RJOrion said:

i remember not liking this album at first, thinking Prince had strayed too far from was "black music", at that time...as ive matured and my musical tastes have broadened, ive grown to appreciate the greatness of this album...easily, one of his 4 or 5 greatest albums...

Actually, I think he was black music all the way.
A full orchestra, short straightened hair, black and white, jazz, emancipation...

Consider this (especially @ 4'00) :



That's what the Hit'n'Run is all about : real sweaty performances, no bullshit lasers.

Parade was speaking of a brief time when black people were the best entertainers, the best musicians, who seduced enough educated white people to lead them, decades later, into fighting along for equal rights.

RJOrion said:

what also made me not like this album initially, was the first single...as much as i love Prince music, i NEVER liked "Kiss"...still dont...

Studio is okay even after being played out all these years but I never liked any live version. It doesnt transmit well live imho.

bonatoc said:

RJOrion said:

i remember not liking this album at first, thinking Prince had strayed too far from was "black music", at that time...as ive matured and my musical tastes have broadened, ive grown to appreciate the greatness of this album...easily, one of his 4 or 5 greatest albums...

Actually, I think he was black music all the way.
A full orchestra, short straightened hair, black and white, jazz, emancipation...

Consider this (especially @ 4'00) :



That's what the Hit'n'Run is all about : real sweaty performances, no bullshit lasers.

Parade was speaking of a brief time when black people were the best entertainers, the best musicians, who seduced enough educated white people to lead them, decades later, into fighting along for equal rights.

i dig that, but what i was saying was, the Parade lp didnt sound like anything else that was happening in "black music", at that time (1985-1986) ...

Parade is unimpeachably brilliant. I can't even believe I'm reading people don't like "Kiss," one of the all time greatest singles ever released by anyone. Aboslutely nothing sounded like it on the radio. The whole album flows incredibly well. A masterpiece from start to finish.

wavesofbliss said:

RJOrion said:

what also made me not like this album initially, was the first single...as much as i love Prince music, i NEVER liked "Kiss"...still dont...

i've never liked kiss either. or at least not on parade it fucks up the whole vibe. it's all luscious and swirling orchestration and then here's this dense funk track with prince hiccupping for 3 minutes. he should have left it with mazarati.

I LOVE Parade so much. I have to back y'all I never really liked Kiss either maybe we are in the minority on this one. I only liked the music video he looked so damn good in it. But the song, nah.

The whole album is brillant and wish Alexa De Paris was on it and not a B-side. That song is everything!

brassneck said:

Parade is unimpeachably brilliant. I can't even believe I'm reading people don't like "Kiss," one of the all time greatest singles ever released by anyone. Aboslutely nothing sounded like it on the radio. The whole album flows incredibly well. A masterpiece from start to finish.

First version of kiss i heard as a kid was... Tom Jones. It was all over the TV stations here in souteastern Europe in the mid/late 90's. It was a some kind reveleation to hear an original, years & years after that atrocious T.Jones version.

bonatoc said:

wavesofbliss said:

i've never liked kiss either. or at least not on parade it fucks up the whole vibe. it's all luscious and swirling orchestration and then here's this dense funk track with prince hiccupping for 3 minutes. he should have left it with mazarati.

I think he knew he needed a kick-ass single in order to promote a sophisticated album.

As a single, I loved it but had the time to play it to death before the album came out (in those days, the first single often acted as a trailer for the forthcoming album). And yes, it comes as kind of odd in the track sequencing. At the same time, New Position is also sparse and minimalistic, and so is SISIA. But it's the only song that has a real classic blues chord progression, and therefore it sounds a little out of context.
It's still an incredible song, but as everything played over and over, it doesn't do much for me anymore, I'd rather listen to the extended version, and its suffocating wall of sound, which is more reminescent of the whole UTCM vibe.

Since we're speaking of track sequencing, the Foefur's version is great: it has "Old Friends 4 Sale", and it ends, appropriately, with "All My Dreams". As much as I love SISIA, "All My Dreams" is the perfect fanfare closure as "Christopher Tracy's Parade" is the perfect fanfare opening.

