Thread by @deejayumb

Part II

June & July = JJ = Jill Jones

This Part II will be a brief overview of the album from its recording to it’s release.

The individual tracks will not be covered as our contributors will dive into these.

So let’s start with the Album.

#PrinceTwitterThread #Jilljones

I wish I could drop a streaming link to this album but it isn’t on streaming platforms.

it went out of print not long after its release & is difficult to find on Vinyl & CD.

There’s a GREAT demand for a JJ SDE on translucent Pink💖Vinyl.

And it needs to come out NOW 🖤💀

Front Cover:

JJ is standing over a manhole & is pulling down her flyaway skirt to avoid exposing her underwear.

This mirrors the iconic movie poster to the Monroe classic “7 Year Itch” - Monroe standing on a subway grate as her white dress is blown upwards by a passing train.

Back Cover:

Front & back features JJ's dog “Koo Koo” gifted to her by P in Detroit.

The Photographer is Isabel Snyder.

In the image below - Koo Koo is to the left & Gertie is to the right.

According to JJ - Gertie was the inspiration for the colour “Peach” in the SOTT era.

LOGO

The logo was inspired by Elvis’ ‘68 Comeback Special’ when he’s on stage with his name behind him in lights.

“Ideally, we had wanted to show the words ‘Jill Jones,’ behind me like how Elvis had the letters of his name behind him. And since then everybody’s done it.”

LINER NOTES:

On the liner notes the album is dedicated to the memory of her Grandma - Gertrude Adams. "Sing baby"!

Along with a whole bunch of people, P also gets a thank you:

“thank you Prince - tempora non mutamor.”

The Album

Susan Rogers called JJ the most patient artist signed to Paisley Park Records as it took 5 years to get her debut album out.

The album was going to be called “My Sex” after the track of the same name but P didn’t want to release it & so this title was ditched.

All of the 8 tracks were written by P but he was listed as co-writer on 5 with JJ taking credit for 7 which were copyrighted to White Fox Publishing under P’s Joey Coco pseudonym.

7 of the 8 tracks (excluding cover of ‘With You’) feature P’s musical input.

However, this album was no different to P’s previous associate projects & his involvement was more substantial than the public were led to believe at the time.

P is in fact the sole writer of all tracks.

The co-written" songs (& With You) are copyrighted as P compositions.

JJ & D Z Rivkin are listed as producers on 5 tracks & JJ with P on 3 songs (MB, ADAN & FL) - @PrinceVault.

In interviews JJ said the album was a collaborative effort & she had declined P’s offer to conceal his major input as she felt secure enough with her own contributions.

JJ said:

"He allowed me to get involved. He’d write the music, make a cassette & say, ‘Write some words to this.’ P & I worked well together, better, I think, than anyone else he’s collaborated with. I’m not in his shadow. He’s my friend & so I consider him helping me is fine."

@Duane_Tudahl has said the tracks given to JJ were recorded with P’s scratch vocals as a reference point & JJ’s lead vocal overdubs were added.

I would like to think JJ played a more creative role & contributed lyrics & ideas too. Her work does differ to other associates.

The tracks were recorded in 4 years - between July 82 & October 86 as follows:

*May 1982 - Mia Bocca was recorded by P

*July 1982 - Baby, You’re A Trip recorded by P

*August 1983 - G-Spot recorded (was considered for use in the Purple Rain movie).

*7 June 1984 - All Day, All Night recorded live at P’s Birthday Concert at First Avenue MPLS

*10 May 1985 - P & JJ recorded My Man - this signalled the start of work on the album proper.

*30 May 85 - For Love

*13 December 85 - With You

*11 October 86 - Violet Blue

1986 - Mia Bocca, G Spot & Baby you’re a trip - P reworked these & they were sent to Clare Fischer for orchestrations.

Between 1985 & 1986 -  Prince & Jill Jones recorded a bunch of other tracks which were ultimately not used for the album:

-Come Elektra Tuesday
-Married Man

-Killin’ At The Soda Shop
-Living Doll
-My Sex
-Euphoria Highway
-Polka-Dotted Tiger
-Zebra With Blonde Hair

Let’s take a brief look at some of these.

