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Thread started 10/07/16 7:45am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Prince & Sheila E's Romance 1600 1984-1985

A life without love, a life without love
Don't die, don't die without love

the thematic faux-French Renaissance episodic adventure that the lead single's video and the album art intended to set up for the listening audience

Prince Sheila E Eddie M Steph Birnbaum Juan Escovedo Suzie Davis Benny Rietveld Karl Perazzo Ken Grey Miko Weaver

Jill Jones Peggy McCreary Coke Johnson Laura LiPuma Marie France

There's a nasty rumor that's going 'round
Others say this woman was possessed
A strawberry mind, a body that's built 4 2
Truth is all that matters in a month of Saturdays
My daddy had a yellow Riviera Star
My lover dressed in red
Merci for the Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer

Long ago there was a princess

Save the People

Holly Rock
Fish Fries

Small Grey Monkey

http://prince.org/msg/7/422538

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Reply #1 posted 10/07/16 8:51am

OldFriends4Sal
e

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Reply #2 posted 10/07/16 9:12am

Latin

Thanks for this great thread!

The "A Love Bizarre" encore performance with Prince on the Sheila E. concert video is absolutely amazing.

Hopefully, one day they release that on Blu-Ray.
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Reply #3 posted 10/07/16 9:18am

TrivialPursuit

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The 2nd dude in that back-jacket photo looks like Michael DeLorenzo.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #4 posted 10/07/16 9:38am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Prince - producer, arranger (album) (credited to Sheila E.) David Tickle- engineer Peggy McCreary - engineer (as "Peggy Mac") Susan Rogers - engineer Bernie Grundman - mastering Sal - first assistant engineer Coke Johnson - first assistant engineer (as "Coke") Cavallo, Ruffalo & Fargnoli - management (credited for "directors") Karen - "second assistant director" Nikki - "second assistant director" Laura LiPuma - artwork Margo Chase - logo design Sheila E. - costume design Marie France - costume design Constance Guzman - "first assistant director" Gareth Green - hair, make-up James Hajdukiewicz - hair, make-up Philip Carreon - hair, make-up Jennifer Walton - wardrobe stylist Rebecca Blake - photography Stuart Watson - additional photography

  • Sheila E. - all lead vocals, bass, bongos, congas, drums, guitar, keyboards, percussion (official credits, although much of this was played uncredited by Prince)
  • Prince - all instruments, except where noted (uncredited), backing vocals, bass guitar, guitar on A Love Bizarre, bass guitar, guitar on Toy Box, backing vocals on Yellow
  • Eddie M.- saxophone on Sister Fate, Dear Michaelangelo, A Love Bizarre, Toy Box, Romance 1600 and Bedtime Story, backing vocals on A Love Bizarre and Toy Box
  • "John" - horns on Yellow
  • "Steve" - horns on Yellow
  • "Ron" - horns on Yellow
  • "Dick" - horns on Yellow
  • "Robert" - horns on Yellow
  • "Tim" - horns on Yellow

  • Karl Perazzo - drums (album), bongos on Romance 1600
  • Benny Rietveld - bass guitar (album), backing vocals on Romance 1600
  • Ken Grey - keyboards, organ on Sister Fate
  • Susie Davis - keyboards (album), backing vocals on Sister Fate, Dear Michaelangelo and Romance 1600
  • Steph Birnbaum - guitar on Dear Michaelangelo and Bedtime Story, backing vocals on A Love Bizarre and Toy Box
  • Juan Escovedo - percussion on A Love Bizarre and Bedtime Story
  • Michael Weaver - backing vocals on Toy Box

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Reply #5 posted 10/07/16 9:40am

OldFriends4Sal
e

TrivialPursuit said:

The 2nd dude in that back-jacket photo looks like Michael DeLorenzo.

lol Benny Rietveld

Levi Seacer jr replaced him

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Reply #6 posted 10/07/16 11:24am

TrivialPursuit

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OldFriends4Sale said:

lol Benny Rietveld

Levi Seacer jr replaced him

haha yeah I know, but he has that look. For those that don't know him, google younger pictures of DeLorenzo. He was in "Beat It", Fame (TV series), and tons of other stuff as a dancer, and actor. He was later on a cop show that was popular for a while.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #7 posted 10/07/16 3:00pm

tab32792

OldFriends4Sale said:

TrivialPursuit said:

The 2nd dude in that back-jacket photo looks like Michael DeLorenzo.

lol Benny Rietveld

Levi Seacer jr replaced him

and he went on to play for miles davis from 88-early 90 lol

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Reply #8 posted 10/07/16 8:36pm

ladygirl99

TrivialPursuit said:

The 2nd dude in that back-jacket photo looks like Michael DeLorenzo.

