LOVESEXY

Back in 1988, I was 16 years old and my musical tastes had varied quite a bit. I was getting into everything. Pop, rock, indie, alternative, dance, r&b, funk. And by now I had well and truly made the transition from vinyl to CDs – though still buying 12” singles like no ones business. And I had found my record store – a little shop in the local shopping centre where I knew the staff and they knew me and my likes. So when they told me the new Prince album LoveSexy was coming out, I preordered it straight away – this was back in the day when a preorder actually made you feel like you might miss out if you didn’t. I stopped off after school the day it came out, grabbed it and raced home. Doing as I had always done with my Prince releases, I went into the little alcove my family had where the stereo was, and put my headphones on and rather than putting the needle on the record, I pressed play and closed my eyes.

From the opening ethereal sounds and the spoke introduction of EYE NO, I felt like I was going to a magical place. Straight away this had the feel of a great concept album, and I felt like a story was about to be told. “Welcome to the new power generation….” And there he was. Like he had on Paisley Park, Prince was inviting me to take a trip and don’t you know I had my ticket. With a full band sound that sounded fresh and bright, the song has a pure, open feel to it. And this stage I hadn’t heard the black album, and saw this as the natural transition of the brighter “yellow” songs of Sign O’ The Time (Play in the Sunshine, Houesquake). The groove has a joyful skipping quality to it, the bass line bounces along, even Prince singing in the higher register reinforces the sense of joy in (re)finding GOD (the feeling of Lovesexy). Lyrically Eye No addresses the justification of pulling the black album, the fact that “confusion and lightning” was all around him and that this album will celebrate the joy of redemption. The gospel tinged breakdown, just swirls and lifts you up higher, making you want to be part of this new experience. As an opener it is perfect, almost laying out the theme of the album, the fight between good and evil, between lovesexy and spooky electric, between the flesh and the divine, areas Prince has addressed before but never with such a joyful resolution. And the way the song climaxes with “eye no there is a heaven and a hell” seems to lay out the options for us confidently knowing that if we have been a part of the 5 minutes, we know which side to choose. (Based musically on The Ball – Eye No still contains the outro/intro to what had planned to be the following track in Joy in repetition).

Whereas Eye No felt like a band effort, Alphabet St feels all Prince. That syncopated drumbeat, the funky and you know it guitar riff, and the cocksureness of the lyrics. The fat chunky bass that hits on the chorus is just too cool. And the layering of the backing vocals and their incessant yeah yeah yeahs, just makes you feel like going down down down. But as the track progresses, more and more band elements start to creep in, the horns, the additional backing vocals, and Cat’s vocals. Whereas Eye No is uplifting, Alphabet St is just pure party joy. And yes that delivery of Tennessee is the one sampled by Arrested Development a few years later.

The first time I heard Glam Slam, I wasn’t sure to make of it, it seemed like an epic rock opera song snug tightly into 5 minutes. Having an almost oriental feel and arrangement, underpinned with a funk beat, GS has a sense of mystery to it that “seems to transcend the physical” and just carries you away. I especially love the musical breakdown towards the end with the synth strings ducking and weaving around the one the beat cowbell and shimmering tambourines. One of Prince’s underrated singles, maybe it was just too off the mainstream pop feel of the time to be the big hit it deserved to be.

It was only at this point, when the end of Glam Slam with its whirring keyboards segued into Anna Stesia that I looked up at the cd counter and noticed it was still track 1. Structured like one long epic dream this album was drawing me in.

As if the feeling of being amongst the clouds wasn’t in effect after the first few songs, Anna Stesia ensured it. Dealing with feeling of isolations and the longing for company, Anna Stesia seems to me to be Prince detailing his trials and tribulations on the recording of the black album and where he was at that point in his life – “between night and day, black light seemed like the only way so I danced, music late, nothing great, no way to differentiate, I took a chance”. Was he inviting us into the darkness, letting us see why he took a chance and pulled TBA and decided to move in more positive ways? And with the thinly veiled title (Anna Stesia = Anesthesia) and lyrics that talk about isolation and the longing to perhaps numb that feeling. Like The Cross this song is at once an honest look at the frailty in us all, and the hope in finding a higher purpose. Hearing it right now, I am moved with a mix of sadness and happiness, the bittersweet of life. But as soon as the refrain of “Love is God, God is love…” hits you are immediately filled with a great sense of optimism, as if the sunlight from a new dawn has broken throw the dark clouds. Redemption and perfection in under 5 minutes.