Come Elektra Tuesday

JJ said:

“The lyrics are about a purple Aston Martin, which is my favorite car & favorite color.”

Killin’ at the Soda Shop

Rockabilly with Punk-ish elements - like a cross between The Stray Cats & The Cramps but unsuitable for the debut.

A song designed for a movie scene.

Clare Fischer’s orchestration is included & later used on Graffiti Bridge & Levi’s “Shake Remix”.

Living Doll

Sounds like a Psychedelic Paisley Underground jam with a touch of the Go’s Go’s & mid-way it goes off on a tangent.

Includes Orchestral overdubs by Clare Fischer.

Doesn’t match the vibe of the other tracks on the album & so it’s understandable it wasn’t included.

Euphoria Highway

There are 3 versions of this promising slow paced Space Rock/Synth jam. 1 with a P vocal & the other JJ vocal.

This is the instrumental version (save for JJ singing the title phrase).

P gave it to Clinton for a Vanessa Redgrave album which didn’t happen.

If 👁 Could Get Ur Attention - a catchy song recorded in 86’ but not considered for JJ’s album (alt versions incl. - P, Taja S & Mayte.)

JJ’s version is the ONE!

Would’ve fit the debut & dare I say it could’ve replaced the jaded “With You” as we already knew P’s OG version.

In February 1986 the first configuration of the album was compiled without Violet Blue:

Mia Bocca
G-Spot
With You
Boom Boom
Rough
Baby, You’re A Trip
4 Love
My Man
Euphoria Highway.

The production reins were handed over to David Z Rivkin as P was too busy with other projects.

The version of “Rough” (aka “Too Rough”) was updated with vocals by JJ & a saxophone part by Eric Leeds.

The original recording w/ a P vocal dates back to 1980.

A further version featuring Alexander O’Neal on lead vocals also exists (when he was being groomed 4 the Time).

“Rough” was considered for The Family’s album too.

And it was also offered to Joyce Kennedy of Mother’s Finest but she turned it down & said:

"I don’t think it’s some of his best work. The hook & the vocal lead are good, but the rest of the song... It’s real strange."

P returned to work on overdubs & mixing in Nov 86 & a final configuration was compiled which was as follows:

1 Intro (Baby, You’re A Trip) - Mia Bocca
2 G-Spot
3 Violet Blue
4 With You
5 All Day, All Night
6 For Love
7 My Man
8 Baby, You’re A Trip

JJ finally signed the Paisley Park contract in 1986.

In Dec 1986, P reviewed the album again but it’s not clear if he reviewed the configuration or the pre-master or post-master.

The album was deemed finished & ready for release in early 1987.

On 19 May 1987 it was released.

Upon release, the public hadn’t made the connection between the blonde in the 1999 videos, the waitress in the PR movie & now the singer on this album!

No one expected that blonde girl to have this kind of voice as no one knew of the work JJ had done on prior releases.

In the pre-social media 80’s I didn’t know who JJ was!

Let me break it down:

After the Purple Rain movie, JJ wasn’t visible.

Yes, she features on the Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Parade & SOTT albums but she wasn’t “visible”.  

So after Purple Rain she disappeared from public view.

She wasn’t on the Purple Rain or Parade Tours & was meant to be on the SOTT Tour but wasn’t.

She wasn’t on any of the videos after the Purple Rain movie & wasn’t in UTCM movie either.

We did know about her work behind the scenes or indeed that she was working on an album!

JJ just came across as this kinda blonde bimbo.

-didn’t know she could sing. Hell, she wasn’t even in his band - The Revolution.

-didn’t know she was contributing so much to P’s albums & associate albums too.

-didn’t know about her background with Teena Marie & Motown.

-didn’t know her roles in the movies were drastically reduced

-had absolutely no idea that she & P had been working on an album for 5 years.

-didn’t even hear the album upon release. I must’ve heard it a year or so later when I stumbled across it one day in a wrecka stow.

