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Prince & Related Artists
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0–9 All songs written or co-written by Prince except where indicated. |
0–9
A sample of this song was posted on NPG
Online LTD in March 2000. It was announced that the track was intended
for a projected NPG album. However, the
album never emerged, but the song was released, now credited to Prince,
on the soundtrack of Spike Lee's media
satire, Bamboozled, 26 September 2000. It was also released with
"Peace" as the A-side on a single that was sold on the Hit N' Run tour, April 2001. The single says, "from the 4thcoming Peace,"
which was a projected NPG album that was never realized. Interestingly,
the song is attributed to Prince on the Bamboozled soundtrack,
whereas the artist credit on the single is The
New Power Generation. "2045: Radical Man" is a laid-back,
casual funk offering created around the bass line It is not too far removed
from tracks like "Emale" on Emancipation,
"2morrow" on Crystal
Ball and the 1995 outtake, "Feelgood," all
of which showcase similar-styled "lazy" funk grooves. The song is rambling
and playful, with some nice production touches such as the occasional
backing vocals by the speeded-up Camille voice, and many unexpected instrumental interjections along the way. While
many of the musical details are interesting, they cannot hide the fact
that the underlying song is unspectacular. "2045: Radical Man"
poses a hypothetical situation, where it is now the year 2045, and you
are asked what you have done with your life. The lyrics are mainly concerned
with the notion of fighting corporate greed and the need for people to
take a stand for the things in which they believe. Prince complains about
the sorry state of popular music and narrow-minded music executives being
afraid of artists uniting against them. He also condemns those who claim
there is no cure for the diseases ravaging the planet. Prince envisions
the world where "the brand new currency [is] taking care of one another,
you and me."
solo album, as Newpower
Soul was attributed to The NPG.
The musical backdrop consists of little more than a bass drum and some
synth touches. Prince combines a whispered
spoken vocal with his falsetto singing, creating an intimate atmosphere.
The number clocks in at just over 2 minutes. Describing an intense foreplay,
Prince encourages his partner to "breathe in, breathe out" and to take
him "into the deepest part of your emotion".
,
having been written and recorded prior to the name change back to Prince.
The track is a rough, spontaneous-sounding rock-oriented effort, with
an up front guitar, live drumming, and a snarling, almost shouted vocal
by Prince. He decries the dismal state of the world, where television
and the media rule people. Prince is the 'Cybersingle', a Superman-like
figure who encourages people to "get free" and show "love for one another".
It is rumored that some of the music may have been recorded earlier in
the 90s.
(the recording is 8:54 minutes with the speech included). His speech has
as its general theme the notion that mankind is creating artificial barriers
between itself and God, with much of popular culture working to fill the
void left by the absence of God from our lives. "One Song"
continues the theme of 's
speech, dealing with man's union with God. Having become one with God, is "the universe, the sun, the moon and sea." Musically, "One
Song" is a slightly run-of-the-mill soul ballad, yet 's
vocal delivery is impassioned and gospel-tinged. The song has a reasonably
strong chorus and an anthemic quality, but the music is rather sterile-sounding,
with a slick and somewhat lifeless production.
Back To Top
B January 2002 was the final edition of the NPGMC year one and regular monthly downloads and it yielded "Breathe", as well as "Madrid 2 Chicago". According to the NPG Music Club, "Breathe" was planned for inclusion on an album entitled Madrid 2 Chicago, described as a "smooth jazz album". It is not known whether this was a finished sequenced album or if it didn't amount to more than a few songs. The project dates to 1998 and was probably something Prince recorded after the completion of Newpower Soul. It may at one point have been intended as the next solo album, as Newpower
Soul was attributed to The NPG.
The musical backdrop consists of little more than a bass drum and some
synth touches. Prince combines a whispered
spoken vocal with his falsetto singing, creating an intimate atmosphere.
The number clocks in at just over 2 minutes. Describing an intense foreplay,
Prince encourages his partner to "breathe in, breathe out" and to take
him "into the deepest part of your emotion".
Back To Top
C "Cybersingle" was announced as a forthcoming Internet-only single during the press conference Prince held in New York on May 16th 2000. A 1:04 minute sample was posted on The Vault page at NPG Online LTD on June 1, 2000 before an MP3 of the entire song was made available for download on July 14, 2000. It was also made available for download on www.real.com on October 29, 2000. The song is attributed to,
having been written and recorded prior to the name change back to Prince.
