It's really interesting because we got a sample of some of these songs in the Lovesexy aftershows.

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The more I learn about it, the more I'd love to hear the original album so much...

IstenSzek said:

Moonbeam said:

Only 15 of these songs have been confirmed to be included on any of the 3 configurations of the album:

The Voice Inside (Oct 88, Nov 88)
Melody Cool (Oct 88, Nov 88)
Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic (Oct 88, Nov 88, Jan 89)
God Is Alive (Oct 88, Nov 88, Jan 89)
If I Had A Harem (Oct 88, Nov 88, Jan 89)
Stimulation (Oct 88, Nov 88)
Still Would Stand All Time (Oct 88, Nov 88, Jan 89)
Elephants & Flowers (Oct 88, Nov 88)
Big House (Oct 88)
We Got The Power (Oct 88)
Good Judy Girlfriend (Jan 89)
Pink Cashmere (Jan 89)
Electric Chair (Jan 89)
Am I Without U? (Jan 89)
Moonbeam Levels (Jan 89)

There is an element of darkness in some of the songs, even the more spiritual ones like "God Is Alive", but there is certainly an uplifting element in tracks like "Rave", "Still Would Stand All Time" and Ëlephants and Flowers".

exactly. another case of someone posting a fantasy tracklist (and even saying so in their post)
and others running away with it, without reading, thinking it's the actual tracklisting. and then
in future that becomes fact somehow.

No one is doing that

Judging from some of those possible configurations, the album looked like a bit of an extension of Lovesexy (which is f'ing amazing IMO).

.

I love the Batman album but damn, I want this too!

OldFriends4Sale said:

There is the one from 1985 and Susannah has Dream Factory art.

I have seen this artwork. Been trying to get Susannah to show it, but for her own reasons, she has yet to do so.

LovesexyIsThe1 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

IstenSzek said:

exactly. another case of someone posting a fantasy tracklist (and even saying so in their post)
and others running away with it, without reading, thinking it's the actual tracklisting. and then
in future that becomes fact somehow.

No one is doing that

ok, no one was doing that, fine, i guess it's just me not being able to read

looking at the list of songs that were intended for this project......am I the only one who feels that this album would not have been that great? Some of those songs are B-side material,imo.

I think Prince did the right thing by shelving it,and doing the Batman album instead.

It would have been an interesting listen. I would like to hear the tracks and if any were segued together.

I'm also guessing the versions on the Original album could have been different than the ones we've heard. The version of 'Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic' he played in the Lovesexy aftershows is way different than the 1999 version. I love both, but I've personally always prefered the 80's Rave.

SoulAlive said:

TrivialPursuit said:

SoulAlive said:

injuredpinky said:

SoulAlive said:

looking at the list of songs that were intended for this project......am I the only one who feels that this album would not have been that great? Some of those songs are B-side material,imo.

I think it would have been enjoyable for us fans, but don't think it would have lit radio up.

If he was able to release Rave and Batman even if he just did some songs for the Batman soundtrack(which was how it was supposed to go) I think it would have had some pretty cool tracks. Lovesexy after Alphabet St was nowhere on radio. And Prince was mostly absent from America

I found this in The Vault about "Moonbeam Levels":

"The track was later revamped and planned for inclusion on the 1988 Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic album project."

Moonbeam said:

I found this in The Vault about "Moonbeam Levels":

"The track was later revamped and planned for inclusion on the 1988 Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic album project."

Ok. I can't imagine hearing any other version than the original, though. I love that song.

It doesn't look that far away in concept and execution to the Graffiti Bridge album cover. It's certainly neat to see it and hope we see more of this type of thing in the future.

.

I think any interest in this album is largely because a complete configuration is not in wide circulation. You look at the sound of the material we do have, it's basically what we got any way on Batman/Graffiti Bridge - it doesn't seem to represent a missing piece in his musical evolution like say, The Flesh does for example. There's no lost masterpiece here, it's still largely lightweight synthpop. The title track is laughably flimsy and weak - why he thought to ressurrect it a decade later I'm still scratching my head over. Of all the amazing unreleased tracks, that was the one that caught his eye ten years later? Okay.

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The best tracks on there (that we've heard) were released any way, discounting Moonbeam Levels as a vault dig-out and doesn't really represent where he was at creatively at the time, I can't imagine a revamp - from that time period, improving any on the original.

.

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[Edited 6/16/16 17:09pm]

NouveauDance said:

It doesn't look that far away in concept and execution to the Graffiti Bridge album cover. It's certainly neat to see it and hope we see more of this type of thing in the future.

.

I think any interest in this album is largely because a complete configuration is not in wide circulation. You look at the sound of the material we do have, it's basically what we got any way on Batman/Graffiti Bridge - it doesn't seem to represent a missing piece in his musical evolution like say, The Flesh does for example. There's no lost masterpiece here, it's still largely lightweight synthpop. The title track is laughably flimsy and weak - why he thought to ressurrect it a decade later I'm still scratching my head over. Of all the amazing unreleased tracks, that was the one that caught his eye ten years later? Okay.

.

The best tracks on there (that we've heard) were released any way, discounting Moonbeam Levels as a vault dig-out and doesn't really represent where he was at creatively at the time, I can't imagine a revamp - from that time period, improving any on the original.

.

.

