From recollection, I thought it was stated in the the past (sorry, can't remember sources) that Prince was used on the 7" mix and heavily on the 12" of Like a Prayer.

I think most people thought that meant the extended version, but in reality its the Dub Mix. He sounds like he's all over it.

ufoclub said:

Ingela said:

LonelyStarfish said: I highly doubt that.

It is true... have people not been keeping up with all the Prince facts that have dropped?

"

Though Prince is credited as collaborating on Madonna’s “Love Song and “Keep It Together,” what many don’t know is that the artist also played guitar on Madge’s “Like A Prayer.” In an interview celebrating the single 25 years later, producer Patrick Leonard revealed to Billboard that you can distinctly hear Prince’s guitar work at the beginning of the track.

“The guitar that you hear before the door slams…That’s Prince. What happened is [Madonna] sent him something to play on and he played on it and sent it back. And we didn’t feel that what he did served it. But that piece, that beginning, is him,” revealed Leonard. “We just thought it was crazy and really cool.”

"Prince turns up on the album, obviously, on "Love Song," the song he and Madonna did together. I've read that his guitar work is on "Keep It Together" somewhere.

What I know is that his guitar work is on, when you start "Like a Prayer," the guitar that you hear before the door slams…

The distorted guitar?

That's Prince. What happened is, [Madonna] sent him something to play on and he played on it and sent it back. And we didn't feel that what he did served it. But that piece, that beginning, is him.

Recently, I listened to [the song "Like a Prayer"] -- I hadn't heard it years. There's a heavy rock guitar that's in the bridges -- I don't think it's Prince. There's a heavy guitar in the choruses and when I heard it, I thought: "Did we use his guitar in those bridges?" Because the sound is similar to the first sound [in the opening], but it's not exactly the same. . . . But I know for a fact that we did use that [Prince] thing as the intro, because we just thought it was crazy and really cool. I seem to recall that that's all we used, but I could be wrong."

"

Madonna’s 1989 album Like a Prayer, arguably her finest full-length record, ends with “Act of Contrition,” which is, well, a novelty track. The Andrae Crouch Choir from the title track returns, only now the tape is run backwards, and there’s a skronking guitar solo—it’s chaotic and even a little scary, in an Old Testament-meets-Danceteria way. Madonna fumbles through a half-forgotten prayer from her Catholic childhood. “I reserve… I resolve,” she says. “I have a reservation. What do you mean it’s not in the computer?”

That apocalyptic guitar certainly sounds like Prince showing off. He and Madonna collaborated on another track on the same album: the grinding, not really successful “Love Song,” which was largely done by the two of them mailing tapes back and forth to each other. But the credits for “Act of Contrition” just say, “Produced by the Powers That Be.” Asked about the song’s creation, Madonna said she improvised the lyrics: “Whatever was on my head. It’s totally unedited.” And Prince?” He played guitar on it. He also played guitar on ‘Keep it Together’,” which hit #8 in 1990: one more gold single for the Paisley Park walls. “We didn’t have to prove anything to each other,” Madonna analyzed. “And I don’t think he’s had that same opportunity with other people that he’s worked with. Because generally he tends to dominate everything.”"

Interesting, I didn't know it had been confirmed.

It sounds like he's definitely on the beginning of "Like a prayer" but he didn't play on the track. Madonna/Her Producer had a tape of Prince playing, and used it.

"Act of Contrition" sounds quite speculative. "Keep it together" he must be on rhythm guitar... I've not heard the song in years.

SquirrelMeat said:

Okay I'm listening to the dub mix of the song, and yes, there are three Prince things going on:

1. Sample from Bob George

2. The synth voice and use that is an exact match for what he was doing all over Graffiti Bridge era mixes like on a song like "Melody Cool"

3. His style of electric guitar wild noodling around.

ufoclub said:

Noodled24 said:

ufoclub said:

It is true... have people not been keeping up with all the Prince facts that have dropped?

"

Though Prince is credited as collaborating on Madonna’s “Love Song and “Keep It Together,” what many don’t know is that the artist also played guitar on Madge’s “Like A Prayer.” In an interview celebrating the single 25 years later, producer Patrick Leonard revealed to Billboard that you can distinctly hear Prince’s guitar work at the beginning of the track.

“The guitar that you hear before the door slams…That’s Prince. What happened is [Madonna] sent him something to play on and he played on it and sent it back. And we didn’t feel that what he did served it. But that piece, that beginning, is him,” revealed Leonard. “We just thought it was crazy and really cool.”

"Prince turns up on the album, obviously, on "Love Song," the song he and Madonna did together. I've read that his guitar work is on "Keep It Together" somewhere.

What I know is that his guitar work is on, when you start "Like a Prayer," the guitar that you hear before the door slams…

The distorted guitar?

That's Prince. What happened is, [Madonna] sent him something to play on and he played on it and sent it back. And we didn't feel that what he did served it. But that piece, that beginning, is him.

