Why is it that these albums and purple period..

Lovesexy

Batman

Graffiti Bridge

Diomands And Pearls

Symbol

..are so loved...cuz firstly theyve dated terribley...time is not on there side, they sound cheesey and contrived, 1 cud neva understand why Batdance is a well loved song...its basically just sampelin...load of crap IMO...also note the last 2 albums have Tony M...who ruins songs as well as Princes raps.....people moan about scrap d bein a bad rapper...but i think hes great!...which brings me 2 my fave purple period....

Come

TGE

Chaos and Disorder

Emancipation

I adore these albums and aprt from TGE...the other 3 dont seem 2 get much love...just listen 2 come it hasnt dated at all....I also really dig Chaos and Disorder (aprt from right the wrong yuck!)...Dig U Better dead is a great catchy track with intresting lyrics...I Rock Therefore I Am is also a great fully blown production mixing Rock, Reggae and Hip Hop....It shouldnt work...BUT IT DOES!....Princes rapping has improved immensley also...still not perfect...but certainley passable!!(P Control, Pope, Days Of Wild, Race, Acknowledge Me)....Not forgeting the Brilliant Rock and Roll Is Alive (Gold Single Track) and dreamy pop of Universal Love Remix (Space EP)...Emancipation has sum great tracks also like The Love We Make (Classic) F.L.S.M/W which is my 2nd fave ballad 2 Adore....love the backin vocals on this teh way they speak 2 eachother and him reinforcing his singin and feelings also beautiful opening "If I Ever Held A Hand It Was Only Becuz I Neva Held Ur Hand"...I cud go on and on...

But what yall think? any period u thinks over-rated? or under-rated?

i totally disagree on SOME points

THE FUTURE

ELECTRIC CHAIR

PARTYMAN

SCANDALOUS

VICKY WAITING

to me these songs have not dated at all

BATDANCE is "just sampling" WTF??

That song is fucking insane...and yes it samples...samples wholly original music by prince

LOVESEXY??

I WISH U HEAVEN??? spawned his greatest 12"

ALPHABET STREET? stone cold classic

GRAFFITI BRIDGE??

JOY IN REPETITION

ELEPHANTS AND FLOWERS

THE QUESTION OF U

some of his greatest songs..havent aged a bit

INFACT its pretty dam hard to find a PRINCE track that sounds"aged'

you mentioned EMANCIPATION-its been said a zillion times

great tracks..wack production

D and P is a tight album too

Prince made that to serve a purpose and it served alright

GETT OFF

HORNY PORNY

THUNDER

STROLLIN

WILLIN AND ABLE

CREAM

WALK DONT WALK

(and im now of the oponion im the only person in the world who looves jughead but shhhh)

Tony M "Is crap" to me is just received wisdom

i dont think he is....he just represents a time when P stopped being cutting edge

D and P also spawned a fucking brilliant tour

jonylawson said:

i totally disagree on SOME points

THE FUTURE

ELECTRIC CHAIR

PARTYMAN

SCANDALOUS

VICKY WAITING

to me these songs have not dated at all

BATDANCE is "just sampling" WTF??

That song is fucking insane...and yes it samples...samples wholly original music by prince

LOVESEXY??

I WISH U HEAVEN??? spawned his greatest 12"

ALPHABET STREET? stone cold classic

GRAFFITI BRIDGE??

JOY IN REPETITION

ELEPHANTS AND FLOWERS

THE QUESTION OF U

some of his greatest songs..havent aged a bit

INFACT its pretty dam hard to find a PRINCE track that sounds"aged'

you mentioned EMANCIPATION-its been said a zillion times

great tracks..wack production

I agree with the songs ive bolded...alphabet st is terrible shiity lyrics dont even know what its about 2 be fair....diffrent strokes 4 diffrent folks ....scandolous is good...as 4 Batdance the only reason that single did well...was film marketing 2 be fair...not the song itself

[Edited 1/10/11 14:51pm]

jonylawson said:

D and P is a tight album too

Prince made that to serve a purpose and it served alright

GETT OFF

HORNY PORNY

THUNDER

STROLLIN

WILLIN AND ABLE

CREAM

WALK DONT WALK

(and im now of the oponion im the only person in the world who looves jughead but shhhh)

Tony M "Is crap" to me is just received wisdom

i dont think he is....he just represents a time when P stopped being cutting edge

D and P also spawned a fucking brilliant tour

again i agree with bolded...get off...has a terrible rap by P...cheesey and dated

You say, pejoratively, that these albums are dated, but then go on to list Emancipation which sounded dated before it even came out.

IMO, to sound dated is not a bad thing in and of itself.

