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Reply #60 posted 06/23/16 8:25pm

williamb610

Alexa De Paris

Da Bang

Condition of the Heart

Sex In the Summer

My Computer

1000 X's and O's

U Know

La La La...He He Hee

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Reply #61 posted 06/23/16 8:27pm

Iamtheorg

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Peach

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Reply #62 posted 06/23/16 9:17pm

luvgirl

gandorb said:

Boys and Girls (should have been the 2nd sing off of Parade)


I Hate you (bigger than it was)


PaisleyPark


The Beautiful Ones ( a favorite of many but not a hit)


The Morning Paper (should have been 2nd single off of Love Symbol after 7)


Housequake (yes it is weird but it's palyfulness and funkiness could have still made it a hit)


Several songs off or 3121 should have been hits on urban and Urban AC radio if not pop radio


Peach



"The Beautiful Ones"

I know right! How was that not a hit?!
[Edited 6/23/16 21:18pm]
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Reply #63 posted 06/24/16 12:03pm

PurpleBabied

luvgirl said:

gandorb said:

Boys and Girls (should have been the 2nd sing off of Parade)

I Hate you (bigger than it was)

PaisleyPark

The Beautiful Ones ( a favorite of many but not a hit)

The Morning Paper (should have been 2nd single off of Love Symbol after 7)

Housequake (yes it is weird but it's palyfulness and funkiness could have still made it a hit)

Several songs off or 3121 should have been hits on urban and Urban AC radio if not pop radio

Peach

"The Beautiful Ones" I know right! How was that not a hit?! [Edited 6/23/16 21:18pm]

I dunno. Too many blockbuster songs on that album?

When I saw Purple Rain, my first reaction was "Dude, slow your roll. You met her yesterday and she jumped into the lake because she wanted to be in the band and you went window shopping together and maybe you made out once" It could have just as easily ended with her running the other way.

It kind of turns to musical mush if the vocals aren't just right. And you can't just casually scream the end of the song.

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Reply #64 posted 06/25/16 10:55am

ForeverPaisley

Iamtheorg said:

Peach

nod YES!!!

Dance where y'are, just groove y'all.
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Reply #65 posted 06/25/16 11:25am

skipthecharade
s

ForeverPaisley said:

Iamtheorg said:

Peach

nod YES!!!

Peach was top 10 in The Netherlands, but see that it didn't even got into the top 100 in the US??

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Reply #66 posted 06/25/16 12:10pm

gandorb

skipthecharades said:

ForeverPaisley said:

nod YES!!!

Peach was top 10 in The Netherlands, but see that it didn't even got into the top 100 in the US??

I'm peachy for Peach! It is somewhat simlar to the later Cream in that it was straightforward and catchy, and we know how big that one was. I wonder if it didn't get much of a push at radio after Pink Cashmere, the other new song on the Hits collection, underperformed. While I like PC, I think Peach would have done better on pop radio (PC was a hit on urban stations)

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Reply #67 posted 06/25/16 1:14pm

206Michelle

HardcoreJollies said:

For many reasons, especially post Warners Prince has failed to notch major hit songs despite many worthy candidates. Black Sweat is one that has been discussed of late and I agree it should have been a hit. Here are 10 others that come to mind that I believe should have become major hits. What do you think and what would you add?

- Anna Stesia

- Strange Relationship

- The Max

- The Continental

- Endorphinmachine

- Letitgo (should have hit bigger)

- Mountains (should have hit bigger)

- LoveSign

- 1000 Xs & Os

- Another Love

My Love Is Forever

Free

The Beautiful Ones

Nothing Compares 2 U - He and Rosie sing it so much better than does Sinead O'Connor.

Call My Name (should have hit bigger)

Te Amo Corazon

Live 4 Love ~ Love is God, God is love, Girls and boys love God above
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Reply #68 posted 06/25/16 2:07pm

Guitarhero

skipthecharades said:

ForeverPaisley said:

nod YES!!!

Peach was top 10 in The Netherlands, but see that it didn't even got into the top 100 in the US??

So it was a hit then cool

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Reply #69 posted 06/25/16 2:08pm

Iamtheorg

avatar

gandorb said:

skipthecharades said:

Peach was top 10 in The Netherlands, but see that it didn't even got into the top 100 in the US??

