Prince (October 11, 2019) – "International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio)" Format: Digital Download / Streaming
"International Lover" was originally issued as the eleventh and final track on Prince's fifth studio album, 1999. In 1983, the song was also used as a b-side on selected editions of the "Little Red Corvette" single, the second single released from the album.
Prior to the release of this full studio performance, a brief solo piano rehearsal of the song had appeared on the 2018 posthumous release Piano & A Microphone 1983.
The composition was initially intended for The Time's second album, What Time Is It?. A version featuring Morris Day on vocals was recorded, but Prince was dissatisfied with the outcome and subsequently reclaimed the song for inclusion on 1999.
On October 11, 2019, "International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio)" was released digitally as a promotional download and streaming track in advance of the forthcoming 1999 Super Deluxe Edition.
RECORDING
Basic tracking for the song took place on January 14, 1982, at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California during sessions connected with The Time's second album, What Time Is It?
Prince recorded an early version of the track on that date with Morris Day playing drums. This recording would later be issued as "Take 1 (Live In Studio)" on the Vault Tracks Part 1 disc contained within the 1999 Super Deluxe Edition release.
The recording was further developed later that same day and may have undergone additional work at a subsequent date. As a result, very little of the material heard on this early take remained in the finished version released on 1999 in 1982.
The Morris Day vocal version was most likely recorded shortly afterwards at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, Minnesota.
STYLE & THEMES
This version captures the song at a very early stage of development, presenting a live-in-the-studio performance recorded before the extensive revisions that transformed it into the master version later issued on 1999.
TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES
• International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio) — An early studio performance recorded during January 1982 sessions for The Time. Featuring Morris Day on drums, the track documents the song before it evolved into the version ultimately released on 1999. The recording was later selected as a vault track and issued to promote the 1999 Super Deluxe Edition.
RELEASE HISTORY
The recording remained unreleased for more than three decades following its creation in January 1982.
A short piano rehearsal of the song surfaced on Piano & A Microphone 1983 in 2018, but the complete studio recording remained unheard officially until preparations began for the expanded 1999 Super Deluxe Edition project.
To generate interest in the forthcoming deluxe collection, "International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio)" was released to digital and streaming platforms on October 11, 2019. The track subsequently appeared as the eighth selection on the Vault Tracks Part 1 disc included in the 1999 Super Deluxe Edition.
NOTES
Released as a promotional track for the forthcoming 1999 Super Deluxe Edition.
The recording originated from January 14, 1982 sessions at Sunset Sound in Hollywood, California.
An alternate version featuring Morris Day on vocals was recorded for possible inclusion on What Time Is It?, but Prince instead reclaimed the song for use on 1999.
This recording was later issued as the eighth track on the Vault Tracks Part 1 disc included with the 1999 Super Deluxe Edition.
A brief piano rehearsal of the song had previously been released on Piano & A Microphone 1983 in 2018.
RELEASE VARIANTS TABLE
Artist | Title | Label | Country | Catalogue | Date | Format |
Prince | International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio) | Digital Release | October 11, 2019 | Digital Download / Streaming |
TRACKLIST TABLE (ALL FORMATS)
Format | Catalogue | Tracklisting |
Digital Download / Streaming | 1. International Lover (Take 1) (Live In Studio) |
Sources Discogs, 45 World, Wikipedia, BBC Official Charts, Prince Vault, Sleeveographia2, RockfilesUK.
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