Crucial

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Crucial

from the album Crystal Ball from the album Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Song details Performer: Prince First Released: 29 January 1998 - Crystal Ball album Album(s): Crystal Ball Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe 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” 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. 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). The title is mentioned in an early 1987 draft of what would become Graffiti Bridge. It is believed that the version used for release on Crystal Ball was edited in 1997, although this has not been confirmed. The original lyrics version (with the later Clare Fischer arrangement) was released on Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe in September 2020. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 13 September 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA Basic tracking 15 September 1986 Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA vocal overdubs with largely new lyrics 8 & 9 November 1986 Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA Saxophone overdubs by Eric Leeds January 1987 Mad Hatter Studios Los Angeles, CA, USA Orchestra overdubs by Clare Fischer Recording Personnel Prince - all vocals and instruments 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 (Alternate Lyrics Version) 6:14 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe 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 album Crystal Ball album Crystal Ball unreleased album The Dawn musical The released mix of the Alternate Lyrics version was done by Nick Bolas specifically for the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe release. It was made to replicate the original mix from the time the song was initially tracked, as much as possible. So even when a slightly different mix of this track might exist, the now released version is not considered a true alternate mix of the track. References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004)

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