I was just thinking that Prince is one of the few artists i know who can actually 'creep' me with his music. With that i mean, creepy in the way of horror-like sounds, a certain, creeping tension and the sense of something scary, very dark happening behind the curtains.

To name a few examples / songs:
- Crystal Ball (the original bootleg, not the one on the released cd): this song just sounds like some nightmare, probably because of the combination of the altered voice, the meandering strings and the strange lyrics
- Theres Others here with Us: the strange moans, the morbid lyrics (about suicide, the subnatural) and the fear shining trough in the vocal delivery
- Shockedelica: alltough this song is catchy, and a bit humurous also, the lyrics are dark and the (camille) vocals are sounding fractured. You can 'feel' the ambivalence in the lyrics (to me this song is about the temptation of drugs, the idea that it can draw you like a magnet, and at the same time scare you because of the consequences of drugabuse it work eat in a very good way i think).
- If i was your girlfriend: a song that speaks of a longing to totally connect with your partner. The obsessed lyrics combined with the vocal delivery by 'camille' and the disturbing (low) background vocals, makes it both creepy but also very realistic. Its a song that expresses desires many of us have, but in most cases we tend to filter it, and deliver it in a more acceptable, easy way. Prince is really right on the spot here lyrically.
- Power Fantastic: Alltough this song has very pretty instrumentation (one of Princes most subtle songs, when it comes to instrumental delivery) theres a dark undercurrent in both the music and the lyrics that creeps me out. A prove of artistry when it comes to combining opposites (beauty, decay, darkness).

When i look at this list i am thinking: Most are camille tracks. I often think that on these tracks he reached a certain (emotional) depth and artistry i have never seem him reach after that. Alltough often obsessive sounding, creepy, and with a dark undercurrent, they show me the 'human' Prince, maybe thats why I like them so much.

Okay, i am curious about your 'creepy' admissions

others here with us..

There's Others Here With Us is definitely creepy.

I also think Papa is rather creepy, as well as 101 (Prince-penned Sheena Easton song).

There are also certain individual lyrics from some Prince songs which I personally find to be 'creepy', though the song/s as a whole aren't really "dark" or "creepy" overall.

Prince doesn't really seem to DO 'creepy' anymore these days.

lol...when i think about creepy in a BAD way i think about Prince losing his mind to JW-dogma's and rethorics on The Rainbow Children

Solo is quite a creepy song and it's even creepier played backwards

WillyWonka said:

i know. i wish he would. to me, his voice sounded the best on his weird-er songs. and i agree, "there's others here with us" is crrrrrazy.i think that is the creepiest of them all. i luv it!

There's Others Here With Us

And... Wedding Feast

My creepiest Prince songs:

Solo
Power Fantastic (even tho it's also beautiful)
Had U
God
Temptation
Girl
I Love U in Me

Others Here With Us is one of the creepiest things I've heard by anyone.

There was a great quote on here about that song a couple of years ago - I'll have to dig that out.

Dance With The Devil.

Crystal Ball - either version - Cannot and refuse to listen to it - It scares me

also "wasted kisses" and the end of "darling nikki".

Papa
Annie Christian
[Edited 3/3/06 11:55am]

papa creeps me out. i skip this track everytime.

princeiscool said:

On the whole, "Darlene Nikki" has a weird vibe to it. It is graphic in a perverse, strange and cold way unlike other Prince material. There is also a sexist and sadistic element to the song that I cannot quite explain. It is one of the only P songs where sex is "dirty" and "angry".

Wet Dream Cousin
The Question Of U (Instrumental)

princeiscool said:

Yeah, especially that part in "Wasted Kisses" where that weird sounding Mellotron-like string thing is...I can't really describe it...musicians, it's the weird E-D#-B-E-B-D# thing...I dunno, that one effect really freaks me out. It's like a ghost coming out of the ground or something.

Mellotron always freaks me out. A lot of the Beatles and King Crimson stuff is very haunting because of the Mellotron parts in it. Maybe that's why Trent Reznor has such an affinity towards it.

And "Power Fantastic"...that beautiful song creeps me out the more and more I listen to it.

"others here with us" definitely
"papa"
and
"one song" (in a good way)

Ice9sFine said:

thin lizzy can play all that too

Others here with us. I would Love for Alice Cooper to cover it

7

I'm surprised no one's mentioned Pheromone.

The "snatching up kiddies like a circus clown" line from the song push is creepiest I've ever heard from him. Sounds like he was going Michael jackson with that line.

Is THERE'S OTHERS HERE WITH US A BOOTLEG?

515073 said:

yes... it was recorded during the Parade sessions...

I used to think "Bob George" and "Superfunkycalifragisexy" were very creepy... and "Annie Christian"...

Definitely Annie Christian .

The Future
Batdance
Papa
Bob George

Wet Dream Cousin
Annie Christian
It
If I Was Your Girlfriend - is he stalking somebody or what?