Strange Relationship is the third track on the second disc of Prince's ninth album Sign O' The Times.
In 2001, a 1987 live version was included as part of NPG Ahdio Show # 4, and the same version was offered as an individual download in 2005.
In 2002, a live version was also included as the sixth track on the second disc of One Nite Alone... Live!, Prince's first live album (along with Muse 2 The Pharaoh, Mellow and The Other Side Of The Pillow from the same show).
A brief solo piano rehearsal of the track was released on the 2018 posthumous album Piano & A Microphone 1983, preceded by Mary Don't You Weep, which also includes some lyrics from Strange Relationship.
Initial tracking is believed to have taken place on 14 March 1983 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman reworked the track heavily in Summer 1985, adding sitar and other overdubs, most likely at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, CA. The sitar sound is not a real sitar, but comes from the Fairlight CMI, a unit Prince did not have at the time, but which was available at Sunset Sound.
This version was included as the seventh track on a late April 1986 configuration of Dream Factory, and as the album expanded, it was included as the sixth track on the first disc on the 3 June 1986 and 18 July 1986 configurations.
When the Revolution disbanded, Prince remixed the song at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, to minimize Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman's involvement. Eric Leeds recorded a saxophone overdub, but Prince removed it from the final mix, which was included as the third track on the 5 November 1986 configuration of the Camille album (to be credited to Camille).
A few weeks later, it was included as the sixth track on the second disc of the triple-album Crystal Ball on the 30 November 1986 configuration, which was eventually pared down and became Sign O' The Times.
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Recording Information
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Recording Sessions
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Date
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Studio
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Additional info
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14 March 1983
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Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Basic tracking
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Late April / early May 1984
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Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse, Eden Prairie, MN, USA
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overdubbing
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Summer 1985
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Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (assumed)
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Sitar overdubs and reworking by Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman
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Late October - early November 1986
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Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Remix minimizing Wendy & Lisa contributions & recording of later discarded saxophone overdub
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Recording Personnel
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Versions
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Released Versions
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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Strange Relationship
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4:04
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Sign O' The Times
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Studio
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Strange Relationship
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2:38
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Piano & A Microphone 1983
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'Rehearsal'
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a.k.a. Strange Relationship (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version)
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Strange Relationship (Live '87)
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4:41
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NPG Music Club .wma download
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Live
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21 March 1987, First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota; edited from full live version
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Strange Relationship
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4:24
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One Nite Alone... Live EP promo
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Live
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11 March 2002, Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, USA; longer version than below; begins with spoken intro from previous song, slightly longer audience noise at end without spoken transition
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Strange Relationship
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4:12
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One Nite Alone... Live!
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Live
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11 March 2002, Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, USA; slightly alternate edit than above
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Strange Relationship (Live In Las Vegas)
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3:52
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Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas promo
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Live
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15 December 2002, Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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Video Versions
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Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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Unreleased Versions
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Title
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Version
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Additional Info
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Strange Relationship
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Studio
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Original 1983 recording
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Strange Relationship
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Studio
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1985 recording with overdubs intended for Dream Factory
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Strange Relationship
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Studio
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1985 mix with saxophone by Eric Leeds (removed for release)
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