You guys all like it when Prince experiments, so I never could understand all the hate associated with this ditty from Come. Solo is a mixture of gothic oprah, exotic pop experimentalism, ambience and supreme beauty. His ghostly vocals sound like they were sung in a batcave while P was hanging upside down. The music is brilliant. different, haunting, really creeps you out at the end. Just a marvy song. Big yay.

Have at it,. haters. haha

I definitely don't like this song, it creeps me out.

Self indulgent shit.
Probably my least favourite "song"

Muirdo, it's goth! I thought you were goth? lol

Nancy, I will protect you!

I wish he did more songs like this instead of crap like Dance 4 Me.

Every Prince song is self indulgent. Next!

I don't mind it. It's not his greatest but not his worst either.

2freaky4church1 said:

Goth lol...apparently we can blame David Hwang for co-writing this mess whoever he is.

Love it, and it's far from experimental.

YAY!!!

That being said...
There r very few songs that I give Prince a nay to...

muirdo said:

He's a playwright, and a pretty successful one. It's surprising to me that their collaboration didn't draw a lot more attention than it did back then. It would be mentioned in reviews, but it seems to me that it would have been more noteworthy than that.

muirdo said:

With all due respect, just because you'd not heard of him doesn't make him a nobody. The dude's resume is beyond impressive.

ernestsewell said:

Fair play..but I wasn't implying he was a nobody I just wasn't going to pretend I knew who he was after I googled his name.

Solo is great!

It's at the top of my list of HATED Prince songs.

Like it a lot. But my brother said it was Prince's potty break song.

ernestsewell said:

I would say for Prince, it is. Almost no instrumentation besides the harp, no real verse/chorus structure; Meter is all jacked. The lyrics are rather depressing for a Prince tune. Definitely stands out from most of his other songs.

I think it perfectly fits the somber atmosphere of the Come era better than the other songs on that album. It's quite sad, really. Having it segue into "Letitgo" was a perfect ending to the "Prince" era.

Then again, it might just be Prince whining about being short.

billymeade said:

No instrumentation: Have you ever listened to "Others Here With Us", "Sometimes It Snows In April", "Annie Christian", "Walk Don't Walk" or "Dead On It", or "Bob George", and a host of others?

Depressing lyrics: Have you heard "Another Lonely Christmas", "I Hate U", "Had U", "Purple and Gold", and a host of others?

"Solo" fits the mold for Prince quite well actually.

Solo is perhaps the ONLY Prince song I'd rather forget ever existed. Just weird, bizarre crap. It makes the New Age-y "Digital Garden" seem listenable. And I HATE "Digital Garden"!

Makes sense that it was co-written by a playwright. Theater folk are nuts! Prince can write better stage music on his own: Strays of the World, 3 Chains o' Gold, etc.

"Solo" is the only thing in the way of "Come" being a perfect album, IMO.

"Solo," is beautiful. I've mentioned this before...When the album came out, I babysat a pair of Parakeets...I loved to watch them listen to music...

I can't explain their reaction to Prince singing "Solo," other than captivated by his voice. I think they thought Prince was the King Bird.

psychodelicide said:

^ that.

Yay, yay, YAY!!!!

ernestsewell said:

Oh, I agree - it's definitely a song only Prince could pull off.

muirdo said:

Seeing Mr. Hwang's M. Butterfly on broadway, with original star B.D. Wong was one of the most amazing live theater experiences of my life.

That said, I do not care for Solo, except for the "The angels, they watch in wonder." part.

THAT said, P can be pretty obnoxiously self-indulgent and, we all know controlling, so what are the chances, really, that Mr. Hwang would be responsible for most of the song or how it's performed, arranged or anything?

HELL NAY!!!

MARVELLOUS song!!!

absolutely BRILLIANT, IMO. For someone as cocky, pretentious and self-loving as Prince , it's a very honest & humble take on how he was feeling at that time in his life. "SOLO ( so low ) ...the curb looks like : a skyscraper..." >> anyone who has ever been down like that , can truly relate. Metaphorically, one of his smartest & honest songs.
& those HARPS!!!!... just framing his vocals like a work of art. Take the song for what it is... a true insight into his pain during that era.

Like every second of the Come album it's complete bullshit. I'm sure P is SO ashamed of this and Emancipation....., rushed trash albums just thrown out to please the damn wb ...

"Come" and "Emancipation" are the two most awful outtake compilations a fan ever could have put out, period.

Been ages since I sat through the song (despite loving the "come" album). Gotta hear it again but its pretty weak if I can remember.

FunkyDissCo said:

Emancipation wasn't on WB, first off. Bet ya knew that, though. Second, you have no idea what Prince is ashamed of or not. Your statements are 100% wrong.

ernestsewell said:

Yes, Emancipation wasn't, but it's considered containing WB era material, no?
No, i don't know what P feels or thinks, of course not. A sure shot that was, but does it scratch my opinion? I don't think so.
Yes, Prince doesn't play too much of the Come or Emancipation stuff live, does he? I guess he's more like skipping that period completely when performing live, so that at least gives me (you?) a clue of what he thinks about it..