[Edited 6/16/16 17:09pm]

I forgot where the quote came from but I remember Sheila E talking about the music from that period, I remember reading something like 'wher was the melody where was the ... to the music, it was gone.'

SoulAlive said:

looking at the list of songs that were intended for this project......am I the only one who feels that this album would not have been that great? Some of those songs are B-side material,imo.

I'll admit, God is Alive is exceptionally terrible.

NouveauDance said:

It doesn't look that far away in concept and execution to the Graffiti Bridge album cover. It's certainly neat to see it and hope we see more of this type of thing in the future.

.

I think any interest in this album is largely because a complete configuration is not in wide circulation. You look at the sound of the material we do have, it's basically what we got any way on Batman/Graffiti Bridge - it doesn't seem to represent a missing piece in his musical evolution like say, The Flesh does for example. There's no lost masterpiece here, it's still largely lightweight synthpop. The title track is laughably flimsy and weak - why he thought to ressurrect it a decade later I'm still scratching my head over. Of all the amazing unreleased tracks, that was the one that caught his eye ten years later? Okay.

.

I don't mind it. I think colored in, it would have been a step up from ATWIAD (which I still enjoy as an album cover).

I have to totally agree with that aboutt he title track. I remember being really let down when I finally heard it in 1999. It was so thin, and a poor follow up to something like "Kiss". I'll still argue that, at times, his falsetto does not work in the context of a bigger song. Case in point, "Bambi". It's screechy and hard to focus (yet musically great). In a regular voice, or even a raspy scream, it'd have been a stronger track. "Rave" actually sounded better on the Small Club boot. Lovesexy had a minimalist feel to it, mostly. I think one of the only reason a song like "Alphabet St." was a hit was that he didn't use his falsetto on it. Yet a song like " No" or "I Wish U Heaven" sounds fraile without his regular singing voice. To know that Rave had some of that same sensibility to it makes me agree with your statements on it being lightweight synthpop.

I remember him saying early on that singing in his regular voice hurt him, so he sang in a falsetto. That was just a lack of training, because obviously he sang in his regular voice more as time went on. Yet he still sings a few bits here and there in a regular voice on For You, and it's wonderful. "Rave" is not a strong track by any means, but the overall final configuration was 60/40 for me.

1. "Rave unto the Joy Fantastic"
2. "If I Had a Harem"
3. "Good Judy Girlfriend" (A re-recording by Carmen Electra was released on her only album Carmen Electra)
4. "Pink Cashmere" (Released on The Hits/The B-Sides)
5. "Electric Chair" (Released on Batman)
6. "Am I without U?"
7. "God is Alive"
8. "Still Would Stand All Time"
9. "Moonbeam Levels"

2, 4, 5, 8, and 9 saves it, but I've no idea what him doing "Good Judy" would sound like. Never heard of 6. 7 was disappointing too, especially having heard so much hype about it before hand.

TrivialPursuit said:

Very nice photo's.

Now that the estate will be up for sale, would WB make a move and issue this album?

Moonbeam said:

Sounds like I'm in the minority on this thread about he song "Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic". It's a contender for one of my top 10 Prince songs ever. I love absolutely everything about it.

-

Good for you, then! I love the androgynous, attitude-drenched, falsetto vocal. The guitar just oozes hot sex out of every filthy note. The futuristic edits are superb and visionary, while the sparse beat is perfectly laced with a dose of spacey, flangy yumminess. This one would be a good candidate for sex in space.

OldFriends4Sale said:

EnDoRpHn said:

Most of these songs are brooding, introspective, troubled. Electric Chair is uplifting?

God Is ALive, Good Girl Judy, Joy in Repetition, Can't Stop This Feeling I Got, We Got the Power, God is Alive, Stimulation, If Eye Had a Harem, Xtraloveable, Rave Un2 the Joy Fantastic, Pink Cashmere, Melody Cool, the Voice Inside... You see as brooding, introspective, troubled?

An earlier configuration of the Rave album dated Oct 27th '88 is thought to have been (this has never been confirmed)...

1. The Voice Inside.

2. Melody Cool.

3. Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic.

4. God Is Alive.

5. If I Had A Harem.

6. Stimulation.

7. Still Would Stand All Time.

8. Elephants And Flowers.

9. Big House.

10. We Got The Power.

I wonder if Moonbeam Levels wasn't really just a placeholder. I can't imagine that song sitting next to the others on that list and sounding era-appropriate. Somehow he made it work with shit like The Question of U (untouched after 6 years), but MBL sounds nothing like anything else from these sessions.

DiscoBallz said:

I wonder if Moonbeam Levels wasn't really just a placeholder. I can't imagine that song sitting next to the others on that list and sounding era-appropriate. Somehow he made it work with shit like The Question of U (untouched after 6 years), but MBL sounds nothing like anything else from these sessions.

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From that very song:

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I'm lookin' 4 a better place 2 die (Better place 2 die)
.
Please send all your moonbeam levels 2 me (Oh yeah!)
Please send all your moonbeam levels 2 me {x2}
He don't, he don't, he don't really wanna die
He don't wanna, he don't wanna, he don't wanna die {x2}
He don't really wanna die

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Doesn't that fit with the subjects of the rest of the songs?

And doesn't the text show what his then current feeling about dieing was?