Recently, I listened to [the song "Like a Prayer"] -- I hadn't heard it years. There's a heavy rock guitar that's in the bridges -- I don't think it's Prince. There's a heavy guitar in the choruses and when I heard it, I thought: "Did we use his guitar in those bridges?" Because the sound is similar to the first sound [in the opening], but it's not exactly the same. . . . But I know for a fact that we did use that [Prince] thing as the intro, because we just thought it was crazy and really cool. I seem to recall that that's all we used, but I could be wrong."

"

Madonna’s 1989 album Like a Prayer, arguably her finest full-length record, ends with “Act of Contrition,” which is, well, a novelty track. The Andrae Crouch Choir from the title track returns, only now the tape is run backwards, and there’s a skronking guitar solo—it’s chaotic and even a little scary, in an Old Testament-meets-Danceteria way. Madonna fumbles through a half-forgotten prayer from her Catholic childhood. “I reserve… I resolve,” she says. “I have a reservation. What do you mean it’s not in the computer?”

That apocalyptic guitar certainly sounds like Prince showing off. He and Madonna collaborated on another track on the same album: the grinding, not really successful “Love Song,” which was largely done by the two of them mailing tapes back and forth to each other. But the credits for “Act of Contrition” just say, “Produced by the Powers That Be.” Asked about the song’s creation, Madonna said she improvised the lyrics: “Whatever was on my head. It’s totally unedited.” And Prince?” He played guitar on it. He also played guitar on ‘Keep it Together’,” which hit #8 in 1990: one more gold single for the Paisley Park walls. “We didn’t have to prove anything to each other,” Madonna analyzed. “And I don’t think he’s had that same opportunity with other people that he’s worked with. Because generally he tends to dominate everything.”"

Interesting, I didn't know it had been confirmed.

It sounds like he's definitely on the beginning of "Like a prayer" but he didn't play on the track. Madonna/Her Producer had a tape of Prince playing, and used it.

"Act of Contrition" sounds quite speculative. "Keep it together" he must be on rhythm guitar... I've not heard the song in years.

Madonna herself said it was Prince on guitar. So we don't need to speculate.

Never heard this before... I would love to hear Angie and Bad ( Like a Prayer not so much, such a boring song ).

leecaldon said:

Noodled24 said:

Interesting, I didn't know it had been confirmed.

It sounds like he's definitely on the beginning of "Like a prayer" but he didn't play on the track. Madonna/Her Producer had a tape of Prince playing, and used it.

"Act of Contrition" sounds quite speculative. "Keep it together" he must be on rhythm guitar... I've not heard the song in years.

Madonna herself said it was Prince on guitar. So we don't need to speculate.

yeah,we can hear his distinctive rhythm guitar on "Keep It Together"

Someone said that,on one of the remixes of "Like A Prayer",the beat from "Bob George" is used....could this be that remix? the beat during the verses?

SoulAlive said:

ufoclub said:

Okay I'm listening to the dub mix of the song, and yes, there are three Prince things going on:

1. Sample from Bob George

2. The synth voice and use that is an exact match for what he was doing all over Graffiti Bridge era mixes like on a song like "Melody Cool"

3. His style of electric guitar wild noodling around.

Pretty sure the guitar solo used on the Dub mix is the same one featured on "Act Of Contrition"

Mindflux said:

SoulAlive said:

Someone said that,on one of the remixes of "Like A Prayer",the beat from "Bob George" is used....could this be that remix? the beat during the verses?

This is the one that everyone's talking about.

Just realized that "Sex" uses the same synth voice as Like a Prayer (dub beats). I wonder if he was recording "Sex" and then also recorded keyboards lines for this remix at the same session?

Nothing defintive, but the existence of Prince's version of Like A Prayer is referred to in this 1991 article from Spin: http://www.spin.com/2016/...nd-pearls/

Relevant excerpt: "To the left there is a heavy steel door, leading to what I’m told is the vault — where master tapes are stored. There are rumored to be hundreds of unreleased Prince tracks, including, I’m told, Prince’s version of Madonna’s ecstatic “Like a Prayer.”"

TwiliteKid said:

Nothing defintive, but the existence of Prince's version of Like A Prayer is referred to in this 1991 article from Spin: http://www.spin.com/2016/...nd-pearls/

Relevant excerpt: "To the left there is a heavy steel door, leading to what I’m told is the vault — where master tapes are stored. There are rumored to be hundreds of unreleased Prince tracks, including, I’m told, Prince’s version of Madonna’s ecstatic “Like a Prayer.”"

Yes thats what planted the seed of belief!

That would be sooo crazy a Prince's version, how it would sound?

TwiliteKid said:

pah said:

I agree. The synth is running all through it, but the short parts at 1:25 and 2:20 sound very much like Prince (and very much _not_ like Madonna's style, from what I remember from the time). And this is just wild conjecture, because the voices are deliberately distorted, but does it sound like someone shouts "Prince" at 2:20, just before the synth bit? It just caught my ear and stuck out to me while I was doing the laundry and playing Dub Beats in the background. (Yes, I'm living the glamorous life! )

I hear that same shout, 'Prince!' at 0.3 / 0.4 seconds in too.

