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Thread started 05/14/21 1:50pm

strongoxman1

77 Bleeker St. - Background Vocals?

At the end of the song with the repeated "77 Bleeker St." chanted background vocals, do I hear Brenda Bennett's voice in there as an uncredited background vocal along with what sounds like additional background vocal layers by Jill? It doesn't all sound like Jill.

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Reply #1 posted 05/14/21 4:24pm

TrivialPursuit

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Probably Jill and Prince. It was done around the same time as "La La La, He He Hee," so I don't think Brenda would've necessarily been at the Galpin house to record vocals.

"eye don’t really care so much what people say about me because it is a reflection of who they r."
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Reply #2 posted 05/15/21 1:10am

Ramzoo

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I love this song! I went to the same address in NY.
"Money won't buy U happiness but it'll pay 4 the search."
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Reply #3 posted 05/15/21 1:10am

Ramzoo

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biggrin
[Edited 5/15/21 1:11am]
"Money won't buy U happiness but it'll pay 4 the search."
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Reply #4 posted 05/15/21 2:39pm

BlackSweat86

Ramzoo said:

I love this song! I went to the same address in NY.


Same! I grew up in Brooklyn and once I realized as a teen that there was a Bleeker street in Manhattan, I had to go. If she had mentioned an apartment number, I probably would've tried to get inside
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Reply #5 posted 05/16/21 7:55am

imprimis

Amazing track. Despite the similarities, it is unlikely to be Brenda Bennett (she was on the purple payroll until the end of 1986, but there is no documented collaboration, and it is clearly not an outtake from an earlier era).

It could be a random session vocalist brought in by David Z, but despite the copyright, it doesn't seem he actually contributed to this one, beyond perhaps editing or mixing when the album was being compiled (before this was relegated to B-side status). I tend to believe this song is compositionally entirely Prince. JJ may have brought in an associate for the demo she recorded in NYC, if that story is accurate.

There's been speculation on other forums that it may be Teena Marie, but that doesn't seem particularly credible.

The backing vocals could be Sheena Easton (P revamped UGTL and Eternity, and worked on LLLHHH, 101, and the short-lived Bonnie Raitt sessions during this period), although I believe they're all Jill's own.

77 Bleecker St., in Greenwich Village


9318392_52a61fb53218d164e4f029ece97bbd9e789c7f35b5187332897ea95b7f61d3fe.jpg

[Edited 5/16/21 8:38am]

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