The Greatest Romance Ever Sold

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The Greatest Romance Ever Sold

Raveun2thejoyfantastic album.jpg
from the album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
single art for The Greatest Romance Ever Sold
Song details
Performer: SymbolSmallerBlue.png; Maceo Parker
First Released: 5 October 1999 - The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single
Album(s): Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic

Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic
Dial M-A-C-E-O
Anthology: 1995-2010

Writer(s): Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png)
Producer(s): Prince
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:

The Greatest Romance Ever Sold is the third track on Prince’s 23rd album Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic (his sixth using the name SymbolSmallerBlue.png), and five weeks before the album’s release, The Greatest Romance Ever Sold was released as the album’s first single. In 2001, an extended version (incorporating parts from the single’s The Adam & Eve Remix) was included as the third track on the companion album Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic. A version using the same instrumental basic tracks with overdubbed saxophone and flute by Maceo Parker was released as the fifth track on his 2000 album Dial M-A-C-E-O (included here as Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png) was involved directly).

Specific recording dates are unknown, but it is likely that basic tracking took place in Summer 1999 at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN. Prince and Eve worked on The Adam & Eve Remix on 10 September 1999 at Electric Lady Studios in New York, NY, USA. Remixes were also done by Jason Nevins and The Neptunes in 1999. The various remixes by The Neptunes, featuring Q-Tip mark the first appearance of Q-Tip on a Prince-related recording (he would later record a rap for Chocolate Box). Maceo Parker’s saxophone overdubs were likely recorded in late 1999 or early 2000 at Paisley Park Studios.

Much of Prince’s rap from The Adam & Eve Remix was later reused for Silicon.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
Summer 1999 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
Late Summer 1999 Studio information needed Remixes by Jason Nevins and The Neptunes
10 September 1999 Electric Lady Studios,
New York, NY, USA
Additional recording with Eve for The Adam & Eve Remix
September 1999 Dan’s House Of Love,
New York, NY, USA
Saxophone and flute overdubs by Maceo Parker
Recording Personnel

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic version

  • Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png) - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
  • Mike Scott - guitar


Adam & Eve Remix and Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic versions

  • Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png) - all vocals and instruments, except where noted
  • Eve - rap
  • Kirk Johnson - drum programming (as "Kirk A. Johnson")


Maceo Parker version


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 5:29 Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic

The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single
Anthology: 1995-2010

Studio
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Radio Edit) 4:26 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Edit
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (The Adam & Eve Remix) 4:30 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Remix Rap by Eve
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 8:07 Rave In2 The Joy Fantastic Extended version / remix Extended version including parts of The Adam & Eve Remix
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Radio Edit Featuring Eve) 4:32 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Edit/Remix Includes Eve’s rap from The Adam & Eve Remix
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Jason Nevins Dub) 5:44 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold promo Remix Remix by Jason Nevins; includes sample of Kiss
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Jason Nevins Extended Remix / Vocal) 6:41 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Remix Remix by Jason Nevins; includes sample of Kiss
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Jason Nevins Instrumental) 6:39 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold promo Remix Remix by Jason Nevins; instrumental version of Jason Nevins Extended Remix / Vocal; includes sample of Kiss
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Jason Nevins Remix Edit) 3:53 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Remix edit Remix by Jason Nevins; includes sample of Kiss
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Jason Nevins Romance Beats) 5:39 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold promo Remix Remix by Jason Nevins; includes sample of Kiss
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Neptunes Extended Remix) 5:08 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Remix Remix by The Neptunes; rap by The Neptunes and Q-Tip
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Neptunes Remix Edit) 3:42 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold single Remix edit Remix by the The Neptunes; rap by The Neptunes and Q-Tip
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 5:38 Dial M-A-C-E-O Instrumental Saxophone and flute by Maceo Parker
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Radio Edit No1) 3:57 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold promo (by Maceo Parker) Instrumental edit Edit of Maceo Parker version above
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Radio Edit No2) 3:52 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold promo (by Maceo Parker) Instrumental edit Edit of Maceo Parker version above
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 4:36 Promotional release only Promo video See The Greatest Romance Ever Sold video for more details
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold 3:04 Rave Un2 The Year 2000 VHS/DVD Promo video / live 18 December 1999, Paisley Park, Chanhassen, MN, USA; See Rave Un2 The Year 2000 video for more details
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Live performance TV broadcast Live 17 November 1999 (mat.), Hit Machine, Les Studios de la Plaine Saint-Denis Studio 233, Saint-Denis, France
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Live performance TV broadcast Live 17 November 1999 (mat.), Nulle Part Ailleurs, Studios Canal+, Paris, France
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Delayed performance TV broadcast Live 18 November 1999 (mat.), Top Of The Pops, Elstree Centre, Borehamwood, England
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Live performance TV broadcast Live 20 November 1999, The Apocalypse Tube, Tyne Tees Studio 5, Newcastle, England
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Delayed performance TV broadcast Live 27 November 1999, Glücksspirale, Joop van den Ende Studio’s, Aalsmeer, the Netherlands
The Greatest Romance Ever Sold T.B.C. Delayed performance TV broadcast Live 28 November 1999, Tros TV-Show, Cinevideo Studio’s, Almere, the Netherlands
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Silicon 4:47 NPG Music Club Edition # 11

NPG Music Club year two download

Studio Contains SymbolSmallerBlue.png’s rap from The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (The Adam & Eve Remix); See Silicon for more details
Silicon 4:16 The Slaughterhouse Edit Contains SymbolSmallerBlue.png’s rap from The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (The Adam & Eve Remix); See Silicon for more details
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • "The greatest romance ever sold" is not spoken in the song - the phrase used in the song is "The greatest romance that’s ever been sold".

References
The Grand Progression   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Groove In C Minor