The Most Beautiful Girl In The World

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The Most Beautiful Girl In The World

Thegoldexperience.jpg
from the album The Gold Experience
Themostbeautiful single.jpg
single art for The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Song details
Performer: SymbolSmallerBlue.png; SymbolSmallerBlue.png and Eric Leeds; Brian Gallagher; Mayte; Ophélie Winter
First Released: 14 February 1994 - The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single
Album(s): 1-800 New Funk (Japan only)

The Gold Experience
Child Of The Sun

Writer(s): Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png)
Producer(s): Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png), Ricky Peterson (co-producer)
Live Appearances
First and last live appearance:
Performed regularly on tour:
Performed occasionally in shows:
  • 1994, 1995, 1998, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 (clip only during sampler set), 2011 (clip only during sampler set), 2012 (clip only during sampler set), 2013 (clip only during sampler set), 2014 (instrumental clip only during sampler set) , 2016 (solo piano)

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World was released initially on a stand-alone single, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, as the first track to carry the artist credit SymbolSmallerBlue.png (although seventeen months after the SymbolSmallerBlue.png album), and the first Prince/SymbolSmallerBlue.png to be released independently of Warner Bros. (see The Most Beautiful Girl In The World for more details).

A tape containing a 10-minutes medley of remixes of the track and seven other new songs (Interactive, Days Of Wild, Now, Poem, Acknowledge Me, 319, and Pheromone) as well as the show given at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota on 13 February 1994, am was purchased by some European radio networks. This tape was broadcast in early March 1994 (by Los 40 Principales in Spain, Radio Veronica and Tros in The Netherlands and DSR3 in the Switzerland).

On 17 May 1994, multiple remixes of the track were released on the The Beautiful Experience EP.

Later in 1994, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Saxophone Version) was released by Brian Gallagher on his stand-alone single The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (containing SymbolSmallerBlue.png’s original version as the b-side).

Around the same time, a gender-reversed recording titled The Most Beautiful Boy In The World sung by Mayte was released as a single which also contained a Spanish version, titled ¿Quieres Ser El Mas Bello De Este Mundo?. The Most Beautiful Boy In The World was included as the twelfth and final song on Mayte’s first and only album Child Of The Sun, released in 1995.

In 1995, a slightly different recording of the track was included as the seventh track (fifth song) on Prince’s 17th album The Gold Experience, his first using the name SymbolSmallerBlue.png. By this time, other versions using the same basic tracks had already been released, however.

In March of the same year, an instrumental version (titled Beautiful Girl) was released as a b-side on the New Power Generation’s single Get Wild (the first single from Exodus), credited to "SymbolSmallerBlue.png and Eric Leeds" (the only time they have shared an artist credit on a track).

SymbolSmallerBlue.png’s original version and the remix Beautiful were also included on The Beautiful Experience TV movie.

Basic tracking for the original version took place on 20 September 1993 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota (on the same day as Slave 2 The Funk). Remixes and overdubs took place in early 1994 (during the same set of sessions as EyeBlue.png Hate U, Days Of Wild, and a new version of Shhh), although specific dates are unknown.

It was announced at one point that Prince (as SymbolSmallerBlue.png) intended the song to be recorded in multiple languages by local artists, but it is unknown how many of these recordings took place; one recording that was made was Le Plus Bel Homme De L’Univers by French model and actress Ophélie Winter (intended for a single, Le Plus Bel Homme De L’Univers), but this remains unreleased.

Kahoru Kohiruimaki (who previously recorded Bliss and Mind Bells) recorded a Japanese-language version of the track as part of this project, but using new music with no input by Prince; as such, it is considered a cover version of the song and is not listed below (Her version was released in remixed form on her 1995 compilation album White Kohhy Best '89-'95 and via her 公式 Kohhy OFFICIAL CHANNEL in 2016).

The Beautiful remix uses similar production to New World, which it replaced as the b-side for The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single (Warner Bros. only authorized Prince to release one song independently, causing New World to be removed).

