Goodness will guide us
if love is inside us
The colors r brighter,
the bond is much tighter
U know no child's a failure
Until the blue sailboat sails him away from his dreams
Don't ever lose, don't ever lose
Don't ever lose your dreams
Yeah!

#PrinceTwitterThread
#SOTTDELUXE

Where do we start with this monumental track, well I guess we start with the first 2 lines above which are also repeated in the opening track on Parade - “Christopher Tracy’s Parade” (CTP):

“Goodness will guide us
if love is inside us?
Christopher Tracy's Parade”

These lines also appear in the intro to the Under The Cherry Moon (UTCM) movie, where Christopher Tracy scribbles these lines on a note left for the sexy Mrs. Wellington.

Originally, All My Dreams (AMD) was supposed to have been the track that ended the Parade album.

On the initial configuration it was the 9th & final track that segues in from “Old Friends For Sale.” (OFFS).

On the deluxe, you can hear the end of OFFS as AMD fades in which is a good reason to ask you to listen to the track as you read this thread: https://open.spotify.com/track/2EVsZEbOY1uSdXTJKIGsJ7?si=YrLlQDy4QYmuZZ8e0ak8IQ

AMD was a great fit for UTCM. It mirrors the romance of the movie with it’s quest to pursue your dreams & placing love above greed & materialism.

But why was it removed when it might have made a much more positive finale than Sometimes It Snows in April (SISIA)?

Let’s find out

Chronologically:

CTP was created first on 17th April 1985.

Then 4 days later P laid down SISIA.

Then 1 week after SISIA - P created AMD on 28th April 1985.

So when P created these 3 tracks there was no movie.

Shooting of UTCM began 5 months later in September 85’.

His thinking must have been CTP starts the album & AMD ends it - both songs beginning & ending with the “goodness will guide us” lines.

On the original Parade configuration in May 85, this is how it was - CTP opened the album, SISIA was the 7th track & AMD was the final track.

Everything changed with the shooting of UTCM.

AMD is shelved & SISIA moves from 7th track to replace it as the final track because he changed the ending to the movie.

The new ending was explained in “From The Rise of Prince 1958 - 1988” - Alex Hahn & @laura_tiebert - read

So AMD was removed from Parade because he changed the ending to UTCM.

The happy ending where P gets Mary Sharon was replaced with a darker ending where he kills off Christopher Tracy.

And so, AMD no longer fitted the theme of the movie & thus no longer had a place on the album

After its removal from Parade, AMD was the final track on the June & July configurations of the “Dream Factory” ‘assembly of songs’ - whatever they were meant to represent!

But with the disbanding of the Revolution, the assembly of songs were shelved & this included AMD.

According to @PrinceVault, AMD was subsequently earmarked for the 1998 Roadhouse Garden compilation but it didn’t see the light of day & neither did the subsequent “All My Dreams” album on NPG Music Club.

So, remarkably AMD remained unreleased & left on the shelf!

AMD is Parade era thru & thru.

It could have been a B Side to Anotherloverholenyohead, restoring its rightful place in this era.

We’re all thinking why is it on this SOTT Deluxe when it ought to be on a Parade Deluxe.

It’s inclusion here impacts upon a future Parade Deluxe.

So from its initial creation on 28 April 85 - AMD unbelievably remained unreleased until now.

But of course it has widely circulated for decades in varying quality & on bootleg releases such as Charade, Dream Factory & others too.

AMD formed part of a mythical holy grail set of songs which include the following:

Moonbeam levels
Xtraloveble
Wally
Cosmic day
Computer Blue Hallway Speech

Many of us had heard AMD before but the quality wasn’t as great.

Finally we now get to hear it in all its sonic glory

When I first heard AMD, I actually didn’t like it that much.

It felt too pastiche - kinda x rated Disney/High School Musical (“Fame” - in those days).

I much preferred the stripped down minimalist funk of Parade era songs like New Position.

I thought “why” on earth is he trying to sound like Andrew Lloyd Webber - uncool.

I was glad he left it off Parade at that time.

But over the years I have grown to love it more & now it’s easily 1 of my favourite tracks of that era & I wish it had ended the Parade album.

AMD begins in a dream-like state as it fades in starting a cosmic dream.

There’s a longing for the night which signals dream time to P:

“ 'll C U 2night N all my dreams.”

And what is he looking forward to dreaming about - well, taking someone’s virginity, getting her pregnant & then marrying her:

“A submarine valiantly
conquers a virgin sea
A child is born, a child is born,
will you marry me?”

