...SO DO I.

"Something In The Water (Does Not Compute)" is SUCH a killer song!

aaarghhh 1999 is such an amazing album!!!!!

Does anyone else appreciate this song as much as I do?!?

I love the song, but one thing has always bothered me about it. Doesn't he eventually start saying "Don't not compute" instead of "Does not compute?" Such a little thing, but for me it stand out like a sore thumb. lol

don't not compute means it does compute.

OnlyNDaUsa said:

don't not compute means it does compute.

yup.

I always took that line as Prince ordering the girl "don't not compute" ie: "stop not computing" and "start computing" ie start making sense.

I would venture a bet that it's an overwhelming majority of people that like that album. For me, Controversy - SOTT was one of Prince's most creative periods. That's the bulk of the 80's, but it seems from 1978-1980, he was still winding up. Controversy seemed to be hitting the ground running - when the rubber met the road sort of thing. 1999 was definitely part of that runaway train of incredible music.

I think even if PR hadn't been released as a movie, the album would have still been all it was as we know it. It was just that good, and cross-over, that rock, that pop - it just was ALL THAT.

People love 80's Prince not because it was the 80's, but because it was so different, and wacky, and weird, and mysterious, and crazy, and balls to the wall. Who the hell was truly making shit like "Head", "Sister", "Private Joy", "Jack U Off", "DMSR" - ANY of that stuff???? The 80's Prince was building muscle, and the 90's was flexing it. The 00's Prince is resting on his laurels and has been on auto pilot for year. THAT is why 80's Prince and 90's is so fucking awesome. 1999 is a true golden amulet to that swagger.

my water's just fine, must re-visit this song

Adore it! I love the screams, and the whatever that is when it sounds like he bumps the mic. When this one pops up when I have the iPod on random it MUST get a repeat. **goes to listen now**

[Edited 8/13/10 7:10am]

Just listened to that one, in fact. An awesome song off one of my favorite albums.

The "piano version" is amazing, too.

Genesia said:

Just listened to that one, in fact. An awesome song off one of my favorite albums.

The "piano version" is amazing, too.

I've got to find that.

I've heard the live guitar version from the PR tour. Just as good as the original, but different...

1999 is one of the most brilliant albums of his career. There's really nothing he did like it before or since.

Something in the Water is a standout track. I love the main hook of the song. His vocals capture the horny desperation of the song perfectly.

In song this and Lady Cab Driver we see the insecure and ANGRY Prince underneath all the cooing and sexiness.

BRILLIANT

Love it! Love it! LOVE IT!!!

C.L.A.S.S.I.C.

Genesia said:

Just listened to that one, in fact. An awesome song off one of my favorite albums.

The "piano version" is amazing, too.

Indeed.

And I actually REALLY like the Xenophobia - 2002 celebration (whatever that period is called) live version too. Very percussive and atmospheric.

crazydoctor said:

OnlyNDaUsa said:

don't not compute means it does compute.

yup.

I always took that line as Prince ordering the girl "don't not compute" ie: "stop not computing" and "start computing" ie start making sense.

Love it.

It's a little dark and angry. It's perfect. The demo version is great too w/ the piano.

Genesia said:

Just listened to that one, in fact. An awesome song off one of my favorite albums.

The "piano version" is amazing, too.

I agree with you, Genesia, on the "piano version". I've listened to it a few times and love it! First time listening to it, I was like .

rubymoon53 said:

Genesia said:

Just listened to that one, in fact. An awesome song off one of my favorite albums.

The "piano version" is amazing, too.

I agree with you, Genesia, on the "piano version". I've listened to it a few times and love it! First time listening to it, I was like .

OMG piano version?!? Where?!

I haven't played this song in quite some time but it's been in my head since I left this morning. When I came home, resistance was futile! I went straight to my stash and now I can't get out of it!!!

Fuck all y'all! Ain't none of you shit!

Stankin' ass bitches!

brilliant song

OMG. This song is best codependency/unrequited love song evah!

iamchris90yall said:

rubymoon53 said:

I agree with you, Genesia, on the "piano version". I've listened to it a few times and love it! First time listening to it, I was like .

OMG piano version?!? Where?!

The piano version is incredible, for sure. It's the unreleased original version of the song that is circulating on a number of bootlegs.

It's more dark and foreboding than the album version. Well.... I find the album version dark too but in a more sparse, electronic way.

