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Thread started 03/26/17 5:19am

ChrisLacy1990

Appreciation Thread: “Adonis and Bathsheba”

Even among Prince’s elite ballads — from “Do Me, Baby” and “The Beautiful Ones” to “Adore” and “Scandalous!” — the ambient “Adonis and Bathsheba” takes flight in breathtaking style.

The Dream Factory-era outtake captures the way love and imagination can transport the listener to a diverse and vibrant world. “To an orgy in a garden of flowers, Adonis and Bathsheba flew / All of creation awaits them, a flowing dance by the crystal blue / Stream of desire and erotic rebellion that parades through their hearts and minds / They look at one another as much as they don’t / To touch is their need, to love they are blind.

Saxophonist/flutist Eric Leeds and trumpeter Atlanta Bliss join Prince in creating a lush symphonic pop soundscape with a finger-licking-good guitar solo tucked away at the end, wringing the song for all its worth. Surprisingly, longtime engineer Susan Rogers felt it was one of the most underwhelming tracks the singer ever created. “‘Adonis and Bathsheba’ was the first time [in four years] where I thought to myself ‘You know, I don’t think this is one of his best ones,’” she told PodcastJuice in a January 2017 interview. “There was just something funny about it, and I thought the lyrics were kind of corny.”

While there may be some who agree with said analysis, many have claimed that “Adonis and Bathsheba” is an outstanding yet-to-be-released gem buried deep in Prince’s overflowing chest of musical treasures.

Adonis-And-Bathsheba-mp3-image.jpg

[Edited 3/26/17 5:26am]

[Edited 3/26/17 5:27am]

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Reply #1 posted 03/26/17 5:26am

love2thenines2
003

Great TRax IMO.....I heard Wally Full version> It is in the same way in term of production & orchestration...Sax & Guitar but with more Sadness ...GReat trax too!

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Reply #2 posted 03/26/17 5:40am

FlyOnTheWall

I agree with your assessment, ChrisLacy1990: "Adonis and Bathsheba" is a soaring ballad. Ever economic, Prince had the rare gift of painting a stark picture with so few words. And, the second verse is just as divine in it's imagery.

An abandoned gazebo houses what looks 2 b a perfect place / They undress as they're running, Bathsheba crying / Adonis sweat upon his face / 4 them there is no morning, only night / decisions so grand / There is no bed, how will they ever love? / They decide 2 stand / No bed, they decide 2 stand

[Edited 3/26/17 6:02am]

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Reply #3 posted 03/26/17 5:48am

LonelyStarfish

One of his best songs
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Reply #4 posted 03/26/17 6:10am

gandorb

One thing I admire about it is that it fits into my favorite Prince song category: A totally complex and unique song that burrows into your mind forever.

[Edited 3/26/17 10:18am]

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Reply #5 posted 03/26/17 6:12am

SomeSoldier

This is 100% the first Adonis ans Bathsheba thread on prince.org, there's never been one before 😂
Whatever, it's corny, daft, silly and I freaking love every second of it.
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Reply #6 posted 03/26/17 7:05am

masaba

Just heard this recently and it's great. Got me wondering how many other Prince songs are in 3/3 because I can't remember any off the top of my head.
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Reply #7 posted 03/26/17 7:08am

PurpleYoda3121

Love everything about it: vocals, lyrics, guitar.

U fall in love 2 fast and hate 2 soon
And take 4 granted the feeling’s mutual
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Reply #8 posted 03/26/17 9:42am

MIRvmn

avatar

It's a great song cool
Welcome 2 The Dawn
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Reply #9 posted 03/27/17 3:35am

mushmackalenta

love2thenines2003 said:

Great TRax IMO.....I heard Wally Full version> It is in the same way in term of production & orchestration...Sax & Guitar but with more Sadness ...GReat trax too!







You heard the full version if Wally. Has this leaked?
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Reply #10 posted 03/27/17 5:32am

sulls

avatar

mushmackalenta said:

love2thenines2003 said:

Great TRax IMO.....I heard Wally Full version> It is in the same way in term of production & orchestration...Sax & Guitar but with more Sadness ...GReat trax too!

