Parade a masterpiece

Once prince had some negative comments about parade for which I was shocked.
As we know prince has got alot of brilliat albums & parade is a masterpiece.
Was Prince right about the negative comments?
I can't remember exactly what he said but it was something like
If I could change parade I would.
Anyway the whole album is something unique as well as the excellent
mountains - another lover extended versions & love or money.
The songwriting arrangement production etc is fantastic as well.

I love this album, so quirky. Probably my favourite 80s album. Love the flow of it and various styles. Plus 'I Wonder U' is amazing.

http://rl81.blogspot.com/
"How in the world r u gonna stop the music, when the voice says COME!"
- Wembley Stadium, July 31st 1993

He wasn't happy with the outcome and it did not get good reviews at the time. But who cares? I loved it.

Those that can do and those that can't criticize!
[Edited 10/5/09 6:21am]

I am one of those who don't really love "Parade". It's got moments of brilliance (Kiss, Girls and Boys, Sometimes it snows in April) mixed with a bit of standard paint-by-numbers stuff and some filler. Not a bad effort, sure, but I just can't get all the fuss when it comes to this album. From the period 1982 to 1989, this is clearly his weakest record imo.

Yes.. I love every note of this brilliant album.

Hello... I'm Come funkateer 'Danceelectric'
from Housequake.com

I never saw the movie. I liked the cd, though it was never a favourite. I don't know the "love or money" track. My opinion on the album:

Christopher T's Parade is a good intro song.

New position I normally skipped, the beat was too simple for me and the text unappealing.

I wonder U is fantastic... The whole song has this weird funky feel to it and the deep bass is what I like. Wish the funky part at the end lasted longer.

Under the Cherry moon, is not a bad track, it takes a bit long to begin and is a bit slow. I like the lyrics though.

Girls and boys! Who can't enjoy this one, it's funky, fun and cheeky! Runs perfectly into

Life can be so nice. I like the whistley part & lyrics but not the chord change when he's singing about the clarinet. I do like the way the tune changes throughout. Sometimes a little busy though.

Venus de Milo, I never really listened to then. Probably would now. Great piece of music, I suppose it fits some nice part of the movie that I'm unaware of.

Mountains, my absolute favourite track. The sound and lyrics. Pretty cool MJ kind of "Oooh" he's got going there at 1.26m. Mood change to

Do you lie is a great transition. Great song & lyrics

Kiss is a work or art, the way Prince does it. Really funky guitar, but radio killed this song.

I need anotherlover, my 2nd favourite track. Another work or art. Musically interesting, lyrics brilliant

The finale, Sometimes it snows... this is beautifully haunting both words and music.
[Edited 10/5/09 7:07am]
[Edited 10/5/09 7:08am]

Inquiring minds want to know, what comments did Prince give regarding the album?

Also, I really dig this album, didn't as much when I bought it about 3 years ago. Some of his best is on here, although Life Can Be So Nice generally gets a skip from me.

This album gets better with time. Brilliant.

first time i heard that tenor sax hit on boys and girls i was smiling ... this album never gets old ... mountains ... i wonder u ... so much flavor ... i think he felt that he rushed the album and said so way back when ... plus he was working on that movie which i also love especially since he made the financial backers keep the ending where he died instead of making a happier ending .... so maybe he was too busy to see how awesome it was ... then again there was all the women troubles ... again distracted
[Edited 10/8/09 8:24am]

My absolute favorite Prince album which includes my absolute favorite Prince song, "Sometimes it snows in April"!!!

EmancipationLover said:

djdaffy1227 said:

My absolute favorite Prince album which includes my absolute favorite Prince song, "Sometimes it snows in April"!!!

A great album, I wish he had kept Old Friends 4 Sale And All My Dreams on there.

djdaffy1227 said:

My absolute favorite Prince album which includes my absolute favorite Prince song, "Sometimes it snows in April"!!!

i concur. a masterpiece. more so i'd say than SOTT. it flows perfectly. "filler and paint by numbers stuff?" REALLY which trax?! quite quirky. i understand that ppl won't like it equally but its ANYTHING but formulaic! the title track is not his typical do me baby love ballad", new position, i wonder u, christopher tracy, do u lie, are all unique somewhat short "ditties" that go against standard pop production rules. Girls & Boys, Kiss, Anotherlover, Sometimes it Snows and Mountains (when have you heard arrangements like THAT since from him) are all 10's and classic compositions and Life Can Be So Nice, is not far behind and fits in lovely, assuring the album's flow.

A true masterpiece !

Prince subsequently said that he didn't feel that he had enough strong songs at the time and that he wouldn't make that mistake again (bet he wishes he could take that bit back!)

Personally, I think he missed the strength of the album which was the consistency of the musical style throughout. (Which does indeed allow you to overlook some weaker/blander tracks on there). I still think its a joy to listen to.

The only other album which I think employs a consistency of style is TRC.

BlackCandle said:

I agree, its a great album, funky sexy, quirky and some superb lyrics. I love the line "No one plays the clarinet, the way you play my heart" All of the songs arer great and its easily the best of the 80s after 1999 and SOTT. Its also great too in the sesnse of the Wendy and Lisa contributions.

Prince was right.

But hopefully he has since discovered that it's a superb creation that can't be worn down. Much like "Lovesexy", it's far better than the sum of its parts.

Fleshing everything out might have created more short-term excitement, but it likely wouldn't have produced this same unqualified magic that goes way outside the bounds of what can be controlled.
[Edited 10/5/09 14:33pm]

This is my absolute FAVORITE Prince album. I Wonder U...Omg..what the hell can I say...that song is WAY TOO SHORT. The first time I heard the whole album I thought it was absolute bullshit. I was like "Where's the funk at?" You know? But I came back to it when I got older and it's just...whoa. I wish I could've got it when it first came out in the 80's. It would've blown my mind. I absolutely love the fuck outta this album. The whole sound just picks you up and takes you to another place. I think it's his masterpiece. I like to think "Ure Gonna C Me" from MPLSound as having a little "Parade" influence on it. I can totally here it on there. I adore "Do U Lie" I think it's a cute little song to sing to someone, and I can picture that song as something P would be singing to someone...MOUNTAINS!! BRILLIANT!! One of his BEST songs EVER! I LOVE the production on it! You can actually picture mountains listening to it, and it has this really "airy" sound to it. Under the Cherry moon...I love the "mood" of this song..All the songs on this album have a mood, which makes them very distinctive. Let me get off of here because I'll be on here all night talking about Parade.

I can't remember what year or what interview,but he said "There's nothing on Parade that I'm particularly proud of..." IMHO Its my favorite album,tied with SOTT. The weakest song 4 me is "Kiss". Brilliant album though!

Parade is the absolute seminal moment of Prince's career , it was the platform for SOTT and yet seemed so far ahead of Purple Rain in terms of invention, I totally love this album and have for a long time viewed it in the same way as Beatles fans view The Beatles (White Album)- revolutionary.

Parade is excellent...I really would love another album with the Revolution. I love most Prince releases...but for me the albums with the Revolution are where the magics at

Eye LOVE this album...2 me it's a completely new route in2 music from all of his preceeding efforts. Of course, with Prince every new album is entirely different..like a new story, or a new chapter in his life.