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Parade even better then Sign of the Times? For years i have considered Sign of the Times as Princes 'magnum opus'.
But recently i am listening to Parade a lot, and it makes me think that this is maybe Princes best album ever. It might not be perfect when it comes to the (strength of the ) individual songs, but when it comes to the flow of the material, the playfullness, the freedom Prince and The Revolution express on this record, the more surprising subtle / layered aspects of popular music, this album might be even better then Sign of the Times. Anyone agrees with me? | |
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Riverpoet31 said: For years i have considered Sign of the Times as Princes 'magnum opus'.
But recently i am listening to Parade a lot, and it makes me think that this is maybe Princes best album ever. It might not be perfect when it comes to the (strength of the ) individual songs, but when it comes to the flow of the material, the playfullness, the freedom Prince and The Revolution express on this record, the more surprising subtle / layered aspects of popular music, this album might be even better then Sign of the Times. Anyone agrees with me? I do. I love both albums and they are both on my top 5 albums, but Parade does it for me. The album just flows so well together and even if there are imperfections on Parade, I don't notice them because the songs are just so damn great. Sign is phenomenal and is incredible as a whole but Parade puts a smile on my face.  Give me Parade any day.I'm not a fan of "old Prince". I'm not a fan of "new Prince". I'm just a fan of Prince. Simple as that | |
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Well, I'll agree that there are better albums than Sign O The Times most definitely. I've always felt that it was and still is blindly accepted as Prince's finest moment when there are only a handful of songs on it that can truly be appreciated as works of art.
Parade pisses on it from a great height, as does Lovesexy. For me, Sign is like a compilation of the weakest songs Prince recorded during the 86/87 period. Here's an odd thing: after the album's release, once I'd learnt that Prince originally wanted his 1987 album to be a triple album and Warner's wouldn't let him, and after I'd heard the majority of the songs that were originally intended for the Dream Factory/Crystal Ball projects, I came to the conclusion that he'd stripped away all the best songs from the project and left the weaker ones to be released as the 'Sign O The Times' album. Maybe as a one-fingered salute to 'the firm'. It was only once the Prince community came online and spoke out where I realised that there really were fans out there who felt that 'Sign O The Times' was his defining moment. It still bewilders me now. | |
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Parade is Prince's worst 80s album if you don't count Batman. So SOTT is certainly much, much mo better. | |
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Parade is a wonderful opus!
Black and white cover, black and white film, yet a sound with more colour that anything Prince has ever released before and since. . | |
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Oooo, I dunno. I think sott has a lot of bizzarre musical genius moments which I totally love. At the time that it came out though, being a teenager then, i loved them both equally. However, now, I prefer parade because I find it more satifying in the authentic department in general. It says something deeper about him which as a listener, gives me more to connect to in my own experience. Plus Parade has 'Mountains' - a genuinely performed, life affirming shit-hot song. That's right, you are Divinity | |
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Haystack said: Well, I'll agree that there are better albums than Sign O The Times most definitely. I've always felt that it was and still is blindly accepted as Prince's finest moment when there are only a handful of songs on it that can truly be appreciated as works of art.
Parade pisses on it from a great height, as does Lovesexy. For me, Sign is like a compilation of the weakest songs Prince recorded during the 86/87 period. Here's an odd thing: after the album's release, once I'd learnt that Prince originally wanted his 1987 album to be a triple album and Warner's wouldn't let him, and after I'd heard the majority of the songs that were originally intended for the Dream Factory/Crystal Ball projects, I came to the conclusion that he'd stripped away all the best songs from the project and left the weaker ones to be released as the 'Sign O The Times' album. Maybe as a one-fingered salute to 'the firm'. It was only once the Prince community came online and spoke out where I realised that there really were fans out there who felt that 'Sign O The Times' was his defining moment. It still bewilders me now. Wow. That is one wrong opinion.  If prince.org were to be made idiot proof, someone would just invent a better idiot. | |
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Haystack said: Well, I'll agree that there are better albums than Sign O The Times most definitely. I've always felt that it was and still is blindly accepted as Prince's finest moment when there are only a handful of songs on it that can truly be appreciated as works of art.
