Sure

SoulAlive said:

We've discussed this before Soul and I'm on the darker side of things. I NEVER thought that Alphabet St should have been a single. I never thought P should have recorded it in the first place! Let alone it being a single. This is the order I think P should have got down in:

1)Lovesexy
2)Positivity
3)Eye No
4)Anna Stesia

Lovesexy was considered by P as a single.
He even made a new remix for radio.
Would you like to hear it?

yep, i remember the announcement
"Lovesexy" was to be the next single
damn, what happened?
shoulda been

btw, "Alphabet St." was a perfect 1st single
IMESHO

RumAndRaisin said:

Reached number one here - same time as the album hit number 1

I wish he'd recorded a different record altogether. Lovesexy to me was corny and I never truly "bought" it. And releasing the cd as a single-track deal, that was insanity

GottaLetitgo said:

In my area,I heard "Glam Slam" on the radio about two times That song didn't take off at all.It bored listeners and yes,the wierd lyrics in the bridge didn't help matters,lol.

DecaturStone said:

I know that "Lovesexy" would have been a major hit if it had been a single.In my area,our local R&B radio station was playing that song like crazy,when the album was first released.It was well received.The song has a big,heavy bassline,a strong,catchy chorus,and a danceable groove.All it needed was a great video!! Prince missed out on a golden opportunity.


.
[Edited 3/21/08 4:57am]

blackguitaristz said:

wow,so you really don't like "Alphabet St"? I agree with you,the title track would have been a SMASH.

IMO, Alphabet St. is the only accessible song on the album for anyone from outside of the Purple World.
This album was his lowest selling up to that point, not to mention, that the follow up singles bombed & the Lovesexy Tour was equally non-successful ( I meant that commercially, not creatively. So, to all you fam-ophiles out there, don't gimme any of your shit).
I mean,
don't get me wrong....
back then,
I wanted the whole world to like my favorite artist as much as I do.
But, Lovesexy just wasn't the album to sway it in that direction.
Personally, at the time, I thought Prince was going more for an artistic spiritual expression with a full awareness that he could be sacrificing mainstream radio success in doing so.

Y'know, I guess it just seems to me, after the time that I've spent on this site, that Prince fans have a hard time seperating their particular tastes in music from that of the mainstream. Cuz, I honestly can't see this album ever doin' better commercially that it did, especially with any of the other songs released as an initial single.

TheMightyCelestial said:

I agree.

This is NOT music.....this is a trip.
Very yes.

I think he should have released it as follows....

Alphabet St (2 months out)
Lovesexy (2 weeks out)
Album release
When 2 R In Love

If sales were going well, the remix of eye know as a forth single.

TheMightyCelestial said:

you do know there's a world out there outside of the USA, don't ya?
Lovesexy was Prince's biggest commercial success in Europe and elsewhere
it compared to the hype of Purple Rain here in the States, maybe even moreso

TheMightyCelestial said:

Don't you think the album cover had alot to do with it? I think the album would have sold better if Prince had released the title track as the second single,and chose a less controversial cover photo

SquirrelMeat said:

those are exactly the singles I would have chosen! In that order,too.Except....I don't know about "Eye Know".I just can't see that song being a single.Three strong singles would have been enough for this album.

Anji said:

YES!

Snap said:

Yes, I know that Lovesexy was more successful (especially the tour) outside of the US. However, I still could've sworn that the numbers for the follow-up singles & of the albums sold were still disappointingly low, especially when compared to his recent previous efforts ( not including PR, since no album really had much chance to match that success ).
Now, I must remind you, that I'm just talking about commercial success here. I think I recall it was critically successful, yet not really considered accessible to a mainstream audience ( or more specifically, considered as accessible.)

SoulAlive said:

Yeah, I don't think that the album cover helped it's numbers. But what are you gonna do,
right?

some prefer commercial success then artisitical and critical success. a lot can b said about commercial success, just look at britney, rhianna and countless others in the 80's and 90's...

glug glug like a mug ...

DecaturStone said:

Yeah,I heard that Prince made several remixes for "Lovesexy".He was gonna release it as a single,but changed his mind.I'd love to hear the remixes!

RumAndRaisin said:

i agree with this...n 2 state that anna stesia is average is mentel..best song on the album..and when he decided 2 close a lot of the one night alone gigs wit this it was justafied as a daddy tune.."somebody say rise up"

MuthaFunka said:

there is nothing on that album that is more radio friendly than alphabet st..theres better tunes..but i know and lovesexy would have been a head fuck 2 the gen public..unless u feel the funk ..nuff said

Alphabet St: perfect for black radio and crossover radio.
I Wish U Heaven: the album version should have been sent to pop radio.
When 2 R In Love: perfect for black radio and crossover radio--it wasn't serviced as a single to radio.
Yo Mister...I mean, Anna Stesia (ha, ha...same song) might have worked on pop radio.

Who knows?

weejimmy said:

I never said anything about "Radio-friendly" I said "Dance-friendly".

"Alphabet St" was a perfect single. It was funky, it had a memorable chorus, and it was a short tune. R&B radio used to play the long version a lot. I always dug the song because it made me imagine Sly singing with the J5.

"LoveSexy" should have been the next single. As Soul was saying before, R&B radio played the hell out of that song back then. When I 1st heard it, it reminded me of "1999". A live performance video would have been killer.

Damn has it been 20 years? I remember being the 1st in line buying this back then...(with the wrecka stow covering the LP cover) lol

"When 2 R In Love"
Followed with "Anna Stesia"

Everytime I think about "Alphabet St", I think about that cheesy ass video and I have a good 2 minute laugh and then move on with my day.

estelle81 said:

u ain't right

I like the "Alphabet St." video

SoulAlive said:

But I also agree with you and the singles.