The piano version is dark in a very moody, almost dramatic way.

I love both versions.

[Edited 8/13/10 17:04pm]

this was my LEAST favorite track off of 1999, now its WHY i put the disc on.

ernestsewell said:

I would venture a bet that it's an overwhelming majority of people that like that album. For me, Controversy - SOTT was one of Prince's most creative periods. That's the bulk of the 80's, but it seems from 1978-1980, he was still winding up. Controversy seemed to be hitting the ground running - when the rubber met the road sort of thing. 1999 was definitely part of that runaway train of incredible music.

I think even if PR hadn't been released as a movie, the album would have still been all it was as we know it. It was just that good, and cross-over, that rock, that pop - it just was ALL THAT.

People love 80's Prince not because it was the 80's, but because it was so different, and wacky, and weird, and mysterious, and crazy, and balls to the wall. Who the hell was truly making shit like "Head", "Sister", "Private Joy", "Jack U Off", "DMSR" - ANY of that stuff???? The 80's Prince was building muscle, and the 90's was flexing it. The 00's Prince is resting on his laurels and has been on auto pilot for year. THAT is why 80's Prince and 90's is so fucking awesome. 1999 is a true golden amulet to that swagger.

First, I love "Something in the Water." It's brilliant like the entire album. It's classic Prince because it's soul and new wave simultaneously. However, I agree with most of your point except that when I hear songs like "Musicology," "Chelsea Rogers," "Fury," "Colonized Mind," (especially "Colonized Mind"), "Dreamer," "Valentina," "Dance 4 Me," "Old Skool Company," "No More Candy 4 U," "Cause and Effect," (in fact all of 20Ten), I have a difficult time accepting that 00 Prince is on auto pilot. And, I'm not trying to convince you to like any of those songs, but for my money 00 Prince moves me more than 90s Prince. Or to put it another way, Musicology, Lotusflow3r/MPLS, and 20Ten move me more than The Gold Experience, and are just behind or equal to Diamonds and Pearls, Exodus, Chaos and Disorder, and Emancipation. If I had to rank, I would take 80s Prince first, 00 Prince second, and 90s Prince third though I'll admit that's one hell of a third place. (I can't really lose or not be entertained by either Prince.)

And since I'm here, I might as well step all the way into the shark infested waters. I just don't understand the leap that many make, not just you, from Prince doesn't move me to so he must be on auto pilot. I guess I'm trying to get clarity on what constitutes an artist being on auto pilot and what constitutes a listener or several listners merely not being moved by that particular work. For instance, I agree that 80 - 89 may have been his most consistently creative period. However, I have never been moved by "I Wonder U." Am I not moved because Prince is on auto pilot for that song, or is that song just not my taste? And I feel the same way about "Space" and all of the remixes of "Space." Again, is Prince on auto pilot or is that just not my type of song? But more importantly for me, what constitutes the answer? And with so many flippant people on the site, my question may appear to be flippant or trying to start something, but I really don't understand what constitutes Prince being on auto pilot and not having any passion verses or in contrast to someone just not liking a song or a series of songs, when I tend to be moved by most of those songs that many folks assert have no passion. Besides "The Exodus Has Begun" and maybe "In this Bed I Scream," "Colonized Mind" kicks the butt of everything in the 90s. And besides "Live 4 Love," "Chaos and Disorder," "I Like It There," "The Same December," and "Zannalee," nothing in the 90s rocks as hard as "Fury," "Guitar," "Dreamer," "Colonized Mind," and "Cause and Effect." Finally, there is nothing in the 90s besides, maybe, "The Exodus Has Begun," that s funkier than "Musicology." You gots to return to the 80s to even stank enough to be in the same room with "Musicology." And, of course, these are all my subjective tastes, but with all of these songs that move me so much, I wonder how is Prince supposedly on auto pilot?

1725topp said:

ernestsewell said:

I would venture a bet that it's an overwhelming majority of people that like that album. For me, Controversy - SOTT was one of Prince's most creative periods. That's the bulk of the 80's, but it seems from 1978-1980, he was still winding up. Controversy seemed to be hitting the ground running - when the rubber met the road sort of thing. 1999 was definitely part of that runaway train of incredible music.

I think even if PR hadn't been released as a movie, the album would have still been all it was as we know it. It was just that good, and cross-over, that rock, that pop - it just was ALL THAT.

