Crucial

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Crucial

from the album Crystal Ball Song details Performer: Prince First Released: 29 January 1998 - Crystal Ball album Album(s): Crystal Ball 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, except for a short lyrical interpolation in Adore on 25 October 2003: Sydney Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia 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", so it is credited to Prince in this entry. 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 Coco Boys); this version missed the guitar solo. Eric Leeds added a saxophone part on 6 November 1986 (the day after sequencing the Camille album), 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 the place where the guitar solo would be, so the saxophone solo was discarded when Prince recorded the guitar solo in early-to-mid November, at Sunset Sound. The song was written specifically for the planned musical The Dawn, which 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). 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 Basic tracking 6 November 1986 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA Saxophone overdubs by Eric Leeds Early-to-mid November 1986 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA (assumed) Guitar solo overdub January 1987 Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles, CA, USA Orchestra overdubs by Clare Fischer Recording Personnel Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Eric Leeds - saxophone Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Crucial 5:05 Crystal Ball 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 Susannah Melvoin singing lead Crucial Studio Version with Clare Fischer Orchestra overdubs (possibly the same as above)

Additional Information See also Trivia Crystal Ball album The Dawn musical References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)

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