billymeade said:

He was just trying to build up his own mystique, like how we're "not ready" for "The Divine" yet.

I will say though, it did sound freaky when I first heard it on a fuzzy 8th-generation tape in 90 or 91! I think the murkier the copy, the more dastardly it sounded. When it finally got released, it was so sanitary sounding, it lost all of its edge.

lol I totally agree, something about that black market quality just did it for me.

ya'll still aren't hearing it with fresh ears. The lyrics are macho, and made to sound boastful, misogynistic in many instances.

Come on, one of the songs (with deep dark organ notes) talks of drinking blood, getting high, and tieing up someone and masterbating in front of them to relate....

The wild monster noise of Le Grind gives it all away as far as his theme for the album.

It's very anti top 40. Look at what else was around on the radio then. Try playing any track from Black Album nxt to these:

ufoclub said:

ya'll still aren't hearing it with fresh ears. The lyrics are macho, and made to sound boastful, misogynistic in many instances.

Come on, one of the songs (with deep dark organ notes) talks of drinking blood, getting high, and tieing up someone and masterbating in front of them to relate....

The wild monster noise of Le Grind gives it all away as far as his theme for the album.

It's very anti top 40. Look at what else was around on the radio then. Try playing any track from Black Album nxt to these:

1. "Need You Tonight," INXS

2. "Look Away," Chicago

3. "Roll With It," Steve Winwood

4. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," Poison

5. "Got My Mind Set On You," George Harrison

6. "So Emotional," Whitney Houston

7. "Seasons Change," Expose

8. "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley," Will to Power

9. "Could've Been," Tiffany

10. "Never Gonna Give You Up," Rick Astley

11. "Sweet Child Of Mine," Guns 'n' Roses

12. "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car," Billy Ocean

13. "The Flame," Cheap Trick

14."Giving You The Best That I Got," Anita Baker

15. "Waiting For A Star To Fall," Boy Meets Girl

16. "Hands To Heaven," Breathe

17. "How Can I Fall?" Breathe

18. "Anything For You," Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

19. "Wishing Well," Terence Trent D'Arby

20. "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen

21. "Wild, Wild West," Escape Club

22. "Hold On To The Nights," Richard Marx

23. "Man In The Mirror," Michael Jackson

24. "Love Bites," Def Leppard

25. "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," Whitney Houston

26. "One More Try," George Michael

27. "Groovy Kind Of Love," Phil Collins

28. "Father Figure," George Michael

29. "Bad Medicine," Bon Jovi

30. "Don't Worry Be Happy," Bobby McFerrin

31. "Devil Inside," INXS

32. "Pour Some Sugar On Me," Def Leppard

33. "Simply Irresistible," Robert Palmer

34. "Hazy Shade Of Winter," Bangles

35. "I'll Always Love You," Taylor Dayne

36. "Endless Summer Nights," Richard Marx

37. "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," Samantha Fox

38. "Angel," Aerosmith

39. "The Way You Make Me Feel," Michael Jackson

40. "Foolish Beat," Debbie Gibson

I completely agree: It may seem tame now, but an album like The Black Album coming from a pop star like Prince in 1987 would have been a shocker. There was more extreme stuff coming from hip-hop artists like Ice-T and Schooly D at the time, but they weren't yet on the same commerical level as Prince. Much like Madonna kept fresh by appropriating (and garnering some credit for) underground styles in the 90s, coming from Prince, this material would have been a revelation.

(On a personal note, I was nine years old in 87, and I have deep-seeded personal connection to just about every song a on this chart. Do you know the exact date it's from?)

TwiliteKid said:

ufoclub said:

ya'll still aren't hearing it with fresh ears. The lyrics are macho, and made to sound boastful, misogynistic in many instances.

Come on, one of the songs (with deep dark organ notes) talks of drinking blood, getting high, and tieing up someone and masterbating in front of them to relate....

The wild monster noise of Le Grind gives it all away as far as his theme for the album.

