Pop Life

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Pop Life

from the album Around The World In A Day single art for Pop Life Song details Performer: Prince and the Revolution First Released: 22 April 1985 - Around The World In A Day Album(s): Around The World In A Day The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides Ultimate 4Ever Writer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution) Producer(s): Prince (credited to Prince and the Revolution) Live Appearances First and last live appearance: 3 March 1986: First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota 14 April 2016 (Show 1): Fox Theatre, Atlanta, GA, USA Performed regularly on tour: Parade Tour One Nite Alone... Tour (European and Japanese legs only) Welcome 2 America Euro 2011 Tour Welcome 2 Canada Tour Welcome 2 Australia Tour Performed occasionally in shows: 1986, 1988, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2004, 2007, 2011, 2012, 2013 (during sampler set only), 2014 (during sampler set only) , 2015 (during sampler set), 2016 (solo piano)

Pop Life is the seventh track on Prince’s seventh album Around The World In A Day, the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution, and three months after the album’s release, Pop Life was released as the album’s third single (second in North America). In 1993, it was also included as the second track on Prince’s first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides). In 2006, Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) was included as the fourth track on the second disc of the compilation album Ultimate. Basic tracking took place on 19 February 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California (after completing overdubs on Another Lonely Christmas). The recording session lasted until around 6:15 a.m. the following morning, 20 February 1984. Sheila E.’s remix of the track was mixed on 22 and 23 June 1985, most likely also at Sunset Sound. In 1994, Kirk Johnson remixed the track at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and the remix, while unreleased, was partially included in the Kirk J’s B Sides Remix medley. Rumors have suggested incorrectly that the booing crowd sampled in the song is from Prince’s infamous opening act for the Rolling Stones, from October 1981. The samples actually come from a Jac Holzman’s 1964 sound effects album titled Authentic Sound Effects Volume 4 (namely “Prize Fight, Large Arena” and “Barroom Brawl”). During a Love4oneanother.com “? of the week” in 1999, a fan asked what the significance of “the interspersion of (what sounds like) a boxing match”, saying they have wondered about this for years, to which Prince replied, “Good ? - Me 2 :)” Pop Life is the earliest track to be released with two different versions on 12" releases (albeit in different territories): The US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand received Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (remixed by Sheila E.), while the UK, received Pop Life (Extended Version), which was Prince’s own original version. Like A Love Bizarre, the Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), remixed by Sheila E., contains an interpolation of Frère Jacques. Recording Information Recording Sessions Date Studio Additional info 19 & 20 February 1984 Sunset Sound - Studio 2, Hollywood, CA, USA Tracking (19th); Overdubs, including string overdubs (20th) 25 May 1985 Sunset Sound - Studio 3, Hollywood, CA, USA Edits 22 & 23 June 1985 Sunset Sound - Studio 3, Hollywood, CA, USA Remix by Sheila E. (22th); overdubs, edits (23rd) 1994 Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA Remix by Kirk Johnson Recording Personnel Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted Sheila E. - drums (and uncredited additional vocals on the Fresh Dance Mix) Brown Mark - bass guitar and background vocals Lisa Coleman - keyboards and background vocals Wendy Melvoin - guitars and background vocals Dr. Fink - keyboards Jonathan Melvoin - tamborine Orchestral Players Violins - Sid Page and Marcy Dicterow-Vaj Violas - Denyse Buffum and Laury Woods Stand-up bass - Tim Barr and Annette Atkinson Versions Released Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Pop Life 3:42 Around The World In A Day Pop Life single The Hits 1 The Hits / The B-Sides My Name Was Prince promotional album 4Ever Studio Pop Life (Extended Version) 9:07 Pop Life single His Majesty’s Pop Life Extended version Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) 6:16 Pop Life single Ultimate Remix Remix by Sheila E. Pop Life 1:38 NPG Ahdio Show # 2 mp3 (not available as a separate track) Live excerpt Recorded in late 2000 (exact date and location unknown) Pop Life 4:03 Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas promo Live 15 December 2002, Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, NV, USA Video Versions Title Length Released Version Additional info Pop Life T.B.C. Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas DVD Live 15 December 2002, Aladdin Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, USA Broadcasts/streaming (only) Title Length Released Version Additional info Pop Life T.B.C. Live concert TV broadcast Live 7 June 1986, Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI, USA Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in... Title Length Released Version Additional info Kirk J’s B Sides Remix 7:00 Purple Medley single Studio medley See Kirk J’s B Sides Remix for more details Unreleased Versions Title Version Additional Info Pop Life Studio 19 February 1984 recording before overdubs Pop Life Studio 19 February 1984 after band overdubs, before string overdubs Pop Life Studio Different mix/edit Pop Life Remix Remix by Kirk Johnson heard in part on Kirk J’s B Sides Remix

Additional Information See also Trivia Around The World In A Day album Pop Life single References The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince (2004) Prince and the Purple Rain Era Studio Sessions 1983 and 1984 (Expanded Edition, paperback), Duane Tudahl (2018) Prince and the Parade/Sign O’ The Times Era Studio Sessions 1985 and 1986, Duane Tudahl (2021) PrinceOnlineMuseum.com

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