Girls & Boys would have been a #1 hit as a follow up to Kiss.

U Got the Look should have been the second single from SOTT, not to mention Strange Relationship should have been a single.

My name is Prince should've been the first single from the symbol album.

Tell me what U guys think...

The man just can't pick singles.

I think if you ask 100 orgers what songs should have been singles you'll get 100 different answers.

Basically it's an easy criticism backed up by alot of personal opinions. At the end of the day he's had way more than his share of hit singles, so I can't fault the guy too much.

I've always been satisfied with his choices.

sexxydancer said:

Null point. You'd be satisfied if he came 'round your house and deficated on your furniture.



////

I think *generally* most single choices were justified. But there's been a few, OK quite a few, occasions, where, with the benefit of hindesight, that single choices or order could've been better.

And specifically I'd call up the latter half of the 80s. namely Parade, SOTT, Lovesexy, Batman, and the mid to late 90s too of course (not that it would've done much good though).

Ultimately it's all shoulda-woulda-coulda, like playing fantasy football, but it IS fun to think 'what if'

I wouldn't say overall he's failed at picking singles, though 4 a while there I was getting really tired of hearing the "token slow jam" lead the new album.

NouveauDance said:

Girls & Boys was released as the follow up to Kiss in the UK.

It didn't get to number 1.

It got to number 11.

Then again Kiss only reached number 6.

Well, I suppose books have been written about his weird decisions. Weird to us, who can tell what thoughts drive his decisions? I mean, his private life is, as should be, mostly a mystery to us.

I kind of like it that way. Even though I would love him to have hits, for him, that is. I just want the man to be happy. Serious.

Or maybe a little brokenhearted, but only as muse to good music.

Y know I was going to do a topic about this. And in my opinion he should have picked "Sexy Dancer" instead "Why You Want to Treat Me SO Bad" and then "Feel For U" afterwards on "Prince" album. That album would sell even large.
Also "Parade" it should been like Bobby Z said: "Kiss", "Girls and Boys", and then "Anotherloverholenyohead."
And also on SOTT it should been "You got the Look" he should have picked first followed by "SOTT" instead of "If I was Your girlfriend", then "Housequake" and finally "Adore".

And recently 3121 it should have been "Black Sweat", "Lolita", "The Dance" and finally "Fury"

I think Prince has always preferred to challenge the system rather than go for the obvious. ATWIAD as an album rather than PR2...If I was your girlfriend as a single (most radio unfriendly!) instead of Strange Relationship or The Cross, Betcha By Golly Wow didn't exactly set the world alight and some of the recent choices have also been suspect

Prince normally has a pretty good eye for a single (especially the lead ones),
but that's not to say that he hasn't made a few not-so-hot choices ocasionally.

I agree that 'If I Was Your Girlfriend' was a bad choice for 2nd single off
Sign O' The Times. It's actually a really good song, but not really hit single
material. Plus, not having a video for it was just asking for it to bomb. I
agree that the 2nd single should have been a more uptempo poppy number, like
'U Got The Look' or 'Strange Relationship'. He also gave up on Sign O' The
Times too early, as there was potential there for several hit singles, and
the fact he shelved a US tour in support of it was a mistake as well IMO.

I also agree that 'Girls & Boys' should have been an A-Side in the US (as it
was in Europe). After 'Kiss' it was the obvious choice.

It was also kinda annoying that after the success of The Most Beautiful Girl
In The World, he decided to release ballads as the lead single (until recently).

What the hell, you got to hear them anyway didn't you?

I've always been baffled at many of his single choices.In nearly every case,there are stronger/catchier songs on the album that would have made better singles.

"Girls and Boys" should have been the second single from 'Parade'.That song had "hit" written all over it! Instead,he chose "Mountains" (a decent,but less commercial track) and the album began to tumble down the charts.

Releasing "If I Was Your Girlfriend" as the second single from 'SOTT' was a huge blunder.I love this song,but it is not single material.Most listeners had no idea what the song was really about.Not surprisingly,the single flopped and it stalled the album's momentum.

Another huge mistake: releasing the bland "Glam Slam" as the second single from 'Lovesexy'.A better choice would have been the fast,exciting title track.

metalorange said:

I'm convinced that,here in the States,"Girls and Boys" would have been a Top 10 smash if it had been the second single.It was the obvious follow-up to "Kiss".

ElCapitan said:

not necessarily.I think many of us are on the page when it comes to singles.It's not hard to determine what songs should be singles.For example,I think most of us agree that "Girls And Boys" should have been the second single from 'Parade'.

All Im saying is it would have been lovely if Incense and Candles was a single.

ashynevermind said:

In a way,it's almost as if it was the first single."Sexy MF" was released in June 1992,months ahead of the album,which wasn't released until October.I consider "Sexy MF" to be more like an underground single,and it certainly didn't get alot of radio airplay for obvious reasons,lol."My Name Is Prince" feels like the official first single.

