Both these songs are completely overrated. IIWYG is not interesting musically, only conceptually.

So I reluctantly pick Sign as the better song, knowing there are many better songs on the album.

Ay! SOTT is a great song and I love the lil' getting sidetracked ...Nate if it's a boy thing (although it grates me he didn't express the girl choice as well) but come on...

I vote for If I Was Your Girlfriend.

I love it! I just LOVE IIWYG...!

If i was your girlfriend

Sign 'O' the Times

To me these are flip sides of the same coin. They both delve into universal dilemmas but one deals with personal relationships and the other with our society as a whole. Prince has done hundreds of songs about relationships between a man and woman-- perhaps none better, but he's done them nonetheless.

Sign Of The Times is like a rare moment when he took a look outside of his own life and saw everything going on around him and most importantly, he was dismayed at what he saw. The musical arrangement and his voice echo this sentiment. Then at the end of the song he seems to be resigned to man's death-wish and returns to his favorite subject of man and woman-- back to a world he had some control over. Never again did he return to the real world on this album. Only the familiar territory of relationships, inner-turmoil, spirituality, parties, sex, and the other usual subjects in the Prince repertoire.

For this alone I vote to keep Sign of The Times. The sad thing is that it is still as poignant today as it was then.

IIWYGF to win

While they're both innovative pieces of music, gotta go with the scope and minimalist perfection of the title track.

'Girlfriend'...My all time favorite to win

whodknee said:

Ahh at last a man talking insanely on the money - Whodknee, you have cheered me up immeasurably - for all the foolish remarks on this thread, you have stamped an indelible mark of truth, precision and clarity.

Well in!

You may be right, Woodknee. You are certainly articulate about your feelings about the songs.

I would pick "If I Was Your Girlfriend", myself though. I think that the title track is great for all of the reasons you stated, but I think "Girlfriend" has a personal, timeless quality that the other song lacks. You are correct that he's written tons of songs in this vein with the same subject matter, and that "Sign" looks outward. But, by definition, "Signs" is bound by that time and place (the early to mid Eighties.) I think "Girlfriend" can be played 50 years from now and still touch the listener because wanting to connect with another person is universal and timeless. Humans will always want to know how they can get closer to love.

My vote: "If I Was Your Girlfriend".

If I Was Your Girlfriend

my vote shouldn't count as i haven't seen the movie...but i think i have the audio of the If I Was Your Girlfriend that is up for debate & i'm willing to say its one my fav pieces of music..i listen everynite before bed & its wat got me into Prince about a year or so ago, having said that i need to buy the new release of SOTT

Simply because someone was bound to do it; so why not me, here is my (ie: The Definitive) Sign of the Times list in order of greatness to not that great (ness).

If you argue; well you're wrong


1. I Could Never Take The Place of Your Man
2. Sign of the Times
3. Housequake
4. If I Was Your Girlfriend
5. The Cross
6. Play in the Sunshine
7. Adore
8. Star Fish and Coffee
9. The Ballad of Dorothy Parker
10. Strange Relationship
11. Forever In My Life
12. Hot Thing
13. It
14. U Got The Look
15. Its Gonna Be A Beautiful Night
16. Slow Love

whodknee said:

OMG...thank you...yes!

If I Was Your Girlfriend to win!

If I Was Your Girlfriend

"If I Was Your Girlfriend"

If I Was Your Girlfriend

Sign 'O' the times.

Without a doubt.... If I Was Your Girlfriend

SOTT

My favourite Prince song is.....

If I was your girlfriend

Has If I Was Your Girlfriend won yet?

IF I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND to win

My vote goes for IIWYG

If I was your girlfriend 'plihihiheez'