BoySimon said:

I had a little to do with EMI in the Uk at the time of Emancipation and the other factor no one has mentioned yet is Prince's intransigency. EMI UK were happy with Bethcha as a first sngle, mainly because they had a Top of the Pops exclusive to come from Prince which had promised songs other than Betcha from Prince. When Top of the Pops turned up he gave them a 'to camera' version of Betcha and nowt else. EMI UK were perplexed. Discussions occured re various other singles from Emancipation including ideas such as trying to get Jam and Lewis to remix a song (they were still relevant and it may have been my idea), pushing songs like Joint 2 Joint or The Human Body... and all were smiled upon... the only problem appeared to be that Prince had a grand plan. This was fine and dandy up until Prince stopped having a grand plan and his interest waned and he moved on and that's when Emancipation failed.

In truth, if Emancipation had been composed of songs he had recorded that month it maight have worked. It wasn't Prince was bored of the songs and he moved on.

Alot of interesting insight I bet it wasn't easy working with someone like Prince.He ignores good advice and gets bored really quickly.

Controversy said:

The biggest mistake was that Sleep Around wasn't the first single. He even played it live on Oprah. All down hill from there!

Indeed, alongside So Far, So Pleased and the Jason Nevis mix of TGRES, Sleep Around was one of the few massive hits could have had, if only released as singles and properly promoted!

Sleep Around would have been more of a summer hit, though, so I'd have kept it for the summer of 1997, but some will tell me that it's always warm in California and Florida

[Edited 1/12/12 5:49am]

aiden said:

Betcha by golly wow is one of the best tracks on the set IMO, also it went to number 3 in the UK which must be one of the highest chart entries in his entire career. It's a weak album no matter who was in charge. No e of the tracks you mentioned would have been hits cause they are weak songs with horrible production. Now, let's talk about the rainbow children and Lotusflow3r!

it went to no.11

before Emancipation came out,Prince announced that it would be a 2-year project he lost interest in it after a few months

SoulAlive said:

before Emancipation came out,Prince announced that it would be a 2-year project he lost interest in it after a few months

Well... for one thing his label collapsed, therefore there was no more promotion and no more possible singles, and on top of it all the child died, while most of the album was centered around the wedding and childbirth, so yeah... I won't blame him for moving on this time

EMI went out of business before they ramped up promotion on the project.

i was thinking about it, maybe he picks the shittiest singles cus he wants people to experience the songs that are going to get played the least

databank said:

SoulAlive said:

before Emancipation came out,Prince announced that it would be a 2-year project he lost interest in it after a few months

Well... for one thing his label collapsed, therefore there was no more promotion and no more possible singles, and on top of it all the child died, while most of the album was centered around the wedding and childbirth, so yeah... I won't blame him for moving on this time

Seriously. Can one really listen to the lyrics on this album and wonder why he stopped performing the songs? What a painful time for the man....

whatsurname said:

jackmitz said:

How are you defining "failure"? Creatively? Financially? Personally, 'Emancipation' is fucking brilliant. 3 discs, with MAYBE five stinkers? To me, that's a success.

Financially.

He was obviously trying for a big commercial hit here, given the material, and his

number of appearances to promote the album.

proofs in the pudding though. and singles are ultimately what get people, beyond the fan base,

to buy the album.

here are the results for the singles.

Betcha by Golly Wow!" (#31 U.S. Airplay, #10 US R&B Airplay, #11 UK, #20 Australia)

"The Holy River" (UK CD 1) (#58 US Airplay, #19 UK)

Somebody's Somebody" (Promo CD) (#15 US R&B Airplay, #19 UK)

btw, 2 of the 5 stinkers for me are BBW and holy river.

Well, clearly we won't be swapping iPods, cause I think Betcha is lovely. And Holy River is a perfecly crafted pop song, with a GREAT guitar solo.

Well, clearly we won't be swapping iPods, cause I think Betcha is lovely. And Holy River is a perfecly crafted pop song, with a GREAT guitar solo.

In my opinion, I was disappointed because Prince was hyping what was going to happen when he got "free". Unlike other Prince albums, even ones now, there was no song on there I immediately loved.

I can't even make a whole CD of songs to listen to off the whole project. His covers on there are atrocious to me and even though it's a fan favorite, I cannot stand Holy River.

