I always thought that Emancipation could be slimmed down into a killer single disc of an album. Perhaps his best offering of the 90's. So I put together this track list, and listening to it, it makes a great overall listen, with NO weak tracks and a good flow of musicical and lyrical ideas. What do you think???

1. Curious Child
2. Slave
3. Face Down
4. We Gets Up
5. New World
6. The Holy River
7. Sex In The Summer
8. Courtin' Time
9. Mr Happy
10.Emale
11.Sleep Around
12.In This Bed I Scream
13.The Love We Make
14.Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother/Wife
15.The Plan
16.Emancipation

Oh and by the way, if it was released in the 80's with 12" still in vogue, this would have the singles and b sides:

Sleep Around - White Mansion
Sex In The Summer - Style
The Holy River - I Can't Make U Love Me
Emancipation - Joint to Joint

Ugh no. I like it as 3 discs - more music

skywalker said:

Yeah - try it: it sort of guides you into the album!

No thanks! I would rather have Prince release more music, not less. Also, your track listing is loaded with quite a few of the weaker tracks, while omitting some of the stronger tunes like "Joint 2 Joint" (any b-sides to singles should be songs not on the 3-disc set....remember, MORE music, NOT less).

Finally, I couldn't imagine Emancipation not beginning with "Jam Of The Year." It's such a PERFECT little chill tune and it sets me in the RIGHT mood everytime! To me, that would be like beginning SOTT with "Forever In My Life" while omitting the title track completely....once again, No thanks!

.....
[Edited 9/14/06 14:53pm]
[Edited 9/14/06 14:53pm]

I'm okay with it as is, but your b-side suggestion is interesting, since people seem to get all upset at the lack of b-sides nowadays.

No Soul Santuary?? shame on U

The fact it is 3 discs of music is the reason you can make one disc of personal favourite strong tunes. Slimmed down it would far more have resembled Chaos & Disorder or Newpower Soul - some good songs some weaker ones. As for your list, there's at least 5 that wouldn't make my own list.

I like Emancipation just as it is-it's perfect!

I like most songs off of it except for about 5 or 6 of them.

Even edited down to a single album it's still not a patch on The Gold
Experience IMO.

Ages ago I did a similar thread and also got eveyone to vote on their
favorite songs to see which were the most popular tracks (and therefore which
tracks should appear on a single disc version). I then assembled the results
into a 12 track 60 min long single album, here's the result...

01 - Emancipation (4:06)
02 - Sleep Around (4:44)
03 - Somebody’s Somebody (4:39)
04 - Jam Of The Year (4:27)
05 - Face Down (3:17)
06 - Sex In The Summer (4:28)
07 - Emale (3:39)
08 - Joint 2 Joint (7:01)
09 - In This Bed I Scream (4:45)
10 - The Holy River (6:55)
11 - Friend, Lover, Sister, Mother, Wife (7:03)
12 - The Love We Make (4:43)


It actually turned out pretty well.

It's a pretty good selection which ever way. If you think about it, for each previous album P recorded loads of songs, which only a few got official release. For Emancipation, to make a point of his new contractual freedom, he put out the majority of his recordings of the time out on the 3 disc set. So back in 96 we got everything (which I admit was great at the time!). For what we call his most 'successful' period (80's),we only got a selection of recordings for each album

... a bit like slimming down Emancipation into a 1 disc set.

i'm always amazed that people moan about the 3 disc thing. that album has some incredible songs on it. it just takes a long time to absorb a lot of music like that all at once. the thing is, it was only priced up as a double album so the 3rd disc was free, thats how he wanted it to be.if it was 2 discs and rumour got out he had another disc lying round. we would all want to get our sticky mits on it.
cant help but feel a bit sad when you read the words and stuff, the album was to be a celebration of the important things in his life, musical freedom, his wife, and his first born child..shame how things turn out.
it just gets better, even now. the slow tracks are awesome.

bonedaddy said:

I completely agree with that! Now I know it pays to keep listening to Prince's music even if it doesn't immediately launch me into orbit.

.....