1 Can I Play with U?
12" LP: NR 711, Tunnel Park Tunes TPT 101, Paisley Park 9 25577-1, 1-25577, Warner Brothers 603497847099
CD: H.T.B. CD-038001, OSA P910001, Three Cool Cats TCC-024, Dream Factory Records DFDC 001-92, Beech Marten 061, Warner Brothers 0628756-2, Legendary Collections Series "Black Album" (no number)

"Can I Play with U?" was recorded by Prince in Los Angeles' Sunset Sound Studios on December 26, 1985. Eric Leeds added the saxophone part the following day. Prince overdubbed the vocal on December 29. On February 5, 1986 Tommy LiPuma went into the studio with Davis and Adam Holzman and added tpt and keyboards.

There are different accounts of what happened. According to Warner Brothers, all of the musicians so far mentioned gathered in the studio on March 1 to make additional overdubs. However, Alan Leeds, Prince's right-hand man, says that Davis and Prince never met in the studio, and that the tpt/keyb overdubs just described as occurring on February 5, really took place on March 1.

"Can I Play with U?" is listed as "Red Riding Hood" (3:53) on all releases. On disc 2 of Legendary Collections Black Album (no number) the tune is shortened to 2:40 and listed incorrectly as "(Non vocal overdub version)." The 3:53 version is off-speed (sharp).

There are a few alternate mixes of "Can I Play with U?," and a short interview with Davis taliking about Prince, on Can I Play With U ? "The Flesh" Sessions 1985/86 Studio Outtakes (Sabotage Records SAB 479-482). Thanks to Olivier Bruchez for telling me about this release.

The date and location is wrongly given on Three Cool Cats as "Paisley Park 1989."