Ready For The World's Melvin Riley in "Oh Sheila"

Melvin Riley in Ready For The World's "Oh Sheila"

Feature

Remember Ready For The World’s Prince-inspired hit?

A fresh look at Ready For The World's 1985 hit, "Oh Sheila"

GRAMMYs

May 15, 2017 - 2:36 am

GRAMMY.com

Welcome to Forgotten Videos. For some, these videos are forgotten, for others just filed away, and for others still, a totally brand-new discovery. Whichever category you fall into, each week we'll feature a video that's possibly been collecting dust when what it really deserves is a fresh look. Or vice-versa…. We're not here to judge, we just want to take you on a little trip down memory lane. Yep, you'll remember when hair was really that big, when drums were that up front in the mix, when video was young(er) and so were you.

Ready For The World
"Oh Sheila"
1985

The comments on this song's official YouTube page probably say it all. Like this one, for example: "For those that say this song sounds nothing like Prince you are out of your minds :) This song is very Prince influenced. You don't have to be a soundalike to be influenced. It was the hot sound at the time and this isn't the only band that did it. That being said, I love it and Prince."

Yes, Ready For The World were no doubt riding the Prince wave in 1985, just like, oh, say, Roy Orbison rode the Elvis wave or Gerry And The Pacemakers rode the Beatles wave. There's nothing wrong with riding a wave when you do it well.

Ready For The World was a microcosm of '80s R&B, evidenced by the Prince-flavored semi-mechanized funk, dapper suits and Jheri curls wrapped in headbands. But here are some props for RFTW's individuality: In two years they scored three singles that hit the Top 25 on the Billboard Hot 100 without turning to Hollywood-based production Svengalis. The Michigan-bred band wrote and produced their own hits. "Oh Sheila" was the big breakthrough for the group — featuring lead singer Melvin Riley along with John Eaton, Gregory Potts, Gordon Strozier, Willie Triplett, and Gerald Valentine — rising all the way to No. 1 on the Hot 100. They followed the same year with "Digital Display" and in 1986 with the ballad "Love You Down."

The video for "Oh Sheila" is a fairly ordinary performance clip. Later, for "Digital Display," having scored a hit, RFTW was allowed to create a video with a storyline, though apparently not with an exponentially greater budget.

To add a bit more spice to the Prince comparisons, there were rumors (at least according to Wikipedia, which may have started them), that the Sheila in question was Sheila E., a former Prince flame, though Riley says the song's subject was a fictional character.

Also like Prince, who just staged a 21-night Los Angeles stand in April and May primarily at the Forum, Ready For The World is still, well, ready for the world. The band has its own label and is available for bookings at www.readyfortheworld.net. Or, you can watch their videos on your digital display.

Ready For The World - Oh Sheila

Did you think "Oh Sheila" was a Prince song the first 438 times you heard it? Got any Forgotten Video recommendations? Leave us a comment.

Last week's Forgotten Video

David Bowie

Photo: Terry O'Neil/Getty Images

News

Vinyl Box Set Of David Bowie Home Demos Announced By Parlophone

The spring release's nine tracks are all drawn from Bowie's "Space Oddity" period

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Jan 8, 2019 - 5:41 pm

On Jan. 8, Parlophone announced the spring release of a 7" vinyl box set of nine David Bowie demos and rarities titled Spying Through A Keyhole. The title is taken from the lyric to "Love All Around," in which Bowie said, "I see a pop tune spying through a keyhole from the other room."

The collection includes what is believed to be the first demo of "Space Oddity" — which turns 50 this year — as well as an accompanied version with alternate lyrics. "Angel, Angel, Grubby Face" also appears in two versions alongside "Goodbye 3d (Threepenny) Joe," "In The Heat Of The Morning," "Love All Around," "London Bye, Ta-Ta," and "Mother Grey" — all from the "Space Oddity" period. The announcement was made on what would have been the legendary singer/songwriter's 72nd birthday.