I kind of agree with you. For me Lovesexy is vastly overrated and Diamonds and Pearls is very weak. Graffiti Bridge is ok but it was kind of the start of Prince losing his edge a bit. I quite like Batman and I think that Symbol is much more good than bad but overall this was a disappointing era. It was also roughly the time that Prince abandoned original b-sides and started releasing remixes which I was not a fan of.

Come is an album that it took me a long time to appreciate but over the years I have really grown to love it. The Gold Experience is one of his best and Chaos and Disorder was the first Prince album I owned so it will always be special to me. For me Emancipation is one of his best and probably the album I have listened to the most. I will never understand why people complain so much about the production. 1999 sounds fairly dated and nobody complains about it so why is there so much complaining about the sound of Emancipation? Crystal Ball was released a couple of years later but a big chunk of it is from this era too and I like most of those songs too.

For me Prince had two great eras, 1983-1986 and 1993-1996.

NouveauDance said:

You say, pejoratively, that these albums are dated, but then go on to list Emancipation which sounded dated before it even came out.

IMO, to sound dated is not a bad thing in and of itself.

true...maybe its teh production then and the extra strong chedder cheese of the period i dont like

rialb said:

I kind of agree with you. For me Lovesexy is vastly overrated and Diamonds and Pearls is very weak. Graffiti Bridge is ok but it was kind of the start of Prince losing his edge a bit. I quite like Batman and I think that Symbol is much more good than bad but overall this was a disappointing era. It was also roughly the time that Prince abandoned original b-sides and started releasing remixes which I was not a fan of.

Come is an album that it took me a long time to appreciate but over the years I have really grown to love it. The Gold Experience is one of his best and Chaos and Disorder was the first Prince album I owned so it will always be special to me. For me Emancipation is one of his best and probably the album I have listened to the most. I will never understand why people complain so much about the production. 1999 sounds fairly dated and nobody complains about it so why is there so much complaining about the sound of Emancipation? Crystal Ball was released a couple of years later but a big chunk of it is from this era too and I like most of those songs too.

For me Prince had two great eras, 1983-1986 and 1993-1996

Intresting thought i was alone there , Goodbye is also a fave of mine...wish it was on Emancipation

There's also the tracks on Emancipation-The Secret Chapter. I don't know if any of them are lost classics but they are certainly good enough to warrant an official release.

I have, in the last year, changed my mind about some things. I no longer think everything he did in the '90s sucks. Diamonds and Pearls, however, (IMO) is the worst thing he's ever done. I just hate it. I remember being so bummed-out and disappointed when I got it. I liked most of his songs on Graffitti Bridge, aside from the title track. I was hoping for more funk, instead I got bullshit radio-friendly pap. Lovesexy is so totally not dated. I like Chaos and Disorder. I only just got it last summer, and I find it very interesting. I like that it's a rock album, like Purple Rain (I didn't say it was as good). Anyway, that's my two cents.

Optimus2 said:

Symbol

But what yall think? any period u thinks over-rated? or under-rated?

I don't realistically see how anyone can put this up on a 'worst' list. You may not like the rapping, though I think it's integrated rather more successfully with this album than any other.

This is actually my favorite Prince album. I believe it's teaming with classic songs and potential hits, it was just marketed really badly. Prince essentially created his own 'wall of sound' on this one.

, Come and TGE were a great run.

Lovesexy

In my Prince top 5 albums. Not dated at all........... imo.

I love Come and Gold Experience as well, very strong albums.

jtfolden said:

Optimus2 said:

Symbol

But what yall think? any period u thinks over-rated? or under-rated?

I don't realistically see how anyone can put this up on a 'worst' list. You may not like the rapping, though I think it's integrated rather more successfully with this album than any other.

This is actually my favorite Prince album. I believe it's teaming with classic songs and potential hits, it was just marketed really badly. Prince essentially created his own 'wall of sound' on this one.

, Come and TGE were a great run.

Well if u look at the original post...sum1 has....his name is optimus2

^ I the - album as well, about 9/10:

especially the first half + 7 and God Created Woman is very strong.

thedance said:

^ I the - album as well, about 9/10:

especially the first half + 7 and God Created Woman is very strong.

yeah i agree 7s pretty cool

I love all those albums you listed....except I think Emancipation only has 4 good songs, the rest are..

I am 19 and i dont care how "dated" these albums are. They are about a 1000 times better then ANYTHING on the radio today. The Gold Experience and Love symbol are #5 and #6 on my list of my favourite prince albums. Emancipation has about ten good songs for me. Lovesexy is a very good one too. And while i am not a massive fan of come, batman, graffiti bride, and chaos, there are still some good songs on these albums

Lovesexy: I nearly hate that album (for personal reasons), but I wouldn't say is bad, just an experiment that doesn't work for me...classic world tour anyway...