You are right lol. Michael is friends with Sheila's younger sister Zena Escovedo and also Appollonia. And Michael is a huge Prince fan and even named one of his cats after him. Little know Purple tibit. Prince was this close of appearing as a musicial guest on New York Undercover during its third season and around the same time Emancipation was released but the deal felt through.

Michael Delorenzo is cool I talked to him a few times on social media awhile back. He also almost forgot that he appeared on Alexander O'neal's video Fake until I show it to him the video. He also thought the silly poem I wrote to him was nice when he had his myspace page. lol

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Reply #9 posted 10/08/16 9:52am

OldFriends4Sal
e

1. Sister Fate
2. Dear Michaelangelo
3. A Love Bizarre
4. Toy Box
5. Yellow
6. Romance 1600
7. Merci For The Speed Of A Mad Clown In Summer
8. Bedtime Story

Romance 1600 is the second album from singer-drummer-percussionist Sheila E.. Whilst Prince wrote and played on the whole album, barring the instrumental "Merci for the Speed of a Mad Clown in Summer", the only track he is credited for openly on the album sleeve itself is "A Love Bizarre", which was co-written and produced with Sheila E. and is a duet between the pair. The song, a 12-minute epic, became a major hit in its edited radio-friendly form.

During her hiatus, she had garnered a lot of exposure via the media, including appearing in the movie Krush Groove, in which she performed "A Love Bizarre" and "Holly Rock". She had also performed for a wide audience as an act on Prince and The Revolution's Purple Rain Tour.

The video for "Sister Fate" (the album's lead single) introduced a new image of the performer: a somewhat female-Prince influenced protégée. "Sister Fate"'s B-side featured the cryptic protest song "Save the Children". However, the album itself featured many tracks that were personal and help to support the embodiment of the thematic faux-French Renaissance episodic adventure that the lead single's video and the album art intended to set up for the listening audience.

This concept-theme album became a staple within Prince's camp at the time, which saw Prince inspired by a more glamorous, high fashion stylized image, which included Romance 1600, along with The Family's self-titled debut album, and his own 1986 release, the soundtrack album Parade. This marked a clear visual departure from the more "street tough" image of the Minneapolis sound acts from his pre-Purple Rain success, namely The Time and Vanity 6. Although the album received mixed reviews, "A Love Bizarre" was the album's biggest hit single. On January 28, 1986, the album was certified Gold by the RIAA.

http://en.wikipedia.org/w...mance_1600

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Reply #10 posted 10/08/16 1:16pm

wavesofbliss

my favs on this are

- a love bizzare

- yellow -it's so cheeky

- dear michealangelo

Prince #MUSICIANICONLEGEND
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Reply #11 posted 10/08/16 5:03pm

Goddess4Real

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I love this album........A Love Bizzare, Toy Box and Bedtime Story are on high rotation at my house biggrin

Keep Calm & Listen To Prince
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Reply #12 posted 10/08/16 8:28pm

tomcooper2323

Latin said:

Thanks for this great thread! The "A Love Bizarre" encore performance with Prince on the Sheila E. concert video is absolutely amazing. Hopefully, one day they release that on Blu-Ray.

.

True dat. I love, love, love that performance and wish we had it in better quality.

.

if you listen to the actual tape of the show, which is circulating, they apparently did some edits and a couple of overdubs on the performance we see in teh video but it's near perfect so no complaints.....P in his prime.

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Reply #13 posted 10/09/16 10:01am

purplepolitici
an

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Prolly my favorite Sheila effort! heart it 2 pieces touched.

For all time I am with you, you are with me.
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Reply #14 posted 10/11/16 8:05am

OldFriends4Sal
e

B-side Save the People
Released July 1985
Format 7", 12" vinyl single
Genre R&B, funk
Length 3:50 (album version)
3:39 (single version)
5:45 (extended 12" version)
Label Paisley Park, Warner Bros.
Writer(s) Prince
Producer Prince, Sheila E.

