iamchris90yall said:

I used to think "Dirty Mind" was the superior album, and it is definitely a great album..but then I gave "Controversy" a REAL chance and found myself having that album on repeat more than "Dirty Mind" ever was.

The only thing in my mind is that "Dirty Mind" has "When You Were Mine" which KILLS any one song in "Controversy", but I feel that "Controversy" is more diverse and interesting.

Does anyone else out there agree??

I agree.

I have the same taste and the view

I think "When You Were Mine" is Prince's first rock/pop classic

Controversy was Prince's first great album, imo.

Dirty Mind still suffers from the same problems his earlier albums did of not having enough variety in sound.

toejam said:

Dirty Mind is probably more consistent, but if was forced to choose, I'd go with Controversy if only for genius of "Controversy", "Sexuality", "Do Me Baby" and "Let's Work". The rest is a bit hit and miss (in comparison to these gems).

This is exactly my opinion!

Llanishenlad said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Considering how I have never heard the Controversy album, I am going to have to go with Dirty Mind.

You haven't lived my friend

As for me it took me a while to embrace Dirty Mind, but I adoooore the album now, BUT Controversy was the first Prince album I bought when I got into him, purely because of the cover and there is a fair bit more to it than Dirty mind (undoubtebly due to to the production values of it) but at the same time you have a kick ass opening track that has since become more of a statement of Prince as a person and singer/songwriter through the years, the very synth driven underrated Annie Christian, the ultimate track Private joy, a legendary ballad Do me baby the killer bass of Let's work and even Sexuality and Private joy I hold in high regard......................................................................................................................................

................................................................................................................................................

...........Alright and Ronnie talk to Russia I like as a filler/seague

I forgot Annie Christian, I think that is a very good Controversy track as well...

smoothcriminal12 said:

Considering how I have never heard the Controversy album, I am going to have to go with Dirty Mind.

SINNER!.... I CAST THEE OUT!!!!!

(Or at least to your nearest wreckastow where you can grab a copy).

[Edited 9/21/10 8:29am]

toejam said:

Dirty Mind is probably more consistent, but if was forced to choose, I'd go with Controversy if only for genius of "Controversy", "Sexuality", "Do Me Baby" and "Let's Work". The rest is a bit hit and miss (in comparison to these gems).

I agree, DM was more cohesive

But Controversy for me really exhibited the title

Dirty Mind I love but it wasn't/isn't as dirty as I hoped.

Dirty Mind Uptown Head Sister represent

I wish Lisa & Tick Tick Bang(even though ment for Controversy)

were on Dirty Mind

the love songs are really good but could easily have been on For U or Prince

Now Do Me Baby on Dirty Mind would have been raw

Controversy seemed like the build up album to 1999.

I think I already replied to this thread, but another thing: I always used to make tapes where I would end Cont with "Do Me, Baby," and start 1999 with "Automatic." This way, the great synth part at the end of DMB would be a great precursor to the tracks on 1999. Never bothered to do this with CDR, but if the mood strikes me, I just might.

Damb...those were the days. I thought I was so special for digging Prince. So many on the org that share my passion, it kind of lowers it a bit...but it still feels a little more special than being one of billions on U2.com. NOBODY on that website remembers a single post, or probably cares to respond. It is like posting on a Beatles site...you get lost.

Dirty Mind meant more in regards to his narrative, it changed the course and put him on a track to be "other". Controversy was the bridge to his most iconic sound, the sound that brought him the most attention as a force to be reckoned with. They are such companion pieces like 1999 & PR. I'll call it even, because i enjoy the two albums jumbled together.

NouveauDance said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

Considering how I have never heard the Controversy album, I am going to have to go with Dirty Mind.

SINNER!.... I CAST THEE OUT!!!!!

(Or at least to your nearest wreckastow where you can grab a copy).

[Edited 9/21/10 8:29am]

I didn't hear "Controversy" until a few years ago, and it took me until very recently to realize what an excellent album it is.

It's really the first album where Prince's sound came into its own, but for the longest time I was so taken with the rawness of Dirty Mind and the sheen of 1999 that I severely underrated Controversy as an "in between" effort.

These days, I definitely see Controversy as bouncier, funkier, poppier, more energetic, more varied, and more consistently interesting than Dirty Mind.

Yep

NouveauDance said:

I feel like we had this thread not too long ago

I'll reiterate what I always say: A lot of people look at Controversy as a lesser Dirty Mind part 2, where as I prefer to view it as a proto-1999.

THIS is exactly true... everything that Prince dabbled in on Controversy was more completely, maturely explored on 1999.

