I love the big all out Prince songs like purple rain. Big, lots of vocals, lots of changes, instruments..

There are a few though that i say beat PR

for starters there's SAVIOUR on the emancipation album.. wow

For me, Saviour is an horrible song.

He made me hate Purple Rain for playing it 3 times per second and, that aside, he made lots of better songs. Too many to mention.

vitriol said:

Saviour is like a modern day mozart composition. It's one of the rare times all elements of P's genius come together.

The fact that PR was played so many times doesn't matter to me, each time he played it live it was unique ..like sex, had it but never the same twice.

Nothing beats Purple Rain. Not Saviour. Not Gold. (And definitely not Purple and Gold.)

Nothing.

Genesia said:

Sorry but the epic genius that is 'The Cross' from the 1987 album SOTT when played live (as on the official SOTT 'movie' & the Lovesexy concert dvd & more 'recently' on the Rave un2 the year 200 dvd) kicks pURPLE RAIN'S BUTT. nOT MANY SONGS APART FROM THAT SHIT THEY PALY ON THE CHOPPERS IN APOCALYPSE NOW CAN MATCH UP 2 ITS AWSOMENESS.. shit left caps on

sexyAuntyFuka said:

Those are live performances. I could list any number of performances of Purple Rain that put the performances you list to shame.

But I have to get to work some time today.

I love Saviour. I love Gold. I love The Cross. But Purple Rain is unbeatable.



I've been listening to the Purple Rain Tour Finale bootleg (Easter, '85) lately. And when the show finishes with that 20 minute version of Purple Rain.... I just get all giddy and teary-eyed and full of ... what... Prince, or something. And to all those people that say they don't want to hear him play it at shows anymore, GTFO with that shit.
[Edited 4/23/10 5:22am]

Don't misunderstand me: I know PR is a great song. He just made me hate it.

Fortunately, he wrote loads of better songs. Maybe not so 'anthemic' but that's not what I look for in a song.

Funny that The Cross has been mentioned: it's the only song I CAN'T stand (musically and lyrically) on one of the very best albums mankind was ever graced with.

for me it always will be:

anna stesia

Purple Rain is easily bettered. It's his most overrated track. Power ballad nonsense.

Lyrically good but, too cheesy...i mean, wayy cheesy.

Almost his entire catalogue is better.

Not a fan of it live either.

trickster said:

Anna Stesia destroys PR with just it's opening harpsichord.

I dunno. Anna Stesia is alright, but I kind of roll my eyes at it. It's too self-consciously arty and over the top. The difference between PR and AS is like the difference between, say, How Come U Don't Call Me Anymore and Condition Of The Heart. one's a really heartfelt, simple, in the moment feeling and the other sounds like he sat down and contrived to wrench some emotion and baroque artsiness out of what he had on the page.

I'll see ALL the songs y'all just laid on the table & raise U...




"The Morning Papers"





The ultimate power ballad. I win.

The Love We Make - if only more up front guitar at the end.....


perfect

I'm rather partial to "Still Would Stand All Time," but I do like "Purple Rain"

Just remembered another one I am partial to "The Love We Make"







Just remembered edit...
[Edited 4/23/10 10:19am]

Nothinbutjoy said:

I've always loved that song, and it never gets mentioned round here...

WetDream said:

I kind of agree with this. although I enjoy Purple Rain. Love the versions from the Purple Rain tour...

I think it's easily bested by Adore, The Beautiful Ones and much of his catalog.

poetcorner61 said:

wow that is just plain creepy

vitriol said:

the truth couldn't be any farther

Last December
Live 4 Love
Strays of the World

JudasLChrist said:

Adore doesn't have that climax and certain gut wrenching plead PR's drenched in.
PR's constructed melodies surpasses The Beautiful Ones on terms of world wide connectivity. It has a stronger, infectious hook.
& in my opinion the guitar work along with the piano on PR is so much more gorgeous and organic compared to TBO where the falsetto, synths, and crazy emotional screams are rampant

Gold

funkycat00 said:

I like that one to!

Power Fantastic. Shit brings me to tears every time

Nothinbutjoy said:

The Love we make rules

funkycat00 said:

also an all-time classic, but does not have that ooomph;

i suggest "the love we make" from emancipation

i think that's the title

I dig Gold, 3 Chains of Gold, The Holy River, Sometimes It Snows In April, The Dance, Last December, Power Fantastic, The Love We Make, Strays Of The World, One Song and Dolphin.

Just to name a few.

... there are a lot of power ballads that P has done over the years but there is nothing more moving then hearing Purple Rain live. Just the solos alone on that song can move a rock hard person to tears, I would think

NelsonR said:

Funny, but I don't think of Powerfantastic in the same catagory as the "big songs"

Powerfantastic is so unique that it in a lofty place all by itself.