Jeff Klopmeyer Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 I always thought the verse melody was a little odd (in a cool way), and now I know why. Originally, he recorded the entire verse as three-part harmony the whole way through, but then when it came time to mix, he wasn't digging it. Instead of throwing out the harmonies, he pulled them out individually to make a whole other melody. And when you listen, it makes perfect sense. High harmony: I was dreaming when I wrote this. Forgive me if it goes astray. Low harmony: But when I woke up this morning, could have sworn it was judgement day. Middle harmony (Prince): The sky was all purple, there were people running everywhere. ALL TOGETHER: Trying to run from the destruction. You know I didn't even care. That's cool. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeebus Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Nice trick! I'm sure it works more effectively on some melodies than others. Obviously, he put it to great use on "1999". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowly Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Originally posted by Jeff Da Weasel: I always thought the verse melody was a little odd (in a cool way), and now I know why. Originally, he recorded the entire verse as three-part harmony the whole way through, but then when it came time to mix, he wasn't digging it. Instead of throwing out the harmonies, he pulled them out individually to make a whole other melody. And when you listen, it makes perfect sense. High harmony: I was dreaming when I wrote this. Forgive me if it goes astray. Low harmony: But when I woke up this morning, could have sworn it was judgement day. Middle harmony (Prince): The sky was all purple, there were people running everywhere. ALL TOGETHER: Trying to run from the destruction. You know I didn't even care. That's cool. - JeffI don't get what you're talking about. When I saw him do it live, some girls did the first line, his guitar palyer did the second, and then Prince. Kcbass "Let It Be!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowly Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Originally posted by Kcbass: Originally posted by Jeff Da Weasel: I always thought the verse melody was a little odd (in a cool way), and now I know why. Originally, he recorded the entire verse as three-part harmony the whole way through, but then when it came time to mix, he wasn't digging it. Instead of throwing out the harmonies, he pulled them out individually to make a whole other melody. And when you listen, it makes perfect sense. High harmony: I was dreaming when I wrote this. Forgive me if it goes astray. Low harmony: But when I woke up this morning, could have sworn it was judgement day. Middle harmony (Prince): The sky was all purple, there were people running everywhere. ALL TOGETHER: Trying to run from the destruction. You know I didn't even care. That's cool. - JeffI don't get what you're talking about. When I saw him do it live, some girls did the first line, his guitar palyer did the second, and then Prince. KcbassP.S. That same guitar player is leading a band in the movie Purple Rain. "Let It Be!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted December 2, 2004 Author Share Posted December 2, 2004 Right. That's how it came out... not how it was recorded or originally intended. Originally, all three of them sang all the parts in harmony. But when Prince was mixing, he took away the parts in their repsective sections so it was a single-part melody for the verses. Make sense? By the way, that guy was Dez Dickerson, and I always thought he was great back then. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Zeger Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Did figure out that deconstructed harmony thing yourself, Jeff? If so, you're smarter than the average weasel. (If not, you're still smarter than the average weasel.) Makes you wonder what some Beach Boys' songs would have been if Brian Wilson tried the same thing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tedster Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 That is cool. Came out like a Sly Stone thang, kinda sorta. "Cisco Kid, was a friend of mine" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spokenward Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 When you think about the "genius" "prodigy" threads of the last few days here - this is a pretty good example of coming to terms with his gift. He had incredible speed and facility and really became creative when he started to parse and reduce. "When Doves Cry" and the missing bass is probably the key to understanding his process in his earlier work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
I I mjrn Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 That's a plausible idea...but it's also perhaps just a case of imitating the multi-lead voice approach of groups like the Temptations & early Parliament, where differnt vocalists would naturally sing in different registers. Anywhat, did you ever notice that the chord progression he used is a direct cop from the Band's song "Chest Fever"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jon Doe Posted December 2, 2004 Share Posted December 2, 2004 Originally posted by Michael Jackson's real nose: Anywhat, did you ever notice that the chord progression he used is a direct cop from the Band's song "Chest Fever"?Troo dat ... No signature required. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowly Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Originally posted by Jeff Da Weasel: Right. That's how it came out... not how it was recorded or originally intended. Originally, all three of them sang all the parts in harmony. But when Prince was mixing, he took away the parts in their repsective sections so it was a single-part melody for the verses. Make sense? By the way, that guy was Dez Dickerson, and I always thought he was great back then. - JeffLima Charlie. Not doubting your sage wisdom, but how do you know this? A radio station here is Seattle used to play a rough mix of Purple Rain. You could clearly here his Purpleness giving the band directions, like " up a third", "back to one",etc. I offered 'em my first son for a copy but they wouldn't part with it. Kcbass "Let It Be!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aliengroover Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 It is a cool thing! I think I read that in the Hits/B-sides liner notes. Oh, and Dez was the man. IIRC, he soloed somewhere on that album. Peace If at first you don't succeed, keep on sucking 'til you do suck seed! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duddits Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Originally posted by Mark Zeger: Did figure out that deconstructed harmony thing yourself, Jeff? That would be impossible since if nothing were known about how Prince arrived at this through "subtractive mixing," you'd have to assume that he composed it the usual way, and simply decided to begin the different lines at the fifth,the third, and the root. Cool story from the weasel! Dooby Dooby Doo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Klopmeyer Posted December 3, 2004 Author Share Posted December 3, 2004 Yeah... no, I couldn't have figured it out myself. I always was intrigued by the skipping around of the melodic line, and when I recently read Prince talk about how this was done, I just nodded my head. It all makes sense. I've often "overrecorded", then pared down during a mix. Rarely, though, have I used sections of parts... I either use 'em all or discard them entirely. Of course, I'm not Prince. - Jeff Marketing Communications for MI/Pro Audio My solo music and stuff They Stole My Crayon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theblue1 Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 Happy accidents. bookmark these: news.google.com | m-w dictionary | wikipedia encyclopedia | Columbia Encyclopedia TK Major / one blue nine | myspace.com/onebluenine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joe Cole Posted December 3, 2004 Share Posted December 3, 2004 BTW, has anyone else ever heard PM Dawn's cover of 1999? It is part of a suite on their "Jesus Wept" cd (which is great and overlooked) called Fantasia's Confidential Ghetto. They do Prince's 1999, Talking Heads' Once In A Lifetime and that song "you take the Lime and the Coconut". The version of 1999 is acoustic guita and piano, and played downtempo. Very good... There is no substitute. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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