Has Prince ever revealed if he has any favourites of all of his output, both songs and albums. Songs that he especially loves and albums he finds better than others? To me he sticks out to the kind of artist who never wants to highlight anything particular and always just states that his "next record is his favourite". But i could be wrong.

In case he never has revealed what he likes best, I thought it could be fun to hear with Prince fans what you THINK he would select if someone had put a gun to his head and told him to choose his favourites amongst all he`s ever recorded. Let`s say they had asked him: "What are your 5 best songs that you`ve ever written / recorded and what is your best album and why - WHAT do you think he had answered based on how you know him and his music taste?

I believe he's said that he really loves playing "Purple Rain" but I think he said it had more to do with how much his fans like the song than anything else.

He has been asked the "What are your favorite Prince songs?" question before, and his answer was that all his songs are like children, and he loves all his children equally.

I just remember that at some point in the second part of the 90's he was asked about his fave (own) album and he said "the last one", meaning more that his latest music was always his favorite than any specific album. It's a very blurry memory, I hope I've got it right

I would suggest one can gain some insight into what he likes by what 'non-hit' older tracks he's played a lot over the years in concert. For instance, I guess he really likes Partyman, as he's played it in most tours over the last several years. It was a hit but not a huge one, I believe. The same for DMSR, Something in the Water and Take Me With U.

As they're not obvious megahits, he has no 'obligation' to feature them in his 'hits' set, so maybe he just likes 'em . I doubt he 'loves' performing every single hit live over and over (this can get a little tedious for major artists who are truly creative), so he must throw in one or two less known oldies for the fans and for him to enjoy playing for a change.

Interesting that, according Prince Vault, between 1984 and 2002, he never performed Something in the Water live, so something must have made him bring it back. He's played it on most tours since then.

I remember an article years ago -- (I think it was in Rolling Stone, but I'm not 100% -- could have been Spin, too) -- in which Prince's band members were asked to name their favorite Prince songs. The band was definitely the NPG at that point, and I think this was probably in the late 90s.

I tried googling "Prince's band members name their favorite Prince songs" and "New Power Generation members pick favorite Prince songs" and so on, with no luck.

I know this isn't the actual question, but it seems closely related, and I remember it was really interesting, as each NPG member talked briefly about why they chose a song. I'm almost positive that two of the choices were "The Beautiful Ones" and "1999."

Does anyone else remember this, or have the magazine or a link to the page? It was a page with the photo and name of each NPG member next to a blurb about that member's fav Prince song, within the middle of an article about Prince.

At one of the Celebrations (I think) someone said "Moonbeam Levels" was their favorite vault track and Prince responded along the lines of "It's one of my favorites too."

I may have some details wrong there but the sentiment is correct.

Didn't he once say to the audience at a sound-check that he loved playing Pink Cashmere?

LewArcher said:

I remember an article years ago -- (I think it was in Rolling Stone, but I'm not 100% -- could have been Spin, too) -- in which Prince's band members were asked to name their favorite Prince songs. The band was definitely the NPG at that point, and I think this was probably in the late 90s.

I tried googling "Prince's band members name their favorite Prince songs" and "New Power Generation members pick favorite Prince songs" and so on, with no luck.

I know this isn't the actual question, but it seems closely related, and I remember it was really interesting, as each NPG member talked briefly about why they chose a song. I'm almost positive that two of the choices were "The Beautiful Ones" and "1999."

Does anyone else remember this, or have the magazine or a link to the page? It was a page with the photo and name of each NPG member next to a blurb about that member's fav Prince song, within the middle of an article about Prince.

I remember the article you're talking about. I think it was reprinted in the artwork for a bootleg that I must've sold, because I can't find it, called Days Of Wild. I remember band members mentioning Question Of U, The Beautiful Ones (and possibly She's Always In My Hair?), and someone mentioned putting on the entire Lovesexy album and being speechless afterward.

As someone else mentioned, you can sometimes tell what his favorites are by seeing him live (or listening to the boots). He'll often make comments like "This my song!" or "I love this song!" I've heard those during "Ol' Skool Company," "If I Was Your Girlfriend," and "2Y2D." I also remember him mentioning the song "Cool" by The Time as one he'd wished he had another one like.

MarshallStacks said:

He said "Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic" had been one of his favourites when he finally put it out in 1999.

if I was your girlfriend : "I love this song so much" Ghent 5 july 2011

LewArcher said:

I remember an article years ago -- (I think it was in Rolling Stone, but I'm not 100% -- could have been Spin, too) -- in which Prince's band members were asked to name their favorite Prince songs. The band was definitely the NPG at that point, and I think this was probably in the late 90s.