Even when I had hold of it, I still didn’t make the connection that she was the blonde, I thought JJ was someone new & completely different.

I wasn’t the only 1 lacking this knowledge.

When all of these connections were finally made, it was a revelation.

Blonde could sing!

Overall, the album channels a lot of P from 1979 to SOTT.

With You is obviously from his 2nd self titled album.

G Spot & Mia Bocca could have been on 1999.

My Man is Dirty Mind era.

I could hear Violet Blue on SOTT

All Day, All Night is classic Revolution era & could have been on Purple Rain or Parade.

Baby you’re a Trip I could hear on Controversy.

For Love could have been on The Family album.

It is a P album & sounds like a P album.

However, JJ has undeniably put her own stamp of authority all over it with her “Superpower” - her great voice & personality & contributions.

It’s the most consistent associate album.

It’s oozes class & feels a cut above other protégés albums.

It’s all KILLA - No FILLA!

When I first heard it back in late 80’s - I was mind blown 🤯

It was one of the only associate albums that I could play all the way through keeping me interested from start to finish.

CONS: A few years too late & the inconsistent production because of the co-production.

JJ said the album reflected whatever was going on in P’s life at that time.  

It chronicles evolution, change & the trajectory of their friendship together

JJ has said P gifted her this album & it was as tho’ he was gifting her his very own children.

JJ further added:

“That record, to me, was as if he gave me the best, most diverse variety filled banquet of songs & I could carry them all off.”

The album contains full-blown lush orchestral elements melded with classic MPLS Funk, Rock, Electronica & R&B ballads.

A blend which wasn’t at all common back then.

It paved the way for future artists who owe a debt to the production & sound on this album.

This album vindicated why P had chosen JJ to appear on so much of his 80’s output.

JJ was the best vocalist he ever had & of his protégés -
one of the only real singers!

JJ’s voice illuminates this album, it exudes erotica & exotica & goes from a Whisper to a Scream.

JJ’s voice was theatrical, dramatic, operatic and was filled with “Morna” - The Blues!

She even barks on the album.

Her personality, intelligence & intellectualism shone thru like a guiding light.

Part Philosopher, Part Poet, Part Siren & Part Muse.

A stellar cast of musicians appear on the album.

There are 4 different rhythm sections.

The 1st & most important rhythm section was P.

David Z Rivkin (Bobby Z’s brother) co-produced the album & he recalled the following about the 2nd rhythm section: ⬇️

Let’s take a look at some of the session musicians who make up the 2nd rhythm section.

Jim Pugh (Trombone)-  played with Chick Corea & Steely Dan

Jon Faddis (Trumpet) - had played with George Benson, Kenny Burrell, Gil Evans, Dizzy Gillespie, & Bo Diddly amongst others

Randy Brecker (Trumpet)- a respected artist in his own right & who had played with Jaco Pastorius, Horace Silver, Spyro Gyro & has featured on albums by established artists such as Philip Bailey, Yoko Ono, Paul Simon, Chaka Khan, Lou Reed & a whole host of others.

There’s others session musicians too, some of whom our contributors will cover when they talk about individual tracks.

The Revolution make up the 3rd rhythm section on All Day, All Night.

The Family make up the 4th Rhythm section on For Love.

Then there’s Clare Fischer too.

This WB Press Release offers an explanation as to why the album took so long to come out.

In it they say JJ was caught between acting & other pursuits & she wasn’t sure if she wanted to be in the limelight as a singer.

Well, that’s partially true but it wasn’t the only reason.

The 5 year wait was down to a combination of things:

*P was trying to find the right sound/theme for JJ’s wide vocal range

*their on/off friendship/love affair

*P prioritising other projects over JJ whenever they had a falling out

*JJ being distant & pursuing other things

If I as a P fan didn’t know about this album upon release what hope did it have.

It wasn’t a success & @EdgarKruize will cover this later in this series.

He will take you thru the aftermath - the Tours, Promo & Radio in an attempt to try to find answers to what went so wrong

Judged to WB standards, the album vastly underperformed & so it was withdrawn from production.

In America, it performed very poorly selling only 50,000 copies when it came out.

