Over the past couple of days, I've learned through the tracks of "The Gold Experience", my first time doing so in a couple of weeks. I'm glad I finally found my way back to it. I find something very interesting while doing so.

While the person behind the album was called , I believe that Prince is still present in a few of the tracks. I thought initially that TGE was done by a completely different person than the Prince I know, but after giving it more thought, some of the elements in the different songs let me know that Prince is still present. Here's my take on it (and my rating of each track):

P. Control Has a hint of Prince. The lyrics for the majority are ’s expertise, though. Some of the music has a hint of Prince, but very little.
Endorphin machine :*:Music is some of Prince, but ’s lyrics overshadow it, throwing it into chaos. Some parts sound like possessed Prince.
Shh :*:Levels out the energy of Endorphin machine. A lot of the guitar definitely proves that it’s Prince behind the song. A little more romantic, a lesser version of “The Beautiful Ones”, but just as good for different reasons. A little bit of is present, but just barely. It’s actually the exact opposite of Endorphin machine.
We March1/2 Prince’s music, but ’s lyrics. helps a little bit with the extra elements mixed in with the music.
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World Purely the romantic side of . It’s his lyrics, because they’re come off a little simpler than Prince’s best. The speaking part is Prince and uniting over one idea. The chorus after the speaking part is Prince singing from the heart.
Dolphin1/2 Prince’s lyrics spoken through ’s voice and music. Prince speaks about reincarnation as and the reasons why. Prince connects me thru the song making it easier to learn. ’s best guitar playing because he learned it all from Prince himself. The two persona work together very well in this song.
Now :*:Purely a incarnation. One of his less impressive tracks to say the least, but it comes off a little better than Endorphin machine.
319 Prince and come to an agreement on this track, but it’s so out there that it’s impossible to denounce the fact that is present. A more relaxed, but more mature version of “Darling Nikki”
Shy [tenative] Very laid-back, which convinces me that it can’t be all of Prince’s doing. I’ll need a few more listens to be sure who does what in this song. The style belongs to , but Prince probably did most of things on this song under ’s direction.
Billy Jack1/2 Carries ’s attitude from P. Control and helps to speak what Prince truly feels about the subject matter. The extension of the instrumental solo towards the end is definitely Prince’s doing.
Eye Hate U1/2 Feels like speaking what Prince truly feels. Prince’s heart feels like its breaking and trying to piece itself back together. The speaking part is ’s voice with Prince’s word. The final guitar solo is definitely Prince taking control and showing his confusion and anger and frustration and how hurt he is over the situation.
Gold:*:Prince speaking spiritually through ’s voice. They work together to get the music just right. The chorus is definitely Prince’s doing, but the verses are more so . They reunite as one in the last verse. “What’s the use of being young if you ain’t get old” is speaking one last time. Slowly as the song fades out, the person in control is Prince. The background vocals are definitely slowly fading away.

Another side note: I'm sure he had a reason for adding the NPG operator into the album as additional tracks... but it just gets in the way of the music.
A few weeks ago, I would have been fine with letting TGE fade into the background, but after giving it another chance, I can't do that, there's a lot of good stuff here, although I'm not sure where it ranks with Prince's other accomplishments, with time and patience, I should be able to.


See my re-evaluation on this album on Reply #44
[Edited 3/28/07 12:01pm]

Very good track-by-track anaylisis! I totally agree... while and Prince are indeed 2 distinct personas, they are always a part of each other. Personally, I prefer Prince, of course, but there are times when I really love 's work, too...

love4oneanother said:

Absolutely. I'm glad I actually got a response at all.

I do prefer Prince quite a lot just because I've spent more time with him. I spent some time yesterday going through Housequake's videos to get everything from 92-95, just get a sense of what he was like. In some instances, it was more evident that was in control.

I'd like to say that TMBGITW is Prince's work, but there's something different about it that doesn't put it in the same class with Prince. Not that it's better or worse, just different. is in sole control throughout most of the song, but Prince shines thru a little towards the end of the song.
Dolphin is where Prince is the most apparent (except for my soul tattoo "Gold", of course), but his words are spoken thru a different voice.

