I dunno... The Family version of "Nothing Compares 2 U" was not as mainstream produced in style as the Sinead O'Conner cover of it. The beat and the way she sang it really made it hit top 40.

"Screams of Passion" had a great sound, but Prince was putting out stuff like "Raspberry Beret" and "Pop Life" that year. "Screams" would have been an amazing B-side.

"She's Always in My Hair" could have been a hit single with a good video at the time.

Prince was just about at the height of his popularity in '85, so yes of course it would have done better.

of course with his name on it it would have done better, i was never that crazy about the album though. I know many of you were but in my opinion, some of the other forgotten prince projects were way better.

Yes

Prince should have kept "High Fashion" for himself.With lyrics about a stuck-up little rich girl,It would have fit perfectly in the UTCM film.Also,"The Screams Of Passion" could have been an amazing Prince/Sheila E. duet.

It would've automatically sold better because of Prince's name on it.

Obviously as several people are commenting here the album would have inevitably done better had it had Prince's name attached, but I do find myself wondering whether it would have done better than ATWIAD had it come out in 1985 instead of it. I guess there's no real huge single like Raspberry Beret (the version of Nothing Compares 2 U doesn't really scream hit to me unlike Sinnead O'Connor's) but I guess you could argue that it's more funky and upbeat in a way that people might have expected from Prince? Still I can't really imagine a mainstream audience taking to Jazz-Funk instrumentals all that well so maybe the presence of those would have hindered its success. This thread has got me thinking now, interesting stuff

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

Obviously as several people are commenting here the album would have inevitably done better had it had Prince's name attached, but I do find myself wondering whether it would have done better than ATWIAD had it come out in 1985 instead of it. I guess there's no real huge single like Raspberry Beret (the version of Nothing Compares 2 U doesn't really scream hit to me unlike Sinnead O'Connor's) but I guess you could argue that it's more funky and upbeat in a way that people might have expected from Prince? Still I can't really imagine a mainstream audience taking to Jazz-Funk instrumentals all that well so maybe the presence of those would have hindered its success. This thread has got me thinking now, interesting stuff

.

It may have been better to cannibalize for multiple other projects, rather than becoming a pigeonhole for some of the miscellaneous, slightly out-of-place material of the time.

.

There is enough Late 1983-Early 1985 material for a superior, sultry, seductive and funky post-PR album, some of which tracks perhaps could have been drawn from here (mixed in with an album drawn from the ATWIAD material, 100 MPH, The Dance Electric, A Love Bizzarre, etc), the others deferred for Parade/UTCM and miscellaneous protege projects, as appropriate.

.

I don't believe simply releasing 'The Family' material under P's own heading would have led to greater commercial success vs ATWIAD; ATWIAD's showing in sales figures, in North America at least, was nearly as good as PR's during its initial run, even though it's chiefly the momentum of the previous album that is driving those figures.

.

I love this album, but this certainly isn't the attempt at 'going after that Duran Duran money' Prince is alleged to have aimed for it to be when proposing it. Its lack of clear direction and resolve makes it into something of a mysterious bijoux.

.

I suppose he hoped this varied material would profitably showcase the merits and talents of the stragglers and survivors of his various post-superstardom shakings-up ('The Family').

.

[Edited 10/31/16 17:41pm]

Would LOVE to hear 'Prince's Family' and judge for myself, however, I suspect it would smash The Family's release. FREE PRINCE'S FAMILY.

[Edited 10/31/16 21:06pm]

imprimis said:

RaspBerryGirlFriend said:

Obviously as several people are commenting here the album would have inevitably done better had it had Prince's name attached, but I do find myself wondering whether it would have done better than ATWIAD had it come out in 1985 instead of it. I guess there's no real huge single like Raspberry Beret (the version of Nothing Compares 2 U doesn't really scream hit to me unlike Sinnead O'Connor's) but I guess you could argue that it's more funky and upbeat in a way that people might have expected from Prince? Still I can't really imagine a mainstream audience taking to Jazz-Funk instrumentals all that well so maybe the presence of those would have hindered its success. This thread has got me thinking now, interesting stuff

.