Parade pisses on it from a great height, as does Lovesexy. For me, Sign is like a compilation of the weakest songs Prince recorded during the 86/87 period. Here's an odd thing: after the album's release, once I'd learnt that Prince originally wanted his 1987 album to be a triple album and Warner's wouldn't let him, and after I'd heard the majority of the songs that were originally intended for the Dream Factory/Crystal Ball projects, I came to the conclusion that he'd stripped away all the best songs from the project and left the weaker ones to be released as the 'Sign O The Times' album. Maybe as a one-fingered salute to 'the firm'. Agree, especially about Parade and Lovesexy, I love these, and have done for many years. Don't get me wrong, I also love SOTT, I just feel it gets so much praise because it is loaded with uncomplicated, great sounding, almost pop sounding stuff, and even casual fans can dig that. Like I said, I do love it also, but there are better in my opinion. It was only once the Prince community came online and spoke out where I realised that there really were fans out there who felt that 'Sign O The Times' was his defining moment. It still bewilders me now. | |
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Even though I was singing the praises of Parade above, I forgot to state that I think SOTT is the greatest album of all time. . | |
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as a collection of individual songs, SOTT might eclipse parade, but i think in terms of how the album flows as a whole, i am madly in love with parade and i have been ever since it first came out. not that SOTT doesn't flow, but parade almost plays like a seemless mix tape - it just carries you through from beginning to end, and before you know where your head's at, the album is over. it's hard to compare SOTT and parade, because they're both great...but parade will always be a bit special to me.  | |
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I rate ATWIAD and Parade both higher than SOTT. | |
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Anx said: as a collection of individual songs, SOTT might eclipse parade, but i think in terms of how the album flows as a whole, i am madly in love with parade and i have been ever since it first came out. not that SOTT doesn't flow, but parade almost plays like a seemless mix tape - it just carries you through from beginning to end, and before you know where your head's at, the album is over. it's hard to compare SOTT and parade, because they're both great...but parade will always be a bit special to me.
I know what you mean. Parade seems to be one of the few Prince albums to be put together as an album, rather than a throw together of individual tracks. As a result, you feel like you are being taken on a journey. . | |
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While I like SOTT better,
the truth is, that I don't know, Riverpoet. I just don't know. On a relative level, I guess it can be said to be better. But, then again, in this context, the opposite agrument would also be true. If there was some-one whom we could consult that could give you a definite answer on this, I don't know who that would be. The only thing I'm sure of, is that it ain't me. I'm struggling right now to earn my GED for gosh's sake! And even if I did know of some-one or some organization who could provide us an answer to this, an answer that would leave no room for doubt or objectivity, I'm not sure that I would point you in that direction. What if the answer went against your opinion in regards to this subject. When I think of the mental let alone emotional ramifications that results when one's opinion to something they enjoy is disproved, well..... I just don't think that I could bear the burden of such a responsibility. My advice: Enjoy the Parade, Rp. Just enjoy it. | |
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 Sign " " the Times
Parade | |
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FunkiestOne said: Parade is Prince's worst 80s album if you don't count Batman. So SOTT is certainly much, much mo better.
FunkiestOne that's what u call urself? This type of irony makes life worth living. | |
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Riverpoet31 said: For years i have considered Sign of the Times as Princes 'magnum opus'.
But recently i am listening to Parade a lot, and it makes me think that this is maybe Princes best album ever. Parade is by far my favorite album of the 80's. I think the album, taken as a whole, is a much more artistic, colorful, interesting, and curiously "eclectic yet cohesive" album than anything else Prince has ever released. It's fiery yet delicate and the experimental nature of it just plasters over any possible faults, imo. The fact that many tracks are positively cinematic doesn't hurt, either. SOTT is a great album, full of some classic tracks, but it doesn't cover as much ground as Parade. | |
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adorable2 said: FunkiestOne said: Parade is Prince's worst 80s album if you don't count Batman. So SOTT is certainly much, much mo better.
