billymeade said:

ernestsewell said:

"Shy" is what fucks up TGE. I took it out and my playlist, and blended the sounds on either end together as part of the segue between "319" and "Billy Jack Bitch". I never miss it.

Agreed. Yet when Gold came out, "Shy" and "We March" were the two songs that had not been leaked yet (studio versions , anyways), so I played the hell out of them. Funny now those are the two I skip nearly 100% of the time.

I don't get why "We March" gets such a bad rap. I like it, and it fits in the context of the album for me. "Shy" is just lazy and vapid, to me.

Shy is my own favorite on that album, and maybe 319.

But Im amazed that none of you mention what really really makes this album an irritating listening experience despite decent songs:

The recurring "NPG Operator". Its almost as bad as Kirstie Alley on the album.

thedance said:

irreverence said:

Shy is my own favorite on that album, and maybe 319.

But Im amazed that none of you mention what really really makes this album an irritating listening experience despite decent songs:

The recurring "NPG Operator". Its almost as bad as Kirstie Alley on the album.

The NPG Operator is part of the experience. Prince was very computer-forward at the time (and The Beautiful Experience video echoed that). Militant, myself, and someone else discussed this album. I made the point that Prince albums always seem to mirror what's going on in his head, either good or bad. The Operator part is just part of the "experience", and the journey through the album.

The thing w/ the Kirstie Alley segues is that they were incomplete. When he added "I Wanna Melt With U" near the end of the album completion, he had to cut a lot of those "story line" moments, and they now seem even sillier.

I will say that in 1997, when I lived in Minneapolis, I called a phone chat line, and cued up all those Kirstie segues and used it as my message when some dude tried to chat me up. I'd cue up "Why don't you tell me your real name?" and send the message. A minute later, I'd get a voice message back saying, "My name is Ed." Of course the one I'd send back would be "That is not the truth and you know it. How old are you?" LOL It went on and on. TOO funny. I wish I had recorded some of those phone calls. They'd be great to play now and laugh at.

I actually like the segues on as they are. The ones that were cut seem rather over the top, imo.

As far as TGE goes, I think Shy is very weak and something about We March just rubs me the wrong way. I love Now, however.

now rocks it quite well, and fits nicely for me. this was my first prince experice this cd and still adore it, but i always skip beautiful girl and dolphin. board of them, shy is awesome to me always loved it, and best track on the disc has to shhhh closely followed by 319.

number 2 fav album for me is exodus, the 3rd is parade.

Now's a hit ! Or could've been...

3:19 is the weakest 2 me, really no surprise in it.

But why so much hate here about... Shy ?

I know anyone s'got his own opinion but I feel strange reading hate about this song that so much pleased myself : bluesy, cool, kinda acoustic, a strange little story... This one was a real surprise for me at this time.

So am curious what gets U wrong with this song ? I'll still love it anyway !

Now is cool except for the pause and Prince saying "Light another one dude".

That part needed to be cut. And I skip We March... don't like the music. Wish the ultra cool futuristic Studio cut of "Days of Wild" was there instead.

319 is GREAT.

lezama said:

Now & We March were the only two songs I consistently skipped on that album...

co-sign. same 2 songs annoy the heck out of me.

ufoclub said:

Wish the ultra cool futuristic Studio cut of "Days of Wild" was there...

yes!

I love the studio version of "Days Of Wild", too.

New Musical Express wrote in early 1995 (march?) something like DOW is the worst Prince track on TGE.

[img:$uid]http://img706.imageshack.us/img706/8646/nme1995.jpg[/img:$uid]

I guess Prince decided to take this track off the album then when the album finally was released half a year later,

well, I can't read his mind, but that's my guess...

[Edited 7/8/10 2:35am]

We March and Shy screw up the album for me. They're both alright, but there was stronger material available (in the case of We March) and stuff that gelled better with the rest (in the case of Shy)

wow, I'm surprised so many people dislike Shy. it's one of my faves.

It's interesting to think about all the great songs that didn't make the album:

"Days Of Wild"

"Acknowledge Me"

Those five songs are better than "Now" and "We March",imo.

ufoclub said:

Wish the ultra cool futuristic Studio cut of "Days of Wild" was there instead.

I agree.I was really disappointed when I found out that this song wouldn't be on the album after all.I think it's Prince's most convincing hip-hop performance,and he makes some great statements on this track.

