Well, what are some recommendations for the tracklisting for a mix like this?

It really depends on what that person is into, because Prince has a bit of everything... I'm trying to get a folky-tinged girl into him and she liked the acoustic Case of U from Xenophobia.

It's got 2 be an eclectic mix of hits/rarities/styles representing 25 years of work: It should be three discs separating era's (Not Counting Boots/B-Sides)

The Star
1. I Wanna Be Your Lover
2. Bambi
3. Head
4. Sexuality
5. Do Me Baby
6. Little Red Corvette
7. DMSR
8. When Doves Cry
9. Purple Rain
10. Paisley Park
11. I Wonder U
12. Mountains
13. Sign Of The Times
14. The Ballad Of Dorothy Parker
15. If I Was Ur Girlfriend
16. Ana Stesia
17. Electric Chair
18. Elephants and Flowers
19. Diamonds and Pearls
20. 7

The Slave
1. Endorphinemachine
2. Pheremone
3. Letitgo
4. Chaos And Disorder
4. P Control
5. Shhh...
6. Billy Jack Bitch
7. Gold
8. Slave
9. New World
10. My Computer
11. Don't Play Me
12. The Ride
13. Interactive
14. Days Of Wild
15. Strays Of The World
16. Come On
17. The One
18. Wasted Kisses
19. Rave Into The Joy Fantastic
20. Eye Love U But I Don't Trust U Anymore

The Return
1. The Rainbow Children
2. 1+1+1=3
3. She Loves Me 4 Me
4. Last December
5. A Case Of U
6. Avalanche
7. Pearls Before The Swine
8. High
9. Supercute
10. When Eye Lay My Hands On U
11. My Medalion
12. U Make My Sunshine
13. Vavoom
14. Judas Smile
15. Xenophobia (Live)
16. East
17. Musicology
18. A Million Days
19. If Eye Was The Man In Ur Life
20. Reflection

How freaked out would you be if someone's trying to get you into an artist and they give you a three-disc set seperated by theme.

I have just given compilation 2 a freind I know and she really liked it .She had some of his older music (Purple rain and parade) but wanted something new.

01 BEAUTIFUL STRANGE
02 A MILLION DAYS
03 DOLPHIN
04 THE ONE
05 I LOVE U BUT I DONT TRUST U ANYMORE
06 THE LOVE WE MAKE
07 HOLY RIVER
08 GOD CREATED WOMAN
09 GOLD
10 REFLECTION
11 SHE LOVE'S ME 4 ME
12 VIKKI WAITING
13 WHEN I LAY MY HANS ON U
14 CALL MY NAME
15 WASTED KISSES
16 Power fantastic
17 FRIENDLOVERSISTERMOTHERWIFE

MrSquiggle said:

Anyway, if I want people who know nothing about Prince to get into him, I never put on songs that feature his high voice, and focus more on production values and musicianship. Then I don't label the CD. This eliminates as much pre-formed opinion as possible.

Thirdeye said:

hmm....

While most of those songs aren't really my favourites, I must say I really like the vibe I'm feeling from that mix. Kudos to you!

hmmmm, well thanks for the suggestions but I'm trying to confine myself to one, or at most 2 discs

my sweetie's not really too keen on prince (in fact, he just asked me recently "does he still wear the lace gloves and the purple ruffles?", ay yay yay...), but of all the stuff i've compiled and given him, he really likes N.E.W.S. - go figure.

In my experience, the best way to get someone hooked on P is to show them the really extraordinary tracks. The Camille songs are super intriguing to most fans of popular music. If i was ur girlfriend, crystal ball, rebirth of the flesh, movie star, and she's always in my hair (long version) always do the trick.

MrSquiggle said:

That's how I introduce myself to people.

MrSquiggle said:

Eat Me.

MrSquiggle said:

ha ha! ...O.M.G i did something like that one day (like in May or June) I had tried to get one of my friends at school into liking Prince-who most of them don't, and i had let them borrow The Hits 1 and 2. Then after one person, i let someone else listen to them, and then another. Most of my friends stll don't really feel him and his music like i do tho. Just recently, i had let my friend listen and burn the The Hits1 and 2, and 1999 and he kinda likes Prince alittle bit more now, and everybody else who hates on prince says that he's a'gay, ugly,and shit like that....Uhh, when will these people recognize and understand good music?!

Fine:
Here is the stripped down intro to Prince that should keep a non-fan curious for more...

1. Let's Go Crazy
2. Bambi
3. Sexuality
4. If I Was Ur Girlfriend
5. Darling Nikki
6. I Wonder U
7. Mountains
8. Little Red Corvette (12")
9. Paisley Park
10. DMSR
11. Electric Chair
12. Elephants and Flowers
13. The Question Of U
14. Sexy MF
15. Endorphinemachine
16. Pheromone
17. Interactive
18. Strays Of The World
19. The Rainbow Children
20. Gold
[Edited 10/14/04 16:16pm]

don't know many but i'd say

automatic
baby, i'm a star
kiss
holeinyohead
signotimes
got the look
boys&girls
joy in repetition
she's a peach
damn u
pinkcashmere
get off
letitgo
pheremone
same december
prettyman
freaksonthisside...

it's really difficult to make a good compilation disc of prince stuff, because most of his CDs are mastered so crappily, and on top of that little challenge, prince tracks his songs together so that they flow into each other so much that more often than not, ya end up with a big cruddy mess.

i did manage to put something together lately that didn't sound too awful. one disc was "hits" - just getting the well-known stuff out of the way; another couple of discs were just favorites, put together in chronological order; then i added N.E.W.S. to it, just to throw in something instrumental and contrast-y.

it seemed to go over well.

13 Minutes of Pure Red Vinyl Mix.

i made this compilation for a friend of mine...she had heard 'call my name' and loved it...and she loved 'vanity 6' when i lent her a copy of that - so using that as my starting point i made her this compilation tape (just to keep with the old school theme lol)


SIDE A - FAST
hello
erotic city
willing and able
pretty man
sexy dancer
movie star
head


SIDE B - SLOW
old friends 4 sale
how come u don’t call me anymore?
dinner with delores
saviour
I love u but I don’t trust u anymore
I love u in me
extraordinary

Really, I'd just burn em a copy of The Very Best of Prince. It's a great initiation for newbies -- It's actually how I got into him after Purple Rain.

Right. The best choice would be just to give 'em either a typical "Best Of" or just lend them a few albums, "Purple Rain", "The Gold Experience" - whatever - instead of attempting to make up some sort of abtract or thematic personal faves -collection.

MrSquiggle said:

here's a 20 track probably 2 disc compilation I've figured out...somewhat

take me with u
anna stesia
If i was your girlfriend
joy in repetition
the ballad of dorothy parker
how come u don't call me anymore
letitgo
purple rain
baby I'm a star
when doves cry
the everlasting now
pop life
little red corvette
the cross
the morning papers
starfish and coffee
anotherloverholenyohead
lady cab driver
erotic city
she's always in my hair

ok heres a set i made about 2 weeks ago.and i made a 2 disc set 3 days ago but a friend has it but heres the list:

The Housequake
1.Most Beautiful Girl in the World
2.Pink Cashmere
3.Starfish & Coffee
4.Money Dont Matter
5.I Wanna Be Ur Lover
6.Housequake
7.Thieves in the Temple
8.It's About That Walk
9.Sometimes It Snows in April
10.Damn U
11.Endorphin machine
12.Letitgo
13.Seven
14.Greatest Romance Ever Sold
15.Tangerine
16.Question of U
17.How Come U Dont Call Me Anymore