Prince (November 9, 2015) – If Eye Could Get Ur Attention Digital Release Worldwide: Tidal

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On November 9, 2015, Prince released a newly recorded version of If I Could Get Your Attention through Tidal's Purple Pick of the Week. Retitled If Eye Could Get Ur Attention, the 2:43 recording revisited a song whose history stretched back to Prince's original 1986 sessions and Taja Sevelle's 1987 debut album.

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DETAIL / INFORMATION

DETAIL	INFORMATION
Artist	Prince
Title	If Eye Could Get Ur Attention
Release Date	November 9, 2015
Territory	Worldwide
Platform	Tidal
Primary Format	Digital Stream
Release Series	Purple Pick of the Week
Running Time	2:43
Recording	2014 re-recording
Studio	Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, Minnesota
Original Song	If I Could Get Your Attention
Original Album Release	Taja Sevelle
Original Album Date	September 19, 1987
Writers	Prince and Taja Sevelle, originally credited to Taja Sevelle

INTRODUCTION

On November 9, 2015, Tidal selected Prince's previously unreleased re-recording of If Eye Could Get Ur Attention as its Purple Pick of the Week.

The release brought a long and unusually complicated composition history back into public view almost three decades after the song had first appeared on Taja Sevelle's self-titled debut album.

Prince's 2015 release was not simply a reissue of the earlier recording.

It was a new 2:43 performance believed to have been recorded at Paisley Park during autumn 2014, with Prince taking the lead vocal. Its appearance on Tidal followed a 21-second preview issued on November 4, 2015 and preceded its inclusion in Tidal's download store on December 3, 2015.

BACKGROUND / RELEASE HISTORY

BACKGROUND	RELEASE HISTORY
The song originated as If I Could Get Your Attention. Prince recorded the basic track with his own vocal at Sunset Sound on May 10, 1986. Further work followed during the same period before the composition ultimately became associated with Taja Sevelle.	Taja Sevelle's version was released as track six of her self-titled debut album on September 19, 1987. Prince's own substantially later re-recording appeared through Tidal on November 9, 2015 under the revised title If Eye Could Get Ur Attention.
Prince wrote the song, with Taja Sevelle contributing the third verse. The released 1987 version credited the writing to Taja Sevelle, while Prince's production contribution was credited to Chico Bennett.	The new Prince version had already been heard at Paisley Park before its Tidal release. It was played over the PA before an unannounced Prince performance on November 16, 2014, alongside several other then-unreleased recordings.

THE ORIGINAL SONG / PRINCE RE-RECORDING

IF I COULD GET YOUR ATTENTION	IF EYE COULD GET UR ATTENTION
Prince began work on the original recording at Sunset Sound on May 10, 1986. Taja Sevelle subsequently recorded vocals, and the resulting 3:41 version appeared on her 1987 debut album.	The later Prince recording changed the title to If Eye Could Get Ur Attention. Believed to have been recorded during autumn 2014 at Paisley Park Studios, the 2:43 version features Prince on lead vocals.
The supplied information identifies Prince as playing the instrumentation on the Taja Sevelle version apart from guitar by Greg Porter.	Prince handled lead vocals and other instrumentation on the 2014 version, with John Blackwell on drums, Andrew Gouché on bass, Xavier Taplin on keyboards and Marcus Anderson on vocoder saxophone.

RECORDING / DEVELOPMENT

1986–1993	2014–2015
Basic tracking, mixing and an instrumental mix were completed at Sunset Sound on May 10, 1986. Further overdubs and mixing took place there on July 16, 1986. Taja Sevelle vocal work may have taken place subsequently at The Enterprise in Burbank, although exact dates are not established.	Prince revisited the composition many years later with the recording eventually issued as If Eye Could Get Ur Attention. The supplied information places this re-recording provisionally in autumn 2014 at Paisley Park Studios.
In September 1993, the composition was tried during early work on Mayte's first album. A version appeared on an early configuration then titled Latino Barbie Doll before being removed as the project evolved into Child Of The Sun.	A 21-second preview of Prince's new recording appeared on November 4, 2015. Five days later, the complete recording became Tidal's Purple Pick of the Week.

