LEt's face it, Prince synthesizes musical ideas from all who have come before to create his own body of work. Usually the final product is unique enough that it sounds Princely in its origins, but the signs ARE there.

LEt's list tunes and albums that demonstarte this and also add who you think he copped it from.

F'r Instance:

"Purple Rain" looks like a clear cop of Funkadelic's anthemic classic "Maggot Brain".

"Dolphin"'s lyrics have a strong Stevie Wonder or Lennon McCartney influence.

AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY is conscious cop of SGT. PEPPER'S (at least half).

"Computer Blue" has guitar and piano jamming lines in unison like Dimeola and Corea would do in Return To Forever.

"1+1+1 = 3" has an obvious James Brown similarity in its arrangement.

"P-Control" reminds me of something Millie Jackson mighta done

"Kiss" is a total take on James Brown "Cold Sweat" right down to the guitar riff before he says "Kiss"

The Work is also too much JB for me, been there heard that before.

The whole Camille sped-up voice is taken from Funkadelic, not sure what the first song they used it on was.

The 1999 cover was also a clear tribute to the P-Funk classic album cover drawings.

"When You Were Mine" sounds like a lost Cars song.

"Delirious" and "JAck u Off" and "Horny Toad" could be Elvis songs or from that era anyway, but the lyrics are too dirty for that time.

These are just influences though, I'd have to say almost 99% of Prince's music is really original and if anything his 90's work only stole from himself and noone else which I guess is OK.

"When You Were Mine" is songcraft perfection...but when sung live during the LOVESEXY tour....Prince did it very Springsteen style!

Doesn't "When U were mine" pre-date the Cars? (I hope so, they always sounded like nails scratcxhing a blackboard 2 me.)

Endless JB influences: Hot Thing, Housequake, the Maceo song from Rave (name slips my mind, sorry)
Endless GC/PF influences: Le Grind, Scarlet Pussy, Partyman, Eye Know, We Can Funk (kidding) etc.
Endless SW influences: notably Good Loving
Rick James and Curtis Mayfield r also everywhere. (Even Barry White makes a few appearances).
Endless Joni Mitchell: most obviously The Ballad of Dorothy Parker.
Santana: Damned if I Do
Lots of Marvin Gaye-style songs but I wouldn't call it direct influence.

The fact is, tho, he normally merges styles, so they end up sounding distinctive.

The best quote in this category, tho, was from the RS write-up of NPS which said that TAFKAP now sounds like an unsuccessful imitation of Maxwell who used to sound like he was imitating Prince!

Try Family Name (Prince) vs Superstition (Stevie Wonder)

Well obviously Forever In My Life "borrows" heavily from Sly Stone's "Everyday People". But I guess Prince will admit this being as he was playing these as a medley for awhile a couple of years back.

If You Want Me to Stay by Sly Stone-The Camille voice

Get Down Tonight- KC and the Sunshine Band-the sped up guitar licks, like the playing on 1+1+1 is 3, Erotic City and Hello

It's Alright- Larry Graham and GCS-I've always thought the bassline for Controvery is very influenced by this song.

I love how Prince acts as a filter for some of his influences, molding them into something new, and improved.

I forgot Bowie.

AND:
Peach (and Come) are majorly T-Rex

I heard that "1999" was originally all three voices together, then Prince broke up the verses and gave it that SLy feel. Love Dez's voice, very Sly-like. Daddy Pop is also very Sly like with the high and deep vocals interchanged. I didn't like the beat to Daddy Pop though. Way too produced,

Can't forget when he goes into his Ray Charles voice....!

TheKid said:

I suspect that clavinet would sound like any clavinet on other songs.

ICNTTPOYM = Rod Stewart's Young Turks

2the9s said:

Bwaaaaahahahahaa!

America = Neil Diamond's Coming to America

Right On, PFunk! Back in the 80s, when I was taking my first steps as a teenager to learn and gain wisdon about music, I thought Prince was the ultimate originator. How naive I've been! Today I know better. I think Prince has a lot from

*Sugarfoot (Ohio Players). Listen to ballads like "Silly Billy" from "Ecstasy" and you hear a Prince-ballad!

*Larry Graham. Aint no bout a doubt it.

*Funkadelic/Parliament...yesss

*Sly

*Little Richard (especially during the Purple Rain era)

*JB. very obvious on the SOTT tour, the Its gonna be a beuatiful night-medley. He also played a lot of JB funk on the Lovesexy-Tour-Rehearsals

spice up the mix with a lil Charlie Chaplin gesture and there you go.... Prince!!

btw: PFunk, too bad I'm living over here in Germany! I guess we would have a lot to rap a bout. seems like you were a cool dude to hang out and dig and smell some vinyl!! Peace Bro

2the9s said:

WTF?

Pop Life - Let em In - Wings

Insatiable - This Must Be Heaven - 80s r & b

International Lover - When You Touch Me -80s r & b

Money Dont Matter 2nite - Steely Dan flava

Too much Sly to mention dont forget Make Your Momma Happy

Too much James Brown to mention

I Wanna Be Your Lover - Its Getting Better All the Time - Beatles

Descending horns on Crystal Ball - Love Songs - Miles Davis

Little Red Corvette - Bette Davis Eyes - Kim Carnes

Courtin Time - Elvis meets Big Band w/ some Sly on the side

White Mansion - R Kelly vibe but he couldnt dumb himself down enough

Horns near the end of Return of the Bump Squad - Al Green

Santana all over the place

George Clinton all over the place esp. Scarlett Pussy

The Truth - Robert Johnson bluesman

Lets Go Crazy - Gospel

Bootsey all over the place

The Beautiful Ones - Baby Come Close - Smokey Robinson


If I remember any more I'll throw em up

I can't listen to "3 Chains of Gold" & not hear Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody". It didn't help that "3 Chains" came out right after "B.R." had some chart success with the release of the Wayne's World movie.
I think Prince even admitted to writing "3 Chains" after he heard that Queen song.

"Scarlet Pussy" always reminded me of "Atomic Dog."

2the9s said:

You kill me!

wasitgood4u said:

Sorry 2the9s, after I switched off my computer, I sang them thru in my head, and I get it. kewl.

XtrueX said:

Yeah. I'd forgotten thinking that 3 Chains sounded really Queen at the time. Thanx.

For me it's difficult to listen to "U got the look" without think at "Addicted to love" of Robert Palmer.

Paisley Park - For the Benefit of Mr. Kite - Beatles

Peach lifts lines directly from a ZZ Top number.