The track is a rough, spontaneous-sounding rock-oriented effort, with
an up front guitar, live drumming, and a snarling, almost shouted vocal
by Prince. He decries the dismal state of the world, where television
and the media rule people. Prince is the 'Cybersingle', a Superman-like
figure who encourages people to "get free" and show "love for one another".
It is rumored that some of the music may have been recorded earlier in
the 90s.
Back To Top
D Considered for the High album, this song was available on the April 2001 edition of the NPGMC and later as a CD single on the 2nd leg of the Hit'N'Run tour (backed with "Gamillah"). the track is essentially a one-chord vamp, interrupted only by a brief chorus. Prince's voice is treated at times, making it sound as if he is singing through a megaphone. The lyrics of "The Daisy Chain" are rather vague. One reading is that Prince is condemning loose sexual behavior, an interpretation supported by lines like, "a mouse to the trap, the cheese is up, a little bit of pleasure for the guilty pain, think about it sister, now you're living in shame". Along the same lines, the rap at the end delivered by DVS (of the Fonky Baldheads) describes a dancer named Kelly who was "steppin' out a gown" as he was delivering a pizza to her house. The rap attempts to point out to the girl that she will never develop relationships of commitment and respect if she is so willing to give her body up to anyone. The meaning of the expression, "daisy chain" is not made clear from the song. The song can have a sexual connotation: a "daisy chain" is an orgy situation where all members are linked together physically in various sexual positions, thereby creating a continuous "daisy chain" of human bodies all "serving" one another in various capacities. The chorus states, "Bless my soul, save my name, I ain't never going down to the daisy chain" followed by the repeat of "black girl givin' it up, white girl givin' it up". these lines can be seen as a way of saying Prince will not fool around with the wrong kind of women, refraining from quick encounters with women who want to take advantage of him. However, another interpretation of the "daisy chain" expression is that it refers top the music industry where radio stations, record companies, executives are linked together. Without some of these key links, an artist won't be able to get his songs on the radio. Prince may be saying that he is not going to be part of the "daisy chain" of the music industry and the line about black and white girls "givin' it up" could refer to all the artists that sell their soul to the industry. This song was originally recorded during the sessions which produced the Emancipation 3-CD album. The production and drum programming are typical of songs recorded from that era. This composition, however, is an unusually plaintive love song for 1995/6, in which Prince refuses to offer commitment for fear of having his hopes dashed and heart broken. Equally, he cannot face the frustration of mere friendship with someone whose love he craves. Ultimately, he recognizes that the relationship is doomed, the 'dance' he leads will be a lonely one, and the song closes with him asking his potential lover to leave. Musically, the song's mournful tone and pace matches the sorrowful subject matter. The recording was released as a download on March 29, 2004 as part of the Chocolate Invasion download album, which largely comprised songs previously made available through the NPGMC (albeit some tracks had minor variations). "The Dance" was the only song that had previously not been released. A re-recorded version with some new lyrics was later released on 3121.Back To Top
E "Empty Room" has such a long history, it's surprising this is the first official release of the song. Inspired by Susannah Melvoin, Prince recorded the song in 1985. Not being intended for any project at the time, the song sat on the shelf until 1992, when it was re-recorded as a lush number for the I'll Do Anything soundtrack and movie. Due to bad pre-screenings, the movie was rewritten as a drama-comedy instead of a musical and Prince's music was cut from the project. Prince revisited the song again in 1995 and decided to revamp the original version into a rock number with a searing guitar, while retaining the finger symbols from the original. A video of this version was often shown before the 1995 Ultimate Live Experience tour. The first officially released version is a live recording with nearly identical lyrics to the 1995 version. Included is a haunting piano and once again an emotional guitar solo. The song fulfilled the Year 2 obligations of the NPGMC when it was released in January 2003.Back To Top
