We Can Funk: Difference between revisions

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|performer                = [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] & [[Prince]]; [[Andy Allo]] featuring [[Prince]]; [[Prince and the Revolution|Prince & The Revolution]]  
|performer                = [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] & [[Prince]]; [[Andy Allo]] featuring [[Prince]]; [[Prince and the Revolution|Prince & The Revolution]]  
|first released            = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/August 20|20 August 1990]] - [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] album <br> [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/June 23|23 June 2017]] - [[Album: Purple Rain Deluxe|Purple Rain ''Deluxe Edition'' and ''Deluxe Expanded Edition'']] album  
|first released            = [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/August 20|20 August 1990]] - [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] album <br> [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/June 23|23 June 2017]] - [[Album: Purple Rain Deluxe|Purple Rain ''Deluxe Edition'' and ''Deluxe Expanded Edition'']] album  
|album(s)                  = [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]]<br>
|album(s)                  = [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] (We Can Funk)<br>
[[Album: Oui Can Luv|Oui Can Luv]] <br>
[[Album: Oui Can Luv|Oui Can Luv]] (Oui Can Luv)<br>
[[Album: Purple Rain Deluxe|Purple Rain ''Deluxe Edition'' and ''Deluxe Expanded Edition'']]
[[Album: Purple Rain Deluxe|Purple Rain ''Deluxe Edition'' and ''Deluxe Expanded Edition'']] (We Can Fuck)
|writer(s)                = [[Prince]] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] is credited as co-writer for the [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] version)
|writer(s)                = [[Prince]] ([http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] is credited as co-writer for the [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] version)
|producer(s)              = [[Prince]]
|producer(s)              = [[Prince]]
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While the song emerged from a jam on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/December 30|30 December 1983]] at [[Sunset Sound]] in Hollywood, California, basic tracking for the original version took place on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/December 31|31 December 1983]] and [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/January 1|1 January 1984]] (still at [[Sunset Sound]]), as '''We Can Fuck''' (although listed as "The Dawn" and "Moral Majority" respectively, as the original title was considered 'too raunchy').  
While the song emerged from a jam on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/December 30|30 December 1983]] at [[Sunset Sound]] in Hollywood, California, basic tracking for the original version took place on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/December 31|31 December 1983]] and [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/January 1|1 January 1984]] (still at [[Sunset Sound]]), as '''We Can Fuck''' (although listed as "The Dawn" and "Moral Majority" respectively, as the original title was considered 'too raunchy').  


[[Prince]] would later tone down the title and lyrics of the song, and re-recorded the track on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/June 17|17 June 1986]] at the [[Washington Avenue Warehouse]] in Edina, Minnesota (in sequence after [[Data Bank]] and [[Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got]], the day before recording [[Girl O’ My Dreams]]). These recordings were intended for an aborted musical tentatively titled [[Musical: Dream Factory|Dream Factory]]. This version of '''We Can Funk''' was later sent to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_O’Clock Three O’Clock] for consideration along with [[Neon Telephone]], [[Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got]], [[Girl O’ My Dreams]] and [[Teacher, Teacher]], but the band decided to use only [[Neon Telephone]]. At one point Prince had [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free] fly to Minneapolis to record lead vocals. It is unclear when this took place and to which version the vocals were added.  
[[Prince]] would later tone down the title and lyrics of the song, and re-recorded the track on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/June 17|17 June 1986]] at the [[Washington Avenue Warehouse]] in Edina, Minnesota (in sequence after [[Data Bank]] and [[Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got]], the day before recording [[Girl O’ My Dreams]]). These recordings were intended for an aborted musical tentatively titled [[Musical: Dream Factory|Dream Factory]]. This version of '''We Can Funk''' was later sent to [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Three_O’Clock Three O’Clock] for consideration along with [[Neon Telephone]], [[Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got]], [[Girl O’ My Dreams]] and [[Teacher, Teacher]], but the band decided to use only [[Neon Telephone]]. At one point, Prince invited [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free] to Minneapolis to put his vocals on the song, but it is unclear whether the recording actually took place.  