Dirty Mind vs Controversy = Draw

When U Were Mine vs Sexuality = When U Were Mine

Do It All Night vs Private Joy = Draw

Broken Heart Again vs Do Me Baby = Do Me Baby

Uptown vs Ronnie Talk to Russia = Uptown

Head vs Let's Work = Head

Sister vs Anne Christian = Anne Christian

Party Up vs Jack U Off = Party Up

Dirty Mind wins. Period

Controversy was both a direct sequel to DM and a clear evolution towards more "serious" lyrics and the MPLSound of 1999... It's a bridge really, a strong (but lesser) 3,5 or 4 stars album sandwitched between two 5 stars masterpieces (DM, 1999)...

[Edited 10/10/10 4:08am]

Both equal for me

NouveauDance said:

I feel like we had this thread not too long ago

I'll reiterate what I always say: A lot of people look at Controversy as a lesser Dirty Mind part 2, where as I prefer to view it as a proto-1999.

I look at both as building blocks for 1999. Both are great.

Se7en said:

I've always thought that Dirty Mind (the album) was slightly overrated. I love the album, but I think it gets more notoriety because it was first. Do It All Night and Gotta Broken Heart Again have always seemed like filler to me and stand out more as such by being song #3 and #4 on the album.

Controversy, on the other hand, seemed to have only one possible filler of Ronnie Talk To Russia.

Controversy all the way.

Se7en, you are awesome! I totally agree.

I use to think so, but now I'm not so sure. I like more songs on Dirty Mind than I do on Controversy. I would have been much happier had Prince put "Do Me Baby" on Dirty Mind, then I wouldn't love Controversy so much I think. Dirty Mind just has better songs as a whole..

iamchris90yall said:

I used to think "Dirty Mind" was the superior album, and it is definitely a great album..but then I gave "Controversy" a REAL chance and found myself having that album on repeat more than "Dirty Mind" ever was.

The only thing in my mind is that "Dirty Mind" has "When You Were Mine" which KILLS any one song in "Controversy", but I feel that "Controversy" is more diverse and interesting.

Does anyone else out there agree??

I like 'Dirty Mind' from first song to last song. Controversy has one or two songs I sometimes like to skip over.

JoeTyler said:

Dirty Mind vs Controversy = Draw

When U Were Mine vs Sexuality = When U Were Mine

Do It All Night vs Private Joy = Draw

Broken Heart Again vs Do Me Baby = Do Me Baby

Uptown vs Ronnie Talk to Russia = Uptown

Head vs Let's Work = Head

Sister vs Anne Christian = Anne Christian

Party Up vs Jack U Off = Party Up

Dirty Mind wins. Period

Controversy was both a direct sequel to DM and a clear evolution towards more "serious" lyrics and the MPLSound of 1999... It's a bridge really, a strong (but lesser) 3,5 or 4 stars album sandwitched between two 5 stars masterpieces (DM, 1999)...

[Edited 10/10/10 4:08am]

Here are my picks. Turns out that these two albums are closer together in my estimation than I had previously thought:

Dirty Mind vs. Controversy = Controversy

When U Were Mine vs. Sexuality = When U Were Mine

Do It All Night vs. Private Joy = Private Joy

Broken Heart Again vs. Do Me, Baby = Do Me, Baby

Uptown vs. Ronnie Talk 2 Russia = Uptown

Head vs. Let's Work = Head

Sister vs. Annie Christian = Sister

Party Up vs. Jack U Off = Jack U Off

A 4-4 TIE!

I still say Controversy is the better album overall, though!

[Edited 10/20/10 20:05pm]

Controversy established Prince diverse sound it was all over the place. Dirty mind had the same sound throughout the album. Plus Controversy had the best bass chord he ever created on "Let's Work" besides "777-9311"........ So i'm going with Controversy........

controversy just 4 controversy alone

that's such a tough comparison. i'd have to go with Dirty Mind overall , though the track Controversy is one of my favourite songs.

ahhh i love this era!!

[Edited 10/21/10 1:37am]

iamchris90yall said:

I used to think "Dirty Mind" was the superior album, and it is definitely a great album..but then I gave "Controversy" a REAL chance and found myself having that album on repeat more than "Dirty Mind" ever was.

The only thing in my mind is that "Dirty Mind" has "When You Were Mine" which KILLS any one song in "Controversy", but I feel that "Controversy" is more diverse and interesting.

Does anyone else out there agree??

No for the simple fact that Ronnie Talk To Russia and Annie Christian are on Controversy, which IMO drops Controversy down a few notches.

I agree.. I think Controversy is much better actually, but that doesn't make Diry mind bad in any way.