I recently discovered a series of post I did for the NPGMC under the title A CELEBRATION, where I tried to listen to a Prince album a day and recall the excitement I felt for the album when I first bought it. It was a nice way to have a discussion around the music and get other's experience of the albums. So I thought I would repost them and see what they stirred up for people.

So today here is FOR YOU. Can you remember when you first heard it? What was your take on it?

FOR YOU

I first discovered Prince during the Controversy album. I was 8 years old and had just bought my first ever 7” record, a song called Sexuality. From there my journey began.

It wasn’t until a few years later that I found out that he had albums prior to Controversy. By this stage I was well into the whole 1999 album, and slowly would use my hard earned pocket money to buy up his back catalogue. I distinctly remember having for you on cassette but I don’t think I played it that much, and it wasn’t until I bought the album on CD that I really gave it a good listen.

Kicking off the album with FOR YOU, the speakers fill with a choir of purple voices and for me there were moments that would be echoed in the infamous backwards voices at the end of Darling Nikki. There is something so rich and lush about the way the harmonies work here, just washing over and swirling around you as they rise and fall.

Leading into IN LOVE, a track that feels pretty true to the disco synth driven songs of that era. To this day it seems cute and inoffensive but nothing overly remarkable.

The first time I heard SOFT N WET I was blown away. The synth line and groove just infect your body and take control. And when it hits that bridge in all its disco shuffle glory, you feel as though you have been given a glimpse of what would bloom in the following years. Of course the lyrical content as a 13 year old seemed extra explicit, and today still make me break out in a naughty schoolboy smile.

CRAZY YOU upon reflection doesn’t sound as dated as I expected it to be. Maybe it’s because Prince has recently revisited this style of stripped back guitar and groove, very Te Amo Corazon. The track though seems to begin nicely but then just seems to drift off without truly meeting its destination.

The whole vibe of JUST AS LONG AS WE’RE TOGETHER is like Soft n Wet part two. Again an infectious groove and climbing synth line, but this time it feels less cohesive. And maybe it’s hearing it again with a back catalogue of tracks swirling in my head, but I keep hearing snatches of what would be Glamorous Life in it.

BABY is another song that I dismissed but in later life would revisit. For me it’s got that classic Prince pleading ballad blueprint with striking accents and climatic orchestral crescendos. Lyrically I never really got the whole unplanned pregnancy vibe of the track until many years later. Again naiveté won out. Listening to it now it’s striking how similar the arrangement is to I Hate U - the first of many Gemini Twins that would emerge in his career.

MY LOVE IS FOREVER is your typical r’n’b song. It suffers more from Prince reflecting the sound around him than moving forward and trying to find his own sound. Something that would come over the next few albums.

SO BLUE suffers from the same issue. It’s fairly generic, but when listening in retrospect you do hear a hint of where the future would lead when it came to Prince crafted ballads.

I’M YOURS always seemed like it was the odd man out on the album. It’s got more of a Funkadelic vibe to it with Prince moving into more of a rock funk area. Again, there is no faulting the production, but the song just seems to have something missing.

----- tomorrow I will post Prince - but in the meantime, what were/are you reactions to FOR YOU -----
[Edited 6/16/09 19:32pm]
[Edited 6/16/09 19:33pm]
[Edited 6/18/09 20:25pm]

I never quite got into For You. It was a bit too bland for me, sans a couple of songs.

One of my favorite albums from Prince. Very underrated. But I think you're right about Crazy You. How it fades and drifts off to an end before it even really get started.It reminds me of a sample and I truly still love the song none the less. Just wish it was longer.

Rinluv said:

Agreed.


I don't agree about 'Crazy You' though, I like these short moments. Like 'I Wonder U', why would you want a longer version, it's great as it is.

The acapella song For You is an amazing way of starting a career, I mean the lyrics:

All of this and more is 4 U
With love, sincerity and deepest care
My life with U, with U, I share

BEAUTIFUL,

I love the whole album, it sounds very inspired of the sound by Stevie Wonder, imo.

thedance said:

Very nice observation.

