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Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition - album by Prince, Warner Records (2020)

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition Prince • Warner Records • 2020
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2020

2020
Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition

2021

Singles Review (5 / 5) Prince Biography Posthumous Releases Greatest Hits

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition

Warner Records

album

He’s more of a genius than you thought.

The Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition curates the astonishing body of work amassed by Prince during a prolific series of recording sessions held at Sunset Sound in Hollywood and later his home studio at Galpin Blvd in Minnesota. The sessions which continued throughout 1986 became the stuff of music legend as they ultimately created Prince’s universally acclaimed Sign O’ The Times album of 1987. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition documents the genesis of that album which was formed out of the evolution of the three projects Prince worked on that year, let alone albums also for Jill Jones and Sheila E. The first of Prince’s albums was begun prior to embarking on the Parade Tour with his band The Revolution. The sessions laid down material for a project named Dream Factory envisioned as the fourth record for Prince and The Revolution. By April 1986, recording was complete and formed a double LP comprised of 19 tracks. Life on the road with the Parade Tour proved a strain as disagreements broke out amongst the band. That July, Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman indicated their wish to quit the band and, following the tour’s conclusion Prince disbanded The Revolution that October. Deciding not to continue with Dream Factory, Prince set to work creating his first solo album since 1982 and named this record Camille after the pseudonym to whom its songs would be credited.

Camille was a record of 8 tracks, completed on 5 November. It was intended for release in January 1987 and even assigned a catalogue number by Warner. Yet after Warner Brothers voiced doubt over the decision to release it under a pseudonym, the release was cancelled. At this point, Prince returned to the material he had worked on with The Revolution, to rerecord it and expand the whole project into a triple album combining the two projects. The resulting third configuration was largely a combination of Dream Factory and Camille although with much of The Revolution’s contributions was edited out and 6 additional songs were created. Named Crystal Ball, this 22-track opus was completed by 30 November. Although Warner were this time alarmed by the commercial viability for a triple album. The daunting task to phone Prince to talk him to reduce the release to two discs fell to Warner’s head of A&R Lenny Waronker. Prince was surprisingly accommodating and the project’s fourth and final configuration, notably with the late inclusion of U Got The Look, became the Sign O’ The Times album as released on 30 March 1987; an undoubtedly far superior album in part due to Warner’s interventions.

Madonna or Michael Jackson are not in the same league as even the most basic version of Prince.

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition amasses 45 previously unreleased studio tracks from this era, showcasing the creative arc and genesis of the Sign O’ The Times album, widely hailed as Prince’s masterpiece. The Super Deluxe Edition comprises a staggering 92 songs over 9 discs, 63 of which previously unavailable. Discs 1 and 2 form the original double album, remastered in Hollywood by veteran engineer Bernie Grundman. Disc 3 houses the various edits and radio mixes, in common with others in the Deluxe series, gathering and curating all the promotional cuts of the era. Discs 4 to 6 form the coveted vault tracks and include the majority of the material from the abandoned Dream Factory and Crystal Ball sessions not otherwise previously available.

Discs 7 and 8 are the soundboard recording of the show Prince performed at Stadium Galgenwaard in Utrecht on 20 June 1987 as part of his Sign O’ The Times Tour. Disc 9 is a DVD of the show filmed at Paisley Park on 31 December 1987 as both the wrap event of the tour and the inaugural public concert staged at Paisley Park Studios after its 11 September 1987 grand opening. During this show, a $200 per head fundraiser for the local homeless, Prince was joined on stage by Miles Davis – the only ever on-stage appearance with them together. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition also issues the pairing’s only studio collaboration Can I Play With U? never previously available (albeit recorded in separate studios). The DVD features comprise the original promo videos for Sign O’ The Times (5:30), U Got The Look (3:43) and I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (4:02).

The release was available as three editions to accommodate the various price points: standard (comprising the two discs of the remastered original double LP); Sign O’ The Times Deluxe Edition (the remastered double album, plus disc 3); and Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition packaging all nine discs, plus a 120-page hardback 12″ photo book with images captured by Jeff Katz, and liner notes contributed by Dave Chappelle, Daphne Brooks and Andrea Swensson. Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition was released on 25 September 2020 and charted at number 20 in the US. It was nominated for a Grammy in the category of Best Historical Album in 2021.