V10LETBLUES said:

EMI nothing. Put it on again and you will hear why. I tried to listen to it recently and it more atrocious that I ever remembered. Just a terrible terrible mess of project. Unlistenable.

Out of all the tracks I like "Slave" the best.

thedance said:

"Then no more.."

You are aware that EMI in the US went down and closed in the middle of the campaign to Emancipation..?

There might have been more singles if this did not happen.

Also the child tragedy, of course Prince wasn't into promotion, (even tho he actually did a lot of it, together with Mayte).

To answer the question,

I think the single choices were actually ok:

Betcha By Golly Wow

The Holy River

Face Down

Somebody's Somebody was also a single (and probably the biggest hit on the album).

thedance said:

"Betcha By Golly Wow" was adressed to Mayte right, a beautiful (cover) song from Prince to her, showing how much he loved her at that time, I think it was very touching, both the lyrics and the music. Sweet.

The video was good as well, showing the pregnant Mayte at the hospital... if that tragedy had not happened it would had been a good beginning to promote the album, unfortunately they lost their child, sad..

I still think Betcha By Golly Wow was great pop, very sweet, there's something "universal" about that song. I have very fond memories to it. However I was hugely disappointed with the rest of the album when it was released, even tho I have learned to appreciate it, despite the plastic production.

Beautiful song & lyrics. I don't get why so many dislikes it.

Betcha By Golly Wow!

There's a spark of magic in your eyes
Candyland appears each time U smile
Never thought that fairy tales came true
But they come true when I'm near U
U're a genie in disguise
Full of wonder and surprise and...

Betcha by golly wow! (wow!) (wow!)
U're the one that I've been waiting 4 4ever
And ever will my love 4 U keep growing strong
Keep growing strong

If I could, I'd catch a falling star
2 shine on U so I know where U are
Paint a rainbow in your favorite shade
2 show I love U, thinking of U

Write your name across the sky
Anything U ask, I'll try cuz...

Betcha by golly wow! (wow!) (wow!)
U're the one that I've been waiting 4 4ever
And ever will my love 4 U keep growing strong
Keep growing strong

Betcha by golly!
U're the one, yes U are! (Don't U let 'em tell U otherwise)
And ever will my love 4 U keep growing strong!

Baby, sometime
A man can't find words 2 express all the things he feels inside
But every just so often
The words of another who's truly in love seem 2 work out fine

2 say I love U (I love U)
2 say I'm thinking of U!

Betcha by golly wow! (wow!) (wow!)
U're the one that I've been waiting 4 4ever
And ever will my love 4 U keep growing strong
Keep growing strong

U're the one I'm thinking of, thinkin' of
Ever will my...
And ever will my love 4 U keep growing strong
Keep growing strong

I love U, baby

I think the remake is beautiful, but I can see whey people didn't care fore it. Especially compared to the original.

Controversy said:

The biggest mistake was that Sleep Around wasn't the first single. He even played it live on Oprah. All down hill from there!

It definitely would have made a better first single. Pop radio probably would have re-embraced him and it was a different sound for him.

I also thought "Jam of the Year" would have been a good first single.

Paris9748430 said:

I think the price had a lot to do with it, too. I think it was around 40 bucks when it 1st came out.

I remember the retail being about $29.99, but the first week of release, it was on sale for around $20 in my area.

databank said:

Controversy said:

The biggest mistake was that Sleep Around wasn't the first single. He even played it live on Oprah. All down hill from there!

Indeed, alongside So Far, So Pleased and the Jason Nevis mix of TGRES, Sleep Around was one of the few massive hits could have had, if only released as singles and properly promoted!

Sleep Around would have been more of a summer hit, though, so I'd have kept it for the summer of 1997, but some will tell me that it's always warm in California and Florida

[Edited 1/12/12 5:49am]

Wrong album....We are on Emancipation. TGRES and SFSP are on Rave.

jackmitz said:

databank said:

Well... for one thing his label collapsed, therefore there was no more promotion and no more possible singles, and on top of it all the child died, while most of the album was centered around the wedding and childbirth, so yeah... I won't blame him for moving on this time

Seriously. Can one really listen to the lyrics on this album and wonder why he stopped performing the songs? What a painful time for the man....

