I've just bought the Princey's 3Cds "Hits"... Though i already know the album tracks, my interest was more focused on the "B-Sides" disc... And there was a great surprise for me : "17 Days" ... I absolutly love this tune!! I can't get enough of it... Tough its a quite generic funk-R&B jam of the 80s, l think it's one of Prince's best song, and l even wonder why it wasn't included on the "Purple Rain" album?? It would have been a better choice, replacing "Baby I'm A Star" for example (I dont like the song that much)... And as a single, it could have been a hit for Princey!!
- What B-side do you think would have been good enough for an album? And actually A HIT for Prince, as a single?
My vote goes to "17 Days"

Definitely "17 Days". Alan Leeds described it, in the liner notes, as "the single without an album" (paraphrase).

"Rock N Roll Is Alive (And It Lives In Minneapolis)" belongs on Gold, perhaps instead of "Shy" (which is the one song I cannot stand on that album; I never even ripped it to my iTunes).

Maybe "Shockadelica" could have ended up on SOTT. It could have been the counter part to "Housequake" on disk 2. Shorten "I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man", and put "Shockadelica" after that, and you're set. Although I don't think Prince would do that, because he seems to keep a theme of "sounds" or style in an album, and although "Shockadelica" fits into the SOTT sound, it was also supposed to be a one-off single (we know the whole story). So in his mind, it probably didn't fit for that reason.

A lot of his B-sides are more personal, and don't necessarily belong on an album. Things like "She's Always In My Hair", "Girl", and "Hello". "200 Balloons" was pretty much a prototype for "Batdance". Same goes for "Escape" being a prototype for something from Lovesexy. "Gotta Stop", "Horny Toad", and "Feel U Up" were older songs, released years later, so they had their missed their chance. "La La La, He He Hee" was created on a bet (as was "Poom Poom"), and things like "Power Fantastic" or "Another Lonely Christmas" are good songs, but they don't really fit into the text of an album. MAYBE Power could have been on Parade, but that is a stretch for me. It would have either dictated the deletion of "Sometimes It Snows In April", or cheapened it by having two very unique ballads on one album like that. It almost seems like it'd fit on Lovesexy better, as far as theme.

So yeah.....those are my 2 or 3 choices. Great thread idea, by the way!

Shockadelica
shes always in my hair
17 days
God (piano)
how come u don't call me
Horny Pony (I know before you even say it...!!!)
Alexa De Paris ( not on Bsides...criminal !!!)

purpledoveuk said:

yeah, i though the same thing... I heard from an old tape at home... This song is quite good! Which album session does it belong to?

Parade...it's the b side to Mountains (and letitgo) and is in the movie Under The Cherrymoon when Christopher is dancing/arguing with Mary (Punk, brat, gigolo...CABBAGEHEAD!!)

FrenchGuy said:

Additional info about "Alexa De Paris" here: http://www.princevault.co...a_De_Paris

purpledoveuk said:

"Alexa De Paris". I don't think it belonged on Parade, because it already had a similar feel song with "Anotherloverholenyohead", and there was already an instrumental on there, "Venus De Milo". I do love "Alexa De Paris" though. It belongs in a movie again.

she's allways in my hair

ernestsewell said:

Sorry, I thought he wascasjing which album it's associated with

I have Alexa De Paris as the last song of Parade in my Itnes and it works really well.

You then have an instrumental finishing both sides of the album.

Plus it's my favorite of all Parade era tracks.

Erotic City is just too damn good to be a B Side. Should have been kept for the follow up to purple Rain which should have also Included and Be enttitled The Dance Electric, 17 Days could have gone on that album also along with Traffic Jam.

i wonder
i cant love u anymore
the grand progression
love thy will be done


i like the usuals to
17 days
crystal ball
dream factory
train (ive been loving this one as much as 17 days lately)
all day all nite
data bank
large room with no light
electric intercourse
baby your a trip
lisa

prince needs to play train live and not some acoustic half verse bs either

Alot of those early release B-Side would have been great on an album of tha era of it's release and recording. It's 2 many 2 mention.

Landonfunkmonkey said:

I've often thought the same, the follow up album to Purple Rain should have been titled "Erotic City" and "17 Days" on it. Not that ATWIAD wasn't a good album but Prince changes gears and music styles faster than the buying public and at that time in his career his fans needed more of the Purple Rain sound.

To answer the thread, 17 Days.