Issued on 14 August 2020, The Sign O’ The Times – The Singles boxset preceded the release of the main album. It was manufactured by Third Man Records in collaboration with Warner Records and packages all the original album’s singles as one release, including the previously unavailable Witness 4 The Prosecution versions 1 and 2. The boxset was limited to 1,987 copies in celebration of the year of release of the original singles. Issued in vinyl format only, each single was packaged in its original artwork. Owing to its limited distribution the set was unable to chart.

Prince | SIgn O' The Times
Photography by Olivier Boitet

Live at Paisley Park

Vocals/Guitar
Prince
Drums
Shelia E.
Guitar
Miko Weaver
Keyboards
Matt Fink
Boni Boyer
Bass Guitar
Levi Seacer Jr.
Saxophone
Eric Leeds
Trumpet
Matthew Blistan (“Atlanta Bliss”)
Miles Davis Guest
Dance/Vocals
Cat Glover
Greg Brooks
Wally Salford

Performers

Vocals / All instr.
Prince
Drums
Bobby Z It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, Power Fantastic and Soul Psychodelicide.
Sheila E U Got The Look
Guitar
Wendy Melvoin Slow Love, Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 1], In A Large Room With No Light, Soul Psychodelicide and Teacher, Teacher
Miko Weaver It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night and Soul Psychodelicide
Keyboards
Lisa Coleman It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, In A Large Room With No Light, Soul Psychodelicide, Visions, It Ain’t Over ’Til The Fat Lady Sings, Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 1], Power Fantastic, And That Says What? and Eggplant
Matt "Dr" Fink It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night, And That Says What? and Soul Psychodelicide
Adam Holzman Can I Play With U?
Bass Guitar
BrownMark It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night and Soul Psychodelicide
Levi Seacer Jr In A Large Room With No Light
Marcus Miller Can I Play With U?
Saxophone
Eric Leeds
Norbert Satchell In A Large Room With No Light
Trumpet
Atlanta Bliss
Miles Davis Can I Play With U?
Orchestration
Clare Fischer It Ain't Over 'Till The Fat Lady Sings, Crucial, Slow Love and Crystal Ball

Data

Producer
Prince
Label
NPG Records
Distribution
Warner Records
Cover/Design
Jeff Katz, Alex Tenta and Trevor Guy
Released
5 years ago on 25 September 2020
Running Time
8:01:23
US Chart Peak
20
US R&B Peak
2
UK Chart Peak
Did not chart
Orig. Formats

Tracklist

Disc 1: 2020 Remaster (Part 1)

  1. Sign O' The Times
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (5:02)
  2. Play In The Sunshine
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (5:05) 3
  3. Housequake
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:34) 1 & 3
  4. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:04) 1 & 3
  5. It
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (5:10) 1 & 3
  6. Starfish And Coffee
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (2:51) 1 & 3
  7. Slow Love
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:18) 3
  8. Hot Thing
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (5:39) 3
  9. Forever In My Life
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (3:38) 3
Running Time
39 min, 33 sec

Disc 2: 2020 Remaster (Part 2)

  1. U Got The Look
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    [duet with Sheena Easton] (3:58)
  2. If I Was Your Girlfriend
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:54) 2 & 3
  3. Strange Relationship
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:04)
  4. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (6:31) 3
  5. The Cross
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (4:46) 3
  6. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    [feat. Jill Jones and Susannah Melvoin] (8:59) 3
  7. Adore
    Sign O’ The Times Sign O’ The Times (1987)
    (6:29) 3
Running Time
30 min, 15 sec

Disc 3: Promo Mixes & B-Sides Remastered

  1. Sign O' The Times [Edit] (3:42) 3
  2. La La La, He He Hee [Edit] [feat. Sheila E] (3:21)
  3. La La La, He He Hee [Highly Explosive] [feat. Sheila E] (10:31)
  4. If I Was Your Girlfriend [Edit] (3:46)
  5. Shockadelica
    The Hits/The B-Sides The Hits/The B-Sides (1993)
    (3:30) 2 & 3
  6. Shockadelica [12" Long Version] (6:12)
  7. U Got the Look [Long Look] (6:45)
  8. Housequake [Edit] (3:24)
  9. Housequake [7 Minutes MoQuake] (7:15)
  10. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man [Fade] (3:39)
  11. Hot Thing [Edit] (3:40)
  12. Hot Thing [Extended Remix] [remix by Shep Pettibone] (8:32)
  13. Hot Thing [Dub Version] [remix by Shep Pettibone] (6:53)
Running Time
71 min, 10 sec