Agree with your assessment of Kiss. I've never thought it worked on Parade - and its inclusion is all about having one sure-fire hit.

But I think Sometimes It Snows in April works better on the album if you think of it as it relates to the film. The subdued final track works with the (mostly) sad ending that Prince insisted on. If Christopher and Mary had ended up together, happily ever after (or even not together but happily ever after) All My Dreams would have been the perfect ending.

I think Prince got it right - except for Kiss.

Wow Parade is in my Prince top-5 albums.

Masterpiece. I would not change a note, only Venus De Milo is kind of filler... imho.....

The rest on Parade is top...

This album is perfect. I wouldn't change a thing.

thedance said:

Wow Parade is in my Prince top-5 albums.

Masterpiece. I would not change a note, only Venus De Milo is kind of filler... imho.....

The rest on Parade is top...

the soundtrack moves so fast that, removing Venus de Milo would make it too short

If feels like a moment early in the morning when the world is just starting, or late in the night when the world is settling down

thedance said:

Wow Parade is in my Prince top-5 albums.

Masterpiece. I would not change a note, only Venus De Milo is kind of filler... imho.....

The rest on Parade is top...

Not please, it's a beautiful piece of music.

love it

'life can be so nice' is a trip... just genius

his vocal performance on 'do you lie' is honestly one of his best

stpaisios said:

MoBettaBliss said:

love it

'life can be so nice' is a trip... just genius

his vocal performance on 'do you lie' is honestly one of his best

this song goes beauifully after or before In A Large Room with No Light

TrivialPursuit said:

I quite love the story of the first four songs.

For those that don't know, Susan Rogers tells the story better than I, but - Prince came in and sat at his drums. He had a piece of paper he taped on a stand in front of him with lyrics and the song layout on it. He played the drums for "Christopher Tracy's Parade", "New Position", "I Wonder U", and "Under The Cherry Moon" straight through. Then he went back and played bass to the drum track. Then went back and played guitar, or keys, etc. She mentioned how he was wearing a lot of bead necklaces, and he was playing so hard you can sorta hear them jangling in "New Position". But the way he recorded those songs is why they seem to perfectly segued and sequenced - it was done so live.

She mentioned at the recent lecture she did that he'd often come in with a lyric sheet, and sit and play the drum track, while reading the lyrics, singing along in his head as he played. It's sort of a rudimentary way of doing things, but also it probably adds nuances and language to the drum track that compliments vocals and other instruments.

"Anotherloverholenyohead" is probably my favorite track. I love the chord sequence (it's almost like a practice scale), the meandering vocals, the layered and offset backgrounds (reminiscent of "Forever In My Life"), and the Linn is just wonderful. "Girls and Boys" is just delicious, and those two together on a 12" was heaven. "Venus De Milo" is beautiful, and should be every woman's wedding march, or prelude. I never got into "Life Can Be So Nice" as much. It actually sounds like something pushed to 10db that you'd hear on Lovesexy (an album where the levels are way too high sometimes).

And let's not forget he spells out "P-U-S-S-Y" on "New Position", as if it were a mystery what he was talking about in the first place. He later reversed this part when there was a segment of the Hit N Run show played on NPGMC Ahdio Shows.

I loved the b-sides, the artwork inside, the whole look of everyone in hair and costume.

So interesting about how he cut those tracks, thanks for that. I misheard him spelling out "P-U-S-S-Y": seems like another Funkadelic/George Clinton influence (see "I Call My Baby Pussycat" from America Eats Its Young).

Parade is my favorite Prince album. I played it more than any other LP to the point my worn out cassette started making loud screeching noises. And, I still played it!!! I downloaded it in April after he died, and again I have played it more than any of the other old favorites I revisited. It's brilliance is timeless. There is something unique and special about each of the tracks.

Genesia said:

bonatoc said:

I think he knew he needed a kick-ass single in order to promote a sophisticated album.