I really think he stopped performing songs from this album is because most of the album was about Mayte. I don't think he likes being reminded of how in love with her he actually was. Not to mention it was around the time he lost a child.

jackmitz said:

Exactly my point...what a painful time for the man

daPrettyman said:

databank said:

Indeed, alongside So Far, So Pleased and the Jason Nevis mix of TGRES, Sleep Around was one of the few massive hits could have had, if only released as singles and properly promoted!

Sleep Around would have been more of a summer hit, though, so I'd have kept it for the summer of 1997, but some will tell me that it's always warm in California and Florida

[Edited 1/12/12 5:49am]

Wrong album....We are on Emancipation. TGRES and SFSP are on Rave.

Yes, I know...

Prince believed his own hype

Prince got a chance to test that fact about 6 years too late

Prince called the album Emancipation and gave it a lame cover

Prince put about 20 too many songs out at one time for the average, non-diehard fan to process

As a result, Prince didn't promote the album nearly as much or as long as it deserved

Vendetta1 said:

In my opinion, I was disappointed because Prince was hyping what was going to happen when he got "free". Unlike other Prince albums, even ones now, there was no song on there I immediately loved.

I can't even make a whole CD of songs to listen to off the whole project. His covers on there are atrocious to me and even though it's a fan favorite, I cannot stand Holy River.

Yep and yep.

He assumed people would find it so "cool" he released that much music at once they'd all just run out and buy it. Unfortunately, it was too much music, with no hit single, and it cost too much.

I remember Prince promoting the hell out of that thing. He was on every late night show, did TWO DAYS on OPRAH!!! And I remember a very surreal, unedited performance of "Face Down" on the Chris Rock Show. Plus it was the first time that he gave so many interviews to magazines. He was everywhere. It was just really out of place musically at that time. Alanis Morrisette, Tracy Chapman, Jewel, Joan Osbourne all had huge hits with a feminine stripped down sound. Prince went a different route with his falsetto (de-facto feminine sound) and crammed as many things as he could into each production. In the end, it was in the stores, people just did not buy it.

I don't think the demise of EMI had much to do with it. If I remember correctly, (and I may be wrong), he had a one off, distribution deal with them. The albums were out there. They still are...

[Edited 1/13/12 3:37am]

[Edited 1/13/12 3:38am]

Being on every talk show over the period of a month or two is not what I'm talking about. It was a three-disc, thirty song set with no hit singles. He should have worked that album HARD for a couple years. Toured it extensively. Released single after single until something stuck. Gone out of his way to keep it positively in the eye of the public and the press. If he really ever intended it to be huge like some of his previous releases he gave up on it way too soon.

Cerebus said:

Being on every talk show over the period of a month or two is not what I'm talking about. It was a three-disc, thirty song set with no hit singles. He should have worked that album HARD for a couple years. Toured it extensively. Released single after single until something stuck. Gone out of his way to keep it positively in the eye of the public and the press. If he really ever intended it to be huge like some of his previous releases he gave up on it way too soon.

Problem was "thirty song set with no hit singles." What was there to tour on? The thing went double platinum, and in my opinion it was lucky to do that. It most likely turned a profit, so it was time to move on. The Prince climate in the late 90's was not like it is now. There was a lot of put off people.

One wonders what if that tragedy hadn't happened. Not just for that album, but everything else afterwards. Would his records have been better? Worse? I think he probably would've been basically around the same now that he is now. I mean who knows?

Off-topic, but I hate that the album is out of print. Nor available digitally. It was a pretty good record.

databank said:

SoulAlive said:

before Emancipation came out,Prince announced that it would be a 2-year project he lost interest in it after a few months

Well... for one thing his label collapsed, therefore there was no more promotion and no more possible singles, and on top of it all the child died, while most of the album was centered around the wedding and childbirth, so yeah... I won't blame him for moving on this time

True,but let's be honest....Prince gets bored with almost every album,soon after it is released For example...SOTT is the type of album that could have lasted a year on the charts,but he soon moved on to the Black Album and Lovesexy.

thedance said:

The video was good as well, showing the pregnant Mayte at the hospital... if that tragedy had not happened it would had been a good beginning to promote the album, unfortunately they lost their child, sad..

The video was shot AFTER the baby was born, actually...