I have read many many times from members of Prince's band who says they actually wrote important parts of the songs and contributed greatly to the music, with Prince using their ideas, riffs, etc. Many have said that Prince has taken credit for what they did. I love mostly all of his bandmembers, but I always wonder if they were able to contribute so much good stuff, why their own music doesn't hit that pinnacle. Not being negative, I know there have been some great songs made by his band members, , especially Andre, but just surprised the music doesn't seem to reach Prince's level of musicality.

They would have to find a way to prove those claims. P's music and songwriting has always been consisent in the early days. I know a P song when I hear it. Rule one to songwriting is IMMEDIATELY copyright your material or send it to someone with a date/time stamp as proof. I can go on and on with this but the fact is, if its not done correctly and copyrighted then it's not your material. Seems like a waste of time to create something and not protect it.

[Edited 7/25/16 19:02pm]

[Edited 7/25/16 19:03pm]

sharonbell said:

Tony M and Rosie G contributed too.

That was a part of Rosie's falling out with Prince

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

Prince struggled when he started putting out records independtly. Independent records struggle for radio airplay. Most people still get their music by hearing it first on the radio. I honestly do not know how many times this has been discussed on this board. Notice that he did not have trouble filling concert halls and fans actually know songs that were not Billboard hits.

OldFriends4Sale said:

Tony M and Rosie G contributed too.

That was a part of Rosie's falling out with Prince

I thought her falling out had to do with the Game Boys being harassing and picking on her. I never heard her say she wrote songs.

laurarichardson said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Tony M and Rosie G contributed too.

That was a part of Rosie's falling out with Prince

I thought her falling out had to do with the Game Boys being harassing and picking on her. I never heard her say she wrote songs.

I heard it was because she didn't like the whole 'symbol' thing..?!?

André Cymone told that the instrumental second half of "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was based on a jam
they used to play in rehearsal.

Sure, for the most part it was Prince showing the parts to be played,
but it would be crazy to underestimate the influence rehearsals have on a musician.
Many songs probably originated from band jams, throughout his whole career.

Every good musician can come up with an original riff,
but on top of that Prince is an excellent arranger.

I think the reason no former collaborator ever sued him over song rights (excpet some minor complaints),
is that they knew that ultimately, the whole song construction and arrangements were Prince's.

But every band contributed to shape his visions.
I would say every band member, in a way.

Dibblekins said:

laurarichardson said:

I thought her falling out had to do with the Game Boys being harassing and picking on her. I never heard her say she wrote songs.

I heard it was because she didn't like the whole 'symbol' thing..?!?

I hears it was because he shelved her album for Carmens and then wouldnt let her out of her contract.

BillieBalloon said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

Don't forget Musicology in 2005. He won two Grammys that year and his Musicology tour was the largest grossing that year.

laurarichardson said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

Prince struggled when he started putting out records independtly. Independent records struggle for radio airplay. Most people still get their music by hearing it first on the radio. I honestly do not know how many times this has been discussed on this board. Notice that he did not have trouble filling concert halls and fans actually know songs that were not Billboard hits.

I'm not talking about performing. I'm talking about hits and selling records. And as I said he struggled. The music industry and culture changed. And I said great music or talent doesn't always get acknowledged via hitting the charts.

Did U even read my post?

FlyOnTheWall said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

Don't forget Musicology in 2005. He won two Grammys that year and his Musicology tour was the largest grossing that year.

I remember it. I was going to say something about that one.
That was the period that was called 'Prince's Comeback' remember?

Because for a long time, it seemed he wasn't there. And a lot of fans don't seem to favor that album as much as ONA or 3121

laurarichardson said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Tony M and Rosie G contributed too.

That was a part of Rosie's falling out with Prince

I thought her falling out had to do with the Game Boys being harassing and picking on her. I never heard her say she wrote songs.

No, not her falling out with Prince.
The Game Boyz contributed to a bad working environment. And according 2 Rosie Prince did nothing to make the atmosphere better.

she was caught up in the middle of Prince's war with Warners.After the Diamonds and Pearls tour ended in 1992,she was signed to Paisley Park Records as a solo artist and began working on her album Concrete Jungle.Unfortunately,her album was put on the backburner while Prince focused entirely on Carmen Elektra.The promotional budget for Carmen's album was over $2 million.Of course,it flopped and this was the beginning of Prince's war with Warners.They shut down the label in early 1994,only a few months before Rosie's album was finally going to be released.In a 1995 interview,Rosie didn't hold back....

