As much as I like to listen to Computer Blue (the Hallway Speech version), I think it is a testament to Prince's brilliant grasp at that time of what makes a commercial record that he cut this track down to the format we hear on the original PR soundtrack. The long version is just too long and drifting off into space too much for the casual 14-18 year old kids who were obviously targeted for PR.

And - hats off to the engineer who cut down the long version, I think the best parts - which are seperated over the long version - were put together so brilliantly from a technical point of view that I thought it was "one take".

And - "Computer Blue/Darling Nikki" were always my secret favourites on that record when it came out... so again hats off for the brilliant editing done here...

Totally agree but I do massively like the 14 mins version which concentrates on the instrumentation and musicianship!

Personally I've always been blown away with the use of the medley from Father's Song. I wonder which came first; Father's Song or Computer Blue. That part of the melody is just simply mindblowing - I have always loved that so much!!!

I've wished there would be a version which starts with Father's Song but then drifts into Computer Blue.

I don't know for sure, but some of the background sounds in the Sunset Sound version of Computer Blue sound identical to 200 Balloons - maybe Prince used that as inspiration or it's coinsidence.

As far as I know, Prince did the editing himself. Someone correct me if I'm wrong here.

I would have preferred at least a few extra minutes of it on the album. The outros of Take Me With U and Darling Nikki could have been axed for it at least.

As far as I'm concerned, the complete track deserved a release back in 1984. May as a B-side to one of the singles. Call it a "dance mix", "verge of a breakdown mix", "work out mix", etc.

It's good to have it now in very good quality. 33 damn years. Wow!

blacknote said:

As far as I'm concerned, the complete track deserved a release back in 1984. May as a B-side to one of the singles. Call it a "dance mix", "verge of a breakdown mix", "work out mix", etc.

It's good to have it now in very good quality. 33 damn years. Wow!

Yes, getting it now is like finding an extended 12" version you didn't know existed. The album version is right for the album, but it's great to have this longer version.

I LOVE all manifestation of this song.
I love the album edit 4 the placement in the movie

it made me want more.
I wish that songs was released as a single with the 14min extended/full version

Honestly I think the best version of "Computer Blue" is the 7:23 version of the first configuration of the album.

As many of you I love love love the now released "Hallway Speech" version but I think that somewhat (and sometimes) it is a little too much to sustain the attention for all the lenght.

The 7:23 version is to some extent the most focused of all versions.

great track, and the just released extended version is like candy..


I don't no why you are praising the short edit version now.. it's good of course it is,

But the Hallway speech version is wonderful > a trip.....

^ I agree with the above comment.

The 7:23 version is the best of both worlds. Not too long and not too short.

A perfect combo that would have been awesome on the finished album.

The Hallway version is too briliant to wait 33 years to release. I love all of the background vocals and screams he throws in there. There's just so much great stuff going on in that song. Does anyone have the words to the hallway speach? There are a couple of words I can't make out.

I love the various longer versions but the edit is perfect within the context of the whole album, which is one of the few extremely big selling albums to be commercial yet quirky.

I really dig the "Hallway" version, and personally, I enjoy listening to all 14 minutes. With that said, I think it was a wise choice to edit it down for the album. I've always thought CB was one of the stronger PR songs (just my opinion here of course) - I love the solo... super melodic and passionate, and knowing his father helped compose it just makes this song more poignant. But I do wish they left in the second verse. There's something about his vocals and the way the guitar intensifies in the second verse that really pushes the song forward.

Krid said:

And - hats off to the engineer who cut down the long version, I think the best parts - which are seperated over the long version - were put together so brilliantly from a technical point of view that I thought it was "one take".

Well, thanks God a professional sound engineer (even though Susan wasn't officially one at that time) is capable of that

.

On a more serious note, and while it was, of course, wise to edit it for the album, I've always felt that not releasing it as a 12'' b-side is one of prince's biggest missed opportunities.

.

By 1984, Computer Blue (Hallway Speech version) was by far the most complex, conceptually ambitious piece of music ever recorded by Prince. It rocks as hell and at the same time it's more than a mere song, it's nearly a short "suite". Making it available at such an early time in his career would certainly have consolidated Prince's reputation as a musical genius: it would have satisfied rock critics a lot, and shown the most intellectual among them that Prince had it in him to produce more arty-farty, more abstract material than just great pop songs. People would have been blown away by this track!

.

Publishing Crystal Ball as a SOTT b-side in 1987 would have had a similar effect, but while I can understand Prince wanting to keep CB for a later project instead of "wasting it" on a 12'', I can't figure out why CB didn't make the cut on a PR 12''.

datdude said:

As I've often said, P is a WAY better editor than he's given credit for! (regardless of if he actually edited THIS track)Save for a handful of tracks, the vault has been very underwhelming to me. I've come to trust his judgment and actually prefer the released material

Save a few exception i tend to agree that I agree, preferring the released edits to the longer bootlegs versions.

Wonderful song

My wife's uncle, who was a very talented guitarist/musician, always said Computer Blue made him a Prince fan. He passed before the unedited versions were known to be available. He would have absolutely loved them.

It's an AMAZING song!!! PRINCE WAS THE BEST!!!

blacknote said:

As far as I'm concerned, the complete track deserved a release back in 1984. May as a B-side to one of the singles. Call it a "dance mix", "verge of a breakdown mix", "work out mix", etc.

It's good to have it now in very good quality. 33 damn years. Wow!

We've had this version in comparable quality for a few years now...

I've always seen the track divided, for an imaginary single release, like a suite.
Part I: Computer Blue
Part II: Father's Song
Part III: Verge of a break down
Part IV: Hallway Speach
Part V: Where is the dawn?

the longer the betta

sulls said:

My wife's uncle, who was a very talented guitarist/musician, always said Computer Blue made him a Prince fan. He passed before the unedited versions were known to be available. He would have absolutely loved them.

Such a shame he hadn't got the chance to listened those extended versions.

[Edited 7/11/17 14:21pm]