As his first album its great, it introduces his sound straight away and really serves as a template to what would come. Sure its melodies, songwriting and vibe is not as strong as later epics like Parade and SOTT, but the germ is there. We have the usual mix of cute pop (In Love), Gospelly acapella stuff ( For You,Baby), ballads (So Blue, Crazy You), sexy dance funk (Soft and Wet) and rocked out guitar numbers (I'm Yours), plus sex charged lyrics like "I've got a sugarcane" and "I really wanna play in your river" already show his gift for libidinous imagery and sexually charged metaphors. Its a case of the man finding his style. While not the greatest album in the world, its perfectly listenable and good and has some catchy hooks, plus with that sleeve of the guitar and weird disco style bed thing already offers up Prince as the bizarre eccentric figure he has come.

Solid C+ effort
[Edited 6/17/09 3:21am]

As for a lot of people my intro to Prince was Purple Rain. I live in the UK so Prince was unknown before then and anyway I was 11 yrs old. My obsession with Prince led to me buying his whole back catalogue in one go. Can you imagine the feeling of Liking an album and discovering there were 5 more to be had!
Anyway I listened to them in order and For You was great but I was shocked that this man could go from that to PR not necessarily in terms of talent development but simply in sound. For You was just so pretty and raw and discoey at the same time. The title track seemed so perfect. I think this is why I am still a P fanatic to this day as I discovered him in a 6 album marathon!
Who would have thought that 20yrs later it wouldn't be unimaginable for Prince to release that as a single release bundle!

"For You," has been my favorite album of all time. The album is a beautiful Prince album, however it has something sentimental within it that I can't describe. It's a hidden love I guess.

...FOR YOU..is such a great album..so beautiful..so sexy..so silky..so sweet..so..so..so...soo!!
..mzsexybaby'LOST IN PRINCE'S EYES'

What struck me about this album is how different it is to his later stuff ie. Dirty Mind onwards...it seems to have softer / soulful songs, not much Funk.
The standout track for me is In Love (so romantic) and also Soft and Wet but apart from that don't listen to it really.

I'm going 2 send my review later, I love the earlier years 4 U Prince Dirty Mind and the demos

I have a saved playlist mix of songs from the 1976-1980 years

I know people connect Dirty Mind with Controversy especially the new wave connection but I think Dirty Mind is the naughtier side of Prince & 4U

I call it Dirty Mind 4 U Prince

He should've put the following tracks on For You:

1. Just another sucker
2. We can work it out
3. make it through the storm
4. Rock me, baby (a fleshed out finished non acoustic funk version)

He should have left off the following tracks:

1. For you (I think I'm yours would be a better title for the album anyway.)
2. So blue (Sucks!)
3. My Love Is Forever (wimp tune)

He should have changed the following tracks:

1. Just as long as we're together (I wish he would have made this a funk song instead of disco. The unreleased alternate versions of this are better.)


My fantasy version of Prince's first album titled I'm Yours:

Side one

1. I'm Yours (title track)
2. Just another sucker
3. Baby
4. In Love
5. Rock me, baby

Side two

1. Soft and Wet
2. Make It Through The Storm
3. Crazy You
4. Just as Long as We're Together (Funk and not disco)
5. We can work it out
[Edited 6/17/09 15:25pm]

"So Blue" is da shit!

peterv said:

To me. it's not the shit. It is shit.

therat said:

Opinions are like... I'm sure you understand.

To know that For You was Prince's first Album and hearing a song quality superior to others of the time and even now is truly astonishing.

Several of the songs could easily be played today on a traditional R & B radio station and fit nicely:

In Love
Crazy
Baby

Others like For You exhibit Prince's ear and desire to infuse the gospel sound in his music early on.

Soft N Wet was one of those trademark songs from back in the day.