As a single, I loved it but had the time to play it to death before the album came out (in those days, the first single often acted as a trailer for the forthcoming album). And yes, it comes as kind of odd in the track sequencing. At the same time, New Position is also sparse and minimalistic, and so is SISIA. But it's the only song that has a real classic blues chord progression, and therefore it sounds a little out of context.
It's still an incredible song, but as everything played over and over, it doesn't do much for me anymore, I'd rather listen to the extended version, and its suffocating wall of sound, which is more reminescent of the whole UTCM vibe.

Since we're speaking of track sequencing, the Foefur's version is great: it has "Old Friends 4 Sale", and it ends, appropriately, with "All My Dreams". As much as I love SISIA, "All My Dreams" is the perfect fanfare closure as "Christopher Tracy's Parade" is the perfect fanfare opening.

Agree with your assessment of Kiss. I've never thought it worked on Parade - and its inclusion is all about having one sure-fire hit.

But I think Sometimes It Snows in April works better on the album if you think of it as it relates to the film. The subdued final track works with the (mostly) sad ending that Prince insisted on. If Christopher and Mary had ended up together, happily ever after (or even not together but happily ever after) All My Dreams would have been the perfect ending.

I think Prince got it right - except for Kiss.

Oh, I wouldn't ditch "Sometimes It Snows In April" for all in the world.
Over my facing-up dead ass!

"Kiss" is an incredible single, but thanks to Bobby Z's brother, David Rivkin. Most of the sonic palette was maybe already there in the studio gear's presets, but it's highly probable that David Z came up with most (if not all) of the production ideas, judging by the Mazarati version: Nothing in Prince's original demo suggests the song was worth something other than blues muscles stretching.
Prince's genius contribution was to remove the reverb on the lead vocal entirely, but other than that, the Mazarati version had everything the final version has, guitar solo aside.
But the way Prince "stole it back" casts a shadow over "Kiss".

One possible reason we love "Parade" so much is because it's the result of a teamwork. Heck, it took three Davids and one Susan to engineer and mix it (not to mention a big fat ass Mofo named Clare to arrange it — and how)!
The 1985-86 Girlbros influence is one of the best thing that happened in Prince's career. And let us not forget Eric and Atlanta, who also helped shape the sound of the Counter-Revolution in big ways.

Vocally, Prince morphed into a different singer during 1985. His vocal palette became the widest in all pop's history. It's not so much about range (he already had that by "Purple Rain"), rather colors.
Brave thing he ditched the over-processed sound of the Purple Era (his voice constantly chorus'd, flanged and phased to death, and most of the time drenched in reverb), it could have become a signature for years but he went instead for total raw nakedness.

Just like he waited years before feeling confident enough to sing in the lower register, it took years to leave his lead vocals entirely unprocessed. Our adorable control freak...

Last but not least, this is the time period where Camille was born, and that alone changed pop music for ever : it's been thirty years, but everytime your hear a voice pitch artificially altered, you think about Prince.
The 85-86 period alone brought us the very best of The Vault, let's admit it.
And even thought all the other tours are astounding, the Hit'n'Run proved Prince did not need a fake hot tub or a Cadillac radiator's grill to kick every performer's ass. What a first decade.


2 whom it may concern, the "alternative" track sequencing I'm mentioning can be googled with "1986 Parade Expanded (Foefur's Remaster)".

This sequencing contains the studio version of "4 The Tears In Your Eyes" right in the middle, which is odd, but surprisingly works pretty well right after the apocalyptic ending of "Life Can Be So Nice".


1986 Parade Expanded (Foefur's Remaster)

Side A

- Christopher Tracy's Parade
- New Position
- I Wonder U
- Under The Cherry Moon
- Girls & Boys
- Life Can Be So Nice
- 4 The Tears In Your Eyes
- Venus De Milo

Side B
- Mountains (extended)
- Do U Lie?
- Kiss (extended)
- Anotherloverholenyohead (extended)
- ♥ or ＄ (extended)
- Sometimes It Snows In April
- Alexa De Paris (extended)
- All My Dreams



Note to the old-timers: at the risk of being accused of premature Alzheimer, I would like to remind you (again and again and again) to adjust your audio chain.
We lose frequencies with time, especially in the high registers (the 16kHz tweak may be depressing).
Adjust your EQs accordingly to this test:
http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

Make those hi-hats and cymbals shine as if you were still in yo twenties, damn!

