It's Over
Recording Artist: Prism
Writers: Jim Vallance (aka Rodney Higgs)
Date Written: 1977?
Albums: Prism (1977)
All The Best From Prism (1980)
Over Sixty Minutes With Prism (1988)
From The Vaults (1997)
Audio: Released version
 
 
Ron Tabak: vocal
Lindsay Mitchell: guitar
Piano: Graeme Coleman
Steve Pugsley: bass
Jim Vallance: drums
 
Produced by Bruce Fairbairn.  Recorded and mixed by Rolf Hennemann at Mushroom Studios, Vancouver.
Additional Audio 1: Demo recording #1  - 1974?
 
 
Musicians: Jim Vallance - piano, guitar, bass, drums, vocal
 
Song Elements: 
- Verse:  "I walk beside you ..."
- Chorus:  "All night ..."
 
There are no common elements between this demo and the final released version of "It's Over".  Regardless, the recording is worth presenting as it's the first in a series of re-writes that eventually resulted in the version of "It's Over" familiar to Prism fans.
Additional Audio 2: Demo recording #2 - 1975?
 
 
Musicians: Ron Tabak - vocals / Lindsay Mitchell - lead guitar / Jim Vallance - keyboards, bass, drums
 
Song Elements:
- Verse:  "You walk beside me ..."
- Pre-chorus: "How can you tell me ..."
- Chorus:  "It's Over ..."
Additional Audio 3: Demo recording #3 - 1975?
 
 
Musicians: Ron Tabak - vocals / Lindsay Mitchell - lead guitar / Jim Vallance - keyboards, bass, drums.
 
Song Elements:
- Verse:  "You walk beside me ..."
- Chorus:  "Didn't I tell you ..."
- Fade: "It's over ..."
Comments:
The musicians on Prism's recording of "It's Over" are Graeme Coleman (acoustic and electric piano), Steve Pugsley (bass), Jim Vallance (drums) and Lindsay Mitchell (lead guitar).  I don't remember who played the Arp Odyssey synthesizer in the extended intro. It's a simply enough part ... so maybe I played it.  Or it might have been Peter Bjerring, Dave Pickell or Graeme Coleman. 

The song went through a number of re-writes before evolving into the track that appears on Prism's debut album, possibly the result of producer Bruce Fairbairn pressing me to improve the song ... and if that's the case, then I'd have to agree that the final released version is much better than the first draft (see demo recordings below).

Regardless, I've always thought it was a "lazy" song.  I don't feel I put enough effort into the lyric, and I took the "easy way out" on the bridge section by eliminating lyrics altogether, leaving it as a guitar solo.  I also think the end refrain goes on a bit ("it's over, it's over ..."), wearing out it's welcome by the time the song begins to fade.
Lyrics: Whatcha gonna do when I'm gone?
Who you gonna turn to when you just can't carry on?
Who you gonna run to when it's over?

Maybe you'll believe me when I'm gone
Maybe if I leave you'll realize where we went wrong
You shouldn't be surprised to know it’s over
It's Over
It's Over

Solo

Maybe in a day you'll change your mind
Maybe if I stay we'll work it out if there's still time
‘Cause baby if I leave you now it's over
It's Over
It's Over

It's Over
It's Over
It's Over

It's Over
It's Over
It's Over