In the 1990s, a deluxe edition (or special edition) album invariably meant a double disc set, ie: the original release plus bonus disc of rarities, b-sides and/or live tracks. In the 21st century, the big record companies have really expanded on this concept, with the “deluxe edition” now meaning multi-disc packages, in some cases retailing at a three-figure price point.
Despite lots of classic bands and artists being considered fair game for the remaster/repackage treatment, one major artist’s catalogue remains untouched. With regard to Prince’s classic output (from 1983-1995), we only have the original CD pressings; no bonus tracks, no embellishments. Just the albums as originally presented. Not because Warner Bros. does not consider them worthy of revisiting, but simply because the artist will not let them be touched.
Many websites have talked about a theoretical ‘Purple Rain’ double – or even triple – disc set, but for the first in an occasional series of imaginary deluxe editions, Real Gone would like to lay out a potential deluxe edition of Prince’s 1992 release ‘Love Symbol’.
After the almost flawless ‘Diamonds & Pearls’, the NPG’s follow-up is positively unloved. Despite scoring a couple of big hits in the arrogant but fun ‘My Name Is Prince’ and the funky but crass ‘Sexy MF’, this harder, blacker release barely gets a mention two decades on. While unquestionably not as good as ‘Diamonds’, the NPG still prove a great vehicle for Prince throughout, and while the original album is good, we feel a super-deluxe format would make it so much more appealing.
While the sessions only spawned one non-album track, the CD single releases saw over a whole disc’s worth of remixes hit the market. In addition, the released version of the album is a revised version: the shelved album contains a (still) unreleased intro, four unused segues and an alternate take of the closing number ‘Sacrifice of Victor’.
Better yet, the album was released at the tail end of Prince’s flooding the market with VHS releases. This album saw no fewer than four home video releases: first, but least essential, a nine minute film for ‘Sexy MF’. The other video releases deserve a place in any Prince fans collection: a feature length film ‘3 Chains o’Gold’, starring Prince and the NPG with Mayte (a self-indulgent but enjoyable vehicle for some of the then new songs); a film of an NPG live after-show party (released as ‘The Sacrifice of Victor’) and best of all – ‘The Undertaker’: a live in the studio film of Prince with bassist Sonny T and drummer Michael B jamming on some hard-edged blues rock material in the power-trio mould of Hendrix or Stevie Salas. Unsurprisingly, the three films have yet to appear on DVD.
Bundle all of this together in a hard, black clam-shell box with gold symbol logo on the front and you have yourselves an unmissable reissue.
As Prince himself says in the ‘Purple Rain’ sleevenotes, “May U Live 2 See The Dawn”, ’cause, let’s face it, you won’t get to live to see a deluxe reissue of this album, on this scale…or otherwise.
LOVE SYMBOL DELUXE EDITION
Disc 1 (The Original Album)
1. My Name Is Prince – 6:39
2. Sexy MF” – 5:25
3. Love 2 the 9’s – 5:45
4. The Morning Papers” – 3:57
5. The Max – 4:30
6. Segue (spoken word with Prince and Kirstie Alley) – 0:21
7. Blue Light – 4:38
8. I Wanna Melt with U – 3:50
9. Sweet Baby – 4:01
10. The Continental – 5:31
11. Damn U – 4:25
12. Arrogance – 1:35
13. The Flow – 2:26
14. 7 – 5:13
15. And God Created Woman – 3:18
16. 3 Chains o’ Gold – 6:03
17. Segue (spoken word with Prince and Kirstie Alley) – 1:30
18. The Sacrifice of Victor – 5:41
Total Time: 74.56
Disc 2 (The Remixes and Unreleased Material)
1. Intro [*] – time unknown
2. My Name Is Prince (Edit) – 4:05
3. My Name Is Prince (Original Mix Edit) – 8:06
4. My Name Is Prince (12″ Club Mix) – 8:11
5. My Name Is Prince (House Mix) – 7:18
6. My Name Is Prince (Hard Core 12″ Mix) – 7:55
7. Segue [*] (time unknown)
8. Sexy Mutha (Sexy MF Radio Edit) – 3.55
9. Sexy M.F. (12″ Remix) – 7:34
10. Segue [*] (time unknown)
[*] previously unreleased
Total Time: (approx.) 50.00
Disc 3 (Remixes, Unreleased Material & a B-Side)
1. 7 (album edit) – 4:23
2. 7 (acoustic version) – 3:54
3. 7 (After 6 Edit) – 4:20
4. 7 (Mix 5 Edit) – 4:06
5. 7 (After 6 Long Version) – 5:15
6. 7 (Mix 5 Long Version) – 4:56
7. Segue [*] (time unknown)
8. 2 Whom It May Concern (original b-side) – 4.02
9. Segue [*] (time unknown)
10. The Sacrifice of Victor (first version) [*] (time unknown)
[*] previously unreleased
Total Time: (approx.) 38.30
Disc 4 (The DVD)
3 Chains o’ Gold (movie) (75m)
The Sacrifice of Victor (NPG Aftershow Party) (46m)
1. The Ride
2. The Undertaker
3. Jailhouse Rock
4. House In Order
5. Call The Law
6. Heart In My Hand
7. Power of Love
8. In The Mood
9. Peach
The Undertaker (40m)
1.The Ride
2. Poorgoo
3. Honky Tonk Women
4. Bambi
5. Zannalee (Prelude)
6. The Undertaker
7. Dolphin
The Promo Clips
My Name Is Prince / Sexy MF / 7
Total running time for DVD, approx 180 mins.