DigitalGardin said:

Is it just me or does NOW screw up GOLD EXPEREINCE? I think that the Gold Experience is Prince's best CD of the 90's but NOW screws up the flow of the CD...

i've never listened to any of Prince's records with the view to critiquing them. i've listened to what they are and accepted them that way. i really like NOW.

ernestsewell said:

I don't get why "We March" gets such a bad rap. I like it, and it fits in the context of the album for me. "Shy" is just lazy and vapid, to me.

Actually, since you said that, I put it on ("We March") - and you're right, it is pretty damn good! I'm puttin' it back in the rotation.

"Now" is so much better on "The Beautiful Experience" boot (like "Days of Wild"). Luckily the miracle of playlists can alleviate my distaste

SoulAlive said:

It's interesting to think about all the great songs that didn't make the album:

"Days Of Wild"

"Ripopgodazzipa"

"Interactive"

"Hide The Bone"

"Acknowledge Me"

Those five songs are better than "Now" and "We March",imo.

Completely agree. I picked up Crystal Ball back in '98 and realized then what The Gold Experience could have been. Add these five songs (or at least the first four you listed), cut "Now", "We March", and "Billy Jack Bitch" and you'd have damn near the most perfect album of Prince's career. As it stood, too much of the project was mediocre for it to achieve masterpiece status in my mind.

BTW, I am definitely a "Shy" fan. In fact, it is my favorite song on The Gold Experience.

I initially loved Gold Experience.. but over the years it became a too layered piece of work for me... production is harsh for my taste.. Endorphinemachine is a great example.. wow.. he put too much on top of that track.

having said that.. i think it was a better direction than most of the 00's output.. the NPGMC Club music is probably the most over produced mess i've ever heard.. and he got really close to that with 80% of MPLSound.

robinhood said:

DigitalGardin said:

Is it just me or does NOW screw up GOLD EXPEREINCE? I think that the Gold Experience is Prince's best CD of the 90's but NOW screws up the flow of the CD...

i've never listened to any of Prince's records with the view to critiquing them. i've listened to what they are and accepted them that way. i really like NOW.

Just you. "Now" is a masterpiece.

For what its worth I've always skipped P Control, We March, Dolphin , and Gold.

Now is a great fun tune. I love it. Actually I love the whole album. I am not a huge fan of Beautiful Girl, but it fits on the album. Also wish Days of Wild was on there somewhere. Minor complaints...

Sdldawn said:

I initially loved Gold Experience.. but over the years it became a too layered piece of work for me... production is harsh for my taste.. Endorphinemachine is a great example.. wow.. he put too much on top of that track.

I've always hated Gold Experience, its not just too harsh, its garish and gaudy and everything about it speaks dim witted rock star sucking on a lollipop.

Some people here like it, that's cool but to me this album always represented the the major turn towards Prince becoming the cheesy artist that represents all of his 90's work.

20ten will probably represent the last Prince album of this decade, i cannot say whether this decade has been better than the 90's musically, but other than crazy "internet is dead" comments, he seems to be in a better place and i would credit his religion for both.

One thing I think is undeniable, as a live musician, this decade he proved to the world that there really was no one better. So in that regard i would say that this decade was better for both Prince and fans.

[Edited 7/8/10 9:30am]

Word - Gold Experience is one of those masterpiece Prince albums from the 90s that people write off because Prince is supposed to have fallen ouff in the 90s. THis album is proof of how wrong that notion is.

NouveauDance said:

Just you. 'Now' is, and always has been, the shit.

Frankly, I could melt the entire cd and save only 3 songs and would be happy. Shhh, Billy Jack Bitch, Endorphinemachine

nah, now is okay . we march is the weakest track, imo

purplecam said:

CerpinTaxt said:

I think it might just be you and a few other people. It's MUCH better live, by the way. Try to find it on bootleg The Beautiful Experience.

IMO, We March kind of screws up Gold Experience...

I totally agree with you on that one.

Now to me was Prince trying to outdo The Fresh Prince Will Smith's Boom Boom Shake Shake The Room, but because it was released a year or 2 later the link was missed and it sounded slightly outdated even at the time of release.

I do like it though.

Co-sign all the others alating We March - it is the weakest link in a strong album for sure. The vocal breakdown at the end it kind of cool but just doesn't work to my ears overall.

And I wish Ricky Patterson never came near Prince for this album, putting all his cheesy keys all over it - Gold really suffers from overproduction - I guess Prince couldn't help himself tinkering whilst he sat waiting for Warners to release it.

cosmicslop said:

Now to me was Prince trying to outdo The Fresh Prince Will Smith's Boom Boom Shake Shake The Room,

LOL Nonsense.

And I wish Ricky Patterson never came near Prince for this album, putting all his cheesy keys all over it

LOL Okay then.