I'm peachy for Peach! It is somewhat simlar to the later Cream in that it was straightforward and catchy, and we know how big that one was. I wonder if it didn't get much of a push at radio after Pink Cashmere, the other new song on the Hits collection, underperformed. While I like PC, I think Peach would have done better on pop radio (PC was a hit on urban stations)

Peach should have been on par with the popularity of Kiss

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Reply #70 posted 06/25/16 6:24pm

luvgirl

206Michelle said:



HardcoreJollies said:


For many reasons, especially post Warners Prince has failed to notch major hit songs despite many worthy candidates. Black Sweat is one that has been discussed of late and I agree it should have been a hit. Here are 10 others that come to mind that I believe should have become major hits. What do you think and what would you add?



- Anna Stesia


- Strange Relationship


- The Max


- The Continental


- Endorphinmachine


- Letitgo (should have hit bigger)


- Mountains (should have hit bigger)


- LoveSign


- 1000 Xs & Os


- Another Love




My Love Is Forever


Free


The Beautiful Ones


Nothing Compares 2 U - He and Rosie sing it so much better than does Sinead O'Connor.


Call My Name (should have hit bigger)


Te Amo Corazon









Letitgo. I love this song. Should have totes been a hit.
[Edited 6/25/16 18:26pm]
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Reply #71 posted 06/25/16 6:51pm

jdcxc

MattUK said:

Gold was top 10 in the UK



Mountains didnt break the top 40 and is the most underachieving chart single of the 80s I'd say.



more recently? Black Sweat shouldve been a hit, also Musicology & Cinnamon Girl - though the video was probably too controversial.




GottaLetitgo said:


Underachieving Chart Performers


  1. Letitgo-would have been bigger but no promotion and released in the heat of the WB battle

  2. New Power Generation-Thieves was a Top 10 hit but the movie tanking and a really late video and commercial avaialbility of the single (which was neccessary to chart) doomed this one

  3. Mountains- UTCM bombing killed the momentum, flew up to the mid-20s and just sort of lifted out of the charts

  4. Anotherloverholenyohead- 3rd single from soundtrack to low performing movie project--never had a chance

  5. Good Love-What a great pop song that just wasnt' pushed to radio for some reason

  6. Fallinlove2nite-I know there is a lot of disagreement about this song on the site but tnhis was a solid chance at Prince getting back on the pop charts, a pretty amazing achievement for anyone over 40 these days

  7. Black Sweat-Should have been a hit

  8. Gold-A song that had everything you would want in a radio hit---except for record comapny support


Songs that Could Have/Should Have Been Hits


  1. The Beautiful Ones---Not released as a single, of course would have been a massive hit

  2. Willing and Able- Premier the video at the Super Bowl pre-show and then switch the single to MDM2N, not sure the logic there. I love Money and it was a Top 20 hit but so somber.

  3. And God Created Woman- I just love this somg so much, too religious probably for a mainstream hit but as hooky and memorable as it comes

  4. So Far So Pleased- Should have been first single choice for Rave

  5. Vicki Waiting--Better choice for second single than Partyman

  6. Elephants and Flowers- Pop song sound but too religious for secular pop radio

  7. In This Bed I Scream-So damn catchy...just too personal to release

  8. The 1 U Want 2 C--Just sounded like a hit song

[Edited 6/15/16 7:12am]





Great points...
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Reply #72 posted 06/25/16 7:11pm

ThePanther

avatar

I think there are actual reasons why many of the songs didn't become hits. Basically, they didn't appeal to mass audiences of casual listeners!

HardcoreJollies said:

- Anna Stesia

- Strange Relationship

- The Max

- The Continental

- Endorphinmachine

- Letitgo (should have hit bigger)

- Mountains (should have hit bigger)

- LoveSign

- 1000 Xs & Os

- Another Love

.

For example, I disagree with ALL of these choices. None of seem like hit singles to me, with the possible exception of 'Strange Relationship', but even in the context of its time (Prince's peak) it wouldn't have been seen as one of his stronger ones and might not have done very well.

.

'Anna Stesia' is far too slow and left-of-center for radio in 1988 (when 'Alphabet St.' didn't even make the top-5, there's no way this would have been, say, top-20). 'Endorphinmachine' doesn't have a strong enough hook, and its mix of "rock" and "soul singer" would have put off radio programmers in the late-grunge era who wouldn't know how to slot it into programming formula. 'The Continential'? No way. 'Mountains' was a very poor choice for a single, and deservedly flopped.

.

The two that do stand out to me (as others have mentioned) are 'When You Were Mine' and '17 Days'. Even 'When you Were Mine', though, in 1980, would have confused radio since Prince was basically known as a soul-pop guy in a G-string, and pop/rock programmers would have been confused. '17 Days' was certainly strong enough to be a hit A-side, but it goes down comfortably as maybe his best-ever B-side, on the flip of maybe his best-ever A-side.

