After P's "1999" album as my all-time favorite Prince album, his second album is next. Why? Because it's one of his most "focused" albums and it showcases his versatility in musical genres. You have to take in consideration that in 79, when this album was released, NO black artist who sung in falsetto, was combining serious FM rock with material that sounded heavily influenced by The Emotions! Besides the fact that P looked like a black version of Leif Garrett, it just wasn't being produced in that fashion. Of course, the jump off cut from the album is the hit "I Wanna Be Your Lover", which already P is delving into the male-female role play that he will later perfect with "If I Was Your Girlfriend". "I'll be your mother and your sister too." That song is what everybody favored off that album, except for me. The song was cool, but when I was 9, I was digging "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" and "Bambi". The rest of the album is solid as well. "I Feel For You", the beautiful "With You", and the very underrated "It's Gonna Be Lonely". The whole album showcases strong lyrics and catchy melodies, all the while P throws down on his musicianship. Sexy Dancer is probably the weakest link in the bunch, lyric wise, but more than makes up for it, musically. Many credit Dirty Mind as his breakthrough, and in many ways it is. BUT, as far as overall songwriting and playing and versatility, this one reigns supreme. It's his most fully realised ALBUM up untill 1999, I feel. Anyway, as far as an album goes, I considered it a classic Prince album. Who else out there digs Prince; Second album?

Oh, and when I say "reign supreme", I'm comparing it to "Dirty Mind".

That second album is quite possibly in my top 5(definately top 10) Prince albums. Besides one of my favorite mainstream hits(I Wanna Be Your Lover),top notch funk(Sexy Dancer) and a grade A rocker(Bambi), it's got 2 of my favorite cuts that never really get much props-Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad? and It's Gonna Be Lonely. For You was a great first album but the follow up Prince(IMO), is superior in every way. I'm glad to see another share my love for this underrated classic.

sitruk7 said:

Cool. I'm waiting for Hands to join and at the very least, bomb on us some pics.

Great album. "I Wanna Be Your Lover" was my first introduction to Prince during the disco era. Many a ass shook in the skating rinks to that jam. I also remember the rock track, "Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad" by played all over R&B radio right along side all the funk jams of the day and still receiving much love. "Sexy Dancer" was the jam too. I remember the DJs mixing it with Rick James' "You And I" to perfection.

You are right about the Leif Garrett look. I saw Leif lately on the "Wonder Woman" 3rd Season DVD in those skin tight satin spandex pants and the hair. He was slinging it too. The first thing I thought of was Prince....nah, Farrah Fawcett....nah, Prince.

This is my favorite all-around Prince album - to this day, I can listen to each song and each one brings a distinct feeling with it. "With You" helped me through a rough patch in my teenage life and for that, I'll always have a soft spot for Prince, even if his behavior can be, um, ODD at times. My cousin (she was a BIG Prince fan at that time - she can't stand him now, except for "Call My Name" A lot of the non-P fans in my household really dig that song") Anyway, I sort of inherited/borrowed it from her once "Dirty Mind" pulled me into P's world and this is how I feel about these songs.

"I Wanna Be Your Lover" - That groove is a staple on black radio. A bona-fide classic. I remember seeing the video when it came out. My older cousins called him gay, but they didn't use that word...

"Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad" contains my fave P guitar solo

"Sexy Dancer" was disco, but funky disco (the extended version is the s**t),

"When We're Dancing Close and Slow" is almost country-like - it just reminds me of a misty day.

"With You" - as I stated before, that song helped me during a rough time

I love "Bambi" for the intro alone - that is some HARD rock.

"Still Waiting" an underrated gem - this r&b chick did a remake in the early '90's, I remember the video, not her name.

"I Feel For You" just makes me smile whenever I hear it. The original is the best, imo.

"It's Gonna Be Lonely"- there's a darkness to this song and the vocal harmonies are outstanding. I would've loved to have seen him do this live and rip it up on guitar at the end.

As you can tell, JesseDezz really digs this album

JesseDezz said:

Simply beautiful, player. J.D., you're my bro.

Side one of that album was just great!!

Not knocking side two tho', but one was stronger.

'Sexy Dancer' really got my attention.


Knew about 'Soft & Wet', but 'Dancer' was the one.

The chord progression to "It's Gonna Be Lonely" on the hook is great. And I just don't think folks realize how pretty "With You" truly is. People always go to "Do Me, Baby". You can totally hear the innoncence in P's vocals all through this album. He's not any where near as confident in his singing as he would later become. But that gives it that innoncence and charm. The melodies and structure of the songs on this album are very similar to the cuts on 1999. The use of real drums on a lot of the 1999 album points also to his second album. P was already there, musically, just not as dominant on vocals as he would show on the 1999 album. Like on "With You" if that was recorded in 82 instead of 79, he would have screamed and used his lower register to death, ala "International Lover". But the lead guitar playing on "Lady Cab Driver"; the styling and phrasing, is in full effect already on "Bambi" and "Why You Wanna".

vainandy said:

Yeah, you're right. "Why You Wanna Treat" did get played on black radio, which was great. That's unheard of today. But...that will change. I hear the Mighty Mouse theme.

the album's boss..."with you" makes me cringe a little (it's like auditory sweet n'low!), other than that the whole thing is cool. this joint is the actual jumping point for the "nasty" prince, not dirty mind like most people tend to think. he cracked open his freak closet door a bit on this one. and oh yeah:



his hair. was fucking. AWESOME.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

Like I said yesterday Hands; I do think I have fallen in love withca! That's THE Prince I knew.

