Boni Boyers time/contribution in the Prince camp 1986-1989

Boni Boyer came into the Purple camp via Sheila E.
She began tour with Sheila 4 her 3rd album Sheila E

after the Revolution was disbanded which also meant a disbanding of other bands in his camp

Prince added Boni & Levi from Sheila's band

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Bonita Louisa "Boni" Boyer (July 28, 1958 -December 4, 1996)
(Singer and musician) Boyer contributed back-up vocals and played a wide variety of instruments for Lionel Ritchie, Tony! Toni! Tone'!, Con Funk Shun, and Digital Underground. She was perhaps best known for her work with Prince on the "Sign O' the Times," "Lovesexy," and "Graffiti Bridge" albums and related concert tours. A fellow classmate of Sheila E., Boyer was replaced in Prince's band with Rosie Gaines. Boyer passed away from a brain aneurysm.

You must learn yourself

before you can teach others

-Boni

on the unreleased version most fans have, Boni takes the lead on this one

Can you talk 2 me with your body, baby?
Can you tell me what I wanna hear?
Can you lay on me a good enough reason 2 cross the line?
Yeah, ho! {x2}

Can you be my lover and still be my friend? (Can you be my friend?)
Can you stick with me till the bitter end? (The bitter end)
Can you lay on me a good enough reason 2 cross the line?
Yeah, ho! (Cross the line)

Chorus:
The line, line - it's a happy step 2 make
It takes time, time - all is what it takes
The line, line - and soon your life is so much better
The water's so much better on the other side (Cross the line)

Can you tolerate? Why am I not so free?
How I did the plan
Can you understand I'm a free man?
But will I stop the dam if I don't cross the line?
Yeah, ho! {x2}
Ow!

Hey
Cross the line sugar, cross the line {x2}
Cross the line

Chorus

(Cross the line)

Cross the line sugar, cross the line {x3}

I want you 2 cross the line, hey! {sample used in "Acknowledge Me"}
Talk 2 me, say the things I wanna hear, oh!
Cross the line

Cross the line

Cross the line
Baby, baby, baby, can you make me cross the line?
Cross the line, sugar, cross the line
You know you got 2 cross the line!

(New dance) {repeat in bg}
People, people, I got a brand new dance {x2}
Ain't talkin' 'bout Housequake! No!
Ain't talkin' 'bout Shake 'n' Bake! No!
Ain't talkin' 'bout Rice-O-Roni! No!
I'm talkin' 'bout Macaroni? No!
Lord have mercy

Boni? (What?)
On the 2 (Yeah!)
What we gonna do? (Kangaroo!)
Say it! (Kangaroo!)
Come on
Boni? (What?)
On the 2 (Yeah!)
What you wanna do? (Kangaroo!)
Do the do (Do the do!)

Cross the line {repeat}
Baby, baby, baby, cross the line {repeat 2 fade}

Precious Lord, take my hand
Lead me on, help me stand
I try, I have need, I am whole
Through the door, through the shore

Precious Lord, I believe in your name

The Line is an unreleased song recorded on 22 December, 1987 (six days after Dance On, during a stretch of sessions focused on the Lovesexy album). It was written in response to a poem by Ingrid Chavez which Prince had recorded with her earlier in the month, entitled Cross The Line. The Line was included on an early version of the album, compiled on 21 January, 1988, but was removed for a February configuration, replaced by I Wish U Heaven.

The song includes a chanted portion used in live shows since early 1987, "People, people. I've got a brand new dance", which mentions Housequake. The track ends with Boni Boyer singing lyrics from Take My Hand, Precious Lord. A scream by Boni Boyer from this track was later used in the opening seconds of Acknowledge Me (credited incorrectly to "Bonni Boyer"), with the liner notes stating that The Line was "2 b released at a later date". The song remains unreleased, however.

Cat, Miko Weaver, Boni Boyer behind

Boni, U lived 2 C the Dawn

When Prince hired Rosie Gaines he asked her a question about running off like Boni

I absolutely love that early version of "Cross The Line"
Every time i her it i think of Boni Boyer

SoulAlive said:

In the 90s,she could be heard singing backup vocals on Raphael Saadiq's 1994 hit "Ask Of You".

as i recall.. She was also the female background vocals on Digital Underground's Kiss You back

I've always wondered (or knew at some point then forgot) whether she left the band (and why) or was thanked (then why). Does anyone know what happened?

