I Would Die 4 U

"I Would Die 4 U" is a song by Prince and The Revolution, and the fourth single in the US from their 1984 album, Purple Rain. The up-tempo dance song was a top 10 hit (the last from the album) in the US, reaching number 8 on the Hot 100.

"I Would Die 4 U" is often played in sequence with "Baby I'm a Star", the track following it, on Purple Rain. As of April 30, 2016, it has sold 561,772 copies in the United States.^[1]

Following Prince's death, the song re-charted on the Billboard Hot 100 at number 39 on the chart dated the week of May 14, 2016.

Alternate versions

The extended version of "I Would Die 4 U" is actually a rehearsal jam on the song with The Revolution and musicians from Sheila E.'s band, Eddie M (on sax) and Miko Weaver (guitar), along with Sheila E. herself recorded some time before the Purple Rain Tour. 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 lover who died on Christmas Day from pneumonia. The UK 12" single release also included the 1999 track "Free".

Personnel

Prince – lead vocals and various instruments
Wendy Melvoin – guitar and vocals
Lisa Coleman – keyboards and vocals
Matt Fink – keyboards
Brown Mark – bass
Bobby Z. – drums and percussion

Track listing

7": Paisley Park / 7-29121 (US)

"I Would Die 4 U" (single version) – 2:57
"Another Lonely Christmas" – 4:51

12": Paisley Park / 9 20291-0 (US)

"I Would Die 4 U" (extended version) – 10:15
"Another Lonely Christmas" (extended version) – 6:47

12": Warner Bros. / W9121T (UK)

"I Would Die 4 U" (single version) – 2:57
"Another Lonely Christmas" – 4:51
"Free" – 5:00

Charts

Chart (1984–85)	Peak position
Canadian Singles Chart	12
Netherlands Singles Chart	7
UK Singles Chart	58
US Billboard Hot 100	8
US Billboard Hot R&B Singles	11
US Billboard Hot Dance Club Songs	50

Cover versions

Indie band Cush included a cover of the song on their 2002 EP Spiritual 1.^[2]
The song was covered by French music artist Space Cowboy on his 2003 album Across The Sky.^[3]
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.^[4]
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.^[5]
Neo-soul singer Raheem DeVaughn released a cover on his 2010 mixtape "Mr. February aka March Madness."^[6]
British indie rock band White Lies released a cover of the song on their 2013 extended play Small TV.
Nick Jonas recorded a cover version, available on his Facebook page.
American singer Lydia Loveless covered the song on a single released together with Cory Branan in 2015.
California Pop band Hotel Apache released a cover of the song following Prince's death in April 2016.^[7]

Live cover performances

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.
Haim covered this song live at Osheaga and Lollapolozza in 2016.

References

↑ "Hip Hop Single Sales: Prince, Desiigner & Drake". HipHopDX. April 30, 2016. Retrieved April 30, 2016.
↑ "cMusicWeb.com: Spiritual 1 EP".
↑ "Space Cowboy — I Would Die 4 U — Listen and discover music at Last.fm".
↑ "Get Your FREE Copy of SPIN's Prince Tribute!". Spin.
↑ "CHVRCHES – I Would Die 4 V (Prince Cover) - All Things Go".
↑ "Mr. February aka March Madness - 368 Music Group". 368 Music Group. 15 January 2010.
↑ http://www.wearehotelapache.com/

External links

Lyrics of this song at MetroLyrics

Prince and the Revolution · Music from the Motion Picture Purple Rain

Side 1	"Let's Go Crazy" "Take Me with U" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki"

Side 2	"When Doves Cry" "I Would Die 4 U" "Baby I'm a Star" "Purple Rain"

Related articles	Purple Rain (film) Purple Rain Tour Prince and the Revolution: Live Purplish Rain Prince albums discography

Prince singles

1970s	"Soft and Wet" "Just as Long as We're Together" "I Wanna Be Your Lover"

1980s	"Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" "Still Waiting" "Sexy Dancer" "Bambi" "Uptown" "Dirty Mind" "Do It All Night" "Controversy" "Let's Work" "Do Me, Baby" "Sexuality" "1999" "Little Red Corvette" "D.M.S.R." "Delirious" "Automatic" "Let's Pretend We're Married" "When Doves Cry" "Let's Go Crazy" "Purple Rain" "I Would Die 4 U" "Take Me with U" "Paisley Park" "Raspberry Beret" "Pop Life" "America" "Kiss" "Mountains" "Anotherloverholenyohead" "Girls & Boys" "Sign "O" the Times" "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "U Got the Look" "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man" "Alphabet St." "Glam Slam" "I Wish U Heaven" "Batdance" "Partyman" "The Arms of Orion" "Scandalous!"

