All tracks previously unreleased
1. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (1979 version)
2. Teacher, Teacher (1985 version)
3. All My Dreams
4. Can I Play With U? (featuring Miles Davis)
5. Wonderful Day (original version)
6. Strange Relationship (original version)
7. Visions
8. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (with horns)
9. Witness 4 The Prosecution (version 1)
10. Power Fantastic (live in studio)
11. And That Says What?
12. Love And Sex
13. A Place In Heaven (Prince vocal)
14. Colors
15. Crystal Ball (7" mix)
16. Big Tall Wall (version 1)
17. Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A
18. In A Large Room With No Light

First impressions!

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (1979 version)
Since released as a single, I can't say that I've come back to it that much. It's interesting and a nice surprise, in terms of it's alleged timeline, but ultimately the album and film versions are just too epic. This could never take the place of I could Never Take The Place of Your Man.

Teacher, Teacher (1985 version)
While I don't really care for the song, it's revisitation definitely fits in the Dream Factroy era.

All My Dreams
One of many bootleg clasics on here. While I think it really deserves its place on a Parade Deluxe, it was really nice to hear it in this quality and pick up on the things I hadn't previously noticed, due to the bootleg quality.

Can I Play With U? (featuring Miles Davis)
It's kind of a shame that this is the best he could do with Miles, but it's by no means a bad song.

Wonderful Day (original version)
I dig it, but not a lot.

Strange Relationship (original version)
When I saw the track time for this and compared it with the bootleg, I was a bit mistified.

Um... Wow! I've never really liked the Wendy and Lisa version as much as the album, but this is pretty amazing with all of it's extra instrumentation in the middle. An absolute highlight.

I will continue to take umbrage with labling this "original version" though.

Visions
It is what it is. Should have been on a special release of Dream Factory instead of here.

The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (with horns)
I'm going to assume this is a new mix, because I doubt that all of the elements present on the album version would have remained, had Eric's horns featured. It's way too cluttered.

The only (sort of) highlight for me is the end - it's going for a cold ending... And then they fade it out.

Witness 4 The Prosecution (version 1)
Why this is my least favourite version, it would be a great shame had it's inclusion been neglected.

I really hope the basic tracking version is released on day.

Power Fantastic (live in studio)
This is a lovely treat. To me though, it sounds like the instrumental remained the same, but he rerecorded his vocal?

The mix is very defined on this - instruments are hard-panned, so I suspect they pulled this off the multitrack.

And That Says What?
Ooooh! It's a shame this is such a short peice, because this is like hearing a Madhouse outtake for me.

Love And Sex
I don't love the song. And I certainly don't sex it either.

I prefer it towards the end.

A Place In Heaven (Prince vocal)
Interesting that this is sans-do you liike environmental records? Anyway, I was rather blown away by this! His voice is so clear and beautiful.

Colors
It is what it is. Should have been on a special release of Dream Factory instead of here.

Crystal Ball (7" mix)
Well, this is definitely a Prince radio edit/ 7" mix, because it's shit. They could have left this off.

Big Tall Wall (version 1)
Love version 2. Don't like this.

Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A
It is what it is. Should have been on a special release of Dream Factory instead of here.

In A Large Room With No Light
I've never been a huge fan of this track, probably because the bootleg version is between keys. I think now that we have this, that'll change.

In 1987, at 15 years old, I bought my very first Prince bootleg. A cassette copy of "The Black Album". That opened my world to amazing unreleased tracks. I soon started finding more and more. On one of the first bootleg CD's I found there was an edited version of "All my dreams". (It just faded before the end part). I instantly fell in love with the track! I would later find a much longer version. Now here it is 33 years later and I have finally heard the song in the most amazing quality I have ever heard it! Is it wrong that I am all emotional over that??

Like Blugangsta, I was very surprised with Dorothy Parker. I find the sax very distracting, but this probably just is the result of 29 years of hearing the track without it.

On the other hand, the mix is also very odd, Eric's horns are usually louder and clearer in the mix. Now it could have been an experiment IDK. I'm really curious to learn which mixes are originals and which ones are reconstructions.

Do I hear the very end of "Old Friends 4 Sale" at the very beginning of "All My Dreams"?

.

Or am I just used to that transition?

olb99 said:

Do I hear the very end of "Old Friends 4 Sale" at the very beginning of "All My Dreams"?

.

Or am I just used to that transition?

I don't hear that. What do u mean?

The organ on Big Tall Wall = Shake! (itself borrowed from some late 60's or early 70's hit IIRC, I'm sure someone will know which I'm talking about).

databank said:

The organ on Big Tall Wall = Shake! (itself borrowed from some late 60's or early 70's hit IIRC, I'm sure someone will know which I'm talking about).

Mentioned that in my write up - also similar to Hot Summer. You like where the song ends up?

olb99 said:

Do I hear the very end of "Old Friends 4 Sale" at the very beginning of "All My Dreams"?

.

Or am I just used to that transition?

You're used to the transition. You were hearing the begining of All My Dreams at the end of Old Friends 4 Sale. Not the other way around.

Number23 said:

databank said:

The organ on Big Tall Wall = Shake! (itself borrowed from some late 60's or early 70's hit IIRC, I'm sure someone will know which I'm talking about).

Mentioned that in my write up - also similar to Hot Summer. You like where the song ends up?

Hard to say after one listen. I need to get used to it

databank said:

Like Blugangsta, I was very surprised with Dorothy Parker. I find the sax very distracting, but this probably just is the result of 29 years of hearing the track without it.

On the other hand, the mix is also very odd, Eric's horns are usually louder and clearer in the mix. Now it could have been an experiment IDK. I'm really curious to learn which mixes are originals and which ones are reconstructions.

Exactly.

I have bets on which are Bolas mixes and which are originals.

bluegangsta said:

VaultCurator said:

olb99 said:

Do I hear the very end of "Old Friends 4 Sale" at the very beginning of "All My Dreams"?

.

Or am I just used to that transition?

You're used to the transition. You were hearing the begining of All My Dreams at the end of Old Friends 4 Sale. Not the other way around.

.

Yep, you're right. I just listened to "Old Friends 4 Sale" / "All My Dreams" from "Parade Demos" (4DaFunk). I unconsciously thought that tinging sound at the beginning of "All My Dreams" belonged to "Old Friends 4 Sale". That's weird. It doesn't even make sense. Anyway, back to SOTT SDE.

[Edited 9/24/20 4:45am]

I'm glad "Can I Play With U?" is finally officially available. As bluegangsta said, it's a shame Miles and Prince couldn't do something better together, but, yes, it's not bad.

.

I'm happy they left Miles doing that weird sound at the end of the track. This is not something that was included on bootlegs before.

bluegangsta said:

databank said:

Like Blugangsta, I was very surprised with Dorothy Parker. I find the sax very distracting, but this probably just is the result of 29 years of hearing the track without it.

On the other hand, the mix is also very odd, Eric's horns are usually louder and clearer in the mix. Now it could have been an experiment IDK. I'm really curious to learn which mixes are originals and which ones are reconstructions.

Exactly.

I have bets on which are Bolas mixes and which are originals.

Do you think Michael Howe will spend his day reading these threads, shivering and sweating?

VaultCurator said:

bluegangsta said:

Do you think Michael Howe will spend his day reading these threads, shivering and sweating?

FrankieCoco1 said:

bluegangsta said:

Exactly.

I have bets on which are Bolas mixes and which are originals.

At the back of the book it lists the tracks that Niko Bolas has “mixed”! I’ve just left the house after ripping the CDs otherwise I’d put the details up.

Please do so whenever you have a moment (or someone else)

bluegangsta said:

databank said:

Like Blugangsta, I was very surprised with Dorothy Parker. I find the sax very distracting, but this probably just is the result of 29 years of hearing the track without it.

On the other hand, the mix is also very odd, Eric's horns are usually louder and clearer in the mix. Now it could have been an experiment IDK. I'm really curious to learn which mixes are originals and which ones are reconstructions.

Exactly.

I have bets on which are Bolas mixes and which are originals.

.

Let me guess: "Crucial" is on your Bolas mix list?

Okay, I have always had an intense and unnatural love for Coco Boys, but this version.

It's funny in all these years I'd never noticed that there's a similar bit of melody between Wonderful Day and Movie Star

FrankieCoco1 said:

I can't help but notice a slight difference in the way the first note hits on Visions between this version, the version on Lisa's 1991 LP and the uncirculating and supposedly genuine DF3 configuration. It's a very slight difference in the mix/edit, but noticeable.

djdaffy1227 said:

In 1987, at 15 years old, I bought my very first Prince bootleg. A cassette copy of "The Black Album". That opened my world to amazing unreleased tracks. I soon started finding more and more. On one of the first bootleg CD's I found there was an edited version of "All my dreams". (It just faded before the end part). I instantly fell in love with the track! I would later find a much longer version. Now here it is 33 years later and I have finally heard the song in the most amazing quality I have ever heard it! Is it wrong that I am all emotional over that??

Man, I hear ya. Right on!!

I first heard it on the bootleg, Charade (vinyl y'all!) in 88. Bootlegs opened up a whole new level of Prince fandom for me and are an essential element, not at all mad at myself for "spoiling" the experience. But this is a dream a come true and the experience is not at all diminished by the "illicit" behaviour.

this version of love and sex is insane. blows sheila's out of the water.

lustmealways said:

this version of love and sex is insane. blows sheila's out of the water.

Yet, funnily enough, the melody is typical of Sheila's melodies: it's pretty awesome how, writing it with her in mind, he made a very specific Sheila-esque melody.