People love 80's Prince not because it was the 80's, but because it was so different, and wacky, and weird, and mysterious, and crazy, and balls to the wall. Who the hell was truly making shit like "Head", "Sister", "Private Joy", "Jack U Off", "DMSR" - ANY of that stuff???? The 80's Prince was building muscle, and the 90's was flexing it. The 00's Prince is resting on his laurels and has been on auto pilot for year. THAT is why 80's Prince and 90's is so fucking awesome. 1999 is a true golden amulet to that swagger.

First, I love "Something in the Water." It's brilliant like the entire album. It's classic Prince because it's soul and new wave simultaneously. However, I agree with most of your point except that when I hear songs like "Musicology," "Chelsea Rogers," "Fury," "Colonized Mind," (especially "Colonized Mind"), "Dreamer," "Valentina," "Dance 4 Me," "Old Skool Company," "No More Candy 4 U," "Cause and Effect," (in fact all of 20Ten), I have a difficult time accepting that 00 Prince is on auto pilot. And, I'm not trying to convince you to like any of those songs, but for my money 00 Prince moves me more than 90s Prince. Or to put it another way, Musicology, Lotusflow3r/MPLS, and 20Ten move me more than The Gold Experience, and are just behind or equal to Diamonds and Pearls, Exodus, Chaos and Disorder, and Emancipation. If I had to rank, I would take 80s Prince first, 00 Prince second, and 90s Prince third though I'll admit that's one hell of a third place. (I can't really lose or not be entertained by either Prince.)

Wait. So, you're saying that Diamonds and Pearls is better than The Gold Experience?

YES. That's one of my favorite Prince songs ever and my favorite from 1999.

Spinlight said:

Wait. So, you're saying that Diamonds and Pearls is better than The Gold Experience?

I'm saying that I enjoy Diamonds and Pearls a tad more than I enjoy The Gold Experience. "P Control" and "Shy" don't always move me and do not seem to rise to the level of the rest of the album whereas there is not one song on Diamonds and Pearls that fails to move me every time. Since I'm not a big rap person, Tony M.'s supposedly poor rapping skills don't bother me nor do they distract me from the songs. In fact, I like a great deal what he does at the end of "Willing and Able," which is just a wonderful song from start to finish. And nothing on The Gold Experience moves me as much as "Thunder," though I'll say it's a tie for me between "Daddy Pop" and "Billy Jack Bitch." Both are funky with much F the world attitude. I love the political tone of "We March," but I love the more social tone of individual freedom of "Walk Don't Walk" just as well. Diamonds and Pearls' ballads, "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Insatiable," move me two to one over "Shhh" and "Gold," though "Shhh" is a classic, and I love the message of "Gold." "Now" is great and has the same message of the importance of individuality, but the album seems empty without "Days of Wild." (By the way, when I listen to The Gold Experience, I do so with the missing songs that I think were intended to be included originally, and listen to Come as more of a seven-song EP, moving "Loose," "Papa," and "Race" to The Gold Experience," along with "Interactive," "Ripopgoesdazippa," and, still, Diamonds and Pearls moves me more.) I give a slight nod to The Gold Experience for the most moving rock, even though "Live 4 Love" holds it's own against both "Endorphinemachine" and "Interactive." However, "Cream," "Strolling," "Money Don't Matter Tonight," and "Gett Off" make Diamonds and Pearls a more varied and dimensional expereince for me, while "Gett Off" is just a monster to which nothing on The Gold Experience comes close. From the beginning scream to the funky bass to the grinding guitar, "Gett Off" announces that it's time to get funky and proceeds to add another chapter to what it means to be funky.

Of course, I must admit that from For You to 20Ten Prince has yet to produce an album that does not move me. Or, there is no Prince album where less than eighty percent of the album moves me, including 3121 and Planet Earth. And compared to what is released when a new Prince album is released, I have yet to be moved more by something else than a new Prince album. It's not that I don't like other music, but most of the other, non-Prince music that I like was created before 1990. Yet, for the past four weeks I have been listening to 20Ten and Jesse Johnson's Verbal Penetration back to back. I love both of those albums, and I like Diamonds and Pearls just a tad more than The Gold Experience.

1725topp said:

Spinlight said:

Wait. So, you're saying that Diamonds and Pearls is better than The Gold Experience?

