Just wondering. I don't really hear it discussed too much, and I wanted to know what everyone thought. What do you like about it? What do you hate?

an amazing achievement, no other artist has released a 3cd set filled with as many great songs. Agreed not all the songs are top quality but there are at least 20 killer tracks on this that are not 2 b missed.

theVelvetRoper said:

Oh my god - this album has soo many hidden gems on it - eg - somebodys somebody, Style, right back here in my arms, holy river, The love we make, the list is endless!!!!!great album!!

I haven't listened to it in a looong time and I'm not eager to listen to it right now...that says much about what I think about it...

It's an okay album but should have been much shorter IMO, my favourites are:

I Can't Make You Love Me
Soul Sanctuary
Dreamin About U
The Holy River
Saviour
The Plan
My Computer
The Love We make

These really are great songs which I still listen to on a regular basis.

I love Emancipation, it's a great album.
[Edited 3/27/06 13:40pm]

It's not 'bad' really, but it was the first time I was seriously disappointed
with a new Prince album. Most of the album is just too 'samey', for a triple
album it has a serious lack of diversity. Being 'samey' is OK for a single
album, but 3 CDs of mostly the same flavor kinda gets a bit boring.

Well, it's not so long ago we dicussed it. I still love it! Truly underrated and beautiful.

FunkyBrotha said:

thats because they didnt have enough quality songs to make a 3 cd set..nor did prince...theres an album full of filler..

emancipation would have made a killer double album or a masterpiece single....once again, prince's indulgences got the best of him...

Bit of an overdose on ballads. it's got a very plastic feel to it too. Still good to go back to it though sometimes when your sick of all his other albums, I've had it 5 years and it's still growing on me, still finding hidden treasures on it I hadn't noticed before.

wendyrachel said:

After you've named 36 songs, I think the list is likely to end!!!

theVelvetRoper said:

I like the album. Not my favorite, but it is a great cd. The only song I don't like is Da Da Da. The rest I like.
[Edited 3/27/06 14:12pm]

daPrettyman said:

Hmm... many say they think Da,da,da is the worst, but I don't think it's that bad. I guess you don't like it 'cause it's too much hiphop and not P singin'...

- Too long.
- Terrible Production and instrumentation
- Too many drippy ballads
- Unforgiveable lowpoints like 'Mr. Crappy' and 'Da,Da,Da'
- The title track is pathetically weak
- Completely the wrong choice for lead single
- Completely the wrong choice for the second single
- EMI went tits up and ended it all there
- JOTY tour is where he fell in love with Larry Graham (honoury mention for old times sake)


On a more positive note, it does contain one of Prince's finest ever songs, 'We Gets Up'.

NouveauDance said:

theVelvetRoper said:

Not Much

I can't belive it'll be 10 years since this came out.
Good jams
Sex In The Summer
White Mansion
Joint To Joint
Dreamin' About U

Faves
In This Bed I Scream - His ode to Wendy and Lisa-sounds like they could have co written this song.
The Human Body - Sounds like 1981 Prince singing.
Soul Sanctuary

Horrible jams
Friend, Lover, Sister..you know the rest.
Mr Happy
Da, Da, Da..(dumb, dumb, dumb)

Not a bad CD, a little uneven, but a good return to form.

langebleu said:

It's a terrific album.
The best tracks R:

The holy river
Emale
Dreamin' about u

The rest is good 2 but these R the best.

I think Emancipation was the record that Prince was born to make.

Oh , wait a second, that was what Prince thought about Emancipation.

Me, It is not terribly inventful by P standards, but most of the material is passable. Included a few standouts, including the Holy River, probably his best song from the 90s.

Also I enjoy Prince's decision to do a few covers, they turned out well. Too bad he did not bring in an outside producer for this, It could have helped. I would have liked to see Daniel Lanois myself

I love this album

The fact that it is on sale here for £1.99 says everything. This is the album that almost broke my faith in Prince and I've never forgiven him for it. "The album I was born to make"? "I put my heart and soul into this album"? Utter, utter dross from start to finish, bar "The Holy River" and "Slave".

Still, £1.99 isn't bad for a spare 3-CD case for when one of your others smashes I suppose, plus you get three coasters with it.

Dreadful album.

Emancipation is on a par with News, ONA (Studio) & Musicology. It really is dire. Its only saving grace is the Love We Make. News has no saving graces, ONA has maybe a couple of ‘moments’ and Musicology has managed what Rave never could – to produce a collection of songs that are all as equally bad as each other. Rave, a truly desperate affair itself at least has Strange but True and I love you but… Even NPS, another quite torrid juncture during the Symbol years was saved by such gems as Mad Sex and Come On.

If it wasn’t for TRC, the first year NPGMC membership, It Aint Over & now 3121 I would have given up on Prince by now. I nearly did after hearing Emancipation. I think the only thing that got me through that realisation that Prince was becoming crap was that C&D was released at the same time which is actually one of my favourites.

I like Emancipation for these songs:

Jam Of The Year
Get Yo Groove On (the live version with his solo on the Purpleaxxe)
Betcha By Golly Wow!
In This Bed I Scream
Sex In The Summer
The Holy River
Face Down (gotta love that "Horn!")
La, La, La Means Eye Love U (first heard the original in QT's Jackie Brown film and as soon as I realised it was on Emancipation, I had to buy it!)
Style
Sleep Around

and I'm still undecided 'bout the title song.

Nasalhair said:

Amen, there was so much wrong with it. I had quite a long 'prince break' after that came out.

I guess this is the kind of album that diverts the fanbase...some people like certain songs that other people hate...

I love :
Right Back Here In My Arms
Style
Soul Sanctuary
Dreamin About U
Joint 2 Joint
Face Down
Emale ( not necessarily the cryptic lyrics)
My Computer ( is kinda ok, reminds me of Kate Bush´s A Deeper Understanding )
White Mansion
Sleep Around
Somebody´s Somebody
Betcha By Golly Wow ( good coverversion, bad choice for a single)
LaLaLaLa Means I love U ( good delivery, but not really good to use other peoples song on your own album)
One Of Us ( see above, but Prince´s version KILLS the original..which can´t be said about I Can´t Make U Love Me...Bonnie and George Michael were better)


I even like some parts of Da Da Da, the beat and Prince´s rapping are kinda OK here.

What I absolutely DON´ T like is Courtin Time and Damned If I Do and We Gets Up

In This Bed I Scream
Sex In the Summer


Those two songs are also cool...if it wasn´t for the tragic events.

sosgemini said:

I´m still wondering what the original 52-song configuration was.

He mentioned that in Esquire GQ magazine...and I remember a flyer with drastically different lyrics for the song Emancipation, including lines about Napoleon and Hitler, also published in the defunct fanzine Continental.

His last classic album. A benchmark statement. 3CDs of inspired new material on leaving the Warner Bros plantation and scrubbing "Slave" off his cheek.

NouveauDance said:

nasalhair said:

Co-fucking-sign. Emancipation is three discs of steaming . Words are inadequate to describe how much I loathe & detest this album. .