Seriously, this would have been one of those career defining songs that the public know and love him for, and yes even though he clearly copied the style he made it all his own. The song is that damn good that it's been covered several times as has its style. Adore is without doubt THE prime example of his / Warners appalling lack of seeing an obvious single.

Like with any Prince songs, it was not a single!

funkyhead said:

There were many songs on 'SOTT' that could have been singles.In the DMSR book,a Warner exec mentions that he wishes they had more time to release more singles but by early 1988,Prince was already finishing up 'Lovesexy'.An album like 'SOTT' could have lasted over a year.In any case,"Adore" received alot of airplay on R&B radio stations.It still became a Prince classic.

This was such a big hit on my neighborhood radio station that played R&B. I remember it was number one for the most requested song.

He's already known for it. It got plenty of airplay without being a single from the stations that were most likely to play it.

I have a recorded interview of Prince and some dude who told Prince that no matter what he just had to keep 'Adore' on his playlist because the song is the "R & B National Anthem for Romance".

It is an awesome song and definitely one of my favorite slow jams by Prince. I love it so much that I have it downloaded on my cell.

1 of the most beautiful songs ever recorded!

its already pretty famous

Beautiful.

Prince was always questionable when it came to picking singles.

It was played all over the radio so most people are surprised to find it wasn't a single. Released or not, mission accomplished because it is known by many. Plus people rediscovered and discovered it for the first time on the Girl 6 sdtrk and the Hits. The main reason why it was on the hits is because it was so popular on radio that most people felt it was "released" anyway.

Because IIWYG was the OBVIOUS choice instead. Come on. Common sense.

Marrk said:

I think post Purple Rain Prince decided to keep his personal jewels unreleased as gifts to fans who would buy the album. Go to a P concert and you will find out how crazy his die hard fans go when he plays songs no one else besides true fans even know exist. I nearly pissed my pants when I heard Extraordinary and When The Lights Go Down live but casual listeners wouldn't know what the hell was going on. When you consider how well received songs like Joy In Repetition and Sometimed It Snows In April are when he plays them live, you could say he should have released them but I surmise they are secret gifts kept for fans who support him by buying the albums without hearing 3 to 4 singles released first. I prefer to think of it that way.

adorable2 said:

Great points. Some songs are too precious and beautiful to be part of the hit parade along with all the other cookie cutter crap. Besides, who said having a hit single is so important to our love of an artist? P has plenty of money.

God i hate that song

funkyhead said:

"I ain't fucking just for kicks"
I can't believe that got played on the radio back in the day and even nowadays but then again if Prince never released it as a single it ain't his fault.

There wasn't time for its release, as SoulAlive noted. Also, I think there were plenty of other songs that would have deserved a single release ahead of "Adore".

70sLove said:

Unless the lyrics were read, I've heard many people (including d-jays) tell me that they had no idea that Prince was using profanity in the song which tells me Prince can turn out a jam and subliminally get his message across the airwaves!

70sLove said:

Yeah,it's amazing that the song made it past the programming director without having to be edited,lol.But then again,"Erotic City" got ALOT of radio airplay too,even though it uses the word "fuck" repeatedly,

adorable2 said:

I could have sworn it was a single, but then, back in those days, I bought the album on the first day it was out and wore out the grooves on it, so...


Adore is one of the best Prince songs, ever.

What I don't understand is why didn't he release the SNL version of "Fury"?

grrr....All that positive buzz, squandered.

Things were different back then. A song didn't have to be a single to get radio airplay and become loved. Prince did right not to release it as a single. If people love the song enough, they will buy the album to get it.

Prince's choice of singles have seemed to be right on time. For instance, R&B radio was playing the hell out of many songs on the "1999" album but they never touched "Delirious" until it was released as a single.

My local urban stations (AM and FM) still rock this song everyday. Can you blame 'em?

Adisa said:

that was the phenomenal thing about that song....it wasn't a single, but it was still a huge hit...

SoulAlive said:

With Adore, it's just hard to catch exactly what he says without reading the lyrics.

For Erotic City, there was a dispute back then as to whether he saying "fuck" or funk". When it first came out I remember hearing it played on the radio uncensored. After a few weeks, someone must have gotten the memo cause they switched to the edited veriosn.

Interestingly, a poll was conducted by the editor of Controversy magazine around the time of the release of SOTT. "Adore" was the fans' least favourite track from that album.

The ballad seems to have grown in stature over the years.

.

I feel your pain...I think it was too obvious. I also think he was in love with "If I was Your Girlfriend" and more excited about the lyrics than Adore.

adorable2 said:

totally get you, when he played 'Empty room' in Manchester '02 i thought the roof was coming off the top of my head. Great stuff.

my god, empty room at manchester was AMAZING, that was the best p concert ever, anna stesia , empty room, purple rain, it was like bam bam bam, i was a nervous wreck after it!

I really, really love this song and think it woulda made a GREAT single for prince. I woulda loved to have seen a vid for this song.