Violet Blue initially listed as 11 Minutes, is the third track on Jill Jones’s first and only Paisley Park Records album Jill Jones. Although Jill Jones was credited as the writer, the song was written solely by Prince and is registered at the Library of Congress as having been written by Joey Coco.
Basic tracking took place on 11 October 1986 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, on the same day as It Be’s Like That Sometimes, which uses the same basic beat and tempo. More work was done on the track the following days with Jill recording her vocal overdub on the 12th, horns on the 13th and Sheilas E. recording a lead vocal for it, too, on the 14th.
In late 1993, the song was tried out during early sessions for Mayte’s first album at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and was included as the seventh track on an early version of the album, which was titled Latino Barbie Doll at the time. The track was removed when the album evolved into Child Of The Sun, however.
|
|
Recording Information
|
Recording Sessions
|
Date
|
Studio
|
Additional info
|
11 October 1986
|
Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
|
Tracking,
|
12 October 1986
|
Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
|
Jill Jones vocals, possibly sax overdubs
|
13 October 1986
|
Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
|
mixing, horn overdubs
|
14 October 1986
|
Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
|
mixing, possibly tracking Sheila E. lead vocal
|
24 October 1986
|
Monterey Sound Studios, Glendale, CA, USA (assumed)
|
Orchestra recording by Clare Fischer
|
1993
|
Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
|
Mayte version
|
Recording Personnel
|
Jill Jones version
- Orchestral Players:
- James Arkatovz, Fred Seykora, Mary Louise Zeyen, Raphael Kramer - cello
- Brent Fischer - percussion
- Margot MacLaine, Marilyn Baker, Jorge Moraga, Myra Kestenbaum, Virginia Majewski - viola
- Betty Moor, Bill Hybel, Francine Walsh, Ron Clark, Davida Johnson, Diane Brodick, Harry Scorzo, Irving Geller, Joseph Schoenburn, Karen Jones,Norma Leonard, Pamela Gates Henderson, Teruko Schoenbaum, Thelma Beach, William Henderson, Yoko Matsuda - violin
- David Edwards, Dick Mitchell, Gene Cipriano, John Lowe, Gary Gray, Joseph Soldo, John Mitchell - woodwind
- Frank Marocco - accordion
- David Stone, Robert Stone - double bass
- Brian O’Connor, David Duke, George Hyde, Todd Miller - French horn
- Morris Repass - baritone horns
- Darlene Koldenhoven - soprano vocals
- Norman Pearsons, John Thomas Johnson - tuba
Unreleased Mayte version
- Mayte - vocals
- Prince - all instruments, except where noted (uncredited)
- Eric Leeds - saxophone (uncredited)
- Atlanta Bliss - trumpet (uncredited)
- Other recording personnel (if any) not known
|
|
Versions
|
Released Versions
|
Title
|
Length
|
Released
|
Version
|
Additional info
|
Violet Blue
|
4:24
|
Jill Jones
|
Studio
|
|
|
Unreleased Versions
|
Title
|
Version
|
Additional Info
|
Violet Blue
|
Studio
|
Sheila E.’s 1986 recording
|
Violet Blue
|
Studio
|
Mayte’s 1993 recording
|
|
|