F This busy one-chord funk offering has mostly rapped lyrics. Prince ridicules all the musical "rookies" that are "kickin' it with the groove folks in the wrong key" and advises they find somebody who will hip them to the "funky design." The chorus features the title phrase followed by a high-pitched synth line while the song includes a base solo with Prince's voice in an angry, accusatory tone. Prince replaced his vocals with Sonny T.'s and the song was the closing track on the December 2, 1994 sequence of Exodus. Sonny's version also included a new phrase sung in the chorus. Prince's original version was posted on NPG Online LTD on July 17, 2000 before the entire track was released by the NPG Music Club on Feb. 20, 2001 along with "Mad." The released version features Prince's lead vocals. Sonny T.'s version is in circulation as an outtake.Back To Top
G The track is a funk offering with rapped vocals by Prince. It was released on Prince's website in 2005. The High leftover "Golden Parachute" is a calm, lazy jazz-tinged number with a funky feel. Quite likely, the title was inspired by Clive Davis' firing from Arista Records in May 2000. The expression, "golden parachute" refers to top-level executives receiving monetary compensation and bonuses when they leave or are fired from a position. The lyrics are somewhat autobiographic, speaking of being paid for musical creations but not retaining ownership of the work. After the main lyrics, the song simply repeats the title over a foundation for various melodic "excursions", not unlike many Madhouse tracks, and instrumental embellishments including flute improvisations, trumpet fills, harp flourishes, wah-wah guitar licks and jazzy guitar runs. The instrumental portion of "Golden Parachute" was in the initial NPGMC "ahdio show" in February, 2001, but the full version with lyrics wasn't released as an MP3 until August of the same year.Back To Top
H The title track for the proposed High album was originally played at the 2000 Celebration at Paisley Park. An edit was later available on the "NPG Ahdio Show #1" in February 2001 and the full-length MP3 was finally released in December 2001. A buoyant, upbeat pop number, "High" is one of the most immediately accessible of the High tracks. It has a breezy, cheerful chorus, spiced with Prince's unmistakable synth fills. According to a source who was present at the recording session, Prince spent a great deal of time and effort on the song, as he regarded it as an important track and a candidate for a single from the planned High album. Prince assures the listeners that he has "the music [to] get you high again", and the lightweight lyrics concerns the uplifting power of his music. Thus, the message echoes the outtake "Purple Music" which also stated that Prince's music made him high. Rosie Gaines sings lead vocals on "Hit U In The Socket". The song was recorded in June 1991 (horns were added in November 1992) and was originally placed on Gaines' Concrete Jungle album, prepared for release on Paisley Park Records on March 22, 1994. However, the album was withdrawn when the label was terminated. The original music for "Hit U In The Socket" starts off sounding a great deal like Sam and Dave's classic "Soul Man", but it soon develops into a fun, upbeat pop number with a very funky feel. The lyrics are more serious than the buoyant music suggests, issuing a warning to "girls out there" to be aware of men who lie and cheat to get what they want, namely sex. These men do not want to commit to relationships, instead being free to see other women and being with the boys. The expression of being "hit" in the "socket" is hardly one of Prince's most subtle or imaginative metaphors. The song was updated with new music that attempts to have more of a R&B sound and released in May, 2001 on the New Power Generation Music Club. A breezy, uptempo number, "Hypno Paradise" is clearly one of the most appealing of Prince's internet-only tracks, with an addictive trance-like hook line as a key ingredient. The song is similar in tempo and overall feel to "Sleep Around" on Emancipation. It is not known when "Hypno Paradise" was tracked, but the overall sound is close to that of many Emancipation tracks, so it is quite possible that it was considered for inclusion in Emancipation. Asking "Am I in heaven on Hypno Paradise?" the lyric concerns a woman or a spirit, Prince's savior, who is always there when he is scorned, offering support. He describes "hypno paradise" as his destiny. Prince introduced a fast, house-influenced instrumental number on the December 1998 tour of Europe by repeating the words "hypno paradise". The instrumental was performed twice. This has led many to assume that "Hypno Paradise" was a title of a number that he came up with on the tour. However, the instrumental may have been an improvisation since it has little musically in common with the track "Hypno Paradise" made available from the NPG Music Club in July, 2001.Back To Top