For You: Soft & Wet; In Love; Just As Long As We'er Together
Prince: I Wanna Be Your Lover; I Feel For You; Sexy Dancer; Still Waiting
Dirty Mind: When U Were Mine; Uptown; Head; Do It All Night
Controversy: Controversy; Sexuality; Do Me Baby; Lets Work
1999: 1999; Little Red Corvette; Delirious; Lets Pretend We're Married
Purple Rain: When Doves Cry; Lets Go Crazy; Purple Rain; I Would Die 4 U; The Beautiful ones
ATWIAD: Raspberry Beret; Pop Life; Shes Always In My Hair; Paisley Park
Parade: Kiss; Girls & Boys; Mountains
SOTT: SOTT; U Got The Look; ICNTTPOYM; Adore; Housequake
Lovesexy: Alphabet St; I Wish U Heaven; I No; Glam Slam
Batman: Batdance; Partyman; Electric Chair
Graffiti Bridge: Thieves In The Temple; Elephants & Flowers; NPG
Diamonds & Pearls: Gett Off; Cream; Diamonds & Pearls; Money Dont Matter
: Sexy MF; My Name Is Prince; 7; The Morning Papers
Come: Space; Dark
The Gold Experience: TMBGITW; Endorphin Machine; Gold; Dolphin; Now
Chaos & Disorder: Dinner With Delores
Emancipation: The Holy River; Jam of The Year; My Computer; The Love We Make
New Power Soul: Come On; Mad Sex; Until U'er In My Arms Again
Rave In2: So Far So Pleased; The Greatest Romance; baby Knows
The Rainbow Children: She Loves Me 4 Me; The Work; Last December
One Night Alone: A Case Of U;
Musicology: Musicology; Cinamon Girl; Call My Name; Reflection
3121: Fury; Black Sweat; Lolita; beautiful loved & Blessed

"Private Joy" should have been a single.It's the best song on 'Controversy' and I think it would have fared well as a single.

I agree with you,Crozza..."The Beautiful Ones" should have been the fifth and final single from 'Purple Rain' instead of the less exciting "Take Me With U".But you don't seriously believe that "Head" should have been a single,do you?


Am I the only one who thinks that "The Future" would have been a strong single?

metalorange said:

Actually, Mountains was the follow up to Kiss. Girls & Boys was the third UK single from Parade.

SoulAlive said:

ok, that's 1..


This is an interesting discussion. I just take it for what it is, Monday Morning Quarterbacking.

The easiest thing in the world is to critcise with the benefit of hindsight. Since Prince obviously didn't have the benefit of hindsight and still managed to have a somewhat successful career, it just seems a bit much to suggest that he was a failure at picking singles, imho.
[Edited 10/13/06 6:36am]

Cloudbuster said:

I'm sorry, but that's not correct. Kiss was first, Girls & Boys was second, Anotherloverholenyohead was the third singl reaching 36. Mountains was available as a single in some parts of Europe but only as an import in the UK and it did not chart. Check out http://www.everyhit.com and type in 'Prince' in the first box next to 'Contains the word', it shows all his UK top 40 hits.

metalorange said:

Metalorange knows his stuff

SoulAlive said:

I can only talk about the UK market. For instance, 'Sexy MF' reached number 4 in the UK, whereas the 2nd single 'My Name Is Princ' only reached 7, so clearly that was the correct decision over here.

SoulAlive said:

There is a 12 inch of The Future backed by Electric Chair (I think it was released in Germany but I am not certain).

ElCapitan said:

True,but keep in mind that,flop singles can slow an album's momentum and it's clear that many of his albums would have done better if different singles were released.Case in point: the 'SOTT' album began tumbling down the charts when "IIWYGF" was released as a single.To no one's surprise,the album began climbing back up the charts when the catchy "U Got The Look" was released as the third single.It's not inconceivable that Prince ruined the sales potential of many of his albums,simply by choosing the wrong singles.And even though many people blame 'Lovesexy's failure on the nude album cover,I still insist that it failed because of lackluster singles."Glam Slam" is a cool album track that fits the theme of the album,but it not single material.As a pop single,it is a snoozefest.But what would have happened if he had released the fast,knock-em-dead title track as the second single?

metalorange said:

08 Mar '86 Kiss #6
14 Jun '86 MOUNTAINS #45
16 Aug '86 Girls & Boys #11
01 Nov '86 Anotherloverholenyohead #36

DanceWme said:

I guess he doesn't.

Cloudbuster said:

I didn't think the choices for singles got to be really stupid until the 90s.



Also, back in the day I never heard ICNTTPOYM on the radio. They always played "Hot Thing" instead. Same way with "Anotherlover..." and its b-side, "Girls and Boys". Urban radio preferred the b-side.