Anybody know anything about the 13:09 rehearsal of 'America' from 1986? I just realised that there's no performance of 'America' in my Parade Around The World live recording and rehearsal sessions (Nice, Oct 85 & Minneapolis, Feb-Apr 86). Did they ever actually do a long workout of the song during the tour?


The vocals aren't anything to get excited about, and there are a couple of things that don't quite work, but I think overall it's musically a really entertaining rendition. I've always loved these Revolution jams with all the call outs.

Here are the highlights for me:

Crazy guitar intro.

Drums kick in.

Guitar settles into the melody.

Eric solos.

Atlanta pipes up.

Guitar noodles.

"Stop on the one."

Bass line.

"Everybody do the Stomp. Come on. We got a brand new dance. It's called the Stomp. Fellas, I think we need one of them sisters. I think we need a sister. What kind, what kind would I like?"

"We gonna call a sister."

"Horns on the two. Keep on it."

Organ jam. All other instruments drop out.

"Greg hit that cowbell. The big one. The big one. Yeah."

"Revolution, I gotta take me home. If you can't find a cab, I ain't gonna be alone. Give me that line. Right here." (Or something.)

Horns into long electronic drum run + Wah guitar.

Big false ending.

Silence.

"Baby, baby, baby, baby."

"Vegas!" x4

Prince mimics the intro to 'Kiss'.

Silence.

"Matt, at the end of America on the end, just set up for 'Kiss'. Right?

I don't think you can mimic on a sound recording.

Pentacle said:

I don't think you can mimic on a sound recording.

What I meant was that he mimics the sound of the guitar intro.

Previous thread here:

http://prince.org/msg/7/412529

langebleu said:

Previous thread here:

http://prince.org/msg/7/412529

Thanks. I didn't see that. Probably because it had such a vague title. The only content in that thread is as follows:

Ramzoo wants to know more details and get a full set list.

Databank would like to see a rehearsals section added to Prince Vault.

And FragileUndertow commented "Ahh just heard this. It must be something newly circulating. It appears to be soundboard, sounds is decent. Sounds a bit fast. One can't help wonder if there is more to this rehearsal, that be great "

As that's everything, perhaps you'll allow me to continue this thread.

I checked through the setlists for the 86 concerts and he played America followed by Kiss on the first show on 3 March at First Avenue. According to Prince Vault, that version, which I'd love to hear, included "Spanish Key horn motif & Shake Your Body (Down To The Ground) interpolation & Holly Rock, The Oak Tree, Living In America, Free World & Color Of Success chants"

After that, it was played on the following dates (all info from Prince Vault):

3 April, Boston: Only including the Spanish Key horn motif.

23 May, San Francisco: Including Holly Rock chant, Cold Sweat horn stabs, and Spanish Key horn motif. It was followed by A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, which also included Holly Rock and The Roof Is On Fire chants before running into an improvised jam of A Love Bizarre. After all that came Kiss.

(6 June, Detroit & 10 June, Louisville: Setlists unknown.)

3 July, Denver: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key, but was followed by Purple Rain with Joni Mitchell before finishing with Kiss.

2 August, New York: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key, but was followed by Sometimes It Snows In April, Purple Rain, Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, and Mountains before finishing with Kiss.

18 August, Rotterdam: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key plus The Roof Is On Fire and More Bounce To The Ounce instrumental interpolation.

(28 August, Frankfurt: Setlist unknown.)

29 August, Essen: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key.

31 August, Hamburg: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key.

6 September, Osaka: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key.

And the final night, 8 September, Yokohama: Inc. Cold Sweat and Spanish Key.

Looks like he was getting a little tired of mixing things up with America by the end of the tour.

I'm guessing Boston might be a good contender. Kiss follows directly after America and I don't hear the Cold Sweat stabs in the rehearsal or any of the other stuff he was sometimes dropping in there. Of course, just because the rehearsal was played a certain way, it doesn't mean the actual performance was the same. It'd still be interesting to hear the Boston show though to compare.

(^ Re the previous thread, I was simply pointing back to it)

Regarding the Boston performance on the Parade tour, it is about 13' long with a number of the components heard in the circulating rehearsal, but does not include the 'sister' chant or prominent organ soul elements, but rather has the ''Let's dance, let's shout, getiing' funky's what it's all about'' chant.

Once again: what is the setlist of this rehearsal? I can't imagine that only one song leaked....

hmmm I have to check for this one