"My Computer" IMO is a classic;

Fuckin' love the intro; I like how mechanical it sounds, it gives me the same chill as "Shockadelica" did when I first heard it. When I first heard Emancipation, I don't remember hearing this track, but I decided to give the whole 3 disc set a listen to and from work today.

The arrangements and production is just SO good. I love the little indian motif in the chorus. There's this weird ass synth that floats in the background, which is so quirky and Prince. Then there's the insturmental break which is straight reminds me of a Stevie track, then the ending gets all funky on ya self.

"A Better Life"

Which brings me to the lyrics. I can totally relate to the subject matter of escape, into a world of your own, with peers with like minds on the internet, when I was younger. I think its kind of curious that Prince tackled this subject. Why? Maybe he was starting to look for an escape from his world, but thats only my guess.

One thing that caught my ear is that the melody is very reminiscent of a newer Prince track, "Reflection. Anyone pick up on that?

CoolTarik1 said:

"A Better Life" "A Better Life" "A Better Life" .... Good Bye

One of the few songs I like from Emancipation

I agree. Great song,

but where the hell is Kate Bush,

I may be deaf, but I can't hear her...

It's sad.

I love that he pretends Kate Bush is on this song. She's so not.

This was an early standout for me on Emancipation. I loved it right away, and that really hasn't changed.

Efan said:

Lol, is she supposed to be? I hope she didn't get paid then, I didn't hear her either!

Maybe she's somewhere in the chorus?

1. Kate Bush is mentioned in the "Diamonds & Pearls" CD booklet 1991
2. Prince and Kate Bush made the song together: "Why Should I Love You?" from kate's "The Red Shoes" album 1993
3. Prince and Kate are supposed to be singing on My Computer (Emancipation) 1996

Kate sings backing vox on the chorus. But not the first chorus.

and she's really low in the mix

it's a crime that you can't hear her more, and typical of Prince to invite someone he respects to sing on a track only to bury them under his own vocals

good song though, ending could do with cutting down, it's a bit annoying.

"Looking for someone to talk to, funny and bright"

Obviously he never comes to the Org

I love Prince's love for the then-new internet and he was incorporating sounds into his music. That goes back to 1995 or so with The Gold Experience, and the NPG Operator.

During "Emale" where the chorus says "w w w dot emale dot com", I had snipped the "E-maaaaale" into a very short and precise WAV file and made it my default mail sound. I had that for years. The percussion click/tick just before that was in the WAV so I always heard "tick...EMAAALE". haha I might do that again.

The sounds in "My Computer" are the actual AOL sounds (and AOL is credited in the liner notes).

Side note: If memory serves, I think the guy who recorded those "Hello", "You've Got Mail", and "Goodbye" sounds did it in his living room on a tape recorder as AOL was starting up. I think he worked there, or was a relative of someone who worked there. That's why the sounds were always a bit hissy and rough sounding. They just became so iconic, that they always used the same ones.

ernestsewell said:

I was pleasantly surprised that he was writing and incorporating stuff like the internet in his music; I think he opened up a new dimension in his lyric writing, which I wish he would explore more.

Interesting trivia on the AoL sounds. I was wondering why the sound bits sounded so rough, but it does add character.

fantastic song, and maybe the best one on the whole set.

at the time it was out, it was very personally relateable to me.


still love it.

Love this song...
~It was Sunday Night, Instead of doing what I usually do, I scanned my computer looking 4 a site...somebody 2 talk 2...funny and bright..
I got no mail on my computer.

surely you can hear her on My Computer, she's easily recognisable.

One of my fave songs on Emancipation.

ernestsewell said:

Whenever I am logged onto Yahoo, and I get a mail, it goes COME!, a sample from the first version of Interactive, with the NPG Operator break.

toe said:

I know, i heard her wonderful voice straight up.

Tame said:

Bet he was googling porn

HamsterHuey said:

Oh, I did that too! I think I used it for a first incoming IM message from someone. I also edited some of the NPG Operator stuff together from TGE for my computer start up sound.

Gawd, we're all geeks.

ernestsewell said:

OMG, I forgot; that's what I used the sound for too; my mail alert was the Jetsons doorbell.

I love this song, but if its ever remastered I hope P has Kate mixed properly next time. I need to hear more of her voice.

lezama said:

It won't be remastered, and IF she's on that song...you'll just have to find her on your own.

mostbeautifulboy said:

HA!


I really like the album.I've noticed it gets a lot of flack on here for sounding over produced or too many thorw aways.'My Computure is one of the best on it.

Love that song and the subject ! I find it a little sad though...and the "a better life" repeated a lot gives me the same feeling of sadness (in the lyrics not in the music !)
I loved it the first time I heard it ! Still do !

aazzaabb said:

It has been the album I fall asleep to the last few weeks, been enjoying it much more than I remember.

WetDream said:

Indeed! Those that can't hear her either;

1) Need to use ear buds

2) Need a decent stereo

3) Have no clue what Kate sounds like.....

or all of the above! Yes, she's a little low in the mix to begin with, but her backing vocals crescendo througout the track to the point where, in the last chorus before the "Better Life" coda hers are the main vocals you can hear! If you can't hear Kate there, then number 3 above is the most applicable.

One of my favourite tracks from Prince - the coda is just sublime.

Great song, catchy tune and the lyrics take us to a place we've all been at some time in our lives. This song often goes on repeat for me, it's too short and needs another listen. It's the kind of song that continues to grow on you and the lyrics get stuck in the head.
[Edited 3/9/10 0:29am]