There's a nasty rumor that's goin' 'round
People think that U and, U and I are goin' down
They insist that we're more, more than just friends
So I'm gonna stick around until this movie ends

CHORUS:
I'm gonna leave it up 2 Sister Fate, destiny
She's the only thing that's standin' in the way of U and me
Sister Fate, destiny
One day we're gonna be 2gether, wait and see, wait and see

There's an awful story that's in the news
People say that I'm, I'm in love with U
If they knew the real truth, they'd probably die
I could never do nothin' 2 live up 2 those lies

CHORUS

Sister, huh

There's a nasty rumor that's going 'round
(There's a nasty rumor goin' 'round)
People think that U and I are going down
(People think that U and, U and I are goin' down)
They insist that we're more, more than just friends
So I'm gonna stick around (Until this movie ends, huh)

CHORUS

Wait and see

Sister Fate {x3}

Sister Fate, destiny
She's the only thing standin' in the way of U and me
Sister Fate, destiny {fade out}
One day we're gonna be 2gether, wait and see

  • Sheila E. – lead vocals, percussion, drums, strings, bass guitar, keyboards, arranger, producer, writer
  • Eddie M. – saxophone
  • Ken Grey – organ
  • Prince -

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Reply #15 posted 10/11/16 8:16am

OldFriends4Sal
e

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Reply #16 posted 10/11/16 11:29am

OldFriends4Sal
e

One of the things I try to do with the things I direct -- namely for our acts

-- is go for the different, the out-of-the-norm, the avant purple, so to speak. -Prince 1985

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Reply #17 posted 10/11/16 8:18pm

AnnaStesia10

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Love this album!!!
"A strong spirit transcends rules." - Prince
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Reply #18 posted 10/12/16 1:51am

SoulAlive

tab32792 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

lol Benny Rietveld

Levi Seacer jr replaced him

and he went on to play for miles davis from 88-early 90 lol

and now he plays with Santana...he's been in Santana's band since the early 90s

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Reply #19 posted 10/12/16 3:14am

jn2

I love this album, however A Love Bizzare long version is absolutely boring imo.

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Reply #20 posted 10/12/16 8:56am

databank

avatar

Latin said:

Thanks for this great thread! The "A Love Bizarre" encore performance with Prince on the Sheila E. concert video is absolutely amazing. Hopefully, one day they release that on Blu-Ray.

It was ripped by some bootleggers but I ain't ever found that digitally anywhere online except for DVD's on ebay (but I'd rather not pay for boots, God knows I've spent enough money on those in the 90's!).

My old VHS of it ended-up in the dustbin with all my VHS many years ago. I realize even though few people still have VCR's I just threw away all my Prince VHS, which may one day end-up being rare collectors, future generations please forgive me.

I found a rip of the audio once, from the LD, but of course one track is missing sad

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #21 posted 10/12/16 8:59am

databank

avatar

jn2 said:

I love this album, however A Love Bizzare long version is absolutely boring imo.

So much happens all throughout, though. Maybe you haven't listened to it?

It never fully recovered from the faster, more dynamic live version on the live album, though: Prince ruined the original by making the live cut faster and, therefore, funkier. But the original is still pretty mindblowing if u manage to forget the live one.

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #22 posted 10/12/16 9:34am

Latin

It would be awesome for Sheila E. to perform more songs off this great album.

Is "A Love Bizzarre" the only song she performs from it?
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Reply #23 posted 10/13/16 7:33am

OldFriends4Sal
e

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

Tracklist Hide Credits

A Sister Fate (Extended Version)
Organ – Ken GreySaxophone – Eddie M (2)
5:45
B Save The People

lyrics coming soon... unless someone else already has them?

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

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Reply #24 posted 10/13/16 7:46am

databank

avatar

OldFriends4Sale said:

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

Tracklist Hide Credits

A Sister Fate (Extended Version)
Organ – Ken GreySaxophone – Eddie M (2)
5:45
B Save The People

lyrics coming soon... unless someone else already has them?

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

Is there anything more 2 it than "save the people all Feed their hungry eyes Save the children all Don't let them die"?

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #25 posted 10/13/16 7:52am

OldFriends4Sal
e

6.7.1985 @ the Prom Center in St Paul Minnesota

Prince's 27th Birthday show celebration

1. A Love Bizzare

2. Mutiny

3. Sometimes It Snows in April

4. Irresistable Bitch

5. Possessed

6. the Bird

7. Burn It Up

8. Drawers Burnin'

9. Holly Rock

Prince & the Revolution: Bobby Z, Dr Fink, Lisa Coleman, Brown Mark, Wendy Melvoin, Sheila E Eddie M (I don't know who else from her band was in attendance) Jerome Benton Jellybean Johnson St Paul Peterson Susannah Melvoin Eric Leeds

Band Prince (vox, bass) Bobby Z. (drums), Brown Mark (bass), Wendy Melvoin (guitar), Lisa Coleman (keyboards), Dr. Fink (keyboards),

.

June 7. 1985
Prom Center"St Poul
27th Birthday Concert
1. Love Bizzare w/ Sheila E. (drums) & Eddie M.,

.

As far as the show itself, Prince And The Revolution open with the first public performance of "A Love Bizarre", which would see release over two months later on Sheila E's "Romance 1600" album. Sheila was a guest onstage for a good portion of this show as well. Prince seems to forget the lyrics as he repeats the first verse instead of singing the second, but its pretty obvious this is a new song to the band.

