"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the fourth single in the U.S. from their 1984 album, Purple Rain. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit (the last from the album) in the U.S., reaching number 8 on the Hot 100.
Contents[]
Alternate versions[edit][]
The extended version of "I Would Die 4 U" is actually a studio jam on the song with The Revolution and musicians fromSheila E.'s band, Eddie M (on sax) and Miko Weaver (guitar), along with Sheila E. herself; most of this version was often performed live, preceding "Baby I'm a Star". The jam features some overdubbing and fades at the end; a longer version, nearly 31 minutes long, was never released officially, but has been bootlegged. The extended mix was also used as the B-side of the 1989 "Erotic City" single (the artwork of which features the same image of Prince that was used for this single's cover).
The B-side, "Another Lonely Christmas", is a sad account of a man mourning his dear friend Kat's death on Christmas Day from pneumonia. The UK 12" single release also included the 1999 track "Free".
Track listing[edit][]
7": Paisley Park / 7-29121 (US)[edit][]
- "I Would Die 4 U" (single version) – 2:57
- "Another Lonely Christmas" – 4:51
12": Paisley Park / 9 20291-0 (US)[edit][]
- "I Would Die 4 U" (extended version) – 10:15
- "Another Lonely Christmas" (extended version) – 6:47
12": Warner Bros. / W9121T (UK)[edit][]
- "I Would Die 4 U" (single version) – 2:57
- "Another Lonely Christmas" – 4:51
- "Free" – 5:00
Charts[edit][]
| Chart (1984) | Peak
position |
|---|---|
| UK Singles Chart | 58 |
| Netherlands Singles Chart | 7 |
| Canadian Singles Chart | 12 |
| US BillboardHot 100 | 8 |
| US BillboardHot R&B Singles | 11 |
| US BillboardHot Dance Club Songs | 50 |
Cover versions[edit][]
- Indie band Cush included a cover of the song on their 2002 EP Spiritual 1.[1]
- The song was covered by French music artist Space Cowboy on his 2003 album Across The Sky.[2]
- A cover by Mariachi El Bronx was included on the 2009 tribute compilation Purplish Rain. A free download of the song was offered by Spin magazine.[3]
- The synthpop band Chvrches covered the song during their live performances since 2012, titled as 'I Would Die 4 V', as a reference to the V in their band name.[4]
- Neo-soul singer Raheem DeVaughn released a cover on his 2010 mixtape "Mr. February aka March Madness."[5]
- British indie rock band White Lies released a cover of the song on their 2013 extended play Small TV.
Live cover performances[edit][]
- Of Montreal covered this song throughout their fall tour in 2007, along with other Prince songs.
- Bloc Party covered part of the song as an intro to "Flux" throughout their 2008 summer tour.
- Chvrches have covered this song live in 2012, and was one of the first three songs readily available on the internet by them.