Melody Cool

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Melody Cool

Graffitibridge.jpg
from the album Graffiti Bridge
Thevoice album.jpg
from the album The Voice
Melodycool single.jpg

single art for Melody Cool

Song details
Performer: Mavis Staples
First Released: 20 August 1990 - Graffiti Bridge album
Album(s): Graffiti Bridge

The Voice

Writer(s): Prince
Producer(s): Prince
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

Melody Cool is the 14th track on Prince’s twelfth album Graffiti Bridge (the first and only track on the album to be credited to Mavis Staples), and, around a month after the album’s release, Melody Cool was released as the album’s third single (the only single from the album credited to Mavis Staples). The extended version of the track was also included on the European CD single of New Power Generation by Prince, the album’s fourth single. The track is also featured in the movie Graffiti Bridge. In 1993, it was also included in a slightly different mix as the seventh track on Mavis Staples' second Paisley Park Records album The Voice (included as the twelfth track on the 1995 NPG Records re-release).

Basic tracking on 9 July 1987 during Prince’s first recording sessions at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (on the same day as No Changes, two days before Graffiti Bridge and basic tracking of version 2 of Big Tall Wall and around the time of a re-recording of If I Love You Tonight, now titled If I Love U 2 Nite). Melody Cool marks the earliest recording from Paisley Park Studios to be released, therefore, although Prince’s original vocals were replaced by Mavis Staples. The original 1987 version also featured some lyrical differences, and the song was sung from a third-person perspective ("they call her Melody Cool").

This original version was included as the eighth track on a 25 September 1988 configuration of Graffiti Bridge. It was also included on a configuration of the Rave Unto The Joy Fantastic album, dated 27 October 1988 (segueing from The Voice Inside), but was removed for the late 1988 - early 1989 configuration. It was included as the eleventh track on a late 1989 configuration of Graffiti Bridge. At some point, most likely in late 1989, Prince recorded a guide vocal for Mavis Staples, using the first-person perspective of the lyrics for her to overdub; it is likely that further musical changes took place on the track at the same time. Mavis Staples recorded vocal overdubs onto the track in late 1989 or early 1990, and the track in its released form was included as the 13th track on a 1990 configuration of the album. The track switched places with The Latest Fashion to become the 14th track on the final release.

The movie Graffiti Bridge was developed starting in September 1987, indicating that the character Melody Cool in the movie, played by Mavis Staples, was conceived to some degree before the movie itself.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
9 July 1987 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
Late 1989 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Prince guide vocal recording and additional recording
Late 1989 - early 1990 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Mavis Staples vocal overdubs
Recording Personnel

Released version

Unreleased version

  • Prince - all vocals and instruments

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Melody Cool 3:39 Graffiti Bridge Studio
Melody Cool (Edit) 3:16 Melody Cool single Edit Credited incorrectly for "Remix by David Bianco; additional keyboards by Jeff Lorber"
Melody Cool (Extended Remix) 6:05 Melody Cool single

New Power Generation single

Remix Remix by David Bianco; additional keyboards by Jeff Lorber
Melody Cool (Extended LP Mix) 4:42 Melody Cool single Remix Remix by Keith "K.C." Cohen
Melody Cool (Deep House Vocal) 6:22 Melody Cool single Remix Post-production and remix by Junior Vasquez; engineering and programming by Mark Plati
Melody Cool (Mellow Dub Mix) 4:33 Melody Cool single Remix Post-production and remix by Junior Vasquez; engineering and programming by Mark Plati
Melody Cool 3:46 The Voice Remix Additional production by Ricky Peterson, remix by Tom Tucker, additional programming by Statik


Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Hippy Blood (Funky House Edit) 6:00 Hippy Blood single Remix Remix by Prince (Paisley Park); Includes a sample of Melody Cool
Hippy Blood (Keep Pumpin’ It Mix) 6:35 Hippy Blood single Remix As above
Hippy Blood (Keep Pumpin’ It Edit) 4:37 Hippy Blood single Remix As Above
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Melody Cool Studio Original 1987 version with Prince vocals
Melody Cool Studio Late 1989 version with Prince guide vocals; shorter than released
Melody Cool Studio Late 1989 version with Mavis Staples vocal overdubs; shorter than released
Melody Cool Studio 1989 version with Mavis Staples vocal overdubs; includes extended spoken part edited for release
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
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