None of the tracks have been previously released except for a brief period of availability on streaming services last month. The audio quality is casual at best and becomes saturated at times by Bowie's enthusiastic strumming, providing a very real look through the keyhole of time back to his rough sketches of these songs.

As recounted by Pitchfork, this represents the fifth annual Bowie box set from Parlophone. Like Prince, Bowie's extensive catalog and style-changing creativity are coming to life in new ways now that he is gone. Spying Through A Keyhole is an apt title for the up-close-and-personal look we are gaining on both artists, and thanks go out to both aritst's estates for making more of their legacies available.

"David Bowie Is" Mobile App Makes Museum Exhibit Virtual

Prince

Photo: Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic, Inc

News

Prince 2004–2007 Albums To Be Re-Released—And That's Just The Beginning

As promised, CDs, first-time vinyl and special merch coming for 'Musicology,' '3121' and 'Planet Earth'

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Dec 10, 2018 - 5:05 pm

On Dec. 10, The Prince Estate and Sony's Legacy Recordings announced the first wave of physical reissues from their comprehensive consolidation of Prince's historic musical legacy. His 2004–2007 albums Musicology, 3121 and Planet Earth will be re-issued on CD on Feb. 8, 2019, accompanied by their first-time release on vinyl as well as exclusive merchandise themed to the albums.

The Prince Estate's latest news follows the partnership's first announcement this past June. The roll-out heated up back in August with the 37-track compilation Anthology: 1995-2010 and 300 digital tracks added to online streaming and download services. Video rarities were added online in November, making it hard to imagine a more enjoyable form of time-travel for Prince fans.

Musicology originally appeared in April 2004, just months after Prince's memorable medley with Beyoncé at the 46th GRAMMY Awards including his classic "Purple Rain." In addition to more nominations he received in this time-period, his title track "Musicology" won Best Traditional R&B Vocal Performance at the 47th GRAMMY Awards and "Call My Name" won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance. At the 50th GRAMMY Awards, Planet Earth's "Future Baby Mama" won Best Male R&B Vocal Performance.

Prince's Masterpiece 'Purple Rain': For The Record

It was February 2007 that Prince's Super Bowl half-time show was a triumph, despite the fact—or perhaps because— he performed in the pouring rain. Of course these highlights from his 2004–2007 period are just some of the purple one's crown jewels. While each period has its own distinct gems, the 2006 release of 3121 became his first album to debut at No. 1 on the Billboard 200 on the April 8 chart. Its title remains a topic of speculation.

Thanks go out to The Prince Estate and Legacy Recordings for making Prince's place in history more accessible than ever. The GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducts selected works more than 25 years old and three of Prince's albums are already inducted: 1999, Purple Rain and Sign "O" The Times.

Spike Lee Releases Music Video For Prince's "Mary Don't You Weep"

Prince

Photo: Kevin Mazur/WireImage

News

Prince Estate Releases Video Rarities With More To Come Weekly

Little-seen videos from 1995–2010 are scheduled for weekly release through Dec. 14, part of his Estate's ongoing effort to deepen awareness of Prince's body of work

Philip Merrill

GRAMMYs

Nov 5, 2018 - 1:20 pm

Last week three rarely seen Prince music videos received new wide release, delighting millions online. The videos represent the first taste of a weekly album-by-album schedule detailed by the Prince Estate on Nov. 5, so more excitement and inspiration is in store.

"The Prince Estate in partnership with Legacy Recordings, a division of Sony Music Entertainment continue efforts to reunite the artist's music on all digital services, turning attention to unavailable music videos from the 1995–2010 era," is how the estate announced their lineup.

The first three recently added videos are rarities from Prince's 1995 GRAMMY-nominated album The Gold Experience, appearing on Prince's official YouTube channel. In September 1994, preceding the album's release, "Dolphin" was the first-ever music video played when VH1 Europe made its debut. The video for "Endorphinmachine" had been released on a CD-ROM video game as a reward for completing its challenge. "Rock And Roll Is Alive! (And It Lives In Minneapolis)" was a 1997 B-side aired only on VH1 in 1997 — in response to the 1995 "Rock And Roll Is Dead" track released by Lenny Kravitz. Online for only a few days now, each has already garnered more than 16 million views.