J "Judas Smile" is a fast one-chord funk number, sporting a busy, stuttering rhythm track that Prince recycled for use on High. The verses and chorus of the song are sung over the same basic theme. A bubbling synth sound runs persistently throughout. The song changes direction halfway through, going into a punchier vamp, with slapped bass and chanted group vocal. The sound resembles many High tracks, including a thin snare drum sound, and a rubbery, plastic-sounding bass drum, indicating that it is a post-Rave recording from 2000 or the latter part of 1999. Considering the group vocal, it is possible that it was intended for Peace, the projected NPG album, along with "2045: Radical Man" and "Peace". The track was originally posted as "Judas Kiss". The first part of the lyric finds Prince bitterly criticizing an ex-lover for trying to "put [him] down". He feels that she has taken advantage of him; he gave her love but only received a "Judas smile" in return. Each chorus opens with the phrase, "You've been bamboozled", making this a more likely candidate for the title of the song, rather than "Judas Smile", which is mentioned only once. The "Bamboozled" phrase also indicates that the song could have been written with Spike Lee's Bamboozled film in mind. Interestingly, the lyric is laced with autobiographical details, including the line, "I changed your name, it didn't suit ya, I did the same for a little while". The song could be about several of Prince's protégés, including Mayte and Carmen Electra with lines like "I gave you love, led to revenue" and "like you being funky, it will never be". The second part of the lyric is more vague and seems to address the music industry and its poor treatment of African-American artists. Prince is "comin' with the old school", proclaiming "the chocolate invasion starts here". He gives props to Common, Curtis (most likely Curtis Mayfield), Maceo (Parker) and Erykah Badu. "Jukebox With A Heartbeat" is a playful pop number that sounds like it could have been written during the High sessions. Featuring an infectious chorus and drum-machine, Prince explains that he's not trying to play what's expected to be popular in New York or LA, but rather be true to himself and the Twin Cites music scene. The song was released as part of the November, 2001 "ahdio show" on the New Power Generation Music Club.Back To Top
M This 1994 track is an appealing funky uptempo effort with a catchy chorus, similar to "Acknowledge Me" and "Mr. Happy". Prince incorporates a high-pitched synth line that comes to the fore on the chorus. The lyrics speak of Prince going mad if he ever gets the female protagonist into bed. Prince replaced his vocals with Sonny T.'s and the song was included on the December 2, 1994 sequence of Exodus. Prince's original version was finally officially released as an MP3 on the New Power Generation Music Club on Feb. 20, 2001 along with "Funky Design". Sonny T.'s version is in circulation as an outtake. A sample of "Madrid 2 Chicago" was made available on the Love 4 One Another web site along with "U're Still The One" on January 26, 1999. The full version wasn't available until the 12th edition of the NPGMC in January 2002. According to the Music Club the track was going to be included on an album entitled Madrid 2 Chicago. The title refers to Prince's flight to see Mayte after she moved to Spain. "Madrid 2 Chicago" is a gentle, subdued and somewhat mellow soul number, starting off with a slow, intricate drum machine pattern. The arrangement is very sparse, focusing on the drums and some synth touches. Prince is longing for his woman, "I got you on my mind, you on my mind, nothing but you on my mind."Released in 2004 on Prince's website.
Recorded during the Corporate World sessions, Morris Day sings lead on this funky number about a dance that "only people with money can do." "Murph" is slang for a thick roll of money, hence "Murph drag" means the money roll is so heavy, it drags along the ground. The title is mentioned in "The Latest Fashion" on Graffiti Bridge. It features various samples from the What Time Is It? album and Candy Dulfer on saxophone. The NPGMC version of the song has the ending edited with a repeat of the "got a hell of a bang" line and was released in the April 2001 "ahdio show". Considered for the 2000 High album, this song was available as an edit as part of the "NPG Ahdio Show #1" in February, 2001and later released in its full version as an MP3 in September, 2001. Prince used the backing track for his sung "thank you" during the Yahoo Internet Life Awards on July 24, 2000. "My Medallion" begins with Prince speaking the lyrics as if he were relating the story to a friend. He tells a story about a girl, "this pretty thang" who snatches his medallion and calls him a bitch. However, he finds out where she works and confronts her, telling her, "I don't know what your name or your game is". he says that he is "in the mood to do something koo koo" to her. She gives him a kiss and runs out the back door. "My Medallion" is a slow, taut funk offering sporting a stripped-down arrangement consisting of a drum machine beat, a few bass notes, and some clipped guitar stabs. A flute provides additional favor on the chorus. The chorus is quite contagious, consisting of the repeated phrase, "I don't know why I want that girl". While not an outstanding composition, the track is playful and original enough to make for compelling listening.Back To Top