The 1983 recording was returned to and updated in 1989 at [[Paisley Park Studios]] in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and this updated version, without [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] on vocals, was included as the sixth track on a 1989 configuration of [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] added vocal overdubs in late 1989-1990, also at [[Paisley Park Studios]]. Some musical overdubs with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) Clinton]’s musicians were recorded at [http://www.unitedsounddetroit.com/ United Sound Studio] in Detroit, Michigan, and the final version was included as the seventh track on a 1990 configuration of [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]], where it remained for release.
The 1983 recording was returned to and updated in 1989 at [[Paisley Park Studios]] in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and this updated version, without [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] on vocals, was included as the sixth track on a 1989 configuration of [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]]. [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] added vocal overdubs in late 1989-1990, also at [[Paisley Park Studios]]. Some musical overdubs with [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) Clinton]’s musicians were recorded at [http://www.unitedsounddetroit.com/ United Sound Studio] in Detroit, Michigan, and the final version was included as the seventh track on a 1990 configuration of [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]], where it remained for release.
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|date                      = 1986 (assumed)
|date                      = 1986 (assumed)
|studio                    = Unknown studio (details needed)
|studio                    = Unknown studio (details needed)
|additional info          = Vocal overdubs by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free]
|additional info          = Vocal overdubs by [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free] (uncertain)
}}
}}
{{RecordingLine|
{{RecordingLine|
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*[[Eric Leeds]] - saxophone
*[[Eric Leeds]] - saxophone
*[[Atlanta Bliss]] – trumpet
*[[Atlanta Bliss]] – trumpet
<br>
'''Unreleased 1986 version'''
*same as above (assumed) but with lead vocals by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free]
<br>
<br>
'''Unreleased 1992 version'''
'''Unreleased 1992 version'''
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|1= '''We Can Fuck'''
|1= '''We Can Fuck'''
|2= Studio
|2= Studio
|3= 1986 version with vocal overdubs by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free]
|3= Possible 1986 version with vocal overdubs by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Micki_Free Micki Free]
}}
}}
{{Unreleasedline|
{{Unreleasedline|
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|1= '''We Can Funk'''
|1= '''We Can Funk'''
|2= 1:33
|2= 1:33
|3= [[Film: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] DVD
|3= [[Film:_Graffiti_Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] film
|4= Studio
|4= Studio
|5= Part of the album version but with an edited ending
|5= Part of the album version but with an edited ending. Released on [[Home_Video:_Graffiti_Bridge|VHS and DVD]].
}}
}}
}}
}}
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{{Songchart|
{{Songchart|
|line =
|line =
{{Songline|
|1= '''We Can Funk'''
|2= T.B.C.
|3= Live concert radio broadcast<br>
|4= Live
|5= [[22_July 1990|22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain]]; chorus only
}}
{{Songline|
{{Songline|
|1= '''We Can Funk'''
|1= '''We Can Funk'''
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|3= [[Andy Allo Facebook Streams|Andy Allo Facebook audio stream]]  
|3= [[Andy Allo Facebook Streams|Andy Allo Facebook audio stream]]  
|4= Demo
|4= Demo
|5= clip of full-length recording
|5= Clip of full-length recording
}}
}}
{{Songline|
{{Songline|
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|performed occasionally in = This song is not known to have been performed other than on the [[Nude Tour]] and few 1991 one-off performances.
|performed occasionally in = This song is not known to have been performed other than on the [[Nude Tour]] and few 1991 one-off performances.
|trivia                    = As the original title '''We Can Fuck''' was considered not suitable to put on the work order sheet, engineer Terry Christian initially labeled the song as "The Dawn". When [[Prince]] finished work on the song the next day he retitled it "Moral Majority" on the working order, but that was never the actual title of the song. The 1982 [[Vanity 6]] song with the title [[Moral Majority]], the 1984 song [[The Dawn]] and the 1996 song [[Welcome 2 The Dawn]] don’t have anything to do with '''We Can Funk'''.
|trivia                    = As the original title '''We Can Fuck''' was considered not suitable to put on the work order sheet, engineer Terry Christian initially labeled the song as "The Dawn". When [[Prince]] finished work on the song the next day he retitled it "Moral Majority" on the working order, but that was never the actual title of the song. The 1982 [[Vanity 6]] song with the title [[Moral Majority]], the 1984 song [[The Dawn]] and the 1996 song [[Welcome 2 The Dawn]] don’t have anything to do with '''We Can Funk'''.
* The coda chant 'We be funkin’ over here, and over there ain’t shit' that features on the [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] album recording was adapted from the 1988 song 'Hard' recorded by Well Red, produced by [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Clinton_(musician) George Clinton] and co-written by Clinton, Joseph 'Amp' Fiddler, Richie Stevens and Lorenzo Hall. 
|see also                  = [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] album
|see also                  = [[Album: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] album
* [[Film: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] movie
* [[Film: Graffiti Bridge|Graffiti Bridge]] movie
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|references                = ''[[Book:_The_Vault|The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)]] ''
|references                = ''[[Book:_The_Vault|The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)]] ''
* ''[https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Purple-Rain-Studio-Sessions/dp/1538114623/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition, paperback), Duane Tudahl (2018)]''
* ''[https://www.amazon.com/Prince-Purple-Rain-Studio-Sessions/dp/1538114623/ref=asap_bc?ie=UTF8 Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition, paperback), Duane Tudahl (2018)]''
|categories                = [[Category:1990]][[Category:2017]][[Category:Released Songs (Prince)]][[Category:Songs (Prince)]][[Category:Recorded 1983]][[Category:Recorded 1986]] [[Category:Recorded 1989]]
|categories                = [[Category:1990]][[Category:Recorded 1983]][[Category:Songs (Prince)]][[Category:Songs (Prince and the Revolution)]][[Category:Songs (Associated Artists)]][[Category:Released Songs (Prince)]]
}}
}}

