Why did Warner do such a HACK job to this compilation?

There are much worse artist retrospectives out there.
It was nice to get the b-sides on CD, although they're truncated versions.

But it sucks!!!

It's the best compilation out there. All the major grounds are covered. For You, Prince, Dirty Mind, Controversy, 1999, Purple Rain, ATWIAD, Parade, Lovesexy, Graffiti Bridge, Diamonds & Pearls, and all have something from them. At least Batman's got a B-Side somewhere.

You got those tracks, plus 20 B-Sides, and 4 previously unreleased songs. Doesn't sound like a hack job to me. "The Very Best of Prince," now that's a hack job. Nothing from Dirty Mind nor Controversy - big no-no.

But it's the best effort that Warner Bros. has at least put forward. I'm sure a truer compilation would have been more than 4 discs probably.
[Edited 8/7/05 20:14pm]

UndercovaBrotha said:

But the b-sides were the best....

They should've been extended.....

Could've kept the unrelease stuff off...

With the exception...'Pink Cashmere'

4 The Tears In Your Eyes and Power Fantastic are great songs too !

Hower ,If I Was Your Girlfriend and Controversy , etc edited suck

Dewrede said:

agree....

Even the hits should've been in their entirely....


But 'Power Fantastic' sucks!!!

I wasn't talking about the selection of songs. I was talking about all the edits.

funkpill said:

UndercovaBrotha said:

Still sucks.....

Love Power Fantastic dude. You can hate on it if you want to. I still LUV IT!!

Love2tha9s said:

If some of the unecessary stuff..

wasn't on there, then the edit stuff could've been extended....

Love2tha9s said:

Hate is such a strong word....

Just not feeling it...

Some unrelease things should stay that way sometimes....unrelease....
[Edited 8/7/05 20:43pm]

funkpill said:

blasphemy

I think as most greatest hits albums. This should be looked at as a starting point to his work. If they didn't put the 7 inch versions on the compilation,there would have been more than 3 discs and being very expensive. I would guess.

But, I think it is the most complete package, including the booklet.

I was very happy with the Hits/The B-sides. It was great finally getting the Kiss 7" in remastered quality, for instance.

Even though edited versions are not really to my liking either, I must admit that no compilation will ever entirely please the hardcore crowd. But then again; greatest hits are not aimed at the hardcore crowd, are they? They are for the casual fans that like Little Red Corvette, 1999, Purple Rain, Kiss and Raspberry Beret. They don't care for extended versions. They are not even aware of the excistence of extended version.
So The Hits was actually a rather good compilation. It throws in four unreleased songs, of which two are absolutely must have. It gave the hardcore fans those four AND some 7" edits that ARE kewl (like Kiss or, on the Peach CD-M, Mountains) not before available in remastered cd quality.

Then, as an added bonus, they threw in most of the b-sides. Although edited for time, to give a better retrospective of the man's career, I like most of the choices, except maybe the exclusion of God instrumental, Alexa De Paris and Or $. And you HAVE to love remastered versions of those never heard without analog 12" noise, like I-Bitch, 17 Days, Horny Toad, How Come U DOn't Call Me Anymore.

I am sure they held out on the extended versions so they could include them on eventual remastered versions of the albums... just an idea...

Dewrede said:

I stand corrected...

Its 'The Pope' that should've not been included.....

That's the one I meant...my bad...

I like this compilation though I was a bit disappointed for not including "Batdance", "Partyman", "My Name Is Prince" & "Girls & Boys" instead of songs like "Head" or "Do Me, Baby"! Don't get me wrong, I love those songs but I think "Adore", "Head", "Do Me, Baby", "Dirty Mind"... weren't hits at all...

Cheek said:

They are hits without being singles. All of those songs (cept Dirty Mind) were worth being included.

Personally, I would have ditched Do Me, Baby for the kick-ass original version of Joy In Repetition, but who am I?

HamsterHuey said:

Of couse...those are hits for fans but as you mentioned earlier this compilation was made for not fans...so Partyman & My Name Is Prince should have been included instead of those less-known songs (which ones I really love )...

Cheek said:

Maybe they wanted to give the non-fans a taste of what they have been missing.

HamsterHuey said:

Yea...whatever...

All the songs on there are are shortened or different from their original versions, right?

doctamario said:

Different cuz they are shorter. The only ones that are actually "different" are Kiss and Hello.

