Which album do you like best?

I have much love for both albums because of their innovative songs and infectious beats but I do love Dirty Mind the most. The album's first three songs are really cool, the title track with its sex funk, When U Were Mine with its strong melody and Do It All Night with its infectious beat. When Uptown starts to play I get in a serious party mood. I think this song is the highlight of the album! Uptown fades out and then it's time for a really funky celebration of oral pleasures.

I think Dirty Mind stands out as one of Prince's most intriguing albums.
[Edited 10/30/09 2:00am]

For me this is an impossible question to answer-I them both. I mean hell Dirty Mind made me who I am today and Controversy more specifically Do Me Baby made me a fan

I usually rank Dirty Mind above Controversy, but not my much. They're sort of sister albums to me, but the rawer, more punk-ish vibe of Dirty Mind tips the scales in my opinion. Damn. Those were the glory days when albums were short and sharp. Like a brass-knuckled sucker punch to the face.



Dirty Mind – 4:14
When You Were Mine – 3:47
Do It All Night – 3:42
Gotta Broken Heart Again – 2:16
Uptown – 5:32
Head – 4:44
Sister – 1:31
Partyup – 4:24



Controversy – 7:15
Sexuality – 4:21
Do Me, Baby – 7:43
Private Joy – 4:29
Ronnie, Talk to Russia – 1:58
Let's Work – 3:54
Annie Christian – 4:22
Jack U Off – 3:09

No album containing Ronny talk to Russia and Jack U Off can possibly trump an album containing Uptown, Head, Sister and Partyup, no matter how good the other songs on it are.

Very tough choice.

Dirty Mind 10
When U were Mine 10
Do It All Night 9
Gotta Broken heart Again 10
Uptown 10
Head 10
Sister 9
Party Up 9

77

Controversy 10
Sexuality 9
Do Me Baby 10
Private Joy 10
Ronnie Talk To Russia 9
Lets Work 10
Annie Christain 10
Jack U Off 9

77

A tie

I'd give it to Dirty Mind because out of the 16 songs on the albums it has my favorite song on it in Uptown.

Hatman said:

I can't be the only one who loves those two songs. But, yeah Dirty wins.

Those two songs have not aged well, but I still like him.

For me, Dirty Mind is the better album. It flows better and hangs together as an
'album' much better.

Controversy is patchier IMO. It does have some songs that are superior to ones on
Dirty Mind, but it also has a couple of fillers too. I also don't think it's
sequenced as well as Dirty Mind. It feels more like a collection of songs than
a cohesive 'album'.

I love both deeply

Dirty Mind (10/10) is a better album true,

but Controversy (9.5/10) got better singles:

The Controversy-title track, Sexuality and Do Me Baby,

those were the days

Hatman said:

Oops. Ronnie Talk 2 Russia is my all time favourite P. track! But Sister is my second, so Controversy wins by a cunt hair.

I don't understand why (some) people don't like 'Jack U Off'...? Back then it was one of my fave Prince tracks from Controversy,

it's still a great track, imo.

it reminds me a bit of Delirious, which is great as well..


[Edited 10/30/09 2:33am]

mushmackalenta said:

here's my try:

Dirty Mind 10
When U were Mine 10
Do It All Night 10
Gotta Broken heart Again 10
Uptown 10
Head 10
Sister 10
Party Up 9

79

Controversy 10
Sexuality 10
Do Me Baby 10
Private Joy 10
Ronnie Talk To Russia 7
Lets Work 10
Annie Christain 10
Jack U Off 9

76

Dirty Mind wins a minor victory...

But still Controversy contains some fantastic songs as well.

I like Do Me Baby.
When I bought controversy, I listened to only this song.

Dirty Mind.

Dirty Mind is balanced, and the energy and rhythm of the album is so consistent. There are no duds. It's one of his best.

Controversy is the one early album that, to me, doesn't show a lot of growth. It essentially is the somewhat awkward half-step to 1999. The song, "Controversy", feels like the predecessor to any of the side-1 five minute jams on 1999. The album imbues a more synth-driven sound to his work, which 1999 brings to fruition. But the inertia of the album is undercut by songs like Ronnie Talk to Russia, Annie Christian, Jack u Off... none of which are bad songs, but they lop-side the album. It's a strong album, but not nearly as focused and fresh as Dirty Mind.

squirrelgrease said:

I loved the performance of Jack U Off during the Lovesexy tour

Ronnie Talk 2 Russia for me just works, (dated?) yeah, sometimes u need that, it's definately what was happening at the time, and I think the songs represents the album subject well and New Wave.

Tick Tick Bang right after Jack U Off or Sexuality would have really tipped the scales for Controversy

And adding Lisa on Dirty Mind would have given that last extra punch

Controversy is my fvorite of the two.

squirrelgrease said:

It is definitely hard...It's almost too hard to choose, in fact I almost chose "Dirty Mind," because I don't love the song, "Annie Christian." I like it but I do extremely love "Do me Baby," & "Private Joy," from "Controversy." so I'll go with "Controversy." I gotta give it up 4, "Do it all night," and "Gotta Broken Heart again," too. Nevermind...Just call it a tie.

Dirty Mind. Controvery halfway through lost the Dirty Mind sound.. I mean like Annie Christian could have fit on 1999. I like the striped down funk.... Do Me Baby, would have been great on anything.

Id have to give my vote to Contraversy. And "Lets Work" is the deciding factor.

Prince was so freak'n daring on both these albums! 1980 and 1981 and the guy is recording explicit songs about oral sex, mutual masturbation in public places, homosexuality, God, and politics... The guy had guts!
Prince could have been alot bigger than what he was/is, but he wasnt a sell out and refused to be controlled by mainstream. Props to the guy for defying the system and still becoming the huge star that he did!

I take Dirty Mind over Controversy.

Although IMO Dirty Mind is rather overrated (by both fans and the music press), i think its the best of those two. Its more 'compact', more cohesive in terms of sound (new-wave pop-funk-soul-hybrid) and the quality of the songwriting is.

Verdict: 8 / 10

Controversy is meandering more qualitywise, its self-indulgent in parts (Do me Baby) and political lyrics (Ronnie talk to Russia, Annie Christian) are definitely not his strongest virtue (understatement...).
I agree with what others have said here: its not really the step forward 1999 turned out to be, and its a rather 'patchy' album.


Verdict: 7 / 10
[Edited 10/30/09 10:34am]

Controversy all day everyday.

Sorry Dansa wherever u are

Tough one. Dirty Mind.

Nothing on DM is as badass as the first 31 seconds of Controversy. Not Head. Not Uptown. Nothing.

I like more songs on Dirty mind than Controversy so I'd have to say Dirty Mind.

Dirty Mind is probably the better album, the flow of it.

But "Controversy" and "Do Me Baby" are top notch songs. Hmm...tough choice.

OldFriends4Sale said:

I'd say replace Jack U Off with Tick Tick Bang. And I agree with adding Lisa
onto Dirty Mind, it would really made the album really explosive.

Controversy wins for me BTW..

I really love both albums, but I think DM wins in terms of what it did for Prince's musical sound. Controversy is really a continuation of something great, but DM is the original and the beginning of his sound's evolution.

I love me some Ronnie though. Oh, but Head! So many good songs between the two albums.

Dirty Mind. Music is tighter, lyrics are just a switch more daring, his vocal performance is his naughtiest & the raw demo approach is more creative.
[Edited 10/30/09 19:49pm]

Bree8016 said:

His recent version of Controversy on Canal+ was awesome!
[Edited 10/31/09 15:00pm]