As soon as I heard the fluid drum groove of Dance On I was hooked. Like all the great Prince drum songs (Tambourine, Lady Cab Driver) this was one I knew I would forever love to drum along to. Littering the beat with accentuating samples that sends you into a state of confusion and excitement, Dance On is like a more up beat James Brown funky drummer inspired take on Sign O’ The Times with it’s running commentary on the state of the world. I love all the bleeps and blops that hit and vanish throughout. One of Prince’s on the groove songs that I will forever be smiling to when I hear it.

Continuing the funk frenzy, LoveSexy hits hard. With its high note melody hook – similar to that of When Doves Cry – the song seems to strut and swagger at times then burst forth with such joyful exuberance climaxing in the vocally manipulated pillow talk. Almost like the aural equivalent to a teasing wet dream, LoveSexy seems to want to draw the link that the spiritual and the physical need not be at odds, and can in fact be a path to enlightenment. A powerful track that just seems to lift you over the ground with its arrangement before laying you back on a pillow of funk. Sweet Dreams

Feeling more at place on LoveSexy than on The Black Album, When 2 R in Love shows Prince at his most seductive, and unlike some of his earlier ballads that seemed to suffer from trying too hard, W2RIL seems natural and organic. Light the candles, and dim the lights, and just get lost inside this song.

As soon as I heard the start of I Wish U Heaven with its foreverinmylife-esque drumbeat, and rain drop percussion. There is a sense of innocence and lament in this song that just touches me. Seeming to hold more than it’s mere 2:45 this is a song rich in beauty and tone, and a song that makes me want to have that grace in being able to wish nothing but the best for someone, even if that means them not being with you. Beautiful.

With an opening guitar structure to ATWIAD’s Temptation, Positivity flips the focus with its tale of living a righteous life, of living a life in the positive. With its mix of electronic beats and twirling percussion the song has a modern meets mystic feel befitting the lyrical message. A last warning, last train to salvation song, Positivity takes an honest look at the plight of a generation, offers guidance but admits we have a long long way to go. But at least the path is clear.

And closing full circle with the same arrangement as the opening the journey was complete. The CD whirs to a stop and I’m left feeling richer for the experience. And today, despite it not being the smash hit it deserved to be, I always felt it was a more worthy successor to SOTT than The Black Album, and I’m glad that to me it’s how I heard it as the follow up to SOTT.


Tomorrow we leave the ethereal world of LoveSexy and head to Gotham city for Batman. But how did LoveSexy move you? Have you had your plus sign today?

Swa

Other Celebrations:
FOR YOU http://prince.org/msg/7/311337
PRINCE http://prince.org/msg/7/311446
DIRTY MIND http://prince.org/msg/7/311567
CONTROVERSY http://prince.org/msg/7/311655
1999 http://prince.org/msg/7/311739
PURPLE RAIN: http://prince.org/msg/7/311810
AROUND THE WORLD IN A DAY: http://prince.org/msg/7/311901
PARADE: http://prince.org/msg/7/312000
SIGN O THE TIMES: http://prince.org/msg/7/312049
THE BLACK ALBUM: http://prince.org/msg/7/312333
[Edited 6/26/09 19:40pm]

Great review...I have been enjoying these threads...

Lovesexy is a album I can listen to front 2 back with no effort....

Swa said:

Wow, this is word for word how I would describe my experience of Lovesexy too.
Remember the excitement as youd drop the needle, close your eyes and hear those first sounds come into your head.
Mark me present.....