P also dreams of all the other things he loves - cereals - Cap'n Crunch (also in Joint 2 Joint) Cheerios, more sex & Norma Jean?

Was he dreaming of Marilyn Monroe aka Norma Jean - one of America’s greatest & most timeless sex symbols or Norma Jean Wright - ex-Chic vocalist?

P is also dreaming of Africa which takes us to a Miles Davis quote:

“Prince doesn’t hear Ravel when he wants to make love to a woman, he hears drums ‘n’ shit”!

‘That’s Africa’ - C. Liegh M said at a recent After Salon.

“..Sensuality is an aspect of Spirituality..”

So when P dreams of Africa - he is dreaming of making love to a woman!

And when P wants to make love to a woman - he hears drums ‘n’ shit!

Back to AMD, it’s a sensual, surreal & inventive song.

A theatrical, neo- vaudeville song featuring some of Wendy & Lisa’s best backing vocals & one of Lisa’s best piano solos.

Recorded on the same day as “Kiss”!! Two mega but quite different songs created on the same day & it’s association with Kiss doesn’t end here.

P’s voice is distorted to sound like a gramophone record (radio voice) from the 1930’s which tied in w/ the vibe of the UTCM movie.

The distortion of P’s voice was achieved with the use of a megaphone & this was the first time P had used this technique on a studio recording.

Was it rooted in the 1930’s or was there a more modern inspiration for it?

A modern twist leads to Buggles & The Art of Noise.

In the early 80’s the synth-pop group Buggles was a Trevor Horn creation and they had a massive hit “Video Killed The Radio Star” (VKTRS) which incidentally was the first ever video to be played on MTV in August 81’.

So it was a track on heavy rotation.

The vocals on VKTRS sound like they were recorded thru a megaphone.

In fact a Vox AC30 amplifier was used to achieve the effect & not a megaphone altho’ that was also tried at the time.

But it gave the vocal a classic radio voice effect much like the recordings of the 1930’s

Horn was also behind the Art of Noise (AON) whose influence can be heard on P records like I Wonder U, Shockedelica & Housequake. 

Horn later produced Wendy & Lisa too.

AON recorded a cover of Kiss w/ Tom Jones - maybe their payback to P lending from AON’s sonic sound palette.

In the 80’s Video really did impact upon Radio & this Buggles song chronicled that impact at the exact time it was occurring.

The song was everywhere & would have come to P’s attention.

So this hit might have been one of the songs that inspired P to use the megaphone on AMD.

As we’re on the topic of the Megaphone/Bullhorn, I’ll seize this opportunity to celebrate it because it won’t come around again.

One of my all time favourite artists - @tomwaits has also used it live & on studio recordings to great effect - Chocolate Jesus

Tom Waits said this on his use of a Bullhorn:

“I'd never sung thru a bullhorn. I'd tried to get that effect in other ways. I tried cupping my hands, singing into tin cans, using those 7-dollar harmonica, singing into pipes & there it was. A battery-operated bullhorn.”

Other artists who have also used it include:

Beatles: 
-Uncle Albert
-Baby You're a Rich Man
-You Know My Name Look Up the Number

King Crimson - 21st C Shizoid 
REM - Orange Crush
Muse - Feeling Good 
Pink Floyd - Waiting for the worms 
Flaming Lips 

Wally Safford on AMD

P has used the Bullhorn live during several performances over the years.

In 2011 he used it during the Welcome 2 America Tour in Europe & in 2013 in Montreux. 

Footage below for the Ghent & Montreux gigs.

Ghent, Belgium 6th July 2011

“NPG report to the stage right now!”

“It’s gonna be Loud & it’s gonna be Funkaaaay!”

Ghent, Belgium - 6th July 2011.

Musicology - Ghent, Belgium - 6th July 2011.

The bullhorn during The Bird - Live at Montreux - 13th July 2013:

P also used the Bullhorn during a performance of IIWYG at Ahoy Rotterdam on 26 July 2011 during the Welcome to America Europe Tour but I couldn’t find footage.

If you have it let me know!

But here’s some cool images of Prince with a Bullhorn!

Some more fun with a Bullhorn

In addition to the radio voice, where did the inspiration come from for the 1930’s swing vibe?

Possibly from Dr Buzzard’s Original Savannah Band who fused the vaudeville 1930’s vibe with Disco. 

Not only does this seem like an inspiration for AMD but also for the UTCM movie:

This song also has a French title which ties into the whole French Riveria vibe of UTCM

Indeed, the co- founder of the Dr Buzzard was August Darnell who later formed Kid Creole & the Coconuts.

Wendy said AMD reminded her of:

‘...classic Kid Creole and the Coconuts..’

