I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

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I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Sott.jpg
from the album
Sign O’ The Times

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition
from the album
Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition
Icouldnevertaketheplaceofyourman single.jpg
single art for
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
Song details
Performer: Prince
First Released: 30 March 1987 - Sign O’ The Times album
16 July 2020 - '’streaming & download platforms (1979 Version)
Album(s): Sign O’ The Times

The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
Ultimate
4Ever
Sign O’ The Times Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition

Writer(s): Prince
Producer(s): Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man is the fourth track on the second disc of Prince’s ninth album Sign O’ The Times, and, seven months after the album’s release, I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man was released as the album’s fourth single.

A live version was also included in the concert movie Sign O’ The Times.

In 1993, the single edit was included as the tenth track on Prince’s first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides).

Basic tracking took place on 23 May 1979, at Hollywood Sound Recorders in Los Angeles, California, during sessions which focused on overdubs and mixing the Prince album. On 3 June 1986 the track was taken out of the vault and reviewed, for possible use on the Dream Factory album Prince was compiling. The song was then re-recorded from scratch on 16 July 1986 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, and was included as the the tenth track on the 18 July 1986 configuration of Dream Factory.

When the album developed into the triple-album Crystal Ball, the song was included as the seventh and final track on the second disc on the 30 November 1986 configuration, which was eventually pared down and became Sign O’ The Times.

The original 1979 Version was released in September 2020 as the first track of Vault Tracks part 1, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks included with the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition. It was released as a preview for the album on 16 July 2020 (on the 34th anniversary of the re-recording), along with a photo of Prince’s original handwritten lyrics, written on a 12" record sleeve.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
23 May 1979 Hollywood Sound Recorders - Studio A,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
Tracking, mix
16 July 1986 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Tracking, overdubs, mix, including instrumental (Version 2)
Recording Personnel
  • Prince - all vocals and instruments (on both versions)

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 6:31 Sign O’ The Times

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man single
Nothing Compares 2 Him promotional album

Studio
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 6:31 Sign O’ The Times Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition Studio Remastered in 2020
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Edit) 3:39 I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man single

The Crown Jewels promotional album
The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
Ultimate
4Ever

Edit
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Fade) 3:39 Sign O’ The Times Deluxe Edition and Super Deluxe Edition

Sign O’ The Times - The Singles‎

Studio Remastered in 2020
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (1979 Version) 3:12 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Studio
Take The "A" Train / Pacemaker / I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man* 10:16 Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Live 20 June 1987: Stadion de Galgenwaard, Utrecht, The Netherlands
* Take The "A" Train / Pacemaker incorrectly listed. Take The "A" Train is not in the song and Pacemaker is at the end of the song, not in the intro
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 3:57 Sign O’ The Times DVD Live promo video See I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man video for details
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 8:27 Sign O’ The Times VHS/DVD Live See Sign O’ The Times for details
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 6:37 NPG Music Club Edition # 4 .mov download Live 8 December 2000, San Jose State University - Event Center Arena, San Jose, CA, USA; includes interpolation of Summertime (uncredited)
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man T.B.C. Sign O’ The Times ‘‘Super Deluxe Edition’’ DVD Live 31 December 1987: Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Eye.png Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 3:37 Love4OneAnother.com Real Audio stream Live 28 December 1998, Flanders Expo, Ghent, Belgium
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man T.B.C. The Art Of Musicology performance broadcast Live 20 April 2004, Webster Hall, New York, NY, USA
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 7:56 3rd Eye Girl YouTube Stream Live 25 September 2012, United Center, Chicago, IL, USA
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man 5:42 3rd Eye Girl YouTube Stream Live 25 May 2014, Ziggo Dome, Amsterdam, the Netherlands
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man Studio 1986 version for Dream Factory, slightly longer than released version
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (Instrumental) Studio 1986 version instrumental mix
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • The 1986 re-recording of this song uses the LinnDrum, the successor of the Linn LM-1 usually used by Prince.
  • The released mix of the May 1979 version was done by Niko Bolas specifically for the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition release. It was made to replicate an original mix from 1979, 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.
  • Prince’s handwritten lyrics, posted on the official Prince social media channels on 16 July 2020:
Icouldnevertaketheplaceofyourman lyrics.jpg

References
I Can’t Love U Anymore   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   I Don’t Wanna Leave You