If you think about it, Disk 3 of The Hits IS an album. All those a-sides are now their own album. It's a perfect disk up to that point. We could build a second disk at this point w/ other B-sides since 1993 that'd be just as good.

what an album that would have been...

all day all night, 17 days, the dance electric, g-spot, possessed all have that hypnotic quality.

maybe traffic jam, moonbeam levels, another lonely christmas, chocolate and who knows what other great tunes

The only ones I think would've been hits or on an album are She's Always in my Hair, Erotic City, 17 Days, and 200 Balloons. The rest are good but nothing hit-worthy imo.

Who said Rock n Roll is Alive should've replaced Shy on TGE??? You outta be slapped!

ernestsewell said:

"Rock N Roll..." is embarrassing, it's so lame. If it was going to be on an album, it should have been Exodus, not Gold.

This is a great thread by the way... I reckon or $ definitely!

I agree that "17," days could have been put on "Around the world in a day." I never would replace, "Baby I'm a Star."

Tame said:

Well let's remember it was intended to be an Apollonia 6 song, so it might have been a single if it were.

She's always in my hair

She's always in my hair
17 days

and I know its not a proper b-side. I think Days of Wild (studio vrsn) and Peach should have made it to albums.

ernestsewell said:

R&R is Alive should have been on the Gold Experience but replaced Pussy Control.It would have opened up Gold Experience with a bang

17 Days is obvious for so many reasons.
Others that spring to mind are...

She's Always In My Hair
La La La He He Hee
Shockadelica
Hello

Hello and 'She's Always In mY Hair' should have been on ATWIAD. WOuld have strengthened the album quite a bit.

FrenchGuy said:

Oddly enough on the 12" single that got released in America '17 Days' is credited as being from the Purple Rain Soundtrack. Typo or last minute change snafu?

Love or Money, to me, is a missing ingredient from Parade. I always include it in my sequence of the album and to me the album sounds incomplete without it. Very funky, unique little track. Has to go on Side 2 to balance the somewhat-similar Girls & Boys. I place it after Do u Lie.

HonestMan13 said:

Typo.

Poplife88 said:

She's Always In My Hair

17 Days

I love the B side idea, I would never change that concept.

But I do enjoy creating album era playlists including Bside & outtakes

Like some have said certain songs just don't fit the album like Another Lonely Christmas. Yet it's a killer song/Bside

Horny Toad, Irresistable Bitch & How Come U Don't Call Me... could easily fit 1999

I usually fit Erotic City right after the Beautiful Ones right b4 Computer Blue
I usually fit 17 Days right after Erotic City or between Darlin Nikki & When Doves Cry
I usually fit God:the Dance Electric right before I Would Die 4 U

A good move for Prince would have been to still present the A6 album at its finest. He could have have a bit more collaboration from Time members Jill Jones & the Revolution. I love Blue Limousine & Sex Shooter, Love U A Million Miles,
17 Days could have been Prince duet with A6, something like Love Bizarre,
He could have put a longer version of Take Me With U on there
and Manic Monday which would have the given the album a touch of class.
I say your name is on there you might as well make it shine.

Around the World in a Day *my fav album by the way
Around the World in a Day
Paisley Park extended
Condition of the Heart
Rasberry Beret
She's Always In My Hair
Tamborine
Girl ext
Temptation (should have finished out the first side)
America (could have been a little longer but save the full version for single release)
Hello (could have been a little longer but save the full version for single release)
Pop Life
the Ladder

Parade I love and it feels more like a movie soundtrack than Purple Rain.
So I understand how the Bside and album cuts work
Both B sides would work in the soundtrack and he should have used some of the outtakes as bsides: Heaven Others Here With Us All My Dreams
Love or Money
Alexis de Paris

Old Friends 4 Sale should have been released as a B side but the lyrics were 'life personal' and wouldn't fit the movie, yet the music and the ending:Old friends 4 sale, get em while their still hot... would work.

Sign o the Times is such a collage album that the B sides work as B sides

Lovesexy the B sides fit right where they are
Glam Slam & Escape are too much alike in theme and work as a B side
Scarlet Pussy works as an alter ego for I Wish U Heaven the devil & the angel.

"I love u in me" the b-side 2 "Arms of Orion".I think some1 got those 2 songs mixed up as far as "a side,b side" stuff goes.
I bought the 12" version of "Orion" years ago just 2 hear what the b-side was like and I was(am)always grateful I did.
Bloody beautiful song!!!!