TrivialPursuit said:

scorp84 said:

Not a B-Side, but I would replace “Life Can Be So Nice” with “All My Dreams”.

The only way I want to hear "All My Dreams" (one of my top 5 Prince bootlegs) is it segueing in from "Old Friends 4 Sale" which it originally did. In the bootlegs, you can hear the reverby-echoey outro of "OF4S" as "Ohh oohh all my dreams" comes in. T, in the alt.music.prince days, used to claim that and people thought he was crazy. Over time we realized he was right and it's audible. But that's how they were originally sequenced.

On Dream Factory it was different. But an earlier configuration of Parade had OF4S and AMD ending the album. For me, it's such an interesting juxtaposition of two very different songs, but they're sisters.

For the longest, I could hear "All My Dreams" as the opening track to Parade, followed by "Little Wendy's/Christopher Tracy's Parade". It's like that long-lost puzzle piece that, for one reason or another, Prince felt didn't fit with the rest.

TrivialPursuit said:

scorp84 said:

Not a B-Side, but I would replace “Life Can Be So Nice” with “All My Dreams”.

The only way I want to hear "All My Dreams" (one of my top 5 Prince bootlegs) is it segueing in from "Old Friends 4 Sale" which it originally did. In the bootlegs, you can hear the reverby-echoey outro of "OF4S" as "Ohh oohh all my dreams" comes in. T, in the alt.music.prince days, used to claim that and people thought he was crazy. Over time we realized he was right and it's audible. But that's how they were originally sequenced.

On Dream Factory it was different. But an earlier configuration of Parade had OF4S and AMD ending the album. For me, it's such an interesting juxtaposition of two very different songs, but they're sisters.

This. I've always thought Others Here With Us / Old Friends 4 Sale / All My Dreams flow perfectly together (I think one of the boots, maybe Box of Chocolates, has them sequenced that way) and that they would close out an album really well. Throw in Power Fantastic (with intro) and In a Large Room with No Light at the start and you've got half an album right there.

scorp84 said:

TrivialPursuit said:

The only way I want to hear "All My Dreams" (one of my top 5 Prince bootlegs) is it segueing in from "Old Friends 4 Sale" which it originally did. In the bootlegs, you can hear the reverby-echoey outro of "OF4S" as "Ohh oohh all my dreams" comes in. T, in the alt.music.prince days, used to claim that and people thought he was crazy. Over time we realized he was right and it's audible. But that's how they were originally sequenced.

On Dream Factory it was different. But an earlier configuration of Parade had OF4S and AMD ending the album. For me, it's such an interesting juxtaposition of two very different songs, but they're sisters.

For the longest, I could hear "All My Dreams" as the opening track to Parade, followed by "Little Wendy's/Christopher Tracy's Parade". It's like that long-lost puzzle piece that, for one reason or another, Prince felt didn't fit with the rest.

Interesting idea to start the album with that song.

thisisreece said:

TrivialPursuit said:

The only way I want to hear "All My Dreams" (one of my top 5 Prince bootlegs) is it segueing in from "Old Friends 4 Sale" which it originally did. In the bootlegs, you can hear the reverby-echoey outro of "OF4S" as "Ohh oohh all my dreams" comes in. T, in the alt.music.prince days, used to claim that and people thought he was crazy. Over time we realized he was right and it's audible. But that's how they were originally sequenced.

On Dream Factory it was different. But an earlier configuration of Parade had OF4S and AMD ending the album. For me, it's such an interesting juxtaposition of two very different songs, but they're sisters.

This. I've always thought Others Here With Us / Old Friends 4 Sale / All My Dreams flow perfectly together (I think one of the boots, maybe Box of Chocolates, has them sequenced that way) and that they would close out an album really well. Throw in Power Fantastic (with intro) and In a Large Room with No Light at the start and you've got half an album right there.

I don't see how Others Here With Us fits in the Parade context musically, lyrically or otherwise. I just can't see it really.

[Edited 5/1/18 21:03pm]

214 said:

thisisreece said:

This. I've always thought Others Here With Us / Old Friends 4 Sale / All My Dreams flow perfectly together (I think one of the boots, maybe Box of Chocolates, has them sequenced that way) and that they would close out an album really well. Throw in Power Fantastic (with intro) and In a Large Room with No Light at the start and you've got half an album right there.

I don't see how Others Here With Us fit in the Parade context musically, lyrically or otherwise. I just can't see it really.

Agreed, I'm talking about some album made up of songs from the vault. I always thought it was strange how Others Here With Us was on an earlier configuration of the album, I suppose it might have filled the space of the 'out there' song, a la Darling Nikki or Tambourine.

"She is Always in My Hair"...should have been on an album. Any album, but probably instead of "Tamborine" on "ATWIAD". "SIAIMH" is such a strong track, if released as a single might have been a huge hit.

KoolEaze said:

Genesia said:

Not necessarily a B side, but I'd put Alexa de Paris on Parade instead of Kiss (which even Prince felt was out of place on that album).

I understand your point about Kiss but don´t you think the album would have flopped spectacularly if he had left out Kiss?

It is one of his most recognizable songs and was quite a big hit.

