Pop Life

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Pop Life

Atwiad.jpg
from the album

Around The World In A Day

Poplife single.jpg
single art for Pop Life
Song details
Performer: Prince and the Revolution
First Released: 22 April 1985 - Around The World In A Day
Album(s): Around The World In A Day

The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
Ultimate
4Ever

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

Pop Life is the seventh track on Prince’s seventh album Around The World In A Day, the second to be credited to Prince and the Revolution, and three months after the album’s release, Pop Life was released as the album’s third single (second in North America). In 1993, it was also included as the second track on Prince’s first compilation album The Hits 1 (also included as the first disc of The Hits / The B-Sides). In 2006, Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) was included as the fourth track on the second disc of the compilation album Ultimate.

Basic tracking took place on 19 February 1984 at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California (after completing overdubs on Another Lonely Christmas). The recording session lasted until around 6:15 a.m. the following morning, 20 February 1984.

Sheila E.’s remix of the track was mixed on 22 and 23 June 1985, most likely also at Sunset Sound.

In 1994, Kirk Johnson remixed the track at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota, and the remix, while unreleased, was partially included in the Kirk J’s B Sides Remix medley.

Rumors have suggested incorrectly that the booing crowd sampled in the song is from Prince’s infamous opening act for the Rolling Stones, from October 1981. The samples actually come from a Jac Holzman’s 1964 sound effects album titled Authentic Sound Effects Volume 4 (namely “Prize Fight, Large Arena” and “Barroom Brawl”). During a Love4oneanother.com “? of the week” in 1999, a fan asked what the significance of “the interspersion of (what sounds like) a boxing match”, saying they have wondered about this for years, to which Prince replied, “Good ? - Me 2 :)”

Pop Life is the earliest track to be released with two different versions on 12" releases (albeit in different territories): The US, Europe, Australia and New Zealand received Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) (remixed by Sheila E.), while the UK, received Pop Life (Extended Version), which was Prince’s own original version.

Like A Love Bizarre, the Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix), remixed by Sheila E., contains an interpolation of Frère Jacques.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
19 & 20 February 1984 Sunset Sound - Studio 2,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Tracking (19th); Overdubs, including string overdubs (20th)
25 May 1985 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Edits
22 & 23 June 1985 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA
Remix by Sheila E. (22th); overdubs, edits (23rd)
1994 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Remix by Kirk Johnson
Recording Personnel


Orchestral Players


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Pop Life 3:42 Around The World In A Day

Pop Life single
The Hits 1
The Hits / The B-Sides
My Name Was Prince promotional album
4Ever

Studio
Pop Life (Extended Version) 9:07 Pop Life single

His Majesty’s Pop Life

Extended version
Pop Life (Fresh Dance Mix) 6:16 Pop Life single

Ultimate

Remix Remix by Sheila E.
Pop Life 1:38 NPG Ahdio Show # 2 mp3 (not available as a separate track) Live excerpt Recorded in late 2000 (exact date and location unknown)
Pop Life 4:03 Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas promo Live 15 December 2002, Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Pop Life T.B.C. Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas DVD Live 15 December 2002, Aladdin Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, NV, USA
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Pop Life T.B.C. Live concert TV broadcast Live 7 June 1986, Cobo Arena, Detroit, MI, USA
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Kirk J’s B Sides Remix 7:00 Purple Medley single Studio medley See Kirk J’s B Sides Remix for more details
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Pop Life Studio 19 February 1984 recording before overdubs
Pop Life Studio 19 February 1984 after band overdubs, before string overdubs
Pop Life Studio Different mix/edit
Pop Life Remix Remix by Kirk Johnson heard in part on Kirk J’s B Sides Remix
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
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