She added when talking to Lisa in an interview:

"Do you remember around that time we took him to see Kid Creole and the Coconuts and he fell in love with August Darnell singing through the megaphone? He made Susan Rogers buy him one for that song."

Not only did Rogers to buy him a megaphone, P actually stole one early in his career in 1980 which you can read about below.

But do note that altho’ the story is true, the mugshot isn’t, it’s fake - an April Fool prank: http://www.feelnumb.com/2015/08/26/prince-mugshot-jackson-mississippi-arrest-1980/

And of course we know Prince was hugely into Kid Creole & the Coconuts as he wrote the “Sex of It” for them:

Was Darnell also the inspiration for P’s pencil thin moustache & some of his clothing during the Parade era & for Madhouse?

As Darnell recalled:

“Prince wrote a song for me - “The Sex Of It.” 

He said he felt sorry for me because although I had achieved superstar status in Europe, I had failed to rise to the same heights in America. 

He said that his song would do the job for me. 

It didn't!”

Let’s move on to those glorious Wendy & Lisa vocals throughout the song which are truly a standout:

Wendy said Prince sang through a megaphone on one track and kept the other clean, before mixing the two while she and Lisa did crazy background vocals.

@wendyandlisa

According to Lisa, P instructed them to ‘sing like you are Bette Davis’ - a reference that ties into the theme of AMD & the 1930’s vibe of UTCM.

Bette Davies was one of America’s greatest Actresses who achieved great critical & commercial movie acclaim in the 1930’s & 1940’s.

Or did he mean the other Betty Davis - Amazing American Funk & Soul Sista’ & former wife of Miles Davis? 

This Betty Davis was quite  a controversial but cult musical heroine of the mid 70’s famed for her open sexuality on stage.

Her sound doesn’t quite meet the AMD vibe but

Lisa actually compares AMD to a movie:

"That was such an interesting, fun, crazy day in the studio. When you listen to it, it's like a little movie or something. It had a carnival atmosphere."

Lisa also said they were watching 30’s ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’-era films while working.

AMD has all the hallmarks of the American Songbook & Irving Berlin - composer of Puttin’ on the Ritz.

Interestingly, POTR featured in the movie of the same name & was according to The Complete Lyrics of Irving Berlin, the 1st song in film to be sung by an interracial ensemble.

The original version of Berlin's song included references to the then-popular fad of flashily dressed but poor black Harlemites parading up and down Lenox Avenue singing:

"Spending ev'ry dime / For a wonderful time".

POTR is slang - "to put on the Ritz", meaning to dress very fashionably. This expression was itself inspired by the opulent Ritz Hotel in London.

There’s a an interesting cover by Dutch artist Taco, whom acclaimed author C. Liegh McInnis says AMD reminds him of

Matt Fink also mentioned AMD being a favourite of his as he loved the the throwback to the 1930’s movie soundtrack vibe.

In Addition to the megaphone voice, AMD also features real drums & the then new Fairlight CMI & of course @clare_fischer’s wonderful orchestration.

Regarding his father’s orchestration, @brentfischer_ , who also worked on AMD said it was his favourite unreleased track:

‘It’s a great, great tune and I hope it will be released one day, and it’s got a great orchestral arrangement to it too, if I can pat my dad on the back.’

There is also use of a sample on AMD - the “Bizarre” sample - the origins of which point to a track by Frank Zappa - “Our Bizarre Relationship”. 

P didn’t sample it directly from the Zappa track tho’ as it was a standard preset sample in the Fairlight. 

The Bizarre sample has been widely used.

P has used it in a number of other songs:

*Bob George
*Christopher Tracy's Parade
*6 (The End Of The World Mix)(Madhouse)
*Lovesexy
*Nine (Madhouse)

As well as using a sample on AMD, a part of AMD also became a sample for a song within P’s own catalog.

“Acknowledge Me” from Crystal Ball samples the spoken word part of AMD right at the end of the track as it is fading out.

But just before the spoken word part, Wendy & Lisa say the following:

“Here ye, here ye, one & all
The double speed playhouse is making a call”

This further demonstrates the theatrical nature of this song - it seems designed for theatre performance or a play.

‘Playhouse’ is essentially another word for theatre which again raises Q’s about what exactly was the “Dream Factory” - was it a theatre performance, play, musical, an assembly of songs, an album or just a concept?

It’s far from clear.

I hope we find out one day soon!

Now, moving onto the spoken word part - P’s voice is pitched down & the vocal moves thru the song like a light fluffy cloud recounting the spoken word passage of songs like Automatic, IIWYG, We Can Fuck & Girl.