You heard the full version if Wally. Has this leaked?

yeahthat

"I like to watch."
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Reply #11 posted 03/27/17 5:35am

sulls

avatar

I love Adonis and Bathsheba. Only Prince coulda pulled off that one. biggrin

"I like to watch."
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Reply #12 posted 03/27/17 6:01am

FlyOnTheWall

FlyOnTheWall said:

I agree with your assessment, ChrisLacy1990: "Adonis and Bathsheba" is a soaring ballad. Ever economical, Prince had the rare gift of painting a stark picture with so few words. And, the second verse is just as divine in it's imagery.

An abandoned gazebo houses what looks 2 b a perfect place / They undress as they're running, Bathsheba crying / Adonis sweat upon his face / 4 them there is no morning, only night / decisions so grand / There is no bed, how will they ever love? / They decide 2 stand / No bed, they decide 2 stand

[Edited 3/26/17 6:02am]

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Reply #13 posted 03/27/17 7:40am

paulludvig

One of his best.
The wooh is on the one!
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Reply #14 posted 03/27/17 9:19am

love2thenines2
003

mushmackalenta said:

love2thenines2003 said:

Great TRax IMO.....I heard Wally Full version> It is in the same way in term of production & orchestration...Sax & Guitar but with more Sadness ...GReat trax too!







You heard the full version if Wally. Has this leaked?


Of course not.....I can't tell more anyway ...sorry....if one day this song is available...this opportunity is out of my hands. ..sorry!
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Reply #15 posted 03/27/17 10:02am

sulls

avatar

love2thenines2003 said:

mushmackalenta said:
You heard the full version if Wally. Has this leaked?
Of course not.....I can't tell more anyway ...sorry....if one day this song is available...this opportunity is out of my hands. ..sorry!

bawl

"I like to watch."
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Reply #16 posted 03/27/17 1:36pm

Shockedelicus

Fucking love this song. It sounds so alive and complete. Baffling that it never saw any kind of release.

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Reply #17 posted 04/07/17 12:42pm

TheKid94

I've loved this song ever since I found a 1:30 snippet of it online years ago. Then the full version leaked and it's even more beautiful than I could ever imagine. He just knew how to see, create and execute beauty 💜
prince
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Reply #18 posted 04/07/17 12:45pm

Genesia

avatar

I said in another thread that if Adore and Alexa de Paris had a baby, it'd be Adonis and Bathsheba. I stand by that.

We don’t mourn artists because we knew them. We mourn them because they helped us know ourselves.
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Reply #19 posted 04/07/17 1:46pm

lakerlaker52

ChrisLacy1990 said:

Surprisingly, longtime engineer Susan Rogers felt it was one of the most underwhelming tracks the singer ever created. “‘Adonis and Bathsheba’ was the first time [in four years] where I thought to myself ‘You know, I don’t think this is one of his best ones,’” she told PodcastJuice in a January 2017 interview. “There was just something funny about it, and I thought the lyrics were kind of corny.”



If anyone is wondering why Adonis and Bathsheba never saw a proper release, look no further. Susan is entitled to her opinion, of course, but she is way off the mark on this one and I can't help but wish she would've shut her mouth about the song. Prince, like most artists, is sensitive to the opinions of others and I have no doubt that her harsh words made him second-guess his work on this track.

It reminds me of the story behind Bob Dylan's "Forever Young." He end The Band finished up the take that would become the classic version of the song. Someone was in the Control room listening to play back with them – I think it was actually a girlfriend that Bob had hanging around – and said something along the lines of "Aw, Bob, you're not getting all mushy on us are you?"

The Band was mortified because they knew this was a brilliant song and recording and now Dylan was wanting to trash it because he was sensitive to someone else's opinion. Fortunately, they talked him into keeping it.

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Reply #20 posted 04/07/17 1:52pm

RJOrion

amazing guitar solo on this masterpiece

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Reply #21 posted 04/07/17 1:56pm

lakerlaker52

masaba said:

Just heard this recently and it's great. Got me wondering how many other Prince songs are in 3/3 because I can't remember any off the top of my head.


