I Would Die 4 U is the seventh track on Prince’s sixth album Purple Rain, the first album to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. Five months after the album’s release, I Would Die 4 U was released as the album’s fourth single. The track is also featured in the movie Purple Rain.
In 1993, the track was included as the eighth track on the compilation album The Hits 2 (also included as the second disc of The Hits / The B-Sides).
In 2001, the track was included as the seventh track on the compilation album The Very Best Of Prince.
In 2006, the track was included as the seventh track on the first disc of the compilation album Ultimate.
The song dates back to at least 1982 when it was tried out in soundcheck during a Controversy Tour show (on 15 February 1982 at San Francisco Civic Auditorium, San Francisco, CA, USA). Together with Baby I’m A Star, it was (possibly first) rehearsed with The Revolution on 15 June 1983 at The Warehouse in St. Louis Park, Minnesota. A rehearsal take of the track was then recorded with the band on 21 June 1983 at The Warehouse in St. Louis Park, Minnesota, which remains unreleased.
The song was then cut live on 3 August 1983 at First Avenue in Minneapolis, Minnesota (at the same concert where Baby I’m A Star and Purple Rain were also recorded).
It was included as the seventh track on a tentative 7 November 1983 configuration of the album, and the sixth track on the 23 March 1984 configuration, but became the seventh track on the final 14 April 1984 configuration after some tracklist changes to the album.
A tour rehearsal jam version of the song was recorded on 25 October 1984 for release on the single’s 12". The full take lasted over 30 minutes, but was edited down by two-third before release.
The 12" single version of the track was included as the eleventh track on the first disc of an early configuration of the compilation album Ultimate before the album was reworked for release.
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Recording Information
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Recording Sessions
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Date
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Studio
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Additional info
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1982 (assumed)
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Kiowa Trail Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA or Sunset Sound Hollywood, CA, USA (assumed)
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Tracking (assumed)
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21 June 1983
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The Warehouse, St. Louis Park, MN, USA
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Rehearsal recording
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3 August 1983, First Avenue, Minneapolis, MN, USA
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First Avenue Minneapolis, MN, USA
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Live recording
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31 August 1983-3 September 1983
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Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Overdubs, Mix
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25 October 1984
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Minneapolis Auditorium, Minneapolis, MN,USA
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Rehearsal recording
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Recording Personnel
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Warehouse rehearsal and Purple Rain (album) version
Tour Rehearsal Recording
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Versions
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Released Versions
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Title
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Length
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Released
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Version
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Additional info
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I Would Die 4 U
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2:51
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Purple Rain album
Strange Tales From The Rain promotional album
Nothing Compares 2 Him promotional album
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Live with overdubs
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3 August 1983, First Avenue in Minneapolis, MN, USA; segues (as recorded) with Baby I’m A Star
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I Would Die 4 U
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2:51
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Purple Rain Deluxe Edition and Deluxe Expanded Edition
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Studio
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Remastered 2015
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I Would Die 4 U (Single Version)
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2:57
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I Would Die 4 U single
Prince Sampler promotional album
The Story So Far... promotional album
Sounds O’ The Times promotional album
Love Prince promotional album
The Hits 2 album
The Hits / The B-Sides album
The Very Best Of Prince album
Ultimate album
4Ever album
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Edit
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Slightly alternate ending avoiding segue. a.k.a. 7" Single Edit
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I Would Die 4 U (7" Single Edit)
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2:57
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Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition - Single Edits & B-Sides album
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Edit
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Remastered
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I Would Die 4 U
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2:57
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I Would Die 4 U UK promo single
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Edit
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Fade out ending
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I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)
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10:15
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I Would Die 4 U single
His Majesty’s Pop Life
Erotic City reissue single
Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition - Single Edits & B-Sides
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Rehearsal recording
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with Sheila E. and members of her band. A.k.a 7" Single Extended Version
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I Would Die 4 U (7" Single Extended Version)
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10:15
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I Would Die 4 U single
His Majesty’s Pop Life
Erotic City reissue single
Purple Rain Deluxe Expanded Edition - Single Edits & B-Sides
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Rehearsal recording
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with Sheila E. and members of her band. Remastered
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I Would Die 4 U
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3:27
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Prince And The Revolution: Live
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Live
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30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA
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I Would Die 4 U
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3:26
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Prince And The Revolution: Live (2022 re-release)
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Live
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30 March 1985, Carrier Dome, Syracuse, NY, USA. Remastered
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Video Versions
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Unreleased Versions
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Title
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Version
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Additional Info
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I Would Die 4 U
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Studio
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Possible 1982 studio version (unverified)
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I Would Die 4 U
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Live recording
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3 August 1983, First Avenue version; contains instrumental break edited from release
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I Would Die 4 U (Extended Version)
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Rehearsal recording
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Version edited for release on 12"; features Sheila E. and members of her band
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