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BCB 100 - Prince

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 15:55
by geoffcowgill
I'm one of those guys who still buys Prince albums. I'm also one of the few who claims that Emancipation is a stupendous feat. So there's no need in listening to me.

Sign O The Times is the top album. It's got a bit of everything Prince does best and contains some of his greatest recordings, like "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker", "Strange Relationship" and the title track. It seems hard to argue with its place at the top of the list.

I'd like to be able to say that something more obscure is my favorite track, pull some "Cloreen Bacon Skin" on yo' ass, but in all honesty I think "When Doves Cry" is his best song. When it came out and was ubiquitous, I pretty much ignored it and didn't consider it anything else than a typical hit song. I was 12. Years later it struck me like an epiphany how unbelievable this song was. The hook, lyrically, is a bit goofy, I'll admit straightaway (and good fodder for a nice moment on The Simpsons), but the rest of the lyric is quite good. But the music is the killer, isn't it? No other song sounds like that, does it? Where does a guy come up with that combination of sounds in the first place? It's as startling as "Strawberry Fields Forever", in a way.

Favorite Album - Sign O The Times


Favorite Song
- "When Doves Cry"

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 16:25
by Matt Wilson
He made more good/great albums in the '80s than anyone else. Even an average one, like Parade say, is worthy.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 16:29
by Mike Boom
Album - "Parade"
Song - "Pop Life" , runner up "Sign of the Times"

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 16:37
by Carl's Son
Album: The Love Symbol Album
song: Seven

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 16:53
by geoffcowgill
Chris Chopping wrote:Album: The Love Symbol Album


Nice to see this one mentioned. It's great, isn't it? I just wish the interviewer skits weren't there.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 17:58
by sloopjohnc
It's funny. When I saw this post, I wondered how many folks will actually post about Prince vs. others in Top 100.

My favorite album is 1999. I, too, am a fan of When Doves Cry. Little Red Corvette is as close to modern day Chuck Berry classic as they come, done, of course, in Prince's inimitable style.

I know it's a rip off of James Brown, but my favorite song is a tie between Kiss and Erotic City. Perfect dance songs both.

He's so good that he could put out 2 greatest hits volumes and still have room for other songs that weren't included in either.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 18:02
by Matt Wilson
sloopjohnc wrote:He's so good that he could put out 2 greatest hits volumes and still have room for other songs that weren't included in either.


Image

Get the thee-disc version with the B-sides.
You won't be dissapointed.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 18:08
by Carl's Son
geoffcowgill wrote:
Chris Chopping wrote:Album: The Love Symbol Album


Nice to see this one mentioned. It's great, isn't it? I just wish the interviewer skits weren't there.

True but the music is great. The image of Prince as great in the eighties, mad but crap in the nineties is so ingrained that some great music often gets overlooked. I also like Emancipation as well, although maybe not all in one go.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 18:14
by nathan
I have yet to hear an album of his that I can listen to straight through. I always see him best as a single artists.

Favorites are either 7 or Kiss. I can't decide right now.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 18:53
by toomanyhatz
A frustrating artist, with an ego raging out of control. He has so much talent, but has never really put together a completely satisfying record to me. His attitude toward the world is so damaged & so defensive, that I think if he ever concentrated completely on the music, he could pretty much blow away anybody that's done contemporary R&B for the last 25 years. Yet he wastes his time trying to sound contemporary and- what was the tune where he raps "My name is Prince/And I am funky"? Thanks for clearing that up.

That said, he's made a few good records. Probably Sign O' the Times is my favorite, with The Cross as my favorite song. I like Around the World in a Day too, and think Lovesexy is underrated.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 19:00
by Oscar
Matt Wilson wrote:He made more good/great albums in the '80s than anyone else.
Except for the smiths of course.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 19:16
by sloopjohnc
toomanyhatz wrote:A frustrating artist, with an ego raging out of control. He has so much talent, but has never really put together a completely satisfying record to me. His attitude toward the world is so damaged & so defensive, that I think if he ever concentrated completely on the music, he could pretty much blow away anybody that's done contemporary R&B for the last 25 years. Yet he wastes his time trying to sound contemporary and- what was the tune where he raps "My name is Prince/And I am funky"? Thanks for clearing that up.

That said, he's made a few good records. Probably Sign O' the Times is my favorite, with The Cross as my favorite song. I like Around the World in a Day too, and think Lovesexy is underrated.


Damaged and defensive is a good description.

I feel the same about him. I don't think his records are perfect---but the good parts far outweigh the bad parts.

I, too, don't think he's put out a 100% perfect album while some lesser artists have.

When you have so much talent is it harder to know your limitations? File under: reach exceeds grasp.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 19:24
by Hare Brained
I went to find the youtube site where they had him playing on the Harrison tribute 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' but they've taken it off, for "copyright infringement". Bollocks.

It would have converted any non-believers.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 20:11
by sloopjohnc
Hare Dressing wrote:I went to find the youtube site where they had him playing on the Harrison tribute 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' but they've taken it off, for "copyright infringement". Bollocks.

It would have converted any non-believers.


I agree. Only a nitwit or a stubborn pig would claim to be unimpressed.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 20:35
by Yyzlin

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 21:00
by toomanyhatz
sloopjohnc wrote:
Hare Dressing wrote:I went to find the youtube site where they had him playing on the Harrison tribute 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' but they've taken it off, for "copyright infringement". Bollocks.

It would have converted any non-believers.


I agree. Only a nitwit or a stubborn pig would claim to be unimpressed.


No doubt about it, it's damned impressive. He's obviously a first-rate guitarist, on top of the fact that he can play any instrument, arrange, sing, write, and produce. But the fact that I've never heard him give that inspired a performance on his own records demonstrates perfectly what I said before about how frustrating he is.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 21:27
by Hare Brained
Yyzlin wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLCOakqhkY


*feels vaguely stupid for not searching for it again*

Thanks

I don't like gushing, nevermind hyperbole, but fuck - surely a claim to godlike genius. I had to cross my legs watching that. Though I've never been a fan of Clapton's (far too clean), Prince has the fluidity and funk and the inspiration that I love so much about Hendrix's work. Superb.

Despite loving some of his stuff, I have to admit that before his appearance on the Brits recently (which was the best thing about that night) I'd kind of forgotten about his work. I'm just youtubing and listening to samples of his stuff again on Amazon - great stuff, Alphabet Street, Sexy Motherfucker, Raspberry Beret, Cream, Love Sign, yeah they're all singles but he does wonderful albums too.

OK, I'm going to hunt down my Prince stuff and maybe look out for the newer stuff too. One of those easily overlooked (these days) artists.

Will he be touring at all?

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 21:29
by My name is Spaulding
An amazing musician (as a player, he´s got an incredible touch with everything he gets his hands on, particularly guitar, bass and drums) and a person that can fill a room with the energy he projects into his recordings (even some that don´t require that "full on treatment", which can be one of the reaons why his albums are hardly fully satisfactory).

As for the general thought about him losing his talent after the 80s, I personally think that´s bollocks. After the 80s, he became more obsessed wih his black roots (or, rather, went back to the black roots that inspired him early in his career), which meant that he stopped worrying so much about following the pop rock format that got the wide audience so excited about him in the 80s.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 21:34
by Mike Boom
I've never heard him give that inspired a performance on his own records demonstrates perfectly what I said before about how frustrating he is.


The guitar solo on "Purple Rain" is pretty damn inspired.

Posted: 20 Jun 2006, 21:38
by Clippernolan
Yyzlin wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RYLCOakqhkY


You can tell he's having a good time with it. That's what makes the performance for me.