Heaven Must Be Near

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Heaven Must Be Near

May191992 album.jpg
from the album Ingrid Chavez
Heavenmustbenear single.jpg
promo single art for Heaven Must Be Near
Song details
Performer: Ingrid Chavez
First Released: 24 September 1991 - Ingrid Chavez album
Album(s): Ingrid Chavez (also known as May 19, 1992)
Writer(s): Ingrid Chavez (lyrics), Prince (as Paisley Park) and Levi Seacer, Jr. (music)
Producer(s): Prince (as Paisley Park)
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

Heaven Must Be Near is the first track on Ingrid Chavez’s eponymous album, and, a few months after the album’s release, Heaven Must Be Near was available as a promo-only single (following the album’s two commercially-released singles), containing several remixes.

Although specific recording dates are unknown, Ingrid Chavez’s vocal track was recorded with an improvised keyboard backing by Prince in mid-December 1987, at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (shortly after cancelling the release of “The Black Album”, during the same set of sessions as Reason Enough, Crystal City Cry, Wintersong, Whispering Dandelions, Slappy Dappy, Candle Dance, Elephant Box, Touch Of Love, Blue Boy, Jadestone, Sad Puppet Dance, Standing In The Rain and Cross The Line).

In August 1989, Prince and Levi Seacer, Jr. wrote and recorded new backing music for the track. The track was premiered on The New Power Generation Radio Show, broadcast on Minneapolis radio station KMOJ on 9 December 1989, with the track’s writers Ingrid Chavez, Levi Seacer, Jr. (as "Michael Anthony") and Prince (as "Me, Myself and I") as hosts.

The song includes a repeated phrase of Ingrid Chavez stating "Clap your hands, stomp your feet", sampled from Eye88.png No. It also samples two tracks from the 1976 compilation Out Of This World - Atmospheric Sounds And Effects by the BBC Radiophonic Workshop, Sea Of Mercury credited to Dick Mills and Passing Clouds, credited to Roger Limb, the latter was also used on Eye88.png No, while other effects and sounds from the same album were used on Crystal City Cry and Sad Puppet Dance, and possibly also on Slappy Dappy and Jadestone.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
Mid-December 1987 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
August 1989 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Musical re-recording
Summer 1991 (assumed) Studio information needed Remixes by Dancin’ Danny D and Larry Robinson
Recording Personnel

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Heaven Must Be Near 7:07 Ingrid Chavez Studio
Heaven Must Be Near (Heavenly Club Mix) 7:11 Heaven Must Be Near promo Remix Additional production and remix by Dancin’ Danny D
Heaven Must Be Near (Heavenly Dub) 4:55 Heaven Must Be Near promo Remix Additional production and remix by Dancin’ Danny D
Heaven Must Be Near (Heavenly Mix) 7:09 Heaven Must Be Near promo Remix Additional production and remix by Larry Robinson
Heaven Must Be Near (House Mix) 6:10 Heaven Must Be Near promo Remix Additional production and remix by Larry Robinson
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Heaven Must Be Near 4:42 Promotional release only Studio Uses edit of the track; see Heaven Must Be Near video for details


Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Heaven Must Be Near Studio Original 1987 poetry recording with improvised sound effects and noises by Prince
Heaven Must Be Near (Edit) Edit Intended for Heaven Must Be Near single release
Heaven Must Be Near (Part 2) Edit Intended for Heaven Must Be Near single release
Heaven Must Be Near (Extended Mix) Remix Additional production and remix by Larry Robinson
Heaven Must Be Near (Quiet Storm Mix) Remix Additional production and remix by Larry Robinson
Heaven Must Be Near (The Closest Thing 2 Heaven Mix) Remix Additional production and remix by Larry Robinson
Heaven Must Be Near (Unedited Mix) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (Instrumental version) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (Bass Mix) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (X-Bass Mix) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (Sax Mix) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (Drum Mix) Remix
Heaven Must Be Near (Piano Mix) Remix
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • In the December 1987 version the background piano accompanying contains a bit of the melody of I Wish U Heaven

References
Heaven Is Keeping Score   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Hello