You know what. Soetimes I shelve a Prince album for months, even years, only to pick it back up and completely rediscover it like I was listening to it for the first time.

I’ll be completely honest---I think 3121 is one of Prince’s greatest albums. It’s at least in his top 10 albums—possibly even in his top 5 (for me). I was so relieved when I heard the first few seconds of the opening song that Prince was getting loser and dumping the ‘retro’ sound he had cultivated and somewhat blandly regurgitated for us on Musicology, and was aiming for a more pop/jam/party album experience. On all counts, Prince succeeded with 3121.

It’s an album that was never designed to be a masterpiece nor an artistic statement of sorts. No, no, no. Prince wanted an album that was just having a good time. He made his statement on Musicology ala “Take your pick—turn table…or a band….” And, now, decided to let loose with the poppy funk jams. In short, 3121 is the party album Diamonds & Pearls was, but without the overly desperate attempts to sound ‘relevant’ through ubiquitous hip-hop interludes.
I’m fucking serious, yall. I love 3121 like Aretha loves ribs, or Richard Simmons loves dick on the downlow. This shit is tight as hell.

I was listening to it yesterday and it has little passages in each song where Prince pulls something very clever, but extremely suttle buried in the mix. He does it all throughout 3121. Even the more boring tracks (Te Ama Corezon & Get On the Boat) have little moments in them that are uniquely Prince.

This album isn’t shy by any means. It seems like it at first as there are no tunes that have an over-the-top love-me-love-me-love-me desperation to them, but don’t you fool yourself…. Prince is sonically throwing your ass on a round fur covered bed, unzipping your trousers, and sucking you off like a Bangalore prostitute with this album. It’s amazing.






I have much love for 3121.
[Edited 2/13/10 3:21am]

Not my fav album..I dislike Lolita, Satisfied, The Dance and Get On The Boat. Very uninteresting songs imo.

My favourite album of the last decade, full of lots of interesting little bits along with Prince's quirkiness!

zaza said:

I gotta agree with you The Void; also something has to be said about the sequencing, its perfect for this type of album, especially since there are so many stylistic changes. I think in a lot of ways, it is a superficial pop album, but its also easy to connect to and Prince's ease in making music gives it that purple charm. Also I think a part of that magic is that he stripped down a lot of the music; which reminds me of what made a lot of his music so great; Love, 3121 and Black Sweat are good examples. I think what holds it back is that it doesn't have the unique melodies that his older work does... but fuckit, its still fun.

TheVoid said:

But I still like the rest of it. Love is great song.

I couldn't agree with you more TheVoid. Thanks for the pic... reminded me of the 3 excursions I made to Vegas just for club 3121.... Great memories, especially when P pointed @ me doing the "Girls & Boys" dance and then jumped up on my table and started doing it to the crowd. Seconds later the entire club was doing it for me, 3121 is Top 5.... gonna go have a listen.....

lol

This is gonna happen to Lotusflow3r more than any other recent album.

As time goes on, people are going to be doing this about it too.

jgreco7 said:

Finally getting to do the Girls & Boys dance at a show was like a dream come true for me.

And then, the aftershow...when I was sitting close enough to his guitar pedals to touch them with my own foot. And when Sheila joined him and played timbales on Get On the Boat...

That album will always hold fond memories for me...even if I didn't think the music was wonderful (and I do).

Genesia said:

No matter how shitty my threads are
Genesia supports them

TheVoid said:

It's an album I really enjoy, and it was nice to once again have a Prince album where the live versions of the songs complemented the studio versions well. As much as I dislike Satisfied and Ti Amo Corazon, that is offset by some of the brilliant moments on the album; most notably, songs like Beautiful, Loved and Blessed; The Word; and Black Sweat. And anytime he gets together with Sheila, even if it's just a small part on Get on the Boat, it's magic.

ahhhhh 3121. the first album i got to experience as an actual fan. i became one at the tail end of the musicology era so im issed that. i ronically he didnt really put anything out in 2005, so this was my first album to really experience.

many of the songs didn't really stick to me then or now, but i appreciate it because that was my first era. and looking back from his latest album to then, 3121 seems to be more open and honest and more inviting.

anyway, THE WORD is my favorite song off that album. it just makes feel float whenever i hear it

TheVoid said:

Gross. It's like "One ZaZa, One Pup".

3121 is a SOLID album. would give it GREAT status, but definitely his most "accessbile" album in years. it feels lighthearted but its mad deep and spiritual in a way that doesn't alienate. love it!

I loved the entire 3121 album on first listen and it's certainly in my top 5.

Glad you finally came around to it Dan!

I've loved 3121 from the beginning. It was a wake up call that wrapped its arms around me.

somehow, i always think of "3121" as the better album out of
"musicology", "3121" and "planet earth".

but when you start to deconstruct the albums, 3121 has just
as little real good stuff to offer as the other two.

having said that, the good stuff on "3121" is miles ahead of
anything on the other two.

the title track alone just about redeems whatever else he'd
have put on there. but actually, there are quite a few good
solid tunes on this album.

"fury", "the word", and yes, "te amo corazon" are all amongst
my favorit prince songs.

the album as a whole though, i don't listen to very often. it
was probably only once or twice in the last year that i put
it on and let it play all the way through.

the big difference between this one and both "musicology" and
"planet earth" is that there is nothing here that bothers me
or makes me cringe.

"planet earth", i just don't like. the components are alright,
i guess, but they still make for a very weak, half baked album
that i don't care for at all. eventhough a few of the songs on
it shine very bright and went immediately into my favorits list
on windows media player.

"musicology", however, is still a major disappointment to me
and to this day i can only listen to about 4 songs from it:

"a million days", "call my name", "what do u want me 2 do?"
and fcuz, the brilliant "reflection".

it was the first prince album that had me cringing on more
that half of the content. i still don't understand how such
a large portion of the fans call it a great album. wtf?

"3121" is a good prince album. it has all the ingredients a
good prince album is supposed to have and although it is
still missing for the most part, like on all 3 of the discs
i've mentioned, at least "3121" manages to capture some of
that ethereal 'prince magic' that has been so far and few
between since the late 90s.

for me, combining the best elements of those 3 albums will
get you one superb, top 10 worthy prince album. but on their
own, they all fall short. "3121" being the best of them but
still not the best of prince.