Mostly ballads, to no surprise, are the songs of his in 3/4 or 6/8 or 12/8 time:
International Lover
Curious Child
Slow Love
Insatiable
You Make My Sun Shine
The Question of U
A Place In Heaven
Under The Cherry Moon
Power Fantastic
Old Friends 4 Sale
Extraordinary
Satisfied
On The Couch
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Reply #22 posted 04/07/17 2:06pm

OldFriends4Sal
e

lakerlaker52 said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

Surprisingly, longtime engineer Susan Rogers felt it was one of the most underwhelming tracks the singer ever created. “‘Adonis and Bathsheba’ was the first time [in four years] where I thought to myself ‘You know, I don’t think this is one of his best ones,’” she told PodcastJuice in a January 2017 interview. “There was just something funny about it, and I thought the lyrics were kind of corny.”

If anyone is wondering why Adonis and Bathsheba never saw a proper release, look no further. Susan is entitled to her opinion, of course, but she is way off the mark on this one and I can't help but wish she would've shut her mouth about the song. Prince, like most artists, is sensitive to the opinions of others and I have no doubt that her harsh words made him second-guess his work on this track. It reminds me of the story behind Bob Dylan's "Forever Young." He end The Band finished up the take that would become the classic version of the song. Someone was in the Control room listening to play back with them – I think it was actually a girlfriend that Bob had hanging around – and said something along the lines of "Aw, Bob, you're not getting all mushy on us are you?" The Band was mortified because they knew this was a brilliant song and recording and now Dylan was wanting to trash it because he was sensitive to someone else's opinion. Fortunately, they talked him into keeping it.

Susan Rogers is not why the song was not released. Like so many other songs. 1985 alone produced 3-4+ albums worth of unreleased music. It is because there was or was not an intended album/protege project for it that we know of. He recorded a lot of stuff that he probably never intended to release or never had the right album/project band outlet.

.

Prince isn't that sensitive to the opinions of others like that. This is the man that released Jack U Off, Sister and If I Was Your Girlfriend, the Lovesexy cover and went on MTV in ass exposed pants.

.

There was nothing harsh about what she said, that was everyday talk. Prince dished that out and worse to people in his camp and band

.

Prince is the 'sensitive artist' that would clown Morris Day/the Time on stage at First Avenue. The sensitive artist that during soundcheck laughed at Wendy BrownMark & Eric Leeds for not being able to hit a solo in a certain key, and make fun of his manager Steve's shirt, and call them all 'Weak' right on the mic. Prince is the sensitive artist that during a Lovesexy rehearsal had the lighting guy focus in on Miko Weavers shoes to make fun of them, or during the Parade tour laugh at Levi Seacer's broken down car or constantly jive Bonnie Boyer and make fun of her weight. So I doubt what Susan Rogers said hurt Prince to the point he would not release the song.

1985
God Is Everywhere
Come Elektra Tuesday
Killen At the Soda Shop
Stella & Charles
Zebra With the Blond Hair (probably Palomino Pleasure Ride)
She Pony
Old Friends 4 Sale
Go
Splash
Others Here With Us
Sexual Suicide
Heaven
Eternity
and more...

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Reply #23 posted 04/07/17 2:12pm

lakerlaker52

RJOrion said:

amazing guitar solo on this masterpiece



Something I noticed about the song that I thought was interesting: he recorded it at half its released length - about 3 minutes. He then must have decided he wanted to add the guitar solo so he cut and pasted the entire backing track onto the end of itself again, doubling the length of the song.

2:40 is the point at which this occurs. From that point on, the backing tracks of drums, bass guitar, harp, Horns, and backing vocals are all an exact copy of what you heard before.

For example: hear how he does a cool little 3-note chromatic run popping the bass at 1:41? You hear the exact lick again at 4:18. Same with all the drum fills and horn parts. Only thing different is the lead vocal and some background vocals are muted, the guitar solo is added (sounds like a one take solo to me) and the final note is added onto the end.

He did the same thing with Make Your Mama Happy, which was recorded around this time. He doubled its length with a Cut and paste job, but is just instrumental, no guitar solo or anything added.
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Forums > Prince: Music and More > Appreciation Thread: “Adonis and Bathsheba”