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Strange Relationship is the third track on the second disc of Prince’s ninth album Sign O’ The Times.
In 2001, a 1987 live version was included as part of NPG Ahdio Show # 4, and the same version was offered as an individual download in 2005.
In 2002, a live version was also included as the sixth track on the second disc of One Nite Alone... Live!, Prince’s first live album (along with Muse 2 The Pharaoh, Mellow and The Other Side Of The Pillow from the same show).
A brief solo piano rehearsal of the track was released on the 2018 posthumous album Piano & A Microphone 1983, preceded by Mary Don’t You Weep, which also includes some lyrics from Strange Relationship.
Initial tracking is believed to have taken place on 14 March 1983 at Prince’s Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman reworked the track heavily in one or more sessions in mid-late June and July 1985, adding Fairlight CMI sitar and other overdubs at The Complex Studios, Los Angeles, California.
This overdubbed version was included as the seventh track on a late April 1986 configuration of Dream Factory. The song was edited down as the album expanded and was included as the sixth track on the first disc on the 3 June 1986 and 18 July 1986 configurations.
When the Revolution disbanded, Prince remixed the song at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California, to minimize Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman’s involvement. Eric Leeds recorded a saxophone overdub, but Prince removed it from the final mix, which was included as the third track on the 5 November 1986 configuration of the Camille album (to be credited to Camille).
A few weeks later, it was included as the sixth track on the second disc of the triple-album Crystal Ball on the 30 November 1986 configuration, which was eventually pared down and became Sign O’ The Times.
Probably after its release on Sign O’ The Times, Prince commissioned Shep Pettibone to remix the song, possibly around the same time he also remixed Hot Thing. The 1987 Shep Pettibone Club Mix remained unreleased at the time, but was released on Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition in 2020 as the thirteen and final track of Vault Tracks part 3, one of the discs with previously unreleased tracks. The Super Deluxe Edition set also included (as the sixth track of Vault Tracks part 1) the initial Wendy & Lisa overdubbed version, called Original Version here, although the true original version was recorded in 1983 and remains unreleased.
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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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| 14 March 1983 (estimate)
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Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Tracking
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| Late Summer - Autumn 1983
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Kiowa Trail Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Rehearsal recording - (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version)
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| Late April / early May 1984
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Flying Cloud Drive Warehouse,
Eden Prairie, MN, USA
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overdubs
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15 & 17 June 1985 (estimate);
21 June 1985; 1 July 1985
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The Complex Studios,
Los Angeles, CA, USA
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(Wendy & Lisa) Overdubs, mix (15th), Overdubs, edits (17th); Overdubs, mix (21st, 1st),
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| 15 March 1986
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Galpin Blvd Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Mix
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| 17 or 18 April 1986
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Galpin Blvd Home Studio,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
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Mix
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| 25 August 1986
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Dierks Studio Mobile Trucks @ Le Zénith,
Paris, France
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Live soundcheck recording
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| 3 November 1986- 5 November 1986
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Sunset Sound- Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA
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Mix, minimizing Wendy & Lisa contributions (3rd); Guitar and saxophone overdub, creating instrumental (4th); overdubs, mix (5th)
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| Mid-Late 1987 (assumed)
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Mastermix Studio, New Jersey
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remix, additional production, editing by Shep Pettibone
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Recording Personnel
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Released versions
Piano & A Microphone 1983 version
Unreleased original 1983 recording
- Prince - all vocals and instruments (assumed)
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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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| Strange Relationship
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4:04
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Sign O’ The Times
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Studio
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| Strange Relationship
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4:04
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Sign O’ The Times (Super) Deluxe Edition
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Studio
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Remastered in 2020
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| Strange Relationship
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2:38
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Piano & A Microphone 1983
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'Rehearsal'
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a.k.a. Strange Relationship (Piano & A Microphone 1983 Version)
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| Strange Relationship (Live '87)
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4:41
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NPG Music Club .wma download
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Live
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21 March 1987, First Avenue, Minneapolis, Minnesota; edited from full live version
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| Strange Relationship
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4:24
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One Nite Alone... Live EP promo
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Live
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11 March 2002, Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, USA; longer version than below; begins with spoken intro from previous song, slightly longer audience noise at end without spoken transition
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| Strange Relationship
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4:12
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One Nite Alone... Live!
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Live
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11 March 2002, Murat Theatre, Indianapolis, IN, USA; slightly alternate edit than above
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| Strange Relationship (Live In Las Vegas)
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3:52
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Live At The Aladdin Las Vegas promo
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Live
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15 December 2002, Aladdin Theatre for the Performing Arts, Las Vegas, NV, USA
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| Strange Relationship (Original Version)
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6:41
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Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition
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Studio
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| Strange Relationship (1987 Shep Pettibone Club Mix)
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7:07
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Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition
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Remix
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Video Versions
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Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
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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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| Strange Relationship
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Studio
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Original 1983 recording
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| Strange Relationship
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Studio
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’sitar' version, edit, as placed on Dream Factory
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| Strange Relationship
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Studio
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1986 mix with saxophone by Eric Leeds (removed for release)
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| Strange Relationship (instrumental)
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Studio
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instrumental
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| Strange Relationship
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Live
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21 March 1987, First Avenue, MN, USA; full live and uncensored 13-minute version before editing for download.
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