|
Willing And Able is the sixth track on Prince’s 13th album Diamonds And Pearls, the first album to be credited to Prince and the New Power Generation, and, eight months after the album’s release, Willing And Able was released to radio as a promotional single in the USA.
Basic tracking took place on 4 September 1990 at Warner Pioneer Studios, Tokyo, Japan (on the same day as Strollin’, 5 Women, Money Don’t Matter 2 Night and the instrumental Darkside, that would evolve into Blood On The Sheets). The song evolved from a jam session, in which Michael B. began playing a drum pattern from an not well-known song by British band Rockpile. Levi Seacer, Jr. added a bass line, and Prince began to add guitar chords. Additional recording took place after the Nude Tour in September and later in December 1990 at Paisley Park Studios in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
The song was included as the fifth track on a December 1990, configuration of Diamonds And Pearls, and was included as the sixth track on a 1 March 1991, configuration of the album. The drum intro for the track was also used as the musical background for the track Joyful Sound, and when that track was added to a Spring 1991 configuration of the album, the intro was removed from Willing And Able, which was now included as the seventh track. The edited version was also included as the sixth track on the 8 May 1991, configuration, where it remained for release.
The live in the studio take was re-recorded for the Willing And Able promo video, at Paisley Park Studios in Mid January 1992. This version was included as the fourtenth track of Singles Mixes & Edits Remastered, one of the discs included with the Diamonds And Pearls Deluxe and Super Deluxe Editions released in October 2023.
|
|
Recording Information
|
Recording Sessions
|
| Date
|
Studio
|
Additional info
|
| 4 September 1990
|
Warner Pioneer Studios,
Tokyo, Japan
|
Tracking
|
| 18 September 1990
|
Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
|
Additional recording
|
| December 1990
|
Paisley Park Studios,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
|
Additional recording
|
| Mid January 1992
|
Paisley Park Studios- Studio C,
Chanhassen, MN, USA
|
Live Studio re-recording for promo video
|
Recording Personnel
|
- Prince - all vocals and instruments, except where noted (listed in liner notes as ‘Insatiable’)
- Michael B. - drums
- Levi Seacer, Jr. - bass guitar (credited for "rhythm guitar and backing vox")
- Tommy Barbarella - keyboards (liner notes state "Purpleaxxe™ sampler, other various keys and sex symbol")
- Rosie Gaines - background vocals and keyboards (liner notes state "co-lead backing vox, Purpleaxxe™ sampler and organ")
- Tony M. - rap (credited for "lead raps and backing vox")
- Kirk Johnson - percussion (credited for "backing vox and percussion")
- Damon Dickson - percussion (credited for "backing vox and percussion")
- Fred Steele - background vocals
- JD Steele - background vocals
- Jearlyn Steele - background vocals
- Jevetta Steele - background vocals
- Janice Steele - background vocals
|
|
Versions
|
Released Versions
|
|
|
Video Versions
|
|
|
Sampled, Referred to, Quoted in...
|
| Title
|
Length
|
Released
|
Version
|
Additional info
|
| Joyful Sound
|
|
|
Studio
|
Recorded late 1990; contains drum intro from earlier version of Willing And Able
|
|
Unreleased Versions
|
| Title
|
Version
|
Additional Info
|
| Willing And Able
|
Studio
|
Longer version with 30-second drum intro by Michael B., and background vocals by Prince instead of The Steeles
|
|
|