The original version of the track was included as the sixth track (third song) on a March 1994 configuration of The Gold Experience, and kept as the sixth track (third song) on a May 1994 configuration. It was included as the seventh song on a Summer 1994 configuration, and the sixth song on an August 1994 configuration.

The Mustang Mix of the song was also re-recorded in 1996 at Paisley Park Studios, and was planned for inclusion on The Dawn album, and as a single release, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix '96), both of which remain unreleased. The song’s chorus is heavily sampled on the track 2morrow.

Mayte’s version, The Most Beautiful Boy In The World, was included as the eleventh track (labeled a "bonus track") on an early version of her first album, which was titled Latino Barbie Doll at the time, with the Spanish version, ¿Quieres Ser El Mas Bello De Este Mundo?, included as the twelfth and final track (also labeled a "bonus track"), before the album underwent some changes prior to release.


In 1995, two Italian songwriters, Bruno Bergonzi and Michele Vicino filed a lawsuit against Prince for plagiarism. Bergonzi and Vicino claimed that The Most Beautiful Girl In The World borrowed heavily from one of their song called Takin’ Me To Paradise released by Raynard J. in 1983. Bergonzi and Vicino won their case in 2007. This judgement was confirmed by the Supreme Court of Cassation in Italy in 2015, acknowledging Bergonzi and Vicino as co-authors of The Most Beautiful Girl In The World. Although this decision is only limited to the Italian territory (where the song is banned for distribution), it impacted the status of The Gold Experience in other countries. After Prince’s passing, his Estate re-released many of his albums physically (through Warner Bros. or Sony’s Legacy Recordings), except The Gold Experience because of this legal action. All of his albums were also made available on streaming plateforms including The Gold Experience, but without The Most Beautiful Girl In The World. It was not until February 2022, after the dispute was settled, that the song was finally put online.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
20 September 1993 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Tracking
Mid-November 1993 (likely) Studio Guillaume Tell,
Suresnes, France
Vocal overdubs by Ophélie Winter, creating Le Plus Bel Homme De L’Univers
Late 1993 (assumed) Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Vocal overdubs by Mayte, creating The Most Beautiful Boy In The World
Early 1994 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Several remixes, overdubs and additional recording
1996 Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
Remix, creating The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix '96)
Recording Personnel

SymbolSmaller.png versions


SymbolSmaller.png and Eric Leeds version


Brian Gallagher version


Mayte version


Ophélie Winter version


Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 4:37 The Beautiful Experience EP

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single (by Brian Gallagher)

Studio Original version
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 4:07 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single Edit
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 4:25 The Gold Experience

Gold promo

Studio Slightly alternate ending
Beautiful Girl 4:39 Get Wild single Instrumental SymbolSmallerBlue.png and Eric Leeds version, using identical musical background with saxophone by Eric Leeds
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Saxophone Version) 4:30 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single (by Brian Gallagher)

The Beautiful Experience EP
1-800 New Funk (Japan only)

Instrumental a.k.a. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Sax Mix), Sax Mix or Brian’s Mix; Brian Gallagher version, using identical musical background with saxophone by Brian Gallagher
The Most Beautiful Boy In The World 4:30 Child Of The Sun

The Most Beautiful Boy In The World single
1-800 New Funk (Japan only)

Alternate version Mayte’s version; gender-reversed lyrics, but using identical musical background
¿Quieres Ser El Mas Bello De Este Mundo? 4:30 The Most Beautiful Boy In The World single Spanish version Spanish version of Mayte’s version above
Beautiful 5:55 The Beautiful Experience EP Remix/re-recording Remix by SymbolSmallerBlue.png
Beautiful 3:57 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single Remix edit
Beautiful (Extended Club Version) 6:25 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single Remix Remix of Beautiful by Simon Harris
Beautiful Beats 3:30 The Most Beautiful Girl In The World single Remix Remix of Beautiful by Simon Harris
Staxowax 5:14 The Beautiful Experience EP Remix Remix by SymbolSmallerBlue.png with additional vocal by Mayte (looped)
Staxowax 5:00 Staxowax single

