EMANCIPATION WARS 2002!

The year was 1996 and the Prince internet community had just started to flourish thanks to the much-cherished PPML and Steve Hammer's chat rooms. Another major event in world history had also just happened that year, The Artist Formerly Known As Prince had just released his career-defining 3CD opus, "Emancipation". And man, did that behemoth of an album have potential! Amidst the 36 sprawling tracks there was hidden a true masterpiece containing twelve excellent songs that were just waiting to be singled out. That is twelve and exactly twelve (12) songs - no more no less, because everybody agreed that there were exactly twelve excellent songs on the record and the rest should have been best left unreleased. Yet nobody agreed on which twelve songs they were! Thus the Emancipation wars had begun.

A lot of blood was shed, contradicting opinions flung and life-long friendships broken when trying to track down what kind of songlisting would have made the greatest ever Prince record - and of course, had Prince himself released the album as just a single album he without a doubt would have released exactly the same configuration as you. And furthermore, if he only would had released your version he definitely would have had a huge international hit saving his commercial career that since has started to wane ever so rapidly.

For good old times sake, and I am sure there is still a lot of frustrated blood inside of you all that is just seeking a way to get out even after all these years, I am inviting all of you to once more open the Emancipation Wars for a seasoned debate:

So, in your own divine opinion, which twelve (12) songs should have constituted Emancipation - the one CD release? (Note that you are not only encouraged just to list your picks but also if possible, in the true spirit of the original Emancipation Wars, disparage other people's choices as loudly as you can.)

Jam Of The Year
Somebody’s Somebody
Betcha By Golly Wow!
Mr. Happy
Joint 2 Joint
The Holy River
New World
The Human Body
Face Down
Sleep Around
My Computer
Emancipation

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[This message was edited Wed Oct 2 13:48:03 PDT 2002 by suomynona]

here is my emancipation, without emancipation.
so it has better be named "Joint 2 Joint":


Right Back Here In My Arms
Somebody’s Somebody
In This Bed Eye Scream
Sex In The Summer
Emale
Curious Child
Dreamin’ About U
Joint 2 Joint
The Holy River
Face Down
Style
My Computer

K, I don't have it in front of me but I will do my best

-Jam of The Year
-Somebody's Somebody
-Right Back Here In My Arms
-In This Bed I Scream
-One Kiss At A Time
-Joint 2 Joint
-Slave
-EMale
-The Human Body
-Sleep Around
-Face Down
-The Holy River

Oooh, I like this so much I may haveto go make this cd!

Can we also change artwork then? The original sucks. I even like the Crystal Ball artwork better...

Moonbeam said:

You know I love you, Moon, but...Mr. Happy??? Oooh, that's one track I was never able to stomach... (I may not know you enough to love you, but the same goes out to you ChocolateInvasion)

Dreamin About You...interesting choice, I always forget about that track!

Ouch! There has been some "no,no" -choices for me too. I seriously thought NOBODY would like "Mr. Happy"

Novabreaker said:

Then what are you're choices?


{"Microphone check" sample repeated in song}
Turn off that weak jam, man
Come on, huh
Mr. Happy's here, huh, and we're buggin'

CHORUS:
I will take care of U
Whatever U want, I do it right
Oh, I will take care of U
Mr. Happy every day and night, oh

I got some money, I got some juice
But somethin's funny, I ain't got U
I comes 2 party (Yeah), don't wanna be alone
I need somebody - somebody grown

CHORUS

Oh yeah

Sugarbaby, with the curly hair
Dancin' crazy, underwear
Witcha name on it, lookin' fine ("Bought a house next 2 Prince") (Fine)
Keep smackin' that booty and U'll be mine

CHORUS

Pump it up, pump it up
Brown man, puffin' on a weak jam
Understand this is 80 proof
Guaranteed 2 get your girl loose if she douche
Throw your set up 2 the roof, huh
Third finger down, if U're wild, make a sound
Look at my people gettin' on down (Get down, get down)
Skip the Remy and let me have some Mary Tyler Moore of that new power soul
Comin' from the midwest passin' every test with a fuzztone remote control

CHORUS {x2}
(Yeah)
(Come on)

Yeah, one, well
I'll make your love come down like a freakin' elevator
In the middle of the night, body vibratin' like a pager
U play the drink, baby, I'll play the chaser
Do I love U? I can't love U cuz I hate cha
See, U got this bad case of the sad face
Dinner at 8, then intercourse at my place
Keep the drapes open, VCR, the whole bit
I know it sound sick, but baby, let's make a flick
Mr. Happy, babydoll, I came 2 do damage (I will take care of U)
Rock your world, knock your brain 2 another planet
U know my north pole can generate heat
Been thinkin' about me? Hmm, I can see them stains in your sheets
Before the reputation, they all used 2 pass me (I will take care of U)
Yeah?
Now they stop 2 ask me
4 real?
Straight up, the lifestyle of Mr. Happy
Yeah

Oh, I will take care of U
Whatever U want, I do it right, oh
Mr. Happy every day and night ("Bought a house next 2 Prince")
(Yeah)


I think it's Funky!

emancipation is fine the way it is. Its a gem, ppl talk about it being too long, If U have a cd staker put'em all in there and experience the whole album, track after track, after track...suddenly its not a long album after all but a great listening experience..

