This is an interesting stat. I was just thinking the other day as I listened to several of the rcent shows that Prince sure is devoting a good amount of time to other peoples music.

http://www.setlist.fm/setlist/prince/2011/the-forum-inglewood-ca-13d381e1.html

I like it sometime bu it has gotten more and more out of hand since he started with the Sly covers in the late 90s.

^^^^Rip Van Winkle up in here with the johnny come lately complaints

xlr8r said:

^^^^Rip Van Winkle up in here with the johnny come lately complaints

I can guarantee you that I was awake before you knew and I will be there when you are gone

People dont care for most of his stuff and Prince knows it. He unfortunately has to play songs that people know. He cant do large venues without his major hits and covers. People just dont want to hear his album tracks. Lovergirl, single ladies, whole lotta love...etc.....These will get bigger reactions from the crowd than ANYTHING new from him or even mild hits like thieves in the temple, new power generation or gold. Its unfortunate but thats the way it is. He is now on the "legends" circuit where he can only play major hits and covers that people know because he is no longer current(despite him thinking he is)

For the most part, I like the covers in the shows.

However, I've never been thrilled about him putting covers on the studio albums, and although A Case of U is nice, none of them ever seemed to bring anything new to the material.

[Edited 6/13/11 0:34am]

in my opinion the main thing is for the majority of people to be having a good time. seems to be the case that the majority of people are having a good time so... mission accomplished

dandeeland said:

People dont care for most of his stuff and Prince knows it. He unfortunately has to play songs that people know. He cant do large venues without his major hits and covers. People just dont want to hear his album tracks. Lovergirl, single ladies, whole lotta love...etc.....These will get bigger reactions from the crowd than ANYTHING new from him or even mild hits like thieves in the temple, new power generation or gold. Its unfortunate but thats the way it is. He is now on the "legends" circuit where he can only play major hits and covers that people know because he is no longer current(despite him thinking he is)

Not entirely true. ''Play that funky music'' and ''Everyday People'' may be very well known songs, so might all the MJ songs. Last year in Arnhem however he opened with ''which way is up''. A cover but absolutely not a very well known one, neither is ''Angel''. On the other side of the argument, on the ONA tour I've seen the public go crazy on Days solely on the quality of the performance. No-one really knows Empty Room or The Love We Make but everytime he plays it the audience loves it. SO, although I think there is some truth in your statement, I don'think it's as black and white as you say it is.

thisisit said:

in my opinion the main thing is for the majority of people to be having a good time. seems to be the case that the majority of people are having a good time so... mission accomplished

But that can have a devistating effect to Prince the legend.

Michael Jackson played nothing but Michael Jackson music, Michael had a whole fantasy world created around his music

Prince had that from 1978-1989 strong, then a bit of it in the 1990's

Prince needs to do something drastic and out of his control element to get PRINCE huge again, where he doesn't have to play covers, he has so many songs just from the 1980's B sides as well.

He really should get Sheila E and the Eband to open for him and do a combo of Glam Life-Sheila E songs and her other material, merge the shows where Prince is playing with her band and she with his band. Have the Time open up for him, make amends with the Family and do some shows with them etc and get people into that music. Have dj Rahsheeda playing music from those PRince&Protege albums getting people familiar if they are not. Get me to work on a real promo website for him, one that plays a mix of songs with images from his 1st album onward and protege music

dandeeland said:

People dont care for most of his stuff and Prince knows it. He unfortunately has to play songs that people know. He cant do large venues without his major hits and covers. People just dont want to hear his album tracks. Lovergirl, single ladies, whole lotta love...etc.....These will get bigger reactions from the crowd than ANYTHING new from him or even mild hits like thieves in the temple, new power generation or gold. Its unfortunate but thats the way it is. He is now on the "legends" circuit where he can only play major hits and covers that people know because he is no longer current(despite him thinking he is)

OldFriends4Sale said:

thisisit said:

in my opinion the main thing is for the majority of people to be having a good time. seems to be the case that the majority of people are having a good time so... mission accomplished

But that can have a devistating effect to Prince the legend.

Michael Jackson played nothing but Michael Jackson music, Michael had a whole fantasy world created around his music

Prince had that from 1978-1989 strong, then a bit of it in the 1990's

Prince needs to do something drastic and out of his control element to get PRINCE huge again, where he doesn't have to play covers, he has so many songs just from the 1980's B sides as well.

He really should get Sheila E and the Eband to open for him and do a combo of Glam Life-Sheila E songs and her other material, merge the shows where Prince is playing with her band and she with his band. Have the Time open up for him, make amends with the Family and do some shows with them etc and get people into that music. Have dj Rahsheeda playing music from those PRince&Protege albums getting people familiar if they are not. Get me to work on a real promo website for him, one that plays a mix of songs with images from his 1st album onward and protege music

sure they all seem like reasonable ideas to me but i'm not an expert on what he should or shouldn't do so in the end it's really up to him and the way he wants to play it.

my point was more of a 'hey as long as everyone's having a good time, cover or no covers, more covers or less covers, then that's the main thing' - and so far most people, including Prince, seem to be enjoying themselves.

cuz you know what they say, "if it's not fun, it's not worth it"

freedomrider said:

xlr8r said:

^^^^Rip Van Winkle up in here with the johnny come lately complaints

I can guarantee you that I was awake before you knew and I will be there when you are gone

what?