Boni, it's yo' house...Boni Boyer...I said Boni Boyer!!!

I heard a rumor a long time ago (before she died) that she was caught selling/trading bootlegs and that's why she was fired.

Askani said:

I heard a rumor a long time ago (before she died) that she was caught selling/trading bootlegs and that's why she was fired.

Fired from Paisley Park?>

I believe Cat & Boni left on their own.

Prince made a comment/question to Rosie whether or not she was going to leave like Bonnie did

databank said:

I've always wondered (or knew at some point then forgot) whether she left the band (and why) or was thanked (then why). Does anyone know what happened?

I also remember reading something about a sort of clashing that went on between she and Prince that would go to far, I think she left on her own

1725topp said:

Boni, it's yo' house...Boni Boyer...I said Boni Boyer!!!

databank said:

I've always wondered (or knew at some point then forgot) whether she left the band (and why) or was thanked (then why). Does anyone know what happened?

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Wasn't she bullied by band members? Or was that Rosie?

BartVanHemelen said:

NinaB said:

BartVanHemelen said:

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Wasn't she bullied by band members? Or was that Rosie?

I believe that was Rosie, what with being the only woman in the band etc. From what I recall Boni spoke her mind.

Source?

NinaB said:

BartVanHemelen said:

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Wasn't she bullied by band members? Or was that Rosie?

I believe that was Rosie, what with being the only woman in the band etc. From what I recall Boni spoke her mind.

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I'm pretty sure she complained about there being fat jokes. I recall being surprised to learn that this happened on the Lovesexy Tour.

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[Edited 12/9/14 3:09am]

Looking at the lovesexy live vid fro Dortmund, I always had the impression that there was some negative energy between Boni and Sheila, during Lets go crazy, where the girls do some percussion.

BartVanHemelen said:

remko said:

NinaB said:

BartVanHemelen said:

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Wasn't she bullied by band members? Or was that Rosie?

I believe that was Rosie, what with being the only woman in the band etc. From what I recall Boni spoke her mind.

Yeah during the Nude tour the energy of the new band members wasn't the best.

Dr Fink talked about the attitudes of some of these guys (mostly the Game Boyz)

by the Diamonds & Pearls tour there was at least Diamonds Pearl and Mayte

Cat Glover:

Filming "Sign o' The Times"...The reason the movie was put on film was, because, when Prince first exposed the new band, a lot of people in Europe held up signs that said "Where are Wendy and Lisa?" and "Where is The Revolution?" They did, they really did.
It was funny, because, I was the new kid on the block. They weren't warm and welcoming to us. Prince got very upset.
We were doing our shows and something drastic happened. I can't remember what country we were in, but, there was a thunderstorm. Mind you, we were performing outside. But, the show must go on. Prince and I were on wireless microphones. There was rain, lightning and thunder. A bolt of thunder struck one of the signs over Boni Boyer's keyboard and it fell. That's when we said "That's it" and Prince decided to put "Sign o' the Times" on film.
I was in my panties. Okay? I was cold. Everyone else was in clothes. You know how my clothes were. I was cold, I was freezing, but, I was professional. When that sign fell and it took a chunk out of Boyer's keyboard, Prince said "That's it." I think God said "I'm going to save you guys."

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Boni Boyer was my best friend on tour. We shared dressing rooms together. She was a jokester. She was so funny. During sound checks she always had everyone laughing. She was multi-talented. Boyer was from Oakland. She was from the street. She would have Prince on the floor laughing. When she would walk onstage during sound checks, we would all immediately start laughing, because, we knew she was going to say something funny.
I remember we had a sound check in Europe and Boyer was a little late. Prince had on this green two-piece outfit with the alphabet on it. She was late and Prince said "Boni, you're late" and she had on silk pajamas. He said "Don't come on my stage and sound check with those silk pajamas on." Then, Boyer looked at me and Sheila E. --or me and Levi Seacer-- and she said "Yeah, but, you're wearing green pants with the alphabet on them."
We started laughing and we laughed so hard. She made everyone laugh. She was so confident. She was a great singer and a great musician. She could carry her own; she was awesome, funny and raw. I miss her, she was my best friend.