"My album (Concrete Jungle) wasn't released because I wasn't sleeping with Prince",she said


Possessed the Rise & Fall of Prince

p. 178: “Gaines sent much of her weekly wage (about $ 2,200) home and had only $800 to her name when the tour ended. Just the same, she put her belongings in a truck and drove from Minneapolis to her home in Pittsburg, California, quitting the band for good. Although he would later work with Prince in the studio on several occasions, she would long harbour resentment about what she considers an absense of complete credit for her songwriting contributions on Diamonds and Pearls. ‘A lot of those were ideas the band came up with’, Gaines asserted. ‘He told us before doing [Diamonds and Pearls] that we were going to be like a family, we’re all going to do it together, and we’re going to share in it together, and we all trusted him. That's our fault for not getting it on paper.
When Gaines approached Prince about songwriting credit, he made it clear that he considered Diamonds & Pearls his work, and he disagreed that she deserved more money.

The "music" business is about a lot more than just quality songs. We often get wrapped up in how much of a musical genius Prince was, we kinda forget how much his image and visual persona played into his early success... He had a very unique look, he looked like a star... I mean guy was a movie star.


Like the Xscape analogy provided above, if you write good songs the songs will still have success, but not necessarily the image or persona.

Purely as "songwriters", people like Andre Cymone and especially Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis had a ton of success in their careers.... I would even argue the latter had like 10-20 more cerfified hits than Prince did in the 90s... at least, you just don't know them as JJ&TL songs, you know them as whoever they wrote and produced them for's songs.

I actually didn't even know Andre had a substantial career (beyond his solo albums) as a songwriter/producer before someone pointed it out last week. Check it out, he did some jams:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/87079-Andr%C3%A9-Cymone?subtype=Writing-Arrangement&filter_anv=0&type=Credits&page=1

WhisperingDandelions said:

The "music" business is about a lot more than just quality songs. We often get wrapped up in how much of a musical genius Prince was, we kinda forget how much his image and visual persona played into his early success... He had a very unique look, he looked like a star... I mean guy was a movie star.


Like the Xscape analogy provided above, if you write good songs the songs will still have success, but not necessarily the image or persona.

Purely as "songwriters", people like Andre Cymone and especially Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis had a ton of success in their careers.... I would even argue the latter had like 10-20 more cerfified hits than Prince did in the 90s... at least, you just don't know them as JJ&TL songs, you know them as whoever they wrote and produced them for's songs.

I actually didn't even know Andre had a substantial career (beyond his solo albums) as a songwriter/producer before someone pointed it out last week. Check it out, he did some jams:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/87079-Andr%C3%A9-Cymone?subtype=Writing-Arrangement&filter_anv=0&type=Credits&page=1

Yes he never wanted to look average right up till the end. I appreciated that about him. The look for each album era was just as important as the music. After the 80s the look and music did not always meet eye 2 eye but I learned to appreciate them seperately then.

In the 90s posts 90s Prince wrote music for Patti Labelle Madonna Chaka Khan Celine Dion Mavis Staples Larry Grahm etc many other singers/artists and a lot of times it just didn't work. Maybe it was too much Prince then and not enough the person out front. And other times it did work

When he was on he was ON I mean what did he not touch between 1983-1986 that was not hot? Stand Back, Sugar Walls, I Feel 4 U, Dance Electric, Manic Monday

Yes I remember Andre Cymone and his muse Jodi Whatley That was a great time

OldFriends4Sale said:

WhisperingDandelions said:

The "music" business is about a lot more than just quality songs. We often get wrapped up in how much of a musical genius Prince was, we kinda forget how much his image and visual persona played into his early success... He had a very unique look, he looked like a star... I mean guy was a movie star.


Like the Xscape analogy provided above, if you write good songs the songs will still have success, but not necessarily the image or persona.

Purely as "songwriters", people like Andre Cymone and especially Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis had a ton of success in their careers.... I would even argue the latter had like 10-20 more cerfified hits than Prince did in the 90s... at least, you just don't know them as JJ&TL songs, you know them as whoever they wrote and produced them for's songs.

I actually didn't even know Andre had a substantial career (beyond his solo albums) as a songwriter/producer before someone pointed it out last week. Check it out, he did some jams:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/87079-Andr%C3%A9-Cymone?subtype=Writing-Arrangement&filter_anv=0&type=Credits&page=1

Yes he never wanted to look average right up till the end. I appreciated that about him. The look for each album era was just as important as the music. After the 80s the look and music did not always meet eye 2 eye but I learned to appreciate them seperately then.