Batman: dated as hell now, but this album has become a touchstone of late-80s pop culture, we all have to admit it...

Graffiti Bridge: his first messy/unnecessary/very flawed album, but Prince's songs alone are so good that I don't think 1990 was a lost/shitty year...

Diamond & Pearls: an excellent year, superior mainstream album, Prince doing 5 stars- pop/rock/modernR&B/new jack-songs

Symbol: a MASTERPIECE of the early-90s, his best since SOTT. It feels like a lost classic, even with the 2.5 million copies sold...

overall I think the 88-92 era doesn't compare to the golden years of 79-87, and I know many consider it as the first bad/uneven era of Prince's career, but considering the post-1995 albums(yuck!), the 88-92 era deserves a solid "Silver Medal" (and 2004-2010 the Bronze)... even Come (as much as I enjoy it) is not nearly as good as Symbol or D&P. The Gold Experience is the only album of the 1994-1999 years that proudly stands among his very best work...Chaos and Disorder is still one of his most boring and disposable albums, and Emancipation was a complete mess, easily the worst produced mainstream album of 1996... only 5 or even 6 good/classic songs out of 36, wth wtf

[Edited 1/11/11 7:23am]

I totally disagree with you on just about every point. That whole "sounds dated" is kind of dumb. Most all albums sound dated to someone. All of Prince albums are still rocking and do well to not only represent Prince's diversity, but capture the time that they were released.

Prince's best period: 1978-2011

his worst: anything before 1978

DaphneLovesPR1NCE said:

to capture the time that they were released.

exactly, thanks, great sentence

the word "dated" should be used when one tries to express that an old album features production values that, in the present, sound morose, ludicrous or just plain miserable/laughable. I consider Batman a dated album, for example (repetitive, simple, rushed production), but 1999 or Symbol are not dated albums, no chance in hell...

but many people confuse "dated" with "current producers/musicians don't use those sounds/technologies anymore". So F what? by that logic, even Mozart is dated!

[Edited 1/11/11 7:43am]

Optimus2 said:

Why is it that these albums and purple period..

Lovesexy

Batman

Graffiti Bridge

Diomands And Pearls

Symbol

..are so loved...cuz firstly theyve dated terribley...time is not on there side, they sound cheesey and contrived, 1 cud neva understand why Batdance is a well loved song...its basically just sampelin...load of crap IMO...also note the last 2 albums have Tony M...who ruins songs as well as Princes raps.....people moan about scrap d bein a bad rapper...but i think hes great!...which brings me 2 my fave purple period....

Come

TGE

Chaos and Disorder

Emancipation

I adore these albums and aprt from TGE...the other 3 dont seem 2 get much love...just listen 2 come it hasnt dated at all....I also really dig Chaos and Disorder (aprt from right the wrong yuck!)...Dig U Better dead is a great catchy track with intresting lyrics...I Rock Therefore I Am is also a great fully blown production mixing Rock, Reggae and Hip Hop....It shouldnt work...BUT IT DOES!....Princes rapping has improved immensley also...still not perfect...but certainley passable!!(P Control, Pope, Days Of Wild, Race, Acknowledge Me)....Not forgeting the Brilliant Rock and Roll Is Alive (Gold Single Track) and dreamy pop of Universal Love Remix (Space EP)...Emancipation has sum great tracks also like The Love We Make (Classic) F.L.S.M/W which is my 2nd fave ballad 2 Adore....love the backin vocals on this teh way they speak 2 eachother and him reinforcing his singin and feelings also beautiful opening "If I Ever Held A Hand It Was Only Becuz I Neva Held Ur Hand"...I cud go on and on...

But what yall think? any period u thinks over-rated? or under-rated?

the problem with GB, D&P and are that they are too long. this was the birth of the CD age and everyone was filling up albums because there was a higher disc capacity and they were so damn expensive people didn't want to buy them unless they felt they were getting more for their money. GB, I can understand, because it was a soundtrack. Really, though, it could have been cut to his tracks only. And Corporate World was a much better Time album than Pandemonium turned out to be. But D&P and both have some filler. Cut them back to 40-50 minutes albums and they are absolute classics (if you pick the right songs).

I've posted about my problems with Lovesexy and Batman before. They're both good albums, but they are a complete departure from the sound and production style that Prince excelled at, which was a very dry, sparse sound with a lot of space. Lovesexy and Batman were his first albums recorded after he had Paisley Park at his disposal. Every production toy you can imagine in 1987 available to him, his own recording space, and all the time in the world to fiddle with his songs. These albums are drowning in sound effects and production tricks because he was finally able to go absolutely wild in the studio with no time or cost restrictions. And while I like the albums, I'm not a fan of his "everything-but-the-kitchen-sink" approach to the production on them. Thankfully this didn't last too long, as GB ended up being mostly older tracks, but even things like Tick, Tick, Bang and the title track suffer from that overproduction. Even though D&P and both sound somewhat overproduced, this is a little less obvious because he'd moved on to a live band sound.

as far as the work sounding dated, Emancipation (and NPS) sounds more dated than anything he's ever done. outside of a Tony M rap.

