Wow. After DECADES of being a Prince fan, I always assumed that the version of "4 The Tears in Your Eyes" on The Hits/B-sides was the same as the We are the World Album.

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Am I the only idiot that didn't realize that the video version is different than the album version etc? Apparently the CD is out of print and I basically just spent $25 on ebay for one Prince song. Oh well. Ignorance has turned to bliss.

skywalker said:

Wow. After DECADES of being a Prince fan, I always assumed that the version of "4 The Tears in Your Eyes" on The Hits/B-sides was the same as the We are the World Album.

----

Am I the only idiot that didn't realize that the video version is different than the album version etc? Apparently the CD is out of print and I basically just spent $25 on ebay for one Prince song. Oh well. Ignorance has turned to bliss.

such is life....

coldasice said:

Yes you’re probably the only one. You never read the booklet to The Hits/B-Sides? Or better yet you can’t tell them apart?

Who said that he couldn't tell them apart though? It sounds like he simply just assumed that the versions were the same so he didn't check out the WATW album to begin with. Which is totally a reasonable thing to do

[Edited 7/24/18 1:07am]

Mintchip said:

I don’t think he’s the only one. I learned just a few years ago, when I downloaded a dj “remaster” of Around the World in a Day, and it included the original album version. Otherwise, how would anyone know, unless they got the We Are the World album in 1985? That version of the song has pretty much disappeared.

I think every Prince fan back then bought the We are the World album just for that one song and I guess later fans understandably overlooked it. I was really pleasantly suprised that we got the much better video version of it on The Hits/B Sides.

Mintchip said:

I don’t think he’s the only one. I learned just a few years ago, when I downloaded a dj “remaster” of Around the World in a Day, and it included the original album version. Otherwise, how would anyone know, unless they got the We Are the World album in 1985?

That version of the song has pretty much disappeared.

It's on Why-Tee.

The (mobile truck) studio version is nothing short but a masterpiece to these ears.
I find it one of the most fascinating little pop gems ever from Prince
(and The Revolution: it wouldn't be the same without W&L).
The fact that it was recorded while on tour, eating roadies stale sandwiches and soda,
adds a genuine christian ethos to it.

It's his insane delivery (I still have to find an equivalence in is catalogue),
it's the buried details you get on the headphones, and for a few seconds, a magic
par with the vocal intertwinings of Anotherloverholenyohead's second verse.

skywalker you're so lucky!

JorisE73 said:

Mintchip said:

I don’t think he’s the only one. I learned just a few years ago, when I downloaded a dj “remaster” of Around the World in a Day, and it included the original album version. Otherwise, how would anyone know, unless they got the We Are the World album in 1985? That version of the song has pretty much disappeared.

I think every Prince fan back then bought the We are the World album just for that one song and I guess later fans understandably overlooked it. I was really pleasantly suprised that we got the much better video version of it on The Hits/B Sides.

The tempo is way too slow, the guitar parts are not that great... I was disappointed.
There's a fine live version from the PR Tour circulating (Inglewood).
But you can't beat the original vocal delivery.

bonatoc said:

JorisE73 said:

I think every Prince fan back then bought the We are the World album just for that one song and I guess later fans understandably overlooked it. I was really pleasantly suprised that we got the much better video version of it on The Hits/B Sides.

The tempo is way too slow, the guitar parts are not that great... I was disappointed.
There's a fine live version from the PR Tour circulating (Inglewood).
But you can't beat the original vocal delivery.

I like the vocals better on the video version.

We are the world was on Columbia records, it probably would have cost Warner quite a bit to use it on the Hits album so they used a version they had the rights to. Because I knew the We are the World version first, it's still the version I like better.

I bought the We Are The World CD about 10 years ago, for the very reason that there are two versions.

I didn't know until then, though . . . if that helps!

I've always preferred the WATW version. The other one is good too, just not as good.

bonatoc said:

Mintchip said:

I don’t think he’s the only one. I learned just a few years ago, when I downloaded a dj “remaster” of Around the World in a Day, and it included the original album version. Otherwise, how would anyone know, unless they got the We Are the World album in 1985?

That version of the song has pretty much disappeared.

It's on Why-Tee.

The (mobile truck) studio version is nothing short but a masterpiece to these ears.
I find it one of the most fascinating little pop gems ever from Prince
(and The Revolution: it wouldn't be the same without W&L).
The fact that it was recorded while on tour, eating roadies stale sandwiches and soda,
adds a genuine christian ethos to it.

