I have recently become very interested in the "Dirty Mind" peroid of Prince's music & personality. This, to me, is the most important stage of his career to date. I'm curious as to how he decided to make such a drastic change regarding his music, lyrics, & image. I wonder what went through his head at this time. "For You" was good but quite tame, "Prince" - he mixed it up a lot but still kept it quite tame & them KABLAMO! "Dirty Mind" was like whaaaaat. What do you think he was thinking while writing this album? Another curiousity regarding this which is often overlooked is how "Dirty Mind" was the 3rd and final album of Prince's first contract with Warner Bros. Considering how For You was actually quite a loss for the label & "Prince" only scored 2 minor hits for it - Dirty Mind was a huge risk to take at that point considering how all but 1 of the tunes were band from the Radio. What's even more head-scratchy is why Warner Bros agreed to release it, knowing this information.... I find it all very interesting haha

Another thought is how "Dirty Mind" & the following "Controvery" are both very short albums but keep the same theme. If any 2 Prince albums are twins, it's these two, right? I personally believe he should have combined the best tracks from both albums into 1 album & kept the remaining tracks for B-sides of the singles. This would make the dramatic change in music & image since "Prince" even more outrageous & could possibly have had people talking a lot more. Do you think Prince should have done this? Would "Dirty Controversy" be better received - past & present? What songs would you choose to be on the hybrid album? Let's say it can have 11 tracks.... I know this topic is quite pointless but I'm very bored at the moment haha
[Edited 12/29/09 9:56am]

Well the industry was way different then than it is now. Back then labels actually developed talent, now they are looking for the big hit. I am sure Prince would have gotten dropped if his first album performed the way it did then, now. They saw a huge talent in Prince and wanted to help him develope, and he did have a big hit with his second record. Dirty Mind was a risk, but Warners was more like a smaller family oriented label then. He almost got dropped after Dirty Mind (read Dez's book).

In regards to making a hybrid of Dirty Mind and Controversy I completely disagree with you there. I am in the minority in that I feel that Controvery is the better album. Dirty Mind was quite raw, but Controversy saw him starting to master that sound and develope that MPLS sound which we be on full blast on his next record (1999). I wish I was old enough to enjoy this period in Prince's carreer (I was only 1 at the time), I am sure it was very exciting

Prince was probably thinking, "I need to find me a good girl that I can do it all night with...So I can wake up in the morning and write a song about it.

1."Dirty Mind" (Prince, Dr. Fink) – 4:14
2."When You Were Mine" – 3:47
3."Do It All Night" – 3:42
4."Gotta Broken Heart Again" – 2:16
1."Uptown" – 5:32
2."Head" – 4:44
1."Controversy" – 7:15
3."Do Me, Baby" – 7:43
1."Private Joy" – 4:29
3."Let's Work" – 3:54

by far my favorite Prince era.

I dont think he should have combined the two alnums cause both albums are
perfect in my opinion.

I 2 wonder what made warners extend his contract. for another couple of albums.

Dirty Mind is my favorite Prince album, it also is the one that made me a fan. Even though the flow is perfect, the timing always leaves me wanting to hear more from this particular time period. At some point, 'Lisa' and 'Gotta Stop (Messin' About)' were considered to be in the album. If anything, I think he should have made it 1 hr long and included these two songs along with others like 'American Jam' 'Eros' 'Bulgaria' 'Rough' 'Big Brass Bed' and 'Plastic Love Affair'. Maybe on a special edition of Dirty Mind... (wishful thinking)

I was mostly into punk and new wave at the time, and after hearing Dirty Mind, it let me appreciate that funk could indeed be part of an incredibly unique amalgam. Controversy continued the buzz. Those two short and raw LPs defined an era and a few fans.

He had been on tour with Rick James. Rick was the wildest thing out there in R&B at the time and if Prince hadn't gotten wild, his little ass would have got eaten alive.