N This smooth, funky horn-boosted, mid-tempo offering is slightly run-of-the-mill by Prince's standards, containing few remarkable melodic or rhythmic ideas. This James Brown homage has a live feel with live drumming and bass guitar, as well as some sharp horn stabs provided by Najee. Stating that "we got something freaky for you", the lyrics essentially praise the power of live music on the north side of Minneapolis - the area of the city where Prince grew up. The song was recorded in the latter part of 2000 or in 2001. (Najee came to work for Prince in early September, 2001). It was released in April, 2001 on the NPGMC.Back To Top
O "One Song" was posted on www.love4oneanother.com on December 31, 1999. The video of the song was later made available in the July 2001 edition of the NPGMC. The song was preceded by almost six minutes of sermonizing from (the recording is 8:54 minutes with the speech included). His speech has
as its general theme the notion that mankind is creating artificial barriers
between itself and God, with much of popular culture working to fill the
void left by the absence of God from our lives. "One Song"
continues the theme of 's
speech, dealing with man's union with God. Having become one with God, is "the universe, the sun, the moon and sea." Musically, "One
Song" is a slightly run-of-the-mill soul ballad, yet 's
vocal delivery is impassioned and gospel-tinged. The song has a reasonably
strong chorus and an anthemic quality, but the music is rather sterile-sounding,
with a slick and somewhat lifeless production.
Back To Top
P A sample of "Peace" was posted on www.npgonlineltd.com on in March 2000 along with "2045: Radical Man". The track was announced as a forthcoming NPG single, though it has since been released on the NPGMC on March 22, 2001 and later released as a CD single available on the Hit'N'Run Tour (backed with "2045: Radical Man"). A video for the song was released on NPGMC as well. The track was originally planned for an aborted fourth NPG album (the CD single is credited to the New Power Generation). "Peace" starts and ends with some good-humored ridiculing by Morris Hayes about the pretentiousness of the name "the artist formerly known as Prince". He repeats the phrase amidst much laughter. Obviously, this recalls the Exodus segues, indicating that the track was indeed going to be included on a NPG album. The song itself is an uptempo funk/pop offering with a pumping bass and an insistent drum machine beat. Prince sings accompanied by a group vocal. Larry Graham takes over the lead vocal during a brief passage. The track has some of the hypnotic monotony of songs like "It" (Sign 'O' The Times) and "Pheromone" (Come), although it is much lighter in tone. The lyrics speak of racial ills and a desire for peace. The chorus simply states that "peace that's what we're here for, and not to war." "Poorgoo" dates back to 1993 when it was played live on some of the Act II aftershows. The title refers to a roadie named Magoo who worked with Prince at the time the song was written. The bluesy rock number was included in The Undertaker video, and it's the source of the released MP3. It was posted to the NPGMC in December, 2001. "Props N' Pounds" was part of the fourth edition of the NPGMC downloads, available in May, 2001. The song begins with a lone drum (similar to "Mutiny") and quickly becomes a bass driven number with layered vocals and drum programming that could be from the Emancipation or Newpower Soul era. The lyrics express Prince's new Jehovah's Witness beliefs and lambaste the use of condoms, perhaps birth control in general. Also featured are samples from MTV's Kurt Loder with a mainly favorable commentary.Back To Top
R Intended for the Camille album, Prince recorded this song at Sunset Sound on October 28, 1986 on the same day as "Rockhard In A Funky Place". When the Camille album was shelved, the song was slated for inclusion on Prince's next album project, Crystal Ball. It was going to be the opening track segueing into "Play In the Sunshine". The NPG Music Club made a 1988 rehearsal recording available in September 2001, which means that all the Camille tracks have now been officially released, although the original studio version remains unreleased. "Rebirth Of the Flesh" is a rousing and somewhat chaotic rock, spearheaded by a charged guitar riff. Prince's vocal is speeded-up. The song features a nonsensical sing-along chorus, "La, la, la, la, la, la, Souli-a-Colia". The 1988 live rendition is quite faithful to the original studio recording. Miles Davis' early '50s classic Birth Of The Cool seems to have provided inspiration for the song title and some of the lyrics. Incidentally, Birth Of The Cool includes a track by Gerry Mulligan called "Venus De Milo", a title Prince borrowed for a Parade instrumental. The song introduces "the fathers of the new boogie cool", who have "got the beat you're looking for". They are guaranteed to rock the audience because they are from "the old school". Slightly altered, the introductory lyrics, "Kick drum pound on the two and four, all the party people get on the floor", turned up in "Escape" (the B-side of "Glam Slam" in 1988) and as the opening words of the Lovesexy show. The melody of the chorus "Walk Don't Walk" on Diamonds and Pearls also borrows from "Rebirth Of The Flesh".Back To Top