Disc 4: Vault Tracks (Part 1)

  1. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man [1979 Version] (3:12)
  2. Teacher, Teacher [1986 Version] [feat. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman] (3:07) 1
  3. All My Dreams [feat. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman] (7:23) 1
  4. Can I Play With U? [feat. Miles Davis] (6:29)
  5. Wonderful Day (3:47) 1
  6. Strange Relationship [feat. Wendy Melvoin and Lisa Coleman] (6:41) 1, 2 & 3
  7. Visions (2:18) 1 & 5
  8. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker [With Horns] (4:56)
  9. Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 1] [feat. Lisa Coleman, Wendy Melvoin and Susannah Melvoin] (3:59) 1 & 4
  10. Power Fantastic [Live in Studio] (7:18) 1
  11. And That Says What? (1:50) 1
  12. Love And Sex (4:11)
  13. A Place In Heaven (2:57)
  14. Colors (1:01) 1 & 6
  15. Crystal Ball (3:29)
  16. Big Tall Wall [Version 1] (5:58) 1
  17. Nevaeh Ni Ecalp A [sung by Lisa Coleman] (2:33) 1
  18. In A Large Room With No Light (3:27) 1 & 4
Running Time
70 min, 36 sec

Disc 5: Vault Tracks (Part 2)

  1. Train (4:22) 1
  2. It Ain't Over 'Til The Fat Lady Sings (2:21)
  3. Eggplant (5:18)
  4. Everybody Want What They Don't Got (2:08)
  5. Blanche (5:36)
  6. Soul Psychodelicide (12:36)
  7. The Ball [feat. Susannah Melvoin] (4:22) 3
  8. Adonis And Bathsheba (5:27)
  9. Forever In My Life [Early Vocal Run-Through] (6:25)
  10. Crucial [Alternate Lyrics] (6:14) 11
  11. The Cocoa Boys [feat. Susannah Melvoin] (6:06) 11
  12. When The Dawn Of The Morning Comes (6:17) 11
  13. Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 2] (5:05)
  14. It Be's Like That Sometimes (3:19)
Running Time
69 min, 36 sec

Disc 6: Vault Tracks (Part 3)

  1. Emotional Pump (4:59)
  2. Rebirth Of The Flesh (5:28) 2 & 3
  3. Cosmic Day (5:39)
  4. Walkin' In Glory (5:14)
  5. Wally (4:45)
  6. I Need A Man (5:33) 10
  7. Promise 2 Be True (3:37) 10
  8. Jealous Girl (4:52) 10
  9. There's Something I Like About Being Your Fool (3:48) 10
  10. Big Tall Wall [Version 2] (5:46)
  11. A Place In Heaven [sung by Lisa Coleman] (2:45) 1
  12. Wonderful Day [12" Mix] [feat. Wendy Melvoin] (7:34)
  13. Strange Relationship [Club Mix] [remix by Shep Pettibone] (7:07)
Running Time
70 min, 07 sec

Disc 7: Live in Utrecht - 20 June 1987 (Part 1)

  1. Intro / Sign O' The Times (5:36)
  2. Play In The Sunshine (4:36)
  3. Little Red Corvette (1:36)
  4. Housequake (4:52)
  5. Girls & Boys (4:16)
  6. Slow Love (5:05)
  7. Take The "A" Train / Pacemaker / I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (10:16) 7 & 8
  8. Hot Thing (6:15)
  9. Four [Sheila E. drum solo] (6:11)
Running Time
48 min, 43 sec

Disc 8: Live in Utrecht - 20 June 1987 (Part 2)

  1. If I Was Your Girlfriend (5:17)
  2. Let's Go Crazy (6:10)
  3. When Doves Cry (2:46)
  4. Purple Rain (5:40)
  5. 1999 (5:54)
  6. Forever In My Life (13:12)
  7. Kiss (3:33)
  8. The Cross (7:44)
  9. It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night (13:55)
Running Time
64 min, 11 sec

