This is the on going question how do u rate a bad song. What makes it bad, are we grading it from it's first listen or from it's ability to test time?

For me I use the test of time method primarily. If I listen to the song today does it still evoke a mood that moves me to dance, contemplate, smile or frown. As it did way back when. What ex-girlfriend do I think of...etc

First Sign of the Times to me is not the Genius masterpiece everyone grades it as...but it is truly brilliant period. I see Sign of the Times as the best of Prince. It is his collection of songs covering every style he has done. An eclectic mix of music. Let me Itemize

1) Title Track - simple hypnotic excellent lyrics (I mean the man was singing about HIV in 1987)
2) Play in the Sunshine - catchy pop tune much like Delirious
3) Housequake - James Brown revisited
4) The Ballard of Dorothy Parker - PURE BRILLIANCE!!!!!
5) It - sex laden song - I like it but so so this would have been excellent if someone like Jill Jones or Vanity 6 had done it
7) Starfish & Coffee - quite unique much in the same vein as Dorothy Parker lyrically the same as Raspberry Beret
8) Slow Love - oh oh didn't I hear this on under the cherry moon? If only this had been done as a duet
9) Forever in My Life - Also excellent - excellent lyrics beautiful style so simple yet great power!!!
take a listen to the harmony ( I always tell ppl this the closing guitar part is from a previous slow song - I know it - I want to see if any else knows)

10) U got the Look - POP but fits the collection
11) If I was Your Girlfriend - very nice
12) Strange Relationship again nice lyrics nice style cool beat, not excessive
13) I could never take the Place of Your Man - an enhanced version of when you were mine
14) The Cross - very nice beautiful build up
15) It's Gonna Be a beautiful Night - kinda a live version of Housequake very fun.
16) Adore outstanding a different type of slow song and the lyrics ring so so true "..that night I had to call you...we were rappin till the sun came up.."

After say all of this...If I needed to remove one song from this it would be....
PLAY IN THE SUNSHINE - you cant dance to it, when I hear it I immediately think of the next song like eating your veggies then you can have some cake HOUSECAKE!!.

My second choice would be Slow Love - very sleepy

For anyone who is wondering what I consider Prince's Best Album - it is a tie between Dirty Mind & Emancipation

Dirty Mind was the catalyst for everything to come - Heavy Keyboards - Heavy Sexual Lyrics (Head, Sister, his first Political song Party Up the precursor to 1999 (note most of the Time's first album came from this - the opening drum riff to Head is the Same as The Stick). In addition, his simple love song Gotta Broke Heart again without the over the top screaming - and the best unknown classic song when you were mine.

Emancipation - All of Prince's musical palate offered to us 10 fold. With unique styles presented - Curious Child, Joint to Joint, nice cuts Sex In The Summer - Style - Jam of The Year White Mansion, emale if you get a chance listen to The Love We Make - Man oh man powerful lyrics and some nice remakes - Again listen to The Love We Make

Whendovescry2000

I don't wanna be a poet
'Cuz I don't wanna blow it
I don't care 2 win awards
All I wanna do is dance
Play music sex romance
And try my best 2 never get bored
If U feel all right lemme hear U scream

"U Got The Look" is the worst song on the album. The opening synth chords sound like somebody hoovering up - then it gets worse.

I hate the beat with the timbales over the top. I worked in a toilet paper factory once and this is what the factory floor sounded like. It just rattles all the way through like a runaway train running over your head.

Then it all gets screechy and there's those guitar histrionics. Its just silly incessant noise from start to finish.

I'll admit, I like the "Well, here we R" bit - but otherwise its the only "Camille" song I don't like.

"It" would be better if it was two minutes shorter.

I'm amazed that people don't like "Slow Love" and "Play In The Sunshine".

BinaryJustin said:

I agree!

BinaryJustin said:

Damn, same here. I think Slow Love is ten times better than a ballad like Call My Name. It's gorgeous.

I love Play in the Sunshine too. At first I thought it was a little sappy, but now I'm really charmed by its positivity.

I REALLY don't get the hostility towards It though. I love this song, it's so damn fun to blast. A helluva sex song.

AWWW Hell, what's one more vote for " forever in my life " gonna hurt? I can't explain why I don't like it, just that I don't.

I'm so shocked to see that so many people dislike "Adore". That's one of my all time favorites - just an amazing song, IMO. It's my favorite tune on SOTT.

u got the look

The result of "Worst song on the "Sign "O" The Times" album:

1) It (mentioned 24x)
2) Play In The Sunshine (15x)
Slow Love (15x)
3) It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night (12x)

None mention:
1) Housequake
2) If I Was Your Girlfriend
3) Strange Relationship

wasitgood4u said:

You´re sooo right!!
At first I always skipped Adore and Slow Love because in the 80´s
I didn´t take the time 2 listen 2 them and I wanted 2 party most of the time.
So Housequake,Hot Thing,Beautiful Night and Strange Relationship were instant
fav but I also liked 4ever in my Life and Ballad of DP,2 my surprise!!
But years later I´ve learned 2 appreciate Adore and SL...it´s just a matter of
TIME and age..I think..people chance.But SOTT will always be his best!!!!!

SquirrelMeat said:

Hear, hear. Replace "Slow Jam" with "Crucial", "It's Gonna Be ..." with the "Crystal Ball" ... Question is, what would you bump off to make room for "Joy in Repetition"?

Shapeshifter said:

Everything!!!
Just kidding...Adore.

I never did care for Housequake or Hot Thing (though I realize I'm in the minority. Housequake was so popular with folks I'm sure it's responsible for quite a few sales).

I also think the studio version of IT is a little dull. I would much rather here the live verion from the SOTT movie!

I always end up being the last 2 post on a thread like this. I would have 2 select, "It's going 2 b a Long, Long, Long Boring Beautiful Night."

I mean, u could replace it with "Crystal Ball" and give the album that strange errie feel that "Dorothy Parker" gave it. Or even replace that with two songs like "Witness 4 the Prosecution, " and "Joy In Repetition." Don't 4get "Movie Star" "A Place In Heaven."

Sure some of those may have been recorded later in 1987, but If my Prince memory is working, they were ready. He coulda maybe left off "It" or "Hot Thing." Then with those other songs on instead, Prince's best album becomes even better.

SquirrelMeat said:

Absolutely - it's a cool jam and all, but it kinda jars. At lest it's 2wards the end of the album, so it ain't so bad.

MrTation said:

I wish he would have had more electric in the cross, like in the sign o the time's movie..that was a killer ending to a killer concert movie!!!

UncleGrandpa said:

I think this song is actually very sweet..melodic and empathatic..it's a good ending to the first disc

soulyacolia said:

Exactly! Crucial and Adore on the same album, that would be perfect. Did you realize that Adore replaced Crucial on the album at the last second?

TheNewPowerMan said:

thats just scandalous , "It" is brilliant , its not a subtle track that grows on you like some of the others on SOTT , its impact is immediate , hence some are labelling it a throwaway , but its just a hypnotic , entrancing great track. I'm tempted to create 10 brand new org identities and vote for Play In The Sunshine with each of them purely to remove "It" from the number one spot here

"Starfish and Coffee," "Ballad of Dorothy Parker," and "It."

IT

Im sure glad a lot of you people had no say on the matter.! lol

FOREVER in MY LIFE is the worst!!!