The Beautiful Experience promo

Remix edit a.k.a. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Staxowax); edit of remix above
Sexy Staxophone And Guitar 3:54 The Beautiful Experience EP Remix Remix of Staxowax by SymbolSmallerBlue.png
Sexy Staxophone And Guitar 3:36 Staxowax single Remix edit Edit of remix above
Mustang Mix 6:22 The Beautiful Experience EP

Mustang Mix single
The Holy River single

Remix a.k.a. The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix); remix by SymbolSmallerBlue.png
Mustang Instrumental 3:23 The Beautiful Experience EP Remix Remix of Mustang Mix by SymbolSmallerBlue.png with additional vocal by Mayte
Mustang Instrumental 3:19 Mustang Mix single Remix edit Edit of remix above
Flutestramental 3:35 The Beautiful Experience EP Remix Remix by SymbolSmallerBlue.png with additional vocal by Mayte (looped)
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 4:57 Promotional release only Promo video See The Most Beautiful Girl In The World video for more details
Beautiful 5:53 Promotional release only Promo video See Beautiful video for more details
The Most Beautiful Boy In The World Unreleased promotional video Promo video See The Most Beautiful Boy In The World video for more details
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 10:26 Debuted on Spanish radio Los 40 Principales on 3 March 1994 Studio 10-minute medley of remixes later included on The Beautiful Experience EP
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix) T.B.C. Delayed studio TV performance Live in studio Top Of The Pops UK TV broadcast, recorded in-studio at Gregory McClatchy Films, Los Angeles, California
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World T.B.C. The Beautiful Experience TV movie Studio Same as original video version above; see The Beautiful Experience for details
Beautiful T.B.C. The Beautiful Experience TV movie Studio Same as Beautiful video version above; see The Beautiful Experience for details
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World ?:?? Live lip-synch TV broadcast Studio, (small differences in mix compared to released version) 9 April 1994, Soul Train, Paramount Studios, Stage 30, Hollywood, CA, USA
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World 4:26 Live lip-synch TV broadcast Studio, (small differences in mix compared to released version) 4 May 1994, 6th World Music Awards, Sporting Monte-Carlo - Salle des Étoiles, (Monte-Carlo) Monaco
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
Title Length Released Version Additional info
2morrow 4:13 Crystal Ball Studio See 2morrow for more details
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World Studio Initial version (vocals, guitar and keys by SymbolSmallerBlue.png) before additional production by Ricky Peterson
The Most Beautiful Boy In The World Alternate version Alternate mix of Mayte’s version
Le Plus Bel Homme De L’Univers Alternate version Version using 1993 backing tracks with Ophélie Winter’s vocal overdubs
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World Remix Early 1994 medley of remixes later included on The Beautiful Experience EP; contains sample from Shoop later re-recorded for Staxowax version
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World Remix The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Saxophone Version) including SymbolSmallerBlue.png vocals, a clip of which was played on the 1-800 New Funk phone service recorded message in 1994
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix '96) Remix/re-recording 1996 remix intended for The Dawn album and The Most Beautiful Girl In The World (Mustang Mix '96) single; some additional lyrics
 
Additional Information

See also Trivia

  • This track is the earliest-released track to receive the official artist credit "SymbolSmallerBlue.png".
  • A drum sample used in some of the remixes of the song (Staxowax, Flutestramental, Sexy Staxophone And Guitar and the 10-minute version) is originally from You’ll Like It Too by Funkadelic (from Connections & Disconnections, 1980). That sample also appears on Simon Harris’ compilation "Beats, Breaks & Scratches Volume 1" as Funky Roll (released in 1987). Prince likely took it from there as Simon HarrisBeats, Breaks & Scratches compilations were heavily used by him and his associates in the early nineties on various songs and remixes. The same Funky Loop sample also appears on Color and Jam Of The Year.

References
The Morning Papers   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Most Likely 2