Alexa de Paris would´ve been a great addition. Maybe Do U Lie should have been a b-side?

I guess it depends on your definition of "better," which was the original question.

I was not thinking in terms of record sales, I was thinking in terms of art and the cohesiveness of the album.

DonRants said:

"She is Always in My Hair"...should have been on an album. Any album, but probably instead of "Tamborine" on "ATWIAD". "SIAIMH" is such a strong track, if released as a single might have been a huge hit.

^^THIS.

Remove the weak "Tamborine" and replace it with the excellent "She's Always In My Hair".And as you point out,it could have been one of the singles and would have done very well.

214 said:

thisisreece said:

This. I've always thought Others Here With Us / Old Friends 4 Sale / All My Dreams flow perfectly together (I think one of the boots, maybe Box of Chocolates, has them sequenced that way) and that they would close out an album really well. Throw in Power Fantastic (with intro) and In a Large Room with No Light at the start and you've got half an album right there.

I don't see how Others Here With Us fit in the Parade context musically, lyrically or otherwise. I just can't see it really.

If one looks at earlier takes on Parade, it wasn't really a soundtrack yet. Songs like "Others Here With Us", "Old Friends 4 Sale" are specific and don't even fit the story in the movie. "All My Dreams" doesn't either (although I still think it could have replaced "Mountains" in the movie). I think as the movie took shape, Prince saw the need for other songs here or there, and the more personal or specific stuff (like the spooky "Others Here With Us") simply weren't a fit.

If Parade was just an album in general with no movie, then OHWU, OF4S, AMD would have been fine to close out the album.

Genesia said:

KoolEaze said:

I understand your point about Kiss but don´t you think the album would have flopped spectacularly if he had left out Kiss?

It is one of his most recognizable songs and was quite a big hit.

Alexa de Paris would´ve been a great addition. Maybe Do U Lie should have been a b-side?

I guess it depends on your definition of "better," which was the original question.

I was not thinking in terms of record sales, I was thinking in terms of art and the cohesiveness of the album.

Luv ya lady.

TheDigitalGardener said:

Genesia said:

I guess it depends on your definition of "better," which was the original question.

I was not thinking in terms of record sales, I was thinking in terms of art and the cohesiveness of the album.

Luv ya lady.

SquirrelMeat said:

Side 1
Around the World In A Day

Paisley Park (Remix)

Condition Of The Heart

She's Always in my Hair (New Mix)

Side 2
Hello (Fresh Dance Mix)
4 The Tears In Your Eyes

Raspberry Beret (New Mix)
Girl (Extended Version)
Tamborine

Side 3
America (Fresh Dance Mix)

Side 4
Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix)

The Ladder
Temptation (edit)

So updated the list to reflect what I did: I created this playlist with all the extended versions available and the album version of "4 The Tears In Your Eyes" (opposed to The Hits version). I also used my shortened version of "Temptation" because that tag ending is just ridiculous. I used the "Fresh Dance Mix" of "Pop Life" by Sheila's E. The longer "Extended Version" just felt too long for this, although maybe a blending of the two would work. ::

The playlist works really well. And it's not that I'm wanting to change the layout of ATWIAD, but those b-sides are so good and feel so specific to the era (despite "Pop Life" being written a year prior, and "Raspberry Beret" even longer) that they almost demand to be included. Maybe they're not in the era as much as they were part of Prince's mindset once he was finishing up Purple Rain material around March/April 1984. He was already looking for new sounds and ideas.

It always stands to note that gems like "Pop Life" isn't an echo on the lead vocal. It's actually two different lines of him singing played with one slightly delayed behind the other. Genius trick. Many artists might double track their vocals, but few use one as an echo for the other. "Girl" is mindnumbing in its long form. But there is a great relief with "Tamborine"'s drum and bass approach (which is very reminiscent of "Cloreen Bacon Skin"). I find it interesting how Prince swaps out "troubling" with "tamborine", when lamenting the lack of pussy on his bed. It's a very weird song lyrically, but it also shows how Prince can twist a phrase and make it all his own. (I think of clever lines later on like "I can deal with a sucker if he's in your mouth, but I can't deal with insincere".)

There are so many great little tricks and nuances on the album as a whole. The bass missing from ATWIAD reflects his WDC success (as did his future songs for The Family). There is a bad edit in "The Ladder" that still bugs me at the 3:47 mark. It happens on the snare hit, where it sounds like it leaped forward about 8 or 16 measures as the song would otherwise naturally build. It reminds me of the two shitty edits in "If The Kid Can't Make You Come" which he didn't care to really blend. It showed his lack of interest in the album at that point. I don't know if he lacked interest in "The Ladder", but the edit seems amateurish. I would still love to actually see that rehearsal when it was recorded. All the voices in the background (including Taja Sevelle and Susannah).

Anyway, try the playlist for an expanded listen. It's a good flow.

mbdtyler said:

if people stopped these ludicrous threads....

thisisreece said:

jdcxc said:

Irresistible Bitch over Free How Come U Dont Call Me over Free Horny Toad over Free

I know it's a sort of unpopular opinion but I believe 'Free' works perfectly within the context of the 1999 album.