This same voice was a precursor to Bob George & The Rainbow Children

Is the pitched down voice Camille’s alter ego - Spooky Electric? 

Was it slowed down via vary speed tape or via The Publison Infernal Machine?  

Play the spoken word part at double speed & you’ll hear P’s normal speaking voice.

In the spoken word part we are taken deeper into the dream world of P:

“Welcome, this is where I live
This is where I dream my dreams”

He then proceeds to recount the sex dream but this time in greater detail than he did in the first verse:

And he goes deeper & deeper:

The instrumentation mirrors the physical act.

The bass is pounding up & down in rhythm with his body during the sex dream.

The keys are funky, playful & circus like in parts - like his kisses, I mean have you seen the way he kisses in UTCM - funky & funny at the same time.

The piano solo embodies the improvised intensity of a seasoned jazz pianist - as he caresses her body.

The sound of the train - signifies the moment of penetration!

Then the whispers & angelic background vocals - moans of ecstasy.

And then after the sexual act is complete - we once again imagine what silence looks like (as we did on IIWYG):

“They do not speak
They only stare
Out this moment N time”

Then in his normal speaking voice is a hint back to the romance of the apocalypse of 1999:

“Marry me 2day & 
2night we'll make love
Until the world stops turning”

At the end of the spoken word section - parts of “The Morning Verse” are whispered by Wendy & Lisa.

(Wherein there shines the sun)
(Wherein there lay the stars)
(Wherein there lie the stones)

This is from the Upper Grade Morning Verse of Rudolph Steiner used at Waldorf/Steiner schools which both Wendy & Lisa attended.

Another stand out during the spoken word part is when Wendy says:

“Lisa, I'm gonna give you the brush and you're gonna paint the side of the train”.

Wendy & Lisa in conversation again in a part that is reminiscent of the intro to Computer Blue.

But this time it isn’t about Baptism!

It’s about Lisa’s payback for the time P painted Lisa’s entire living room wall with graffiti - which became the back cover of Dirty Mind!

This brings us to the Train theme P had going on which started on the unreleased track Roadhouse Garden in 84’ where you hear a train sample near the end.

Then it reappeared as a sample & in lyrics of ATWIAD (song):

“Open your heart, open your mind
A train is leaving all day”.

Then next we hear the train on CTP which is a song similar in concept to ATWIAD. 

Both are opening tracks of an album & on both P is asking us to join him, one on a journey & the other to behold the Parade

On CTP - U can hear the chugging of the train at the end of it.

So at the end of CTP, the train is off again & continuing on its journey to the Dream Factory assembly of songs - u hear it on “Train” & also throughout on AMD.

In the last verse of AMD there’s also mention of another mode of transportation -The Blue Sailboat

The “Blue Sailboat” is a phrase with a nautical origin - it is a reference for ‘feeling the blues’.

If a ship’s captain died whilst at sea, the crew would fly blue flags & paint a blue band along the ship’s hull. 

This symbol of grieving equated with feeling sad or melancholy.

Metaphorically then:

The train journey represents life’s journey, joyful dreams, a safe space & happiness.

Whereas the blue sailboat represents the harsh reality of life & depression!

So this final verse is speaking about the harsh realities of life which can bring about a depression in one’s life. 

That depression can lead to failure. 

That failure can steer one away from fulfilling one’s dreams.

Don’t allow life’s harshness to steer you away from dreams.

It is in one’s dreams where happiness & joy reside & P loves to dream as it’s an escape from the harshness of reality.

Hence the last verse is a rousing & emotional finale.

U could imagine it in a live setting with the whole of the auditorium singing their ’s out in unison.

And indeed AMD is meant to mirror this emotional finale.

AMD is a song about:
*empowerment
*encouragement
*hope
*liberation
*love
*escapism 

It’s about never losing sight of your dreams & about NEVER giving up!

Don't ever lose, 
Don't ever lose
Don't ever lose ur dreams
Yeah!

I hope you enjoyed this thread & thanks for checking in.

Thanks to all the Purple Avengers for their participation in this series

Special thanks 2 my co-host @EdgarKruize 4 the lyric thumbnails & photographic stills

The panel videos were taken from @polishedsolid’s After Salon series which you can check out here in full.  https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCD8Cnzmjs-T6tF0AbvdATtQ

On Thursday this week the brilliant @arrthurr from the excellent @TotalMusicSnobs wants 2 play with U as he takes on the Miles Davis collaboration.

And this is just the start of 3 months of threads on the Vault tracks & so stick with us