Difference between revisions of "Christopher Tracy’s Parade"

• 3 March 1986: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota
  
• 9 September 1986: Yokohama Stadium (横浜スタジアム), Yokohama, Japan

• Parade Tour

• 1986

Christopher Tracy’s Parade (a.k.a. Wendy’s Parade) is the first track on Prince’s eighth album Parade, the third to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. The track is also played in Prince’s second feature film, Under The Cherry Moon, and is named after his character in the movie, Christopher Tracy.

Basic tracking (as Wendy’s Parade) took place on 17 April 1985 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, with Prince recording the drum track in sequence of Wendy’s Parade, New Position, I Wonder U and Under The Cherry Moon, all in one take. He then layered other instruments over all four tracks.

The song was named after Revolution guitarist Wendy Melvoin.

Recording dates for the revised vocals of Christopher Tracy’s Parade are not known, although it is likely these were recorded in Summer 1985. Clare Fischer arranged and recorded orchestration for the song at some point in mid-late 1985 at Monterey Sound Studios in Glendale, California. Prince’s father, John L. Nelson, receives co-writing credit, although his input is uncertain.

Of note is that the title and lyrics of the track were changed to match Prince’s character in the Under The Cherry Moon movie. The original lyrics referenced Little girl Wendy’s guitar -- which rhymes with evil car in the next line. In the released version this line is replaced by Christopher Tracy’s piano, which doesn’t rhyme.

Also, the album version of Kiss contains Prince saying the phrase "Little girl Wendy’s parade" to introduce a guitar solo (actually played by Prince himself).

• Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
• Lisa Coleman - background vocals
• Wendy Melvoin - background vocals
• Susannah Melvoin - background vocals

Orchestral Players:

• Violins - Isabelle Daskoff, Francine Walsh, Mari Botnik, Pam Gates, Janice Gower, Karen Jones, Betty Moor, Irma Neumann, Assa Drori, Bill Hymanson, Oscar Chasow, Ron Clark, Henry Ferber, Erne Granat, Ed Green, Bill Hybel, Reggie Hill, Pat Johnson, Don Palmer, Sheldon Sanov, Joe Schonbrun, Terry Schonbrun and Harold Wolf
• Violas - Pam Goldsmith, Margot Maclaine, Carol Mukagawa, Myer Bello, Alan Deverich, Norman Forrest, Alan Harshman, Jorge Moraga and David Stock
• Cellos - Jim Arkatoff, Ray Kelley, Ray Kramer and Fred Seykora
• Basses - Chuck Dominico and Arni Egilsson.
• Woodwinds - Gene Cipriano, Don Ashworth, John Clarke, Dave Edwards, Gary Foster, Jim Kanter, John Lowe, Dick Mitchell, Jack Nimitz, Joe Soldo and Bob Tricarico
• Trumpets - Ray Brown, Rich Cooper, Bob Findley, Larry Ford, Bob O’Donnell and Al Vizutti
• Trombones - Garnett Brown, Charles Loper, Morris Repass and Bill Watrous
• French Horns - Marni Johnson, David Duke, Joe Myer, Brian O’Connor, Calvin Smith and Jim Thatcher
• Tuba - Tommy Johnson
• Tympani and percussion - Brent Fischer

• Parade album
• Under The Cherry Moon movie

• The {Bizarre!} sample used in this song is originally from 'Our Bizarre Relationship' by Frank Zappa (from Uncle Meat 1969). It was one of the preset samples in the Fairlight CMI sample-synthesizer and Prince took it from there. It was utilized in quite a few songs recorded between 1985 and 1987: All My Dreams, Bob George, Christopher Tracy’s Parade, Lovesexy, and Madhouse songs Nine and 6 (The End Of The World Mix) all contain this sample.

• The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)
• Prince and the Parade/Sign O’ The Times Era Studio Sessions 1985 and 1986, Duane Tudahl (2021)