I guess you could say that I feel that TGE is a bit of a spiritual album.

Really not trying to flame you as I have enjoyed reading much of your analyis over the last few weeks (it's always nice to welcome new Prince fans)...however, this thread is cracking me up!

There is simply no way IMHO to split Prince from

If Warner Bros and Prince had solved their differences in 1993 then Prince would never have become

The name change, despite what Prince said at the time about spiritual awakenings etc, was purely a mechanism to try and get out of his contract.

Certainly the music released INITIALLY under the name was more angry due to the feud with WB but he also released music under that name until 1999 (and Emancipation is some happy shit).

jaypotton said:

Yeah, I know. Some fans most likely read it and are thinking the same thing you are.
Prince has said more than once that there's another person inside him... which leads me to believe that it's more than possible that that person is responsible for a great deal of music on this album.

I'm still spending time with it, so I haven't the slightest idea where to rank it with my other ones. Heh, I'm feeling like 3121 is getting neglected cuz I haven't listened to it in over a week... but the tracks of TGE keep coming back.

I'm sure some fans see things my way and some see it your way. My philosophy of this album being done by Prince's two persona stems from the fact that I'm roughly a new fan. It's very strange, though, because other than this album, his later material in his years as sound like Prince material. TGRES is a perfect example of that. At that point, I can't split him into two personalities... most likely because I think he's made peace with himself at that point (that was part of the reason he wrote "SLAVE" across his face). Anyway, this album and I didn't hit off initially and I figure it's because this album has a different presence in it that I'm unfamiliar, but with every listen, I'm understanding it more and more.

TGE is a bit of a spiritual album for Prince because I feel that he's really exploring himself spiritually throughout it, experimenting with new and unusual melodies and lyrics. That's basically the impression I get from it.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Could you perhaps elaborate on how these two personas differ from each other, in your opinion? What are their characteristics, musically/lyrically or otherwise?
(I mean in general, not through these specific songs)

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

To think that you even considered letting this album "fade into the background" perplexes me

RealMusician said:

Ooo... tough question. Sure, I came up with the concept, you'd think I would know what I'm talking about.

It's more of a feeling... it's kinda hard to explain. I'll definitely try my best, though... becuz I see something that others don't. Or maybe I'm completely delusional and the style of this album is so unusual that this is my only explanation for it.

I guess I see as a crazier, more bizarre side of Prince. That itself sounds weird because Prince is already a bit bizarre and crazy as it is. But I guess is a bit more "gangsta" than Prince. At the same time, though, he plays music that could go deeper than Prince, although his lyrics aren't quite as cryptic.

TGE is unique because I feel like there's another presence within the music that wasn't in his music previously. Or maybe what I hear is just Prince getting more in touch with himself spiritually... I could think of a few theories to support my views, but that's the best I can come up with at this point. It's really hard to explain.

thekidsgirl said:

All Prince fans explore him differently.
Just be glad that I didn't let it fade away completely.

This thread is cracking me up, too. Again no, offense, but I was amazed at the detail you went into in breaking up the two personalities.

I figured you meant one song is Prince and one song is , but they actually appear on the same tracks!

But this split was apparent from the album . The songs go back & forth. My Name is Prince is one personality, as is I Wanna Melt With U, (the cocky, uncaring prince) and those characters (the prince with chains on his face, a great symbol in itself) are destroyed in "7". The album title makes perfect sense as he's exploring the different sides of himself.

NDRU said:

I suppose I would have to get the album simply titled to understand the extent of your explanation. Don't get me wrong, I believe that it's possible. I heard some of the tracks, "The Morning Papers" and "Blue Light" are a couple that I like a lot. But "My Name is Prince"... ugh, can't stand it... that's certainly not the way I see him.

TGE is a very unique specimen, cuz there really isn't a clear cut explanation to what I see. To me, it feels like every track has a new presence in it that I didn't find in his earlier work ("Diamonds and Pearls" material and before). But I can definitely ID some tracks as more Prince or emphasized tracks.

