The total effect is unnerving
-- Prince is going down on himself.

Father! Father? The son is gone

Father! Father? Where is the Dawn?

Where is the Dawn Father!?

Till I find the righteous one
Computer blue

The spirit of Jimi Hendrix must surely smile down on Prince Rogers Nelson. Like Hendrix, Prince seems to have tapped into some extraterrestrial musical dimension where black and white styles are merely different aspects of the same funky thing. Prince's rock & roll is as authentic and compelling as his soul and his extremism is endearing in a era of play-it-safe record production and formulaic hit mongering.

PURPLE RAIN
PRINCE AND THE REVOLUTION
Warner Bros.

-- KURT LODER

I hope to god that UFOClub doesnt post in here.

Computer Blue 3:59 min

Wendy?

Yes Lisa

Is the water warm enough?

Yes Lisa

Shall we begin?

Yes Lisa

Where is my love life?
Where can it be?
There must be something wrong with the machinery

Where is my love life?
Tell me, where has it gone?
Somebody please please tell me what the hell is wrong

Till I find the righteous one
Computer blue
Till I find the righteous one
Computer blue

© 1984 Controversy Music - ASCAP

...and we suddenly recognize the MUSIC
as his Father's -- the song he played on the piano the night before.
But it's Prince's now, stamped with his own signature.
He's bent at the waist, his back to the audience, alone with his
father's, and his, pain.

Father's Song is an unreleased song recorded on 29 October, 1983 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA. It was included as the ninth track on a 7 November, 1983 configuration of Purple Rain. The song appears in the Purple Rain movie, where Prince's character "The Kid" plays the song on piano after discovering his father's sheet music for the song. The main melody was then included as a section in Computer Blue. The song itself, however, remains unreleased. - PrinceVault

Computer Blue:The song was composed by Prince & the Revolution, with credit to his father, John L. Nelson for the guitar solo based on an untitled piano piece by Nelson. Prince titled the piece "Father's Song" and recorded it on piano for the film, though on screen it was portrayed as being played by Prince's on-screen father, actor Clarence Williams III.

Computer Blue might be his best song ever.

Widely regarded by the hardcore fan base as a musical masterpiece,

the original unedited recording features the infamous "Hallway Speech" (as termed by fans)

about emotions likened to different rooms.

The "Hallway Speech" contains the following lyrics:

Taja Sevelle & Dr Fink on the set of Purple Rain

He didn't like living alone
The house where he lived had many hallways
It was a long walk 2 his bedroom
Because 2 him each hallway represented an emotion
Every one vastly different from the next
One day while she was with him
He decided 2 name each one
She walked by his side, one hand on his thigh
No — she was sort of half a step behind him
Yeah, the grip on his thigh intensified
As they walked slowly through the corridor
He named the hallway Lust
And as they passed through the next one
He named it Fear
The grip she now loosened
So he walked faster
Her hands now trembling
She let dropped 2 her side as he wrote the word Insecurity
He looked into her eyes and smiled a demon smile
And quickly walked onto the next
Corridor after corridor
He named almost all when suddenly… he stopped
He picked up the word Hate
She was gone
So he picked up another — Pain

Efan said:

Computer Blue might be his best song ever.

The song is timeless as it still souonds like it was recorded yesterday.

Its my personal litmus test. When people state that so n so is better on other forums, I always ask, could said artist do a Computer Blue? Do they have one in their repetoire?

I call this song unclassifiable as it isnt excactly rock, it isnt rnb, it isnt new wave. Its its own category.

Only person I can currently see doing something like this is Zappa or Bowie..and maybe early Funkadelic.

rdhull said:

Efan said:

Computer Blue might be his best song ever.

The song is timeless as it still souonds like it was recorded yesterday.

Its my personal litmus test. When people state that so n so is better on other forums, I always ask, could said artist do a Computer Blue? Do they have one in their repetoire?

I call this song unclassifiable as it isnt excactly rock, it isnt rnb, it isnt new wave. Its its own category.

Only person I can currently see doing something like this is Zappa or Bowie..and maybe early Funkadelic.

Also...could they do it oiled down...in a lace mask?

Genesia said:

rdhull said:

The song is timeless as it still souonds like it was recorded yesterday.

Its my personal litmus test. When people state that so n so is better on other forums, I always ask, could said artist do a Computer Blue? Do they have one in their repetoire?

I call this song unclassifiable as it isnt excactly rock, it isnt rnb, it isnt new wave. Its its own category.

Only person I can currently see doing something like this is Zappa or Bowie..and maybe early Funkadelic.

Also...could they do it oiled down...in a lace mask?

I don't know why, but that oily, masked look just perfectly captures the frustration and danger and sexuality run amok in Computer Blue.

This song just does something to me. I'm not even sure what.

Efan said:

Genesia said:

Also...could they do it oiled down...in a lace mask?

I don't know why, but that oily, masked look just perfectly captures the frustration and danger and sexuality run amok in Computer Blue.

