I Adore

i remember when it first came out i played it and a friend said 'sounds like he's trying to write a song to be used at weddings'.

using the word 'haters' is a bit stupid. I don't think anybody who actually dislikes the syrupy lyrics and meandering tunelessness of the song can be described as a hater. just that they realise that the song's okay, but not exactly the wonderful piece of genius that some fans feel they must proclaim it because Prince lore says it should be so.

his vocal delivery on this song is easily amongst his finest, but the song itself is just a Prince love song that is cool, but doesn't even come close to any of the great love songs written and performed in the 20th century.

a nice song that's over-rated. that's the best way to describe Adore, in my opinion.

Hmmm....To me "Adore" fits into the storied bag of the best Stylistic, Patti LaBalle, and Cameo-like slow jams...Songs that are beloved by R&B fans and black radio...However, I too believe that using the word "hater" is a bit extreme...

Yet, I do take exception to some folks describing "Adore" as "syrupy lyrics and meandering tunelessness"....There's nothing syrupy about "Adore"...(that's the first time I've heard that description..lol).

I believe it comes down to differences in culture, beyond black and white...If you grew up as a fan of slow jams and R&B radio in the 70s and '80s, you most likely will be able to put "Adore" into its proper context...NOT whether or not it's on the groundbreaking level of say some of his material on Parade or as freakishly bold as Dirty Mind...

Sometimes a great love song is just that...."Adore" just happens to be one of those songs...To me it's cool when Prince fans can except the fact that at his base the man comes out of the R&B tradition just as a rocker like Jimi Hendrix comes out of the blues tradition...But it just so happens that both artists went on to brilliantly add on musically to their initial base...

TheKing662 said:

We know

langebleu said:

You always cheer me up langebleu...

I don't know if I hate it... I really don't like it. I'm not that into the R & B sounding ballads... Do Me Baby, Adore, International Lover...

But I think I do dislike Adore more than the others. It's too sappy for me.

I agree w/ coolcat - it's sappy.
It's cliché. Nothing original about it. Sounds insincere.
I skip it.

That being said - it does get interesting about 2/3 of the way through.
But I've usually had enough by then & turned it off.

twistee said:

I still have a hard time understanding how anyone on earth could call "Adore" sappy...lol...I mean, I can understand the folks that just come out and say they are not a fan of the R&B slow jam genre, therefore they skip the song...But a lot of you guys are using that "sappy" word a little too easy here...

When I think Sappy, I have visions of Whitney Houston songs like "Didn't We Almost Have It All.."...Now that's some sappy shit...lol


You might as well call The Temptations' "Just My Imagination" sappy if you think that about "Adore"...I'm convinced it's a cultural thing more than anything else...

Militant said:

its a tie between crucial and adore

TheKing662 said:

Always remember that on the Org... you are NOT allowed to associate any style of music with any culture or demographic of people. To do so means you live in a cave or a hole. In this case, you must submit to the notion that R&B is NOT created by nor listened too primarily by blacks and associated with our culture.

The fact that Adore probably gets played almost every night during the 'Quiet Storm' set list of your local R&B stations means nothing. The fact that in most areas dominated by black culture... it is Prince's slow jams that he is known for, not his other music, is irrelevant here. The fact that Adore has been a night club bump n'grind, 'slow jam' favorite for decades is of no consequence.

All I know is that I could be at a lounge, a club, at the beach. a house party or just cruising by in the car... if Adore comes on I'll hear a unified.. "heyyyyy thats my jam"

I know what you mean... they don't. Shame too. But you're the one who gets labeled closed minded ..living in a hole or cave or something.


That said.... like with all music... some people won't like it just because.. they don;t like it. No real reason why. Its just a matter of personal taste.

BigDaddyHQ said:

True words...

I've said it before and I'll say it again! My favorite of all time! I cry every time I hear it.

Angelic1302 said:

cool,

I cry every time I hear fans trashing this brillant pearl of a song

Sad.... but that's life I guess....


