Perfect Pop?

You know:
- Traditional structure: verse, chorus, verse, chorus, bridge, chorus, chorus
- Catchy and melodic, but not shallow... in a 'Beatles' kind of way.
- Sounding easy at first listening, but actually being a songwriting-gem.

Here is my top 10 (in chronolical order):

1. When you were mine
2. Little Red Corvette
3. Manic Monday (The Bangles)
4. Paisley Park
5. Raspberry Beret
6. Pop Life (yes, ATWIAD is a great pop-album... lol)
7. Glam Slam
8. Dolphin
9. Dinner with Dolores
10.All the midnights in the world

How do you have a list like this and NOT have :

Cream
When Doves Cry
Diamonds & Pearls
7

These are just a few examples....

Well:

Cream is 'boogie-rock' (a bit of blues and T-rex mixed together)

When doves cry is too original to be labeled 'perfect pop'... lol.. in essence its electro-funk, alltough it has good hooks and a strong melody of course.

Diamonds and Pearls isnt 'pop' aka The Beatles, more 'pop' aka Barbara Streisand and Celine Dion, too much 'schmaltz' there for a 'perfect pop' (let alone the soul/gospel element Rosie Gaines ads to the song)

Seven: I was doubting about putting that song on my list, but again: its to original, to 'mixed' to be labelled 'perfect pop'. I mean: as catchy as it is, it has a hip-hop beat, gospel-like background vocals, and Princes vocals are sometimes 'meandering' in a middle-east kind of way.

To give a reference point:

In music-critic jargon 'perfect pop' is often used for the likes of: The Beatles, Crowded House, (early) Elvis Costello, XTC, Matthew Sweet and Teenage Fanclub.

She's Always In My Hair

Good one, Wicky... i forgot that song.
[Edited 9/19/08 11:06am]

yes SHES ALWAYS IN MY HAIR
LITTLE RED CORVETTE
POP LIFE
MANIC MONDAY
POPE
BILLY JACK BITCH

Break it down a bit and 'We Can Funk' is also pure pop in a verse, chorus, bridge sort of way.

I guess because of Prince's arrangements everything's usually gussied up a bit so you need to look under the surface sometimes.

My list;

17 Days
Last Heart
Starfish & Coffee
The Morning Papers
Girls & Boys
Alphabet St
Private Joy
I Wanna Be Your Lover
Strange Relationship
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
When Doves Cry
I Feel For You
She's Always In My Hair

HamsterHuey said:

All of these would be on my list, but, to me, his perfect pop songs were recorded by some of his associates:
"Standing At The Altar" - Margie Cox
"The Glamorous Life" -Sheila

Starfish and Coffee.

pardonme4livin said:

You list could've done without Cream, or maybe that's just me . . .

Riverpoet31 said:

How is perfect pop 'too original?' Isn't that what would make it perfect pop?
If 'When Doves Cry' isn't perfect pop, I have no idea how you are defining the term. Maybe start there.
7 is also perfect pop. It sticks with you after you hear it and you never tire of hearing it.

heres sum off the top of my head.....

Starfish and Coffee
Girls and Boys
Erotic City
U Got The Look
Raspberry Beret
Kiss
Pop Life (Extended Version)
Cream
Love
Partyman
1999
Letitgo
Gotta Broken Heart Again
I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man
The Most Beautiful Girl In The World
Pink Cashmere
So Far, So Pleased
Guitar
I Feel For You
When You Were Mine
Diomands and Pearls
I Would Die 4 u
When Doves Cry
7
Controversey
Little Red Corvette
Thunder
Daddy Pop
Take Me With U

Raspberry beret, man.

All the usual suspects have been mentioned so I'll add 'I Don't Wanna Leave You' by The Time.

Plus the last 30 seconds are beyond

I gotta add Take Me With U to the mix. A beautiful pop song.

The Most Beautiful Girl In The World