FunkiestOne that's what u call urself? This type of irony makes life worth living.  | |
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adorable2 said: FunkiestOne said: Parade is Prince's worst 80s album if you don't count Batman. So SOTT is certainly much, much mo better.
FunkiestOne that's what u call urself? This type of irony makes life worth living. Why is it ironic? He/She is right. Well I think Parade just edges ATWINA. SOTT is SOOOOO much better IMO. Baby, that was much too fast... 1958-2016 | |
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Parade comes nowhere near 2 being as good as SOTT. | |
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Anx said: as a collection of individual songs, SOTT might eclipse parade, but i think in terms of how the album flows as a whole, i am madly in love with parade and i have been ever since it first came out. not that SOTT doesn't flow, but parade almost plays like a seemless mix tape - it just carries you through from beginning to end, and before you know where your head's at, the album is over. it's hard to compare SOTT and parade, because they're both great...but parade will always be a bit special to me.
Agreed. Up until Kiss. I learned that Prince never new what to do with the song either, so i guess that may show why it lies uncomfortably in the album. | |
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Am I allowed to like and enjoy both without the need to feel one is better than the other?? Apples and Oranges.  " A mind changed against its will, is of the same opinion still" | |
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A year ago I would say Parade is much better, but I rediscovered SOTT recently when I got it on vinyl. Although Parade flows better like many of you guys say, it has nothing as raw as It and The Cross. So I'll go with SOTT for now.  | |
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prettylies said: Am I allowed to like and enjoy both without the need to feel one is better than the other?? Apples and Oranges.
NO YOU ARE NOT. YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU TOO HAVE AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND THAT YOURS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS JUST STUPID | |
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datdude said: prettylies said: Am I allowed to like and enjoy both without the need to feel one is better than the other?? Apples and Oranges.
NO YOU ARE NOT. YOU MUST DEMONSTRATE THAT YOU TOO HAVE AN OPINION ONE WAY OR THE OTHER AND THAT YOURS IS THE ONLY ONE THAT IS RIGHT AND EVERYONE ELSE IS JUST STUPID Ahhh, now this all makes sense  [Edited 4/6/07 6:50am] " A mind changed against its will, is of the same opinion still" | |
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Funkmeimfamous said: adorable2 said: FunkiestOne that's what u call urself? This type of irony makes life worth living. Why is it ironic? He/She is right. Well I think Parade just edges ATWINA. SOTT is SOOOOO much better IMO. What I found ironic about this post had NOTHING to do with Parade vs SOTT... | |
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Parade has some wonderful music but has never worked as a completely cohesive album for me. The focus comes in and out too much...for every masterpeiece like "Mountains" there is an almost unlistenable clunker like "Do U Lie" which you should not listen to if you are going to be operating heavy machinery. It's Prince trying on different hats the whole album and while a lot of them work some of them don't. It's a very good but not great album to me.
Sign O the Times is diverse too but for me it has always been a complete experience. Prince opens with a dirge of death and then the rest of the way out it's an embracing of life, ending in a vow of love ever after. Everything with the exception of "Slow Love" which I just can't get into, works. It would have been too much as a triple album and lacking as a single CD. It is almost perfect and the most focused Prince has ever or will ever be on a CD. It is his masterwork. All good things they say never last... | |
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To be clear, i didnt start this thread as Sign vs Parade thing, but just to tell i am doubting right now which Prince album i really consider his best.
Maybe its a bit thing like comparing apples and pears by the way. Both albums have there strength and weaknesses, their own characteristics, both albums are great in their own way. One other thing that came to mind: During the period 1985 - 1987 has recorded so much splendid material (as the bootlegs show us) that he probably could have released a third (single- or double) album that would have been as strong as Parade or Sign. A sign for me that Prince was at his best and most profilic during those years. | |
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sexxydancer said: Parade comes nowhere near 2 being as good as SOTT.
100% agreed! | |
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Parade is better to me, although it doesn't have as many KILLER songs. It's a whole lot more organic sounding and has a better feel. "Man, the living creature, the creating individual, is always more important than any established style or system" - Bruce Lee | |
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