Even tho’ it didn’t do well in USA, JJ did pick up some highly influential admirers.

JJ on Miles Davis:

"I met Miles Davis through P. I met him briefly & he was really kind to me. It was pretty amazing.

Miles loved my album & he made P very happy when he told him that.

And that should go on the record!"

The story in Europe was different as it was a minor hit over here.

JJ said:

“In Italy, I think I was number 1 or 2. Italy was like the best for me; France & Netherlands did well.”

So JJ spent a lot of time in Europe (as we seemed to get it) doing interviews & television-shows

In September 1987:

JJ performed “G-Spot” at Sky TV studios England.

JJ performed at Countdown TV in the Netherlands.

JJ performed at Festivalbar at Arena di Verona in Verona, Italy & I guess this video was shot pre-festival - “Fame” eat your heart out! ⬇️

JJ also appeared on French TV - Bains de Minuit set in the infamous & legendary Les Bains Douches.

In this clip the interviewer asks JJ who she thinks is better - Prince, Michael Jackson or Terence Trent D’Arby.

Listen below for her answer.

In this next clip from the same French TV show, the interviewer unbelievably asks JJ if she has ever tried “Ecstasy”! 🤯

Take a look at JJ’s amazed expression & listen to her cute response.

@jilldjones do you remember this 🤣

In this final clip from the same French TV program, watch JJ dance around the tables & give a wild performance of “Mia Bocca” in the Les Bains Douches club.

In the 80’s Les Bains Douches was THE PLACE for VIP’s to be seen in Paris!

In October 1987 JJ performed “Baby, You’re A Trip” & “Violet Blue” for the Fantastico TV show in Rome, Italy for Rai TV - ⬇️ 🎥

In November of 1987 she performed at a gala event at the Sportpaleis Antwerp Belgium but the songs are unknown.

Let’s now fast forward past the debut to the rest of her career.

In 1988 JJ came to England & hooked up with Chris Bruce to record her planned second Paisley Park album.

Together they recorded around 11 songs.

Deep Kiss
Living Legend
Long Time”,
White
Some Of Us
Red
Tango
Ecstasy
Revolutionary
Sweet Liberty
Unattainable Love.

These songs were sent to P who did not respond.

Instead, P started reworking older songs like 82’s “My Baby Knows How to Love Me” & “Boom, Boom (Can’t U Feel The Beat of My Heart?)”, which were previously considered but rejected for JJ’s debut.

P was still on that old flex & gave no consideration to the new material.

P also had other songs such as “4 Lust,” “Am I Without U?,” &  “Flesh And Blood,” all realised between 87’ - 89’ but JJ’s second album was never finished.

Let’s take a look at a couple of the tracks that were meant to appear on the second aborted album.

Flesh & Blood ⬇️

4 Lust

P recorded a version in late 87 as a speculated companion piece to “For Love” from the debut.

Here is that version:

However, no-one knew about the song until 2011 when JJ posted a link on her Facebook page to a YouTube stream of the other version produced by Heaven 17’s Martyn Ware.

This version is assumed to have been recorded in 1988.

soundcloud.com/chak-attack/ji…

My Baby knows

Originally conceived by P in 82 but worked on by JJ in 85.

Features orchestration by Clare Fischer & sax by Candy Dulfer.

An average & skippable track taking cues from Salt-N-Pepa’s “Push It” but lacking its invention & cool.

Boom, Boom (Can’t U Feel The Beat Of My Heart)

This was slated as the first single & even had a risqué video.

And as identified by @TMATSPodcast it contains musical elements which were later used on Batdance & its B side 200 Balloons ⬇️

JJ had enuff of being just a P girl & being pigeonholed as a Sex Symbol (see Boom Boom below) & was yearning for more mature & challenging content.

JJ wasn’t seeing 👁 2 👁 with P & they had creative differences which led to them parting ways both musically & as friends/lovers.

"When you got an album completed, you were done as a romantic interest [in Prince's mind] ...

....You were given your wings to go do your thing. ...

Some guys send you flowers, Prince would just give you an album."

