"The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" just might be my favorite Prince song ever (but you all know how hard it is to choose just one).

I first heard it on the Sunday before the Tuesday release of the SOTT album. I was sick in bed listening to this great jazz show on the radio that I tuned into every Sunday night when -- to my complete surprise -- the host announced that a song from Prince was coming up. I was very excited because I knew it would be a cut from the new album.

From the moment the song began I was hooked. It had everything: an amazing narrative, kickass drum programming, a beautiful vocal performance and even a cool Joni Mitchell reference. Between this cut and the album title track -- which I already knew and loved -- there was no doubt that the new album would be pure genius!

Over these ensuing years, my love for TBODP has continued to burn hot. I still put this song on almost every Prince compilation cd that I make for myself or friends and it never fails to grab my attention. It is (IMHO) one of the man's crowning musical achievements

Okay, folks, your turn. Share your thoughts, memories and opinions on "The Ballad of Dorothy Parker" here.

I agree, this is by far my favorite Purple Jam. "Yeah, I'll have a Fruit Cocktail, I ain't...hungry"! Classic

live, I agree with ya 100%. No matter how many spins you give this song, it never loses it's ferocious appetite to devour your ears with pure funk. This song is so intricate and yet so smooth. It's one of my all time faves. Truly.

"Instead, she pretended she was blind an affliction brought on by a witches curse...I took another bubble bath, with my pants on, all the fighting stopped next time I'll do it sooner. This is the ballad of Dorothy Parker".

DAMN! It totally kills me that Prince dreamed about this scene and then woke up and layed down this killer track. Imagine what his dream must have been like!

No doubt one of my favs 2. I love his exclamations at the end as well. More examples of a singer playing their instrument (the voice)

I got 2 C him play that one on piano both times I saw him live.

Bliss!

I think I dig this song even MORE as time has passed. "If I Was Your Girlfriend" was the song I remember more distinctly when it comes to remembering where I was, and what I was doing when I heard it for the first time. But "Dorothy Parker" definitely has a brilliant groove that sticks to your ribs.

This song is exquisite...there's a lot going on inside it, yet it comes across as simple with a stripped-down feeling to it..and Prince's voice is phenomenal...he takes the notes all over the map, switching from spoken voice to sung lyrics with amazing ease...it's close to perfect.

Yeah, I remember me and a friend recreating the song at a high school art class everyday. I would lay down the beat on the table and he would sing it.

I memorized the beat the day I heard it. I drum. I still try to do it as close as possible, but the Linn drum machine is relentless in nature.

The song also has this meloncholoish type feel. Seventies in some ways. It's amazing how he created such compelling music with what, three instruments, Bass guitar, Linn Lm-1 Drum Machine, Fender keyboard (I think).

John Blackwell at the HOB Los Angeles One Night Alone aftershow played it better than any drummer he's had.

I don't know, but Sheila never attempted to copy the beat. I know that every drummer brings in their interpretation to a song and that's great but, she strayed to far from that. She also didn't use the big clap sound when playing Housequake. John does! And it sounds awesome!

John, he's a great balance at bringing his interpretation and adding things YET maintaining the elements of FUNK, okay the elements of the original song (just had to say that!) to the song he's playing.

The Ballad of Dorothy Parker is the song that says now, "bring back the Linn LM-1 drum machine!"

Maybe we should create a petition to bring back the Linn LM-1 and show the hip hoppers, rappers what REAL FUNK is.

"Dorothy made me laugh, HA HA, HA HA" (back ground singing! funny stuff!).




(edited to add a missing word)

~*~
[This message was edited Wed Jul 3 13:40:39 PDT 2002 by FlyingCloudPassenger]

wellbeyond said:

Thanking u WB for saying it for me...

Just want to add that this is probably one of my favourite sing a long songs that Prince has done. Fan-bloody-tastic.

Therapy said:

That's what I'm hear for...

FlyingCloudPassenger said:

At the expense of Johnny BWell? NOOO!!!

co-sign..

On any given day, any given song from SOTT will totally rock my world. TBODP tends to rock it a bit more often that the others.

I remember the first time my best friend "got" this song. She's not a Prince fan with exception to a few songs that I MADE her love.

So there we were hanging out and I played Ballad of Dorothy Parker and practically forced her to sit and listen. From the moment I pressed play on that song, she was totally mesmerized and I sang her the words and by the end of the song she was nearly crying it hit her so hard. This song is so fucking fierce.

I LOVE PRINCE MUSIC!!!

Supernova said:

NO of course not, much the same way Bobby wasn't replaced with the Linn. He just incorporated it and brought what he had to the table. Which is what John does as well.

"'Whoever's calling, can't be as cute as you.'" Right then and there I knew I was through" I love that! I love the idea of taking a bath with your pants on. The lyrics are great!

FlyingCloudPassenger said:

That's what I meant; with Blackwell on the throne he doesn't need it.

Going back to the Linn is all about nostalgia.

I think one of my best Prince dreams was inspired by this song. We were in a bath together fully clothed talking about music. It was so vivid!! And not at all sexual. Wonderful dream man!!

I liked this song from the get-go. It immediately reminded me of Family Affair instrumentally and still does. It's one of those Prince songs that ages well, as in its timeless and doesnt sound dated.

I agree, it's as perfect as a song can get.
It gets to me every time I hear it and to be able to say that about a song after so many years is something.