.

I could see maybe 'Gold' as a big(ger) hit if it was properly edited down and promoted well. Would have helped if Prince hadn't been releasing three albums a year and confusing casual listeners.

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Reply #73 posted 06/29/16 9:27am

ForeverPaisley

Kind of surprised 'Gold' wasn't more of a hit. It has all the makings to be one. biggrin

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Reply #74 posted 06/29/16 10:31am

Poplife88

avatar

Telecaster5 said:

The question of U

We can funk

Anna Stesia

Mountains

Da bang

Poom Poom

Love

Strange Relationship

Tamborine

YES!

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Reply #75 posted 06/29/16 11:16am

lion88

Recent songs I think would have been hits when released in the 80's or 90's (album and singles drive market and no streaming): clouds, breakdown, rocknroll loveaffair, crimson and clover

Songs which I expected to be bigger hits: musicology and black sweat

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Reply #76 posted 06/29/16 11:44am

BabyBlueBentle
y

Starfish and Coffee

Breakfast Can Wait

Black Sweat

A Million Days

Girls and Boys

Gold

Mountains

-------------------------

I'm shocked to see these songs on some folks' lists as they were in HEAVY rotation on Black radio. May not have been "chart toppers" but they were huge hits. Adore is considered a Black anthem.

If I was Your Girlfriend

Housequake

Anotherloverholenyohead (even my mother who did not get Prince jammed to this song)

Beautiful Ones??

Adore???

Singing 'I Wanna Be Your Lover' in elementary school was too much fun!
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Reply #77 posted 06/29/16 2:06pm

HardcoreJollie
s

avatar

ThePanther said:

I think there are actual reasons why many of the songs didn't become hits. Basically, they didn't appeal to mass audiences of casual listeners!

HardcoreJollies said:

- Anna Stesia

- Strange Relationship

- The Max

- The Continental

- Endorphinmachine

- Letitgo (should have hit bigger)

- Mountains (should have hit bigger)

- LoveSign

- 1000 Xs & Os

- Another Love

.

For example, I disagree with ALL of these choices. None of seem like hit singles to me, with the possible exception of 'Strange Relationship', but even in the context of its time (Prince's peak) it wouldn't have been seen as one of his stronger ones and might not have done very well.

.

'Anna Stesia' is far too slow and left-of-center for radio in 1988 (when 'Alphabet St.' didn't even make the top-5, there's no way this would have been, say, top-20). 'Endorphinmachine' doesn't have a strong enough hook, and its mix of "rock" and "soul singer" would have put off radio programmers in the late-grunge era who wouldn't know how to slot it into programming formula. 'The Continential'? No way. 'Mountains' was a very poor choice for a single, and deservedly flopped.

.

The two that do stand out to me (as others have mentioned) are 'When You Were Mine' and '17 Days'. Even 'When you Were Mine', though, in 1980, would have confused radio since Prince was basically known as a soul-pop guy in a G-string, and pop/rock programmers would have been confused. '17 Days' was certainly strong enough to be a hit A-side, but it goes down comfortably as maybe his best-ever B-side, on the flip of maybe his best-ever A-side.

.

I could see maybe 'Gold' as a big(ger) hit if it was properly edited down and promoted well. Would have helped if Prince hadn't been releasing three albums a year and confusing casual listeners.

I appreciate your perspective and contrary view but have to assert my disagreement. As a DJ and entertainment writer/critic as well as all-around music nut for many years I picked and predicted hit songs and was really good at it. There is often a certain quality hit records have in that they are accessible, memorable, catchy and stick in your head and/or get you moving. The selections I offered here for the most part conform with those qualities and I stand by them as ones that should have been either significant hits or at least become bigger than they did. In most cases it was a lack of promotion and radio support that doomed them. Some others that have been mentioned but I add to my list include: Come On, Peach, I like It There, Screwdriver and New Power Generation. I have noticed many mentioning Girls and Boys and Anotherloverholeinthehead. While both of those are among my faves too, I could not see either one being a big hit. I think they were both way ahead of their time and too innovative to have been big hits at that time. Kiss, off that same album for example, is much simpler and more easily digested by the average pop fan. So off Parade I think Mountains had the best shot due to its more easily absorbed nature. I will say the most innovative and "leftfield" Prince song ever to become a big hit was When Doves Cry. It was so unconventional but super catchy. 7 had some similar qualities but was not released soon enough and pushed hard enough, apparently due to Prince's own idiosyncracies. Anyway, more food for thought.

