Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded

Albumdata

Rating

Preface

3rdEyeGirl Purple Rain tweets

On April 18th, 2014, a new deal between Prince and Warner Bros. was announced. Warner Bros. would release a new Prince album. One turned into two. On September 26th, 2014, the two (fine) albums Art Official Age and 3rd Eye Girl’s Plectrumelectrum were released simultaneously.

As part of the deal it was also announced that the 30 year anniversary (in 2014) of Purple Rain was to accompanied by a remastered re-release of the classic album. But, as happened frequently, promises were made, but nothing was heard about it. When Prince was asked, at the end of 2015 (via twitter), when Purple Rain was going to be released, he answered that he delivered everything to Warner Bros. and that people should ask Warner Bros. whether or not (and if so, when) Purple Rain would be released.

Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded – Ad

However it may be, on April 21st, 2016, Prince died and all became even more unclear. But then, in February 2017, it was announced that the re-release was going to be released, containing extra music. On April 28th, 2017, it was announced that the release date was set for June 23rd, 2017 and the tracklist was made public.

It is funny to notice that it had been quite some time since I was nervous for a Prince release. I took the day off from work, so I could listen to the album at home. A real gift, happy as a child.

Review

And? Was it worth it? Yes!

Is there nothing that can be commented on, regarding this release? Sure there is, why wasn´t Wednesday released, as that was part of an earlier configuration of the album, or the extended version of The Beautiful Ones? Why not release the August 3rd, 1983 concert, that contained foundations for I Would Die 4 U, Baby I’m A Star and Purple Rain? Perhaps those will see the light of day at a later moment in time.

But what was released is great. The album itself will get a thorough review within two years (if this blog still exsists…), so this article will focus on the extra material.

Purple Rain

Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded

The album is a classic and, according to the liner-notes, was remastered in 2015 by Prince himself. The album sounds really much better than all the previous releases. A job well done.

From The Vault

The real treasure. It is unclear if Prince intended this disc for release. Many people believe this not to be the case.

It starts off brilliantly with the (extended) Prince performance of the top/song The Dance Electric, which Prince gave to (ex bandmember) André Cymone in 1985. My favorite Prince satellite song (see Prince satellites, top 10). Very happy to have this version of the song. We´re off to an excellent start.

Love And Sex is an uptempo song with Prince singing full of passion (a lot of screaming and yelling). Very good song, which I hadn´t heard before.

Computer Blue (“Hallway Speech” version) is up next. The extended version (over 12 minutes) of the album song Computer Blue. Prince gets freaky and makes his guitar scream and wail à la Hendrix. This version was widely available on several bootlegs, but this is really good. Great to have it in this sound quality.

Electric Intercourse was the first teaser to the album. The studio version of the song, that was played for the first time during the (mentioned above) August 3rd, 1983 concert. A beautiful ballad. It took me some time to get accustomed to this studio version, but it is a great addition to my collection. At the time this song was replaced by The Beautiful Ones (my number three favorite Prince song of all time).

The second teaser to be released was Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden. I know both songs from (a bootleg of) the June 7th, 1984, birthday show. Perhaps these songs fit better on an expanded edition of Around The World In A Day (the string intro was later used on The Ladder, off that album). The first part, Our Destiny, is sung by Lisa Coleman. I would have liked to hear Prince’s vocals on this one. But, I really like these songs, so I am really happy with these studio versions.

Possessed is a song I only know as a live version. The song is a tribute to James Brown. Driving rhythm, great riff, but the live-version is superior to this one.

A personal favorite is next: Wonderful Ass. It was believed to be about Vanity, but Lisa Coleman recently stated that it’s about Susannah & Wendy Melvoin’s asses. Great rhythm, funky (rhythm) guitar, good melody. A top song. The Revolution will be heard!

The next two songs, Velvet Kitty Cat en Katrina’s Paper Dolls were new to me. Entertaining, but easy to understand that these songs didn’t make the album.

We Can Fuck is a great surprise. The official release of this song was released as We Can Funk on Graffiti Bridge in a version by Prince and George Clinton. A bootleg version of We Can Funk dating from 1985 is in circulation, that is superior to the released version on Graffiti Bridge. It turns out, now, that the version on this disc, was used as the base for the Graffiti Bridge version. But, this is really really nice and nasty. Great, great addition. The length (over 10 minutes) does the song good. A passionate performance.

Father’s Song was the third teaser to the album (a couple days prior to the album’s re;ease). The theme of the song is used in Computer Blue and the movie Purple Rain. It is written by John L. Nelson, Prince’s father. Nice addition.

Single Edits & B-sides

I had them all, but not everything as an official compact disc release. It is remarkable that the B-sides are among the best songs Prince ever released. Both 17 Days and Erotic City are part of my top 10 Prince songs.

Prince And The Revolution, Live at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, March 30, 1985

Released on video in 1985. It contains the most beautiful Purple Rain solo (to be released officially) ever. A very moving solo, that contains notes that shoot straight to your soul.

Conclusion

A great release. I fully enjoy this. Add to that, that it all looks fabulous, contains liner-notes by Susan Rogers and it is reasonably priced. Highly, highly recommended.

Songs

Disc One: Original Album (2015 Paisley Park Remaster)

Prince & The Revolution – Purple Rain

• Let’s Go Crazy
• Take Me With U
• The Beautiful Ones
• Computer Blue
• Darling Nikki
• When Doves Cry
• I Would Die 4 U
• Baby I’m A Star
• Purple Rain

Disc Two: From The Vault & Previously Unreleased

André Cymone: The Dance Electric (single, 1985)

• The Dance Electric
• Love And Sex
• Computer Blue (“Hallway Speech” version)
• Electric Intercourse (studio)
• Our Destiny / Roadhouse Garden
• Possessed (1983 version)
• Wonderful Ass
• Velvet Kitty Cat
• Katrina’s Paper Dolls
• We Can Fuck
• Father’s Song

Disc Three: Single Edits & B-Sides

Advertentie voor When Doves Cry, 1984

• When Doves Cry (7″ single edit)
• 17 Days (7″ B-side edit)
• Let’s Go Crazy (7″ single edit)
• Let’s Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix)
• Erotic City (7″ B-side edit)
• Erotic City (“Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive”)
• Purple Rain (7″ single edit)
• God (7″ B-side edit)
• God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) (instrumental U.K. 12″ B-side)
• Another Lonely Christmas (7″ B-side edit)
• Another Lonely Christmas (Extended Version)
• I Would Die 4 U (7″ single edit)
• I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)
• Baby I’m A Star (7″ B-side edit)
• Take Me With U (7″ single edit)

DVD: Prince And The Revolution, Live at the Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, March 30, 1985

Prince & The Revolution – Live

• Let’s Go Crazy
• Delirious
• 1999
• Little Red Corvette
• Take Me With U
• Do Me, Baby
• Irresistible Bitch
• Possessed
• How Come U Don’t Call Me Anymore?
• Let’s Pretend We’re Married
• International Lover
• God
• Computer Blue
• Darling Nikki
• The Beautiful Ones
• When Doves Cry
• I Would Die 4 U
• Baby I’m A Star
• Purple Rain