This song just does something to me. I'm not even sure what.

those words are words I've used as well to describe this song and that certain period in Prince history

Dangerous Sexual Frustration

Dangerous Sexuality

Dangerous

the guitar piece when Wendy kneels before him, and the synth sound like something wicked is about to happen...

I nEeVerR get tire of this song

Fathers Song

(81) INT. BASEMENT, PRINCE'S HOUSE -- NIGHT

A naked LIGHT BULB snaps ON. Prince
hesitates a moment, descends the steps,
pauses at the door. The MUSIC wafts
delicately in the night breeze. He
moves down the halllway uncertainly, but
steadily, the MUSIC growing, drawing him
in.

He stops, peers into the antechamber.
His Father is at the piano, his back to
him. He's perched on the broken stool,
playing with all he's got.

Prince moves slowly into the room, his
knees weakening, his anger flowing from
him with every step he takes. Seeing
his Father this way, he doesn't know if
he should laugh or cry. He sits down
silently behind him, listens as his
Father plays.

The SONG ends. His Father sits a
moment, stretching his hands idly along
the keys. Feeling a presence in the
room, he spins around and jumps slightly
at seeing his son. He fixes him with a
threatening look, then shrugs, hunches
over the keys--

PRINCE
Is that yours?

FATHER
'Course it's mine. Who else's
is it goin' to be? Got all
kinds of them. They're
different too.

PRINCE
I'd like to see them. You got
them written down somewhere?

FATHER
No, man -- I don't write them
down -- don't need to. That's
the big difference between you
and me.

PRINCE
Thought you weren't going to
play no more.

His Father looks at him sullenly, then
looks down, stares at the keys.
Prince's eyes well with tears--

PRINCE
I saw Mom up the street. She
looked pretty bad. Any idea
how she got that way?

His Father bites his his lip, rubs a
hand over his face, stares at the keys.
His voice comes with difficulty--

PRINCE
Yeah...
(a beat)
I got a girlfriend.

FATHER
You gonna get married?

PRINCE
(long pause)
I don't know.

His Father shares a hurtful look with
him, then stares darkly at the floor
below--

FATHER
Never get married.

dawnboy999 said:

Yeah but by all accounts he lifted the riff from Dr.Fink.

When the whole “Revolution era” started up, it opened up a lot of possibilities for Prince’s sound. 

How did the writing process work with him? For example, how did you got about writing a song like “Computer Blue”? 

FINK: Well “Computer Blue” really grew from a seed, so to speak, that took place during a jam session. 

We’d always warm up before rehearsals doing free-form improv rock/jazz music jams, 

and someone would start a chord progression (or Prince would or one of us would) or in this case on that day, 

I started playing that main bass groove which was the main bass part for “Computer Blue” which was later brought into that. 

So the band started grooving on it, next thing you know we’re all sort of joining in, doing some jam on that. 

Prince started coming up with some stuff we recorded a rough version of it and he took it into the studio and just incorporated it all 

and made it fly that way. Lisa & Wendy came in and they did some of the stuff on it. Prince borrowed the bridge/portal section from his own father 

who had given him some music over the years to play around with. So that particular song was a real mixture of different people and influences. 

So that’s how that one came about. So I kind of germinated the beginning of it—the bassline, the main groove, Bobby Z. was there to play the drums, of course—

and that’s how it evolved. Prince, ya know, he really was the main lyricist and melody maker for the songs and I’m pretty sure very rarely took or did not take any lyrical content from people. 

He was really the main guy on that.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Efan said:

I don't know why, but that oily, masked look just perfectly captures the frustration and danger and sexuality run amok in Computer Blue.

This song just does something to me. I'm not even sure what.

those words are words I've used as well to describe this song and that certain period in Prince history

Dangerous Sexual Frustration

Dangerous Sexuality

Dangerous

the guitar piece when Wendy kneels before him, and the synth sound like something wicked is about to happen...

I nEeVerR get tire of this song

Yes. I remember being so scared of that song and that performance when I first saw Purple Rain at the age of 14. But I changed my mind about it pretty quickly. That scene was a bit of a game-changer for me, lifewise.

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^^^ Nice !! Love that scene in the movie

I love how the scene (81) INT. BASEMENT, PRINCE'S HOUSE -- NIGHT deep in the house basement, that red light, how the scene ends with Prince face in red and we hear Wendy's guitar wailing , taking us into the performance

has Wendy ever looked foxier?

rdhull said:

I hope to god that UFOClub doesnt post in here.

?

rdhull said:

I hope to god that UFOClub doesnt post in here.

[img:$uid]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/7/5/1341498064307/David-Bowie-kisses-MIck-R-008.jpg[/img:$uid]

He knows I don't care at all for the album/movie version of this track. Not since 1984.

ufoclub said:

rdhull said:

I hope to god that UFOClub doesnt post in here.

[img:$uid]http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/7/5/1341498064307/David-Bowie-kisses-MIck-R-008.jpg[/img:$uid]

He knows I don't care at all for the album/movie version of this track. Not since 1984.

Word lol.

