In my reply to the thread about "Crucial", I mentioned that, although I frigging love the guitar version of the song (it's my number 2 most-wanted track as an official release), I've always felt that the lyrics were... not Prince's best. I mean, it's not "Purple And Gold" bad, but compared to other songs he was cranking out at the time, they're lacking.

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And that got me thinking: since "Crucial" seems like it was still in a fluid, not-a-demo-but-not-final form, he might have dug in and reworked the lyrics a bit.

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So that leads to my question: does anyone know of any songs that he changed in a significant manner lyrically between demo(s) and studio version?

Extraloveable springs most readily to mind.

bobgeorge77 said:

Old friends 4 sale comes to mind. Very different lyrics from the nonreleased gem (which was an add on to my very first boot- The Black Album- along with All My Dreams) to the released version. A lot less personal... but there are a million threads on that!!

the original Old Friends 4 Sale is in my top 10 prince songs of all time.

the final, released version, i've listened to about five times in all these years.

Feelgood said:

"Elephants & Flowers"

This and "Old Friends 4 Sale" are the first two that came to mind. Didn't "Soft and Wet" have some different lyrics earlier on? Didn't the chords to "Purple Rain" actually start as something else?

Jerk Out!

The racial animus with one line or two there was in the original song given to Mazarati was changed by the time The Time(Prince + Morris Day) got it for Pandemonium, the album.

TrivialPursuit said:

Feelgood said:

"Elephants & Flowers"

This and "Old Friends 4 Sale" are the first two that came to mind. Didn't "Soft and Wet" have some different lyrics earlier on? Didn't the chords to "Purple Rain" actually start as something else?

yeah, the first known version of "Soft and Wet" was very different. And the 2nd known demo had a different opening line.

not if it is considered significant but Purple Rain had an additional verse.



as did "the Beautiful Ones"


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[Edited 4/6/19 15:36pm]

dodger said:

Sure Daddy Pop had some alternate lyrics in early version

Yeah, something about a King and Queen. And a rap section...



oh! and "Love or $" was different I think...



wendy's Prade too!

Possessed!

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[Edited 4/6/19 15:35pm]

Live 4 Love had some fairly significatn lyric changes.

Anna Stesia

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Vicki Waiting.

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By Alien Means -> Crystal City Cry

[Edited 4/7/19 7:37am]

williamb610 said:

Jerk Out!

The racial animus with one line or two there was in the original song given to Mazarati was changed by the time The Time(Prince + Morris Day) got it for Pandemonium, the album.

I for one love that racial animus. Probably wouldn't have worked with Morris.... or Prince.... or anyone for that matter. Weird line.

18 & Over

Published lyrics: "And check out the sights"

Demo: "And check out the slots" (sluts)