Susan Rogers has claimed this "was an old one from the vault", but on Princevault it says "Initial tracking took place on 4 June, 1986 at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA (the day after a configuration of the Dream Factory album was made, the same day as saxophone overdubs on Yah, U Know), during a brief relationship with Carole Davis, who is co-credited for the lyrics."

Anyone knows?

If Susan Rogers is not mistaken, I'm inclined to believe this song is rather a bit earlier recorded than popularly attributed (for its initial tracking, at least), but that the story as to the negotiations and eventual joint attribution is more or less correct (except for the timing).

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It is obviously jazzy, but in a different way from, for instance, 'Power Fantastic' from 1986 proper.

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The production speaks more to the 'sedate' animus of the 'Do U Lie?', 'Go', 'Splash', etc. era, i.e., mid-to-late 1985, but it is a basic enough effort to be hard to pin down precisely.

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That she characterizes it as an 'old one from the Vault' may entail that the track perhaps became attached (and most likely overdubbed [fuller W&L background vocals, and/or some/all of the horns]) to his 1986/1987 album project after not having been pursued or mentioned for some time. Saxophone overdubs for 'Yah, U Know' were supposedly recorded the very same day Princevault is alleging is the date of initial tracking. It may also have been mixed/readied for Clare Fischer orchestration at that time.

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In the end, it may be only a matter of less than a year, but that is an appreciable length of development, one or more 'epochs', with discernable differences of production styling, in the Prince timescale.

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[Edited 3/17/15 18:35pm]

Or maybe Susan Rogers was wrong?

It' s got a doo-wop fifties slow balad quality, and it's one I really don't like ...

paulludvig said:

Or maybe Susan Rogers was wrong?

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Yes, my overelaborate "defense" of sorts for Susan Rogers may be unwarranted, as she's certainly made odd, seemingly inaccurate statements and recollections on other matters.

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It is just an intuitive sense, however-- that the production fits better sonically in that mid-to-late 1985 period, rather than Summer 1986, that I am inclined to believe she may be correct.

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[Edited 3/18/15 19:36pm]

Ymaginatif said:

It' s got a doo-wop fifties slow balad quality, and it's one I really don't like ...

I love the vast majority of Prince's ballads, but I have never liked Slow Love either ...

meh. played it once in 1987 and never listened to it again. Prince thought this bland song would be a hit

imprimis said:

If Susan Rogers is not mistaken, I'm inclined to believe this song is rather a bit earlier recorded than popularly attributed (for its initial tracking, at least), but that the story as to the negotiations and eventual joint attribution is more or less correct (except for the timing).

.

It is obviously jazzy, but in a different way from, for instance, 'Power Fantastic' from 1986 proper.

.

The production speaks more to the 'sedate' animus of the 'Do U Lie?', 'Go', 'Splash', etc. era, i.e., mid-to-late 1985, but it is a basic enough effort to be hard to pin down precisely.

.

That she characterizes it as an 'old one from the Vault' may entail that the track perhaps became attached (and most likely overdubbed [fuller W&L background vocals, and/or some/all of the horns]) to his 1986/1987 album project after not having been pursued or mentioned for some time. Saxophone overdubs for 'Yah, U Know' were supposedly recorded the very same day Princevault is alleging is the date of initial tracking. It may also have been mixed/readied for Clare Fischer orchestration at that time.

.

In the end, it may be only a matter of less than a year, but that is an appreciable length of development, one or more 'epochs', with discernable differences of production styling, in the Prince timescale.

.

[Edited 3/17/15 18:35pm]

I expressed similar thoughts about her statement earlier. Describing it being "from the Vault" sounded like she was saying it came from the early-80s or something, but it really can't be that old.

I don't think the horns, drums and other parts are overdubs. The arrangement is pretty much the song itself along with the vocals. What else would have been there instead of those parts? Similar parts played with Prince's older synths doesn't sound that likely.

But yeah, around the time of "Splash" sounds about right to me.

novabrkr said:

imprimis said:

If Susan Rogers is not mistaken, I'm inclined to believe this song is rather a bit earlier recorded than popularly attributed (for its initial tracking, at least), but that the story as to the negotiations and eventual joint attribution is more or less correct (except for the timing).

.

It is obviously jazzy, but in a different way from, for instance, 'Power Fantastic' from 1986 proper.

.

The production speaks more to the 'sedate' animus of the 'Do U Lie?', 'Go', 'Splash', etc. era, i.e., mid-to-late 1985, but it is a basic enough effort to be hard to pin down precisely.

.

That she characterizes it as an 'old one from the Vault' may entail that the track perhaps became attached (and most likely overdubbed [fuller W&L background vocals, and/or some/all of the horns]) to his 1986/1987 album project after not having been pursued or mentioned for some time. Saxophone overdubs for 'Yah, U Know' were supposedly recorded the very same day Princevault is alleging is the date of initial tracking. It may also have been mixed/readied for Clare Fischer orchestration at that time.

.

In the end, it may be only a matter of less than a year, but that is an appreciable length of development, one or more 'epochs', with discernable differences of production styling, in the Prince timescale.

.

[Edited 3/17/15 18:35pm]

I expressed similar thoughts about her statement earlier. Describing it being "from the Vault" sounded like she was saying it came from the early-80s or something, but it really can't be that old.

I don't think the horns, drums and other parts are overdubs. The arrangement is pretty much the song itself along with the vocals. What else would have been there instead of those parts? Similar parts played with Prince's older synths doesn't sound that likely.

But yeah, around the time of "Splash" sounds about right to me.

.

I believe the 'old one from the Vault' statement partially reflects that Prince decided to revisit this somewhat unremarkable, earlier-recorded, laid-down-and-forgotten-about track out of nowhere (with maybe a slight intimation at its mediocrity or that it displaced better material by occupying a slot on the album). A mixing session to send off for Clare Fischer overdubs (or, alternatively, to create the final album mix based upon recently received-back CF overdubs), W&L backing vocals (the track sounds 'semi-live', perhaps he wanted a better take of vocals), and/or the horns could be something occurring on that June 1986 date. 'Yah, U Know' had a saxophone overdub session that same day. If I recall, the few who might care on this forum were disinclined to backdate it on account of Atlanta Bliss' involvement. I don't see how his studio contributions should be limited to after 1985, or that if his parts were added in 1986 it detracts from the theory that it was recorded earlier than commonly attributed.

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[Edited 3/20/15 16:32pm]

It was my least favourite of SOTT. But strangely, I remember hearing it live on the second night of the Utrect gigs (I went to most of the tour) and the penny dropped. I suddenly loved it. Then, after the tour, it dropped back as a weak spot again.

In song writing terms, I think its great, but I just don't like the vocals shifts. Same reason that Condition of the Heart drops down the list for me.

IT's a great live song. LOVED the SOTT movie version.