Into The Light and I Will are probably in my top 10 Prince songs ever. They really are that good. Everything about them is just magic. The way Into The Light opens with that delicate piano, Rosie's backing vocals on the second chorus, that brilliant sax and guitar solo before effortlessly going into I Will, which is surely one of Prince's most sincere ballads lyrically speaking. No trace of ego, just a genuine display of reassurance to a friend.

Musically, it contains some of Prince's best lead guitar work and again, Rosie's harmonising is chilling. Rosie Gaines is the best singer Prince has ever worked with by a mile and these two songs are evidence of that. I really cannot over-emphasise how much I love these two songs.

Frankly, I don't remember much of these songs, I have forgotten almost everything about Chaos And Disorder, but your post makes me want to give them another listen, so thank you.

[Edited 9/5/13 5:50am]

Javi said:

Frankly, I don't remember much of these songs, I have forgotten almost everything about Chaos And Disorder, but your post makes want to give them another listen, so thank you.

Yeah, seriously, you really shouldn't sleep on these two tracks. Two of his most inspired pieces IMO.

It would be interesting to know when Dolphin was recorded and when Into The Light was recorded. I also recall reading an interview around that mid-Gold era time where Prince was reading a book with a title similar to Into The Light. Many of the songs of this ilk recorded at that time seemed to feature aspects related to reincarnation or other spiritual planes (rather than a strict Christian viewpoint), possibly as a psychological escape valve and hopeful means of transcending the internal/external struggles he was experiencing at the time with his Warner Brothers as well as his own/the public perception of his identity. It was as if he needed to "rise" above the situation and spirituality from an Eastern perspective seemed to provide a valuable source for him to look towards for inspiration. Of course, I could be reading too much into it, but there definitely appeared to be an interest peaking around this time. I was also interested in the fact that Prince cited Goddess Lakshmi around the Musicology era as a potential source for enlightenment, especially given his JW conversion. But it gave me hope that he perhaps wasn't as closed minded as some of the critiques (or the TRC narrator) would have us believe.

SpiritOtter said:

It would be interesting to know when Dolphin was recorded and when Into The Light was recorded. I also recall reading an interview around that mid-Gold era time where Prince was reading a book with a title similar to Into The Light. Many of the songs of this ilk recorded at that time seemed to feature aspects related to reincarnation or other spiritual planes (rather than a strict Christian viewpoint), possibly as a psychological escape valve and hopeful means of transcending the internal/external struggles he was experiencing at the time with his Warner Brothers as well as his own/the public perception of his identity. It was as if he needed to "rise" above the situation and spirituality from an Eastern perspective seemed to provide a valuable source for him to look towards for inspiration. Of course, I could be reading too much into it, but there definitely appeared to be an interest peaking around this time. I was also interested in the fact that Prince cited Goddess Lakshmi around the Musicology era as a potential source for enlightenment, especially given his JW conversion. But it gave me hope that he perhaps wasn't as closed minded as some of the critiques (or the TRC narrator) would have us believe.

I didn't know about her. I've read that she's usually portraid on a lotus flower. Another clue then?

I always wished these two songs had made it onto The Gold Experience, perhaps replacing We March. They are both such beautiful songs, it's a real shame they were buried on C&D (Which I love and all, but these songs dont really fit the vibe of that album)

SpiritOtter said:

It would be interesting to know when Dolphin was recorded and when Into The Light was recorded. I also recall reading an interview around that mid-Gold era time where Prince was reading a book with a title similar to Into The Light. Many of the songs of this ilk recorded at that time seemed to feature aspects related to reincarnation or other spiritual planes (rather than a strict Christian viewpoint), possibly as a psychological escape valve and hopeful means of transcending the internal/external struggles he was experiencing at the time with his Warner Brothers as well as his own/the public perception of his identity. It was as if he needed to "rise" above the situation and spirituality from an Eastern perspective seemed to provide a valuable source for him to look towards for inspiration. Of course, I could be reading too much into it, but there definitely appeared to be an interest peaking around this time. I was also interested in the fact that Prince cited Goddess Lakshmi around the Musicology era as a potential source for enlightenment, especially given his JW conversion. But it gave me hope that he perhaps wasn't as closed minded as some of the critiques (or the TRC narrator) would have us believe.