Thank god they didn't use the 7" version of Lets Go Crazy.
[Edited 8/8/05 0:21am]

Fuck it, I'm bored. So:

1. When doves cry -- short version?

2. Pop life (Prince & The Revolution) -- album version

3. Soft and wet -- album version

4. I feel for you -- edited?

5. Why you wanna treat me so bad? -- album version

6. When you were mine -- album version

7. Uptown -- short version, instrumental breaks are shortened, and an early fade instead of the cold ending on the album

8. Let's go crazy (Prince & The Revolution) -- album version

9. 1999 -- short version, no spoken intro, fades way early, before the "party!" choruses

10. I could never take the place of your man -- short version, fades before the slow solo part. a goddamn shame.

11. Nothing compares 2 U (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- new track

12. Adore -- short version, fades halfway through the song. bullshit.

13. Pink Cashmere -- new track

14. Alphabet St. -- album version, oddly enough.

15. Sign 'O' the times -- short version, fades way early

16. Thieves in the temple -- album version

17. Diamond and pearls (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- album version?

18. 7 (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- edited?

CD2

1. Controversy -- way shortened, too much to describe. obviously no "people call me rude" or lord's prayer

2. Dirty mind -- edited?

3. I wanna be your lover -- short version, fades as the end jam starts

4. Head -- album version, segues neatly into...

5. Do me, baby -- short version, no spoken parts at end

6. Delirious -- short version? fades before instrumental break

7. Little red Corvette -- album version?

8. I would die 4 U (Prince & The Revolution) -- 7" version, end reverbs out
instead of segue into baby i'm a star

9. Raspberry beret (Prince & The Revolution) -- album version

10. If I was your girlfriend -- short version, no spoken parts

11. Kiss (Prince & The Revolution) -- 7" version, neat guitar outro

12. Peach -- new track

13. U got the look -- album version

14. Sexy M.F. (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- album version

15. Gett off (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- single or album version,
both are edited and suck.

16. Cream (Prince & The New Power Generation) -- album version

17. Pope -- new track

18. Purple rain (Prince & The Revolution) -- album version, thank god

CD3
all tracks are same as original release except where noted

1. Hello (Prince & The Revolution) -- short version, unique outro

2. 200 Balloons
3. Escape -- short version, fades way early

4. Gotta stop (messin' about)

5. Horny toad

6. Feel U up -- short version, fades way early, but long version was never released in the u.s. was it?

7. Girl (Prince & The Revolution) -- short version, fades way early

8. I love U in me

9. Erotic City (Prince & The Revolution) -- short version, heavily edited

10. Shockadelica -- short version, more like a "part 1"

11. Irresistible bitch

12. Scarlet pussy (Camille) -- short version, nice edit tho. different mix at parts.

13. La,la, la, he, he, he -- short version, but the long version is over 10
mins long so yeah

14. She's always in my hair (Prince & The Revolution) -- part 1

15. 17 Days (Prince & The Revolution)

16. How come U don't call me anymore?

17. Another lonely Christmas (Prince & The Revolution) -- terrible edited
version. whoever is responsible for the way the end is cut, should be shot.

18. God (Prince & The Revolution)

19. 4 The tears in your eyes -- "new" track - solo version, essential

20. Power Fantastic

a few of the tracks with a question mark on the end, are cuz i don't have this set anymore, and i dont' remember, but there you go.
[Edited 8/8/05 0:36am]
[Edited 8/10/05 0:00am]

well I was talking about some of the bsides but also I was talking about edits of some of the album edits. I think the ending of adore is cut and also a few others. I meant edits in more than one area: album cuts and bside/extendeds.

Other than that though yeah it is pretty good. I wouldn't trade it if nothing else for me being able to hear Peach, Pope, Power Fantastic and Nothing Compares 2 U *even though some here don't like it*

I still think its somewhat of a hack job but I think you make some good points Huey and I would'nt give back my copy.

Kinda funny that the only people who seem to complain about the edited versions of the songs on The Hits/B-sides are hard-core fans who already have all the original albums and full versions, otherwise they wouldn't even know! So what they complaining about, they have the best of both worlds.

There's a heck of a lot of songs on those discs giving more casual fans a wide retropective sampler of Prince's work. And if they like what they hear, chances are they are going to go back and search out the original albums and as a bonus discover the full versions.

I don't think there are many losers here.

metalorange said:

Nicely put.

Actually I think a song like "If I Was Your Girlfriend" or "Sign 'O' The Times" benefited from the editing. It was a great discovery to find about the extended versions later on when I got the full albums myself. Like, "there's all of this too? Unbelievable!"

Th hits / B sides is awesome!! it truly rocks!!

GoldenGlove said:

It certainly does!

But my own 3CD best of compilation is better!