skip said:

But there has to be a peak in every performer's life. Hell, in every person's life.

I simply feel that in "Mountains" Prince was at his peak. He was vital, energetic, confident, creative, at the top of his game, having fun. All that you can really hear in that song. Put on "Jam Of The Year" and tell me you do not hear a difference between that and "Mountains". And I am not talking musically, but creatively and energetically. There is great vitality in "Mountains." There is LIFE with capital letters in "Mountains." Prince records "Jam Of The Year" back in 1986 and it is a different, better song. Prince was at his peak back then and "Mountains" is the proof.
[Edited 4/17/06 14:23pm]

[b]Cloreen-

2 things:

1. "Mountains" has always been just average for me. I know you love it the most, and that's cool. However, you using that song as the paragon of Prince's greatness tells me nothing about Prince and everything about what you experience when you hear it. When you hear Mountains you hear Prince gritting his teeth and being passionate. When I hear it, I hear a nice funky groove and some horns. There is nothing wrong with either take. Honestly, we don't know "lazy" Prince is or not when making songs-it's up to interpretation.

2. There is a difference in telling me why you are very passionate in your love for "Mountains", and declaring that moment "Prince's Peak" and trying to get everyone else to see it also. Furthermore, it is stretching to pretend to know how much "passion" Prince put into making the song.

Bottom line: You love "Mountains" so you perceive the song a certain way, I don't so I see it/hear it another way. Your truth and your idea of Prince's peak/passion is not the same truth that everyone else shares. It's no big deal, unless you declare that we are wrong for not sharing/echoing your thoughts, ideas, and truths.[/b]

[Posting Prince YouTube link not allowed snip - luv4u]

CHILL PEOPLE ... please

"Prince was at his peak back then and "Mountains" is the proof"

Again, the only thing it proves is your opinion of Prince and your love for that song.

I could just as easily declare that 1996 was Prince at his peak and that "Jam of the Year" is the proof. My statement is no more wrong that yours and just as easily splayed open and revealed to be just an opinion. Maybe one man's "Jam of the Year" is another man's "Mountains". What if I told you the truth about me-I actually like "Jam of the YEar" better than "Mountains". I don't know why, I don't know if it's a "better" song. It just does it for me more. Different strokes and all that.

Don't worry though "..it's only Mountains .....".
[Edited 4/17/06 14:30pm]

skywalker said:

Dude, I know (I hope and pray) that you see in music much more than just a couple of notes strung together. In all great music there is that something that hits us all. Hits us all differently, yes, but nonetheless hits us. To suggest that I do not feel or know of the "passion" in "Mountains" is really to suggest that all I do with music is simply listen along, tap my foot, and then forget about it. You are suggesting that I do not really feel anything in a piece of music and I can only pretend to feel passion in a song. My take on "Mountains" is yes, sure I hear the notes, the horns, the bass line -- but I also feel a surge of life, a passion, running through that song. You may feel it in "Uptown" or others may feel it in "Purple Rain," but man, people FEEL great music rather than hear it.

My feeling from "Mountains" (and it's been this way for twenty years) is that it is a vibrant piece of music that demonstrates a great artist at the top of his game. You can probably pinpoint a Prince song that gives you that same feeling.

twister6 said:

Thanks.
That little link proves my point about "Mountains" and how Prince was at his peak more than all my words and paragraphs ever could.

Man, that is some song and from that video you get the sense that even when Prince blinked it had purpose. He was in total control of all his powers and he knew how to use them.

pink cashmere, count the days,everwhere,the most beautiful girl, mountains was cool but come on.

Cloreen said:

I think you misunderstood. I get how "mountains" makes you feel. I understand that the song can make you "Feel the passion". It's the song that hits you, does it for you, makes you dance, cry,etc. As a person experiencing the song "mountains", you feel passion.

That is very different than you "knowing" how Prince felt when he made the song. You don't know if he felt "the passion" or not. Whether Prince is "at his peak" or "passionate" when making any song is not to be known by you. For example, just because "Jam of the Year" doesn't hit you or make you feel "passionate" doesn't mean that Prince was feeling "the passion" when he made it.

