There has been plenty of times that a song on a P album is okay, or good. But then when I hear it live, it gives it new life for me. I kind of have the same experience with some Madonna songs, or even Janet.

I'm watching his appearance on Arsenio, and "Daddy Pop" is kinda funky live (sans Tony M.'s big mouf). However, I don't think "Cream" did well as a live song (at least on this playing).

Have there been songs that were just okay on a record for you, and you liked the better once you heard them live?

TrivialPursuit said:

There has been plenty of times that a song on a P album is okay, or good. But then when I hear it live, it gives it new life for me. I kind of have the same experience with some Madonna songs, or even Janet.

I'm watching his appearance on Arsenio, and "Daddy Pop" is kinda funky live (sans Tony M.'s big mouf). However, I don't think "Cream" did well as a live song (at least on this playing).

Have there been songs that were just okay on a record for you, and you liked the better once you heard them live?

I like the "Slow Down" version of "Little Red Corvette" he'd been doing the past few years a lot more than the original.

The studio version of Fury is dull as hell IMO, but the live version can melt your face off.

soladeo1 said:

What Prince song sounds better live? All of them.

Yeah, pretty much.

The Homecoming tour 1983: Vanity 6, The Time and Prince sounded funker than the album versions, especially Vanity 6 set eg. Make-up and Drive Me Wild.

[Edited 5/9/16 19:01pm]

soladeo1 said:

What Prince song sounds better live? All of them.

Really?

Head in the Controversy tour

Controversy

Why You wanna Treat Me So Bad

Songs I never thought he could pull off live that were actually great:

dustoff said:

KingSausage said:

Also, I don't think I've ever heard a live version of When Doves Cry that can compete with the studio version. They all sound a bit "off."

Agreed. They either run too fast of the keys sound too thin for what is supposed to be a hard-hitting (yet, simple) production.

phoenixrising said:

dustoff said:

Yeah, pretty much.

Co-sign....he was probably one of the best if not the best, ever imho Although I can't say that I liked the slow down version of LRC, even when he did the sampler set, there was something about hearing him sing it live versus recorded...as the Who said, I can't explain ...

I didn´t get the concept of this at all anyway.

My first touch with Prince was the Sign o´the Times movie and I hated his studio sound when I first heard it. I was 10 or 11 and bought a tape of 1999. I wanted the fast stinging brass sets, the poppy snare and the Fusion/Rock-crazyness going on in ´It´s gonna be beautiful Night´. And what did I get? Oberheims and Linns all the way But after all I think it´s is one of his biggest achievements to (at times) make a live version sound totally different from the actual song on the album. A different experience everytime.

I´d prefer any livecut of ´Strange Relationship´ over the SOTT version. Or ´Rave...´ from Small Club.

Peach kind of just lays there in its studio version. By the time it came out, he had fleshed it out and given it some energy in the live performances. Too bad he didn't cut a version more in that vein for release.


Fury is another obvious one. Although after hearing the video studio version on that Anthology set in the past week, it could have been great on record.


Days of Wild is another one. I like the studio version. But it basically exists as a foundation for a jam, so the live versions are usually better. Not always, though.

I don't understand the love you've got for the SOTT film version of the songs, most of you say is better than the studio version; when it comes to me i don't see it that way at all.

KingSausage said:

Also, I don't think I've ever heard a live version of When Doves Cry that can compete with the studio version. They all sound a bit "off."

Indeed.

soladeo1 said:

reddfoxx1 said:

soladeo1 said:

What Prince song sounds better live? All of them.

This

I'd still disagree. "Cream", "Kiss", and "When Doves Cry" never sound great. WDC has bass put back in it a lot of times, and it changes the whole vibe. "Kiss" is a falsetto song that sounds thin live, and the bands have never been able to get that gated guitar sample sounding right. "Cream" has that organ in it, but live it sounds like something is missing.

One song I forgot was "Willing & Able". I've always loved the Diamonds and Pearls Video Collection version much better than the album version.

Irresistible Bitch studio version is weak but he tore it up live....so much better.

KingSausage said:

Also, I don't think I've ever heard a live version of When Doves Cry that can compete with the studio version. They all sound a bit "off."

I agree with the post above that the Tokyo 1990 version is the only one that works, but still not better than on the album of course.

FunkiestOne said:

Irresistible Bitch studio version is weak but he tore it up live....so much better.

What the hell? weak in which way