...instead of 3 average ones. If he'd taken out all the chaff, and promoted it as well as Diamonds & Pearls - coulda been a lot better i think. Whatchya reckon?

This would be my song list;

Slave

New World (Edited)

Da, da, da

Right back in here in my arms

One Kiss at a time

Soul Sanctuary

Emale

My Computer

Curious Child

Dreamin about U

Joint 2 Joint

The Holy River ( i hate this song - but appreciate that others don't)

Let's have a baby

Saviour

The Plan

Friend, Lover, sister, Mother, Wife

Singles: My Computer, Holy River & Soul Sanctuary. B-sides: The Human Body, Face down, Sleep Around and one of the cover songs on the b-side of each single too.

Discuss...

I can't believe it's been 15 years and this topic hasn't come up yet!

This kind of thread is ultimately pointless because no one will ever agree on a 1 CD tracklist, least of all Prince.

I'd rather have all 3 CD's to pick and choose what I like than be beholden to someone else's idea of a "better" tracklist.

billymeade said:

I can't believe it's been 15 years and this topic hasn't come up yet!

1. Jam Of The Year

2. Somebody's Somebody

3. Courtin Time
4. I Can't Make You Love Me

5. Sex In The Summer

6. Soul Sanctuary

7. Dreamin About U

8. The Holy River

9. Style

10. Sleep Around

11.Emancipation

Lead single should have been Sleep Around

I love Emancipation just the way it is, all 36 tracks and three hours of it. But if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to change it I would drop the four covers and substitute the tracks from Emancipation: The Secret Chapter. It's fine live but I'm not really a fan of Prince covering other artists on his albums.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

billymeade said:

I can't believe it's been 15 years and this topic hasn't come up yet!

Sarcasm?

Well sorry for my lack of originality guys - was giving it another listen today and just felt passionately about how good it could have been. Wondered if anyone agreed. Obviously not...

^ I (almost) agrees with you Rialb, let's keep the album (almost) as it is:

On my iTunes playlist

I shortened Emancipation to 30 songs

01. Jam Of The Year (6:09)
02. Right Back Here In My Arms (4:42)
03. Somebody's Somebody (4:43)
04. Betcha By Golly Wow! (3:30)
05. We Gets Up (4:17)
06. White Mansion (4:47)
07. Damned If Do (5:20)
08. Can't Make U Love Me (6:37)
09. Mr. Happy (4:46)

10. In This Bed Scream (5:40)
11. Sex In The Summer (5:56)
12. One Kiss At A Time (4:40)
13. Soul Sanctuary (4:41)
14. Emale (3:37)
15. Curious Child (2:57)
16. Dreamin' About U (3:52)
17. Joint 2 Joint (7:51)
18. The Holy River (6:55)
19. Saviour (5:48)
20. Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife (7:37)
21. Slave (4:51)
22. New World (3:42)
23. The Human Body (5:41)
24. Face Down (3:16)
25. La, La, La Means Love You (3:58)
26. Style (6:40)
27. Sleep Around (7:41)
28. My Computer (4:36)
29. The Love We Make (4:38)
30. Emancipation (4:12)

Taking Off these:

Get Yo Groove On
Courtin' Time
Let's Have A Baby
The Plan
Da, Da, Da
One Of Us

[Edited 1/27/11 15:55pm]

It could have sounded less plastic if he had used live drums.

But despite a few howlers, i like Emancipation.

Emancipation could be my least favourite Prince album.

But any version of it that dumps 'We Gets Up' is at least a little bit better than the version I have.

with some judicious editing here and there:

Slave

Face Down

Feel Good

One Kiss At A Time

Journey 2 The Center Of Your Heart

Emale

Sleep Around

She Gave Her Angels

Right Back Here In My Arms

Somebody's Somebody

Dreamin' About U

Joint 2 Joint

In This Bed I Scream

My Computer

The Holy River

The Love We Make

Emancipation (outtake version)

eyewishuheaven said:

Emancipation could be my least favourite Prince album.

But any version of it that dumps 'We Gets Up' is at least a little bit better than the version I have.

We Gets Up is a bit of a stunted cock i must admit.

I think one of the things i like about Emancipation is the whole "I'm going to release a triple album so you can all fuck off" attitude, it was a bold move.

I'm glad it's a triple, not many other artists in mainstream music would have the balls to put out such a release.

TheDigitalGardener said:

eyewishuheaven said:

Emancipation could be my least favourite Prince album.

But any version of it that dumps 'We Gets Up' is at least a little bit better than the version I have.

We Gets Up is a bit of a stunted cock i must admit.

I think one of the things i like about Emancipation is the whole "I'm going to release a triple album so you can all fuck off" attitude, it was a bold move.

I'm glad it's a triple, not many other artists in mainstream music would have the balls to put out such a release.

...for good reason - they like their careers in mainstream! They probably have advisors they listen to as well!

ScottRob said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

We Gets Up is a bit of a stunted cock i must admit.

I think one of the things i like about Emancipation is the whole "I'm going to release a triple album so you can all fuck off" attitude, it was a bold move.

I'm glad it's a triple, not many other artists in mainstream music would have the balls to put out such a release.

...for good reason - they like their careers in mainstream! They probably have advisors they listen to as well!

ScottRob said:

TheDigitalGardener said:

We Gets Up is a bit of a stunted cock i must admit.

I think one of the things i like about Emancipation is the whole "I'm going to release a triple album so you can all fuck off" attitude, it was a bold move.