P. Control, Now and TMBGITW are -centric tracks, while Shh and Gold are more Prince-centric. There's a certain "spice" in every track that convinces me that there's more than one force at work. Dolphin is a good example of this, because the words are so deep and seemingly personal that I don't feel like Prince could ever "speak" them himself, so he's aided by his other personality, . While is more "gangsta" and a bigger risk-taker than Prince, he can be just as sweet and heartfelt. His lyrics, at times, come across as spiritual, but not quite Prince's style. There's less edge and they're not as cryptic as Prince's usual best.

TMBGITW sounds like it could be Prince's doing, but something about it just doesn't feel like him. It comes off differently. The lyrics aren't as cryptic as his best, but they're very heartfelt and truthful.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

It's not how I see him, either, but I think maybe it was how he saw himself at the time. A self absorbed (if funky) womanizer.

The whole album tells a story. The Morning Papers is kind of a narrative, whereas M.N.I.P. is him in character. It's the story of the evolution of the persona, which worships women rather than uses them.

NDRU said:

I heard somewhere that the album was more of "rock opera". You really have me curious about it now. Would you recommend it?

In the era when his name was , there's still so much mystery and I've a lot to discover about it. The strangest thing I found was that he was still Prince when that album came out... I coulda sworn that it was his first album when he changed his name... just goes to show I have a lot to learn still. But that's ok.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

he changed his name just after it, and it let us to look for clues about it in the album--just like "Paul is dead" "Is his name Victor?" "Is he retiring?" "Is he marrying a 16 year old?" "Is he mad?"

I'd definitely recommend it. Though song for song it may not be as strong as Gold, it's maybe my favorite or second favorite of the 90's albums.

It took me a long time to get used to (My Name Is Prince left a bad taste in my mouth, and Tony's rapping isn't for everyone), but I got into the story & figuring out what it really meant. It was an exciting & weird time in Prince's mythology, and really relates to what you're saying about Gold.

The music gets very complex at times, which I really like. And it's got some great pop tunes, too--Sexy MF, Morning Papers, Blue Light, 7, Damn U.

It's uneven, but great.

NDRU said:

Man, it feels like there's no end to the "madness". I've already got a couple of albums that I wanna get and now I wanna add this to the list. A lot of people recommended this album in particular, claiming it was one of his best. I'm no position to make/break that claim, but it certainly is stronger than Musicology to say the least. It took me a while to get used to this album, which is hard for others to believe, but I guess because this is the first time I was exposed to 's material. I used to refer to him in the time period from 93-99 as out of respect, but looking at his music in TGE, it's evident that "Prince" hadn't disappeared completely from the music and more or less, is an extension/limitation of Prince's personality that explores diff. areas that Prince wouldn't normally touch (at least I can't see him touching in areas where his music comes off more "gangsta"-- P. Control & Now to name a couple).

For those who are curious, I'm interested in getting Emancipation, Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic and Diamonds & Pearls... Now I'll probably add to my list.
I'm very curious about the era of , which is why I added a couple of those to the list... but I've heard a few tracks from D&P already and love 'em.

But that's part of Prince's appeal, there's always something new to discover in the music I already have and in the songs I have yet to hear. Not to mention the man himself is full of mysteries waiting to be solved.

skywalker said:

From what I unnerstan,
the 'e' is silent.

skywalker said:

Good question. I actually accept the fact that has no pronounciation. It suits him perfectly.
Only now, I really can't refer to him from 93-99 as "The Artist" or "The Artist Formerly Known as Prince"... I don't want to, because he said that those were devices created by the media so they'd know how to address him. I'm SO GLAD that he's Prince again because I wouldn't know what to call him out of respect. (I sure can't call him Prince when that's not what he calls himself).

I guess the fact that Prince acknowledged as a diff. person must have gotten to me while listening to that album. I can't help thinking that there are some elements in the diff. songs that are more Prince's or 's style. There's no clearcut answer for me, at least not right now.

I've got a question.
Does anyone else feel that Endorphinmachine doesn't belong on the album?

