I remember reading in an interview in 1992 that Michael B. said the Symbol album was ten years ahead of its time and that people will be listening to music like that in ten years time (i.e. NOW!!).
Would you agree that the Symbol album was ahead of its time ten years and that maybe today if that album was released it would gain greater acclaim than it did in '92???
just a thought...

Yeah I remember reading it as well. When it came out I felt really disappointed. I thought this wasn't the Prince on Lovesexy who had got me hooked. I thought My Name is Prince was a throwaway piece of shit and didn't care for Sexy MF. But I do like 2 the 9's and God Created Woman

I love that CD!

There were some really wonderful "listens" on the Symbol album, but the claim that it was ahead of its time was far fetched! Prince is no rapper and that phase has passed. Absolutely, there are timeless classics on the album, but overall, the CD is dated. To be objective, I would have to take a listen to it again...Tina (~!~)

ConsciousContact said:

I agree with you Conscious and will add to that list, "7" and even "Damn You" and "Sweet Baby"...Tina (~!~)

hmm... i am of the opinion that the album would probably meet the same acclaim now as it did then but in princes defence i would say that on the Symbol album you will hear sampling techniques and beatzzz that are very prominent in todays music scene. At the same time though they are used better in some up-to-date songs.

I never listen to that album anymore.Tony M's presence ruins the whole thing for me, and he isn't on it that much.

Average IMO.

NettieSmiles said:

And the Continental, can't leave out that one. My Name is Prince is just too angry for me, and Sexy MF lacks imagination. Otherwise, it's a good album.

Half of it was.

This album has some absolute classics, which would fit on any Prince album, but also far too much filler.
My Name Is Prince
Sexy MF
Love 2 The 9's
Morning Papers
Blue Light
Sweet Baby
Continental
7
3 Chains Of Gold

I can do without the rest of it. I don't think it was 10 years ahead of its time either. Everyone who has an album which doesn't reach sales targets reels off that old chestnut...
[This message was edited Tue Nov 19 8:30:19 PST 2002 by dewmass]

The Morning Papers is rubbish! Sounds like Micheal 'middle of the road' Bolton.
[This message was edited Tue Nov 19 9:27:32 PST 2002 by nuthinbuttamuffin]

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

I can not stand Micheal Bolton! But I really do like morning papers.

It's one of my favourite cd's. I don't know why so many of you dislike it? I just listened to it straight through last Sunday and I love every song on it. It's a great funky cd.

some songs are timeless like:

Love 2 The 9's (without rap it would've been better)
Morning Papers
Continental
7
Damn U
Blue light (4 sho', they still play that on the radio KMOJ)
Sweet Baby
Sexy MF

Other than that, then the others sound dated.

Now an album ahead of its time is

Rainbow Children. LOVE that one.

Lovesexy is another choice

nuthinbuttamuffin said:

NO NO NO
Morning Papers is the one song on this album that is as good as Prince at his best.
Michael Bolton, on the other hand, is completely shit.

I JUST RECENTLY GOT THE CD AND I LOVED IT! BLUELIGHT IS OFF DA HOOK! I LOVE HOW PRINCE EXPERIMENTS WITH DIFFERENT SOUNDS AND STYLE. BUT AFTER ALL, THAT'S WHAT MAKES HIM THE MAN. I JUST WISH I HAD GOT THAT CD EARLIER
[This message was edited Tue Nov 19 10:52:42 PST 2002 by LOVESEXY26]

I like this album a lot more than I give it credit for.

The artwork, videos, hair, presence of Mayte, mythology, soap opera storyline, etc. are all distracting.

And I would've chosen different singles.

But when I take it purely based on the songs, it kicks my ass! And it was the first Prince tour I attended.

I give it a solid 4 stars.

I think it would've been ten years ahead of its time, that is, if music hadn't gone downhill so much.

is one of my favorite Prince albums from the 90s. I don't feel the album was ahead of its time. I feel the album was right to come out in 1992 and not for 2002 release.
[This message was edited Tue Nov 19 13:35:31 PST 2002 by kondwanii]

I love that album!

ahhh! Why does everybody hate Tony M?!!
Maybe u people just don't like rap in general. With symbol, Prince attempted to venture more into rap, among other things. As a hip hop fan, I'd have to say Tony M has one of the best flows I've ever heard.
anyway, back on the subject, I LOVE SYMBOL! and i still would even if all the rap was taken out

Ripopgodasandwich said:[quote]ahhh! Why does everybody hate Tony M?!!



I would've let Tony M. phuck me, I liked his raps. Especially in My Name Is Prince,
his low point was in Call The Law

Ripopgodasandwich said:

Agreed! I can't see why so many people dislike Tony M.He's an okay rapper,and he only appears in small doses anyway.It's not as if he raps on EVERY track.

is when the shit started; beginning of the end

Did any one hear the sneeze in 'I want to melt with you' ?

Ripopgodasandwich said:

then where the fuck is he now..?

TweetyV6 said:

I think the shit started with D&P already, when I listen to it now it makes no impression at all. At least the 1992 album has '7' on it which, especially live in the acoustic version, is the last Prince classic.

Eelco

It's funny u ask dat, cuz @ the time eye LOOOVED dis album so much. Now, 10 years after, eye still like it like u like an old friend who has shared a lotta things with u, but eye don't lissen 2 it very much.

Retrospectively, eye think Grafitti Bridge, which eye didn't like dat much @ the time, was ahead of its time...

Anyway... both r masterpieces...

I liked 7 and The Morning Papers. Everything else ranged from blah to crap. Definitely not ahead of its time.

End.

?.
[This message was edited Tue Jun 10 4:51:56 PDT 2003 by IstenSzek]