I think this is one of Prince's best ballads. Great piano... romantic and sad. I just wonder if it will ever see the light of day.

Sometimes I just wonder why Prince does nothing with some of his best music.

MantuaPharoah said:

Already released on Jevetta Steele´s album.

KoolEaze said:

yeah, and i think it was originally meant for martika. haven't heard steele's version, but p's is great. he should have kept it for himself. very pretty song . my favorite line: "now your touch is a reminder, like the thorns upon a rose. the beauty is mine if i can stand the cut." love the way he says cut-tuh . classic prince ballad if there ever was one.
[Edited 12/31/07 20:41pm]

"Open Book" is beautiful, and one of my favorite songz.

Love Open Book. Coincedencely, I just listened to it earlier today.

Yes, he should´ve kept that one for himself, great song. Everybody I made it listen to liked it, even people who don´t like Prince at all kept singing along to it.

It's my all time Prince favorite.
Hence the sig.

Damn! I'd forgotten this track!
Yeah, it was nice, wasn't it?
I think this would work nicely as an acoustic track. Shame he didn't re-record it for The Truth.

It is a brilliant song. Have the feeling that Prince was inspired by Martika in writing the song. If you listen to 'Safe In The Arms Of Love' off Marika's Kitchen, the 1st 2 lines are the same as Open Book'. Whilst recording the CD, I can't help but imagine that Prince listened to the opening 2 lines of that song and thought to himself 'they are classic lines, I bet I can write a better song around them'.

Safe In The Arms Of Love was written by Martika and 2 other guys and starts off well and ends up as a moderate song. Open Book is credited to Martika, Levi and Prince. Prince probably wrote the lyrics around the opening 2 lines of Martiks's song and then gave it to Levi to do the music (?) or perhaps Levi had something to do with the production of 'Safe in The Arms of Love' and that is why he is credited on Open Book.

No doubt Open Book would have been a huge hit if it was done by someone marketable.

Love this song too. Classic Prince.

the song he REALLY should have kept 4 himself was journey 2 the center of ur heart

wonderful, wonderful song. i love it to pieces. the performance and arrangement evoke such a beautiful sense of melancholy and resignation.

i get choked up every time i hear it. i can't even listen to it sometimes.

this is one of the rare moments when i feel like Prince is actually writing/singing a real emotion from inside of him. and one of his more mature ballads.

too bad he didn't do anything with it, except give it to Javetta Steele for a watered-down version

i almost went to put this song on. i probably shouldn't right now.

good good song