well, he was older, the spark and energy couldn't be the same. I have an idol on piano, as great as he is now, i heard an album form him when he was in his 30's and it just had so much more energy.

also, when pop musicians go on tour to play their hits, usually, it's the same arrangement because that is what everyone is used to hearing but not everyone does it just like it's on the record. Bruce Springsteen still does Born In The USA just like he did on record, every lick pretty much. He generally plays his other songs pretty close too, it makes the stuff accessible. Not every musician does though, some loosen the reigns when they get top musicians. Elvis' live renditions of earlier hits are always much different, Sam cooke had different stuff live and it was way more soulful than his poppy records. Prince seems to have let people have more freedom than he used to, probably because they were so accomplished on their instruments. Truth is, the revolution really wasn't all that great as musicians. Bobby Z, Wendy and Lisa all really dragged him down even though they played it pretty much like the record. With his vast catalogue and the changes in technology, he'd still have to have linn drum machines hooked up and the old oberheim synths as well as dictating to top musicians not to play too much, which is what they do when they are that good.

KlyphIsBackAgain said:

and he had arguably the greatest halftime show ever in what 2007? Thing is, for us po' folks who couldn't go anywhere to watch him we didn't get to see much, only what would make it onto youtube before he blacked it out. The montreuax stuff sounds pretty good to me, and as i've said, i haven't really been watching a whole lot of the live stuff that's available now. But what I've seeen is ok.

DarkKnight1 said:

CNickyD said:

I LOVE watching him perform, but I really hate the way he changes up his music, until sometimes tracks are practically unrecognizable. I realize most artists do this to some extent, but Prince takes rearranging to another level. I can never sing along with the song, which it what disappoints me so much... Alas, I'll take whatever I can get at this point. But still!

What you are disappointed with is one of the skills that I think made Prince shine the brightest. The rearrangements would be so starkly different but still sound absolutely just as great if not better. I do get your point, though, sometimes you just want to sing along... but, I never had that issue with Prince because I always marveled at how different he could change a song. Plus, you almost always had the sing-a-long section of the concert (when Prince was catching his breath!)

The only thing that ever really disappointed me at a Prince concert was when that incessant screeching/squealing/feedback of the equipment would occur. On more than one occasion I am sure I saw Prince get really irritated by it. Nothing worse than P about to go into the Purple Rain guitar solo and it is preempted by ssssssskkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeee, sssssssssskkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeee, ssssskkkkkkkkkeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee...

That's why we liked him. He was artistic about his music. Those soundboard gigs are amazing. This is why Questlove loves him so much.

When I saw this post, I assumed it must be a troll.

CNickyD said:

I LOVE watching him perform, but I really hate the way he changes up his music, until sometimes tracks are practically unrecognizable. I realize most artists do this to some extent, but Prince takes rearranging to another level. I can never sing along with the song, which it what disappoints me so much... Alas, I'll take whatever I can get at this point. But still!

Well thats sad...you could have stayed home to listen to studio versions of everything, so it seems like you've entirely missed what made Prince love performing?

CNickyD said:

I LOVE watching him perform, but I really hate the way he changes up his music, until sometimes tracks are practically unrecognizable. I realize most artists do this to some extent, but Prince takes rearranging to another level. I can never sing along with the song, which it what disappoints me so much... Alas, I'll take whatever I can get at this point. But still!

Really, this is why I love Prince. He is never boring in a live setting. Sometimes I get bored listening to his studio albums.

NorthC said:

pdiddy2011 said:

CNickyD said:

I LOVE watching him perform, but I really hate the way he changes up his music, until sometimes tracks are practically unrecognizable. I realize most artists do this to some extent, but Prince takes rearranging to another level. I can never sing along with the song, which it what disappoints me so much... Alas, I'll take whatever I can get at this point. But still!

What you are disappointed with is one of the skills that I think made Prince shine the brightest. The rearrangements would be so starkly different but still sound absolutely just as great if not better. I do get your point, though, sometimes you just want to sing along... but, I never had that issue with Prince because I always marveled at how different he could change a song. Plus, you almost always had the sing-a-long section of the concert (when Prince was catching his breath!)

Amen

DarkKnight1 said:

CNickyD said:

I LOVE watching him perform, but I really hate the way he changes up his music, until sometimes tracks are practically unrecognizable. I realize most artists do this to some extent, but Prince takes rearranging to another level. I can never sing along with the song, which it what disappoints me so much... Alas, I'll take whatever I can get at this point. But still!

