was thinking about this the other daya nd it's true to say that it will change form month to month however at the moment I reckon my coolest 3 openings are:

1. Anotherloverholenyohead (album version where it follows kiss is just so assured and funky)
2. Shockadelica (so nasty and badass)
3. Le Grind ( where he says "So you you found me...good I'm prince.." still knocks me out)

As I say I expect these to change from time to time but I have to say Le grind is pretty much set in stone!

I Hate U
Purple Rain
Pop Life




These just came to my mind, but I'm sure there are plenty more I love just as much!

Lets go crazy will never, ever be topped, followed by Kiss and when doves cry.

Let's go crazy
Housequake
1999

Great choices. Love the intro to Shockadelica, its my favourite b-side. At the moment these are my favourite openings (which surprisingly are also the opening tracks on there respective albums)

1) My Name is Prince (Love that opening synth)
2) Christopher Tracy's Parade (Great opening to my favourite Prince album)
3) Lets go crazy ("Dearly beloved....")

funkyhead said:

You had to go an mention When Doves Cry!

Let's go crazy
Let's pretend we're married
Endorphinmachine

When Doves Cry - Awesome guitar intro

Controversy - 1st Prince song i ever heard. I was hooked.

Computer Blue - the visuals i got being a 13 year old at the time.
[Edited 4/7/09 14:48pm]

Welcome to the New Power Generation. The reason my voice is so clear is because there is no smack in my brain. (your soul belongs to God)....Hundalasiliah!

Nuestra presentacion especial comenzara en breve
Pero antes un mensaje de nuestros auspiciadores

Don't worry, I won't hurt you. I only want you to have some fun

Easy

When Doves Cry
Shhh
Computer Blue

emesem said:

yes forgot about that.... and the intro to Alphabet Street ".... My name is Andre crabtree the III... I got more Hos than a golf course... and thank you for the lessons of the past....No!"

... or how about the intro to Lovesexy the song

New Power New Power Give it to me...Oh... need some bottom in the air! Lay it on me!
[Edited 4/7/09 14:55pm]

The Word
When Doves Cry
Boom

1999

Lets Go crazy

When Doves Cry

looking like When Doves cry is running away with it .... I'd like to suggest The Rainbow Children

The first one that comes to mind is "Man O' War": Y U screamin?!

I have to think about 2 more...

crystal ball
christopher tracy's parade
rockhard in a funky place

how could anything, ever, top the mysterious coolness of the opening
minutes followed by the first lines on "crystal ball" ?

chocolate1 said:

That's a great one

God

Around The World In A Day

If I Was Your Girlfriend

When 2 R In Love

saafiir said:

If I was your Girlfriend is a great one!

freakin

i can only think of one right now. and that is Computer Blue, the whole

Wendy / yes lisa thing i love it

xlr8r said:

Exactly!

good idea

There'd be too many to count, but of course, I have my biases

1) the opening notes for "Gold"... after that, it was history one way ticket to Heaven

after getting personal, I offer up:
from the 80's:

1999 (my first opening to any Prince song ever), Purple Rain (strikes a chord with so many), and Anna Stesia (cannot deny its eerienss and awesomeness)

from the 90's:
...this took a VERY long time for me to come up with...
The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (album version)
-the ending's not bad either

and the current decade:
A Million Days, The Word, The Dance (3121 version), Mr. Good-night (swept off my feet), Somewhere here on Earth

It's SO HARD to pick just three
it'd be easier to do coolest endings I've got quite a few of those

for me what qualifies are catchy instrumentation to open the song. various vocals like "dearly beloved" are cool but don't determine if i like the song per se. i can see why ppl would pick 1999 or LCG, but
i've always love the start and stop drums of Irresistible Bitch, my favorite B side from Prince;

if i was ur girlfriend comes to mind also (the distorted wedding processional music)

anne christian (classic)

dance on (the female voice which says there's a bass guitar in there...then it comes in!)

off the top these are what comes to mind

1.) Joy in Repetition (Bootleg version)
2.) Anotherloverholenyohead
3.) All Day, All Night (Bootleg version)

Let's Go Crazy
1999
Starfish and Coffee

Pretty Man
Sexy Dancer
Anna Stesia