And get yourself a proper FLAC'd vynil or somethin'.
It's been almost 20 years of this mp3 shit, and trust my little ears, it's night and day.

[Edited 1/4/17 19:28pm]

RogerRoger said:

Damn I love that album actually.

Music for dreams.

So musical, different, strange and free.

French avantgarde pop.

And Prince played a lot of great drums on that album.

Still can't understand he's gone.

Maybe he just isn't gone, in spirit.

Love and kisses for all Prince lovers and understanders

:yes:

COMEBACK

Tears go here
Tears go here
Tears go here

[Edited 1/4/17 19:34pm]

thisisreece said:

Didn't Prince also take the bass out of Mazarati's version? I seem to recall their version having bass. While Mazariti are obviously crucial to the development of Kiss and the song as we know it, their version doesn't have the same bite as Prince's finished product. Prince's final touches - the guitar, the vocal, pushing the minimalism either further - make the song.

Of course. After all, it's Prince we're talking about.
But David Z.'s input is more important than Mazarati's, from my point of view.
They did a great job in terms of vocal harmonies, no doubt.

[Edited 1/4/17 22:19pm]

Okay the album is perfect but if I had to mess it fan-style, I always place Mountains (extended) as the closer instead of SISIA and keep the rest of the album the same. I don't know why but 'April just never worked as a closer and lessens the funky big band aspect to the album that works best.

bonatoc said:

thisisreece said:

Didn't Prince also take the bass out of Mazarati's version? I seem to recall their version having bass. While Mazariti are obviously crucial to the development of Kiss and the song as we know it, their version doesn't have the same bite as Prince's finished product. Prince's final touches - the guitar, the vocal, pushing the minimalism either further - make the song.

Of course. After all, it's Prince we're talking about.
But David Z.'s input is more important than Mazarati's, from my point of view.
They did a great job in terms of vocal harmonies, no doubt.

[Edited 1/4/17 22:19pm]

Is it safe to say that were it not for David Z.'s input, Prince would not have revisited the song?

I am ashamed to confess, but when I first heard Kiss in 1986, my 15 year-old self didn't 'get' it. There was talk about how great it was and Prince was revisiting his roots. I was looking for more of a Purple Rain-ish sound. OMG - Parade, and particularly Kiss, are among my all-time favs!

My in-laws actually thought, with Kiss, Prince had covered a Tom Jones song.

bonatoc said:

Genesia said:

Agree with your assessment of Kiss. I've never thought it worked on Parade - and its inclusion is all about having one sure-fire hit.

But I think Sometimes It Snows in April works better on the album if you think of it as it relates to the film. The subdued final track works with the (mostly) sad ending that Prince insisted on. If Christopher and Mary had ended up together, happily ever after (or even not together but happily ever after) All My Dreams would have been the perfect ending.

I think Prince got it right - except for Kiss.

Oh, I wouldn't ditch "Sometimes It Snows In April" for all in the world.
Over my facing-up dead ass!

"Kiss" is an incredible single, but thanks to Bobby Z's brother, David Rivkin. Most of the sonic palette was maybe already there in the studio gear's presets, but it's highly probable that David Z came up with most (if not all) of the production ideas, judging by the Mazarati version: Nothing in Prince's original demo suggests the song was worth something other than blues muscles stretching.
Prince's genius contribution was to remove the reverb on the lead vocal entirely, but other than that, the Mazarati version had everything the final version has, guitar solo aside.
But the way Prince "stole it back" casts a shadow over "Kiss".

One possible reason we love "Parade" so much is because it's the result of a teamwork. Heck, it took three Davids and one Susan to engineer and mix it (not to mention a big fat ass Mofo named Clare to arrange it — and how)!
The 1985-86 Girlbros influence is one of the best thing that happened in Prince's career. And let us not forget Eric and Atlanta, who also helped shape the sound of the Counter-Revolution in big ways.