It's very anti top 40. Look at what else was around on the radio then. Try playing any track from Black Album nxt to these:

1. "Need You Tonight," INXS

2. "Look Away," Chicago

3. "Roll With It," Steve Winwood

4. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," Poison

5. "Got My Mind Set On You," George Harrison

6. "So Emotional," Whitney Houston

7. "Seasons Change," Expose

8. "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley," Will to Power

9. "Could've Been," Tiffany

10. "Never Gonna Give You Up," Rick Astley

11. "Sweet Child Of Mine," Guns 'n' Roses

12. "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car," Billy Ocean

13. "The Flame," Cheap Trick

14."Giving You The Best That I Got," Anita Baker

15. "Waiting For A Star To Fall," Boy Meets Girl

16. "Hands To Heaven," Breathe

17. "How Can I Fall?" Breathe

18. "Anything For You," Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

19. "Wishing Well," Terence Trent D'Arby

20. "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen

21. "Wild, Wild West," Escape Club

22. "Hold On To The Nights," Richard Marx

23. "Man In The Mirror," Michael Jackson

24. "Love Bites," Def Leppard

25. "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," Whitney Houston

26. "One More Try," George Michael

27. "Groovy Kind Of Love," Phil Collins

28. "Father Figure," George Michael

29. "Bad Medicine," Bon Jovi

30. "Don't Worry Be Happy," Bobby McFerrin

31. "Devil Inside," INXS

32. "Pour Some Sugar On Me," Def Leppard

33. "Simply Irresistible," Robert Palmer

34. "Hazy Shade Of Winter," Bangles

35. "I'll Always Love You," Taylor Dayne

36. "Endless Summer Nights," Richard Marx

37. "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," Samantha Fox

38. "Angel," Aerosmith

39. "The Way You Make Me Feel," Michael Jackson

40. "Foolish Beat," Debbie Gibson

I completely agree: It may seem tame now, but an album like The Black Album coming from a pop star like Prince in 1987 would have been a shocker. There was more extreme stuff coming from hip-hop artists like Ice-T and Schooly D at the time, but they weren't yet on the same commerical level as Prince. Much like Madonna kept fresh by appropriating (and garnering some credit for) underground styles in the 90s, coming from Prince, this material would have been a revelation.

(On a personal note, I was nine years old in 87, and I have deep-seeded personal connection to just about every song a on this chart. Do you know the exact date it's from?)

It's funny how Madonna only put out anything remotely "black album" -ish later on her Like A Prayer Album with the last track and her "What do you mean it's not in the computer?" concept with the backwards guitars. And then it later comes out that it was part of the stuff Prince touched.

This list was basically a generic list of top hits from 1988.

ufoclub said:

TwiliteKid said:

I completely agree: It may seem tame now, but an album like The Black Album coming from a pop star like Prince in 1987 would have been a shocker. There was more extreme stuff coming from hip-hop artists like Ice-T and Schooly D at the time, but they weren't yet on the same commerical level as Prince. Much like Madonna kept fresh by appropriating (and garnering some credit for) underground styles in the 90s, coming from Prince, this material would have been a revelation.

(On a personal note, I was nine years old in 87, and I have deep-seeded personal connection to just about every song a on this chart. Do you know the exact date it's from?)

It's funny how Madonna only put out anything remotely "black album" -ish later on her Like A Prayer Album with the last track and her "What do you mean it's not in the computer?" concept with the backwards guitars. And then it later comes out that it was part of the stuff Prince touched.

This list was basically a generic list of top hits from 1988.

I didn't mean that Madonna's stuff was similar to the Black Album per se. I was referring to her latching on to house with stuff like Vogue and Rescue Me, ambient techno with the Ray of Light album, and the French electronica sound with Music. In each case, she appropriated a style that was gaining some favour in clubs and introduced it to the mainstream.

thedance said:

smoothcriminal12 said:

When I got The Black Album, I expected something real dark. It wasn't.

the Black Album is excellent,

to me it's basically Sign O' The Times - part II,

Songs like

Le Grind,

Cindy C,

Superfunkycalifragisexy

Rock Hard In A Funky Place,

sounds imo very much like the excellent funky stuff on SOTT......

Completely agree.

DarlingNikki1025 said:

IMO, The Black Album was not as "dark" or "sinister" as he made it out to be. The only song that

was remotely disturbing on the whole CD that comes to mind was "Bob George" when his alter ego killed that girl. Other than that, I found the whole album to be more comical, yet sardonic in nature not the work of a deranged psychopath. His later work, The Come album with the whole Edgar Allen

Poe persona and Gothic undertones was some truly frightening shit to me! Though it's a cool song I

can't get into that "Papa" song about an ornery father beating little Tobey blind in the closet because he was throwing rocks in the yard, not to say a shooting a woman to death is any less pernicious.