DaphneLovesPR1NCE said:

, but capture the time that they were released.

This is exactly what i wanted to say but couldnt. Perfect sentence.

Lovesexy had a retro sound in 1988 when it came out. I remember a DJ friend of mine bringing in the promo record before it was out and putting it on, and when he heard the beat of "Eye No" he groaned and said, awww man, Prince, that beat is old... why'd you put that out?"

In retrospect the synth bass on Eye No is quite a quote of the synth bass on the song .......................................................Thriller.

ufoclub said:

Lovesexy had a retro sound in 1988 when it came out. I remember a DJ friend of mine bringing in the promo record before it was out and putting it on, and when he heard the beat of "Eye No" he groaned and said, awww man, Prince, that beat is old... why'd you put that out?"

In retrospect the synth bass on Eye No is quite a quote of the synth bass on the song .......................................................Thriller.

absolutely right!!!

EyeNo sucks beyond belief...

JoeTyler said:

ufoclub said:

Lovesexy had a retro sound in 1988 when it came out. I remember a DJ friend of mine bringing in the promo record before it was out and putting it on, and when he heard the beat of "Eye No" he groaned and said, awww man, Prince, that beat is old... why'd you put that out?"

In retrospect the synth bass on Eye No is quite a quote of the synth bass on the song .......................................................Thriller.

absolutely right!!!

EyeNo sucks beyond belief...

Hey now, it's still the most listened to track on that album for me, I love it. But do like "The Ball" better. The Ball has that SOTT mysterious midnight psychedelic tone.

Best: Purple Era (Dirty Mind - Lovesexy) was the era that defined Prince, flawless music throughout, it can never be topped by anyone else, other than Bowie or the Beatles.

Worst: Batshit Crazy Era (Crystal Ball - Musicology) was just horrible. Terrible music, no artistic merit. I think he was driven off the deep end when his marriage ended. It's tragic, but musically, wtf was he thinking?! This was the time when it was embarrassing to be a Prince fan.

Alguy said:

Best: Purple Era (Dirty Mind - Lovesexy) was the era that defined Prince, flawless music throughout, it can never be topped by anyone else, other than Bowie or the Beatles.

Worst: Batshit Crazy Era (Crystal Ball - Musicology) was just horrible. Terrible music, no artistic merit. I think he was driven off the deep end when his marriage ended. It's tragic, but musically, wtf was he thinking?! This was the time when it was embarrassing to be a Prince fan.

i dont think musicology should be included in there since it s a good album. But yes 97-2003 was his weakest era, no doubt. Atleast emancipation had some inspired music. After that he went downhill before rising back again.

Optimus2 said:

Why is it that these albums and purple period..

Lovesexy

Batman

Graffiti Bridge

Diomands And Pearls

Symbol

..are so loved...cuz firstly theyve dated terribley...time is not on there side, they sound cheesey and contrived, 1 cud neva understand why Batdance is a well loved song...its basically just sampelin...load of crap IMO...also note the last 2 albums have Tony M...who ruins songs as well as Princes raps.....people moan about scrap d bein a bad rapper...but i think hes great!...which brings me 2 my fave purple period....

Come

TGE

Chaos and Disorder

Emancipation

I adore these albums and aprt from TGE...the other 3 dont seem 2 get much love...just listen 2 come it hasnt dated at all....I also really dig Chaos and Disorder (aprt from right the wrong yuck!)...Dig U Better dead is a great catchy track with intresting lyrics...I Rock Therefore I Am is also a great fully blown production mixing Rock, Reggae and Hip Hop....It shouldnt work...BUT IT DOES!....Princes rapping has improved immensley also...still not perfect...but certainley passable!!(P Control, Pope, Days Of Wild, Race, Acknowledge Me)....Not forgeting the Brilliant Rock and Roll Is Alive (Gold Single Track) and dreamy pop of Universal Love Remix (Space EP)...Emancipation has sum great tracks also like The Love We Make (Classic) F.L.S.M/W which is my 2nd fave ballad 2 Adore....love the backin vocals on this teh way they speak 2 eachother and him reinforcing his singin and feelings also beautiful opening "If I Ever Held A Hand It Was Only Becuz I Neva Held Ur Hand"...I cud go on and on...

But what yall think? any period u thinks over-rated? or under-rated?

this is like talking to myself, agree 100% besides the fact i'd replace chaos with planet earth

you are on my wavelength