S Originally titled "Sadomasochistic Groove", this 1997 Newpower Soul leftover is an urgent funk/dance track driven by a relentless drum machine beat. Prince's voice is treated so it sounds machinelike. He repeats a chant of "freaks gonna bob to this" which recalls "get freaky, let your head bob" from "Big Fun" on Exodus and "Newpower Soul" on Newpower Soul. The track is far more adventurous and experimental than the majority of Newpower Soul which probably explains why it was left off the album. A sample of the track was posted on the Love 4 One Another web site in June 1997. A slightly different sounding version was taped by a fan during an aftershow in October 1997 when a DJ played it over the speakers. The complete track, now re-titled "S & M Groove" was made available by the NPG Music Club in July, 2001. "S.S.T." was written as a response to the US Government's bungling of the Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts in September 2005. The title's initials refer to Sade's "Sweetest Taboo", a song referred to within this track. The lyrics directly criticize major problems during President Bush's second term of office, including the poor economy, the war in Iraq and the disorganized Hurricane Katrina rescue efforts. Musically, the song is a simple blues offering with the guitar as the main instrument with the addition of drum machines. An instrumental ending transforms the song into funk with a strong bass line, which is further developed in an instrumental version entitled "Brand New Orleans". Both the song "S.S.T." and instrumental "Brand New Orleans" were initially sold online in September 2005 and profits went to help the victims of Hurricane Katrina. The 2 tracks were released as a CD-single on October 25, 2005. "Sex Me, Sex Me Not" was originally part of the "NPG Ahdio Show #3" in April of 2001 and was later released as an MP3 in June 2001 on the NPGMC. The song recalls the classic Prince theme of sex without consequence, and is quite graphic in some parts. Musically, the song is straight funk, recalling Parliament/P-Funk. This is a coiled and tense funk effort with a stripped-down instrumentation. The arrangement, with a low, rubbery synth bass pulsing against a "thin", trebly snare drum, bears many similarities to High tracks, most likely dating the song to 2000. Prince's unsettling spoken words, "Welcome to the slaughterhouse," sets the somewhat eerie tone for "Silicon", which is a tense, jagged funk number, emphasizing a rhythmically intricate, pulsating drum machine pattern that owes something in style to "Big Tall Wall" and Sign 'O' The Times' "If I Was Your Girlfriend". In addition to the drums, the stark arrangement includes a low-frequency bass and some brisk, metallic-sounding synth fills. The dark, claustrophobic atmosphere brings to mind "Strange But True" on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. Prince sing-speaks the lyrics, which seem to echo "The War" to some extent, talking about the decadence of society. Some of the lyrics are rather ambiguous, but one reading of the song is that it is about how we have all been sucked into the "silly con" of eating meat and processed foods, which is ultimately bad for our health. A repeated phrase is "rope of silicon, just a rope of silicon". Since silicon is used in electronics, possibly Prince is saying that with all our technology we are hanging ourselves on a rope of silicon. The first verse of the song is the same as Prince's second rap in "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Adam & Eve Mix)", which possibly dates the song to 1999. The track was released as part of the March, 2001 "ahdio show" and later as a full MP3 in December 2001 on the NPGMC. This wistful ballad features Prince singing in reflective fashion to a solo piano accompaniment, embellished only very occasionally by keyboards, percussion and Prince's backing vocals. The song is very reminiscent of compositions on the One Nite Alone... album. Lyrically, the song appears to refer to an unfulfilled relationship, describing someone who is perhaps persuasive but ultimately deceitful. The imagery never paints a complete picture, but hints at a lost or unrequited love, and the tune ends unresolved. When the song was initially released, it was described as a 'demo' of a version given