Venus De Milo

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Venus De Milo

from the album Parade
Song details
Performer: Prince and the Revolution
First Released: 31 March 1986 - Parade album
Album(s): Parade
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:

Venus De Milo is the seventh track on Prince’s eighth album Parade, the third to be credited to Prince and the Revolution. The track is also played in Prince’s second feature film, Under The Cherry Moon.

Although Venus De Milo had existed for a few years as an untitled piano instrumental, basic tracking in the studio only took place on 11 July 1985 at the Washington Avenue Warehouse in Edina, Minnesota (the day after God Is Everywhere). Clare Fischer arranged and recorded orchestration for the song at some point in January 1986 at Monterey Sound Studios in Glendale, California.


Recording Information
Recording Sessions
Date Studio Additional info
11 July 1985 Washington Avenue Warehouse,
Edina, MN, USA 		Tracking
19 & 22 August 1985 (estimate) The Complex Studios,
Los Angeles, CA, USA 		(Wendy & Lisa) Additional work (19th); mix (22nd)
5 September 1985 Sunset Sound,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		mix
16 December 1985 Washington Avenue Warehouse,
Edina, MN, USA 		Additional work and mixes (strings only, long version, album version)
January 1986 Monterey Sound Studios,
Glendale, CA, USA 		Orchestra recording by Clare Fischer
12 January 1986 Monterey Sound Studios,
Glendale, CA, USA 		Orchestral and piano mix for Under The Cherry Moon
27 January 1986 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Orchestra only mix for Under The Cherry Moon (Susan Rogers, sans Prince)
22 February 1986 Sunset Sound - Studio 3,
Hollywood, CA, USA 		Possible mix
Recording Personnel
Orchestral Players:
  • Violins - Isabelle Daskoff, Francine Walsh, Mari Botnik, Pam Gates, Janice Gower, Karen Jones, Betty Moor, Irma Neumann, Assa Drori, Bill Hymanson, Oscar Chasow, Ron Clark, Henry Ferber, Erne Granat, Ed Green, Bill Hybel, Reggie Hill, Pat Johnson, Don Palmer, Sheldon Sanov, Joe Schonbrun, Terry Schonbrun and Harold Wolf
  • Violas - Pam Goldsmith, Margot Maclaine, Carol Mukagawa, Myer Bello, Alan Deverich, Norman Forrest, Alan Harshman, Jorge Moraga and David Stock
  • Cellos - Jim Arkatoff, Ray Kelley, Ray Kramer and Fred Seykora
  • Basses - Chuck Dominico and Arni Egilsson.
  • Woodwinds - Gene Cipriano, Don Ashworth, John Clarke, Dave Edwards, Gary Foster, Jim Kanter, John Lowe, Dick Mitchell, Jack Nimitz, Joe Soldo and Bob Tricarico
  • Trumpets - Ray Brown, Rich Cooper, Bob Findley, Larry Ford, Bob O’Donnell and Al Vizutti
  • Trombones - Garnett Brown, Charles Loper, Morris Repass and Bill Watrous
  • French Horns - Marni Johnson, David Duke, Joe Myer, Brian O’Connor, Calvin Smith and Jim Thatcher
  • Tuba - Tommy Johnson
  • Tympani and percussion - Brent Fischer

Versions
Released Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Venus De Milo 1:54 Parade Studio
Video Versions
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Phone Booth 1:29 Under The Cherry Moon film Studio See Under The Cherry Moon cues for details
Check At Mrs. Wellington’s 1:31 Under The Cherry Moon film Studio See Under The Cherry Moon cues for details
Tricky Escapes - Mary In Grotto 1:31 Under The Cherry Moon film Studio With lyrics recited of An Honest Man by Prince and Kristin Scott-Thomas. See Under The Cherry Moon cues for details
Venus De Milo 1:41 Lovesexy Live 1 VHS Live 9 September 1988, Westfallenhalle, Dortmund, West Germany
Broadcasts/streaming (only)
Title Length Released Version Additional info
Venus De Milo ?:?? Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 31 August 1990, Tokyo Dome (東京ドーム), Tokyo, Japan
Venus De Milo T.B.C. Delayed concert TV broadcast Live 19 January 1991 (a.m.), Estádio Jornalista Mário Filho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
Unreleased Versions
Title Version Additional Info
Venus De Milo Studio Track before orchestral overdubs
Venus De Milo Studio Long version before orchestral overdubs
Venus De Milo Studio Long version with orchestral overdubs
Venus De Milo Studio String mix
 
Additional Information
See also Trivia
  • This is the earliest release of an instrumental track under Prince’s own name.
  • Eric Leeds recorded a version of Venus de Milo for his second solo outing Things Left Unsaid, but it was left of that album, as Eric felt it didn’t add anything substantial to the already released Prince version.
References
Velvet Kitty Cat   < < < All Songs Unreleased Songs > > >   Venus De Milo (Instrumental)
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