Latest revision as of 08:24, 22 January 2025

We Are America   < < < Non-Prince Songs All Prince Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   We Can (Get It On)
We Can Funk (a.k.a. We Can F**k / Oui Can Luv)

from the album Graffiti Bridge
(as We Can Funk)

from the album Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition
(as We Can F**k)


from the streamed album Oui Can Luv
(as Oui Can Luv)
Song details
Performer: George Clinton & Prince; Andy Allo featuring Prince; Prince & The Revolution
First Released: 20 August 1990 - Graffiti Bridge album
23 June 2017 - Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition album
Album(s): Graffiti Bridge (We Can Funk)

Oui Can Luv (Oui Can Luv)
Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition (We Can Fuck)

Writer(s): Prince (George Clinton is credited as co-writer for the Graffiti Bridge version)
Producer(s): Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:
  • This song is not known to have been performed other than on the Nude Tour and few 1991 one-off performances.

We Can Funk is the seventh track on Prince’s 12th album Graffiti Bridge, and is credited as a duet between George Clinton and Prince. The track is also featured in the movie Graffiti Bridge. In 2015, an acoustic version of the track, with some lyrical changes and renamed Oui Can Luv, was included as the eighth track on the acoustic album Oui Can Luv by Andy Allo featuring Prince on acoustic guitar. The original version titled We Can Fuck was released (as We Can F**k) as the tenth track on the From The Vault & Previously Unreleased disc of the Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition album in June 2017.

While the song emerged from a jam on 30 December 1983 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, basic tracking for the original version took place on 31 December 1983 and 1 January 1984 (still at Sunset Sound), as We Can Fuck (although listed as "The Dawn" and "Moral Majority" respectively, as the original title was considered 'too raunchy').

Prince would later tone down the title and lyrics of the song, and re-recorded the track on 17 June 1986 at the Washington Avenue Warehouse in Edina, Minnesota (in sequence after Data Bank and Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got, the day before recording Girl O’ My Dreams). These recordings were intended for an aborted musical tentatively titled Dream Factory. This version of We Can Funk was later sent to Three O’Clock for consideration along with Neon Telephone, Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got, Girl O’ My Dreams and Teacher, Teacher, but the band decided to use only Neon Telephone. At one point, Prince invited Micki Free to Minneapolis to put his vocals on the song, but it is unclear whether the recording actually took place.

The 1983 recording was returned to and updated in 1989 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and this updated version, without George Clinton on vocals, was included as the sixth track on a 1989 configuration of Graffiti Bridge. George Clinton added vocal overdubs in late 1989-1990, also at Paisley Park Studios. Some musical overdubs with Clinton’s musicians were recorded at United Sound Studio in Detroit, Michigan, and the final version was included as the seventh track on a 1990 configuration of Graffiti Bridge, where it remained for release.

In 1992, George Clinton updated the song with his musicians (with Garry Shider replacing some of Prince’s vocals). This version was included as the second track on a 1992 configuration of Hey Man... Smell My Finger but didn’t make the final cut of the album and remains unreleased.

The track’s lyrics mention the Kama Sutra, considered to be the most important work in a long line of Indian erotic literature, written by the Hindu philosopher Vātsyāyana ( later named the first and only album by The NPG Orchestra Kamasutra). The track contains a synth line (a horn line on the 1986 version) that Prince would later use for Martika’s Kitchen in 1990.