It may have been better to cannibalize for multiple other projects, rather than becoming a pigeonhole for some of the miscellaneous, slightly out-of-place material of the time.

.

There is enough Late 1983-Early 1985 material for a superior, sultry, seductive and funky post-PR album, some of which tracks perhaps could have been drawn from here (mixed in with an album drawn from the ATWIAD material, 100 MPH, The Dance Electric, A Love Bizzarre, etc), the others deferred for Parade/UTCM and miscellaneous protege projects, as appropriate.

.

I don't believe simply releasing 'The Family' material under P's own heading would have led to greater commercial success vs ATWIAD; ATWIAD's showing in sales figures, in North America at least, was nearly as good as PR's during its initial run, even though it's chiefly the momentum of the previous album that is driving those figures.

.

I love this album, but this certainly isn't the attempt at 'going after that Duran Duran money' Prince is alleged to have aimed for it to be when proposing it. Its lack of clear direction and resolve makes it into something of a mysterious bijoux.

.

I suppose he hoped this varied material would profitably showcase the merits and talents of the stragglers and survivors of his various post-superstardom shakings-up ('The Family').

.

[Edited 10/31/16 17:41pm]

Absolutely, it's a very odd album. Largely as odd as ATWIAD.

Maybe...
BUT the Family should have been in the movie performing a song like High Fashion, perfect for Mary Sharon

like Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon should have had band scenes, A Love Bizarre or Merci4theSpeedofAMadClown

Jill leading Mia Bocca with the Revolution after Christopher lead New Position

the music featured in the film with live band scenes (Girls & Boys video would have been a perfect intersection in the movie) would have kept everyone glued together, like Glamorous Life & A Love Bizarre, the Family High Fashion and other songs would have expanded Prince's musical vision...

OldFriends4Sale said:

Maybe...
BUT the Family should have been in the movie performing a song like High Fashion, perfect for Mary Sharon

like Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon should have had band scenes, A Love Bizarre or Merci4theSpeedofAMadClown

Jill leading Mia Bocca with the Revolution after Christopher lead New Position

the music featured in the film with live band scenes (Girls & Boys video would have been a perfect intersection in the movie) would have kept everyone glued together, like Glamorous Life & A Love Bizarre, the Family High Fashion and other songs would have expanded Prince's musical vision...

Months before the movie came out,I had read somewhere that Mazarati was going to be in the movie.I like this idea,but there weren't any bar/nightclub scenes in the film.I suppose they could have written a scene where Christopher takes Mary to a nightclub to dance?

SoulAlive said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Maybe...
BUT the Family should have been in the movie performing a song like High Fashion, perfect for Mary Sharon

like Purple Rain, Under the Cherry Moon should have had band scenes, A Love Bizarre or Merci4theSpeedofAMadClown

Jill leading Mia Bocca with the Revolution after Christopher lead New Position

the music featured in the film with live band scenes (Girls & Boys video would have been a perfect intersection in the movie) would have kept everyone glued together, like Glamorous Life & A Love Bizarre, the Family High Fashion and other songs would have expanded Prince's musical vision...

Months before the movie came out,I had read somewhere that Mazarati was going to be in the movie.I like this idea,but there weren't any bar/nightclub scenes in the film.I suppose they could have written a scene where Christopher takes Mary to a nightclub to dance?

There were a lot of film rumors back then, exciting.
But if bands were planned to be in the movie, having 'club scenes' would have been easy to add.
But you really didn't need a lot of that.
For example, for Christopher & Tricky to just be able to walk into a rich girls birthday party without invite. Not realistic(not unnoticed) Christopher and his parade of revolutionary artists/musicians booking the party or being hired to do Sharons all night all day party would be perfect.
Also Christopher did work at Venus De Milo a were he played piano...
Not to mention the scene were Christopher took over the night club scene with the boom box 4 Girls & Boys... U can easily see the Girls & Boys video being that scene. Christopher and his hippie musicians taking over an upper class spot to show them Uptown

Mazarati or Sheila E jamming in the spot where they saw the bats on the ceiling...