We do:

Doplhin's basic tracks r from 2 January 1993 (http://www.princevault.co...hp/Dolphin)

Into The Light's basic tracks are from February 1996 (http://princevault.com/in..._The_Light)

I always loved that Into The Light/I WIll sequencing too

It is interesting to note that on the 3121.com website the tracks were one of the few streamed and were joined together as if they were one song

timmie said:

SpiritOtter said:

databank by name, databank by nature. Thank you, databank. To my knowledge, matty, no live outings.

I wouldn't b worth a dime if Per Nielsen and the gang and Boris and a couple of others hadn't done all the dirty work b4 my time

Absolutely love them both, and the fact that they are a "set" is just awesome.

Hmmm. February 1996? He was already working on the Emancipation material by that point. Most of the Emancipation stuff has a different overall sound, so I'm a bit surprised to find about the recording date.

novabrkr said:

Hmmm. February 1996? He was already working on the Emancipation material by that point. Most of the Emancipation stuff has a different overall sound, so I'm a bit surprised to find about the recording date.

Prince finished C&D in early 1996, it's not the only song to have been recorded or finished at this time, chack Princevault 4 details. He was indeed working on Emancipation as well but u know the dude, he will often handle 2 or 3 rjects at a time.

I just always thought there was something of a change in the way Prince wrote, arranged and recorded songs in overall around the time of the Emancipation. Sure, Emancipation has also tracks like Saviour on it that sound more like TGE and C&D.

Hmm, when did Sonny T., Michael Bland and others get booted out of the NPG? Right after those sessions in early 1996?

novabrkr said:

I just always thought there was something of a change in the way Prince wrote, arranged and recorded songs in overall around the time of the Emancipation. Sure, Emancipation has also tracks like Saviour on it that sound more like TGE and C&D.

Hmm, when did Sonny T., Michael Bland and others get booted out of the NPG? Right after those sessions in early 1996?

Not sure but they stopped touring in January and recorded a few things in early 96 and that was it I guess. There was a change indeed, which in great part due to Prince working intensively with Kirk Johnson I think. But because he had a change of sound didn't mean he had forgotten how to do things the way he did them right before the change. The first (confidential) single from Emancipation was actually released in December 1995, when the album was still a work in progress. On the other hand C&D and The Vault were projects built on earlier songs and when Prince updated some of these these tracks and recorded new material to complete the albums, he had in mind that he had to make these recordings cohesive. It wasn't the first time it happened: for example

Creating isn't only a compulsion, u also happen to plan things every once in a while

Just listened again.

Really like them.

I think it's a shame that "dig you better dead" comes afther these 2.

Into the light/I will really open up and than there's the negativity of"dig you ..." in your face.

Great track. I would put on this CD just for this track

dJJ said:

Just listened again.

Really like them.

I think it's a shame that "dig you better dead" comes afther these 2.

Into the light/I will really open up and than there's the negativity of"dig you ..." in your face.

I always thought the change from "I Rock Therefore I Am" was more jarring--but then, I really don't much care for "I Rock...", and I like "Dig U Better Dead." Also, "Dig U Better Dead" clearly has a different musical feel, but it does carry on the spiritual vibe--the six month spirit questy thing at the beginning, the revelatory experience that "saved your ass from dying."

Yes, it describes the negative recent business experiences, and "somebody" said some sort of bizarre passive-aggressive stuff (he attributes that sort of thing to other "friends" from this period--like "My Computer"), but it's about "his God," who he wants us to know is "what he say[s]."

Anyway, the point is that I like "Into the Light/I Will." I join in the adoration.

novabrkr said:

I just always thought there was something of a change in the way Prince wrote, arranged and recorded songs in overall around the time of the Emancipation. Sure, Emancipation has also tracks like Saviour on it that sound more like TGE and C&D.

Hmm, when did Sonny T., Michael Bland and others get booted out of the NPG? Right after those sessions in early 1996?

Nothing to do with the band.

.

P just decided to give up on being a genious, and became a R&B artist instead.

.

ME 2, Love it! Goes great with The Dawn

Aaron6 said: