After listening to 20Ten several times now, I must conclude that Beginning Endlessly is an absolute classic...!!! What a fantastic song, but I come back here and the general opinion seems to be lukewarm... at best. I mean, what the f*ck, if that song had been on Parade or Sign, it would be regarded as an excellent track, on par with anything that's on those albums..!

I had the same feeling when I heard several 3121 tracks, and in particular, Chelsea Rodgers from Planet Earth. I mean, come on: that song should not even be just a Prince classic, but an all-time classic..!

Looking back over the entire decade, the absolute standout tracks for me are Black Sweat and Dreamer.

Dance 4 Me, to name one.

In some cases. The first 3rd and last two songs of Lotusflow3r, most of 20Ten, Fury, the Work pt. 1, but everything else would have been fish out of water in the 80's.

I always hear 2-3 songs per album I think are classic gems. And This album's track "Beginning Endlessly" is one of them.

1980-83: 3121, Black Sweat, Dance 4 Me, Sticky Like Glue, Lavaux, Beginning Endlessly

1986-87: Musicology, The Work, 1+1+1=3, Dreamer, FBFGFW, Wall of Berlin, The Dance, Fury, Chelsea Rodgers

Se7en said:

Looking back over the entire decade, the absolute standout tracks for me are Black Sweat and Dreamer.

agreed. BS was just begging for remix versions, EP versions... It reminded me of Erotic City. Very danceable, heavy base. Just a great song. The best of 3121.

Musicology had several solid hits in the making. Just not enough PR to push them...

plus I still think Prince is black listed on the radios... especially with the Clear Channel -like monopolies. Say what you want about radio... when you hear a song 8 times a day on a radio station... you begin to like it more.

Think about the Kurt Franklin gospel songs that cross over to mainstream radio and actually chart on top 10 R&B.

kenkamken said:

Sex Me, Sex Me Not van gogh Madrid 2 Chicago Magnificent Sticky Like Glue What Do U Want Me 2 Do Black Sweat Breathe One Night Alone Underneath The Cream Fury (live) From The Lotus Boom Dreamer $ Mellow Pfunk Reflection SST Elixer All This Love Immersion

Van Gogh is from the 90's

Classics? none, a handful of strong tracks? yeah, love, 1 u wanna c, all the midnights in the world, 1+1+1=3

Beginning Endlessly, Lavaux, Sticky Like Glue, Black Sweat, Lolita, Illusion Coma Pimp & Circumstance, What Do U Want Me 2 Do, My Medallion (b side to Movie Star), $ (woulda been a Camille track), Dance 4 Me, The One U Wanna C, Guitar (the demo)

JoeTyler said:

1980-83: 3121, Black Sweat, Dance 4 Me, Sticky Like Glue, Lavaux, Beginning Endlessly

1986-87: Musicology, The Work, 1+1+1=3, Dreamer, FBFGFW, Wall of Berlin, The Dance, Fury, Chelsea Rodgers

Just want to point out, depending on the time period from 86-87, Wall of Berlin would have been a huge anachronism

JoeTyler said:

1980-83: 3121, Black Sweat, Dance 4 Me, Sticky Like Glue, Lavaux, Beginning Endlessly

1986-87: Musicology, The Work, 1+1+1=3, Dreamer, FBFGFW, Wall of Berlin, The Dance, Fury, Chelsea Rodgers

I like your choice,

mine:

Black Sweat,

Dance 4 Me,

Sticky Like Glue,

Beginning Endlessly

Musicology,

The Work (Part 1),

Dreamer

Future Baby Mama

The Last December

Laydown

Jakeasaurus said:

Beginning Endlessly, Lavaux, Sticky Like Glue, Black Sweat, Lolita, Illusion Coma Pimp & Circumstance, What Do U Want Me 2 Do, My Medallion (b side to Movie Star), $ (woulda been a Camille track), Dance 4 Me, The One U Wanna C, Guitar (the demo)

I'm glad to see Illusion Coma Pimp & Circumstance in a list. I think that song has a great sound and melodic original chorus.

Beginning Endlessly is a very good song, I would give it 7.5 out of 10. But I think Parade and Sign O The Times have several songs that are 8-10 so I wouldn't say on par with "anything" on those albums. But it definitely wouldn't be one of the least good on the albums either.

Classics from the 00s to me are She Loves Me 4 Me, Love, The One U Wanna C, Colonized Mind and Ol' Skool Company to name a few.

I think most people who know Prince's music well would've given the same grade to a song from the 00s even if it had been released in the 80s. What's sad is that those outside the Prince fan base are very much in the dark when it comes to his recent output, and I think more than a few would be positively surprised. Not thrilled, but positively surprised.

thedance said:

JoeTyler said:

1980-83: 3121, Black Sweat, Dance 4 Me, Sticky Like Glue, Lavaux, Beginning Endlessly

1986-87: Musicology, The Work, 1+1+1=3, Dreamer, FBFGFW, Wall of Berlin, The Dance, Fury, Chelsea Rodgers

I like your choice,

mine:

Black Sweat,

Dance 4 Me,

Sticky Like Glue,

Beginning Endlessly

Musicology,

The Work (Part 1),

Dreamer

Future Baby Mama

The Last December

Laydown

I can imagine Laydown being a classic B-Side during the SOTT era with chorus by Sheila & Cat

[Edited 8/8/10 14:03pm]

CerpinTaxt said:

JoeTyler said:

1980-83: 3121, Black Sweat, Dance 4 Me, Sticky Like Glue, Lavaux, Beginning Endlessly

1986-87: Musicology, The Work, 1+1+1=3, Dreamer, FBFGFW, Wall of Berlin, The Dance, Fury, Chelsea Rodgers

Just want to point out, depending on the time period from 86-87, Wall of Berlin would have been a huge anachronism

yeah that's true and was Chelsea even born in 1986 ???

prodigalfan said:

^ who WAS Chelsea?? Was she a protogee or girlfriend? A relative?? Who was/is Chelsea Rodgers?

Chelsea Rodgers was a model

prodigalfan said:

Yeah I know her reported occupation. I mean her connection with Prince

Try to catch her if U can

But U never C her with 1 man

prodigalfan said:

^translation please

slut?

prodigalfan said:

Okay so I guess this would mean she was a love interest.

I might be wrong, but I always thought that Chelsea represents all that the 00s version of Prince never was: young, frivolous, slutty...who knows, perhaps the man misses his old self, now it's too much religion, "I'm 50, you know?" , "I hate the Internet" and shit...

[Edited 8/8/10 15:01pm]

The 1 U Want 2 C., Guitar, Future Baby Mama, Dance 4 Me, Old Skool Company, Dreamer, $, 3121, Black Sweat, Love, Fury, The Word.

Most of what has been popular from the 2000 - 2010 would have been classics if they were released 20 years ago. Good music is eternal.

You could easily fill another multi disc Hits from 1993-2008.

I guess if Warner Bros back in the 90's had let Prince do what he wanted, therby Prince would have stayed with WB, and Prince could have used WB infrastructure to release and promote the music would have any of the Post-WB releases have been bigger sellers and chart hits?

We could debate these theories forever.