For You was Princes first album, and although not his best its still very good. I listen to a lot. I never hear it mentioned here. If you have or have heard for you, what did you think of it.
It introduced the Prince and Minneapolis sound, he wrote and played when he was 19 for crissake.
Just listen to the first three tracks. For You is a cascade of soulful falsetto overdubs, its an ambitious song that would have to wait until Adore and How come u dont call me any more, for the vocal to be excelled.
Then In Love introduces Prince 4 real, the opening lines
Ever since I met u baby, all I want 2 do is lay you down, and I wanna play in your river, Princes first proper song has the usual sex lyric in it. And then Soft and Wet how much more blunt is that.
Ok its cliched disco, but it has lasted, i'm Yours is more rockabilly than the standard black disco act.
And finally the cover picture, the mysterious urchin peeking at you with the giant afro, never has he or will he look so Black again!
And the racy inner sleeve of Prince on that kinky 70's bed with the Afro and guitar...
Seriously folks its a great album.

It's one of his best albums. I LOVE soft and wet, just as long as we're together and im yours!

Thinking back now, I realize it deserves its "underratedness". Seriously, there are far better albums out there by the millions. The only reason anyone would have genuine interest in "For You" is because it's a Prince album. Enjoyably, but had it been someone else, this album would have all but disappeared from the pages of music history.

Iconoclast!

PANDURITO said:

There is always place for your anger here! Release it!

I always thought it's a masterpiece considering P's age at that time (20y) and the fact that he was a perfect one-band-man. The first time I listened 2 it I said "shit, man...this stuff rocks!" and I couldn't help feeling a little bit doubtful 'bout his doing all this on his own...even Stevie Wonder sounded 2 me less xtraordinary...moreover, For You is that kinda album u never feel tired 2 listen 2 'cuz of it's catchy lightness and long instrumentally-filled tunes.

PANDURITO said:

Whenever I think of Novabreaker the word "philistine" comes irresistibly to mind

.

I don't listen to it much. His falsetta is ever present, and though he does it well, it just doesn't have the "umph" for me.

But it is better than some of his newer efforts.

The entire albulm is about vaginas.
from time to time, he breaks with that theme and gets spiritual, but always, it goes back to vaginas.

For You is over dated.

There are seeds there but I just can't groove to the album. Never really could. I just don't think P knew what he wanted to do with his sound yet and an unsure Prince is a mediocre Prince.

I admire the skills though. I think only a handful of artists could make an album when they play virtually all the instruments and sing all the vocals so he gets mega props for that aspect.

tane1976 said:

I agree with you. For You is a solid album putting into the context of the time it was released. Both Prince and Warner Brothers deserve credit. Prince for displaying his versatility and range and Warner Brothers for having the courage to give so much latitude to a young, new artist. I agree that his sound was not yet defined, but very few artist have a definitive sound on the first go round - that why it's the first album and it's hard to have a style without having released material before. There are things that go on that we will never know and if you let an artist write, produce, arrange, compose, and perform on his first go round (that's a lot of hats), I am sure you will advise him to at least keep in the times - i.e., disco at that time. I view the album as Prince showcasing his skills more than trying to develop any particular style - that would come later with more money, latitude, and sales (you have to prove yourself first). I listen to the album while working at night because I enjoy the one-man band display and the heavy overdubs that he employed on that album. So Tane - You are not alone in your opinion. I also hear many say that he played virtually every instrument on the album - well, from my study of The Vault and other reads that if any album is all Prince, this is the one. Tane - good post.

A year or so ago when the NPGMC put 'im yours' in GlamSlam room that was the first time i've heard it. Somehow i missed For You and i thought this song was new.
I went to DiscoRound when i heard it had been out awhile but instead found it on the top of the stack for "P" at Best Buy.
Yes, definitely Underrated. Pure magic.

[Edited 9/28/05 8:30am]

giotto said:

Phew. I was afraid for a moment you were going to say "virgin".

it gets it's just due

It's not my favorite. But props MUST be given to it. Just for all that was done on it, for the age he was and for the year it came out. One can certainly hear noodlings of what was to be later on.

Even if it's for the title track alone...it's a stunner.

Absolutely underated. For You is 1 of my favorite Prince albums. Crazy U is 1 of his best.

underrated, schmunderated... nothing's rated just right by everyone for everyone. Ask yourself "If this had been Prince's only record, what would I think of it?" It's a decent record, especially when you consider how it was made, but it's not a gem. Prince was too young and too absorbed by the task itself. While it was conventionally creative, it came off as a technical feat to some extent (and was marketed as such).

Wow There are fans of For You, but someone said if its his only album and never did any more he'd hardly be known. 1978 was a year every major was trying to diversify their roster especially as Disco was the last craze, and anyone with Rythmn and a bit of soul was going to get signed. Rather than seeing it as a disco record, how about seeing it as Princes take on Disco.
Also the groove strategy would get him at least to Prince which as we all know bought a lot of people to his music. Here in NZ we went mental over I wanrt to be your lover, it got to 3 on our chart (Places 1 and 2 had Maori artists covering soul and reggae hits (were a huge fanbase of black music here in New Zealand)
And yes Ican grrove to most of For You, its good driving music too, in the car it alternates between Purple Rain and For You. [b][b][/b]

tane1976 said:

I find that this album has so much to offer me. It has many details that puts it above many debut albums of other Soul and R&B artists I've listened to. I gave up on Alicia Keys. Perhaps its because I just like Prince a whole lot. And since I haven't seen any music videos for this one, I can't help but make up some of my own in my mind. For instance, for the song "In Love," I picture Prince naked lying on a bed with purple satin sheets and he's got purple wings that move rhythmically with the music...doing all sort of wild things...Oh, I don't care if its disco. I love it!