Hold on 2 your soul, we got a long way 2 go
[Edited 6/27/09 4:05am]

Incredible album, xceptin 1988 I still had not be sold into Prince yet, that was 1 year off to I really loved Partyman and 3 years before the purple dawn finally hit me with Cream.
What can I say, it was also rediscovered in 1992, and I thought it was incredible (I vaguely remember Alphabet Street from 1988 as it went to Number One in New Zealand, Prince's first, even WDC got to 4 and Kiss only to number 2 here). In 88 I was listening to stuff like Eurythmics, Times Two, Kylie Minogue and Milli Vanilli (Tragic), I was over Tiffany though, what was funny we had a brand of pie called Tiffany and they took the "Could have been so beautiful" slogan for their products.
Annastesia and When 2 R in Love are the most magical songs, although its all pretty good.
Not as good as Sign though and many would see this as the start of the decline, still an A-

Huggiebear said:

Really? I thought Kiss got to number one?? My memory isnt too good, it was 20 years ago!


Ok, sorry I just checked, youre right.
[Edited 6/27/09 5:03am]

LOVESEXY!

True this was a better follow-up to SOTT..I'll always wonder how successful it would've been if he wasnt naked on the album cover..the album was so.."clean" to me..the total opposite of black album..the sly stone-ish alphabet st with Cats vocals was just was i was hoping from him straight out of left field..i used to say how can i dance on to such a wicked drum pattern..lol..but i had no problems with it..anna stesia was the song that won me over and then when i heard the"I wish U Heaven" extended version..i was officially satisfied..."Take this beat...I dont mind, got plenty others and they're so fine"..

Probably my favourite album.

Swa, I wish this album sounded as good as you describe it! Put me in the camp that thinks this was the beginning of Prince's decline. For me much of the album is far too polished and busy sounding and it pales noticeably compared to the 1980-1987 era. I think most of the songs would have benefited from a more stripped down approach. It was also fairly ludicrous of Prince to release this on cd as one track. I don't necessarily dislike the songs but I don't think the album is the masterpiece that a lot of fans think it is. "Dance On," for example, is a fairly weak track that would have been better left in the vault. Perhaps the real weakness of the album is the fact that it did not have an obvious follow up to "Alphabet St." as a single. Surely "Glam Slam" was a very poor choice as a single? I've always seen Lovesexy to be Prince's first artistic stumble and in my opinion he didn't start to recover until 1992/1993.

Lovesexy was arguably the more commercial album, at least in terms of the pop charts, but I would have preferred it if he had released The Black Album instead.

Such an amazing time of wonder - LOVESEXY - thank you Prince for making me wonder.
It begins with what lies within.

rialb said:

As a drummer Dance On is full of kinetic energy that is just too good to refuse.

Swa

Swa said:

I believe that "Dance On" was intended more for Sheila to showcase her talents than to make Prince himself shine. It's rare to have a lead artist in her own right take a backseat to another artist even if he jump-started her career. he always acknowledged her talent on the albums and especially on the tours. it was definitely a track written for a drummer and not a singer.

HonestMan13 said:

Fair point, but still a great frenetic song.

Swa

rialb said:

Do you think he recovered with "I Wish U Heaven" which to this day still remains one of my all time favourite Prince songs - and the 12" with part 1,2,3 is pure heaven wished for.

Swa

I usually don't post or reply to anything on here but i gotta shout a "WHOOP WHOOP!" for this one. I was being born while he was on tour for this album
Sux that i missed it but thank goodness for dvd's. I watch it like...every other day lol
Pathetic I know

Bejaye said:

The tour was one of his best and probably got him playing more unexpected material than on the Purple Rain & Parade tours. It was a lot of hits but also some surprises thrown in for the real fans who listen past the singles. Also the stage energy between him and Cat never let up for a second.

Swa said:

Commercially I don't think you can argue that he recovered with "I Wish U Heaven." It missed the pop charts entirely and only got to number 18 on the R & B charts. I think if it had been released as the second single it might have done a little better. I do agree that it is a good song.

rialb said:

IMO, Lovesexy was not made for the charts.

PrettyMan72 said:

Certainly a valid opinion.

HonestMan13 said:

GOD I used to wanna be that girl. I STILL do all her dances when I watch it...when I'm not too stoned to stand LOL

rialb said:

The fact it was one continuous track on the CD also made it even more inaccessible if you just wanted to listen to "when 2 r in love" for example. Part of me admired that he was basically saying "if you want to listen to this you have to listen to it all."

Swa

Swa said:

Definitely! It was like take it or leave it, all or nothing!