However, JJ’s wings would remain clipped for another 3 years as she was still contracted to Paisley Park & had to sit it out.

Whilst waiting to be “emancipated” from the contract JJ participated in some collaborations.

JJ worked with Nile Rodgers who produced “The Ground You Walk On” for the “Earth Girls Are Easy” movie soundtrack in 1989.

JJ’s version replaced the Geena Davis version on the soundtrack album which also featured Depeche Mode, Hall & Oates & B-52’s.

Next in 1990 she did "C'iest Si Bon" for a YSL advert by Trevor Horn - the Art of Noise producer & as JJ recalls:

"Horn did that. Mondino hooked it up. He had the visual sense and Horn had the audio. Naomi Cambell did the commercial & I sang. Once again, behind the curtains!

In 1990, JJ collaborated with Japanese artist Ryuichi Sakamoto on “You Do Me I'll Do You” from his “Beauty” album which also featured collaborators such as that Brian Wilson & Sly Dunbar.

Sakamoto also did one of my all time favourites “Forbidden Colours” with David Sylvian.

In 1993 - “Bald” was her first solo single release after the debut.

In 1994 - JJ co-wrote & produced “The Great Pretender” for Lisa Lisa’s first solo album ⬇️ 🎥

In 1994 - She sang background vocals on “Oil for the Lamps of China,” by English band Listening Pool (former OMD).

In 1996 - JJ toured with Chic as the co-lead vocalist, alongside Sylver Logan Sharp.

A CD & DVD was released in 1999 - “Live at the Budokan.”

This was bassist Bernard Edwards' final performance, he died later that night in his hotel room.

Slash from Guns N’ Roses made a special guest appearance too & here he is being pampered by JJ.

So JJ’s penchant for being involved with legends was continuing unabated.

In 1996 - JJ’s vocals are on “Rock Man” & “In Deep” on Paolo Rustichelli’s Mystic Man (album also featured Santana & Miles Davis.)

In 1999 - JJ did a cover of Blondie’s “Call Me, produced by the legendary Todd Terry for a tribute to Giorgio Moroder.

open.spotify.com/album/6C3e9v7Z…

In 2000 - JJ did a cover of Carly Simon’s “Why” on Ronny Jordan’s album “A Brighter Day”.

JJ said:

"It's all right. I think I could have done a better job for him. I didn't get in the pocket. I would have rather done something original with him."

open.spotify.com/track/0hfjuN2G…

In 2001 - JJ collaborated on the “Two” album w/ Chris Bruce.

A deeply introspective musical landscape of ethereal sounds & haunting melodies.

“It's the musical diary of an artist coming to terms with "the private Armageddons a lifetime sees."

open.spotify.com/album/5zGBpC73…

JJ was very proud of this album & said:

"a very moving experience for me. I'm very proud of that record. It's a little thought provoking about things in my life & just coming to terms with who I really am and just trying to figure out what I had to be grateful for..”

2004 - second collaborative album “Wasted” as the vocal/guitar duo The Grand Royals.

2007 - “Someone to jump up” single (House)

2009 - “Living for the weekend” single (House)

2014 - “This is how it feels” with Italian act Get Far (Techno)

open.spotify.com/album/6FEYlMxU…

In 2016 - almost 30 years after her debut, JJ released her second solo album proper “I Am”.

The single "I Miss You", was in tribute to P & in the video she recreated her Paisley Park days with props & memorabilia harking back to her purple days.

This album included some of the singles from her previous years which were mentioned above, namely:

*Someone to jump up
*Living for the weekend
*This is how it feels.

From this album - “Fuck You Til You’re Groovy” has hues of “Euphoria Highway” & “Strange Brew” by Cream.

In February 2016, JJ saw P for the last time at Vanity’s funeral.

P  invited her along with Apollonia (& former Apollonia 6 & Vanity 6 band members) Brenda Bennett & Susan Moonsie to his show that night.