PERSONNEL / PRODUCTION

2014 VERSION – PERSONNEL	EARLIER VERSION / PRODUCTION
Prince – lead vocals and instruments except where noted John Blackwell – drums Andrew Gouché – bass guitar Xavier Taplin – keyboards Marcus Anderson – vocoder saxophone	Taja Sevelle – vocals on 1987 version Prince – instrumentation, uncredited Greg Porter – guitar Prince – writer/co-writer and producer, with original credits presented differently on the 1987 release

VERSION HISTORY

RELEASED VERSIONS	UNRELEASED / DEVELOPMENTAL VERSIONS
If I Could Get Your Attention – 3:41 Taja Sevelle version, released 1987. If Eye Could Get Ur Attention – 2:43 Prince's 2014 re-recording, released through Tidal in 2015.	If I Could Get Your Attention (Instrumental) – instrumental mix. If I Could Get Your Attention – Jill Jones version associated with 1986 sessions. If I Could Get Your Attention – Mayte version, 1993. If Eye Could Get Ur Attention – later version with additional horns and strings.

TIDAL DIGITAL RELEASE

Prince's 2:43 re-recording was initially made available through Tidal as its Purple Pick of the Week on November 9, 2015.

DIGITAL RELEASE ARTWORK	TIDAL / PROMOTIONAL PRESENTATION
[IMAGE – NOVEMBER 9, 2015 DIGITAL ARTWORK]	[IMAGE – TIDAL PURPLE PICK OF THE WEEK PRESENTATION]

The recording subsequently became available through Tidal's download store on December 3, 2015 alongside several other previously streamed recordings.

LIVE HISTORY

2011	2015
On April 30, 2011 at The Forum in Inglewood, California, Prince incorporated lyrics from the song into a performance of I Feel For You. This was an interpolation rather than a complete performance.	On November 7, 2015 at Paisley Park Studios, Prince performed the song as a solo piano piece. The supplied information identifies this as the only known complete live performance.

THE TAJA SEVELLE / MAYTE CONNECTION

TAJA SEVELLE	MAYTE
Taja Sevelle's 1987 recording provided the song's first official release. Prince had created the original track, while Sevelle contributed the third verse and supplied the released vocal.	The composition was revisited during early work on Mayte's first album in September 1993. It was included on an early configuration of the project before disappearing as the album developed into Child Of The Sun.

LATER ASSOCIATED VERSION

KAT GRAHAM	STATUS
Kat Graham later recorded If Eye Could Get Ur Attention for Love Music Funk Magic, released in 2017. Graham had worked creatively with Prince during the period from 2013 to 2015.	The supplied information does not establish whether Prince worked specifically on Graham's recording of this song. Any involvement therefore remains unconfirmed and should not be presented as an established Prince production credit.

FORMAT-SPECIFIC CONTEXT

PURPLE PICK OF THE WEEK	SUBSEQUENT DOWNLOAD
The November 9 appearance was presented through Tidal's Purple Pick of the Week rather than as a conventional physical single.	On December 3, 2015, the recording became available through Tidal's newly opened download store alongside other previously streamed material.
No physical edition is documented in the supplied information.	The digital history therefore progressed from promotional streaming availability to a downloadable release.

PRESS & PROMOTION

PROMOTION	ARCHIVE CONTEXT
A 21-second extract appeared on November 4, 2015, five days before the full Tidal release. The complete recording then became the Purple Pick of the Week on November 9.	The 2015 digital artwork and contemporary Tidal material provide the main visual documentation for this brief release campaign.

NOTES

NOTES	NOTES
• Tidal release: November 9, 2015. • Prince version runs 2:43. • Original recording dates from May 10, 1986. • Taja Sevelle version released September 19, 1987. • Prince re-recording believed to date from autumn 2014.	• 21-second preview appeared November 4, 2015. • Full solo-piano performance: November 7, 2015. • Tidal download followed December 3, 2015. • Mayte version dates from September 1993. • No physical 2015 release is documented.

RELEASED VERSION DETAILS

TITLE / VERSION	DETAILS
If I Could Get Your Attention	3:41 – Taja Sevelle – 1987 studio version
If Eye Could Get Ur Attention	2:43 – Prince – 2014 re-recording / 2015 Tidal release

SOURCES / COPYRIGHT & ARCHIVAL USE

SOURCES

Prince Vault, The Vault: The Definitive Guide to the Musical World of Prince, Prince and the Parade/Sign O' The Times Era Studio Sessions 1985 and 1986 – Duane Tudahl, Rolling Out, Entertainment Tonight, Prince Party UK.

COPYRIGHT & ARCHIVAL USE

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