Vocally, Prince morphed into a different singer during 1985. His vocal palette became the widest in all pop's history. It's not so much about range (he already had that by "Purple Rain"), rather colors.
Brave thing he ditched the over-processed sound of the Purple Era (his voice constantly chorus'd, flanged and phased to death, and most of the time drenched in reverb), it could have become a signature for years but he went instead for total raw nakedness.

Just like he waited years before feeling confident enough to sing in the lower register, it took years to leave his lead vocals entirely unprocessed. Our adorable control freak...

Last but not least, this is the time period where Camille was born, and that alone changed pop music for ever : it's been thirty years, but everytime your hear a voice pitch artificially altered, you think about Prince.
The 85-86 period alone brought us the very best of The Vault, let's admit it.
And even thought all the other tours are astounding, the Hit'n'Run proved Prince did not need a fake hot tub or a Cadillac radiator's grill to kick every performer's ass. What a first decade.


2 whom it may concern, the "alternative" track sequencing I'm mentioning can be googled with "1986 Parade Expanded (Foefur's Remaster)".

This sequencing contains the studio version of "4 The Tears In Your Eyes" right in the middle, which is odd, but surprisingly works pretty well right after the apocalyptic ending of "Life Can Be So Nice".


1986 Parade Expanded (Foefur's Remaster)

Side A

- Christopher Tracy's Parade
- New Position
- I Wonder U
- Under The Cherry Moon
- Girls & Boys
- Life Can Be So Nice
- 4 The Tears In Your Eyes
- Venus De Milo

Side B
- Mountains (extended)
- Do U Lie?
- Kiss (extended)
- Anotherloverholenyohead (extended)
- ♥ or ＄ (extended)
- Sometimes It Snows In April
- Alexa De Paris (extended)
- All My Dreams



Note to the old-timers: at the risk of being accused of premature Alzheimer, I would like to remind you (again and again and again) to adjust your audio chain.
We lose frequencies with time, especially in the high registers (the 16kHz tweak may be depressing).
Adjust your EQs accordingly to this test:
http://newt.phys.unsw.edu.au/jw/hearing.html

Make those hi-hats and cymbals shine as if you were still in yo twenties, damn!

And get yourself a proper FLAC'd vynil or somethin'.
It's been almost 20 years of this mp3 shit, and trust my little ears, it's night and day.

[Edited 1/4/17 19:28pm]

On Kiss Prince's vocals and guitar pretty much make the song.The Mazarati version produced by David Z is boring compared to the final version. But of course David helped it along.

Having several engineers work on the album was not an artistic necessity, more a result of Prince moving around. I think it highlights Prince genius. Engineers came and went. Prince is the constant factor.

As to W&L, Leeds and Bliss - they play on a few of the songs and W&L together with some others sing background vocals. Let's not overstate their importance. But I guess it's lucky for them to be associated with Prince's most prolific period.

lolIfUsaytheirnamespaulwillcome2deminishthemlol

Side A

- Life Can Be So Nice

- 4 The Tears In Your Eyes

- Venus De Milo

very nice order/ sequence..

Iamtheorg said:

RJOrion said:

what also made me not like this album initially, was the first single...as much as i love Prince music, i NEVER liked "Kiss"...still dont...

Studio is okay even after being played out all these years but I never liked any live version. It doesnt transmit well live imho.

"Kiss" has been so overplayed, I still listen to it, but I did like a live version he did of it on one of the Lovesexy tours. Just wished Venus Di Milo was a little longer, but still one of my absolute favorite albums of his!

the instrumental from UTCM opening: An Honest Man would have been a wonderful addition

Life Can Be So Nice sent me overboard with this album. Even as a kid I just fell in love with the loud playfulness of the rtack. It was loud boombastic and unapologetic. not only that the flute gave it a touch of pop lighheartedness that was so sweet and innocent....but there was nothing innocent about this track at all down to the UNAPOLOGETIC random cut off at the end that left me bewildered. You're just left stunned at what just happened...and its not fair. *play it again*

[Edited 1/5/17 15:54pm]

OldFriends4Sale said:

the instrumental from UTCM opening: An Honest Man would have been a wonderful addition

Oh yes, absolutely!!