Pain

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Pain

from the album Living Single from the album Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition single art for Pain Song details Performer: Rosie Gaines; Chaka Khan; Prince (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation) First Released: 30 September 1997 - Living Single album Album(s): Living Single Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition Writer(s): Prince and D. Channsin Berry (incorrectly credited as N. Channison Berry) Producer(s): Prince; David Gamson Live Appearances First and last live appearance: This track is not believed to have been performed live by Prince Performed regularly on tour: none Performed occasionally in shows: none

Pain by Chaka Khan is the fifth track on Living Single, the soundtrack album to the Fox TV series Living Single. A preliminary version of the song titled Joy And Pain was written by D. Channsin Berry, for a future Rosie Gaines album. When Rosie Gaines joined Prince’s band and work on her Paisley Park Records album commenced, she showed Prince the song. He decided to record it and reworked the lyrics, changing it to Pain. The song was registered twice at the Ascap : as Pain (Non-rap version), credited to Prince and D. Channsin Berry and as Pain (Rap version) credited to Prince, D. Channsin Berry and Monie Love (for unknown reason, the song was registered at the Library Of Congress in April 1993 as being written by Prince, Rosie Gaines and Monie Love). Prince’s take on the track was recorded on 6 July 1990 at Metropolis Studios in London, England (on the same day as My Tender Heart and Streetwalker). Its copyright at ASCAP seems to suggest Monie Love recorded a rap on it, likely in 1991 or 1992, when she was contacted by Prince to work on Carmen Electra’s album. Even when it was potentially considered for Rosie Gaines, Prince recorded his own lead vocal on it as well. Pain was included as the fifth track on the 16 September 1993 configuration of Rosie Gaines’ Concrete Jungle, but was removed for later configurations. It was also included as the b-side on a planned single of My Tender Heart, where the writer’s credit was shared with Monie Love. Prince’s and Gaines’s versions both contain lyrics (on the break before the bridge) that were not kept for Chaka Khan’s version. Specific recording dates for Chaka Khan’s version are not known, but the track, produced by David Gamson, was recorded between 1993 and 1995 at Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, California, for inclusion on her planned tenth album Dare You To Love Me, which was postponed and finally canceled. Khan’s version of the track features Me’Shell Ndegéocello on bass guitar (who worked with on two instrumentals - one of which was later re-recorded as Emale), and renowned saxophonist Joshua Redman. In 2016, the day following Prince’s passing, his version was streamed on Rosie Gaines’s Facebook account. Rosie Gaines’ version was released a few weeks later as a stand-alone track through Amazon, iTunes and CD-Baby. In 2023 Prince’s version was released in October 2023 as the third track of Vault Tracks part 1, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks included with the Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 6 July 1990 Metropolis Studios, London, England Tracking (Rosie Gaines version) July 1990 (assumed) Metropolis Studios, London, England (or other London studio) overdubs 7 January 1992 Record Plant, Los Angeles, CA, USA Mix of Prince vocal version 1991-1992 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed) overdubs with Monie Love rap Late 1992 - early 1993 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA Trumpet overdubs by Atlanta Bliss 1993-1995 (assumed) Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA, USA Chaka Khan re-recording (no Prince input) Recording Personnel Chaka Khan version Chaka Khan - vocals Ndugu Chancler - drums David Gamson - drum programming and keyboard Me’Shell Ndegéocello - bass guitar Ernest Hamilton - acoustic bass guitar Wah Wah Watson - guitar Fred Gonzales Pena - fender rhodes and piano Luis Conte - percussion Joshua Redman - saxophone Rosie Gaines version Rosie Gaines - lead vocals, keyboards Prince - all instruments, except where noted (assumed) Michael B. - drums Levi Seacer, Jr. - bass Dr. Fink - keyboards Atlanta Bliss – trumpet Prince version Prince - lead vocals and all instruments, except where noted (assumed) Rosie Gaines - vocals, keyboards Michael B. - drums Levi Seacer, Jr. - bass Dr. Fink - keyboards Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Pain 5:24 Living Single soundtrack Studio Chaka Khan version Pain 5:37 Pain single Studio Rosie Gaines version Pain 5:57 Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition Studio Prince version; recorded June 1990 Broadcasts/streaming (only) Title Length Released Version Additional info Pain 3:28 Streamed on Rosie Gaines’s Facebook account Studio Edit of Prince’s version Unreleased Versions Title Version Additional Info Pain (Rap version) Studio as the title suggests, this version may contain additional rap lyrics written by Monie Love

Additional Information See also Trivia Living Single album Pain single My Tender Heart unreleased single Rosie Gaines Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Edition Artwork posted with the 2016 stream of Prince’s version: References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) Copyright(s): ASCAP Work ID: 460525477 / ISWC: T9098353334 ASCAP Work ID: 460525495 / ISWC: T3083209596 Library Of Congress - Registration Number: PAu001731963 / Date: 1993-04-05

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