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‘Purple Rain’ Deluxe Edition tracklist revealed – including never-before-heard recordings

by Jay Gabler

April 19, 2017

With the release date of the Purple Rain deluxe reissue approaching, an artist who records as the Violet Reality realized that the album's tracks might be found in a database of registered recordings. Indeed they were, and the reissue's tracklist has been making its way across fan sites like Prince.org.

We've been able to obtain additional information on some of these tracks by way of a knowledgable source — and many of these bonus tracks are even more rare than some fans may suspect. Several tracks have never before been circulated outside of Prince's studio, and some weren't even known to exist before they were discovered in the Vault.

The tracks have been carefully transferred from the stereo masters at Paisley Park, and mastered by Bernie Grundman — the mastering engineer who worked on the original album. The reissue will also include a concert film recorded in Syracuse on March 30, 1985, with audio remastered by Grundman. Here's the track list for the audio discs. The set was originally announced with a June 9 release date, but that may be pushed back a couple of weeks. Update: The release is now confirmed for June 23.

Disc 1: Purple Rain (2015 Paisley Park remaster)

Let's Go Crazy

Take Me With U

The Beautiful Ones

Computer Blue

Darling Nikki

When Doves Cry

I Would Die 4 U

Baby I'm a Star

Purple Rain

Disc 2: Edits and Extended Mixes

These tracks were previously released in association with the album's singles, but many of them have long been out of circulation.

When Doves Cry (7" Single Edit) - 3:49

17 Days (7" B-Side Edit) - 3:58

Let's Go Crazy (7" Single Edit) - 3:49

Erotic City (Let's Go Crazy 7" B-Side Edit) - 3:57

Purple Rain (7" Single Edit) - 4:08

God (Purple Rain 7" B-Side) - 4:04

God (Love Theme From Purple Rain) (U.K. 12" B-Side) - 7:59

Another Lonely Christmas (I Would Die 4 U 7" B-Side Edit) - 4:56

I Would Die 4 U (7" Single Edit) - 2:59

Baby I'm a Star (Take Me With U 7" B-Side Edit) - 2:52

Take Me With U (7" Single Edit) - 3:43

Let's Go Crazy (Special Dance Mix) - 7:36

Erotic City (Make Love Not War Erotic City Come Alive) (Extended Version) - 7:25

Another Lonely Christmas (Original Extended Version) - 6:52

I Would Die 4 U (Extended Tour Rehearsal Version) - 10:20

Disc 3: From the Vault

The Dance Electric - 11:29

This song is best-known from André Cymone's 1985 recording; Prince also occasionally performed it live.

Love & Sex - 5:00

A previously unreleased song from the Purple Rain sessions.

Computer Blue (Hallway Speech Version) - 12:18

A previously unreleased version of this track, including a section known as the "hallway speech" because it refers to a metaphorical passage through hallways marked "lust" and "fear."

Velvet Kitty Cat - 2:42

A previously unreleased recording.

Katrina's Paper Dolls - 3:30

A demo version of this song has circulated, but this finished master has never before been heard.

We Can Fuck - 10:17

This song was released on Graffiti Bridge as a George Clinton collaboration called "We Can Funk." This earlier version has never before circulated at its full ten-minute length.

Electric Intercourse (Studio Version) - 4:57

Live versions of this song have circulated, but this studio recording has never before been heard — and was not even previously known to exist.

Our Destiny/Roadhouse Garden - 6:25

These two songs, connected by a segue, have been performed live.

Possessed - 7:56

This song was widely performed live, and a 1984 recording has been circulated; this is an earlier, never-before-heard 1983 Prince solo version.

Wonderful Ass - 6:24

A previously unreleased collaboration with Wendy and Lisa.

Father's Song - 5:30

One of the holy grails of Prince's Vault, this piano piece co-written by Prince and his father is heard briefly in the film. It's previously been heard only in an abbreviated version taken from the film — never before at its full length.

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This activity is made possible in part by the Minnesota Legacy Amendment’s Arts & Cultural Heritage Fund.