.
2. Mutiny St. Paul & Susannah Melvoin lead vox, w/ Jerome Benton, Sheila E. (drums) & Eddie M..

.

Another new song follows as Prince And The Revolution are joined by St. Paul Peterson, Susannah Melvoin and Jerome Benton from The Family for an over 14 minute version of their song "Mutiny". St. Paul sings lead on this performance. The Family's one and only album would not see release until September of that year, so this was another new song to those in attendance.

.

3. Sometimes It snows In April only Prince, Wendy Melvoin, Lisa Coleman, Sheila E.

.

After a two minute Sheila E. drum solo, the band slows things down for the public premiere of "Sometimes It Snows In April". This song would not see release for almost another year, on the "Parade" album in late March, 1986. It's obvious the song is a work in progress at this point as Prince sings the first two lines of the song, then it becomes an instrumental performance save the chorus which the band has worked out, full lyrics and all. It's a fascinating look at a song in its skeletal form. Prince tells the crowd 'y'all wanna get a drink or something, it's cool', probably aware of the funk explosion they were about to lay on them the rest of the evening.

.
4. Irresistible Bitch Prince & the Revolution + Eddie M & Eric Leeds on sax

.

The first familiar song of the night starts a 30 minute non-stop funk marathon as they kick into "Irresistible Bitch". I simply love the way The Revolution re-worked this song live, usually leading into the unreleased "Possessed" as it does on this night. Eric Leeds and Eddie M. on saxophone add to the massive groove emanating from the stage on this performance. Given his incredible Sign o' The Times and original NPG bands, I think I have underestimated The Revolution over the years and listening to these shows is a great reminder of just how bad-ass this band was.

.
5. Possessed
6. The Bird
7. Burn It

.

"Possessed" then runs into a brief workout on The Time's "The Bird" featuring Jerome Benton helping with the chants. This leads into the seemingly improvised "Drawers Burnin'", a hilarious song with Prince singing in his 'Morris Day voice' and Benton again backing him up on the chant. This song has also been referred to as "Burn It" in the past, but that seems to be more from crappy recordings of this show making it hard to tell what they were saying. Prince starts by singing 'Asshole tried to take my picture, kicked him in the neck! Sued me for a million dollars I said what the heck!' as Benton chants 'Drawers Burning' in between each line. Musically the song is little more than a popping bassline and drums, but it is still funky as hell. 'Good drawers hard to find, bad ones follow you home', too funny. Prince asking a woman in the audience 'Do your drawers burn honey? Sing!" kills me as well. I highly doubt this song was ever considered to be recorded, it all seems pretty much made up on the spot.

.
8. Holly Rock Prince & the Revolution + Sheila E (timbales) Eddie M & Eric Leeds (sax)

.

The night closes with a 13 minute version of another Prince written track given to Sheila E., "Holly Rock". Sheila rocks the timbales on this performance, again a debut as this song would not be released until September on the "Krush Groove" soundtrack. In all, six of the eight songs played on this night were unreleased at the time and two have still never seen the light of day.

.

Guest(s) Sheila E. (vox, drums), Jerome Benton (vox), Susannah Melvoin (vox), St. Paul (vox), Eddie M. (saxophone) Eric Leeds (saxophone)

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Reply #26 posted 10/13/16 7:53am

OldFriends4Sal
e

databank said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

Tracklist Hide Credits

A Sister Fate (Extended Version) 5:45
B Save The People

lyrics coming soon... unless someone else already has them?

Sheila E. (1985) A Love Bizarre UK 12"

Is there anything more 2 it than "save the people all Feed their hungry eyes Save the children all Don't let them die"?

actually I don't remember... listening 2 it later today

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Reply #27 posted 10/13/16 9:42am

databank

avatar

OldFriends4Sale said:

databank said:

Is there anything more 2 it than "save the people all Feed their hungry eyes Save the children all Don't let them die"?

actually I don't remember... listening 2 it later today

From memory I don't think so.

She had odd lyrics on those b-sides, same with The World Is High. I could never understand parts of the lyrics on that last one, can u get what the say?

A COMPREHENSIVE PRINCE DISCOGRAPHY (work in progress ^^): https://sites.google.com/...scography/
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Reply #28 posted 10/14/16 6:47am

OldFriends4Sal
e

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Reply #29 posted 10/14/16 8:54am

paisleypark4

avatar

TrivialPursuit said:

The 2nd dude in that back-jacket photo looks like Michael DeLorenzo.

worship

Straight Jacket Funk Affair
Album plays and love for vinyl records.
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