Every now and then a thread comes up on how "She's Always in My Hair" and a few others should have been on ATWIAD. If Dream Factory or Crystal Ball would have been better than SOTT etc., and the latest Survivor thread has got me thinking, what b-sides/outtakes around the 80-81 era do you think could have made Controversy a better album?

It happens to be my favorite album so I think it's fine and I can't see anyone hating the first 4 tracks. It's usually Ronnie Talk To Russia, Annie Christian and sometimes Jack U Off most fans have the problem with. Could any songs have replaced these? Would the album order change? Share what you got!

Hell, YES

1.Controversy

2.Tick Tick Bang

3.Do Me, Baby

4.Private Joy

5.Gotta Stop Messin' About

6.Let's Work (extended)

7.Anne Christian

8.Jack U Off

leave Sexuality (very bland bassline) and Ronnie for the Vault...

[Edited 12/22/10 10:32am]

No.

Controversy's brevity, pace, and the relationship each song has to the next is vital to the work itself, imo. Controversy happens to tie for favorite album, for me, along with Lovesexy. I can't see it improving (I don't like Gotta Stop or the original Tick Tick) and I love what he did within the space he worked in.

[Edited 12/22/10 10:41am]

Well, even though I agree with you on the mentioned 2 tracks (Sorry, I love ""Jack U Off''), I do believe that the "Ronnie" and "Annie Christian" songs support his theme for the Controversy album, you know? His opinions for Ronnie and mentioning of events for Annie add the theme for Controversy on delicate subjects, hence controversial conversation.

Plus Jack U Off also adds its strength to a controversial subject. Sex between 2 ppl back then was a on-the-low, synonym-using-in-music subject, but having fun with and celebrating masturbation was a WAY NO NO, lol. That's why it's controversial. Ppl would rather acknowledge 2 ppl having sex than embarrassing self pleasuring.

But in Prince's case, he wanted to help self-pleasure the girl

So, in a whole, Controversy was fine just the way it was. Although the extra songs well could've been B-sides

I wouldn't change it for the world. Now, a deluxe remaster with a bonus disc of era-correct songs would certainly tickle my dink.

Theoretically, I think it *COULD* have been better but not in the amount of time as was available. There aren't really any outtakes from that period that would improve it to any degree, no matter how distasteful I find Ronnie Talk To Russia or Jack U Off.

Now, if he'd held off and released the album later, after he'd written other songs then... maybe.

On the other hand, 1999 is sort of a "better" Controversy. It covers the same styles of music and many of the same lyrical themes.

jtfolden said:

On the other hand, 1999 is sort of a "better" Controversy. It covers the same styles of music and many of the same lyrical themes.

AGREED!!!

He got his point across more thoroughly

don't F*#k with Anne Christian. it's THE reason i usually put Controversy on!!

Spinlight said:

No.

Controversy's brevity, pace, and the relationship each song has to the next is vital to the work itself, imo. Controversy happens to tie for favorite album, for me, along with Lovesexy. I can't see it improving (I don't like Gotta Stop or the original Tick Tick) and I love what he did within the space he worked in.

[Edited 12/22/10 10:41am]

Agree!

But I really like Gotta stop messin' about and I really like that it was not on the Lp and that we had to track it down in order to listen to it. I like that the man saves some great songs for B sides...don't you???

jtfolden said:

Theoretically, I think it *COULD* have been better but not in the amount of time as was available. There aren't really any outtakes from that period that would improve it to any degree, no matter how distasteful I find Ronnie Talk To Russia or Jack U Off.

Now, if he'd held off and released the album later, after he'd written other songs then... maybe.

On the other hand, 1999 is sort of a "better" Controversy. It covers the same styles of music and many of the same lyrical themes.

Yea. I was listening to some of "The Work" and "Work It" and he doesn't really become the crazy profilic artist we know him to be until the 1999 era.

He could have used Get it Up & Cool