phunkymunky said:

Agreed

purpledoveuk said:

Wow, the Temptations? I think Prince obliterates the original out of existence. If only there was a nicely mixed studio version. I mean, Small Club is pretty sweet, but the vocals could be way clearer.

A Case of U
I can't make u love me
Cookie Jar
When Will we be Paid
Just me Imagination
I want 2 be Free
Creep
All along the Watch Tower
One of Us

While I enjoy his covers I'm gonna go with NONE also.

johnart said:

You honestly, seriously rate Joan's One of Us above Prince's? Is it on principal, or quality? It can't be originality cause she didn't write it.

Not being argumantative, I really want to know how you think it's better.

phunkymunky said:

Yep. Probably the only cover of his that I love.

Hatman said:

I do. By far. I like her version - I don't like his. The main failing is not singing the melody in the chorus. Oh, and the 'slave' thing. His is too pompous.

vivid said:

Yes! Prince flattens out the melody in the chorus and the song loses nearly everything as a result. The guitar and general sound of the track is unimaginative also imho.

Fauxie said:

I hear what you are saying and if that's what it does for you, then so be it. However, the melody is contained in the backing vocal harmonies, with only Prince's lead vocal flattening the melody....it works for me. It probably wouldn't have if it didn't have the melody featuring in the back.

I like it - its pretty faithful to the original (Prince appears to have a lot of respect for the song, saying something about its a song that every Artist should sing), but he still "Princifies" it. It was very well received by most critics too. But, each to their own, eh?

PurpleDiamond2009 said:

whole lotta love? even Prince would laugh if he heard u thought his version is better than that Jimmy Page classic..that was barely a cover..just a homage.

lotusboy said:

And, if people think that an artist covers a song because they think they can do better, then they are sorely mistaken! You don't go and cover a song for that reason, you cover it because you respect it as a work and you want to give your own twist to it. I guarantee Prince did all his covers out of respect for great songs, not because he thought he was going to better the original. Only fans set up this kind of competition, not the artists themselves.

Jimmy Paige wouldn't be thinking "Is Prince's version better than ours?", he'd more likely be thinking "Cool, Prince likes our track that much that he covered it himself".

Whilst Radiohead might have had issues with the availability of Creep (which is a different issue) they seemed flattered, if somewhat surprised, that Prince was covering one of their tunes. That's still respect between artists.

Mindflux said:

Whatever people say about the song or his remake, there's one thing no-one can deny: The guitar solo on this song is among the best he ever recorded. It's right up there with Purple Rain and I Hate U. And so is Crimson And Clover, for instance.

Dave1992 said:

Dave1992 said:

I disagree. It's only so-so for me.

Fauxie said:

What else would you expect from a rat-eating scouser?

Dave1992 said:

It's just a bit too cheesy and bland, like the album in general. Just not a big fan of Emancipation. It just has very little depth.

Re 'rat-eating scouser', under some circumstances I might feel a bit of a fraud as a Liverpool fan not being from Liverpool, but in this case, not so much. Isn't your league any good?

edit: 'rat eating scouser' made for a funnier visual though
[Edited 5/2/10 8:16am]

Fauxie said:

Emancipation is a very funny, wicked and creative album.


Where are you from orginially?

The good times of Austrian football, when we were among the three best nations world-wide, are long gone. Nowadays I'd rather watch the copulation process of an earthling than even five minutes of that bunch of slobs trying to run in a sraight line.

Dave1992 said:

Born in Brighton, grew up in Cheltenham. So yeah... Liverpool fan.

The premiership is very entertaining, I've gotta say. I don't blame people from elsewhere for tuning in.

erik319 said:

This makes no sense: Have you ever heard the original Handbags & Gladrags? Is Elton John a pale imitation of Bernie Taupin?

Betch By Golly Wow and A Case Of U are both superior renditions to the originals imo.

Mindflux said:

Is it? I'll have to give it a listen. I remember the melody being taken over by the instrumentation. Can't remember if it's keys or guitar.

Oh, and I don't even remember the guitar solo,Dave.

databank said:

I would say none too.
But his best have been "Just My Imagination" And "Creep" BECAUSE he gave it his own interpretation and meaning. That's what art is about. You add your essence to something.
To me there is no worse cover than someone trying to ape something note for note. What's the point?

Creep and Just My imagination show what artistry is about.
I was at Coachella that year, like I am every year because i live a few miles away from the polo grounds. And I can tell you first hand that everybody there, Prince fan or not was blown away by it. Of course it also made news world wide by the praise it universally received by the press on hand.
[Edited 5/4/10 8:10am]

vivid said:

It's all very average and bland to me.

God, it's not one of those guitar solos doubled up with a tacky synth sound that he does is it?

Chaka Khan's version of Prince's I Feel For You is a cover that's better than the original.

therat said:

erik319 said:

Brothers Johnson's version of Strawberry Letter 23 is way better than the original by Shuggie Otis. Marvin Gaye's I Heard It Through the Grapevine is better than the first one recorded by Smokey Robinson & the Miracles.

Hatman said:

What a shame it would have been if he had to leave "Like A Rolling Stone" to Dylan as well.

Hatman said:

One of Us is my favorite as well, with Crimson & Clover a close second.

Betcha by Golly Wow - The Stylistics
[Edited 5/5/10 7:01am]

therat said:

I disagree! I love the original.

One Of Us by far.