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[Edited 6/6/09 14:49pm]

The whole black theme thing notwithstanding, I do recall that in New York the black radio stations(WBLS & Kiss.FM) pushed "Adore" without it being a single which was rare for a new song. The only other non single tracks I recalled hearing by Prince at that time were "Erotic City" & "Hello". Even to this day WBLS will play "Adore". I believe the djs believed it should've been a single all along and gave it promotion without any provocation from the label or the artist. As for myself I think it's up there in the top 5 of Prince slow jams for the sheer beauty of the track.

murph said:

im sayin dat black people love the song,and i know dat other people love the song.Im just sayin it in a cocky way.

mostbeautifulboy said:

I can't believe that either...That's a shame...It's a beautiful song.

TheKing662 said:

coolcat said:

I agree.

I'd say i'm an ADORE hater cos its too borring an slushy an borring for its own good .. the sound of the song as soon as it comes on is also enough to make me feel sick .. It livens up an gets pretty cool .. but still out of all his ballads this is one i can't seem to like .the chorus is lame lyrically. SATISFIED on the overhand .kicks arse! an i love it .. even though they are slight similaritys musically ..

BigDaddyHQ said:

Nice reply, I guess I was too quick to jump in with my . You are right. Everybody thinks they own a bit of Prince and Im the same.
Im over protective when somebody says 'He belongs to us' or ' We get it, you don't "
Truth is youre right, R&B is created by and listened to primarily by blacks and associated with your culture. Just wanted to share it for a while.

beestonpoet1981 said:

but it aint as bad as CALL MY NAME .. BOYZ TO MEN woulda done something like that ..minus the funkier liver music .... I dont absolutely hate Adore . I can play it an appreciate it a little .. but definetley dont wanna play it again an again .. like i do with favourites

murph said:

It is what it is...

BigDaddyHQ said:

Excellent post BigDaddyHQ.

I remember "The Quiet Storm," from Cleveland's WZAK...Where are U from BigDaddyHQ?

not a hater, just on SOTT there r too many other songs that grab my attention

Tame said:

Chi-town

In Chicago, a city with a black population greater than the entire populations of Atlanta and Detroit combined, the highest rated radio stations are all R&B/hip-hop... ie black stations. And we have a lot of them. There has been years when i was growing up that there were no stations which played any contemporary rock music... period. The closest we got was one or two top 40 stations (which you did get flack from your friends for listening too... but hey.. I liked my Duran Duran and Pat Benatar)... and if you were lucky a college station which had a 'rock' format and a strong enough signal.

These are all R&B, hip-hop, soul stations in Chi.
WGCI 10pm-2am Whispers in the Dark
WVAZ 9pm-12am Quiet Storm
WSRB
WPWX
WJPC
WGRB (gospel 24/7)

You will here songs like Adore, Call My Name, Do Me Baby, Damn U and Scandalous played daily on all but one or two (the pure hip hop stations). It was, in fact, 'black' radio which made Adore such a hit. It's just one of those slow jams which is like a pinnacle of what a love song should be.

"Adore" is, like many said before, a classic.

I find it even more intriguing that there is no guitar in the song, although it has a very organic production (except for the Linn).

But, if you've ever heard "All That" from Carmen Electra, one wonders just how much Prince respected the song himself...

Prost!

I love Adore...it's one of my favorite songs!

I never Adore haters existed amongst human beings, even the aliens like this jam as well as many others who don't follow him like that. I saw a thread titled "If U Could Ask Prince One Question" what would it be? Much as I would like a guitar question, I would have to ask, besides the rumored Susannah inspiration what were you on when u recorded this gem it's still well ahead of it's time!

murph said:

No, it's nothing to do with that, I love 'Just My Imagination' and a whole huge enormous diverse range of music right across the board, I just don't particularly like that song... end of story... why make it into something other than liking or not liking a SONG...