Oh for crying out loud, there is ZERO mystery about "Act Of Contrition". No, "Powers That Be" does not refer to Prince (it stands for Madonna and Patrick Leonard), and yes, it does feature excerpts from a Prince guitar "solo": he had sent a tape to Madonna with him playing wild guitar all over the place (or he did this during a studio visit), and excerpts from that were used.

.

And I doubt the guitar in the intro (before the door slam) is Prince, but it's not impossible.

.

The rest of this thread is "well this sounds like Prince so it must be Prince" theorizing which is not supported by facts. Some of us remember the same certainty about "Waterfalls" or "Love Will Save The Day" etc.

BartVanHemelen said:

BartVanHemelen said:

Oh for crying out loud, there is ZERO mystery about "Act Of Contrition". No, "Powers That Be" does not refer to Prince (it stands for Madonna and Patrick Leonard), and yes, it does feature excerpts from a Prince guitar "solo": he had sent a tape to Madonna with him playing wild guitar all over the place (or he did this during a studio visit), and excerpts from that were used.

.

And I doubt the guitar in the intro (before the door slam) is Prince, but it's not impossible.

.

The rest of this thread is "well this sounds like Prince so it must be Prince" theorizing which is not supported by facts. Some of us remember the same certainty about "Waterfalls" or "Love Will Save The Day" etc.

So essentially they sampled Prince's guitar. He doesn't actually play ON the tracks. With the possible exception of "Lovesong" and "Keep it together".

"Act of Contrition" sounds like someone trying to ape Prince. With the track played backwards... something he did in 1984. I also just don't buy Prince "remixing" songs completely uncredited. It's not impossible, but "sounds a bit like" isn't enough to go on.

Noodled24 said:

BartVanHemelen said:

Oh for crying out loud, there is ZERO mystery about "Act Of Contrition". No, "Powers That Be" does not refer to Prince (it stands for Madonna and Patrick Leonard), and yes, it does feature excerpts from a Prince guitar "solo": he had sent a tape to Madonna with him playing wild guitar all over the place (or he did this during a studio visit), and excerpts from that were used.

.

And I doubt the guitar in the intro (before the door slam) is Prince, but it's not impossible.

.

The rest of this thread is "well this sounds like Prince so it must be Prince" theorizing which is not supported by facts. Some of us remember the same certainty about "Waterfalls" or "Love Will Save The Day" etc.

So essentially they sampled Prince's guitar. He doesn't actually play ON the tracks. With the possible exception of "Lovesong" and "Keep it together".

"Act of Contrition" sounds like someone trying to ape Prince. With the track played backwards... something he did in 1984. I also just don't buy Prince "remixing" songs completely uncredited. It's not impossible, but "sounds a bit like" isn't enough to go on.

No, he's definitely on Lovesong, obviously.

leecaldon said:

Noodled24 said:

So essentially they sampled Prince's guitar. He doesn't actually play ON the tracks. With the possible exception of "Lovesong" and "Keep it together".

"Act of Contrition" sounds like someone trying to ape Prince. With the track played backwards... something he did in 1984. I also just don't buy Prince "remixing" songs completely uncredited. It's not impossible, but "sounds a bit like" isn't enough to go on.

No, he's definitely on Lovesong, obviously.

He is. but the article posted by UFO club suggests his contributions were done via tapes being sent back and forward. She also says he "played guitar" on "lovesong" although I don't recall any notable guitar parts.

luvsexy4all said:

Noodled24 said:

leecaldon said:

No, he's definitely on Lovesong, obviously.

He is. but the article posted by UFO club suggests his contributions were done via tapes being sent back and forward. She also says he "played guitar" on "lovesong" although I don't recall any notable guitar parts.

Lovesong is hinged on his trademark funk guitar chord spines he puts on most of his songs, but it's slowed down and only played intermittently on this track. It firsr comes in at 28 seconds, then again at 33

^ Well, you forced me to give it another listen, and you're right his guitar is in there. A couple of chords, and that lick that sounds like it could have been lifted from "Cream".

Given Madonna had tapes of Prince playing/singing... the same must be true that Prince must have been getting tapes of Madonna singing. It's hard to imagine he wouldn't have played about with them.

Noodled24 said:

laurarichardson said:

Noodled24 said:

I think it's kind of taken for granted that since he worked with Madonna on "Lovesong" he must have a cover version of LAP in the vaults somewhere. I'm not sure it was ever confirmed, though I could be wrong.

I think there was a lot of speculation and rumours that Prince was playing guitar on the song LAP? Or that he may have been more involved with the album than just co-writer of "Lovesong". Though I suspect if that were the case he'd have made it known by playing those songs live.

--/ Madonna said he is all over that album and Prince did not always take credit for his work.

Yes but he's only "all over" the album because Madonna & her producer hacked up a tape of Prince playing guitar. "Love song" sounds like his only deliberate contribution.