In 2011, a 1:00 video (audio only with a static image) of an acoustic demo of the track recorded by Andy Allo (as Oui Can Luv, with a revised chorus to match) was streamed on her Facebook page, with the tagline "CHECK OUT WHAT EYE FOUND IN PRINCE'S VAULT (Demo recorded in Sacramento on 8/31/11 using ProTools 9 & a Sterling Audio ST69 Mic)", followed a few weeks later by a full-length version of the same track. The track was re-recorded in a similar acoustic version. While specific recording dates for the acoustic re-recording are not known, it is believed to have been recorded in Autumn 2011 to mid-2012 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, during sessions for Andy Allo’s second album Superconductor.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
30 December 1983 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Jam session originating riff, no recording
31 December 1983 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Tracking (as We Can Fuck)
1 January 1984 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Additional recording and mixing
2 January 1984 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Overdubs, vocals and mixing
17 June 1986 Washington Avenue Warehouse,
Edina, MN, USA 		Tracking of new version
18 June 1986 Washington Avenue Warehouse,
Edina, MN, USA 		Mix
1986 (assumed) Unknown studio (details needed) Vocal overdubs by Micki Free (uncertain)
1989-1990 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA 		Additional recording (1983 version, retitled We Can Funk)
1989-1990 United Sound Systems Recording Studios,
Detroit, MI, USA; 		Additional recording by George Clinton and his musicians (no additional input by Prince)
1992 Unknown Additional recording by George Clinton and his musicians (no additional input by Prince)
31 August 2011 Unknown location,
Sacramento, CA, USA 		Acoustic recording, as Oui Can Luv, by Andy Allo and Prince
Autumn 2011 to mid-2012 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA 		Acoustic re-recording, as Oui Can Luv, by Andy Allo and Prince
Recording Personnel

Graffiti Bridge version


Oui Can Luv version


Purple Rain Deluxe (Expanded) Edition version (as We Can F**k)


Unreleased 1986 version


Unreleased 1992 version


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
We Can Funk 5:28 Graffiti Bridge Studio
We Can F**k 10:17 Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition (From The Vault & Previously Unreleased)
 Studio original 1983 recording
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
We Can Funk 1:33 Graffiti Bridge film Studio Part of the album version but with an edited ending. Released on VHS and DVD.
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
We Can Funk T.B.C. Live concert radio broadcast
 Live 22 July 1990, Estadio Vicente Calderón, Madrid, Spain; chorus only
We Can Funk T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 19 January 1991 (a.m.), Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; chorus only
Oui Can Luv 1:00 Andy Allo Facebook audio stream Demo Clip of full-length recording
Oui Can Luv 4:21 Andy Allo Facebook audio stream Demo Full-length recording with some audio problems
Oui Can Luv 4:21 Andy Allo Facebook audio stream Demo Full-length recording with lower levels to eliminate audio problems
Oui Can Luv 4:20 Oui Can Luv Tidal stream Studio Andy Allo featuring Prince
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Soul Psychodelicide Studio Unreleased 1989 track
Shake! (Boom Mix) 5:05 Shake! single Remix Remix by Levi Seacer, Jr.
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
We Can Fuck Studio 1983 preliminary version
We Can Fuck (code named W.C. Fields) Studio 1986 recording
We Can Fuck Studio Possible 1986 version with vocal overdubs by Micki Free
We Can Funk Studio 1989-1990 update of 1983 version with no George Clinton input
We Can Funk Studio Longer 1989-1990 version with slight George Clinton input
We Can Funk Studio 1989-1990 version with significant George Clinton vocal input
We Can Funk Studio Longer version edited for album, with some musical variations
We Can Funk Studio George Clinton 1992 version
 
Additional Information
See also Trivia
  • As the original title We Can Fuck was considered not suitable to put on the work order sheet, engineer Terry Christian initially labeled the song as "The Dawn". When Prince finished work on the song the next day he retitled it "Moral Majority" on the working order, but that was never the actual title of the song. The 1982 Vanity 6 song with the title Moral Majority, the 1984 song The Dawn and the 1996 song Welcome 2 The Dawn don’t have anything to do with We Can Funk.
  • The coda chant 'We be funkin’ over here, and over there ain’t shit' that features on the Graffiti Bridge album recording was adapted from the 1988 song 'Hard' recorded by Well Red, produced by George Clinton and co-written by Clinton, Joseph 'Amp' Fiddler, Richie Stevens and Lorenzo Hall.
References
We Are America   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   We Can (Get It On)
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