Right Back Here In My Arms
In This Bed I Scream
Soul sanctuary
Emale
Curious Child
Dreamin' About U
Joint 2 Joint
The Holy River
Slave
New World
The Human Body
The Love We Make

Don't mind all the and all... feeling a little of a BelleBeyond kinda mood

My own choices are boring as hell, I would have loved to see an almost all-out pop album, something in the vein of:

1 Jam Of The Year
2 Right Back Here In My Arms
3 Somebody´s Somebody
4 Get Yo Groove On
5 Courtin' Time
6 Sex In The Summer
7 Damned If I Do
8 Let's Have A Baby
9 The Holy River
10 Sleep Around
11 My Computer
12 The Love We Make

Not necessarily my own favourites, and certainly lacking all the electronic stuff that I love from the record, but I think it would have been a good and even (not to mention sane) album to release. And damn, if Prince would have selected just 12 songs THESE would have been them! No doubt.

What about "Saviour", "Let's Have a Baby"...

Novabreaker said:

Where's Joint 2 Joint???

That's the best song by FAR!

ChocolateInvasion said:

It would be on my "personal favourites" album, along with "New World", "White Mansion" and "In This Bed I Scream". But I don't think my personal favourites equal a great and sensible release. You know, we did debate about that back in 1996.

...and oh, well all the way up to the first half of 1998 to be honest.

ChocolateInvasion said:

THANK YOU!!! I 'member the day I got Emancipation, Vi asked me what was "the cut." Without hesitation I answered "Joint 2 Joint." I still feel the same way. Other tracks my tug at my emotions more, but for pure sonic pleasure, it's all about Joint 2 Joint.

PS, Novabreaker...Get Yo Groove On AND Damned If I Do??? Ouch! I hope these are included in the "not necessarily your favorites" category!

and ChocolateInvasion, if you sing that MrHappyCrappy one more time, I'll...heehee

endorphin74 said:

Next, I will sing you Orgasm

Diva and Moonbeam, I couldn't help but notice how similar your track lists were...hmmm

Could this mean something? Do I hear wedding bells??

endorphin74 said:

I couldn't help but notice it too...

endorphin74 said:

You can be in the wedding party!

ChocolateInvasion said:

Now, THAT would be interesting...

endorphin74 said:

Mr. Happy was one of the first songs I heard Prince play live, so it holds a special place in my heart! You know I still love you too!

Moonbeam said:

Hooray!!!

But if you play Mr.Happy at the reception, I'm leaving!

or at least going outside to have a smoke break with Aaron

endorphin74 said:

Interested in a duet? Come
[This message was edited Wed Jul 10 2:36:17 PDT 2002 by ChocolateInvasion]

endorphin74 said:

No, I'll just do karaoke to "Chocolate!"

endorphin74 said:

Well sir, it just makes sense. "Get Yo Groove On" was played live throughout the Emancipation tour and it clearly was one of Prince's favourites as well as "Damned If I Do", which was lined up as one of the 6 single releases. Of course the whole campaign backfired because of the personal problems and all.

Actually, endorphin... those two are some of the most complex tracks on the album. What can't you handle little prog?

And furthermore, if you ask me "Get Yo Groove On" is one of the most important songs of his career. Not necessarily because of it's impact on anything, but because it showed a shift back to the earlier peppier sonwriting style of the classic Prince era - as opposed to the darker first half of the 90's period, where he kind of lost his featherlight touch on funk. It's just an incredibly delightful, positive track. Sort of the closest thing to "It's Gonna Be A Beautiful Night" we got in the 90's. We didn't get that style of songwriting in who knows how many years... it just sort of disappeared.
[This message was edited Wed Jul 10 2:40:35 PDT 2002 by Novabreaker]

Moonbeam said:

The wedding party of Mr & Ms Happy? Let's play Wedding Feast then...

Jam of the year
courtin' time
white mansion
soul sanctuary
Emale
joint 2 join
friend lover sister mother wife (nobody mentioned it!! I can't believe it!)
face down
sleep around
my computer
the love we make
Emancipation

And a hidden track : la la la means I love U (I can't help it, I 've always loved this song)

ChocolateInvasion said:

OH MY!!!