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Fortune Teller is the second track on 94 East’s third collection of previously-unreleased studio recordings 94 East (full title 94 East Featuring 10:15 & Fortune Teller Remix With Prince On Guitar), featuring Prince on guitar. The track was written by Hank Cosby and Audrey Grossman, and produced by Pepé Willie and Hank Cosby.
Basic tracking as Be My Fortune Teller took place in March 1977 at Sound 80, Minneapolis, Minnesota (during the same set of sessions as re-recordings of Soft And Wet, Love Is Forever (later renamed My Love Is Forever), Baby, Jelly Jam (which was later used as the instrumental portion of Just As Long As We’re Together), Make It Through The Storm, and recordings of Just As Long As We’re Together and 10:15 as I Just Wanna Be). Additional recording sessions took place shortly thereafter in New York, where Colonel Abrams recorded his vocal parts. Buddy Williams was called upon to lay down the new drum track as Hank Cosby was not fully satisfied with Bobby Z.’s drumming on the initial version.
Be My Fortune Teller was intended for a single by 94 East for Polydor Records (with I Just Wanna Be as its b-side). Although a test pressing was produced in July 1977, the release was ultimately shelved following Hank Cosby’s termination of contract with Polydor. This version of Be My Fortune Teller with Colonel Abrams on lead vocals remains unreleased.
In 1978, the song resurfaced in a re-recorded version - this time without any involvement from Prince - and was issued as a single (as Be My Fortune Teller) by the group SofTouch. The track was also included as the fourth song on their self-titled album released that same year.
Pepé Willie later re-recorded parts of the song and recorded overdubs onto the track, but recording details are not known. This version was released in 2003 as Fortune Teller.
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