All I have to say is I am glad Prince found Jehovah and say no to drugs kids!

I personally have not listened to "The Black Album," in years...I barely remember it.

I don't feel like having a long drawn out conversation on cathartic emotions...as well as ever changing moods...

When U mention "Bob George," I think 2 myself...What about evil roy from the "Earth, Wind&Fire," song?

...I think..."Don't get too lost in the old songs from Prince...There are a lot of other facts to catch up on.

Nice Post.~T

nah Prince isnt a drama queen. he's always been completely rational. real level-headed guy.

he never throws his head back reeling with soap opera despair or fear of judgment.

he never second guesses his audience's reaction either.

I agree with some orgers in this thread, Come was a darker Prince album than The Black Album.

I think y'all missed the point of my previous comment. Prince says purposefully dramatic stuff all the time. "The internet is dead" ring any bells? Most of the time I think he knows exactly what he's doing when he makes those comments. He certainly did back then. But him saying something doesn't always mean he thinks it's the truth. It's just part of the Prince game. And he loooooves playin' it.

robinhood said:

nah Prince isnt a drama queen. he's always been completely rational. real level-headed guy.

he never throws his head back reeling with soap opera despair or fear of judgment.

he never second guesses his audience's reaction either.

You silly.

Timmy84 said:

robinhood said:

nah Prince isnt a drama queen. he's always been completely rational. real level-headed guy.

he never throws his head back reeling with soap opera despair or fear of judgment.

he never second guesses his audience's reaction either.

You silly.

TonyVanDam said:

I agree with some orgers in this thread, Come was a darker Prince album than The Black Album.

"Come" is alot darker I feel. Both in general vibe, production and even lyrically. "The Black album" is pretty much same ole, same ole sex, sex and more sex. It's alot of fun. The album is hardly substantial to me. Having said that, it flows nicely and "Cindy C" always amuses me greatly. I actually prefer it to "Lovesexy".

2freaky4church1 said:

It came from an angry place. Feel the light.

Uhhh, no. The bulk of it was recorded quickly as music for Sheila E.'s birthday party at the time. Was he angry at her and wanted to give her evil music?

The idea it was "angry" and "evil" music is pure marketing on Prince's part.

I don't care whether he was dramatic or not, this album was the shiznit. Play it at my B-Day party anytime

Listen I will say it Again"PEOPLE" were sick of PRINCES SHIT.People stop caring after KISS.He was like a big cry baby to the main population.People were not ready for Lovesexy cover-Black Lp-He was to much work.

He became underground around this point.Lots of Boots came around-it was really a great time if u were a TRUE LONG TIME FAN.There was a college music store were I live they would get stuff in once a month-I would always be first to look at it.It was new to my ears."WHAT A GREAT TIME"

...."THAT SKINNY MOTHER FUCKER WITH THE HIGH VOICE."

jtfolden said:

2freaky4church1 said:

It came from an angry place. Feel the light.

Uhhh, no. The bulk of it was recorded quickly as music for Sheila E.'s birthday party at the time. Was he angry at her and wanted to give her evil music?

The idea it was "angry" and "evil" music is pure marketing on Prince's part.

He did not really record it for Sheila E's Birthday party, he had it played at her party. And only two songs. I think the first two.

ufoclub said:

ya'll still aren't hearing it with fresh ears. The lyrics are macho, and made to sound boastful, misogynistic in many instances.

Come on, one of the songs (with deep dark organ notes) talks of drinking blood, getting high, and tieing up someone and masterbating in front of them to relate....

The wild monster noise of Le Grind gives it all away as far as his theme for the album.

It's very anti top 40. Look at what else was around on the radio then. Try playing any track from Black Album nxt to these:

1. "Need You Tonight," INXS

2. "Look Away," Chicago

3. "Roll With It," Steve Winwood

4. "Every Rose Has Its Thorn," Poison

5. "Got My Mind Set On You," George Harrison

6. "So Emotional," Whitney Houston

7. "Seasons Change," Expose

8. "Baby I Love Your Way/Freebird Medley," Will to Power

9. "Could've Been," Tiffany

10. "Never Gonna Give You Up," Rick Astley

11. "Sweet Child Of Mine," Guns 'n' Roses

12. "Get Outta My Dreams, Get Into My Car," Billy Ocean

13. "The Flame," Cheap Trick

14."Giving You The Best That I Got," Anita Baker

15. "Waiting For A Star To Fall," Boy Meets Girl

16. "Hands To Heaven," Breathe

17. "How Can I Fall?" Breathe

18. "Anything For You," Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine

19. "Wishing Well," Terence Trent D'Arby

20. "Hungry Eyes," Eric Carmen

21. "Wild, Wild West," Escape Club

22. "Hold On To The Nights," Richard Marx

23. "Man In The Mirror," Michael Jackson

24. "Love Bites," Def Leppard

25. "Where Do Broken Hearts Go," Whitney Houston

26. "One More Try," George Michael

27. "Groovy Kind Of Love," Phil Collins

28. "Father Figure," George Michael

29. "Bad Medicine," Bon Jovi

30. "Don't Worry Be Happy," Bobby McFerrin

31. "Devil Inside," INXS

32. "Pour Some Sugar On Me," Def Leppard

33. "Simply Irresistible," Robert Palmer

34. "Hazy Shade Of Winter," Bangles

35. "I'll Always Love You," Taylor Dayne

36. "Endless Summer Nights," Richard Marx

37. "Naughty Girls (Need Love Too)," Samantha Fox

38. "Angel," Aerosmith

39. "The Way You Make Me Feel," Michael Jackson

40. "Foolish Beat," Debbie Gibson

this list makes me feel old as I know pretty much all of those songs. If I was to look at the list of today I wouldn't know hardly any at all.

thesexofit said:

TonyVanDam said:

I agree with some orgers in this thread, Come was a darker Prince album than The Black Album.

"Come" is alot darker I feel. Both in general vibe, production and even lyrically. "The Black album" is pretty much same ole, same ole sex, sex and more sex. It's alot of fun. The album is hardly substantial to me. Having said that, it flows nicely and "Cindy C" always amuses me greatly. I actually prefer it to "Lovesexy".

I disagree. Most of Come actually has more positive lyrics and outlook. The Black album is dirtier and more lewd and for pretty much the whole of the record. The only lewd tracks on Come (which is also an album littered with sex and more sex!) are the title track, Pheremone and Orgasm, whilst Solo is about being depressed and Papa is about an unnerving subject. But Space is quite pretty and an ode to his woman, Race is a positive song about, well, race! Letitgo is a positive, uplifting song about releasing yourself from the past.

The Black album, on the other hand, had virtually NO positive messages about it at all and even resignation - a phrase I never thought I'd hear coming from Prince is "If you can't beat em, join em"! Not part of his philosphy at all. But its still a great fucking record and one of my favourite releases.

I don't know if you can interchange "dark" and "dirty." They have very different meanings...

It's sad to me that he (or anyone) would consider sex to be "dark."

And Come.....Come is like an emotional roller coaster. There is a bit of everything in it. Come is kinda like irreverent flirting. It's great and exciting! Space is about being in love or at least infatuation. (I love the Universal Love remix.) Pheremone is the naughty voyeur song with a little bit of guilt mixed in. Then you've got Loose, which is self-explanatory and Solo like Mindflux said is all sadness. Brilliant album!

[Edited 7/22/10 13:46pm]

Mindflux said:

thesexofit said:

"Come" is alot darker I feel. Both in general vibe, production and even lyrically. "The Black album" is pretty much same ole, same ole sex, sex and more sex. It's alot of fun. The album is hardly substantial to me. Having said that, it flows nicely and "Cindy C" always amuses me greatly. I actually prefer it to "Lovesexy".

I disagree. Most of Come actually has more positive lyrics and outlook. The Black album is dirtier and more lewd and for pretty much the whole of the record. The only lewd tracks on Come (which is also an album littered with sex and more sex!) are the title track, Pheremone and Orgasm, whilst Solo is about being depressed and Papa is about an unnerving subject. But Space is quite pretty and an ode to his woman, Race is a positive song about, well, race! Letitgo is a positive, uplifting song about releasing yourself from the past.

The Black album, on the other hand, had virtually NO positive messages about it at all and even resignation - a phrase I never thought I'd hear coming from Prince is "If you can't beat em, join em"! Not part of his philosphy at all. But its still a great fucking record and one of my favourite releases.

I hear what your saying, but I just get the vibe from the "come" album that it's kinda dark and "murky" (for him). Hard to explain. Maybe its the albums artwork (which is by far his best) that sets off the tone I feel so well? "The Black album" is a fun atmosphere to me in contrast. With the exception of the quite dull "when 2 are in love", its a fun dance record to me. I love both albums for the most part, so we'll just have to agree to disagree LOL.