Good thing he's been playing lesser songs live over the years and Ignoring Computer Blue. He wouldn't want to really be amazing live, would he? Such a shame.

I consider this song, in whatever version you want, to be a musical masterpiece.

Prince's second guitar solo is just unbelievable. It's really two different solos, counterpointing each other.

Wow.

Revolution said:

This could b my fav song ever! Great musical piece. It is essentially an instrumental, but the few lyrics in the song convey his frustration perfectly. How did this get lost in the whole reign of purple rain?

like the 2nd part of Something In the Water Does Not Compute

I like how the stage set up for this in the movie is the same as the 1999 tour stage setup

(82) INT. CLUB -- NIGHT

Wendy?

Yes Lisa

Is the water warm enough?

Yes Lisa

Shall we begin?

Yes Lisa

Ow!

Where is my love life?
Where can it be?
There must be something wrong with the machinery
Where is my love life?
Tell me, where has it gone?
Somebody please, please tell me what the hell is wrong

Till I find the righteous one
Computer blue
Till I find the righteous one
Computer blue

The CLUB is THROBBING. Prince is
onstage, stripped to the waist, SWEAT
seeping from his pores in torrents.
He's deep into the pit of "Computer
Blue, " locked into a provocative,
obscene graphic with Wendy. She's on her
knees in front of him, his crotch moving
directly in front of her lips. She's
made up fiercely, looks like Prince
himself. The total effect is unnerving
-- Prince is going down on himself.

Billy Sparks stands by the bar pretty
upset. Jill stands slack-jawed. The
KIDS have stopped dancing, drinking --
they staring at the display,.shaking
their heads confused...

Where is my baby?
Where can she be?
Somebody please, please tell me what is wrong with me

Where is my baby?
Where has she gone?
Somebody please, please tell me what the hell is wrong

Yeah

The computer's on the verge of breakdown!

Come on
Oh baby, don't make me

Poor lonely computer
It's time someone programmed U
It's time U learned love and lust
They both have 4 letters
But they're entirely different words
Poor lonely computer
Poor, poor lonely computer
Do U really know what love is?

The BEAT is SAVAGE. Prince is in his
own world, living his own private hell.
Suddenly the MUSIC crescendos, then
winds down like a roller coaster
sweeping everyone along. The BEAT
changes radically. He turns his back to
the audience and plays ...

...and we suddenly recognize the MUSIC
as his Father's -- the song he played on
the piano the night before. But it's
Prince's now, stamped with his own
signature. He's bent at the waist, his
back to the audience, alone with his
father's, and his, pain.

The CROWD fidgets...Billy Sparks fastens
his eyes on Prince angrily.

He didn't like living alone
The house where he lived had many hallways
It was a long walk 2 his bedroom
Because 2 him each hallway represented an emotion
Every one vastly different from the next
One day while she was with him
He decided 2 name each one
She walked by his side, one hand on his thigh
No - she was sort of half a step behind him
Yeah, the grip on his thigh intensified
As they walked slowly through the corridor
He named the hallway "Lust"
And as they passed through the next one
He named it "Fear"
The grip she now loosened
So he walked faster
Her hands now trembling
She let dropped 2 her side as he wrote the word "Insecurity"
He looked into her eyes and smiled a demon smile
And quickly walked onto the next
Corridor after corridor
He named almost all when suddenly… he stopped
He picked up the word "Hate"
She was gone
So he picked up another – "Pain"

On the verge of a breakdown
What is life without love?
It's hell, Computer Blue!

Father, Father, the sun is gone
(Father, Father) The Dawn, the Dawn
Father, Father, where is the Dawn?
(Where is the Dawn, Father?)
(Na, na, na, na, na)
Na, na, na, na, na

Shall I go 2 church on Sundays?
Shall I stay home and pray?
Shall I try 2 make her happy?
Shall I try 2 make her stay?

Where is my love life?
Tell me, where can it be?

(84) INT. CLUB -- NIGHT

Prince is on-stage, deep into the
closing moments of "Computer Blue." He
paces back and forth frantically, still
locked in his own private hell. The
Crowd's attention has wandered, however,
and very few remain on the dance floor,
finding it too much trouble to keep up
with the changing shifts in the music.
Even his band members are edgy, casting
quick looks to each other, wishing to
get on with more compelling audience-
pleasing sounds.

BAR AREA
as Billy Sparks shakes hands with Morris
and Jerome and is introduced to Vanity
Six for the first time. We can tell by
his reaction that he likes what he sees.
He kisses Brenda and Susan, saves a
special squeeze for Vanity herself. He
escorts the whole group to a table
across the floor. Vanity brings up the
rear, casts a quick look to Prince
onstage.

PRINCE
fastens on her and brings "Computer
Blue" to a rousing end. The Crowd
applauds, but it's more out of respect
than eagerness. He doesn't seem to
notice though, or care. He confers
quickly with his group., then moves
center-stage. The Band Members trade
frustrated looks with each other -- it's
obvious that they have some trouble with
the next song...