Crystal Ball

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Crystal Ball

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 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

Crystal Ball is the first track on the first disc of Prince’s 20th album Crystal Ball (his fourth using the name ). In 2020, an edit of the track was released as the fifteenth track of Vault Tracks part 1, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks included with the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition. The album is not clearly divided between Prince tracks and tracks, but the liner notes' discussion of this track discuss "Prince" making this track, and says "all other noises are made by Prince", so it is credited to Prince in this entry. Basic tracking took place on 17 April 1986 at Galpin Blvd Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota (two days after band overdubs on Witness 4 The Prosecution and the recording of Visions, both without Prince, and three days before recording Starfish And Coffee). Although this track was not included on a late April 1986 configuration of the aborted album Dream Factory, a full length version without Clare Fischer’s contribution was included on the 3 June 1986 configuration and again on the 18 July 1986 configuration, now omitting a minute and a half of the intro that was obsolete as in this incarnation without orchestration it was only a beat of the left channel. In late November 1986, Prince began to compile the Crystal Ball triple LP (completely separate from the 1998 release of the same name), and Crystal Ball was included as the first track on the third side of the album in its 30 November 1986 configuration. This was the version with the Clare Fischer orchestration added, but edited down by a minute from the previous version. In the days preceding the release of Emancipation in 1996, thedawn.com teased the next release, Crystal Ball as a 3CD set of previously-unreleased material, so it was assumed immediately that Crystal Ball would be included. The version featured on 1998 Crystal Ball is identical to the version that was to be on the Crystal Ball 3-LP release from 1986. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 17 April 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Tracking, mix June 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Overdubs, mix, edits 5 August 1986 Ocean Way Recording, Hollywood, CA, USA Orchestral overdubs by Clare Fischer’s orchestra 7 August 1986 (estimate) Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Orchestral, mix, editing August 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Editing, Mix for 7" version Recording Personnel Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Susannah Melvoin - background vocals Clare Fischer - Orchestral arrangements Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Crystal Ball 10:28 Crystal Ball Studio Crystal Ball (7″ Mix) 3:29 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Studio Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in... Title Length Released Version Additional info The Future 4:07 Batman Studio String sample; See The Future for more details Push 5:52 Diamonds And Pearls Studio (likely) String sample; See Push for more details Intermission n/a n/a Studio String sample; See Intermission for more details. There have been no audio-only releases of this track. Unreleased Versions Title Version Additional Info Crystal Ball Studio Original full length version without Clare Fischer orchestra, as placed on the 3 June 1986 configuration of Dream Factory Crystal Ball Studio Version with a minute and a half of intro missing, still without Clare Fischer orchestra, as placed on the 18 July 1986 configuration of Dream Factory Crystal Ball Studio Full length version with Clare Fischer orchestra.

Additional Information See also Trivia Crystal Ball album Crystal Ball unreleased album Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition album 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)

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