Hey I read a lot of threads about if this album was the first album to showcase apparently great amounts of filler, even if it wasn't all sung by Prince. But opinions vary, so lets rate all the tracks (All 17 of them not just the Prince ones). You can choose Filler, Killer or neither Mine are
Killer
Can't stop this feeling I got
Question of u
Elephants and Flowers
Joy in Repetition
Thieves in the Temple
Shake
Still would stand all time

Filler
New Power Generation (Both Parts)
Tick Tick Bang
We can Funk
Love Machine
Melody Cool
Graffiti Bridge (Yuck)

Neither
Round and Round
The Latest Fashion
Release It

What do you guys think which tracks were what, say the whole album if you like.

i don't care too much for this album. although this is probably the best
case of a prince album's good parts not adding up to a great whole.

two of the songs, "the question of u" and "joy in repetition" are among
the very best tracks he's ever recorded. both are worthy to be included
in any top 10 list of best prince tracks ever imo.

then there is the "new" song "thieves in the temple" which i've always
loved a lot. especially the long version on the single is amazing. one
of his best, again.

"elephants & flowers", "still would stand all time" and "we can funk"
are slightly less fantastic but still all great classic prince songs imo.

the only ones i don't care for too much are "can't stop this feeling"
and "tick tick bang" since they sound a bit out of place. perhaps it's
because i know they're so old. they just seem a bit off imo.

"new power generation" is an ok, fun track. i have to be in the mood to
listen to it but i don't dislike it by a long shot. same goes for a lot
of the related artist material on this album.

so all in all, most of the songs range from ok to absolutely stellar yet
the album as a whole feels unfinished, overcrowded and unfocussed all at
the same time.

but there is no way i could ever not listen to it anymore simply because
of "joy in repetition" and "the question of U".

I like the album.

Not that this is anything special, but it's easier to listen to the album to hear the songs than to watch the movie, IMHO

Killer
Can't stop this feeling I got
Question of u
New Power Generation (Both Parts)
Tick Tick Bang
Joy in Repetition
Thieves in the Temple
Shake
Round and Round
Still would stand all time

Filler
Elephants and Flowers
We can Funk
Love Machine
Melody Cool
Graffiti Bridge (Yuck)
The Latest Fashion
Release It

KILLER

* Can't Stop This Feeling I Got
* New Power Generation
* Release It
* The Question Of U
* Elephants & Flowers
* Round And Round
* We Can Funk
* Joy In Repetition
* Love Machine
* Tick Tick Bang
* Shake!
* Thieves In The Temple
* The Latest fashion
* Melody Cool
* Still Would Stand All Time
* Graffiti Bridge
* New Power Generation (Part II)

Quite Good
Question of u
Joy in Repetition

Fairly Good
Elephants and Flowers
Thieves in the Temple
Round and Round

Passable
Shake
Still would stand all time
Can't stop this feeling I got

Ugly
New Power Generation
Tick Tick Bang
We can Funk
Love Machine
The Latest Fashion
Release It
Melody Cool
Graffiti Bridge

I love that album. I think it's mostly killer, with Round and Round, Shake, and the title track being the only songs I dislike. There are so many examples of blatant genius on there--so over the top brilliant--that I think it stands out as one of his best works, albeit diminished by the fact that the Time songs on there sound dated, which has the unfortunate effect of bringing the entire album down slightly.

4 stars by Rolling Stone and I agree esp. after hearing the outtakes and demos.

NPG Part 2 and the title track are really the only tracks from this album I flat-out hate. Round and Round gets on my nerves, but I think it's mostly from hearing it so much on the radio back in the day. The rest of the album I think is perfectly enjoyable, if not always stellar. I think I'm one of the few who actually really likes Tick Tick Bang...I love the Hendrix drum sample and the cheesy indulgence of the song.

Anxiety said:

don't get me wrong, i like that song too but i just don't like it on that
album. just like "can't stop this feeling i got". they would have been a
better fit on controversy imo. especially "tick tick bang". how could one
not love that song after seeing the corresponding scene in the movie.

IstenSzek said:

the my little pony band battle scene

Anxiety said:

There are many really good songs on this album. There are a number of fillers, a few too many, but not a great amount.

Killer
New Power Generation
The Question Of U
Joy In Repetition
Love Machine
Thieves In The Temple
Melody Cool
Still Would Stand All Time
New Power Generation Pt. II

Neither
Can't Stop This Feeling I Got
Elephants And Flowers
Round And Round
Graffiti Bridge

Filler
Release It
We Can Funk
Tick, Tick, Bang (just aweful!)
Shake!
The Latest Fashion

I thinkt the Prince tracks, as-is, are pretty decent. I might switch out the title track for "The Grand Progression", though I'm not really as down on "Graffiti Bridge" (the song itself) as much as most people are. "Tick, Tick, Bang" could go either way for me, really. Don't hate it like most people do either. Being replaced by Prince's version of "Love Machine" might fill the same gap, though. "NPG (part 2)" is completely pointless.

Obviously, the concensus has always been that the non-Prince tracks dilute the album and make it overly long. None of them are bad, in fact some are quite good.

But the Time tracks definitely should have been shunted off to their own release. In fact, "Corporate World" should have been released as originally intended. It's MUCH better than "Pandemonium" (barring "Jerk Out" and "Chocolate").

Tevin's track was appearing on his own album around the same time anyway. And I'm not really sure why Mavis is in the film or on the album at all.