OldFriends4Sale said:

billymeade said:

He was just trying to build up his own mystique, like how we're "not ready" for "The Divine" yet.

I will say though, it did sound freaky when I first heard it on a fuzzy 8th-generation tape in 90 or 91! I think the murkier the copy, the more dastardly it sounded. When it finally got released, it was so sanitary sounding, it lost all of its edge.

lol I totally agree, something about that black market quality just did it for me.

me too, to me it was always the "alternate universe" Lovesexy where Spock had a beard

NDRU said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

lol I totally agree, something about that black market quality just did it for me.

me too, to me it was always the "alternate universe" Lovesexy where Spock had a beard

NDRU said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

lol I totally agree, something about that black market quality just did it for me.

me too, to me it was always the "alternate universe" Lovesexy where Spock had a beard

thesexofit said:

I hear what your saying, but I just get the vibe from the "come" album that it's kinda dark and "murky" (for him). Hard to explain. Maybe its the albums artwork (which is by far his best) that sets off the tone I feel so well? "The Black album" is a fun atmosphere to me in contrast. With the exception of the quite dull "when 2 are in love", its a fun dance record to me. I love both albums for the most part, so we'll just have to agree to disagree LOL.

I agree.... The Black Album is just a "fun" party record. It might touch upon a couple potentially serious topics but they are generally treated with such irreverence and shallow emotion that it barely makes an impression in that regard. Outside of Bob George it's all fluff and even that is plainly presented as farce.

Come on the other hand seems much darker. It treats all of its topics much more seriously and touches upon S&M (Pheromone), child abuse (Papa), depression (Solo), abandonment (Dark), being emotionally distant (Letitgo). Even the sex songs that seem more simple on the surface (Come, Orgasm) are grounded in something more than just physical release, adding to the darker, more serious, tone of the whole affair. I think Space is the only "light" track of the album.

I dont think Prince said it was too "Dark". He said that he thinks The Black Album possessed something evil or something to that nature, cuz he was trippin on ecstasy when he made it/thought it up..

Now the song "Dance With The Devil" on the other hand was kept off the Batman soundtrack cuz Prince thought it was too "Dark"..

I don't think it was too dark at all.

I mean, come on.... "When 2 R In Luv".... "Rock Hard in a Funky Place".... "Dead On It".... "Le Grind"....

These are party songs and joyous ballads. Even Bob George, though written out of anger still sounds more hilarious than dark... When I played Bob George from the original bootleg back in the 80s to my friends, they laughed and thought it was cheeky fun.

The main problem with the Black album is that it is terrifically underwhelming in the shaddow of Sign 'o' The Times. The songs don't stand out in the same way.... there's no 'single' that can be found. It's just not as good...

Funky? Maybe if you're not calling it true Clintonesque funk. Fierce? Sure...Supacalifragisexy or whatever that silly name is, was just crazy fun! But, there was no "U Got the Look", "I could Never take the place of your man", "If I was Ur Girlfriend", or "Adore"

LoveSexy faired comparatively better in SOTT's shaddow with "Alphabet Street", "LoveSexy", and "Anna Stesia", even though those are a bit pale compared to the SOTT lineup.

I honestly think that at some level....even if you factor in his bad acid trip or whatever...Prince was just doing an impulsive quality check by holding off on The Black Album and releasing LoveSexy instead.

Now, I'm not saying the Black Album isn't a good album--it's pretty good. It just doesn't have any strong 'singles'

Rinluv said:

I dont think Prince said it was too "Dark". He said that he thinks The Black Album possessed something evil or something to that nature, cuz he was trippin on ecstasy when he made it/thought it up..

No. As the story goes, the album was already done and ready to ship by the time Prince first tried Ecstasy.

[Edited 7/25/10 13:42pm]

jtfolden said:

Rinluv said:

I dont think Prince said it was too "Dark". He said that he thinks The Black Album possessed something evil or something to that nature, cuz he was trippin on ecstasy when he made it/thought it up..

No. As the story goes, the album was already done and ready to ship by the time Prince first tried Ecstasy.

[Edited 7/25/10 13:42pm]

Yeah, your right..But my point was he thought the album was evil..Whether or not it was before or after he tried ecstacy.