the most musical growth for me was between purple rain and around the world in a day....at a time when everyone was copying the minneapolis sound he changed to something different sounding than anything from his early 80's work.
what do you think is his biggest growth period as a musician?

Purple Rain to ATWIAD would get my vote too. But a strong second place would go be from Rave un2 the Joy Fantastic to The Rainbow Children.

Sorry, but it would have to be from "Prince" to "Dirty Mind." Who could've expected the turn from soft r&b to punkish funk? The record reps and critics were amazed.

around the world to parade.....`he started going in another direction after that.

No doubt, from Emancipation to The Rainbow Children...

That is a tough one. I would say between "Controversy" and "1999" was the greatest growth. However, there were tremendous leaps between "Parade" and "SOTT" as well, where many more instruments were incorporated into the composition. Another big shift was between "Emancipation" and "Kamasutra" if you want to count that one. Of course, "Chaos & Disorder" was such a low point in my book that "Emancipation" could just win by default.

BNATURAL said:[quote AGREED!

jsb23nc said:[quote]See your point I Agree with you too
I guess as long as he continues to grow is most important.

I would have to agree with jsb23nc...from "Prince" to "Dirty Mind" was a direction that was probably unexpected by many in the Prince camp at the time(ie. WB). But in my opinion, from "Rave in2 the Joy Fantastic" to "The Rainbow Children" was the most musical growth. Saying that, musical growth may be a relative term. It can closely be mistaken for 'a change in direction'. Either way, "Rave" to "Rainbow"!

Parade to Sign of the Times !!!

jsb23nc said:

as well as scared 2 death, cuz they wasn't expectin the content of dm.....made the folks at wb shit kittens....

1. Prince (funk/r&b) to Dirty Mind (Rock)
2. Dirty Mind (rock) to Controversy (the sound of the 80s)
3. Controversy (sound of the 80s) to 1999 (Pop the genre that classified 80s music)
4. 1999 (Pop) to Purple Rain (sold out to the masses)
5. Purple Rain (mass appeal) to AWTWIAD (beatlesque)

My vote Prince to Dirty Mind. It shocked the hell out of WB and they released it anyway.

Biggest musical growth would be from Controvesry to 1999. I think he increased his musicianship, arrangements, concepts, etc.

For biggest growth overall -- The Black Album to Lovesexy. Talk about a switch!

But it gets hard after his first 3 or 4 albums to point to "growth". By the time of 1999 and Purple Rain, he had truly established himself as a world-class musician, so I'm not sure I'd call the jumps between albums a musical growth so much as a change in direction. He has the chops and ability to go wherever he pleases. The interesting thing is how he uses these tools in new ways to go off on another tangent....

Great topic! Controversy to 1999....1999 is his first masterpiece, in my opinion

Considering how awful Rave was, I think it would have to be from Rave to TRC. (Or from High to TRC if you want.)

Prince to Dirty Mind would be my next choice.

BanishedBrian said:

you beat me to it. I was about to say the same thing.

IMHO its Parade to SOTT. If you listen to the music from Prince`s first album up to Parade his music style is varied and exciting; but lacking in the sense of a deep musical focus. However from SOTT on the music is much more focused and inspired. Don`t get me wrong because IM not taking sides. I am just stating that I can see a clear division between Parade and SOTT. If you take away Diamonds &Pearls and Batman; then all of the Prince albums since SOTT are deep, serious, and most of all focused. Stop and think: SOTT, The Black Album, Lovesexy, GB, and so on and so forth. I challenge the high end Prince fan to listen to all the official releases from SOTT thru TRC in order (and in one setting) and to look for what I like to call a "sense of urgerency" in his music. Im sure that most fans will agree with me when I say that regaurdless if you like an album or not; Prince`s musical exploriation has grown by leaps and bounds from album to album. Anyone who reads my posts knows that in my opinion Prince hasn`t done a good album since Crystal Ball, and before that it was The Gold Experience. Personally I can`t stand Emancipation, Rave, High, and TRC (I HATE TRC WITH A PASSION) but I can see the growth in his music from album to album. I feel that that is what sets Prince apart from other "artists".

I'd have to say that it's between "Prince" and "Dirty Mind" too.

Ya boy went from straight R&B with a tinge of funk & rock to just straight up PUNK. I mean, talk about a change. From "I Wanna Be Your Lover" to "Sister"! C'mon, that's genius at it's best.

--CreoleFreak

I would say that Controversy to 1999 was the biggest change between two albums. He had similar production style from for you until controversy. 1999 sounded so different than the previous four. His biggest growth, however, musically was rave to rainbow children. alot of that has to do with john blackwell i think.

biggest step down musically was the new power soul/rave period. we all knew he could do better.

(although i still like those two albums)

From Diamonds & Pearls to The Symbol album...The band feel on Symbol was amazing, as were the arrangements...nothing on D&P came close to it.

Coming in 2nd: Between Emancipation and The Truth.

Won't even go there...



IMO he grows every album...

How much, is just a matter of opinion and I can't choose, there are too many.

I sure would like to know the answer to that from Prince

1999 to purple rain...

I would have to choose two:

Controversy to 1999 : this progression really set the stage for things to come.

Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic to The Rainbow Children : he found his groove on the latter album and really put it all together.

The most obvious jump was from 'Prince' to 'Dirty Mind'. Prince, up to that point, was primarily known as a R&B artist. 'Dirty Mind' firmly established that something else was brewing. The music was went from pop lite to raw and emotion filled.

The other noticeable jump for me was from 'ATWIAD' to 'Parade'. There was an obvious maturity there and a change in texture. He was moving away from the cold, electronic sound that had made him famous and was incorporating more instrumentation in the music. The result was a musical sound unlike anything he had done before.

Dirty Mind-1999 they sound nothing alike. That was his most creative period. The 1999 lp made him a household name.

it has yet to come... when he gets over his current phase, then we can say he's grown.

I must agree with what a couple of you have said, Controversy - 1999... 1999 was/is unreal... think my feet left the ground when I first heard it

There are others, but that one stands out.

..most growth between 'prince' and 'dirty mind'. no question. 'dirty mind' is one of prince's best albums in my opinion.. just the synth-based funk, the lyrics and just the album as a whole. that album is a basis for what followed.

SOTT to Lovesexy...or between For You and the Rainbow Children:)