For some time now I've wanted Prince to do a covers album. It would be so out-of-character and it would be fascinating to see which songs he would pick and how he would transform them.

I think this would be the perfect way for Prince to show people that he's not afraid to break out of his comfort zone and also that he is still capable of surpising people.
[Edited 4/13/10 6:07am]

MattyJam said:

ewww no

Why no?

Surprise people?

Go listen to virtually any of his concerts for the last 4 years. They're full of covers.

And they are mostly lame covers.

vitriol said:

What he does in a live show is one thing, but releasing a whole covers album would be a pretty bold move and would certainly surpise me.

You guys would bitch no matter what he did.

I actually love most of his covers. Crimson & Clover, Betcha By Golly Wow, La La La Means I Love You, One Of Us etc and I enjoyed Creep and his Foo Fighters cover as well.

At least it would be something different.

MattyJam said:

i dunno who u guys r but im ok with almost anything he does musically, just not a fan of his covers.

i think if he where to get a little personal in his music that would be more of a bold move considering he's so private, most of his stuff now is about flash.
[Edited 4/13/10 6:24am]

vitriol said:

well they're not very lame, it's just that he keeps doing them
over and over and over again in favor of his own material.

but a studio covers release would be nice, if it was just one
of those things he's release under the radar, on say, his own
website (lotusflower anyone, lol)

there are already a few covers out there now:

i can't make you love me
betcha by golly wow
la la la means i love u
one of us
when will we b paid?
purple house
a case of you
everyday is a winding road

any others i'm missing? i don't particularly care for most of those
but "one of us", "when will we b paid?", "purple house", "a case of you",
those are all pretty solid tracks imo.

i guess you could add "honkey tonk woman" from the undertaker to that list.

IstenSzek said:

and "crimson & clover"

IstenSzek said:

Don't forget Crimson & Clover. He also covered (although never released) that Jesse Johnson song, the title escapes me right now.

Is When Will We B Paid a cover???

01. Crimson & Clover
02. Purple House
03. Betcha By Golly Wow
04. One Of Us
05. A Case Of U
06. La La La Means I Love U
07. When Will We B Paid?
08. Honkey Tonk Woman
09. Everyday Is a Winding Road
10. I Can't Make U Love Me

hmm, that doesn't look very interesting

i wish he'd released some studio covers
of all the sly songs he's been doing on
tour.

MattyJam said:

it's a cover of a song by the staples singers.
check out the original, it's very good.

I like some of his covers:


Case of U
One of Us
When will we be Paid
Best of U




But in general, Prince doesn't have the voice to do a soul cover as well as the original--He'd murder just about every Marvin Gaye song I think of. He'd falter with Aretha's songs, and I don't he should dare touch Ottis Redding.

I think he could take many 'singer/songwriter' songs and give them a healthy dose of 'umph', but with his already formidable talents, I'd love to see him just do his own stuff.

Although it would be great to see him do some beetles tunes.

IstenSzek said:

I'm sure if he released a brand new covers album he would make some interesting choices. Remember how shocked many orgers were when he covered Creep?

MattyJam said:

this convo is getting interesting. What songs would u like to see him cover matty and what approach? Would u want him to stay true to that song or change the arraignment?
[Edited 4/13/10 6:37am]

I don't like covers albums.They're kinda boring,actually.

TheVoid said:

I would love him to do an album of rock covers:

1. Maggot Brain (Funkadelic)
2. All Along The Watchtower (Hendrix version)
3. My Hero (Foo Fighters)
4. Angie (The Rolling Stones)
5. When The Levee Breaks (Led Zeppelin)
6. Don't Cry (Guns N Roses)
7. Jet Boy (New York Dolls)
8. Hey Hey, My My (Neil Young)
9. Sex On Fire (Kings of Leon)
10. Wicked Garden (Stone Temple Pilots)

Some old classics, some modern tracks, a few eyebrow-raisers...
[Edited 4/13/10 6:42am]

MattyJam said:

he did maggot brain @ 3121 Las Vegas

LOL @ sex on fire love that song but cant see prince singing it

ARock said:

I never knew he did Maggot Brain. I bet he tore it up!

Anyway, a full album of covers wouldn't grant him a cent in royalties.

So forget about that happenning. Fortunately.

vitriol said:

Good point.

There was a thread on this recently. He's done a decent amount of covers already.

Betcha By Golly, Wow!
La La (Means I Love You)
A Case Of You
I Can't Make You Love Me
Everyday Is A Winding Road
Whole Lotta Love
etc

I'd even include "Nothing Compares 2 U", only because two other acts recorded it before he released his own version - just as a bonus track.

Anyone else have a dream tracklisting for a covers album?

MattyJam said:

He should just take the tracks he's always play in concert and commit them to disk. I fear the "Prince production" sound to a lot of stuff though. I'd like to hear a 'one-take' feel (similar to what "Somebody's Somebody - Live Studio Version had). A lot of the album had that live band feel as well. It'd be the only way for this to work; whereas using the Linn or any other dry drum machine would give it a plastic sound.

Those tracks I mentioned should be by groups like Sly & the Family Stone, Graham Central Station, Santana, James Brown, Earth Wind & Fire, Elvis Presley, etc. Those people that he looked up to (and has since stolen from).

I'd like a twist on a covers album. I'd like him to put out some of his best 80's work that he gave away to outside acts or released on "protege" album, just as they are, but with his original vocal on them. We know they exist. The songs were pretty much completed from top to bottom before the end artist got their hands on them, and in most cases they got released exactly as he recorded them with only the lead vocal replaced (and sometimes it just got burried in the mix). Stuff like the Time, Sheila, the Family, Jill Jones, Bangles, Sheena Easton, Taja Sevelle, etc.


call it "UN-covered" or something.
[Edited 4/13/10 10:39am]

MattyJam said:

Oh God no, ultimate Sell Out album, an album of covers. Now, while I like Prince's covers of songs...i like the way he spreads them out. A few years ago Seal, who I'm a big fan of, did a covers album...absolutely horrid. I mean, they sound like the originals, nothing different. And it's so contrived, i mean look at how many older artist do them...Rod Stewart, Bob Dylan...its really done for money....mainly for money.

Look at me, I'm rerecording songs that were hits and made money for other ppl
years ago...maybe I can make money off these same songs too!

If you're an artist and you made it this far, write your own songs and do the occasional cover if you're really feeling an arrangement change or want to do something new with a song that inspired you.

rudedog said:

They're not all like that. They can be tastefully done. These are all excellent cover albums, which are every bit as artistic and creative as anything else from their back catalogues:

IstenSzek said:

P will never do an album of covers for one reason. That is because of the cost. He has to pay the songwriter royalties up front. That factor alone will keep him from releasing a full album of covers.