As Prince fans, we got spoiled when it came to B-sides for the Purple Rain singles. Some truly great music was to be had whether you were listening to one side of the vinyl or the other... and then came Take Me With U. The only single not to offer a unique B-side. I love Baby I'm A Star but its use as the b-side for this single to me was a lost opportunity. Were there no other tracks that were unreleased at that time that could have been better served in this capacity?

My question to you, what unreleased track from that era should have been released as the b-side instead?

For me, I would go with Electric Intercourse.

[Edited 1/30/15 4:29am]

A-Side : Take Me With U (Unreleased longer Version)

B-Side : Possessed (Instrumental)

Possessed as a B-side would make sense because it can be heard in the movie

I agree with Possessed, but I'd put the vocal version on there.

It feels more "B-Side"-y (for lack of a better term).

Electric Intercourse feels like something that should have been slap bang in the middle of the album and movie, to me.

Electric Intercourse was way too good for Take Me With U, why he even released that song as a single is beyond me, it is weak!!! 4 singles down and 5 tracks to go, to keep the momentum going he should have released the power ballad two some - The Beautiful Ones/Electric Intercourse instead, that would have given him his 5th Top 10 hit in a row.

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Take me with u, only got to #25 because of its association with Purple Rain and the the tour still happening then. If Prince had farted for 5 minutes and said fuck you on the record, he would have still charted, that was how hot he was then!!!!

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Even better would have been if Take Me with u was left on the Apollonia 6 album and released as a single off it, It may have taken that album higher than it did. Sex Shooter was okay, but a bit lightweight, after Take Me With U, it may have been a decent second single thoughthat would have helped the album go gold at least.

I will always love the string work on "Take Me With You".

B-side? If it were me I would've switched the order and called it a day. The B-side got much airplay from my recollection anyways.

I imagine Prince had lost a bit of interest in PR and had probably started to move on to the next project by that point (?) So WB were probably putting out the singles without any Prince input - thus the lack of a new b-side. There is a distinct lack of magic about the whole 12" compared to the previous singles (the artwork - in the uk version at least), the label, the b-side - was there a video? or just clips from the movie)

[Edited 1/30/15 14:42pm]

Dandroppedadime said:

I imagine Prince had lost a bit of interest in PR and had probably started to move on to the next project by that point (?) So WB were probably putting out the singles without any Prince input - thus the lack of a new b-side. There is a distinct lack of magic about the whole 12" compared to the previous singles (the artwork - in the uk version at least), the label, the b-side - was there a video? or just clips from the movie)

[Edited 1/30/15 14:42pm]

>

They used the clip from the "Purple Rain Live" video.

Dandroppedadime said:

I imagine Prince had lost a bit of interest in PR and had probably started to move on to the next project by that point (?) So WB were probably putting out the singles without any Prince input - thus the lack of a new b-side. There is a distinct lack of magic about the whole 12" compared to the previous singles (the artwork - in the uk version at least), the label, the b-side - was there a video? or just clips from the movie)

[Edited 1/30/15 14:42pm]

I think this was the only single from Purple Rain that did not get a 12" release - only a sad little 7' single to promote it release

At least the video was a fun live clip.

For those of you who suggested that Baby I'm A Star should have been on the A-side, agreed! Beyond loving the track, I think it would have done better on the charts as well.

The reason I chose Electric Intercourse as a better b-side for Take Me With U is for the following:

1. The A-side is a more romantic based track and I think Electric Intercourse is a continuation of that theme. Possessed is great but I would not equate is as a romantic compliment.
2. I hate that Electric Intercourse never got a proper release. At least as a B-side, we would get the benefit of it getting out of the unreleased purgatory it was discarded to.

Just my humble opinion of course

Any other tracks beyond Electric Intercourse or Possessed that would have made a good candidate?

[Edited 1/30/15 15:15pm]

Averett said:

My question to you, what unreleased track from that era should have been released as the b-side instead?

Computer Blue (Extended Dance Mix) 11:57

or

Computer Blue ("Work Out" Mix) 11:57

or

Computer Blue ("The Corridor Speech Version" Mix)..........A little dig at Bart

Either way, the complete long version should have been a B-side. A missed opportunity indeed.

CynicKill said:

Dandroppedadime said:

I imagine Prince had lost a bit of interest in PR and had probably started to move on to the next project by that point (?) So WB were probably putting out the singles without any Prince input - thus the lack of a new b-side. There is a distinct lack of magic about the whole 12" compared to the previous singles (the artwork - in the uk version at least), the label, the b-side - was there a video? or just clips from the movie)

[Edited 1/30/15 14:42pm]

>

They used the clip from the "Purple Rain Live" video.

Actually they used a different performance from the Purple Rain Live video. It was also different in how the song was done.

G-Spot

I think "ExtraLovable" should have been a B-side for one of the PR singles....maybe "I Would Die 4 U"? Also,"Electric Intercourse" would have been a perfect B-side,as well.

IIRC, Prince's management didn't want him releasing the great b-sides that he did. It was kind of a waste of great songs with hit potential. It wasn't long before the well dried, and he had a harder time filling albums with enough strong songs. Prince probably shot himself in the foot by releasing strong b-sides.

funksterr said:

IIRC, Prince's management didn't want him releasing the great b-sides that he did. It was kind of a waste of great songs with hit potential.

Really? Can't see why they felt that way.I think it was a great idea for someone as prolific as Prince.It gave him a chance to get all these songs out there.Plus,I think in some cases,it increased the sales of his singles.You had to buy the single if you wanted the amazing B-side track.And let's face it,some of these songs didn't fit the concept of the albums.For example,"Erotic City" (as great as it is) would have sounded out of place on the Purple Rain album.

SoulAlive said:

funksterr said:

IIRC, Prince's management didn't want him releasing the great b-sides that he did. It was kind of a waste of great songs with hit potential.

Really? Can't see why they felt that way.I think it was a great idea for someone as prolific as Prince.It gave him a chance to get all these songs out there.Plus,I think in some cases,it increased the sales of his singles.You had to buy the single if you wanted the amazing B-side track.And let's face it,some of these songs didn't fit the concept of the albums.For example,"Erotic City" (as great as it is) would have sounded out of place on the Purple Rain album.

I agree with you, but can you imagine if those b-sides were the basis of his next album? Some of those songs deserved their own singles.

blacknote said:

Averett said:

My question to you, what unreleased track from that era should have been released as the b-side instead?

Computer Blue (Extended Dance Mix) 11:57

or

Computer Blue ("Work Out" Mix) 11:57

or

Computer Blue ("The Corridor Speech Version" Mix)..........A little dig at Bart

Either way, the complete long version should have been a B-side. A missed opportunity indeed.

Blacknote, I love this idea I certainly would have bought this.

Adorecream said:

Even better would have been if Take Me with u was left on the Apollonia 6 album and released as a single off it, It may have taken that album higher than it did. Sex Shooter was okay, but a bit lightweight, after Take Me With U, it may have been a decent second single thoughthat would have helped the album go gold at least.

Great point. That gives way for Electric Intercourse to be on the album and the deleted barn scene to be added to the movie.

b-side - something fun like the track "Tricky" (b-side Jungle Love)

BobGeorge909 said:

I suggest A-side: this song....B-side:that song. Or maybe A-side:one song...B-side:another song.... Waddya think

Sounds retarded.

I think Prince would be more likely to put a new track as b-side on such single (at the tail end of a project) than dig back a little and put an older track or album off-cut (unless he had updated it recently).

PopcornFetus said:

Take Me With U should have been the 4th single and would have performed a lot better and might be more remembered today.