If you've got funk, you've got style.
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Reply #78 posted 06/29/16 2:57pm

SoulAlive

"Hide The Bone" and "Love Sign" could have been major hits in the mid-90s,if these songs had been released under different circumstances

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Reply #79 posted 06/29/16 3:33pm

HardcoreJollie
s

avatar

Forgot to mention, Acknowledge Me is another one I think sounded like a hit.

If you've got funk, you've got style.
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Reply #80 posted 06/30/16 5:09am

RODSERLING

When you think about it seriously, these all the 7 tracks that REALLY could have been hits :

- I'm YOURS

- BAMBI

- LADY CAB DRIVER (instead of DELIRIOUS)

- THE BEAUTIFUL ONES (instead of TAKE ME WITH U, or even after)

- BABY I M A STAR

- SOMETIMES IT SNOWS (instead of ANOTHERLOVER)

- THE CROSS (instead of IIWYG).

Especially BEAUTIFUL ONES and THE CROSS, you like it the 1st you hear it.

[Edited 6/30/16 5:10am]

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Reply #81 posted 06/30/16 7:54am

wouldntulove2l
oveme

The Morning Papers

If a man is considered guilty
For what goes on in his mind
Then give me the electric chair
For all my future crimes"
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Reply #82 posted 06/30/16 7:56am

wouldntulove2l
oveme

RODSERLING said:

When you think about it seriously, these all the 7 tracks that REALLY could have been hits :

- I'm YOURS

- BAMBI

- LADY CAB DRIVER (instead of DELIRIOUS)

- THE BEAUTIFUL ONES (instead of TAKE ME WITH U, or even after)

- BABY I M A STAR

- SOMETIMES IT SNOWS (instead of ANOTHERLOVER)

- THE CROSS (instead of IIWYG).

Especially BEAUTIFUL ONES and THE CROSS, you like it the 1st you hear it.

[Edited 6/30/16 5:10am]

Agreed, I'm Yours should have been hit as well as Lady Cab Driver. I'll take it any day over Delirious.

If a man is considered guilty
For what goes on in his mind
Then give me the electric chair
For all my future crimes"
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Reply #83 posted 06/30/16 8:27am

RODSERLING

wouldntulove2loveme said:

The Morning Papers

Already released, it was a top 40 hit IIRC, not bad for a 4th single. I always thought the beiginning of the song was promising, but it felt short after the first chorus. In my opinion, in the same kind of song, AND GOD CREATED WOMEN had more chance to be a hit.

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Reply #84 posted 06/30/16 8:39am

ufoclub

avatar

Thinking of the catchy sing somg melody and often more teenage passion oriented lyrics often needed for a pop hit, I think "Electric Chair" could have been a contendor.

I also wish "Housequake" had been an A-side single (they would have had to censor the "bullshit" back then.)

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Reply #85 posted 06/30/16 9:47am

gandorb

ufoclub said:

Thinking of the catchy sing somg melody and often more teenage passion oriented lyrics often needed for a pop hit, I think "Electric Chair" could have been a contendor.



I also wish "Housequake" had been an A-side single (they would have had to censor the "bullshit" back then.)




Totally agree, especially Housequack. That song has a playfulness about it that would have likely have led it to get the requests to play from young people that you need on pop radio.
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Reply #86 posted 06/30/16 9:52am

hausofmoi7

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"the best song wasn't the single"~ Frank Ocean
“It means finding the very human narrative of a man navigating between idealism and pragmatism, faith and politics, non- violence, the pitfalls of acclaim as the perils of rejection” - Lesley Hazleton on the first Muslim, the prophet.
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Reply #87 posted 07/01/16 3:30am

RODSERLING

HOUSEQUAKE and ELECTRIC CHAIR couldn't have made the top 40. HOUSEQUAKE would have made like HOT THING (#87), and ELECTRIC CHAIR would have performed far worst than PARTYMAN (#18).

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Reply #88 posted 07/01/16 10:06am

Anthoknee

Honestly I have to say Last Heart is possibly one of his catchiest songs EVER and was a HUGE missed opportunity....that song alone would have been MASSIVE had it been released! I also remember being disappointed in 87 that Strange Relationship wasn't a single. I think it could have been an awesome follow up to the title track instead of If I Was Your Girlfriend (which I love but not as single)

[Edited 7/1/16 10:12am]

[Edited 7/1/16 19:18pm]

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Reply #89 posted 08/02/16 2:31pm

HardcoreJollie
s

avatar

I just heard Hot Summer, somehow missed it until now. How the heck was that not released and promoted as a summertime hit? It was tailor made. Very catchy, similar to Cream.

If you've got funk, you've got style.
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