So I'm listening to a 1999 tour rehearsal of I Would Die 4 U, it almost feels like Stand Back, that driving vibe

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crazy 1999esque guitar solo by Dez Dickerson

The extatic keyboard part Dr Fink did, sounds like it's being done here by either guitar or bass(keyboards) or both. more 'celestial' Caribbean keyboard melodies, that crisp 1999 kick drum

Dr Fink or Lisa is playing some cool cords that I cannot capture what the song is, but it sounds like something from Dirty Mind or Prince

Some of the lyrics are there, some not

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I love how certain songs take on a specific era sound

1982 Civic Auditorium Sound Check I Would Die 4 U rehearsal

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At first he wanted me to play the bassline on "I Would Die 4 U" manually. So we tried it during rehearsal first, which I could pull it off, but it was not easy. And sometimes I would get off rhythm a little bit because you had to be so spot on, and you had to play it with two hands! So Prince says, "Well, Matt, why can't you play it with one hand and play the chords with the other hand?" And I said, "You try it." But neither one of us could do it. So I told Prince, "I got an idea. Let's try to sequence this one." Unfortunately, nothing in our arsenal could sequence it properly, so we created a way to put that bassline part in the sequencer and then have it lock up to the Linn drum machine with MIDI. But the Linn drum didn't have MIDI so Prince's tech guy created a MIDI interface for it. So I would have the sequencer ready to go during the live show and then all Bobby Z would have to do is hit the play button. We did some groundbreaking technological things that day.

-Dr Fink

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1983 August 3rd @ First Avenue recorded live

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1984 Purple Rain album release

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1984 Purple Rain tour live version recorded for the single release

That 82 or 83 rehearsal of Raspberry Beret has got a similar breezy vibe going on, it's a really lovely take on the song. It's the kind of thing War on Drugs are going for now.

OldFriends4Sale said:

jaawwnn said:

That 82 or 83 rehearsal of Raspberry Beret has got a similar breezy vibe going on, it's a really lovely take on the song. It's the kind of thing War on Drugs are going for now.

I can create a Raspberry Beret evolution thread. I just want to focus on IWD4U here

I'm not a woman
I'm not a man
I am something that you'll never understand

I'll never beat you
I'll never lie
And if you're evil I'll forgive you by and by

'Cause you, I would die for you, yeah
Darling if you want me to
You, I would die for you

I'm not your lover
I'm not your friend
I am something that you'll never comprehend

No need to worry
No need to cry
I'm your messiah and you're the reason why

'Cause you, I would die for you, yeah
Darling if you want me to
You, I would die for you

You're just a sinner I am told
Be your fire when you're cold
Make you happy when you're sad
Make you good when you are bad

I'm not a human
I am a dove
I'm your conscious
I am love
All I really need is to know that
You believe

Yeah, I would die for you, yeah
Darling if you want me to
You, I would die for you

Yeah, say one more time

You, I would die for you
Darling if you want me to
You, I would die for you
Two, three, four you

I would die for you
I would die for you
You, I would die for you
You, I would die for you

Alternate versions

The extended version of "I Would Die 4 U" is actually a rehearsal jam on the song with The Revolution and musicians from Sheila E.'s band, Eddie M (on sax) and Miko Weaver (guitar), along with Sheila E. herself ; This version was recorded sometime before the Purple Rain Tour. The jam features some overdubbing and fades at the end; a longer version, nearly 31 minutes long, was never released officially, but has been bootlegged. The extended mix was also used as the B-side of the 1989 "Erotic City" single (the artwork of which features the same image of Prince that was used for this single's cover).

Rehearsal Recording

• Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
• Bobby Z. - drums and percussion
• Brown Mark - bass guitar and vocals
• Wendy Melvoin - guitars and vocals
• Lisa Coleman - keyboards and vocals
• Matt Fink - keyboards and vocals
• Sheila E. - percussion
• Eddy M. ie Minnifield - saxophone
• Miko Weaver - guitar

Let's talk about that 31-minute version.

I remember when I first heard it. I was just elated. Back in the day, I had trouble getting into the vibe of the 12" single, the live rehearsal cut that sounded only 50% like the album. I always wondered what the muffled parts of Prince's voice were saying. Sometimes it was clear, sometimes it was just a weird muffled blurb.

But on the 31-minute version you can hear him guiding the band, calling out whoever to play this or that, turn this up/down, etc. Nothing was muted or muffled. I don't know why he would try to cut some things out like that, but leave a weird blur of noise in there instead. I sorta prefer the 31-minute version, just for that alone. It feels more pure, straightforward without any real mastering or smoothing out on it.

I love how there's no point in that story where they consider the second synth or that Prince could also play synths for it.

It's so interesting to hear Dez on these tracks he never got credit for (sort of) contributing to. He doesn't totally fit, so him moving on was best for the music, but then you can still hear it in Prince's own solos. Hard to say if Prince was influenced, or Dez was just doing things Prince instructed, but it seems like he style helped shape Computer Blue, Purple Rain, and Let's Go Crazy. Prince is using touches of what Dez did. We wouldn't know that without these recordings.

TrivialPursuit said:

FragileUndertow said:

TrivialPursuit said:

Let's talk about that 31-minute version

As I recall the tape ran out while they were recording the rehearsal (31 minute version) I wonder how long they were jamming and how the song ended.

I've always wondered that, too. Same with "America."

TrivialPursuit said:

Such a great rendition, I think I actually prefer it what was eventually released. The chugging guitar and the keys are sublime.

Like jaawwnn said, it's very much in the vein of the Raspberry Beret rehearsal. Really interesting to see how these songs gestated over the years before their release. They sound so breezy and spacious here but at the same time they've got such a punch. I love this sound and wish it had made its way on to an album at the time - the closest I can think of is Make-Up.

TrivialPursuit said:

Let's talk about that 31-minute version.

I remember when I first heard it. I was just elated. Back in the day, I had trouble getting into the vibe of the 12" single, the live rehearsal cut that sounded only 50% like the album. I always wondered what the muffled parts of Prince's voice were saying. Sometimes it was clear, sometimes it was just a weird muffled blurb.

But on the 31-minute version you can hear him guiding the band, calling out whoever to play this or that, turn this up/down, etc. Nothing was muted or muffled. I don't know why he would try to cut some things out like that, but leave a weird blur of noise in there instead. I sorta prefer the 31-minute version, just for that alone. It feels more pure, straightforward without any real mastering or smoothing out on it.

I remember the 1st time I heard it, of course I was excited, but after, it wasn't something I revisited(maybe it's because I had so many others I needed to hear). But then maybe 7 yrs ago I 'put the needle down' again and fell in love. It was just not long enough

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Great expression of the 31min version

lavendardrummachine said:

I love how there's no point in that story where they consider the second synth or that Prince could also play synths for it.

It's so interesting to hear Dez on these tracks he never got credit for (sort of) contributing to. He doesn't totally fit, so him moving on was best for the music, but then you can still hear it in Prince's own solos. Hard to say if Prince was influenced, or Dez was just doing things Prince instructed, but it seems like he style helped shape Computer Blue, Purple Rain, and Let's Go Crazy. Prince is using touches of what Dez did. We wouldn't know that without these recordings.

I definitely think Dez's sound influenced Prince's more mainstream rock direction.