Poorlovelycomputer said:

Essentially making it a purple rain 2 a nice wish but it would have taken away from the plot unless the family or the revolution were the house band at the club. There were strengths and weaknesses in cherry moon just like any movie. Condition of the heart is the first to mention the plot of UTCM

I wouldn't C it as PR 2. some of the band performances would be more like background scenes, not the scene driven performances like in PR or worse GB. In PR 7 out of 9 songs from the the Prince album alone were performed then U had 2 by the Time 1 by the Modernaires and 1 by Apollonia 6.

But yes the band being the house band at Venus de Milo & hired by Mary Sharons father for his daughters 2 day birthday part(the Revolution/Family) Remember how the Modernaire scene in PR started? That could be Sheila E & A Love Bizarre in the spot Christopher saw the bats. And the Girls & Boys scene being taken over by the band like the video, but add Sheila E since she was on background vocals too, have the the Family & Mazarati mingle with the crowd to get people loosened up...

(I love the An Honest Man piano opening) New Position (maybe I Wonder U) Mia Bocca Girls & Boys High Fashion A Love Bizarre ... Mazarati could have been a part of the movie as characters in a scene, I don't know what music from their album would have worked though.
Some music being played on the radio or in a car ie Screams of Passion etc

Instead of him being a 'gigolo' just make him an adored musician among high society France...

Would have been a more sympathetic character...

Poorlovelycomputer said:

That last part is true the gold digger persona didn't help the movie either.he did have the revelation of leaving the business after finding true love with Marie although it's the fact that the music kinda took a more background role as apposed to PR being focused more on the 1st Avenue scenes

I hope we get to see the alternative ending scene in the future

sulls said:

Christgau was not a fan:

"The Family [Warner Bros., 1985]
Paisley Park's attempt to pick up where the Time left off, this has the beats to prove it, but the best of them is cursed with a witlessly glamorous ersatz-Morris vocal and lyric and two others are instrumentals. Then there's the slow stuff, most of it cursed with damply purple ersatz-Prince vocal and lyric. Maybe some enterprising rapper will rip off the tracks. Till then, rest content with this Inspirational Verse: "Your body it covers my tower/Ecstasy is ours." C+"

That's a good idea, a bunch of rappers should use some of those tracks.

Poorlovelycomputer said:

Most of his family demo versions are out there.... an alternate ending??

I was thinking the same thing

We have Prince & the Revolution Desire, Feline, Screams of Passion(I know it's a bit different) and some other stuff

.

Yes there was an alternative ending shot where he did not die...

November 1985: Nice, France

p 94

chapter 7

Possessed: the Rise & Fall of Prince

Back in France, the shooting of Under the shooting of Under the Cherry Moon limped to a close

On the set in Nice, Prince seemed conflicted about Christopher Tracy, the character he had created for himself to play in the film. This charismatic, sexy, and somewhat snide piano player was hardly a sympathetic figure, and Prince's plan all along had been for Tracy to die at the end of the film, representing his own symbolic transcendence of these character flaws. But Warner Bros. preferring (as film studios invariably do) a happy ending, pshed him to conclude with Tracy reforming and heading off into the sunset with lover interest Mary (Scott-Thomas).

The alternative ending was shot, and publicist Howard Bloom, viewing a cut of the film where Tracy survives, found himself believing in the character's redemptive journey. "Warner Bros. insisted on him getting the girl at the end, and it really worked," Bloom remembered. "This little asshole character that was so hard to identify with, you bonded with by the end."

But Prince favored the original ending. In the final cut, Tracy died (the victim of an assassination) with the result, in Bloom's view, that any meaning in the film was also destroyed.