It was actually THE song that got me into Prince. I had listened to 20ten (someone had given me their free copy from the newspaper), and thought, 'What's all the fuss about?', as I'd known that Prince was considered by many to be one of the greats. So my curiosity was peaked - after being disappointed by 20ten - and so I bought a copy of 1999. On first listen, it all sounded a little too electronic and the drum sounds were distracting (of course, I love it now but at the time I probably thought they sounded lazy or too 80s or something), but Free stood out. It was the song's crescendo, the guitar, and most of all, Prince's impassioned screaming. I kept playing the album back on the strength of Free, then slowly I began to love Automatic and Something in the Water (Does Not Compute), then the whole album clicked. After that I bought Parade and was blown away. And after that, I bought everything.

So I wouldn't trade Free for anything - without it I probably wouldn't be a Prince fan!


I would swap Slow Love with Shockadelica. However, if they were swapped, the If I Was Your Girlfriend/Shockadelica single release wouldn't be the best A-side/B-side of his career (arguably).

[Edited 4/27/18 11:29am]

"Free" is one of his best vocals. That low soulful "Free to change my miiiind..." toward the end though!

SquirrelMeat said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Purple Rain:

"Take Me With U" could stay a duet but be on Apollonia 6's album. Add "Father's Song" after "The Beautiful Ones" or at the end of side A.


Around The World In A Day:

In another universe, Around The World In A Day should have been called Paisley Park. It would be the first song on the album and the title track. Follow it with "She's Always In My Hair". "Temptation" should be cut down to its original length without that stupid tag ending, and add "Girl" somewhere in the tracklist.

"Hello" and "Around The World In A Day" would still be the b-sides.

Parade:
"Life Can Be So Nice" is disposable to me. " or $" should replace it. "Alexa De Paris" should be on there instead of "Kiss". "Kiss" is a great song, but it's the "When Doves Cry" of the album - the one created near the end of the project, the one that didn't fit and was put on at the last minute. It could have been a quirky b-side for something.

I think, in reality, that Around The World In A Day should have been another double record. Just put "Girl", a longer version of "America", "She's Always In My Hair", the original "Temptation" without the stupid tag ending (I will always call it that, btw), and "Hello" all on it. Definitely use the longer mixes of things like "Raspberry Beret", "America", "Paisley Park", and "Pop Life". All those songs have a similar feel and texture, and it would have added the oomph that some feel is missing from the record.

Side 1

Around the World In A Day

Paisley Park

Condition Of The Heart

She's Always in my Hair

Side 2

Hello
4 The Tears In Your Eyes

Raspberry Beret
Girl
Tamborine

Side 3

America

Side 4

Pop Life (full version)

The Ladder
Temptation

Oooh. Me Like.

luvsexy4all said:

if people stopped these ludicrous threads....

There's nothing ludicrous about it, I love these threads.

Magnificent over The Marrying Kind or Reflection.

United States of Division over the same.

TheFman said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

jaypotton said:

ATWIAD album - swap Tamborine for She's Always In My Hair

that seems to be a popular idea

SoulAlive said:

jaypotton said:

fabriziovenerandi said:

Alexa De Paris over Kiss

Menstrual Cicle over BOYTROUBLE and Stopthistrain

I think Menstrual Cicle is one of the best Prince's instrumental piece.

jaypotton said:

TheFman said:

Let the B-sides be B-sides, since they are an integral part of P's legacy.

[Edited 4/30/18 6:07am]

Kind of agree with let B side be B sides but totally don't agree they are not part of his legacy! The sheer delight of having some amazing tracks "hidden" on B sides is what elevates the legacy alongside unreleased vault material!

I guess it was still early morning?

TrivialPursuit said:

214 said:

I don't see how Others Here With Us fit in the Parade context musically, lyrically or otherwise. I just can't see it really.

If one looks at earlier takes on Parade, it wasn't really a soundtrack yet. Songs like "Others Here With Us", "Old Friends 4 Sale" are specific and don't even fit the story in the movie. "All My Dreams" doesn't either (although I still think it could have replaced "Mountains" in the movie). I think as the movie took shape, Prince saw the need for other songs here or there, and the more personal or specific stuff (like the spooky "Others Here With Us") simply weren't a fit.

If Parade was just an album in general with no movie, then OHWU, OF4S, AMD would have been fine to close out the album.

Regardless of Parade being a soundtrack, Other Here With Us simply doesn't fit in; whether musically or lyrically.

DonRants said:

"She is Always in My Hair"...should have been on an album. Any album, but probably instead of "Tamborine" on "ATWIAD". "SIAIMH" is such a strong track, if released as a single might have been a huge hit.

I think so.

thisisreece said:

214 said:

I don't see how Others Here With Us fit in the Parade context musically, lyrically or otherwise. I just can't see it really.

Agreed, I'm talking about some album made up of songs from the vault. I always thought it was strange how Others Here With Us was on an earlier configuration of the album, I suppose it might have filled the space of the 'out there' song, a la Darling Nikki or Tambourine.

But Darling Nikki did fit with the PR sound.

fabriziovenerandi said:

214 said: