Hi everyone.
Back in July I posted a thread discussing whether or not it was possible to sequence the preliminary SOTT sequences on streaming services (as was suggested by Michael Howe in an interview with SuperDeluxeEdition.com). I also covered whether or not is was possible to re-configure these track lists yourself at home from what's been officially released on CD.
Original thread: https://prince.org/msg/7/...g_10405584
Michael Howe's interview: https://www.superdeluxeed...onus-cuts/
At the time I was making a lot of assumptions as to what we would be getting on SOTT:SD. Since then we now have more information. The set has been released, there were some useful linernotes in the book, many interviews have been conducted, and PrinceVault.com has also been updated with new details.
After a brief chat with Lurker316 (who had a few questions about this topic) I've decided to update the thread with this new one. (Unfortunately the previous thread auto locked.)
What do we really know about the original sequences?
Before I get to the tracks, I just wanted to note some details regarding these preliminary sequences and what I'm basing my analysis on.
1) Dream Factory (Late April 1986 configuration) - Never leaked
I think I can say without fear of contradiction, this configuration has never seen the light of day (at least amongst the wider fan base, I can't speak for private collectors). There are two songs (the original 'Big Tall Wall' and 'And That Say's What?') which were exclusive to this sequence and never circulated prior to the release of SOTT:SD. As such all I have to go by is the track list on PrinceVault.com. We currently have no way of knowing for sure if any of the songs were edited or segued in any particular way, so whether or not we can sequence this version accurately will be down to guess work.
2) Dream Factory (3rd June 1986 configuration) - Partially leaked... I think
To my knowledge, this sequence has never leaked in it's entirety. Having said that, I have my suspicions (yes, I admit, this is speculation on my part) that some tracks that circulated prior to SOTT:SD originated from a cassette of this sequence.
If we take a look at the classic bootleg album 'Crucial' which I believe was first published around 1989, we can see that the tracks that make up this collection likely came from multiple tapes / sources, since they were not intended for a single project.
Power Fantastic (Intro)
Power Fantastic
Crucial - Eric Leeds WIP version. Not intended for any type release
Last Heart
Sexual Suicide
Girl O' My Dreams / Can't Stop This Feeling I Got / We Can Funk - Not intended for an album
In a Large Room With No Light
Witness 4 The Prosecution
Can I Play With U? - Collaboration with no intention of release set in stone
Crucial - Again, Eric Leeds WIP version. Not intended for any type release
And finally a Miles Davis track
If we take a look at just the Dream Factory tracks (Power Fantastic, Last Heart, Sexual Suicide, In A Large Room With No Light, Witness 4 The Prosecution - none of which were released at the time) there is some circumstantial evidence to suggest they originated from the June configuration of Dream Factory...
(1) All five of these tracks feature on the June configuration
(2) Two tracks were exclusive to this configuration (Power Fantastic and In a Large Room With No Light)
(3) The version of Sexual Suicide included was the alternate mix that also featured on configuration 1 (and like I mentioned above, configuration 1 never leaked)
(4) Regarding Power Fantastic, according to Prince Vault "The instrumental intro to the song was removed when the track was placed on The Hits / The B-Sides in 1993." implying that the intro was intended for inclusion on Dream Factory. The version presented on this bootleg included both the finished vocal mix from ‘The Hits’ and the full intro, presented how I believe it was intended for this sequence.
(5) Not proof by any means, but I find it interesting how the first drum beat was cut off from 'In A Large Room With No Lights'. Was this because the track segued from ' Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A' in some form and the transition was too tight for a clean start?
None of this is definitive proof that the DF tracks on this bootleg were taken from a the June configuration tape, but like I say, it's a hunch.
3) Dream Factory (18th July 1986 configuration) - Leaked (to the best of our knowledge)
If the legends are to be believed, the original Dream Factory bootleg (that ended up getting pressed in 2001) was sourced from a band member's stolen test cassette. This would explain why a number of the tracks appear in an 'album edit' form and some songs segue into each other. If anyone has any evidence that contradicts the story then I'm all ears, but for now I'll work on the assumption that the Dream Factory bootleg accurately represent the July configuration.
4) The Camille Album (5th November 1986) - Never leaked
Like the first configuration of Dream Factory, we do this next one in the dark. Since test pressings of this album are known to exist, it's safe to assume that a small hand full of private collectors have heard this album, unfortunately it's also safe to assume that this record has never been leaked to the wider fan base. We know this since the opening track 'Rebirth of the Flesh' had only circulated as it appeared on Crystal Ball. As mentioned in my previous post, some intel on the test pressing did slip into the public domain and apparently multiple tracks differ slightly from there released counterparts, although unfortunately I don't know any specifics.
NB: I know some fans are under the impression that a recording of this test pressing is in circulation, however for their benefit I’d like to point out that the bootleg labelled 'Camille [Test Pressing]' from 2016 is a fake. If you take a look at the wave you can see a sharp difference in the level of background noise between the end of IIWYGF (complete silence) and the beginning of 'Rockhard' (faint noise). The background noise at the start of Rockhard is also present on the black album. It might be some reverb fading out from the end of '2 Nigs'. I’m not sure. It’s there all the same.
5) Crystal Ball (30th November 1986) - Leaked
In 2015 Crystal Ball leaked into the public domain in its entirety from a set of mastered cassettes.
The Tracks
Visions - Version on streaming services contains an error
Off to a flying start. Strictly speaking there are no other edits or mixes of 'Visions', having said that there is an error with the version that appears on SOTT:SD.
The first note of this piano piece lasts for 4 seconds, however the first 2 seconds of the piece are missing. Half the of first note has been cut off.
All is not lost however, as Visions was also released in its entirety as 'Minneapolis #1' on special editions of Wendy & Lisa's Erocia album. As it stands 'Minneapolis #1' isn't available on streaming services (at least not on the two I checked) but if you can get hold of the CD it's still possible to add this to your sequence at home.
One other minor detail, if you listen closely to the end of either Visions on SOTT:SD and Minneapolis #1 you'll hear a voice in the background (likely Prince) saying "Excellent. Stop. Stop.". This cannot be heard on the Dream Factory test cassette as the final note fades out before he speaks. If you are sequencing Dream Factory at home the best option is to use 'Minneapolis #1' and fade the last note out yourself.
Dream Factory intro - Formally referred to as 'Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A' - Not released
Well, now I'm really confused. So the segue that we've been referring to as 'Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A' for years is no longer the canon 'Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A'? This is going to cause problems later on.
Regardless of what this piece is called, it's still unreleased. We can speculate as to whether or not this intro appeared on the April or June Dream Factory sequences, however we do know for certain that it was on July. This piece is not available outside of the bootleg market.
Dream Factory - Different edit
Something that isn't actually noted on PrinceVault is that the version from the July test cassette appears to be edited. The released version of Dream Factory (from Crystal Ball '98) is 30 seconds longer. Should you want to recreate the LP accurately it's probably possible to re-edit the track yourself, although streamers will have to settle for this longer version.
Wonderful Day - Different version
According to Prince Vault, the version of Wonderful Day used on Dream Factory is the cut featuring Wendy & Lisa's vocals that has been circulating on bootlegs for years. Why the estate chose to release Prince's solo version, I have no idea? To me, the solo version doesn't even sound finished. The opening verse is 6 lines long instead of 8, implying that the first two lines are missing and were always intended for Wendy and Lisa.
It's possible to get something close to the album version of 'Wonderful Day' by re-editing the 12" mix, but even then some of the vocal parts are mixed differently so you still can't get an exact match.
Train - Match
No problems here as far as I'm aware. The versions on Dream Factory and SOTT:SD appear to match.
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker & It - Match
Both appear to match the versions from Sign O' The Times
Big Tall Wall & And That Says What? - Unsure
Since we do not have anything to reference against, we have no way of knowing for certain if the versions included on SOTT:SD were mixed or edited differently for the album. Until we know otherwise, I'll assume these version are accurate as they're the best we have to go by.
Strange Relationship (feat. Wendy & Lisa) - Different edit
Presented on SOTT:SD in full, this track was edited down to fit on the Dream Factory LP. Again, if you're aiming for accuracy it's probably possible to re-edit this track for yourself, but streamers will have to stick to the uncut version.
Teacher, Teacher & Slow Love - Match
Both Appear to match the version from SOTT:SD
Starfish And Coffee - Slightly different edit
Almost an exact match as the album version, minus the bell sound effect. An easy edit at home, a minor inaccuracy for streamers.
Colors & In A Large Room With No Light - Match
No problems here as far as I'm aware. The versions on Dream Factory and SOTT:SD appear to match.
Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A - Unsure
OK, here's where I'm really confused. If we are to take this at face value, 'Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A' appears on the June configuration before 'Sexual Suicide', but did Prince really consider putting a 3 minute backwards track in the middle of his album?
He's put backwards messages on albums in the past (Darling Nikki & Baby I'm A Star), but a whole song, and not at the end of the side?
Did Prince only intend on using a portion of the track as a segue? Or is this in fact supposed to be the piece used as the intro for Dream Factory that incorporates 'Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A'? We don't know for certain, but I'm very sceptical.
Sexual Suicide - Different version
According to Prince Vault, the version used on Dream Factory is a slightly different mix to the one found on Crystal Ball '98. There is a different version circulating on bootlegs which (if I'm not mistaken) has an alternate vocal. I'm guessing this is the Dream Factory version, unfortunately the quality of the bootleg is pretty bad. As such, the best option we have is the released version.
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man - Different version features on Dream Factory
Includes one extra breakdown on Dream Factory. The version on Crystal Ball and Sign O' The Times has been edited and is 20 seconds shorter.
This means you'll have to either settle for the shorter version or resort to using an inferior quality bootleg.
Sign O’ The Times - Different version features on Dream Factory
According to Prince Vault, the version of Sign O' The Times used on Dream Factory is the same as the 7" edit. What it doesn't mention is that the 7" edit fades out, whereas on Dream Factory it doesn't. Instead it segues into Crystal Ball. It's possible to edit the album version to replicate this, but streamers will need to choose between the longer LP version, or the edit with fade.
Crystal Ball - Different version features on Dream Factory
The version on Crystal Ball '98 appears to be the edit that was intended for the Crystal Ball album.
However, from what we know the version intended for Dream Factory was very different, both in how it was edited and mixed. Since the Dream Factory version didn't include strings, the intro is significantly shorter. In addition, the earlier version features more backing vocals from Susannah Melvoin, a longer drum solo and the infamous "Brothers and sisters of the purple underground" segment.
Power Fantastic - Different version features on Dream Factory
Although it doesn't explicitly say on Prince Vault, it is implied that 'Power Fantastic' on DF (June) included the bands warm up intro. Logic also dictates the vocal track Prince used was the finished version as found on Hits / B sides. This is easy enough to reconstruct at home, however streamers will have to choose between the edit from Hits (which will skip the intro), or use the first take on SOTT:SD which will include Prince's band instruction prior to song starting, and the wrong vocal track.
Last Heart - Match
Appears to match the version on Crystal Ball '98
Witness 4 The Prosecution - Match apart from segue
Appears to match the version on SOTT:SD, however the ending is supposed to segue into Movie Star. This detail will be lost on streaming services.
Movie Star - Different edit and segue
There appear to be a couple of problems with using the released version Movie Star.
1) The intro has 'Jam of the Year' dubbed over it (a track recorded almost a decade after DF).
2) The released version seems to be slightly edited, by about 10 seconds.
3) Just a minor issue, but the outro is also clipped by a tiny amount.
This means you'll have to either settle for the shorter version or resort to using an inferior quality bootleg.
A Place In Heaven - Match apart from segue
Like with Witness, this appears to match the version on SOTT:SD, however the June configuration is supposed to segue from Movie Star. This detail will be lost on streaming services.
The Cross & All My Dreams - Match
Appears to match the versions on SOTT:SD.
Rebirth Of The Flesh - Different edits and broken ending
What... the hell... happened here! I can say with confidence that this version doesn't match any of the intended versions for either LP. The ending is broken beyond belief. As I'm sure we all know by now, this track cross fades from two different sources (which sound completely different) and the result is terrible.
The version that appears on the Crystal Ball LP was edited down. Some of these edits can be recreated to an extent, although the word 'real' is dubbed a couple of times over one of the cuts and can't be replicated from the released version alone. It sounds as if this released version originally included the Crystal Ball ending before it begins fading into the dodgy sounding alternate source. As a result, the ending that is required for Crystal Ball is missing, as is the "Welcome to the Crystal Ball" segue.
As far as the Camille album goes, we do not know to what extend Prince edited down Rebirth of the Flesh, if at all. We're also unsure if it was supposed to segue into Housequake (although I presume it was meant to).
Play In The Sunshine - Different intro on Crystal Ball
Has a different intro on Crystal Ball and segues from Rebirth Of The Flesh.
Housequake - Unsure (Camille version only)
Matches what appears on Crystal Ball, however it is unknown if this version differs on Camille. It may or may not segue from 'Rebirth of the Flesh'.
Strange Relationship (feat. Camille vocal) - Match
The SOTT album version matches the version on Crystal Ball and presumably matches the Camille album version.
Feel U Up – Long version not available on streaming services
According to the running time on Prince Vault, it is presumed that the 12" version of Feel U Up was intended for the Camille album. This isn't available on streaming services but can be sound on some editions of the Partyman CD single.
Hot Thing - Match
Appears to match the version on SOTT
If I Was Your Girlfriend - Slightly different edit
A minor detail, but prior to SOTT, this track omits the ‘street vendor/Wedding March’ intro. It is possible to edit this out, however a tiny bit of echo may still be noticeable at the start of the song.
It may be possible to splice the intro from the single edit in order to get a clean start?
Rockhard In A Funky Place - Out of print
Not available on streaming services.
The Ball - Match apart from segue
Matches the version on Crystal Ball, however as the segue fades out there is no way of joining it to 'Joy In Repetition' without resorting to a bootleg.
Joy In Repetition - Match apart from segue & audio glitch
Is available on Graffiti Bridge, however it suffers from the same segue issue as detailed in 'The Ball'. There is also a poor edit / audio glitch that appears in the released version which isn't present on Crystal Ball's master.
Shockadelica - Match
The Crystal Ball version matches the 12" version on SOTT:SD. Presumably this is the same on Camille.
Good Love - Match
The Crystal Ball version matches the version on the Bright Lights Big City soundtrack (which is available on the streaming services I checked). It's presumably the same on the Camille album.
Forever In My Life, The Cross, It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Adore - Match
All versions on Crystal Ball match those on Sign O' The Times.
Album overview
DREAM FACTORY (version 1 : April 1986)
Side 1:
Visions - Version on streaming services contains an error
Dream Factory - possible different edit, unknown if this includes the missing intro
Wonderful Day - different mix
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (SOTT:SD)
Big Tall Wall (SOTT:SD)
And That Says What? (SOTT:SD)
Side 2:
Strange Relationship - different edit
Teacher, Teacher (SOTT:SD)
Starfish And Coffee - slightly different edit
A Place In Heaven (SOTT:SD) - unknown which vocal
Sexual Suicide - different mix
DREAM FACTORY (version 2 : June 1986)
Side 1:
Visions - Version on streaming services contains an error
Dream Factory - possible different edit, unknown if this includes the missing intro
Wonderful Day - different mix
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (SOTT:SD)
It (SOTT:SD)
Side 2:
Strange Relationship - different edit
Teacher, Teacher (SOTT:SD)
Starfish And Coffee - slightly different edit
Colors (SOTT:SD)
In A Large Room With No Light (SOTT:SD)
Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A - unknown how this is utilised
Sexual Suicide - different mix
Side 3:
Crystal Ball - different mix
Power Fantastic - different versions / edit
Side 4:
Last Heart (Crystal Ball ‘98)
Witness 4 The Prosecution - match apart from segue
Movie Star - different edit and segue
A Place In Heaven - match apart from segue
All My Dreams (SOTT:SD)
DREAM FACTORY (version 3 : July 1986)
Side 1:
Visions - Version on streaming services contains an error
Dream Factory - different edit plus intro is missing
Train (SOTT:SD)
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (SOTT:SD)
It (SOTT:SD)
Side 2:
Strange Relationship - different edit
Slow Love (SOTT:SD)
Starfish And Coffee - slightly different edit
Colors (SOTT:SD)
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man - different edit
Side 3:
Sign O' The Times - different edit
Crystal Ball - different mix
A Place In Heaven (SOTT:SD)
Side 4:
Last Heart (Crystal Ball ‘98)
Witness 4 The Prosecution - match apart from segue
Movie Star - different edit and segue
The Cross (SOTT:SD)
All My Dreams (SOTT:SD)
In summary, for all version of Dream Factory it is possible to make a playlist on streaming services which includes every song, although there will be variations in which versions / edits can be used, plus segues will be lost or disjointed.
If you choose to create your own sequences on CD (and can make your own album edits) you'll be able to get closer, however you wouldn't be able to make an exact match without resorting to some bootlegged material.
CAMILLE
Side 1:
Rebirth Of The Flesh - Version on streaming services contains an error
Housequake (SOTT:SD) - Segue unkown
Strange Relationship (SOTT:SD)
Feel U Up - full version not available on streaming services
Side 2:
Shockadelica (SOTT:SD)
Good Love (Bright Lights Big City OST)
If I Was Your Girlfriend - Slightly different edit
Rockhard In A Funky Place - not available on streaming services
In summary, this album can not be sequenced on streaming services. It’s possible to sequence an album on CD in close approximation to Camille (although I would recommend re-editing ROTF's ending).
CRYSTAL BALL
Side 1:
Rebirth Of The Flesh - different edit
Play In The Sunshine - different intro
Housequake (SOTT:SD)
The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker (SOTT:SD)
Side 2:
It (SOTT:SD)
Starfish And Coffee (SOTT:SD)
Slow Love (SOTT:SD)
Hot Thing (SOTT:SD)
Side 3:
Crystal Ball (Crystal Ball ‘98)
If I Was Your Girlfriend - slightly different edit
Rockhard In A Funky Place - Not available on streaming services
Side 4:
The Ball - missing segue
Joy In Repetition - segue plus audio glitch
Strange Relationship (SOTT:SD)
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (SOTT:SD)
Side 5:
Shockadelica (SOTT:SD)
Good Love (Bright Lights Big City OST)
Forever In My Life (SOTT:SD)
Sign O' The Times (SOTT:SD)
Side 6:
The Cross (SOTT:SD)
It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night (SOTT:SD)
Adore (Until The End Of Time) (SOTT:SD)
In summary, it’s possible to sequence Crystal Ball on CD (although you will require the bootleg to fix the segues). This cannot be achieved on streaming services.
[Edited 10/21/20 17:11pm]
[Edited 10/21/20 17:19pm]
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