Crucial

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Crucial

from the album Crystal Ball from the album Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Song details Performer: Prince First Released: 29 January 1998 - Crystal Ball album Album(s): Crystal Ball Anthology: 1995-2010 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Writer(s): Prince Producer(s): Prince 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

Crucial is the fifth track on the second disc of Prince’s 20th album Crystal Ball (his fourth using the name ). The album is not clearly divided between Prince tracks and tracks, but the liner notes' discussion of this track state “All instruments and vocals by Prince”. The original lyrics version (with the later Clare Fischer arrangement) was released as the tenth track of Vault Tracks part 2, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks included with the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition in September 2020. Basic tracking took place on 13 September 1986 at Prince’s Galpin Blvd Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota (four days after the end of the Parade Tour in Japan, the day before recording The Cocoa Boys). Two days later Prince worked further on the song recording almost completely new lyrics for it. Eric Leeds added a saxophone part on 8 November 1986, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, at Prince’s request, but when Prince heard it, he let Leeds know that the main saxophone solo was in place of the guitar solo, so the saxophone solo was discarded. Leeds then recorded a different sax part the next day. Along with When The Dawn Of The Morning Comes and The Cocoa Boys, the song was written specifically for the planned musical The Dawn. Other songs recorded earlier (Heaven, God Is Everywhere, Others Here With Us and All My Dreams) were also considered for the film, but the project was ultimately abandoned, and the song was never intended for any of Prince’s many late-1986 album projects (although the album notes in Crystal Ball state that it was intended for Sign O’ The Times and was replaced by Adore). The title is mentioned in an early 1987 draft of what would become Graffiti Bridge. The song (with its original lyrics) was also mentioned in the movie script from October 1987. It was not included on any known configuration of the Graffiti Bridge album. It is believed that the version used for release on Crystal Ball was edited in 1997, although this has not been confirmed. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 13 September 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Tracking, overdubs, vocals, mix 15 September 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Vocal overdubs (new lyrics), mix 17 September 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Edit, mix 8 & 9 November 1986 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA Saxophone overdubs (Eric Leeds) (8th) & saxophone overdubs, mix (9th) 12 January 1987 Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles, CA, USA Orchestra overdubs by Clare Fischer January 1987 (assumed) Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA (assumed) Orchestra mix Recording Personnel Prince - all vocals and instruments Crucial (Alternate lyrics) Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Clare Fischer - Orchestral arrangements (uncertain) 1986 Unreleased version Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Eric Leeds - saxophone 1987 Unreleased version Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Clare Fischer - orchestration Eric Leeds - saxophone (assumed) Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Crucial 5:05 Crystal Ball Studio Crucial 5:08 Anthology: 1995-2010 Studio / edit Fade-out Crucial (Alternate Lyrics Version) 6:14 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Studio Unreleased Versions Title Version Additional Info Crucial Original version before saxophone and guitar solo overdubs Crucial Studio Longer recording with some vocal and musical mixing differences, and lengthy saxophone solo by Eric Leeds Crucial Studio Longer recording with some vocal and musical mixing differences, and lengthy guitar solo Crucial Studio Version with Clare Fischer Orchestra overdubs (possibly the same as above)

Additional Information See also Trivia Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition album Crystal Ball album Crystal Ball unreleased album The Dawn musical The released mix of the Alternate Lyrics version was done by Niko Bolas specifically for the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition release. References 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) Prince Graffiti Bridge Script with Handwritten Notes Auction

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