If The Kid Can’t Make You Come is the fifth track on The Time’s third album Ice Cream Castle. If The Kid Can’t Make You Come was written by Prince under the pseudonym Jamie Starr, but was credited on the album to Morris Day. It was co-produced by Morris Day and Prince under the name The Starr Company. Prince plays most instruments on the track.
Basic tracking (initially listed as If The Boy Can’t Make You Come) took place on 16 April 1983 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California (two days after basic tracking of Chili Sauce (as Proposition 17), the day before Chocolate). While reflecting about the song’s history on Facebook in 2014, Jesse Johnson stated: "Morris who is a very, very gifted drummer went in sat down to play "Kid", but he kept speeding up Prince tried it, he kept speeding up too! So we got this brilliant idea, when looking back at it now it’s funny the P and I thought this was a really good resolution. Morris out of the three of us was the only one that had a drink now and again, or let me put it clearer, Morris was the only one that knew how to drink. P & I were real amateurs, honestly ... Prince & I drank a glass of wine or my case a glass of WHINE! (ohh my head the room is spinning, I don’t feel well, etc, etc) will I’m playing the DRUMS on "The Kid" and of course all guitars."
"The Kid" mentioned in the song’s title is a deliberate reference to Prince’s character "The Kid" in the Purple Rain movie, in which The Time appeared as The Kid’s nemesis.
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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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16 April 1983
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Sunset Sound - Studio 2, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Tracking
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17 April 1983
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Sunset Sound - Studio 2, Hollywood, CA, USA
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overdubs
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20 April 1983
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Sunset Sound - Studio 3, Hollywood, CA, USA
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Mixing, overdubs, editing
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Recording Personnel
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- Morris Day - lead vocals
- Prince - vocals and all instruments, except where noted (uncredited)
- Jesse Johnson - drums (uncredited), vocals and guitar
- Jill Jones - background vocals (uncredited)
- Sharon Hughes - dialogue
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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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If The Kid Can’t Make You Come
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7:33
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Ice Cream Castle
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Studio
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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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If The Kid Can’t Make You Come
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Studio
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Before overdubs
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If The Kid Can’t Make You Come
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Studio
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Long version edited for release
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