1990s	"The Future" "Thieves in the Temple" "New Power Generation" "Gett Off" "Cream" "Diamonds and Pearls" "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" "Insatiable" "Thunder" "Sexy MF" "My Name Is Prince" "7" "Damn U" "The Morning Papers" "Pink Cashmere" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Peach" "Pope" (remix) "Come" "Letitgo" "Space" "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" "P Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "I Hate U" "Gold" "Dinner with Delores" "Betcha by Golly Wow!" "The Holy River" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "The Truth" "Extraordinary" "The Greatest Romance Ever Sold"

2000s	"U Make My Sun Shine" (with Angie Stone) "When Will We B Paid?" (with Audio Stepchild) "Supercute" "The Work, pt. 1" "Days of Wild" "Musicology" "Cinnamon Girl" "Controversy (Live in Hawaii)" "S.S.T." "Te Amo Corazón" "Black Sweat" "Fury" "Guitar" "F.U.N.K." "Dance 4 Me"

2010s	"Extraloveable" "Rock and Roll Love Affair" "Screwdriver" "Fixurlifeup" "Breakfast Can Wait" "Pretzelbodylogic" "Fallinlove2nite" "Breakdown" "Clouds" "Baltimore" "Hardrocklover" "This Could B Us" "Free Urself"

Promotional singles	"When You Were Mine" "D.M.S.R." "Another Lonely Christmas" "Erotic City" "Hot Thing" "Trust" "Willing and Able" "Nothing Compares 2 U" "Pope" "Love Sign" (with Nona Gaye) "Come" "P. Control" "Dolphin" "Endorphinmachine" "Slave" "Somebody's Somebody" "Face Down" "The Rest of My Life" "5 Women" "It's About That Walk" "Baby Knows" "Man'O'War" "She Loves Me 4 Me" "Last December" "One Nite Alone... Live EP" "Live at the Aladdin Las Vegas" "Call My Name" "The Song of the Heart" "Beautiful, Loved & Blessed" (with Tamar Davis) "Chelsea Rodgers" "Future Baby Mama" "The One U Wanna C" "U're Gonna C Me"

Airplay-only songs	"International Lover" "Shhh" "Satisfied" "Better with Time"

Internet downloads	"One Song" "Cybersingle" "Bataclan" "Glass Cutter" "Live from Paisley Park" "Strange Relationship" (Live in Minneapolis) "Guitar (original "demo" version)" "Love" (acoustic version) "Rock and Roll Love Affair" (Remix 7) "Screwdriver" (Remix) "Boyfriend" (Demo) "That Girl Thang" "Live Out Loud" "Ain't Gonna Miss U When U're Gone" "Extraloveable Reloaded" "Menstrual Cycle" "Octopus Heart" "Groovy Potential" "The Sweeter She Is" "Something in the Water" (Paisley Park Rehearsal) "Da Bourgeoisie" "What If" "The X's Face"

Streams	"U're Still the One" "Xylophone" "In a Large Room with No Light" "Purple and Gold" "Cause and Effect" "Hot Summer" "Rich Friends" "Same Page Different Book" "Stare"

EP's	The Scandalous Sex Suite EP New Power Generation Remixes Gett Off Remix EP Cream Remixes My Name Is Prince Remixes 7 Remixes The Beautiful Experience Letitgo Remixes Space Remixes I Hate U Remixes 1999: The New Master The Greatest Romance Ever Sold Remixes Breakfast Can Wait

Other songs	"I Feel for You" "When You Were Mine" "Private Joy" "How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore?" "17 Days" "The Beautiful Ones" "Computer Blue" "Darling Nikki" "Baby I'm a Star" "4 the Tears in Your Eyes" "Sometimes It Snows in April" "Adore" "Don't Talk 2 Strangers" "I Can't Make U Love Me" "La, La, La Means I Love U" "One of Us" "Everyday Is a Winding Road" "A Case of U"

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