Handclapsfingasnapz said:

That's what I was sayin' earlier, folks think of Dirty Mind, but it was with this album when P went off his rocker. He was straight thinking, "Hmmm, what can I do to seperate myself from cats like Switch? Oh, I know. Just jump Iggy Pop on their ass!" As out free as Rick James was, he couldn't fuck with the "wildness" that P had. P at this point, already was doing the pimp/whore in one person vibe. P looked rough and very street, even in his "girl" get up. And to top it off, he was like "Let me grab Gayle, and bust slob with her for a few minutes. He was touching on so many things at one time. A black male freak, who plays rock and makes out with a white girl, in full view, all on stage! NOBODY was doing or even about to do that shit. NOBODY.

This is the album that got me interested in Prince.My mother bought it in 1980 after she heard "Still Waiting" at a friend's house.It's a wonderfully produced album.Songs like "With You","Still Waiting" and especially "It's Gonna Be Lonely" (my fav) are remarkably heartfelt and warm.

I'm gonna go play it right now

This album literally took years to grow on me. However, I have learned to love it. I do think that he truly did show his talents on this album. As far as Dirty mind being his breakout album, it depends on how you look at it. Dirty mind broke him out in terms of him showing that he was not afraid to try anything and was willing to go above and beyond what was considered the norm back then, But "Prince" was the album that made his name known. It also sold consideribly better than dirty mind. The only thing I do not like about "Prince" is that he still staying kind of within the confines of urban music back then. I know that "Bambi" and "Why you wanna treat me so bad" are exceptions, but for the most part the album is very mainstream 1979. It is the last album he would ever release like that. There is not a bad song on this album. I like the Leif Garrett comparision by the way.

heckaslammin said:

Thanx.

vainandy said:

I would have dug to hear sexy dancer getting mixed with you and I, that would have been nice hear. What I would given to been a little older in '79. The truth is that I was only Two.

Good thread Brutha B! Yeah I have to join the ranks with P's 2nd LP as being a cool LP. Every song on here is good and you're right about the "Leif Garrett-teen pop" thing that was happenin' at that time for him. I still have some of the old "Right On!" mags with his picture sandwiched between Haywood Nelson and Teddy Pendergrass (lol). Although "Prince" fit in very well with what was going on at that time in R&B radio (Donna Summer, E.W.&F, Micheal Jackson), he definetly had his own thing going on soundwise and image wise. "Why U Wanna Treat Me So Bad?" and "Bambi" had the whole rock guitar thing going on and "I Wanna Be Your Lover" and "Sexy Dancer" had mad airplay on R&B radio. (And even back then I picked up on the "Bambi" theme-lol)

The slow jams wre great and it definetly was an exciting time when this LP came out. Girls I went to school with had his picture in their notebooks and lockers and even though guys didn't want to admit it, they dug him too. I remember we had a lot to talk about in school on Monday after he appeared on "American Bandstand". "DID YOU SEE WHAT HE HAD ON??".."WHY DIDN'T HE TALK?".."DID YOU SEE HIM KISS HIS GUITAR PLAYER??"..lol..He had to make this LP to get ready for "Dirty Mind", "Prince" was a small taste of what was ready to come.....Thanks for takin' me back B! Think I'll dig that old video from 79 out.

To Brotha' Black!!!


Always on it!!

I've always loved this album too. The guitar riffs are classic and like it's been said, there's a lot of range on it.

I remember hearing the piano solo on "Sexy Dancer" and being blown away. It just propels the song into another strotosphere of funk!
[Edited 11/24/05 1:01am]

Its not bad, however I wouldnt go so far 2 say its great,,,
But b4 u react
Whats great about it.
1. Head and shoulders above 4U
2. It has 6 good songs and 1 great one (Sexy Dancer)
3. It was a hit

But too me, its too commercial and sort of rolling with the disco band wagon, to me the falsetto ballads never really ignite and the cover art .
Overall its a solid B, but theres a lot of albums that are better. I mean Dirty Mind sounds completely out of the league of this. Compared to the next 2 albums "Prince" is

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SPYZFAN1 said:

Thanx, Spyz!

funkpill said:

Thanx, Pill. And very cool pic of Jimi!

blackguitaristz said:

Thank U sir...

funkpill said:

Thanx pill. Man, u always have my back.

funkpill said:

Question to u and Spyz; If u had to go with just one, which one would it be? Bambi or Why You Wanna Treat?

With You was the first Prince song I ever heard and I fell in love with the guy there and then.

Tender, sweet and pure.

I loved the rest of the album too and it will always be a fav !

(Especially hearing a song like Bambi which was quite a surprise at the time !!)

pepper7 said:

I think that was P's point, to show that he too could rock. P was going up against cats like Cameo ( who on their early albums also dabbled with rock) Slave, etc. Although "Slide" was a major blueprint guitar solo that P would use with The Time, "Slide" wasn't an out and out rock song like Bambi and Why You Wanna Treat Me So Bad were.