to Nikka Costa for her second album. She is reported to have told Prince that she wanted to write a song with him following their Las Vegas performance of Costa's "Push and Pull" in early 2003. Prince asked her to send him a poem, and he sent her back the recording using her words. Costa's re-recording of the song ultimately never made the final configuration of her delayed sophomore release, Can'tneverdidnothin. A sample of "Splash" was posted on www.npgonlineltd.com's "The Vault" page in May 2000. The full version was made available as a MP3 download on Mar. 22, 2001 on NPGMC. The song was recorded in August 1985, when Prince also taped songs like "Empty Room", "Sexual Suicide", and "Go". At the time, Parade was essentially completed although Prince added "Mountains" and "Anotherloverholenyohead," recorded in November and December 1985. "Splash" was sent to Clare Fischer for his input in July 1986, but it was never placed on any configurations of Prince's 1986 projects: Dream Factory, Crystal Ball, and Camille. The song is a reasonably strong pop/rock number sung in a falsetto vocal by Prince. The verses have an unusual, reggae-ish rhythm. The chorus is very effective and lifts the song considerably. Fischer's strings are very evident throughout. The track appears to be a live recording with parts of The Revolution, including Wendy and Lisa. The lyrics have Prince singing the praises of his lover, who fulfills his every fantasy. "Splash" was mentioned as a possible track for the aborted Roadhouse Garden album in 1999. This track was made available as a CD single backed with "Underneath The Cream" on the second leg of the Hit'N'Run tour and later offered as a download on NPGMC (in June 2001). Opening with the sound of an airplane landing, the High leftover "Supercute" is something of a pop masterpiece, boasting a haunting, vaguely wistful melody and a contagious chorus. It also has a striking rhythmic groove created by interplay between a reggae flavored bass line and a marimba-style keyboard motif. Musically, "Supercute" is one of the strongest tracks planned for inclusion on High. The lyrics concern Prince's fascination for a woman from East L.A., who is flying out for a rendezvous. His interest seems primarily physical, as he gets excited about seeing her "body on display". He also pays her a visit, watching her at play with her sexual toys, including a vibrator. The song was recorded in the summer of 2000.Back To Top
U "U Make My Sun Shine" and "When Will We B Paid?" were made available as MP3 downloads at NPGonlineLTD on Dec. 21, 2000. A limited run of CD singles containing the 2 tracks were pressed and sold at Brother Jules' record store, Music Emporium, in Minneapolis. A video was also available on NPGMC in February. 2001. A duet with rising R&B star Angie Stone, the High leftover "U make My Sunshine" is an old-school soul ballad. With its call-and-response backing vocals by the girl group Millennia and the stop start structure of the music, it is one of the most overtly gospel-influenced songs Prince has ever written. The song seems to be directly influenced by D'Angelo's "Untitled". Stone sings the second verse and joins Prince on the chorus. The verses are rather meandering building slowly towards the chorus. Owing a passing nod to "The One" on Newpower Soul, the lyrics of "U Make My Sun Shine" is a tender expression of devotion. Prince is trying to convince a woman to leave her man, offering comfort and reassuring her "In this trusted place you can erase every tear that rolled down your weary face." She has been "in the dark much too long" having let "them devils define what it takes to be a woman". The lyric do not specify what she has been through, but it is implied that she is a prostitute, as Prince says, "I could tell you what the 'I' in the pimp stands for." Planned for inclusion on High, "Underneath The Cream" is a relaxed, swooning song that recalls some Prince's most smooth and 'silky' remixes, featuring the fluid high-pitched synth decorations that Prince is fond of incorporating into these type of songs. The drumbeat, meanwhile, bears similarities to "Pink Cashmere" from The Hits/The B-sides. The arrangement is synth-based with occasional flickers of electric piano providing some spice. The phrase "underneath the cream" was first mentioned in "Hot Wit U" on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. The lyrics finds Prince fantasizing about his woman, "Thinking about [her] thighs," wishing he was "deep inside [her] ocean." Recalling some of the early declarations of desire and lust found on For You and Prince, the lyric could be from almost any of Prince's previous albums. The track was originally released as a CD single on the 2nd leg of the Hit'N'Run tour (backed with "Supercute") and later as an MP3 in Nov. 2001 on the NPG Music Club.Released in 2004 on Prince's website. It was later released on CD as a B-side for the European release of "Cinnamon Girl".
