The Flow

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The Flow

Symbolalbum.jpg
from the album SymbolSmallerBlue.png
Song details
Performer: Prince and the New Power Generation
First Released: 13 October 1992 - SymbolSmallerBlue.png album
Album(s): SymbolSmallerBlue.png
Writer(s): Prince and Tony M. (credited to Prince and the New Power Generation on the album)

credited to Prince, Tony M. and Rosie Gaines at the ASCAP

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

The Flow is the 13th track (12th song) on Prince’s 14th album SymbolSmallerBlue.png, the second to be credited to Prince and the New Power Generation.

The track was tried out extensively during soundcheck on 11 July 1990 at Wembley Arena in London, England. Tony M. began adding a rap which ended up being used in the track to The Future during later dates on the Nude Tour (beginning 5 August 1990, IJsstadion Thialf, Heerenveen, The Netherlands). Basic tracking of the Studio version was done at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota on 11 September 1990, shortly after Prince returned from Japan after the last show of the Nude Tour

The track was included as the 13th and final track on the December 1990, configuration of the Diamonds And Pearls album, but was removed for later configurations. This original version features prominent vocals by Rosie Gaines. She was credited with Prince and Tony M. as one of the author of the song at the ASCAP.

In December 1990 Prince incorporated the rap into an early version of Live 4 Love, at that point also using the bass-line, that would later be used for the 1992 re-recording as well. The track was re-recorded without Rosie Gaines in early 1992 at Paisley Park Studios. It was included as the 17th track (eleventh song) on a March 1992, configuration of the SymbolSmallerBlue.png album and the 17th track (twelfth song) on a late Summer 1992, configuration, before the album’s segues were removed for release.

The 1990 version of The Flow contains a chant of "Ain’t no stoppin’ now" by Rosie Gaines sampled from an early mix of Daddy Pop which was recorded earlier in June 1990. The Flow also shares other elements with Daddy Pop such as the groove lifted from Rock Steady and chant of "Michael B. in the house" (the latter two aren’t considered to be samples or references to this track, however).

Of note in the re-recording is that a lyric about "the brother" was changed to "the woman" to fit in with the female reporter storyline running throughout the SymbolSmallerBlue.png album.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
11 September 1990 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
Early 1992 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Re-recording
Recording Personnel

Symbol.png version


Unreleased version


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Flow 2:26 SymbolSmallerBlue.png album Studio
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Flow T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 31 August 1990, Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム), Tokyo, Japan; part of The Future
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Live 4 Love (Early Version) 7:00 Diamonds And Pearls Super Deluxe Studio Contains verses from The Flow sung by Prince
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
The Flow Studio 1990 version, intended for Diamonds And Pearls
The Flow Studio 1992 version, missing repeated "Minneapolis" spoken sample (taken from unreleased SymbolSmallerBlue.png album segue)
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia


References
Flesh And Blood   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   For Love