I'd love to see everyone's top ten, so post 'em if you got 'em.

My top ten strongest endings to Prince albums are (drumroll please....):

01) Live 4 Love
02) The Sacrifice Of Victor
03) Gold
04) Positivity
05) Rockhard In A Funky Place
06) Purple Rain
07) Party Up
08) Adore
09) Emancipation
10) Welcome 2 The Dawn/South (tied)

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[Edited 3/27/07 8:47am]
[Edited 3/27/07 8:49am]

I only have 4 albums, but here's where I rank them

1. Purple Rain/Gold (tie) (Purple Rain/TGE)
3. Reflection (Musicology)
4. Get on the Boat (3121)

I'm not quite sure, though. I haven't listened to Get on the Boat in a while, so I don't remember how strong it is.

Then, there's the matter of Gold and Purple Rain... two brilliant songs, but one of them is my "soul tattoo", it's kinda hard to choose one or the other as being the better ending w/o a hint of favoritism.

Not sure if we can add this, but what about his involvement in the NPG records from the 1990s? If so, you have to include "Johnny" (GoldNigga) and "Exodus Has Just Begun" (Exodus) as two strong endings to your list.

a2grafix said:

Yeah, that's cool. I consider those Prince albums anyway. And I love how both of them end, especially Exodus.

But really, it could be any song that Prince wrote that ends an album...or ends a maxi single for that matter.

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DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Those two give me chills every time! I especially love the vocal overdubs which fade out at the end of Gold.....that puts me in orbit!

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gcu1 said:

Purple Rain certainly gives me chills. Both threaten to drive me to tears with every listen... but PR not as much.

1. Gold
2. Live 4 Love
3. Temptation
4. Goodbye
5. Jack U Off
6. Prettyman
7. Positivity
8. Adore
9. Purple Rain
10. Get on the Boat

thekidsgirl said:

I can't believe I didn't include "Goodbye" in my list. That's one of my all time favorites!!!! Thanks for reminding me!

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in no order:


Purple Rain
Party Up
Gold
The Exdous Has Begun
Rockhard In A Funky Place
Get On The Boat
Live 4 Love
Batdance
Last December
Emancipation

in no order

Purple Rain
Partyup
International Lover
Batdance
Gold
Adore
Sometimes It Snows In April
Prettyman

"Had U"

gcu1 said:

That list is on point but I would replace the last two songs with the once I typed in bold letters. Great thread idea, by the way.

1. Adore
2. Purple Rain
3. Partyup
4. Goodbye
5. I'm Yours
6. Gold
7. Positivity
8. Last December
9. Extraordinary
10.The Exodus Has Begun

1) Adore- left me in stunned silence for a long time after I first heard it, makes SOTTT seem "complete"
2) Gold - song just rises to great heights, and leaves me trembling
3) Purple Rain- no comment needed
4) Sometimes it Snows in April- so sad and contemplative
5) Positivity- funky
7) Last December- uplifting
8) Get on the Boat- like the horns
9) Extraordinary- beautiful romance
10) International Lover - the jam

beautifulone7 said:

Same for me. I already feel like that song has helped me so much. It's so uplifting and it's good for the soul... my soul

1. International Lover
2. Temptation
3. Adore
4. Live 4 Love
5. Purple Rain
6. Batdance
7. Partyup
8. Gold
9. It's Gonna Be Lonely
10. Positivity

I'm shocked that people (many, it seems) actually like Get on the Boat - I think it's the most cringeworthy Prince track since Wedding Feast.

Anyway, my favorite endings are:

- Had U (short but sweet, and wonderfully moody, this song perfectly caps off the story behind C&D)
- Gold (over the top, yes, but glorious and heartfelt. Love the guitar solo and descending "na na na"s at the end)
- Positivity (I could listen to this track on repeat for hours... love the watery sounds and the smoothness of it all)
- Sometimes it Snows in April (heartbreaking, but in a beautiful and understated way)