Surely the two albums that get the most Love since Lovesexy.

But which one would you pick if you could only ever listen to one of them again?

I would go for the The Rainbow Children every time. For me it was the album I had been waiting for him to make.

i'll go with the gold experience tho i'm going 2 sneak the rainbow children in as well in the same jewel case

No contest!

THE GOLD EXPERIENCE all the way....


I don't agree with this match-up at all. It make even less sense than comparing it with the last 3 Prince albums... though 3121 could give TGE a run for its money. That's the general consenus among purple music lovers.

TRC... it doesn't even feel like a Prince album to me at all. It feels more like a band effort and his heart isn't quite as in it. It just doesn't have that something extra that screams "Prince" to me.

When I did first get TGE, though, I had a similar problem because it was nothing like the Prince I was already getting to know through Purple Rain. That comparison's WAY off and it took me quite a while to get into this album. Still gives me through sometimes, but given this list:

Shh
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World
Gold
Dolphin
Hate U

at least 2 of those songs are in my favorite Prince songs of all time. None of the tracks from TRC has that going for it

I'm not saying there similar albums but from my experience Prince fans often praise these two albums more than any of the others since Lovesexy.

I would say The Rainbow Children is an album that alot people love but alot also hate.

I personally love it. I think it contains some of his best ever guitar work.

The Rainbow Children.

For me Prince really screwed up when he put together The Gold Experience.

Should have kept Interactive, Come (the version that got out the vault a few years ago, one of his funkiest ever) Days Of Wild and Acknowledge Me.

And lost We March, The Most Beautiful URGGHHHHH ( I hate this song, horrid schumky Schmaltz, as if the moon and mars are gonna fall from the sky, just stupid) and got rid of the homework after school Lyrics, wasn't he about 35 when he wrote this.

If he'd done that I would have gone with The Gold Experience but he didn't.

The Rainbow Children is lyrically offensive but a lot (not all) of The music is kick ass.
[Edited 9/22/08 14:34pm]

TRC please.

Once upon a time, TGE was regarded as "the last good Prince record". The longer time has gone on, the less gracefully TGE has seemed to age. I think Come holds up much better these days. Strange huh.

The Gold Experience!

Definitely The Gold Experience. This album has several exceptional songs: P Control, Shhh, The Most Beautiful Girl In The World, 319, I Hate U.

The Rainbow Children only has two songs that stand out: She Loves Me 4 Me and Family Name. One can hear that Prince put a lot of effort into The Rainbow Children and the songs are unconventional but most songs are in the middle or slightly under - not very good, not very bad.

Whereas The Gold Experience leaves me impressed, The Rainbow Children leaves me slightly indifferent.
[Edited 9/22/08 15:49pm]
[Edited 9/22/08 15:51pm]

i would say the rainbow children is his most complex , adventurous album.. along with lovesexy. Those two records hav a lot in common.. but some striking differences too.

The Gold Experience is a strange album, its got some of prince's best music on it, it flows exceptionally well and imo should have sold a lot more than it did. I think if it had been promoted it would have been huge. Its certainly one of his most commercial sounding records.

I think that post 92 The gold experience was his strongest record until The Rainbow Children hit. I now think that 3121 beats TGE in the scheme of things.

Post 92 my list would be

1 TRC
2 3121
3 TGE
4 Musicology
5 Planet Earth
6 The Truth
7 One Nite Alone
8 Emancipation
9 Come

everything else would fit on the No 10

I Hate TRC its me mums favourite album.....so even if i did like it id never admit it cuz if my mum loves it...its..well....just so uncool and TGE is one of my all time faves cant be assed with any preachy jehovah crap thank you very much at least with 3121, the songs sounded cooler and easier on the ears (The Word, Beautiful,Loved and Blessed and Get On The Boat) Infact TRC is the only album of his I couldnt listen to all the way threw and i dnt plan 2 revisit it again either

I really don't like to choose one record over another, however, I'd choose "The Rainbow Children." because it offers so many elements that take you on a spiritual journey with great music.

TRC 4 ME.

thedoveoflove said:

what do I know TGE Musiclogoy and Cryastal Ball are my favorites.

The Gold Experience all the way.


Even the b-sides and tracks that did not make the album are superb.

TRC
by a long chalk!!

u know me:

the gold experience is his best 4 me

No contest !

TRC all THE WAY.

Largely superior. Better music, musicianship, production, more organic, more complexed, more variety, less fillers, better compositions, better concept.

TRC all the way.

I'm going to go with The Rainbow Children. Don't get me wrong, The Gold Experience is good, but I always thought it was a bit overrated...but I guess some people feel that way about TRC.
[Edited 9/23/08 14:00pm]

TRC without the Vader voice would have been an instant classic. Even WITH the voice, it's a classic for many.

But, TGE wins. As another person posted, it should have included Interactive, Days Of Wild, Ripopgodazippa, and Acknowledge Me. It should also have included the original version of Endorphinemachine (more guitar, no cowbell) and the version of TMBGITW before the sound effects.

TGE.

I really cant answer this one

TGE is from the time I was beginning to be a fan, and TRC was the album I always wanted from Prince. Both are in my top 5.

TRC. On the strength of the title track alone, which is a piece of musical mastery on Prince's part. Of course like TGE it has it's foibles, like the feast. But on the whole it's a stronger album purely on the quality of the music and the effort put into it.

TGE

Both albums are over rated IMHO. They both have some good songs but the Come album is better than both of them.

DreamyPopRoyalty said:

I feel exactly the opposite. TRC felt like the first real prince album since Graffiti Bridge, and was much more of a one man show (drums aside) than TGE was. That was part of what I loved about it. It was so much Prince, but didn't feel sterile like Emancipation did.

T GOLD E
[Edited 9/24/08 11:33am]

TGE wins for songs, no question. But I'd much rather listen to the more organic & creative feeling TRC. And I feel like TGE was Prince trying too hard to be something he's not, where TRC was Prince being more true to himself.

TGE