I don't think there has been a live version that I don't like. The Lovesexy version with the Sheila E percussion break may be my 2nd favorite, after the Purple Rain tour version.

I think he's played the same (SOTT) rendition forever until the 'Frankenstein' 3rd Eye Girl version

Like duringt he Purple Rain tour was killer. I love the first August 1983 rendition at First Avenue. Hearing those songs done live at that show always gives me a different appreciation.

I think Let's Go Crazy live on the Purple Rain tour was a close 2nd to the album. And I love how they beafed up Delirioius in the middle with the 'piano' break from Let's Go Crazy

The SOTT/Lovesexy version was fun, but from there on out it's been basically the same rendition.

motherfunka said:

I don't think there has been a live version that I don't like. The Lovesexy version with the Sheila E percussion break may be my 2nd favorite, after the Purple Rain tour version.

And the Dortmund Version with the crowd interaction (Let's Go)

The live "go go go, go go goo" call and response is horrible. I can't stand it. It takes away from the pure rock brilliance of the original. I've not really liked any live version of it, even on the PR tour although it's more desirable than any other after. The only other one would be the First Avenue performance in 1983.

OldFriends4Sale said:

I think he's played the same (SOTT) rendition forever until the 'Frankenstein' 3rd Eye Girl version

Like duringt he Purple Rain tour was killer. I love the first August 1983 rendition at First Avenue. Hearing those songs done live at that show always gives me a different appreciation.

I think Let's Go Crazy live on the Purple Rain tour was a close 2nd to the album. And I love how they beafed up Delirioius in the middle with the 'piano' break from Let's Go Crazy

The SOTT/Lovesexy version was fun, but from there on out it's been basically the same rendition.

The Nude Tour version was different than SOTT/Lovesexy. It was more slowed down and like rogifan said, it had the gooooo crazy, go go go, go go go by Rosie. I loved that one too. D&P and Act I was completely different than the previous tours and had horns.

TrivialPursuit said:

It's just another studio to live band translation error, it's like:

"yeah I did this song called Let's Go Crazy"

then you have to tell the band to be at the same pace and sentiment - like the Rock In Rio bootlegs on Google Play from the original Brazilian television company:

"Is he playing Let's Go Crazy or is he just mildly chaking the upper octaves?"

.

The relationship between his studio efforts and his live performances was a bit like that internet graffiti about Boris Johnson snogging Donald Trump

OldFriends4Sale said:

rogifan said:

TrivialPursuit said:

The live "go go go, go go goo" call and response is horrible. I can't stand it. It takes away from the pure rock brilliance of the original. I've not really liked any live version of it, even on the PR tour although it's more desirable than any other after. The only other one would be the First Avenue performance in 1983.

This. I always thought the original was sort of a nod to Eddie Van Halen (or just letting the world know Eddie's not the only one who can do a killer guitar solo.

I don't think Eddie played into it at all. Prince was doing solos since album one, or at least playing rock music. Let's not forget stuff like "Bambi", "I'm Yours", the end of "Ronnie Talk 2 Russia", and more. But the song definitely appealed to my white boy side back then. I just couldn't get enough of it. I'd play it in the same sitting as "DMSR".

TrivialPursuit said:

I like some a little more than others. If I had to choose, it would be between the "Purple Rain Tour" & "Diamonds & Pearls Tour" versions with the breakdown going into "Kiss" as my favorites, as of right now.

live was great but of course it never was as good as the studio/record version. i noticed that he never played that blistering end solo the same way it was on the album, that tells you that he probably did a lot of cheating or rather, editing in the studio which he had a hard time matching live. so ya, i liked it, but not as much as the album or the extended versions which were brilliant.

dippydippywaveofmydo said:

rogifan said:

TrivialPursuit said:

I don't think Eddie played into it at all. Prince was doing solos since album one, or at least playing rock music. Let's not forget stuff like "Bambi", "I'm Yours", the end of "Ronnie Talk 2 Russia", and more. But the song definitely appealed to my white boy side back then. I just couldn't get enough of it. I'd play it in the same sitting as "DMSR".

Sure but someone who was into the whole heavy metal hair band thing in the 80s the guitar solos in this song seemed more like that than anything P had done previously. The NY Times claimed LGC was Prince's response to Michael Jackson's Beat It, trying to one-up him basically saying I can do that too and I don't have to hire anybody because I can do it myself. Of course I don't buy that if for no other reason than LGC was probably written or at least conceived before Prince ever heard Beat it. I guess LGC reminds me of Van Halen because it came out the year Van Halen was at peak popularity and the ending solo reminds me of something Eddie Van Halen could do.

And Prince's 1986 jumps and splits were his admirable competition with Dave Lee Roth

The 3rdEyeGirl version is probably my favourite in the post-Purple Rain era.

leecaldon said:

The 3rdEyeGirl version is probably my favourite in the post-Purple Rain era.

I love the 3rdEyeGirl version - it's MEAN!

rogifan said:

rob1965 said:

rogifan said:

Let's Go Crazy is one song I don't think Prince has even been able to replicate its brilliance live. I absolutely LOVE the album version of this song but don't like P's live versions, especially the one that included a horns section and the goooo crazy, go go go! version. Most of what P did live was brilliant (love, love, love the Little Red Corvette guitar solo at Coachella) but for some reason not Let's Go Crazy. Anyone else agree?

The original version was recorded live. Anyway, the versions from the SOTT and Lovesexy tour are the best imo.

naw, really? with no overdubs? i remember reading that many of the pr songs were done live but i'm sure they had overdubs. prince didn't do the same guitar work live not once that' i've seen. he made the end simpler and slower.

also, what a great rock and roll song it was, from the opening gospel chords to the finale which sounds like an old fashioned button like jerry lee lewis or ray charles would use. if nothing else, great great song.

I'm less familiar with the live catalog that a lot of people here, and the version on my SOTT tour bootleg is one of the weaker tracks in the set, but I am partial to the reloaded performances, and seeing LGC live on the Musicology tour ranks pretty high on my list of greatest life experiences.

Was LGC a response to Van Halen? Shrug. Was Jump a response to Dirty Mind?

mtlfan said:

mtlfan said:

PeteSilas said:

rob1965 said:

rogifan said: The original version was recorded live. Anyway, the versions from the SOTT and Lovesexy tour are the best imo.

naw, really? with no overdubs? i remember reading that many of the pr songs were done live but i'm sure they had overdubs. prince didn't do the same guitar work live not once that' i've seen. he made the end simpler and slower.

also, what a great rock and roll song it was, from the opening gospel chords to the finale which sounds like an old fashioned button like jerry lee lewis or ray charles would use. if nothing else, great great song.

The version on Purple Rain was recorded in the studio.

rob1965 said:

The album version was recorded in St Louis, live w/o audience.

.

Source?

udo said:

rob1965 said:

The album version was recorded in St Louis, live w/o audience.

.

Source?

i just read in alan lights book that Prince did it in the studio or rather a warehouse ill suited for sound and as I expected, he worked very hard on punching in and out for the solo, it was one of his more complicated solos (and best) and he never completely replicated it live.

udo said: