Absolute best TV performances

I'm sure this thread has been done before but I'm posting it as a way to find out about performances maybe I'm unaware of. Here are what I think are Prince's 3 best TV performances in ascending order:

3. 1987 MTV Music Awards: First just Prince by himself under a spot - or is that some weird hippie? Then in a split second there's about 400 people on stage. Can't keep up, which is just how I like it with Prince. And the new music was out of left field.

2. 2007 Suer Bowl: Just so you never forget who the best performer is today.

3. 1985 American Music Awards: Is this everybody's favorite? Serious chills when he knocks over the mic stand. And he looks like he is going to bust out in tears any second, which is appropriate to the song. This is my favorite because it is authentic Prince saying "Things will be different from here on out"

What do yalls think?

I've only seen "2"! Guess I'll have to check the others out...

Yes to all.

I would like to add to his best,

MTV awards - '91 Gett Off!!!!

Brit awards '06 - Medley - with Wendy, Lisa and Sheila E - This performance for me was the one that dreams are mad of!!!

Grammys '04 - Medley - Even though Beyonce just got a bit too big for her boots!

Super Bowl performance is probably #1 for me

SNL 15th Anniversary performance of "Electric Chair"

Even though it was lipsynched, I loved the AMA performance

The Tonight Show performance of "Musicology" just for the way he danced over to his seat at the end. That was awesome.

The Tonight Show performance of "Everlasting Now" is great.

mentalist said:

The instant I heard Gold’s first note, it became Prince’s mark on my soul: a tattoo I wear with pride.
Prince is Dreamy, gives my Life that Pop and 2 the industry, he’s Royalty.

mentalist said:

to me - the ones i like - are the ones where AFTERwards ... i have felt "he nailed it " ...

some that come to mind : **the Latin performance with Sheila E , etc ,**the Super Bowl , **Sat night live (both Electric Chair performance and the newest one - with FURY and BLand B ) , the **HALL OF FAME performances and the **04 Grammy with beyonce (altho i dont like to watch that one since - beyonce kinda wears on me with that performance)

incidently - there are a few i thought he "didnt nail" - namely the lip synched "pussy control" (world awards ???), the 91 MTV (assless pants , ugh ) , American Idol (his hair was messed up , poor song choices , can u imagine if he had sung kiss or somethin everyone wanted to hear ???)

I would add his VH1 Honors performance of Interactive and Endorphine Machine.

He definitely nailed that one.


Later

I would say....

* The SuperBowl Performance

* VH1 HONORS performance of "Interactive/Endorphinmachine"

* The Purple Rain performance at the AMA

* The Sign O The Times award show performance (which I haven't seen in a million years)

* The performance of "Dolphin" on the Dave Letterman show

* The performance of "Fury" on SNL

* The ALMA awards performance and the Brit Awards performance were both great as well

This has been a topic on here a few times. My top pick will NEVER change. And that was his live performance in 85 at the American Music Awards. P simply turned it out. I was so happy that he chose to perform the song that he did. P had so much to prove and he let it all go during this song. He was screaming like a fucking lunatic. And his guitar solo was hella loud and passionate. Like it should be. One of the best performances EVER on t.v. P's and Michael's Billie Jean on Motown's special just a few years before put everybody else to shame. Those two performances caught two of the greatest entertainers in their prime. And I'm blessed to have seen them when it was originally aired. THAT is what u do whenever u perform at an award show or special. U want to totally floor your musical peers and blow them away. U want to make them motherfuckers wish they weren't even in the same business as u. That's what P and MJ did on those nights.

the ja leno show sometime in 2006

Arsenio Hall Show was the shit both cuz they were excellent performances and because I was there front and center.

SO SO many great per4mances.I really can't pick only 1!

how about the Vibe performance?

baby i'm a star grammy awards 85

special olympics awards 92

arsenio hall 1992

SNL 1989

VH1 honors 1994

Love 4 One Another per4mance of days of wild how sick is that shit!!

the alma awards THAT'S WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT

the WORST was the superbowl sellout mf!!!

SNL FURY : blown away.

AMA Purple Rain performance : genius at work.

Super Bowl : what a pro.

SNL Electric Chair : so funky

L4OATheOriginal said:

Arsenio Hall in 1991 ... It was so new to everyone to see Prince on a talk show. The show received so many letters that they had to repeat the show in October (the night of the mega storm). It added so much to the Diamonds and Pearls and the so called "Come back." He was just in raw form that night...laughing, dancing...everyone (even non Prince fans) were talking about it. Plus, we got to see the game boyz and Rosie....what a great night....


Pop daddy, daddy pop

No one mentioned AMA in '95 when he sat up from the floor and went right into Billy Jack Bitch.... WOW

paisley4me said:

4EVER
~~

Superbowl performance

American Idol performance

Good Morning America performance

Edmonton, AB - - If you're happy and you know it your hands, if you're happy and you know it do a

for me.. was SuperBowl 2007... cause it was my birthday

prime said:

live4luvandluvwillive4u

unclenick1871 said:

prime said:

Arsenio Hall in 1991 ... It was so new to everyone to see Prince on a talk show. The show received so many letters that they had to repeat the show in October (the night of the mega storm). It added so much to the Diamonds and Pearls and the so called "Come back." He was just in raw form that night...laughing, dancing...everyone (even non Prince fans) were talking about it. Plus, we got to see the game boyz and Rosie....what a great night....


Pop daddy, daddy pop

Was that the "Morning Papers" performance?
Love that One!!

My favorites in no particular order

1)Fury- SNL: This was probably the most unexpected Prince performance. 'Cause most of the people watching probably expected to do "Black Sweat". He just went out there and wrecked shit. We should've known we were in trouble when before Steve Martin could even get his name out. You hear him yell "1,2," to the band.

2)Medley Performance at The Grammys w/ Beyonce- Love it or hate it. This performance showed the rest of the world that Prince is still the shit!!!

3)Purple Rain @ the 1985 American Music Awards- This performance shows a superstar in their prime. Like Jordan @ The NBA Finals. When he kicked his mic stand over, that was the musical equivalent of hitting a three pointer, looking over @ Marv Albert & Magic Johnson & shrugging his shoulders

4)Endorphinmachine on European Television- I don't know where this took place, I'm gonna say Germany. But there's a version of him doing a killer version of this song in Black & White. This was during a period where Prince was pissed off, and he obviously took it out on his guitar!!! Just an incredible performance!!!

5)Prince gets inducted into The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame- I'm gonna count the entire night as one kick ass performance. This came right off the heels off great performances on The Grammys, The Tonight Show, & Ellen. So it was obvious to everyone in the room that the entire night belonged to Prince. From a killer version of Sign O' The Times featuring a great performance from his top-notch rhythm section of Rhonda Smith & John Blackwell. To his jaw-dropping, holy shit, did you see that guitar solo during an All-Star rendition of "While My Guitar Gently Weeps". This night showed that even though he was being inducted into the Hall of Fame. Prince was FAR from being retired!!!
[Edited 3/14/08 20:26pm]

I don't remember the 1985 awards...I Loved the Superbowl, and Fury, and the awards show with Stevie and Chaka...I enjoy what I see.

hall of fame - i only saw a clip, but still my fave...he was smoothing it tht night. he looked gawjus 2.

snl performance of fury...wild & rawwr performance. guitarzan!

superbowl..wow! respect! guitargasm

brits 06 made my mind wander til it left completely

paisley4me said:

Electric Chair - 1989 - SNL 15th Anniv.
Peach - 1994 - MTV Europe Awards
P Control - 1995 - VH1 Fashion Awards
Everlasting Now - 2002 - Tonight Show
Fury - 2007 - SNL

1. 87 MTV awards
2. Under the Cherry MOon premier on MTV
3. Enforphine and Interactive on VH1
4. 85 AMA i guess

worst:

the assless pants...couldnt show my face at school for days.
[Edited 3/15/08 10:18am]