In the 90s posts 90s Prince wrote music for Patti Labelle Madonna Chaka Khan Celine Dion Mavis Staples Larry Grahm etc many other singers/artists and a lot of times it just didn't work. Maybe it was too much Prince then and not enough the person out front. And other times it did work

When he was on he was ON I mean what did he not touch between 1983-1986 that was not hot? Stand Back, Sugar Walls, I Feel 4 U, Dance Electric, Manic Monday

Yes I remember Andre Cymone and his muse Jodi Whatley That was a great time

I just found out a couple of months ago that Prince wrote and recorded songs for Bonnie Raitt but the album was never released because it was too much like Prince and not enough like Bonnie. She wasn't a protegee. I'd still like to hear it though...

purplethunder3121 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

Yes he never wanted to look average right up till the end. I appreciated that about him. The look for each album era was just as important as the music. After the 80s the look and music did not always meet eye 2 eye but I learned to appreciate them seperately then.

In the 90s posts 90s Prince wrote music for Patti Labelle Madonna Chaka Khan Celine Dion Mavis Staples Larry Grahm etc many other singers/artists and a lot of times it just didn't work. Maybe it was too much Prince then and not enough the person out front. And other times it did work

When he was on he was ON I mean what did he not touch between 1983-1986 that was not hot? Stand Back, Sugar Walls, I Feel 4 U, Dance Electric, Manic Monday

Yes I remember Andre Cymone and his muse Jodi Whatley That was a great time

I just found out a couple of months ago that Prince wrote and recorded songs for Bonnie Raitt but the album was never released because it was too much like Prince and not enough like Bonnie. She wasn't a protegee. I'd still like to hear it though...

YES!! I was just reading about the Prince/Bonnie Raitt recordings.

check out Youtube:BONNIE RAITT - I Need A Man (Unreleased PRINCE Song)

I Need A Man is an unreleased song recorded in Summer 1981 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN, USA (during the same set of sessions that produced Make-Up, Wet Dream and Drive Me Wild). The track contained lead vocals by Jamie Shoop, and was intended for The Hookers, but was abandoned when The Hookers developed into Vanity 6.

The track was worked on further (or perhaps re-recorded) in early 1987, at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA, with lead vocals by American blues singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, during a short-lived collaboration between Prince and Raitt.

Eric Leeds recorded saxophone overdubs on 21 January 1987 (the same day Madhouse's first album 8 was released, four days before saxophone overdubs on There's Something I Like About Being Your Fool).

Prince worked on the track again, possibly re-recording it entirely, on 31 May 1988, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. The track remains unreleased, however

-PrinceVault

OldFriends4Sale said:

purplethunder3121 said:

I just found out a couple of months ago that Prince wrote and recorded songs for Bonnie Raitt but the album was never released because it was too much like Prince and not enough like Bonnie. She wasn't a protegee. I'd still like to hear it though...

YES!! I was just reading about the Prince/Bonnie Raitt recordings.

check out Youtube:BONNIE RAITT - I Need A Man (Unreleased PRINCE Song)

I Need A Man is an unreleased song recorded in Summer 1981 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN, USA (during the same set of sessions that produced Make-Up, Wet Dream and Drive Me Wild). The track contained lead vocals by Jamie Shoop, and was intended for The Hookers, but was abandoned when The Hookers developed into Vanity 6.

The track was worked on further (or perhaps re-recorded) in early 1987, at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA, with lead vocals by American blues singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, during a short-lived collaboration between Prince and Raitt.

Eric Leeds recorded saxophone overdubs on 21 January 1987 (the same day Madhouse's first album 8 was released, four days before saxophone overdubs on There's Something I Like About Being Your Fool).

Prince worked on the track again, possibly re-recording it entirely, on 31 May 1988, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. The track remains unreleased, however

-PrinceVault

Thank you! I've been wanting to hear this one for a while. That really doesn't sound like Bonnie's style at all.. Especially the coy spoken word segment.

[Edited 7/26/16 20:09pm]

purplethunder3121 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

YES!! I was just reading about the Prince/Bonnie Raitt recordings.

check out Youtube:BONNIE RAITT - I Need A Man (Unreleased PRINCE Song)

I Need A Man is an unreleased song recorded in Summer 1981 at Prince's Kiowa Trail Home Studio in Chanhassen, MN, USA (during the same set of sessions that produced Make-Up, Wet Dream and Drive Me Wild). The track contained lead vocals by Jamie Shoop, and was intended for The Hookers, but was abandoned when The Hookers developed into Vanity 6.

The track was worked on further (or perhaps re-recorded) in early 1987, at Prince's Galpin Blvd Home Studio, Chanhassen, MN, USA, with lead vocals by American blues singer-songwriter Bonnie Raitt, during a short-lived collaboration between Prince and Raitt.