I tried googling "Prince's band members name their favorite Prince songs" and "New Power Generation members pick favorite Prince songs" and so on, with no luck.

I know this isn't the actual question, but it seems closely related, and I remember it was really interesting, as each NPG member talked briefly about why they chose a song. I'm almost positive that two of the choices were "The Beautiful Ones" and "1999."

Does anyone else remember this, or have the magazine or a link to the page? It was a page with the photo and name of each NPG member next to a blurb about that member's fav Prince song, within the middle of an article about Prince.

I definitely saw an article in the '90s where the NPG members chose their fav songs. Don't remember which mag, but it would have been a bit earlier than you're suggesting, say 1992 -- during the Diamond and Pearls tour. So, may or may not have been a different article but I do recall Tommy Barbarella's favourite song being "Condition of the Heart". Which is easy for me to remember as it's mine too.

Does anyone remember the article where he talked about 1999 being written on "another plane," compared to his other songs? I'm trying to remember.

united1878 said:

Didn't he once say to the audience at a sound-check that he loved playing Pink Cashmere?

The first O2 show (I believe 4th August 07) he played Pink Cashmere and he said something along the lines of "I got a lot of songs, but this one I'm gonna play for me!"

So yeah, I think he likes playing that song.

MarshallStacks said:

Interesting that, according Prince Vault, between 1984 and 2002, he never performed Something in the Water live, so something must have made him bring it back. He's played it on most tours since then.

Well remember that he's said more than once that certain songs he got sick of, but brought them back under new styles that he could tolerate playing them again. Or hell maybe they're in his fancy again?

I'm reminded of Paul McCartney in recent years. Since the late 80s (when he resumed touring) he's played stuff like "Hey Jude" as a concert staple every single time. Then recently he's been dragging out random stuff, I think mostly to get the diehards excited as well as spruce up his setlists because you only do "Live and Let Die" so many times before you get bored out of your mind. A few years back he started playing "Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da" live for the first time, which is a concert-friendly song that you wonder why he never did it before. Or a few years back, "Come and Get It" which as Beatle nerds know he wrote for Badfinger but never released it himself (or with the Beatles).

"I love this song, I never get tired of playing it" Prince said as he began Purple Rain in Sydney in October 2003.

[Edited 9/16/13 4:23am]

PlusSign said:

LewArcher said:

I remember an article years ago -- (I think it was in Rolling Stone, but I'm not 100% -- could have been Spin, too) -- in which Prince's band members were asked to name their favorite Prince songs. The band was definitely the NPG at that point, and I think this was probably in the late 90s.

I tried googling "Prince's band members name their favorite Prince songs" and "New Power Generation members pick favorite Prince songs" and so on, with no luck.

I know this isn't the actual question, but it seems closely related, and I remember it was really interesting, as each NPG member talked briefly about why they chose a song. I'm almost positive that two of the choices were "The Beautiful Ones" and "1999."

Does anyone else remember this, or have the magazine or a link to the page? It was a page with the photo and name of each NPG member next to a blurb about that member's fav Prince song, within the middle of an article about Prince.

I definitely saw an article in the '90s where the NPG members chose their fav songs. Don't remember which mag, but it would have been a bit earlier than you're suggesting, say 1992 -- during the Diamond and Pearls tour. So, may or may not have been a different article but I do recall Tommy Barbarella's favourite song being "Condition of the Heart". Which is easy for me to remember as it's mine too.

It was in a magazine but I have it in a boot called 'The Gold Experience' which had studio/live tracks to make up the album (it was unreleased at the time) It was called 'New Power Generation Game' and was a short Q&A. Will try and dig it out.

Militant said:

united1878 said:

Didn't he once say to the audience at a sound-check that he loved playing Pink Cashmere?

The first O2 show (I believe 4th August 07) he played Pink Cashmere and he said something along the lines of "I got a lot of songs, but this one I'm gonna play for me!"

So yeah, I think he likes playing that song.

Yeah, that sounds about right.
Cheers!

Prince said his favorite album was "Around the World in a Day " in 1986 Electrifying Mojo interview

Also Leno asked him once what song he'll miss performing the most when it was believed that he would no longer play the hits and he answered "Purple Rain"

[Edited 9/16/13 6:52am]

t the o2 he said "this my jam yo'll" at the beggining of If Eye Was Ur Girlfriend. I think thats deffinately up the as one of his favorites judging from this thread