It's his insane delivery (I still have to find an equivalence in is catalogue),
it's the buried details you get on the headphones, and for a few seconds, a magic
par with the vocal intertwinings of Anotherloverholenyohead's second verse.

skywalker you're so lucky!

"...the vocal intertwinings of Anotherloverholenyohead's seconf verse..."

God I love this peice of music...might be in my Top 5 Prince Musical Peices Ever...

coldasice said:

Yes you’re probably the only one. You never read the booklet to The Hits/B-Sides? Or better yet you can’t tell them apart?

My first exposure to the song was from the music video. I never had the USA for Africa album. So, when I got The Hits/B-Sides I just assumed that was THE version as well.

Always loved the WATW original the most. Sonically it fits perfectly on an extended ATWIAD play list.

JorisE73 said:

Mintchip said:

I don’t think he’s the only one. I learned just a few years ago, when I downloaded a dj “remaster” of Around the World in a Day, and it included the original album version. Otherwise, how would anyone know, unless they got the We Are the World album in 1985? That version of the song has pretty much disappeared.

I think every Prince fan back then bought the We are the World album just for that one song a

I never did. And I still dont own Born In The USA

rdhull said:

JorisE73 said:

I think every Prince fan back then bought the We are the World album just for that one song a

I never did. And I still dont own Born In The USA

I didn't mean every single Prince fan bought the album back then but that every single Prince fan who bought it only bought it for Prince's "new" track because the rest of the album is garbage and especially that realy corny We are the World song.
As an MJ fan I thought it was a quite embarassing song

It's hard to imagine that after so long people would not know there are two versions, however I respect that some things are immediate to some people and others are a later discovery.

It's also nice to see there are many new younger fans who are discovering these gems.

Ultimately it's awesome when you discover something new particularly in these days of sparse releases!

darkroman said:

djdaffy1227 said:

We are the world was on Columbia records, it probably would have cost Warner quite a bit to use it on the Hits album so they used a version they had the rights to. Because I knew the We are the World version first, it's still the version I like better.

The artists' respective labels retained the rights to the works on the USA For Africa compilation.

databank said:

djdaffy1227 said:

We are the world was on Columbia records, it probably would have cost Warner quite a bit to use it on the Hits album so they used a version they had the rights to. Because I knew the We are the World version first, it's still the version I like better.

The artists' respective labels retained the rights to the works on the USA For Africa compilation.

Intesting, I guess they just wanted to put something a little different on the Hits album then. I'm ok with that too

skywalker said:

darkroman said:

It's hard to imagine that after so long people would not know there are two versions, however I respect that some things are immediate to some people and others are a later discovery.

It's also nice to see there are many new younger fans who are discovering these gems.

Ultimately it's awesome when you discover something new particularly in these days of sparse releases!

I agree. Here's the thing though, that we are the world version is now out of print, hard to fine, and a rarity. It's not available on iTunes, Spotify, etc.

.

I still have the original wax I purchased back in 1985... I bought it only to get my hands on the Prince song, and that version is the one I like best...

>

^ the original is more "edgy" I love this version (it was the first I heard as well)..






Ps ) I do love the live / The Hits version too......

^ FYI, there are studio versions on YT that have not been recorded
from the speakers in a living room.

[Edited 7/26/18 9:34am]

I remember preferring the live one back when the video aired during Live aid and then hearing the album version and feeling it lost some of the organic warmth. I loved that the video version was included on the 1993 Hits/etc compilation.

But the studio version is so familiar to me, how is that? I dont think I have the We Are the World Album...

Was the studio version included on a widespread bootleg? How do I know it so well?

JorisE73 said:

rdhull said:

I never did. And I still dont own Born In The USA

I didn't mean every single Prince fan bought the album back then but that every single Prince fan who bought it only bought it for Prince's "new" track because the rest of the album is garbage and especially that realy corny We are the World song.
As an MJ fan I thought it was a quite embarassing song

There are a few other good tracks on the album - especially Bruce's cover of "Trapped".

bonatoc said:

^ FYI, there are studio versions on YT that have not been recorded
from the speakers in a living room.

Hi Bonatoc... haha.... thanks,

I do have a wav from the Cd

Actually I believe I have the Cd (the original Cd, Usa for Africa)

One great track only - and it's by Prince & The Revolution..

^ exactly....