All I am saying is this: I understand that "Mountains" is the song that does it for you. However, just because you view it as Prince at his peak doesn't mean everyone else will. When you post something like "Prince hasn't done a thing since 'Mountains'..", it smells of a person telling others that yours is the opinion should be the recognized truth. That is different than describing your love for the song to me, it is like telling someone that your opinion, and definition of Prince's "peak", is the only valid one.
[Edited 4/17/06 15:47pm]

skywalker said:

No, it is simply Marketing 101. Get people's attention.

"Mountains" is Prince at his peak. It is what I feel, and I simply put it in an attention grabbing headline. "Murder At Scores" or "Headless Body Found In Topless Bar" -- which newspaper with those headlines will you grab and read?

What I've come to learn as a Prince fan for over 20 years and from the opinions of other fans over the years is that: There is always going to be that one song that you listen to and feel it was his "best" and represents his "greatest" work. Then what happens is . . . . later on you "discover" another Prince gem and now feel the magic in that particular song and claim it to be his "greatest" and "this was his best". Then, another year goes by and guess what? You re-discover another Prince song, listen to it again or for the first time, and low and behold, it is of your belief that this song is "the one"!!

Basically, as a Prince fan you will come to find out that there will always be that "one song" that is going to blow your mind and you'll feel it represents Prince at his "best" but believe me, it is not going to stop at "Mountains" . . . . .

Cloreen said:

The Rainbow Children sounds like his hardest work ever

paisleypark4 said:

Yeah, I could agree with that.

Cloreen said:

Except you are not advertising the news--- you are just yelling your opinion in a combative way. It's like you are challenging people to disagree with you. Then, when people do, you come up with arguments like "..Prince was at his peak back then and "Mountains" is the proof..." which is not ANY kind of proof just more subjective opinions. As are statements about "Prince being at his peak" or "Prince being his most passionate".

Listen, I realize that most of what this site is about is sharing opinions. However, instead of baiting people to argue, you could always ask people to join in on a discussion about how cool "mountains" is. We could talk about the music, etc. Instead, you have people like me arguing with you about how your argument is a weak one at best.

the thing with Prince is that you don't just hear the music you feel it - and at any given time on any given day different songs will make you feel diferently each time.

As for the song in this thread. I have the Mountains 12' vinyl constantly on my turntable. It kicks ass!

Aerogram said:

And guess what? I never thought Mountains was great,

and still don't, Mountains is weak.

67TBirdHeartAttack said:

Yeah, I have the Mountains 12' vinyl too.
I like the B-Side, Alexa De Paris much better.

runningbear said:

NO NO NO

MOUNTAIN DANCE SONG

ANNA STESIA HELP POOK TAKE NAP

SPEAKING OF

NIGHT NIGHT ORG!

Cloreen said:

lol at the title of your thread

POOK said:

POOK rules the org

concise to the point no filler

animals should take over

Cloreen said:

You know, I know where you're coming from. People have their own ideas of Prince's "peak" and "best" moments, and "Mountains" is as good a contender as any.

Among Prince's singles, it stands out as probably the best thing that failed on the charts. Maybe it was the falsetto. "Kiss" was everywhere that year, so maybe P.'s high pitch squeal overstayed its welcome.

"Mountains" is for me the high point on "Parade," without a doubt. And your claim that it's the absolute apex of his career? That's debatable, but I respect your boldness. And when I think about his entire catalogue afterwards, I'm hard pressed to come up with any other songs, certainly no singles, that match the lush and exuberant mood of "Mountains."

He's done plenty of topical stuff, socially conscious stuff, message-y songs, but "Mountains" has all these AND optimism. I think of stuff like "Anna Stesia" and "The Love We Make," and how harrowing and tortured and just plain depressing they are.

I love how "Mountains" is aware of social ills and is defiantly joyous in the face of them.

padawan said:

Well put. You are so right -- "lush, exuberant, and joyous." That's "Mountains."

I disagree. He's made LOTS of amazing songs since! Too many to name.

I never really cared for Mountains but whatever you say