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V A collaboration with Sandra St. Victor spawned several songs in the summer of 1995, one of which being "Van Gogh". The synth-driven number compares the subject's love for a girl to "loving a rare Van Gogh". The song was updated in later and some synth parts were replaced by horn parts by Eric Leeds in May 1996. This revised version was intended for Emancipation at one point, but ended up being not actually being released until July 7,2001 as part of the 6th edition of the NPG Music Club. In March 1998, the song was given to a professional grade artist with a disability, who just happened to be named Van Gogh! The group, being more rock-oriented, totally re-recorded Prince's version and released it on their 1998 self-titled album. For some reason, when the song was posted on the NPGMC, it was titled "Van Gough", but it's not known if this was a typo or intentional. Another track from the High sessions, "Vavoom" became available as a download in November 2001 as part of the 10th edition of the NPGMC. Previewed during a Paisley Park concert on July 8th 2000 (am), "Vavoom" was described as "rock and roll dipped with "Cream" on Prince's web site, NPG Online LTD. "Vavoom" is more polished and restrained, substituting the raw bluesy guitar style of "Cream" for a thick, "synthetic" guitar sound. Out of the High sessions, this track is one of the best pop offerings: no agenda, just playful sexy lyrics and distorted guitar. The song is somewhat reminiscent of "Baby Knows" from Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic. It would have been a good single had the High album been released commercially.Back To Top
W Intended as High's closing track, "When I Lay My Hands On U" is a slow rock offering that radiates quality, showcasing a dramatic melody and a tense, obsessive atmosphere. It alternates between gentle verses with Prince almost whispering the words and a more forceful chorus with loud drums, and an odd, echo-like disruptive guitar sound. A bridge section introduces a new melody, providing a change of pace. Prince also delivers a Santana-like solo in the final chorus. Not unlike another High track, "Underneath The Cream", the song concerns Prince's lust for a woman. He describes how he wants to make love to her, asking "Are you ready for the touch that makes you go insane?" While the song is clearly addressed to the woman, the lyric also has religious undertones. Jesus would lay his hands on his followers, and the idea of "the laying of hands" is common in evangelical Christian practices; a preacher lays his hands on infirm people and 'heals' them. The track was made available as a MP3 download in February 2001 on NPGMC, along with an accompanying video. "U Make My Sun Shine" and "When Will We B Paid?" were made available as MP3 downloads at NPGonlineLTD on Dec. 21, 2000. A limited run of CD singles containing the 2 tracks were pressed and sold at Brother Jules' record store, Music Emporium, in Minneapolis. This track is slow downbeat song with an anthemic sing-along chorus. Prince's vocal is passionate and expresses a barely controlled anger and frustration over African-American hardships and his guitar interjections give the song urgency and energy. Originally titled "When Will We Be Paid?", this High leftover was written by Randall Stewart and performed by The Staple Singers on their 1970 album We'll Get Over. Prince performed it live a few times, beginning in late 1999. This track predated The Rainbow Children by several months, being released on the NPGMC in April, 2001. This obvious homage to James Brown is a horn-boosted funk number featuring backing vocals by Kip Blackshire and Millennia. The lyrics lambastes the media and social ills while they speak of "doing the work", which may be spreading the religious word. The album version of the song has some slight musical and lyrical changes.Back To Top
YY Should I Do That When I Can Do This?
An excerpt from "Y Should I Do that, When I Can Do This?" was posted on Prince's NPG Online LTD web site on June 1, 2000, and later made available as a MP3 download in June 2001 on NPGMC. The track is an outtake from the 1999 Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic sessions. The Hornheads added a jazzy horn arrangement in May 1999. The song recalls "Strange But True" on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, featuring rapped lyrics by Prince over a fast, propulsive and highly percussive beat. The theme of the song recalls "Undisputed" on Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic, with Prince bragging about his musical abilities, putting down people who don't play instruments and use computers, "Until you're playing in front of 70,000, you'll never know, this is a grown folk's job, all young dogs need to recognize". Towards the end Prince calls out a few names of certain controversial associates.