Eric Leeds recorded saxophone overdubs on 21 January 1987 (the same day Madhouse's first album 8 was released, four days before saxophone overdubs on There's Something I Like About Being Your Fool).

Prince worked on the track again, possibly re-recording it entirely, on 31 May 1988, at Paisley Park Studios, Chanhassen, MN, USA. The track remains unreleased, however

-PrinceVault

Thank you! I've been wanting to hear thos one for a while.

I love Bonnie's voice/and anything from 1987 I'm hungry 4

OldFriends4Sale said:

purplethunder3121 said:

Thank you! I've been wanting to hear thos one for a while.

I love Bonnie's voice/and anything from 1987 I'm hungry 4

That really doesn't sound like Bonnie's style at all. I'm a big Bonnie fan, too. I saw her perform right after Prince passed and she did three tributes to him that night. That's when I found out that she recorded with him. She dedicated "ICan't Make You Love Me" to Prince and sang her heart out. I broke down a cried like a baby. I think I scared the people next to me. I really like her new album Dig In Deep. Gonna see her again this fall.

purplethunder3121 said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

I love Bonnie's voice/and anything from 1987 I'm hungry 4

That really doesn't sound like Bonnie's style at all. I'm a big Bonnie fan, too. I saw her perform right after Prince passed and she did three tributes to him that night. That's when I found out that she recorded with him. She dedicated "ICan't Make You Love Me" to Prince and sang her heart out. I broke down a cried like a baby. I think I scared the people next to me. I really like her new album Dig In Deep. Gonna see her again this fall.

No not her style. I noticed a lot of people he did music for after this period(unrelated to his own scene) the music had the 1986/87 a bit of 88 sound to it. I think he did something with Aretha Franklin and James Brown 'Give Me Your Love' upbeat etc and had that same era feel. Madonna's Love Song too

Bonnie did good with the vocals though

Yeah People breaking down like that and not knowing why can be scary lol

OldFriends4Sale said:

purplethunder3121 said:

That really doesn't sound like Bonnie's style at all. I'm a big Bonnie fan, too. I saw her perform right after Prince passed and she did three tributes to him that night. That's when I found out that she recorded with him. She dedicated "ICan't Make You Love Me" to Prince and sang her heart out. I broke down a cried like a baby. I think I scared the people next to me. I really like her new album Dig In Deep. Gonna see her again this fall.

No not her style. I noticed a lot of people he did music for after this period(unrelated to his own scene) the music had the 1986/87 a bit of 88 sound to it. I think he did something with Aretha Franklin and James Brown 'Give Me Your Love' upbeat etc and had that same era feel. Madonna's Love Song too

Bonnie did good with the vocals though

Yeah People breaking down like that and not knowing why can be scary lol

Yes, she did. I quite like the song. I'd like to hear Vanity 6 give it a go.

When asked if it bothers him that he doesnt have #1 hits anymore more. P replied "my songs are #1 at the bank.

WhisperingDandelions said:

The "music" business is about a lot more than just quality songs. We often get wrapped up in how much of a musical genius Prince was, we kinda forget how much his image and visual persona played into his early success... He had a very unique look, he looked like a star... I mean guy was a movie star.


Like the Xscape analogy provided above, if you write good songs the songs will still have success, but not necessarily the image or persona.

Purely as "songwriters", people like Andre Cymone and especially Jimmy Jam & Terry Lewis had a ton of success in their careers.... I would even argue the latter had like 10-20 more cerfified hits than Prince did in the 90s... at least, you just don't know them as JJ&TL songs, you know them as whoever they wrote and produced them for's songs.

I actually didn't even know Andre had a substantial career (beyond his solo albums) as a songwriter/producer before someone pointed it out last week. Check it out, he did some jams:
https://www.discogs.com/artist/87079-Andr%C3%A9-Cymone?subtype=Writing-Arrangement&filter_anv=0&type=Credits&page=1

Does he think the atomisation of pop culture since the 80s allows for another star of his stature? He thinks for a moment. “It would have to be manufactured. Michael [Jackson] and I both came along at a time when there was nothing. MTV didn’t have anyone who was visual. Bowie, maybe. A lot of people made great records, but dressed like they were going to the supermarket.” He thinks flamboyant showmanship is making a comeback but, he adds: “How many people have substance, or are they just putting on crazy clothes?”

Dorian Lynskey

Thursday 23 June 2011 15.00 EDT

https://www.theguardian.c...e-internet

If you look up the songs you list here that were hits and the albums she wrote songs on, she's usually 1 of several songwriters even on her solo albums. I think I saw 2 songs that were solely written by Kandi on one of her albums. Same with Susannah. She didn't solely write Candy Perfume Girl (she's 1 of 3 writers on that) just like Starfish and Coffee.

