Why do people think a longer version of Crystal Ball wasn't included on the SOTT SDE, aside from the fact that the version with orchestration is on CB and will likely be reissued at some point? The recently leaked rehearsal got me listening to the Purple Underground version and I'd love to have a pristine copy of that one. Shame we only got a truncated edit on SOTT. Will other versions ever see the light of day in your opinions? Dream Factory RSD release, etc? Discuss!

I really have no clue. There are alternate mixes or edits of pretty much all of the Crystal Ball 98 tracks that were omitted from SOTT SDE, and yet all they went with was a pointless short edit of "Crystal Ball". For as much good material as we got on that set, it sure does sting to thing about the arbitrary omissions.

SpookyPurple said:

It still feels absolutely insane that Crystal Ball is not on the SOTT SDE.

That edit doesn't count. In fact, it makes things worse imo.

Not that any casual fans really buy these sets anyway, I guess, but a
general person hearing that edit might go "oh ok", when the full song
is absolutely a masterpiece and to me personally one of his top 10
songs.

LILpoundCAKE said:

It still feels absolutely insane that Crystal Ball is not on the SOTT SDE.

That edit doesn't count. In fact, it makes things worse imo.

Not that any casual fans really buy these sets anyway, I guess, but a
general person hearing that edit might go "oh ok", when the full song
is absolutely a masterpiece and to me personally one of his top 10
songs.

With streaming a casual could definitely get swept in a little bit of the community hype over these SDEs and make it a point to stream them all as they are released, though.

And then they'd be summarily disappointed by "Crystal Ball" (edit), D&P SDE (they'd be like 'this is his second biggest album? ookay.'), etc.

I dislike 99.9% of Prince "full length" or "extended" or "12'' inch versions," but "Crystal Ball" is a true masterpiece that should be released in the "fullest" version possible. All that other stuff wears out its welcome somewhere before the 4 minute mark.

WhisperingDandelions said:

I dislike 99.9% of Prince "full length" or "extended" or "12'' inch versions," but "Crystal Ball" is a true masterpiece that should be released in the "fullest" version possible. All that other stuff wears out its welcome somewhere before the 4 minute mark.

Even "America", "Anotherloverholenyohead", "Mountains" ....12"?

Ramzoo said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

I dislike 99.9% of Prince "full length" or "extended" or "12'' inch versions," but "Crystal Ball" is a true masterpiece that should be released in the "fullest" version possible. All that other stuff wears out its welcome somewhere before the 4 minute mark.

Even "America", "Anotherloverholenyohead", "Mountains" ....12"?

The 12" version of "America" goes on forever just for the sake of it. After a couple of listens it's a snoozefest.

Imagine if 'Bohemian Rhapsody' faded out just before the guitar solo? Or 'Stairway To Heaven' did likewise just before the drums kicked in?

CB is not in the same league, or as accomplished as those two songs.

its not really an epic song, its more a song, with an extended section at the end, not that diff from princes extended versions on the 12"s.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Imagine if 'Bohemian Rhapsody' faded out just before the guitar solo? Or 'Stairway To Heaven' did likewise just before the drums kicked in?

CB is not in the same league, or as accomplished as those two songs.

its not really an epic song, its more a song, with an extended section at the end, not that diff from princes extended versions on the 12"s.

I'd disagree - I think it's pretty epic. But, man, why'd we get that Shep remix instead of something like a full version of CB? Smh. As much as I "like" the songs he wrote for others but weren't used in the SOTT SDE set that I hadn't heard, I'd rather have had all the songs that were supposed to be included in the various Dream Factory/SOTT/Crystal Ball configurations. And one of the long versions of Crucial!!!

that remix of strange relationship is great!

shep made it sound bouncier.

they left off things like splash, etc, presumably as those will be on the SOTT 40th anniversary SDE in 2027.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

that remix of strange relationship is great!

shep made it sound bouncier.

I think the remix is cool and all, would just rather have had some of these others tracks. I'm not buying another vinyl box set for the 40th anniversary haha.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

they left off things like splash, etc, presumably as those will be on the SOTT 40th anniversary SDE in 2027.

At least we have Splash in nice quality! While we're discussing CB tracks, is there a great quality version of the falcetto-only version of Sexual Suicide out there? It's the one I got used to hearing before CB '97 and prefer it to the version with both low and high voices.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Cos the rest isnt as amazing as the main song part of it. Its a bit of a brutal edit though. I like the beginning parts.

The rest is my favorite part.

Could we stop posting our opinions as facts ?

[Edited 9/12/23 12:30pm]

psyche2 said:

Ramzoo said:

Even "America", "Anotherloverholenyohead", "Mountains" ....12"?