The three new tracks join recent video releases from the 1996 Prince album Chaos And Disorder. Nov. 9 will see the addition of four rarities from his later 1996 three-CD set of 36 tracks Emancipation.

This reuniting and consolidation of these Prince treasures is a powerful testimony both to Prince's unique output and range as well as for American popular music history. Now that popular music figures are academic subjects in their own right, enriching the Prince online archive offers opportunities for greater appreciation whether listening, watching or writing an academic thesis on his creative work. Thanks are in order for these artistic gems unearthed from the vault, and their appreciation is only beginning.

Listen: Prince's 'Anthology: 1995-2010' & 22 Other Albums Released Digitally

Prince

Photo: John Leyba/The Denver Post/Getty Images

News

Prince's Masterpiece 'Purple Rain' | For The Record

Revisit the magic of the legendary artist's classic album

Ana Yglesias

GRAMMYs

Sep 6, 2018 - 6:09 pm

Revisit the magic of the legendary artist's classic album.

With Prince's Purple Rain came some of his most memorable hits, his first GRAMMY wins and (of course) the classic movie.

Prince's Masterpiece 'Purple Rain': For The Record

The iconic GRAMMY-winning artist released Purple Rain, his sixth studio album, and the first one to feature his band The Revolution, on June 25, 1984. While the Prince created an astonishing amount of music in his lifetime, Purple Rain is often regarded as one of biggest classics.

Prince's fifth studio album, 1999, released in 1982, was his first Top 10 charting album, peaking at No. 9 on the Billboard 200, shooting the star into the public eye and earning him his first GRAMMY nods. Yet Purple Rain claimed his superstar status, gaining him his first No. 1 album and No. 1 songs, as well as his first three GRAMMY wins. The film, Purple Rain, released in 1984 along with the album, was Prince's acting debut and showcased him as a multi-talented star in the semi-autobiographical role.

Prince took home his first three wins at the 27th GRAMMY Awards, receiving Best Rock Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal and Best Album Of Original Score Written For A Motion Picture Or A Television Special for Purple Rain. His third win that year came for his songwriting credits for Best R&B Song, for Chaka Khan's cover of his "I Feel You." Purple Rain also received an Oscar for Music (Best Original Song Score) in 1984 and is the third best-selling movie soundtrack of all time.

Out of its nine songs, the album had five singles, all of which charted: "When Doves Cry," "Let's Go Crazy," "Purple Rain," "I Would Die 4 U" and "Take Me With U." "When Doves Cry" was the first single released from the album, gaining Prince his first No. 1 song status, followed by the second single and No. 1 hit, "Let's Go Crazy." The latter song, the first track on the album, sets the tone with his memorable opening words.

"Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. An electric word, 'life.' It means forever…and that's a mighty long time. But I’m here to tell you there’s something else: the afterworld. A world of never-ending happiness, you can always see the sun, day or night," he famously says.

While "I Would Die 4 U," "Take Me With U" and "Purple Rain" didn't quite reach No. 1 status, they all spent time on the charts, with each making waves and offering the world a dynamic taste of that special Prince sound in new packages. All of the singles from the album would follow Prince throughout his life, and are often the go-to songs fans think of as their favorites.

With "Purple Rain" we saw the more melancholy side of Prince, as he sings, "I never meant to cause you any sorrow/I never meant to cause you any pain/I only wanted to one time to see you laughing/I only wanted to see you/Laughing in the purple rain."

Even after his heartbreaking passing, Prince will live on forever in our hearts, through his music, and even on the charts. Purple Rain was inducted into GRAMMY Hall of Fame in 2011, celebrating it as a "recording of lasting qualitative or historical significance." The album also made a comeback on the charts, both after the artist's death and when the album was rereleased in 2017, when it reentered the Billboard 200 at No. 4. It is safe to say there will never be another star quite like Prince.