Here’s what JJ said about it:

“It had been 30 years or something since he & I really talked to each other in person, except for bits & pieces online. It was great, we were joking around like normal. I always thought that I replaced Andre Cymone in a weird way-

— the kind of tense friendship, the sibling-esque kind of relationship. He was telling me all this stuff that was going on with him & I was saying we should get together more because we’re all getting a little long in the tooth to be mad at each other for all these years.”

Also in 2016, JJ dropped an awesome mixtape for the French Radio Show - The Voice of Cassandre.

This mixtape is MEGA showing how she has soaked up so much culture from different parts of the world - Respect ✊🏾

mixcloud.com/greggringo/jil…

Track-list features so many of my favourite artists from all over the world.

Queen of Morna: Cesaria Evora - Cape Verde
Hindi Zahra - France/Morocco
Desert Bluesmen: Tinariwen - Mali
Mohamed Mounir - Egypt

Others from Serbia, Argentina, Germany & including her daughter Zuzu!

On 4th June 2021 JJ surprised us with news of a new single - “Not Another Love Song”.

A song co-written with a 25 year old - G Claiborne (JJ is friends with her father.)

JJ contributed melody ideas to this track that has an old school Neo R&B vibe.

open.spotify.com/album/19O0Szpt…

Then 7th June 2021 on P’s Birthday, JJ surprised us again by appearing on this tribute posted to her Instagram page.

Called “Tracy’s Parade” with a refrain of “We Thank U” in the chorus.

A killer 80’s Classic MPLS sounding song with superb musicianship.

It’s real 🔥

It’s a loose cover of The Ballad of Dorothy Parker with different lyrical content & it includes interpolations & shout outs to the following songs:

For You
She’s Always In My Hair
Somebody’s Somebody
Erotic City
Can’t Stop This Feeling I Got
Pop Life

instagram.com/tv/CP1GOhNn4ng…

JJ continues to question the Estate’s narrative since P’s passing to ensure a historical accuracy & telling of THE TRUTH.

“I'm tired of defending his legacy. My family is asking me to stop, but it's because they don't see it the same way. I had asthma attacks,  panic attacks...

...because I was defending him.

Everyone has their own story, but I don't see the point in lying.

I'm not trying to get anything, I'm just saying what we did when we were young.

When I think of this man, I see him with the same look I had when I was young & it’s the same ...

...emotions, & the same bullshit that comes back.

I wasn't invited to listening session for "Originals", & I don't want to be around people who treated me like shit again. I can't, they won. If I speak, it's for the fans.

We just want the story that's being told to be true.

But why is it that JJ’s history in the Purple kingdom isn’t common knowledge amongst P fam & the wider public.

Everyone knows Apollonia from PR or Sheila E or Wendy & Lisa or even Sheena Easton.

Why isn’t JJ as visible in P’s narrative considering her immense contributions.

@polishedsolid considered the above question in her piece for Black Magnolias that is a must read:

“She’s Always in My Hair: Jill Jones–The Unheralded Muse of Prince”

psychedelicliterature.com/Black%20Magnol…

And don’t forget to register for her upcoming virtual event on P’s Welcome 2 America

w2avc.polishedsolid.com

I’ll leave you with JJ’s own powerful thoughts about her remarkable & classic eponymous album:

“I loved that project so much. To me, it was like a work of art.”

—Jill Jones aka J.J. aka Purple aka White Fox aka Elektra!

Thank U for taking the time to read this. I hope you’ll continue to follow these threads on JJ’s album.

A thread on the opening track “Mia Bocca” by @RhondaNicole_ will drop this Thursday & so be sure to watch out for that one.

I will see you in a couple of weeks for ‘My Man’.

Oh, BTW, we have now set up a separate PrinceTwitterThread page called Prince Thread.

Please give us a follow here:
@PrinceThread

@jilldjones @RhondaNicole_ @RichardCole_NOW @Art0fficialAge @MMLunlimited @IAmMissTLC @AishaStaggers @TrickyKid2 @arrthurr @EdgarKruize @deejayumb

VANESSA WILLIAMS damn it .. that’s what I meant 🤣

This should say:

“We DIDN’T know about her work behind the scenes or indeed that she was working on an album!”