DVD: Live at Paisley Park - 31 December 1987

  1. Intro / Sign O' The Times (5:50)
  2. Play In The Sunshine (4:22)
  3. Little Red Corvette (1:38)
  4. Erotic City (3:06)
  5. Housequake (4:08)
  6. Slow Love (0:59)
  7. Do Me, Baby (2:00)
  8. Adore (6:46)
  9. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (7:41)
  10. What's Your Name Jam (5:31)
  11. Let's Pretend We're Married (0:52)
  12. Delirious (1:10)
  13. Jack U Off (1:43)
  14. Drum Solo [Sheila E.] (4:02)
  15. Twelve (1:46)
  16. Hot Thing (4:55)
  17. If I Was Your Girlfriend (6:56)
  18. Let's Go Crazy (6:51)
  19. When Doves Cry (2:44)
  20. Auld Lang Syne / Purple Rain (14:10)
  21. 1999 (3:14)
  22. U Got The Look (8:05)
  23. Chain Of Fools / It’s Gonna Be A Beautiful Night [feat. Miles Davis] (34:08) 9
Running Time
132 min, 30 sec

1 Intended for release on Dream Factory (1986).
2 Intended for release on Camille (1986).
3 Intended for release on Crystal Ball (1986).
4 Intended for release on the compilation Roadhouse Garden (1999).
5 Written by Lisa Coleman.
6 Written by Wendy Melvoin.
7 Take The "A" Train is written by Billy Strayhorn.
8 Pacemaker is written by Eric Leeds.
9 Chain of Fools is written by Don Convay.
10 Intended for an unnamed project with Bonnie Rait.
11 Intended for the musical The Dawn.

Singles from Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition

Sign O’ The Times - The Singles, single from Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition, Warner Records (2020)

Sign O’ The Times - The Singles

Warner Records

Released
14 August 2020
Distribution
Third Man Records
US Chart Peak
Limited to 1,987 units worldwide
UK Chart Peak
-
Format
  1. Sign O’ The Times [Edit] (3:42)
  2. La La La, He He Hee (3:21)
  3. If I Was Your Girlfriend [Edit] (3:46)
  4. Shockadelica (3:30)
  5. U Got The Look (3:46)
  6. Housequake (3:24)
  7. I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man (3:39)
  8. Hot Thing [Edit] (3:40)
  9. Hot Thing [Edit] (3:40)
  10. Hot Thing [Edit] (3:40)
  11. The Cross (4:46)
  12. Adore (4:50)
  13. Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 1] (4:03)
  14. Witness 4 The Prosecution [Version 2] (5:03)

Prince Store exclusive 7x 7" disc boxed set.

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition review

This could be that moment all Prince releases have been leading to – the release of the greatest and most critical addition to Prince’s discography, in other words The Holy Grail. Sign O’ The Times is the third album to receive the Deluxe treatment. Comprising a trove of eight discs and one DVD what a Super Deluxe it is. This set, capped off with a gorgeous 120-page book with spot UV no less, crowns the seminal release of Prince’s catalogue.

Originally hoping to also include the Sign O’ The Times movie in the set, The Prince Estate was denied that inclusion due to rights restrictions Prince sold back in 1987. But see that as silver lining, for that would have been akin to bundling Purple Rain movie as another disc with Purple Rain Deluxe. And like Purple Rain, the Sign O’ The Times movie is a standalone item in its own right and left wanting amongst the far too much to absorb nine other discs. The sheer volume of the work brings home that the entire nine disc package documents just one year of Prince’s output: 1986.

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe superbly captures Prince’s transition from Revolution to solo act, his most successful period to his most acclaimed, and all amid the breakdown in his relationship with Susannah Melvoin – the era most fascinating to Prince fans. The set issues much sort after and previously lost fruits denied by the vault, such as Wally (which actually for Susannah than band’s dancer Wally Salford), Cosmic Day and both versions of Witness 4 The Procession (the latter affording a fascinating and side-by-side stylistic comparison between The Revolution and solo careers). The highlights are Rebirth Of The Flesh, Train, Adonis And Bathsheba, The Cocoa Boys, When The Dawn Of The Morning Comes, Jealous Girl and It Be’s Like That Sometimes. Sign O’ The Times produced some of the best B-sides of Prince’s career and they are all here in true Deluxe fashion, wonderfully remastered and packaged in disc 3, the Highly Explosive version of La La La, He He Hee being the standout.

It certainly was a sign of the time when in 1987 Warner phoned Prince to reduce the album to a double album because a triple LPs were not commercially viable. Come 2020 that same label is publishing a nine disc set for retail at £160. That is by the by, as the Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe is the greatest Prince related release ever. Though pray the next Deluxe Edition is not lost in its wake.

Sign O’ The Times Super Deluxe Edition is rated 5 out of 5 by Goldies Parade.

Related release

Sign O’ The Times

Sign O’ The Times

Warner Bros. Records • 1987

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