these days.

Prince will get his revenge by covering "Shipbuilding" at Glastonbury.

Worthless song. One thing I've always wondered: why is it deemed classic by hardcore Prince fans?

Identity said:

I have always loved it ever since this Prince song was name "A better place 2 die",

on various boots in the 80's.

It's a very beautiful ballad, I mean when it's by Prince.

This cover by Elvis Costello is... quite awful.

I wonder what happened,

did EC ever cover Pop Life or was that just a rumour, many years ago..?

Maybe it was better live but I don't think it sounded that good. I like Elvis Costello and I like that song but that was not good.

thebanishedone said:

Identity said:

Worthless song. One thing I've always wondered: why is it deemed classic by hardcore Prince fans?

who do u think you are to say something like that? that song is amazing apocaliptic song and it was replaced by Free on 1999

"Free" has a stronger melody line and a strange, childlike utopian vision that works so well for it. "Moonbeam" has a decent first verse, and little else.

jaawwnn said:

More or less how i'd imagine it if Prince played it these days.

Identity said:

what the fuck was that?! I couldn't listen past a minute.

Prince, please put your one on 3rd eye and show the world how it should be.

TheEnglishGent said:

what the fuck was that?! I couldn't listen past a minute.

Prince, please put your one on 3rd eye and show the world how it should be.

Second!

thebanishedone said:

Identity said:

Worthless song. One thing I've always wondered: why is it deemed classic by hardcore Prince fans?

who do u think you are to say something like that? that song is amazing apocaliptic song and it was replaced by Free on 1999

Exactly. Free is only one notch above Arms of Orion in crappiness, so what does that tell you about Moonbeam Levels if it got replaced by a POS like Free?

Identity said:

thebanishedone said:

"Moonbeam" has a decent first verse, and little else.

"Yesterday I tried to write a novel, but I didn't know where to begin." That's not a decent first verse, it's shit.

At least he's being honest, though. So much of his issues involve just deciding that he's going to do something he's never done and has no experience with and expecting it to be good just cuz he's Prince. I hate to break it to him, (and anyone else like him) but being REALLY good at a few styles of music doesn't give you above average skills and insight into other areas of human endeavor. You have to work to be good at those just like you worked to be good at music.

I thought Elvis had better taste than that.

errant said:

Identity said:

"Free" has a stronger melody line and a strange, childlike utopian vision that works so well for it. "Moonbeam" has a decent first verse, and little else.

You should stick to copying and pasting news articles. Opinions aren't your strong suit.

Oh look, Errant the dickhead injects himself into the discussion.

Good or bad on any of these tribute songs, I think folks are forgetting the set up here. Other artists are interpolating the Prince songs to their own style and such.

That one dude did a coffe shop version of When Doves cry in rehearsal etc.

Dont expect all of these songs played to be faithful to the original versions.

And its better that way..who wants to see others do prince..thats basically karoake.

rdhull said:

Good or bad on any of these tribute songs, I think folks are forgetting the set up here. Other artists are interpolating the Prince songs to their own style and such.

That one dude did a coffe shop version of When Doves cry in rehearsal etc.

Dont expect all of these songs played to be faithful to the original versions.

And its better that way..who wants to see others do prince..thats basically karoake.

i made it all the way through, wasn't as turgid as i expected. at least the song is getting some recognition away from here. maybe we'll see it officially some day. we can only hope.

Identity said:

Worthless song. One thing I've always wondered: why is it deemed classic by hardcore Prince fans?

wegotabadassoverhere.jpg

They should have did Purple Music for 2 hours straight

It was pretty sloppy, but come on - Elvis Costello is the fucking man!

Free is far from a "POS", to each his own regarding opinion, but quit stating stuff as FACT when its opinion/preference. Its far superior to ML which I thought was the most overrated boot ever when I first heard it. I think is an apt replacement as it "lightens" the tone of 1999, ML, esp as ABP2D would not have fit the best IMO

Princess should have done Strange Way of Saying I Love You

steakfinger said:

Identity said:

"Yesterday I tried to write a novel, but I didn't know where to begin." That's not a decent first verse, it's shit.

At least he's being honest, though. So much of his issues involve just deciding that he's going to do something he's never done and has no experience with and expecting it to be good just cuz he's Prince. I hate to break it to him, (and anyone else like him) but being REALLY good at a few styles of music doesn't give you above average skills and insight into other areas of human endeavor. You have to work to be good at those just like you worked to be good at music.

I thought Elvis had better taste than that.

it's only the first line, not the first verse.

and no, it's not shit.

it's actually one of his better ones, imo.

but there you go 'imo', so it's all relative.

however, deeming it 'shit' is just dull.

this is interesting

one of the first bootlegged songs I ever heard by Prince, but yeah - not my favorite

who knew that Elvis would know this one?

and The Waterboys came out first and did Purple Rain? man I wanna be there tonight

here is an old clip of The Waterboys doing Purple Rain in case anyone cares

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rm5IoKaHKJE

not bad!!

[Edited 3/7/13 14:57pm]

Identity said:

Please continue discussion of the thread subject here:

http://prince.org/msg/7/394604