Huggiebear said:

Killer
Question of u
Joy in Repetition
We Can Funk
Thieves in the Temple
Still would stand all time

Filler
Shake
Can't stop this feeling I got
New Power Generation (Both Parts)
Melody Cool

Neutral
Round and Round
The Latest Fashion
Elephants and Flowers

Vapid Horror Show
Tick Tick Bang (the original was a lot better)
Graffiti Bridge
Love Machine
Release It (this is so NOT The Time)

Killer:
The Question Of U
Elephants & Flowers
Joy In Repetition
Love Machine
Tick Tick Bang
Thieves In The Temple
Still Would Stand All Time


Good:
Can't Stop This Feeling I Got
Release It
We Can Funk


Neither:
New Power Generation
Round And Round
Shake
The Latest Fashion
Melody Cool
New Power Generation (part 2)


Filler:
Graffiti Bridge

Anxiety said:

My #3 fave behind "Joy In Repetition" and "The Question of U." Also I'm most likely the only one who prefers this version to the original.

I'm gonna do it differently and list the tracks in preferential order:

1. Joy In Repetition
2 The Question of U
3. Tick Tick Bang
4. Still Would Stand All Time
5. Release It
6. Thieves In the Temple
7. We Can Funk
8. New Power Generation pt. 1
9. Can't Stop This Feeling I Got
10. Elephants and Flowers
11. Shake
12. Love Machine
13. New Power Generation pt. 2
14. Melody Cool
15. Round and Round
16. The Latest Fashion
17. Graffiti Bridge

wayyy underrated album IMO. enjoy it all with the exception of the title track. i even enjoy the other artists tracks. We Can Funk is sooooo NOT filler. its a seamless collab btwn two funk giants! for me filler is UNLISTENABLE stuff and only the title track fits that description

These are the only songs i like on the album,

NPG plus part 2
? of U
Joy and repetition
Thieves in the temple
Still would stand all time
Round & round
We can funk
Latest fashion
Can't stop this feeling i got (least fav of these tracks, but still makes the cut)

Graffiti Bridge has a dear place in my heart - it's one of my favorite Prince albums - mostly because of the summer of 1990 when it was released - one of the greatest of my life.

New Power Generation was Prince taking it FARTHER. So was Tick Tick Bang. And Thieves...

my favorite are "thieves in the temple" "graffitti bridge" Joy In Repetition

saafiir said:

Hells Yeah!

Killer
Thieves in the Temple
The Question of u
Elephants and Flowers
Joy in Repetition
New Power Generation
We can Funk

Good
Can't stop this feeling I got
Still would stand all time
Round and Round

Filler
Shake (Yuck)
Tick Tick Bang
Love Machine
Melody Cool
Graffiti Bridge (Yuck)
The Latest Fashion (Yuck)
Release It

Half of the songs are classics, therefor I rate Graffiti Bridge as a great/ classic Prince album, though the songs by The Time are ugly. Those songs shouldn't have been included.

---
[Edited 5/12/09 0:47am]

that record really depressed me. A couple of excellent tracks and a whole lot of crap that shouldn't have been recorded - it was the end of 10 years of genius.

Twas th 2nd Purple album I bought. Umm:

Killer
Can't stop this feeling I got (Damn Good)
Elephants and Flowers (Pretty Chillout)
Joy in Repetition (Deep song)
Thieves in the Temple (Classic)
New Power Generation- Part 1 (Funky)
We can Funk (Love It)

Filler
Still would stand all time (Pretty Boring)
Question of u (Same As Above)
New Power Generation- Part 2 (Should Be Joined With Part 1)
Tick Tick Bang (Sick)
Love Machine (Sicker)
Melody Cool (WHAT?!)
Graffiti Bridge (Yuck)

Neither
Round and Round

Dont Really Rate The Time
Shake
The Latest Fashion
Release It

I would still listen 2 them ALL though!

After I read the 4 star review in RS back in 1990, I was so pumped up for this album but was ultimately disappointed by its tinny production and so-so songs.

Killer
Can't stop this feeling I got
Joy in Repetition
Thieves in the Temple
Tick Tick Bang (yes i'm serious. why all the hate for this track?)
Release It
Elephants and Flowers (on the bubble but I put it here anyways)


Filler
Still would stand all time
Question of u
Love Machine
Melody Cool
Graffiti Bridge )
New Power Generation- (New Jack Prince - I'll pass)
We can Funk (the old version is way better)
Round and Round
Shake
The Latest Fashion
[Edited 5/12/09 7:43am]

if that album was just Prince tracks, it would have been great. I still rank it Top 5 but the other tracks by the other artists kind of make me listen to it less.

saafiir said:

Pretty much.

Oh man is this album underrated. If it was a Prince solo record it would be my favorite, hands down. Graffiti Bridge has some of my favorite Prince songs of all time on it.

1. Can't Stop This Feeling I Got
2. New Power Generation
3. The Question Of U
4. Elephants And Flowers
5. We Can Funk (w/ George Clinton)
6. Joy In Repetition
7. Tick, Tick, Bang
8. Thieves In The Temple
9. The Latest Fashion (w/ The Time)
10. Still Would Stand All Time


Put together his songs and it's a classic.

IstenSzek said:

100% same as me...

joy in repetition and ? of u r the best tracks of my life
[Edited 5/21/09 0:48am]