The 12" version of "America" goes on forever just for the sake of it. After a couple of listens it's a snoozefest.

yeah, I've only ever listened to it once in its entirety and that's enough for me. The live video of "America" is a way better extended version than the studio one.

bozojones said:

psyche2 said:

The 12" version of "America" goes on forever just for the sake of it. After a couple of listens it's a snoozefest.

yeah, I've only ever listened to it once in its entirety and that's enough for me. The live video of "America" is a way better extended version than the studio one.

I used to say the same, until one day it hit me over the head, popping up on my itunes shuffle.

listened to it 4 times in a row. love it now. "that's enough"

paisleyparkgirl said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Cos the rest isnt as amazing as the main song part of it. Its a bit of a brutal edit though. I like the beginning parts.

The rest is my favorite part.

Could we stop posting our opinions as facts ?

[Edited 9/12/23 12:30pm]

do you really need me to add 'in my opinion' before each sentence?

ofc its just my opinion.

paraded said:

I’m a huge fan of the Purple Underground version, and prefer it hugely to the released version. Especially the version without the C Fischer additions. One of the rare times where they make the song less. It’s not as creepy. A high quality version would be amazing. Maybe someday we will get a Dream Factory LP? I thought that might be a possibility with the potential of a Camille release, but so far that hasn’t materialized. That said, the low-fi quality of the Purple Underground version is part of why it’s so intense. [Edited 9/12/23 11:52am]

a lot of the 80s bootlegs really had something extra about them cos of the bad quality, esp this song, and the black album. never sounded quite as good lol....

Ramzoo said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

I dislike 99.9% of Prince "full length" or "extended" or "12'' inch versions," but "Crystal Ball" is a true masterpiece that should be released in the "fullest" version possible. All that other stuff wears out its welcome somewhere before the 4 minute mark.

Even "America", "Anotherloverholenyohead", "Mountains" ....12"?

"Mountains" the album version is too long already in my opinion. It's a nice song and all, maybe he's trying to word paint making it go on and on and on with the repetition of "it's only mountains" over and over, but that one specifically would be improved by cutting it back to "Do U Lie?" length. It's enough.

"Anotherloverholenyohead" another one, not as egregious as "Mountains" but I'm never like I need or crave more there.

The only extendos that ever made a super big impression on me was "Little Red Corvette" (Special Dance Mix) with the siq bassline in the second half or "Erotic City" because that's the only one I literally yearn for more and more. But the tempo's slightly faster in the 7'' inch version so that might be another win for the edit.

"America" was "ok" pile last I checked, maybe I'll try these again.

To me the best philosophy is always "leave 'em wanting more". I'm one of the few who doesn't rate 1999 all that highly because almost every.song. on 1999 does the opposite of this.

[Edited 9/13/23 6:16am]

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

Imagine if 'Bohemian Rhapsody' faded out just before the guitar solo? Or 'Stairway To Heaven' did likewise just before the drums kicked in?

CB is not in the same league, or as accomplished as those two songs.

its not really an epic song, its more a song, with an extended section at the end, not that diff from princes extended versions on the 12"s.

Nah "Crystal Ball" mops the floor with both of those lame songs. It's definitely epic. The other extendos are loopfests.

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

funkbabyandthebabysitters said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

Nah "Crystal Ball" mops the floor with both of those lame songs. It's definitely epic. The other extendos are loopfests.

The diff is that BRs made up of clearly delineated parts. CB has many sections where its just a chance for the band to stretch out, ie just like his extended jams. Lot of repetition. But its not quite a mood piece either, cos its broken up with the soloing and sort of loses its way. Prince was obv trying to write an epic kinda song, he tried again with 3 chains... but never quite got there in my humble opinion. Nothing wrong with the form cb takes, i like JB tracks where the band just play, but its a diff thing. This is like a sort of funk epic, but it just doesnt build up to anything or go anywhere really despite a lot of great things in there, it just ends up a cool extended jam. From when those chimes and amazing strings come in at around 0.40 to just before the 5 min mark, its perfect, but after then it just enters 'extended 12" version' territory. Its not nearly as interesting as something like the long computer blue. But even there prince edited it for release and arguably made it tight AF. Cb is a brilliant piece, as good as all my dreams, life can be so nice, thers others here with us, etc, its peak revolution era prince, but not all ten mins. [Edited 9/13/23 13:30pm]

We differ in opinon here as CB is much more interesting and varied to me than the Computer Blue extended version. Don't get me wrong, I love CB and the extended verison, but CB is more interesting to me. Let's love both!

rudeboy4711 said:

The omission of a full length Crystal Ball from the SOTT SDE stings just as much as the omission of a full length Crucial or the un-segued version of Joy in Repetition