Wait, what?

ikr? Wow, I thought I read it all. To each their own, but Prince always said "It's gotta be better LIVE than on the record". THAT is the reason he was such a beast on that stage. He made great albums, but the genius to me is what he did live. He turned the Live experience into a work of art. We got the gems because to me that meant I got several versions of the same song and they were all great.

Example: Little Red Corvette- Thank goodness he didn't recreate the video everytime he performed this classic. Doing the same moves just like the video and sound just like the record. That was what other video artist did. The same dance steps just like the video years later....boring.

Now our Prince- He gave us the album version. Then we got the mayday extended dance mix. Then he did a 180 with it and slowed it down and added slow down chant (this was live). Then there was a different version he played during the Coachella version etc.

There are so many other songs he did this with. I Love that Let's Go Crazy 3rd eyed girl heavy/rock version thats on yt atm. Nothing like the classic from 30years ago, but it rocks just the same. Like who else does that. Now... nobody but a couple of months ago just him.

Watch a Janet Jackson show, same dance moves with the same songs just different outfits. It doesn't matter the song she sings it will be the same video moves step by step.

I love live music, the way Prince did it, which means I'll never see another live performance again. He will be the last one.

ya, I have mp3's of every version of Little Red Corvette I could find. He never plays the full album version but every time he did it, he brought something a little different. I think the way he sings it on the PR tour was even more soulful than the record, then, during the later tours he played it on piano. I always craved more than he gave on that one. I perform it myself, the full version, it's the most perfect pop song ever. I also like the slowed down versions he's done as well as TEG versions. In fact, when I last saw Prince in 04, I cried when he played it on acoustic.

I loved that Prince was talented enough/masterful enough to make his songs sound different/better live. Usually, after I heard a song live, I didn't like the studio version as much. This wasn't always the case, but the live versions of songs seemed to have something extra that the studio didn't. But, I'll add that for those of us who were raised on live music, this is how we approach/expect live performances to be. I was raised in juke joints and cafes where it was understood that the live version had to be a bit different and better than the studio. However, I do know a few folks who feel like the OP so the sentiment is not that unusual. I guess to each his own, but, for me, live Prince was almost always better than studio Prince, which is one of the reasons why I'm a diehard fan.

pdiddy2011 said:

I was never disappointed in Prince Live. I loved that he changed up the music. I do not want the show to sound like the album. I am a big fan of the guitar solos. He was just amazing live. I am conflicted on audience singing. When you are in the audience it is great but when listening I would like the audience to be quiet so I can hear Prince.

I sure am going to miss him live.

bookwomen said:

I was never disappointed in Prince Live. I loved that he changed up the music. I do not want the show to sound like the album. I am a big fan of the guitar solos. He was just amazing live. I am conflicted on audience singing. When you are in the audience it is great but when listening I would like the audience to be quiet so I can hear Prince.

I sure am going to miss him live.

when I heard rick james live performances, I saw where P took a lot of his call response from. Rick was great at gaining rapport with his audience, you could hear and feel the energy. when rick says p stole from him, he's not lying. I don't think he did it quite as well as prince though. I like the time when rick james exhorts the audience for not having enough enthusiasm and then asks for them to do it again, they do it louder and rick says "that wasn't shit".

I was lucky enough to see Prince and Rick James on the 1980 tour and I forgot that Rick did it first.

Prince did take it to another level.

I always felt Prince was able to express the natural intention of the song when performed live.

[Edited 7/11/20 21:53pm]

batman89 said:

I'll take a LIVE rendition of any song over a studio recording! I always felt Prince was able to express the natural intention of the song far clearer when performed live as opposed to possibly losing the message or vibe to studio effects, edits or dubs etc.

I agree with you but I did recently discover my exception to the rule which was Lady Cab Driver.

bookwomen said:

batman89 said:

I'll take a LIVE rendition of any song over a studio recording! I always felt Prince was able to express the natural intention of the song far clearer when performed live as opposed to possibly losing the message or vibe to studio effects, edits or dubs etc.

I agree with you but I did recently discover my exception to the rule which was Lady Cab Driver.

i get what the op is saying though, lots of barbands have ruined classic songs by just playing the chords. When I do a cover, or rather, when I choose a cover, i try my best to capture the best parts of the song. If it's a string motif, a guitar riff or whatever, I try to get close to it. I think the reason so many people, especially other musicians, hate dueling pianos is because of the rudimentary approach to great songs.

He would have been sooooooo BORED doing everything as it is on record. Real musicians like to stretch & try things, he's gotta keep it interesting for himself - he was only a mere 38 YEARS IN THE GAME Get over yourself, stick to cd's, he was AMAZING live