I think in those cases just like in the cases of lots of former band members of Prince, they all created great music TOGETHER and Prince was the glue or magic behind it. Some went on to make great music on their own after leaving their mark on his/their music.

I also disagree that Prince struggled to make great music after 1987 or are you just referring to making hits? It's just a known fact since the dawn of pop/rock music that the public gets bored and eventually moves on to the newest/latest hits by new artists, even while established artists are still making quality tunes. At that point, the established artists aren't typically going to have radio hits. Prince was fortunate to have hits stretching from 1979 to 1994 which solidified his legacy forever.

I don't know. Just my 2 cents.

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

Yes, I just mean that a person can write a song that turns into a huge hit for someone else, and as a group can have tons of hits, and then do their own album and it really goes no where. It's not reflective of the person as much as the ever changing music scene. It's all a throw of a dice.

Prince struggled in the changed music scene, and like U said and I said too, if it wasn't for the solid period between 1978-1986/1989 -1992/94 We don't know what the rest of his career would have been like. The 1990s was PRIME for someone like Prince, but I cannot say he would have been as successful if he came as he did in the 90s or such.

Yes, they created great music together and created a wonderful music scene. Prince was a the conduit. I've said before they were the moons that reflect from the sun-Prince and the world enjoyed a beautifully creative scene.

I didn't say he struggled to make great music. In connection to what I said earlier, hits and popular songs/albums/music cannot always be determined by what made the charts or if someone has talent. Not to mention there are loads of extremely talent people wonderful songs/albums in different genre that never get recognized by the masses or award shows.

tbag said:

If you look up the songs you list here that were hits and the albums she wrote songs on, she's usually 1 of several songwriters even on her solo albums. I think I saw 2 songs that were solely written by Kandi on one of her albums. Same with Susannah. She didn't solely write Candy Perfume Girl (she's 1 of 3 writers on that) just like Starfish and Coffee.

I think in those cases just like in the cases of lots of former band members of Prince, they all created great music TOGETHER and Prince was the glue or magic behind it. Some went on to make great music on their own after leaving their mark on his/their music.

I also disagree that Prince struggled to make great music after 1987 or are you just referring to making hits? It's just a known fact since the dawn of pop/rock music that the public gets bored and eventually moves on to the newest/latest hits by new artists, even while established artists are still making quality tunes. At that point, the established artists aren't typically going to have radio hits. Prince was fortunate to have hits stretching from 1979 to 1994 which solidified his legacy forever.

I don't know. Just my 2 cents.

OldFriends4Sale said:

entertainer(more like producer now) Kandi Burress who in the 90s was a part of girl group(singers) Xscape. They were pretty succcessful. Kandi after the group, wrote songs for other artists that were big hits, yet she released music/albums that went no where

1. Xcape the group dynamic that made it huge

2. writing a song for someone else who had the spotlight at the moment that made it huge

TLC -No Scrubs Destiny's Child -Bills Bills Bills Pink -There You Go

3. same person writing songs for oneself with the prior success of 1 and 2 and nothing takes

Susannah Melvoin for example wrote Candy Perfume Girl for Madonna's Ray of Light album and she wrote for greats like Eric Clapton (if someone isn't into Eric Clapton as huge as he is) they still would not know if a song she wrote for him was great. And of course we know great songs don't always hit the charts.

go figure

Remember even Prince struggled after 1987, and it was his 1980-1987 foundation and 1984 Purple Rain superstardom that garnered him the attention that gave him latter success via Batman & Diamonds & Pearls but even Prince after that wasn't hitting hits and such. Prince struggled from then on into 2015. Even going so far as to say for the AOA album response to why he allowed Josh to produce him 'If it isn't working sometimes you have to try something else...'

sharonbell said:

I have read many many times from members of Prince's band who says they actually wrote important parts of the songs and contributed greatly to the music, with Prince using their ideas, riffs, etc. Many have said that Prince has taken credit for what they did. I love mostly all of his bandmembers, but I always wonder if they were able to contribute so much good stuff, why their own music doesn't hit that pinnacle. Not being negative, I know there have been some great songs made by his band members, , especially Andre, but just surprised the music doesn't seem to reach Prince's level of musicality.

The answer is because Prince was a BEAST! He could take something to another level higher than whatever they contributed. That's why we are in awe of him instead of some other musician. Still the beast needed to be fed which is why he was always looking for new forms of inspiration and that led to him incorporating ideas from other people into his work. It's all good.