Alright, don't jump on me! I'm trying to be constructive.
My oppinion is that Musicology, to some extent, and 3121, especially, are lacking that little something to make them FEEL like a proper album.

I think a 'better' album could be made combining the two albums.
Maybe it's just me, but I find it really difficult to single out more than 2 or three that I REALLY like from each, but here goes nothing.

Order may differ:

3121
Musicology
Lolita
What do you want me to do?
The marrying kind
If I was the man in your life
On the couch
The dance
Reflection

Sorry, would be interested to know what others think about the idea in general though. (apart from I need my head examining!)

I see what you are saying. The two albums are not too different from one another, unlike many of Prince's greater works. I think that tracks could be combined quite easily without sounding to out of place. What that order would be is dependant entirely on the listener. Personally, ive never been one to mess with albums, although i do see that some people here love to chop and change tracks for extended versions and outakes etc..


I remember one 'insider' who will remain nameless said, shortly before its release, that 3121 was going to be to musicology what the symbol album was to diamonds and pearls. Now that we have the album i don't hear that claim at all. It's all subjective of course.


Have fun creating your hybrid album bonedaddy.

Lolita is such a disappointing track.

I can honestly say that I barely listen to Lolita & Satisfied. Those are the only 2 tracks tha I dislike on the 3121 album. Take those away and you got a perfect album. Well ok.
[Edited 4/23/07 7:38am]

I'd prefer listening to them back 2 back like a double album and "combining" 'em that way, rather than chopping them up into a single album.

.....

gcu1 said:

Yeah, I'd agree with that. 3121 would be disc one (great opening track and Get On The Boat isn't the best album closer but as a closer to disc one, it would be okay) and Musicology would be disc two seeing as Reflection is the perfect closer.

bonedaddy said:

haha, relax.
Actually, that's not that bad of an idea. People have told me 'how can you compare the two when they're so different'... hey, it's easier for me than comparing TGE and PR... especially when I get the film involved... that was pretty ugly.

B4 listening 2 Musicology, I checked out the last three tracks of 3121 and it doesn't sound all that bad. It just seems to work well... quite possibly, he might have written some of the 3121 tracks during Musicology's time, but they didn't fit or he just couldn't fit them on there.
3121 seems to be sub-par to Musicology in my eyes because 3121 feels a little like "studio plastic" and Musicology is more raw and feels more realistic.
"The Dance" doesn't sound like 'plastic' to me cuz I can actually imagine him playing the instruments and such.

I might try that little combination you have there later today. Could produce some interesting results.
Musicology is stronger as a whole than 3121... but I feel like it kinda falls off the tracks around tracks 8-10... I can't figure how 8-9 fit into the scheme of things. I can't help wondering if that was just a story Prince was telling in 1st person, or was it something that actually happened to him? Ha, my mind's too full of questions to figure it out.
I wish he had done better with some of the tracks on 3121. Lolita and Fury sound like plastic at times and he could have really gone further with Te Amo Corazon... I keep comparing it to the Brits performance, but it can't be helped if he just gives it more gas when he does it live... still love the song thu.

3121
Lolita
A Million Days
Te Amo Corazon
Black Sweat
Love
Satisfied
What do U Whant Me 2 Do?
Fury
Cinnamon Girl
The Word
The Dance
Reflection

R One combination

Why's everyone got 'Lolita' on the list? This is about a sexually precocious young girl (12 in Vladimir Nabokov's novel) and is in dubious taste:

"Imagine me on the tip of Ur tongue, If eye took a sip then eye would be on the run"

"Fellas! (yea?) / How bad is this girl? (bad!) / Then what U wanna do? (whatever u want!)"

Should have been left off the album completely, Dear Mr Man from Musicology would fit much better.
[Edited 4/23/07 8:18am]

I agree with you 1,000% on the two albums. I have a playlist that is both of them combined, and when I play it on "shuffle", it's amazing how great it sounds.

dear mr man has gotta be on it definately, its one of the est songs prince has ever written.

satified was album filler, and its trying to hard but it only really works live.

Interesting....but I like everything like it is!

good idea

3121
lolita
ICPC
a million days
what do u want me 2 do
love
satisfied
fury
dear mr man
The Word
on the couch
BLB
the dance
get on the boat
reflection

now thats a double cd worthy of his name

andymacfunky said:

Yeah, it may not be his most complex work, but i just love it for what it is. Catchy, fun, and I just like the sound of it, plus it breaks things up a bit.

andymacfunky said:

Um, you have listened to some of Prince's earlier stuff, right? Like 'Sister', 'Head' and 'Jack U Off'.

Plus, the name Lolita has passed into useage as a more general, non-age-specific term for a seductive young girl.

These 2 albums kind of run together in my mind. There are songs on both that I really like, and some on both that I don't. It would be pretty easy to ditch the ones I don't like and make make one combined album without it sounding too awkward.

also those great b-sides

Silver Tongue
the other one i cant remember the name

luvsexy4all said:

Silver Tongue
Magnificent
United States Of Division

Yep...great songs!

.....

I wonder if Prince would agree with on this...

It's an interesting way of approving his music. I know how he likes to get every album down perfectly so each song fits together like the pieces of a puzzle... but if some of the material on 3121 is left over from Musicology, I think he'd encourage us mixing the two together...

The guy thinks so outside of the box... and I think it's rubbed off on us with this thread. It's pretty cool.

I'm taking notes and I'll see which ones sound cool.
And maybe someday, I'll make my own playlist... I don't own an iPOD (doubt I ever will, I'm cool with my discman as long as it still runs mooth). So I'll have to keep flipping between albums, but that's cool.

Oh, and a note regarding Lolita... sure it's not one of his best. It comes off sometimes as "studio plastic" to me... but it's really catchy sometimes. I played it b4, I haven't got it out of my head, since.
[Edited 4/23/07 9:59am]

I disagree on combining them as they have completely different tones and styles in my opinion.

Musicology is more instrument focused, midtempo organic pop. Whereas, 3121 has a more futuristic synthy pop sound to it.

Only way I can imagine blending them would be to put Beautiful, Loved, Blessed and Satisfied on Musicology and A Milloin Days and the Marrying Kind on 3121.

gcu1 said:

Both underrated

3121 is a no-filler LP by far, it doesn't need to be combined with any other album...

JoeTyler said:

I didn't say it was full of filler and I don't hate ANY of Prince's work, but in over 20 years of listening, for the first time, I think something's lacking somewhere. I LOVE all his work, and it's all etched in my mind, but these last two just don't feel right, in some way. Maybe we just spoilt. I prefer musicology, given the choice, but not the whole thing, thats why I think combining the best off each would be one fantastic album.Obviously debatable which tracks, Let's have a mas-debate!

bonedaddy said:

I like the idea of combining the two albums, and I like this tracklist. One thing though: ICPC HAS to be included in there somewhere!

love4oneanother said:

mmmm....no! maybe, doesn't mean I particularly dislike anything on either album, Individually I like most songs including ICP&C, but not for my list. You can, if you like!

thekidsgirl said:

I don't think it's possible to underrate United States of Division.

leecaldon said:

In my world it's possible! I love that song, but I feel like I'm in an army of one feeling that way

Yes! I use both cd's as coasters for my coffee cups.

thekidsgirl said:

I agree that the two albums, as a whole, are different, but there are many tracks you could swap around between the two, and you would never know, if you didn't already have the albums, of course.
If I put my mind to it, I think I could make one REALLY crap album out of them also!

Thumparello said:

You lying!