Since this is supposedly the last time Prince is playing the hits, I think he could have done much better. I'm not saying I didn't enjoy the performances, but if the songs are gonna be retired, he could have really put more juice into them. To me, it seemed he just played them to get it over with already. I really don't think he did his absolute best, and he definitely could have kicked more ass to give these songs a proper farewell.

It is kind of ironic the all of the 'hits' were shorter versions, and he plays extended jams of non-hits like DMSR and The Question of U after saying that. But at the same time, P said he was retiring from performing back in 1985 and I don't see people complaining that he went back against his word on that one.

wdrew said:

I'm just saying that if it's true, the songs definitely didn't go out with a bang.

I don't think Prince does the best he can anymore.

He's finally comfortable in his own skin, and not interested in proving anything to anyone.

Yes, I miss the Prince of the late 80's fiercly proving his powers. But I think that time is over. I think whether he did the best he could or not doesn't matter much at this point. We're still going to buy buy buy whatever he sell sell sells.

I mean, look at Maddonna and MJ -- are they doing their best?
And what exactly IS their best?

AsianBomb777 said:

Well, even in the early to mid 90's Prince would play better versions of the hits. They were more complete and stronger.

The only song that is performed better this time around is Sign O The Times. It's got a freshness and a funkier vibe now. The other "hits" are way too Las Vegas-on-the-downslide for me.

squirrelgrease said:

Exactly. It's like he's pulling an Elvis.

But I must say, he played Bambie like a motherfucker the other night.

EvilWhiteMale said:

His guitar work is tighter than it's ever been, but the song arrangements are ham-handed.
Wish he played Bambi in Minnie...

Right now I'm listening to a show from around '93, and what a difference. He just had so much more energy and balls. Let's Go Crazy/Kiss is on now, and it's like night and day from what he's doing on this tour.

squirrelgrease said:

OMG....SOTT on this tour is so damn awesome...I get chills whenever I think about how good it sounded . I can't wait to hear again on the 30th.

The only thing I question is the song selection. I mean, I don't understand why he is performing I Feel For You. That wasn't even a released single from him. It's dull and boring. Out of all the songs to perform from the Prince album, he picked that one instead of IWBYL, Sexy Dancer or Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad.

Although he didn't perform Nothing Compares To You in Detroit, that is another song that doesn't add much to the show. Other shocking selections are DMSR, Controversy, Shh, The Question of U, The One and Let's Work. Don't get me wrong, I love how all of those songs are performed, but it just seems odd too me...especially DMSR, Shh and Let's Work, since those songs have suggestive lyrics.

I hope I get to hear Bambi..

I think he continious to play his old songs on the next tour like nothing happened.

I have heard it several times before that it would be the last time he would perform them....

He's definitely not giving "When Doves Cry" a proper send-off. I'm disappointed that he plays it so briefly.
But you also have to remember that this is NOT the last time he's going to play these hits. He's just saying that & Prince rarely keeps his word.

As if he's really playing them for the last time Have some MILK folks...

AsianBomb777 said:

CalhounSq said:

u know! i 'm not sweating this last time charade because even when Leno brought it up Prince never agreed with that statement he just said he was making more room for new stuff.
[This message was edited Sat Jul 17 6:15:55 2004 by adorable2]

I like to think he's retiring the songs performed on this tour.

ive seen the show 3 times, and i do love it....
but i think EWM definitely has a point...
if these are more casual fans coming, why not give them a chorus of When Doves Cry?
it is a little self indulgent.....


it is odd that when doves cry is butchered, but we have to sit thru 20 minute horn solos..

how about edited versions of DMSR, Lets Work, Question of U, Baby Im a Star, I feel 4 U..
get rid of ALL the cover songs, no one cares about Soul Man!
there should be NO HORNS IN CONTROVERSY!

and give us full versions of When Doves Cry, Gett Off, Erotic City, Girls&Boys, When U Were Mine and Housequake.....

ive got one last chance in Oakland....

Don't you all think that the current performance Controversy is the tightest he's ever done of the song. I like it more than the early 80's one.

scrambledeggsaresoboring said:



I have a theory that he doesn't play the chorus of When Doves Cry because he thinks that it violates one of the Ten Commandments - you know, the whole honor thy mother and father thing.

I have a feeling that Prince doesn't want to sing, "Maybe you're just like my father, too bold - Maybe you're just like my mother, she's never satisfied" because he somehow interprets it as being unfairly critical of his deceased parents.

Of course, that's a real shame for many reasons, most notably for me because that was the lyric that REALLY REALLY REALLY hit home with me when I was 9 years old. She ain't NEVER satisfied, and pops IS awful bold...

i'm kinda glad he's not pulling a madonna and making a series of big production pieces for his "greatest hits" tour or anything like that....i do think that he's phoning in some of the purple rain stuff at the beginning, but my god...how sick of performing that shit must he be? i know that's no excuse, but still and all - a phoned-in prince performance beats the attempts of most of the fools coming out now.

I think his tours in 93 and the Hit n run shows were like his tours were he played all the songs we wanted 2 here i will be glad when i see another set list that has changed.I mean don't get me wrong this tour is GREAT but i remember the times when ever show was almost different ever nite.

Don't worry, there will be plenty more opportunities for you to critique the hits over the years. The hits, as well as you aren't going anywhere.

psykosoul said:

I don't care for the Purple Rain medley, except for "When Doves Cry". It's a interesting take, and beats the DAT from the Hit n'Run tour. The Beautiful Ones is good, but has been better. And this is the first time that "Purple Rain", the song, hasn't really touched me. It's my all time favorite song, and I was very disappointed.

As for it being the last time, he's already said it's the last time he'll play them "this way." I think that was on Ellen -- one of the early, or pre-tour, TV appearances. He'll be playing them again.

Probably on the Revolution reunion tour.

i think he said on tavis or the tonight show that he was putting his hits away after this tour "for a while", to make space for other, less-played music. if that's the case, i'm gonna REALLY flip out on his next tour!

scrambledeggsaresoboring said:

Candy's solo alone kicks much ass!
and what about that funky-ass Parade tour
version of Controversy with horns?

I agree with you. I totally enjoyed the concert but he could have done better and leave those damned horns out! And as far as this being the last time he performs those old songs.....he said the same shit when he changed his name. He's not crazy, he knows where the money is!

I forgot to say.....I was checking out his past concert tours and I saw that the tour he did before he did this one was in a lot of auditoriums. He was promoting his new shit. I guess he saw to fill up coliseums, he needs to perform his old stuff (which is much better). Other than that, he had better stick to the auditorium circuit.

EvilWhiteMale said:

I only think that he played them that way with the Purple Rain songs. Only Purple Rain was given a proper "farewell." He did rush like hell through the others. Still, I really LIKE the way he played a lot of the hits in the acoustic set. I enjoyed it a lot more than I would have having heard them sounding the same way they did on the CDs and records I've heard 3,000,000 times. I thought songs like DMSR and Controversy were MUCH better than they were on the records. Thunder was also better than any of us deserved. The only REAL disappointment is that he didn't play Paisley Park (at least not in Minneapolis). That's one of my faves, and I was SURE he'd do it. It woulda been nice to hear a couple of the nastier songs (Gett Off, Head, Darling Nikki), but I knew he wasn't doing those, so wasn't disappointed.

I thought it was an incredible concert. And I like the horns.

Luv & Peace,
Alex
Clubbin' in Mpls/A Night w. Prince