I'm glad it's a triple, not many other artists in mainstream music would have the balls to put out such a release.

...for good reason - they like their careers in mainstream! They probably have advisors they listen to as well!

yes, but everyone likes to sell albums. he probably could have sold more copies AND made more money with a single disc.

as for the quality of the music spread over these 3 discs, there are about 2 discs worth releasing. had he gone this route with the stuff he recorded in 1993/1994, he probably could have gotten away with making it worth the 3 discs.

I got it down to a double album, at least!

1. "Jam of the Year" – 6:09
2. "Somebody's Somebody" – 4:43
3. "White Mansion" – 4:47
4. "In This Bed I Scream" – 5:40
5. "Sex In the Summer" – 5:57
6. "Soul Sanctuary" – 4:41
7. "Curious Child" – 2:57
8. "Dreamin' About U" – 3:52
9. "Saviour" – 5:48
10. "The Plan" – 1:47
11. "Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife" – 7:37
12. "La, La, La Means I Love U" – 3:59
13. "My Computer" – 4:37
14. "One of Us" – 5:19
15. "The Love We Make" – 4:39
16. "Emancipation" – 4:12

As you can see from the lists people have made the problem is that we all have very different opinions about what the best tracks are on Emancipation. That's why I'm glad he released as much of it as he did. It's kind of a shame that he wasn't able to release a similarly massive set of the music he was making circa 1985/1986. I guess it would have been a five album set so realistically that never would have happened but he certainly had enough great material from that era to make a collection similar in size and scope to Emancipation.

1. Damned If I Do
2. In This Bed I Scream
3. I Can't Make U Love Me
4. The Love We Make
5. Dreamin' About U
6. Emale
7. Slave
8. The Holy River
9. La, La, La Means I Love U
10. Somebody's Somebody
11. Curious Child
12. Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife
13. Joint 2 Joint
14. Let's Have a Baby
15. Saviour

rialb said:

As you can see from the lists people have made the problem is that we all have very different opinions about what the best tracks are on Emancipation. That's why I'm glad he released as much of it as he did. It's kind of a shame that he wasn't able to release a similarly massive set of the music he was making circa 1985/1986. I guess it would have been a five album set so realistically that never would have happened but he certainly had enough great material from that era to make a collection similar in size and scope to Emancipation.

I agree, well slightly adjusting the dates to 86/87. Now that was a fantastic period in his career, when P was at his peak musically and artistically (we'll forget about the daft movie!). i miss Camille and the strength and consistency of each of his songs back then.

If it was one disc,I would remove the four covers,as well as tracks like "We Gets Up","Style","La Da Da"...actually,much of disc three,which I wasn't too crazy about.

rialb said:

I love Emancipation just the way it is, all 36 tracks and three hours of it. But if you put a gun to my head and told me I had to change it I would drop the four covers and substitute the tracks from Emancipation: The Secret Chapter. It's fine live but I'm not really a fan of Prince covering other artists on his albums.

ScottRob said:

...instead of 3 average ones. If he'd taken out all the chaff, and promoted it as well as Diamonds & Pearls - coulda been a lot better i think. Whatchya reckon?

This would be my song list;

Slave

New World (Edited)

Da, da, da

Right back in here in my arms

One Kiss at a time

Soul Sanctuary

Emale

My Computer

Curious Child

Dreamin about U

Joint 2 Joint

The Holy River ( i hate this song - but appreciate that others don't)

Let's have a baby

Saviour

The Plan

Friend, Lover, sister, Mother, Wife

Singles: My Computer, Holy River & Soul Sanctuary. B-sides: The Human Body, Face down, Sleep Around and one of the cover songs on the b-side of each single too.

Discuss...

I think that 6 of the tracks you picked are my worst of Emancipation!!! That's why I'd go for 3 discs every time and have the choice of my favourites, rather than 1 disc with someone else's faves. .

Also, might be worth searching for a topic before starting a thread. No offence, but we get this topic once every month or so!

Also, might be worth searching for a topic before starting a thread. No offence, but we get this topic once every month or so!

Point taken.

1. Jam Of The Year (6:09)
2. Right Back Here In My Arms (4:42)
3. Somebody's Somebody (4:43)
4. Damned If Do (5:20)

5. In This Bed Scream (5:40)
6. Curious Child (2:57)
7. Dreamin' About U (3:52)
8. Joint 2 Joint (7:51)
9 The Holy River (6:55)
10. Saviour (5:48)
11. Style (6:40)
12. Sleep Around (7:41)
13. My Computer (4:36)
14. The Love We Make (4:38)
15. Emancipation (4:12)

SquirrelMeat said:

1. Jam Of The Year (6:09)
2. Right Back Here In My Arms (4:42)
3. Somebody's Somebody (4:43)
4. Damned If Do (5:20)

5. In This Bed Scream (5:40)
6. Curious Child (2:57)
7. Dreamin' About U (3:52)
8. Joint 2 Joint (7:51)
9 The Holy River (6:55)
10. Saviour (5:48)
11. Style (6:40)
12. Sleep Around (7:41)
13. My Computer (4:36)
14. The Love We Make (4:38)
15. Emancipation (4:12)

Drop Curious Child and Dreamin' About U and I could almost listen to this.

Emancipation (demo version)

Right Back Here In My Arms

Somebody’s Somebody

Style

Mr. Happy

Face Down

Betcha by Golly Wow

In This Bed I Scream

Joint 2 Joint

Saviour

I Can’t Make U Love Me

Holy River

Soul Sanctuary

The Love We Make