Just ran across it and popped it in. Wears quite well- with a few goofy exceptions I didn't like when it came out (Animal Kingdom - I love the vibe- hate the lyrics...not because of what they say..but how awkward they sound). Otherwise I think it's a real departure sonically, fun in places and amazingly personal in others. Plus he definitely was all about reincarnation at that point. Much more Hindu and Buddhist feeling to me. To bad he didn't stick with that! I think this might have actually made a good single album release. Too bad it got lost in the Crystal Ball debacle.

"so called king gives birth to so called prince".

.....

Prince: Unplugged.

Comeback's a great, great song, I also love the lightness and humour of Dionne...

circle of amore

The Truth is an excellent album which unless you were into Prince and actually bought Crystal Ball would not have been heard, great pity in my opinion as his creativity was flowing.

Comeback!!

man in a uniform

yankem said:

"Dionne" and "don't Play Me" are my favorites, It was really cool to see Prince step away momentarily from his comfort zone and rut he made for himself in the 90's of goofy bubblegum funk.

I love it, The Truth is original but still somehow easily identifiable as the classic Prince sound.

ernestsewell said:

I recall Prince saying he was going to do MTV:Unplugged but it never happened. It's rumored this album was the end result of that idea.

Comeback

Walking up the stairs Thursday afternoon
Sweet wind blew not a moment 2 soon
Ooh, I cried when I realized
That sweet wind was U

Spirits come and spirits go
Some stick around 4 the aftershow
I don't have 2 say I miss U
Cuz I think U already know

If U ever lose someone dear 2 U
Never say the words - "They're gone"
They'll come back, yeah
They'll come back, yeah, yeah
They'll come back

Tears go here {x4}

HonestMan13 said:

Another great idea ending with a fart of an ending. The disk is okay, but I can't remember the last time I listened to it.

i remember getting the truth/dont play me single and it hitting me in the face with the realization that this man never sounds the same yet somehow he does. prince music is a paradox. this came out soon after i became a hardcore purple hippie and ill always love it.

Entertain the absurd

One of Your Tears is short, sick and sweet.
Love the greater portion of the album. Its a gem.

nyse said:

I love that song.

HonestMan13 said:

I remember MTV or VH1 advertising their upcoming season of Unplugged and Prince was on the list. I was pretty pumped. The season came and went and left me scratching my head like I had dreamt that promo.

squirrelgrease said:

very somber and reflective...he says so much,when he speaks of the
simple things...beautiful song

The Truth and Don't Play Me - those are my favurites from this album,

Circle Of Amour,
Comeback,
One of Ur Tears,
Welcome 2 The Dawn

these are great too.

This definitively should have been an official album release on it's own. I know critics go on about prince having too many songs on an album and the good songs get mixed in a bigger inconsistent album. But prince took it one step further here and let a whole album go under the radar. I remember reading a review in the Guardian(UK) for Crystal Ball and they were salavating over the Truth cd. It is absolutely fantastic. When you think prince could release things like New Power Soul without hesitation, this album would not have been a commercial gamble

Don't listen to it all that often although I do love 'One Of Your Tears'.

Dionne is a masterpiece.

jn2 said:

Totally agree!!

also love Animal Kingdom because musically it sounds to me like a mashup of the Oasis song Dont look back in Anger and Fishbones Lemon Meringue..

My other album faves are Goodbye and Comeback

yankem said:

Absolutely beautiful...Prince can be so tender.

squirrelgrease said:

I remember that as well. It was during MTV's phase out of music and intro to their original shows. Unplugged was one of the best shows on MTV and they scrapped it for some reason.

That was a great CD that should have been released on it's own. I love "Fascination", "Don't Play Me" and "Dionne." The whole CD is great. Animal Kingdom used to annoy the shit outta me but it's such a uniquely strange song that I always have to listen to it, in spite of me not going along with his views. It's a great album.

"Don't play me" is my favourite. Stripped down guitar, straight forward vocal & lyrics.

Shame it wasn't released on it's own.

HonestMan13 said:

Unplugged did a lot for George Michael's career in the states at the time he did it. It's very personal, intimate, and has a wide audience (and we know how much MTV reruns shit). And with the onset of Palladia, it's sure to get a lot of airplay. He'd also be a great kick off to a new season. There's a lot of old and new names in music that they could put together for a fab 2010 season.

HonestMan13 said:

It was one of the only reasons I watched MTV. Two favorites were LL Cool J doing Mama Said Knock You Out and Nirvana's famed set.

ernestsewell said:

I haven't ever seen the GM unplugged.