To me, it keeps things loose/fresh with the covers & he covers well!!!!!

Imaginative said:

For the most part, I like the covers in the shows.

However, I've never been thrilled about him putting covers on the studio albums, and although A Case of U is nice, none of them ever seemed to bring anything new to the material.

I feel the same way.

too many covers. and too many "background" singers. and the various combinations of the two. and though I haven't seen him live since 2004, the only positive thing I can say is is that they would make for an excellent cigarette break.

[Edited 6/14/11 17:53pm]

I don't mind the covers at the shows, especially when he covers Led Zepplin.

The only album cover I like is Crimson & Clover.

But I absolutely love Just My Imagination!

eelco said:

dandeeland said:

People dont care for most of his stuff and Prince knows it. He unfortunately has to play songs that people know. He cant do large venues without his major hits and covers. People just dont want to hear his album tracks. Lovergirl, single ladies, whole lotta love...etc.....These will get bigger reactions from the crowd than ANYTHING new from him or even mild hits like thieves in the temple, new power generation or gold. Its unfortunate but thats the way it is. He is now on the "legends" circuit where he can only play major hits and covers that people know because he is no longer current(despite him thinking he is)

Not entirely true. ''Play that funky music'' and ''Everyday People'' may be very well known songs, so might all the MJ songs. Last year in Arnhem however he opened with ''which way is up''. A cover but absolutely not a very well known one, neither is ''Angel''. On the other side of the argument, on the ONA tour I've seen the public go crazy on Days solely on the quality of the performance. No-one really knows Empty Room or The Love We Make but everytime he plays it the audience loves it. SO, although I think there is some truth in your statement, I don'think it's as black and white as you say it is.

Angel was a HUGE hit!! Everyone knows that and if I remember right it was number one. I remember it was up for song of the year and Sarah McLachlan was a few grammys. This song was huge!!

OldFriends4Sale said:

thisisit said:

in my opinion the main thing is for the majority of people to be having a good time. seems to be the case that the majority of people are having a good time so... mission accomplished

But that can have a devistating effect to Prince the legend.

Michael Jackson played nothing but Michael Jackson music, Michael had a whole fantasy world created around his music

Prince had that from 1978-1989 strong, then a bit of it in the 1990's

Prince needs to do something drastic and out of his control element to get PRINCE huge again, where he doesn't have to play covers, he has so many songs just from the 1980's B sides as well.

He really should get Sheila E and the Eband to open for him and do a combo of Glam Life-Sheila E songs and her other material, merge the shows where Prince is playing with her band and she with his band. Have the Time open up for him, make amends with the Family and do some shows with them etc and get people into that music. Have dj Rahsheeda playing music from those PRince&Protege albums getting people familiar if they are not. Get me to work on a real promo website for him, one that plays a mix of songs with images from his 1st album onward and protege music

i see it more as Prince giving respect to those musicians whose music he covers.

The Grateful Dead, which were probably THE most successful live performers in

terms of selling out where ever they went, always incorporated other peoples

music into their sets, and for the same reason as well

NelsonR said:

OldFriends4Sale said:

But that can have a devistating effect to Prince the legend.

Michael Jackson played nothing but Michael Jackson music, Michael had a whole fantasy world created around his music

Prince had that from 1978-1989 strong, then a bit of it in the 1990's

Prince needs to do something drastic and out of his control element to get PRINCE huge again, where he doesn't have to play covers, he has so many songs just from the 1980's B sides as well.

He really should get Sheila E and the Eband to open for him and do a combo of Glam Life-Sheila E songs and her other material, merge the shows where Prince is playing with her band and she with his band. Have the Time open up for him, make amends with the Family and do some shows with them etc and get people into that music. Have dj Rahsheeda playing music from those PRince&Protege albums getting people familiar if they are not. Get me to work on a real promo website for him, one that plays a mix of songs with images from his 1st album onward and protege music

i see it more as Prince giving respect to those musicians whose music he covers.

The Grateful Dead, which were probably THE most successful live performers in

terms of selling out where ever they went, always incorporated other peoples

music into their sets, and for the same reason as well

Respecting other artists is great - but what legendary artist plays covers for 27.6% of the show? One or maybe 2 covers is enough for a genius with over 4 decades of hits. HOw can the most prolific producer of music on the planet give money paying customers that much of other peoples music - much of which is performed by singers other than him (dont get me started on the huge chunks of time that Shelby J gets)?

dandeeland said:

eelco said:

Not entirely true. ''Play that funky music'' and ''Everyday People'' may be very well known songs, so might all the MJ songs. Last year in Arnhem however he opened with ''which way is up''. A cover but absolutely not a very well known one, neither is ''Angel''. On the other side of the argument, on the ONA tour I've seen the public go crazy on Days solely on the quality of the performance. No-one really knows Empty Room or The Love We Make but everytime he plays it the audience loves it. SO, although I think there is some truth in your statement, I don'think it's as black and white as you say it is.

Angel was a HUGE hit!! Everyone knows that and if I remember right it was number one. I remember it was up for song of the year and Sarah McLachlan was a few grammys. This song was huge!!