In the overwhelming Prince production, we have many examples of talent, and some examples of genius.
According to me, Prince can compose and create both mainstream and experimental music, but excels only in the second category.

If I had to choose which music best represents Prince, I wouldn't pick the workd he spent lots of time realizing and putting together, I would rather choose those tunes and songs that were generated by sparkling and instant inspiration and when he was just researching.

To me, U can find the best Prince meaning here:

DIRTY MIND (1980)

PARADE (1986)

DREAM FACTORY (1986, unreleased)

THE BLACK ALBUM (1987)

THE UNDERTAKER (1993, video only)

GLAM SLAM ULYSSES (1993, stage production)

THE RAINBOW CHILDREN (2001)

I know I'm leaving out masterpieces such as CONTROVERSY, 1999, SIGN O' THE TIMES. In fact, I'm talking about the research, and not the result.

DIRTY MIND is a research, while CONTROVERSY and 1999 are results.

DREAM FACTORY is the research and SIGN O' THE TIMES is the result.

Thanks for ur attention.

Thoughts?

That's an interesting perspective. Though the definition of "mainstream" is a very loose term. What I consider "mainstream" might be considered "experimental" by others and vice-versa. Sign O The Times is a perfect example. In some ways it is a mainstream album in that it was well recieved by critics and the public, had good videos, 'hit' potential, and sold relatively well. However it also contained some of his most experimental material ever up to that point in his career - songs like "It", "If I Was Your Girlfriend", "Starfish & Coffee", "Forever In My Life" etc.

Personally, I like both aspects. Prince the 'hit maker' and Prince the 'eccentric genius'. To be honest though we're definately due for another experimental album after the last three albums.

I am not a musician, so my opinion may not have that much depth, however, If a song has the components of 4 quatrains, a bridge, and a chorus...It is a song.

I would believe that if Prince was experiementing with music, that it wasn't released.

I think it is an interesting point of view to say that one album was research for a deeper expression of an idea.

I guess I look at a musician's career as a tree that is rooted in art and intention, and the branches are all that grow from the person.

My Fave Albums....

Dirty Mind
ATWIAD
Parade
SOTT
Come
TGE
Girl 6
Chaos and Disorder
Emancipation
Crystal Ball/The Truth
Rave Un2 The Joy Fantastic
Musicology
3121

As U can see mine is mainly mainstream.....however I wouldnt consider ATWIAD,Come and The Truth mainstream albums at all
[Edited 12/4/08 6:25am]

Good lists but I wouldn't call it 'Better'.

I agree, the most fascinating Prince music is when he isn't worrying about how he can keep up with the current trends and going out there on a crazy purple limb without a care in the world about what it's going to do on the charts.

That said, I think Prince is a pop songwriter and even his most "experimental" stuff has a pop sensibility to it, though I also think he has a bold experimental streak in him and, as we've heard, a lot of his most mainstream radio hits have a lot of very unconventional things going on as well.

If this post were to have a point, I guess it would be that sometimes with Prince, the line often blurs between "radio friendly mainstream pop song" and "weirdo experimental track".

Mmh... I fear I'm not with you... I just gotta look at my favorite albums

Prince
1999
Musicology

I dunno if Prince was THAT commercial, but it was meant to be so, right?

1999 is pretty commercial, the only strange thing is that he expanded the songs so that he made 1999 a double album...

graecophilos said:

However even tho Musicology is 1 of my fave album...thinking about it...I dont think thats really a commercial album either cuz its more "old school" apart from Cinnamon Girl and Life O The Party maybe...But its always nice 2 see sum1 else appreciates that album

well if mainstream is commercial ..and experimental is underground ...let's get underground again!!!

Sophianestesia said:

Where would you place Emancipation, Crystal Ball, Come, or Symbol? These collections are innovative, versitile, and varried in style. They are played a great deal of air time at this house.

Anxiety said:

I prefer Prince being Prince. Mainstream dont suit him. He a legendary musician, a bad a** one! Show that off with some straight up funk/ rock and roll music. No color by numbers drum machine over produced made for radio and clubs crap. Rasberry Beret, those lyrics were crazy dope. SOTT man he can write! If he dont change he will change everything. Somebodys got to.

mzsadii said:

EMANCIPATION was a good try for a change, but didn't work.

CRYSTAL BALL contains elements from PARADE, DREAM FACTORY and GLAM SLAM ULYSSES eras.

COME comes from GLAM SLAM ULYSSES.

SYMBOL was good, but too much influenced by rap; Prince was trying something new, but using current trends.

Sophianestesia said:

Prince was at his best when he was mainstream and experimental 1980 -1988 The whole period.

Since then he has been mainstream (D&P) and experimental (TRC), but never really simultaneously.

To me 3121 is a mainstream album. Planet Earth was just a throw away.

funkycat00 said:

Yeah but 3121 was a brilliant album and so was Musicology IMO, Planet Earth was just 2 boring really apart from SHOE

optimus said:

These are all very subjective arguments. Lots of people on the org love songs I wouldn't listen to with another person's eardrums and vice-versa. I think most of PE was good (PE, Guitary, 1uWannaC, LionofJudah, SHOE, Chelsea, FBM) and just as good as musicology or 3121.

lezama said:

No the diffrence with Musicology and 3121 is that it didnt have a cringe worthy rap titled "Mr Goodnight" and I swear its the only P song that has ever made me cringe for bein so bad, Its shamefull