You can't please everyone. The recent Essential Bruce Springsteen left out one of my favourite tracks, I'm on Fire. Following the format of that collection I'd like to try to summerise Prince's musical journey onto 3 distinct disks. The first disk covers the period from Prince's beginings to his explosion as a huge international superstar - The Purple Period. The second takes us from the start of Paisley Park records to the release of the Hits collection - The Paisley Period. The third spans the period from the death of Prince to his present rebirth as an international star - The Wilderness Years.
I've tried to include something from each significant album and have deliberately included all six of his number one singles.
Criticism encouraged.

Disk One - The Purple Period
Soft and Wet (For You)
Sexy Dancer (Prince)
Head (Dirty Mind)
Controversy (Controversy)
1999 (1999)
Little Red Corvette (1999)
D.M.S.R. (1999)
International Lover (1999)
Irresistible bitch (The B-Sides)
When Doves Cry (Purple Rain)
17 Days (The B-Sides)
Let's Go Crazy (Purple Rain)
The Beautiful Ones (Purple Rain)
Compiter Blue (Purple Rain)
Darling Nikki (Purple Rain)
Erotic City (The B-Sides)
God (The B-Sides)

Disk Two - The Paisley Period
Raspberry Beret (ATWIAD)
Temptation (ATWIAD)
Kiss (Parade)
Girls and Boys (Parade)
Sign O' the Times (Sign O' the Times)
The Ballad of Dorthy Parker (Sign O' the Times)
Slow Love (Sign O' the Times)
Forever in My Life (Sign O' the Times)
If I Was Your Girlfriend (Sign O' the Times)
Bob George (The Black Album)
Superfunkycalifragisexy (The Black Album)
Alphabet St. (Lovesexy)
Batdance (Batman)
Joy in Repetition (Grafitti Bridge)
Cream (Diamonds & Pearls)
Sexy MF (Symbol)

Disk Three - The Wilderness Years
Loose! (Come)
Papa (Come)
TMBGITW (The Gold Experience)
Count the Days (Exodus)
Billy Jack Bitch (The Gold Experience)
Had U (Chaos & Disorder)
Dreamin' About U (Emancipation)
Ripopgodazippa (Crystal Ball)
Lovesign [Shock G's Silky Remix] (Crystal Ball)
One of Your Tears (The Truth)
Come On (NewPowerSoul)
Baby Knows (Rave Unto the Joy Fantastic)
She Loves Me 4 Me (The Rainbow Children)
Extraordinary (One Nite Alone... Live)
1+1+1 is 3 (One Nite Alone... Live)
One Nite Alone... (One Nite Alone...Live)
How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore? (One Nite Alone... Live)
What Do U Want Me 2 Do? (Musicology)
Dear Mr. Man (Musicology)
Reflection (Musicology)
[This message was edited Thu Aug 19 4:51:34 2004 by omnithanos]
[This message was edited Fri Aug 20 3:24:55 2004 by omnithanos]

omnithanos said:

SINCE u asked for criticism i will giv it 2 u...first of all I WANNA MAKE MY OWN ALBUM LIKE THIS TOO!! Damn i wish i had Emancipation, Gold and The Truth back on CD.

Ok i have a problem with 'Sexy Dancer" first of all. it's not really a song much less an instrumental. There are cool songs like Bambi & Y U Wanna Treat Me So Bad who deserve recpgnition

2nd.. Temptation? I mean Paisley Park wouldve been a GREAT start to the paisley park years instead. Temptation is like.....uuuuhhh.. it's ok, but its not nothing significant compared to the rest of the album....it's probably my 2nd least fav on the album.

on the 3rd disc... "Dreamin About U"? that sums up Emancipation? In This Bead Scream / New World / La La Means I Love U / Friend Mother Sister Lover / Right Back Here In My Arms / My Computer... there were coo choices.

and y r there 3 Crystal Ball cuts? One being from 1986.

oh and The Truth "One Of Your Tears? "Circle Of Amour"? "Dont Play Me" ?

oh and Disc III "The Wilderness" to The WILD Period

Don't touch my Sexy Dancer or Temptation dude, I'll never give them up.
Regarding Emancipation I find it all a little dreary and overproduced, Dreamin' is the only track I really love off there.
U may have a point there about Crystal Ball. For a time it was my 3rd favourite Prince album. Movie Star is my third choice off it and since it is from 1986 (although only officially released in 1997) I might consider substituting Dear Mr. Man from Musicology. I also think Movie Star might get annoying after a few plays.
Regarding the Truth, your choices are solid but Circle is a little out there for me. Don't Play me used to be my favourite track but I can't take the whiny noises P makes on it now. One of Your Tears reminds me of death which is nice and I love the bohran sounding beat. The most Christy Moore sounding Prince track ever.
So tell me then does Dear Mr. Man work for u as a replacement. I didn't like it at first but despite its dodgy lyrics its still growing on me like wild ivy.
[This message was edited Wed Aug 18 3:10:21 2004 by omnithanos]

I don't see Purple Rain on there, i dont get it .

bandit said:

Cos it's not essential. Luckily it only got to no. 2. Theres lots of tracks missing that just wouldn't fit like I Would Die 4 U, Diamonds & Pearls, Housequake, Free etc. etc. What would U sacrifice off the first disk to include it. You'd probabally have to take out 2 tracks cos its 8 mins long.

I like your list - you have similar tastes to me. I would have changed the following:

"DMSR" for "Lady Cab Driver"
"International Lover" for "Something in the Water"
"God" for "Purple Rain"

"Temptation" for "Paisley Park"
"Slow Love" for "Stange Relationship" or "The Cross"
"Bob George" for "Superfunkicalifragisexy"
"Sexy MF" for "I Wish U Heaven" or "Anna Stesia"

I'm not too opinionated about the "Wilderness Years" but there's nothing there I strongly object to. Perhaps add "Rainbow Children" & "Marying Kind/If I was..." in place of a couple of the ONA Live tracks.....

omnithanos said:

yeah Dear Mr. Man would work as a replacement...but come on Temptation got 2 go...Paisley park is better for the opening of the title.

paisleypark4 said:

No, no, no. I think U and camma are in cahoots. I never much liked the Park, too trippy. Anyway Raspberry Beret is the first track on disk 2. Official burning today.

omnithanos said:

12" or album version?

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

12"

Spookymuffin said:

No. I thought it was kinda dull

paisleypark4 said:

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

12" wouldn't fit

omnithanos said:

omnithanos said:

that's crying out for an innuendo...




...but I can't think of one

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

ok i havent listened 2 it in like 4 years...but i remember it being boring. Its no I Would Die 4 U extended version