I'm Yours surely gave us further insight to Prince's versatility.

Are we hearing/seeing Prince come full circle?

jill4life said:

jill4life said:

Or maybe it is an infinite loop.

Love the observations on the music.


Swa

For You is my chill out album. I love it to death. I hardly consider it to be bland. I can easily listen to that one album for hours and hours and never get bored. "Crazy You" reminds me of all those long lost young loves I went through. Do I need to explain why I love "Soft & Wet"?

I think I'll spare y'all the deep love I have for this album. I could write a book on it. It's one of those albums I usually will listen to in the Summer late in the evening or early in the day when I'm writing. It's soothing to listen to when (and if) I have a lover by my side. And if none o' that is happening, I'm dancing with myself to the faster songs.

But then again, I didn't even exist until August 1985. I guess I just like it because I have a personal appreciation for that "70s" sound.

LadyLuvSexxy said:

I'd be keen on reading that book.

Swa

My mini review of 4 U

For U 4.7.1978
All of this and more is for you. With love, sincerity and deepest care, my life with you I share


1. For You
proves that he can sing and harmonize

2. In Love
the bouncy beat of In Love is like some 2000 tribal house music I listen too, Prince's music is timeless, you could mix this into a playset at a club and people would think its something new

3. Soft And Wet
How much more can we say, classic synth, real dancable hit
4. Crazy You
I always loved this song, when I hear this one I think of this picture, it sounds like an early Summer day



5. Just As Long As We're Together
Not one of my favorites maybe if he had this at #2 and Soft & Wet as #5 I would hear it differently
6. Baby
Has that Innocence of certain 70's music that I like
and do you all hear I HATE U in the break? "And we'll grow stronger every day" right in that spot...
7. My Love Is Forever
I love the percussion on this song, the rhythm is nice
8. So Blue
Sounds like it could be over done a bit
9. I'm Yours
Glimpse into the Rock of Prince, has a dangerous rock feel, Love it





[Edited 6/18/09 7:47am]

I remember these posts on the Musicology forum. nice to have the chance to read them again. Thanks for reposting Swa

1976 demos/For U outtakes
any number of these could have been on the For U album

My favorites are Leaving 4 New York
We Can Work It Out
Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me


Baby (alt. version) 1976 early version 3:13
Baby (Instrumental) 1976, instrumental version of released song 3:21
Baby Baby Baby 1976 For You outtake 2:52
Been Down A Long Lonely Road Early outtake 1:21

Do You Wanna Ride? 1976 outtake 5:14
Donna 1979 outtake 4:11
Down a Long Lonely Road 1976 demo 1:21

Leaving 4 New York 1976 demo to get record contract from Warner Bros. 5:52
Loving u 1976

Nadeara 1976 demo 1:53
Nightengale 1976 outtake 4:16

Spending My Time from 1976 Demo tape 7:20

We Can Work it Out (1976) Not the Beatles' song 2:45
Wouldn't U Love 2 Love Me #4 (1976)








[Edited 6/18/09 7:46am]

OldFriends4Sale said:

Nice added info. Much appreciated.

Swa

I realise that it is very much a cliche to say this but I think it is best to first hear For You after you've heard his 1980-1987 output. It's not a bad album but it is so very different from his "classic" era. I think that if you are very familiar with what came later it is easier to appreciate For You for what it is.

rialb said:

Nice observation.

This album I've always fronted on badly, very badly. I don't know why, it's that I never really gave it a try.

I can't believe how 'My Love Is Forever' is being glossed-over - it's the best song on the album!

I made a mix CD of "sunny" R n'B and this is on it (alongside 'Free' by Deniece Williams, 'Loving You' by Minnie Ripperton, 'The Best Of My Love' by The Emotions and some other stuff). To appreciate the song, you ned a sunny day, a fast car, all the windows down and your car stereo pumped up to full volume.

GirlBrother said:

Next time I have that combo I will give it another spin.

Swa