Some critics say that "Condition of the Heart" is a masterpiece. Is that the only one? What about "If I Was Your Girlfriend" "Purple Rain" or "Crystal Ball" Can you really narrow it down to songs or is it better just to say albums 1-30?

ntpoet said:

anything that sends a shiver down your spine , brings a tear to your eye or simply makes you feel good .....that screams masterpiece to me.....

EMPTY ROOM works for me everytime.....

Anything can be a masterpiece, its all relative and its all subjective.

Jackson Pollock’s artworks are considered masterpieces, people collect them and are worth tons on money, I like them well enough, my girlfriend thinks they're crap, most people I know think they're crap.

She has a tattoo, she thinks it’s a masterpiece, I think it looks velvet Elvis good.

Some here think The Gold Experience is a masterpiece; I think its velvet Elvis good.

Automatic

joint 2 joint
Adore
Anna Stesia
Beautiful ones
If I was your girlfriend
When doves cry

And dare I say:
Batdance

I suspect that much of his work are masterpieces (I don't say that lightly). But from what I've heard the compositions are often complex and unlike the music of his peers. Of course not everything but then we've not heard EVERYTHING.

ntpoet said:

In terms of career defining moments, I expect Purple Rain will be the remembered song. In terms of personal aesthetics, I'm split across thirty years of music.

You know what? The best is still to come.

When you were mine
When doves cry
bambi
Little red corvette
Rasberry beret
Something in the water(does not compute)
If i was your girlfriend
The Beautiful Ones
Adore
Condi tion of the heart
17 days
Erotic City

I think Purple rain was a masterpiece, I still get chills when I hear him do that and look how many years ago that was. Brilliant

rusty1 said:

omg totally

I'd guess that a masterpiece, with regards to a musical artist, should be the one song that captures everything that a piece of music should be about, or at least the nearest an artist ever comes to it. It should also capture exactly what that artist is about and be a perfect illustration of their art.

You only have to break the word down; master and piece. The one dominating work of art in someone's life/career.

So, with that in mind, it could only be When Doves Cry.

It's innovative in so far as it has no bass line, it has a monotone vocal delivery which should really make it horribly dull, but actually makes it fascinating, and it's minimal sound shouts louder than most guitar heavy rock songs ever could.
Plus, it's challenging in so far as it doesn't follow the traditional 'pop' song rules, yet still manages to somehow draw the casual listener in and it needs to be heard a few times before it can be truly appreciated.
It had major commercial success and is still now looked upon as a classic of modern music.
It's lyrics and delivery provide a passion that is very, very rarely heard in music whether classical or manufactured pop.

To me, these things proclaim When Doves Cry as Prince's absolute masterpiece.

There's a difference between songs we really like and songs that stand out as musical genius.

I cannot believe that my answer is lazy...when I say that most of Prince's songs are intrically woven with eachother that creates a career...that I as a listener would call a Masterpiece...

I immediately thought of Maxi Priest's song..."Human work of Art." Prince is through and through a Masterpiece of a man...and I truly mean that...as overboard as it may seem to any reader's here...I Love Prince dearly.

Dayclear said:

I just saw a video of him on Jay Leno's show right before the Musicology tour. They talk about him playing the hits for the last time, and which song he will miss the most playing, and he answers Purple Rain. That alone should make it his masterpiece, not only because it touches so many of his fans and has made history in music, but also because it apparently means so much to him, and it's not like he hasn't played Purple Rain (or other hits) since being on the JL show...

"Tambourine" and "Tangerine" are both masterpieces to me. Both very out of the ordinary, but very fun and entertaining to listen to. Shows P's incredible musical diversity.

xxxx

Something In The Water
Joy In Repetition
Adore
When Doves Cry
Anna Stesia