I mean, it kinda does because the lyrics are purely material, but the guitar is definitely Prince becuz he loves a good guitar-rock song. It fits in sequence, but it just doesn't impress me all that much.

And yes, I'm aware that it was originally slotted to appear on "Come".

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

I wouldn't. I know how much you love 3121, and I do too, so I assume we have similar tastes when it comes to Prince. Personally, I hate the symbol album.

Jakeasaurus said:

True, if you want a simple song based album with no b.s., then don't get . It's all over the place. But it definitely has its share of classics.

Jakeasaurus said:

Wow, I'm surprised someone remembered that.

It's been a week since I listened to 3121. I want to get back to it, but its kinda hard to... I'm still living in the limelight of TGE, waiting for it to kinda work its way out of my system b4 I move onto something else. The last time I made a jump to another album after TGE (actually, "Purple Rain" the movie)... inner conflicts ensued... they were so different that for a while, it was hard to get back to TGE. I'm glad I did finally get back to it, its' a very interesting album and that's a good thing. I like something that keeps me interested.

Thanx for looking out for me like that. I'm still a little curious about the album, but it's lower on my priority list.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

Definitely eventually end up listening to everything you can get your hands on... but, yeah.. I'd wait a while before you listen to

If you're enjoying The Gold Experience, you should try to get your hands on some info on the first pressing of it... there were several different configurations and they're all pretty interesting. My friends and I all agreed that "Gold" (the first press before it was renamed TGE) is way stronger than The Gold Experience. Once you know more about the era, you'll learn that TGE is a good pop album, but it's watered down from what it was originally going to be.

Jakeasaurus said:

My general policy on Prince is to listen to everything I can get my hands on, but I'm a little bit more cautious about it. I do it in a more spontaneous fashion. I've heard some interesting things already, like how Prince wanted to release it and Come at the same time. And some of the tracks were originally slotted for "Come". Endorphinmachine was one of them, which makes some sense because "Come" is supposedly one of Prince's darker albums... and Endorphinmachine has quite a bit of edge to it (a certain edge that I'm not quite as fond of as some other people).

I feel like P. Control, Now, Billy Jack and 319 are particulary edgy tracks that go against the somewhat-spiritual feel I get from the others, like TMBGITW, We March, Shh, Gold, and Dolphin. Eye Hate U kinda combines the two and I'm quite sure where Shy fits in. I haven't listened to it quite enough.

But I'll definitely look into the history of the album. Thanx for the tip.

Man!! DreamyPop, what time do you have to: go to school, go to work, eat, sleep, go out, shower, etc.?

Just askin'

PaisleyPark5083 said:

I don't have classes today, so that's why I'm on so much today.
I'm at college, so campus and the cafeteria are walking distance from where I am in the campus apartments.

And usually, I do have a big gap of free time during the middle of the day.

What's really unbelievable is that I have yet to listen to one Prince song today just because I don't know what I'm in the mood for. Although I did have Cream in my head earlier... but it went away when I got access to my CD player.

Your posts are always a joy to read, just wanted to make sure you're not chained to your computer....going, "one more post, just one more post!"

PaisleyPark5083 said:

thanx.

I've heard quite a few interesting comments on my take on TGE and I'm glad that my thread has survived as long as it has... usually my album evaluations are short-lived.

Great thread, DPR...

I suggest getting the album. Personally, it's one of my favorites!

love4oneanother said:

Thanx. I'm just glad it's still hanging around. But a lot of people suggested this album to me, so I figure that plays a role.

I watched a televised performance on Arsenio of a few songs from the album on Housequake... that's what initally got me interested. Although I'll most likely skip over 'My Name is Prince'... just because that's not the way I see him.

Man, right now, I feel like I need a cold shower just because today's temps are so whack. I'm at a college by Atlantic City (I don't go to AC cuz I don't have a car, lol), and it's like 80° outside. Plus, people are blasting music from 3 diff. stereos... and it's like chaos. I definitely need some Prince music and I really don't care right now which album I pick up after my cold shower.

Keep commenting, guys.

Go right now and buy the album, put on headphones and soak in Prince at his most over the top brilliance!