I'm saying that I enjoy Diamonds and Pearls a tad more than I enjoy The Gold Experience. "P Control" and "Shy" don't always move me and do not seem to rise to the level of the rest of the album whereas there is not one song on Diamonds and Pearls that fails to move me every time. Since I'm not a big rap person, Tony M.'s supposedly poor rapping skills don't bother me nor do they distract me from the songs. In fact, I like a great deal what he does at the end of "Willing and Able," which is just a wonderful song from start to finish. And nothing on The Gold Experience moves me as much as "Thunder," though I'll say it's a tie for me between "Daddy Pop" and "Billy Jack Bitch." Both are funky with much F the world attitude. I love the political tone of "We March," but I love the more social tone of individual freedom of "Walk Don't Walk" just as well. Diamonds and Pearls' ballads, "Diamonds and Pearls" and "Insatiable," move me two to one over "Shhh" and "Gold," though "Shhh" is a classic, and I love the message of "Gold." "Now" is great and has the same message of the importance of individuality, but the album seems empty without "Days of Wild." (By the way, when I listen to The Gold Experience, I do so with the missing songs that I think were intended to be included originally, and listen to Come as more of a seven-song EP, moving "Loose," "Papa," and "Race" to The Gold Experience," along with "Interactive," "Ripopgoesdazippa," and, still, Diamonds and Pearls moves me more.) I give a slight nod to The Gold Experience for the most moving rock, even though "Live 4 Love" holds it's own against both "Endorphinemachine" and "Interactive." However, "Cream," "Strolling," "Money Don't Matter Tonight," and "Gett Off" make Diamonds and Pearls a more varied and dimensional expereince for me, while "Gett Off" is just a monster to which nothing on The Gold Experience comes close. From the beginning scream to the funky bass to the grinding guitar, "Gett Off" announces that it's time to get funky and proceeds to add another chapter to what it means to be funky.

Of course, I must admit that from For You to 20Ten Prince has yet to produce an album that does not move me. Or, there is no Prince album where less than eighty percent of the album moves me, including 3121 and Planet Earth. And compared to what is released when a new Prince album is released, I have yet to be moved more by something else than a new Prince album. It's not that I don't like other music, but most of the other, non-Prince music that I like was created before 1990. Yet, for the past four weeks I have been listening to 20Ten and Jesse Johnson's Verbal Penetration back to back. I love both of those albums, and I like Diamonds and Pearls just a tad more than The Gold Experience.

Not surprisingly, I agree with your 2nd paragraph entirely. It's the same for me.

ANd while I think Diamonds and Pearls contains some really amazing, unforgettable songs ("Cream", "Thunder", "Gett Off", "Willing & Able", "Live 4 Love", title track), it also houses "Push" and "Jughead"... I used to not mind "Push". But now I see it as being akin to those Nude tour encores with Rosie just wailing away and Tony M screaming "YEAH BOYYYYY" for like 6 minutes. Ouch. And then there's "Jughead".... Oh my lord, there's just not enough to say about how awful the song is. It's just terrible. It's literally a waste of an artist's creativity, a waste of his fans' time, a waste of the material used to press this song on the album, etc. It taints much of the rest of the album for me, isn't that sad? I love "Daddy Pop" and "Money Don't Matter 2night" but I just can't stomach the image of the Game Boyz when I think of Diamonds and Pearls.

When I think of the Gold Experience, however, I think of the entire 1993-1994 era where the bulk of his best material (IMO) was recorded. It's hard for me to just single out TGE itself as when I think of TGE, I think of all the songs written and recorded in that era. Funny thing is that most of it was recorded just 2-3 years after Diamonds and Pearls, but he had made such leaps and bounds in creativity. "Come" (all versions), "Chaos and Disorder", "Hide the Bone", "Dolphin", "Billy Jack Bitch" (!!!!!)... I mean you just can't touch these songs. I could have any of the songs I just listed on repeat all day long. I can't say that about any tracks off D&P except for maybe "Cream".

Spinlight said:

Not surprisingly, I agree with your 2nd paragraph entirely. It's the same for me.

ANd while I think Diamonds and Pearls contains some really amazing, unforgettable songs ("Cream", "Thunder", "Gett Off", "Willing & Able", "Live 4 Love", title track), it also houses "Push" and "Jughead"... I used to not mind "Push". But now I see it as being akin to those Nude tour encores with Rosie just wailing away and Tony M screaming "YEAH BOYYYYY" for like 6 minutes. Ouch. And then there's "Jughead".... Oh my lord, there's just not enough to say about how awful the song is. It's just terrible. It's literally a waste of an artist's creativity, a waste of his fans' time, a waste of the material used to press this song on the album, etc. It taints much of the rest of the album for me, isn't that sad? I love "Daddy Pop" and "Money Don't Matter 2night" but I just can't stomach the image of the Game Boyz when I think of Diamonds and Pearls.

When I think of the Gold Experience, however, I think of the entire 1993-1994 era where the bulk of his best material (IMO) was recorded. It's hard for me to just single out TGE itself as when I think of TGE, I think of all the songs written and recorded in that era. Funny thing is that most of it was recorded just 2-3 years after Diamonds and Pearls, but he had made such leaps and bounds in creativity. "Come" (all versions), "Chaos and Disorder", "Hide the Bone", "Dolphin", "Billy Jack Bitch" (!!!!!)... I mean you just can't touch these songs. I could have any of the songs I just listed on repeat all day long. I can't say that about any tracks off D&P except for maybe "Cream".

Realizing that we are on the verge of hi-jacking this thread, which I hate when other orgers do that, I think that our differing feelings about Diamonds and Pearls and The Gold Experience speaks to the question that I was asking: When we dislike something, is it because it is not our taste, or is it because Prince is on auto pilot?

Clearly, based on your comments, Tony M., the Game Boyz, and Rosie G. do a great deal to lessen the pleasure that you feel when listening to Diamonds and Pearls. However, is that because Prince is on auto pilot, or because you don’t like hip hop and soul, or is it because, to you, they are executing hip hop and soul poorly? For instance, I’m not a big hip hop person, so I’m pretty ambivalent about what Tony M. and the Game Boyz bring to the creative table though, as I said earlier, I like what Tony M. does at the end of “Willing and Able,” not because I like hip hop but because his delivery matches or is in harmony with the rest of the song. The song does not change when he begins to rap, unlike the way that “Love 2 d 9s” and “Sticky Like Glue” suffer from an obvious harmonic/rhythmic shift or decrease when the rapping begins. Yet, Tony M’s rap at the end of “Willing and Able” doesn’t sound like a rap insertion for the sake of a rap insertion, at least not to my subjective ears. Accordingly, “Push” is funky and fun, with a great message about individuality, and “Jughead” is just move yo’ body fun. Some songs are just meant to be mindless fun, and I don’t mind that when other songs on the album move me intellectually and emotionally. Additionally, I think that Rosie G’s performance on Diamonds and Pearls and the tour is R&B/Soul at its finest. I was raised in blues cafés, juke joints, and gospel flavored churches, and what she does is the very brilliant norm. While on the other hand, The Gold Experience is missing that element for me. Other than “Shhh” there is no traditional R&B/Soul workout moment. For that reason, what I like about Chaos and Disorder is that the rock jams are balanced with “I Rock, Therefore I Am” and “Dig U Better Dead,” which provide just a dash of funk/soul flavor. Though I think that Prince could do an all rock or an all soul or an all funk album, that would not be him. I like the hybrid Prince. It is what, ultimately, keeps me from getting bored. So, I rank Diamonds and Pearls slightly above The Gold Experience only because of its diversity of music.

And I also agree that 93-94 was a very creative time for Prince, but I’ll extend it to 1996 only because I think that Emancipation is a monster, but I sill would rank the 00s before or ahead of the 90s. But, that is not because I think that Prince was on auto pilot during the 90s. It’s just that what he has been doing in the 00s appeals to me a tad bit more than what he was doing in the 90s, not because I think the he was on auto pilot during the 90s.

Finally, maybe it’s because I don’t think that Prince has an auto pilot button or speed. I think he’s like the athletes who play to their full ability whether it is a close game or a blowout. Whenever I hear people say that Prince is resting on his past or is on auto pilot, I always remember the Rolling Stone interview just after Purple Rain, where he says, “You know how easy it would have been to open the next album with the solo from ‘Let’s Go Crazy’ just in a different key?” That’s a man who could never rest on his past. And just because his subject matter has changed and he’s a bit more conscious about producing a more positive-themed music does not mean that his work ethic or dedication to his craft has changed or diminished. It all just means that Prince is so talented and wide-ranging that we can agree about “Something in the Water” and disagree about how to rank Diamonds and Pearls and The Gold Experience without losing appreciation for his legacy and talent.

[Edited 8/14/10 13:55pm]