We all know "I Wanna Be Your Lover", "When Doves Cry", "Kiss" etc sold a lot.

Is there any single you thought should've sold more?

To me:

Alphabet St.

Rspberry Beret

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Little Red Corvette

Anotherloverholenyohead

I Wish U Heaven

Pop Life

Girls & Boys

Mountains

If I Was Your Girlfriend

U Got The Look (#2 only)

Money Don't Matter 2 Nite

The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Yeah I like this!)

Musicology

Black Sweat

ps. I agrees with those titles mentioned above already

• Little Red Corvette
• America
• Gold

thedance said:

Pop Life

Girls & Boys

Mountains

If I Was Your Girlfriend

U Got The Look (#2 only)

Money Don't Matter 2 Nite

The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Yeah I like this!)

Musicology

Black Sweat

ps. I agrees with those titles mentioned above already

Especially

1 The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (yeah I said it too!!!)

2. Somebody's Somebody

3 Black Sweat

4. your list and above list

5. Almost anything from Disc 2 of Emancipation (esp. Soul Santuary/FSLMW/Curious Child/Let's Have a Baby...Savior)

6. The Ballard of Dorthory Parker

7. Scandalous

8. The Joy in Repetition

9. Hot wit U and Mr. Happy...sorry I had to admit it!!!

10. Another list to follow

11. Looking for songs from 3121 (loved that CD)

Although more of speciality songs

* Damn U

* Lady Cab Driver

* Pink Cashmere

* I Can't Make U Love Me

i could never take the place of your man should have been his biggest selling single, it's got all the ingredients of a pop classic.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

i could never take the place of your man should have been his biggest selling single, it's got all the ingredients of a pop classic.

Yeah, I was a little bummed by that one's performance. The video played a few times in my area, and everybody thought it was cool, but I never once heard that song on the radio, ever.

thedance said:

Pop Life

Girls & Boys

Mountains

If I Was Your Girlfriend

U Got The Look (#2 only)

Money Don't Matter 2 Nite

The Greatest Romance Ever Sold (Yeah I like this!)

Musicology

Black Sweat

ps. I agrees with those titles mentioned above already

I agree with ur list. I would also add Delirious and Do Me, Baby.

eyewishuheaven said:

robertgeorgeakabob said:

i could never take the place of your man should have been his biggest selling single, it's got all the ingredients of a pop classic.

Yeah, I was a little bummed by that one's performance. The video played a few times in my area, and everybody thought it was cool, but I never once heard that song on the radio, ever.

I remember hearing it on radio in my area, but not much.

I don't understand why it wasn't bigger, especially after following "U Got The Look." Pop radio should have been ready for another Prince hit. Maybe WB was through marketing the project by that time. After all, it was almost a year later that ICNTTPOYM was released.

definitly GOLD

daPrettyman said:

eyewishuheaven said:

Yeah, I was a little bummed by that one's performance. The video played a few times in my area, and everybody thought it was cool, but I never once heard that song on the radio, ever.

I remember hearing it on radio in my area, but not much.

I don't understand why it wasn't bigger, especially after following "U Got The Look." Pop radio should have been ready for another Prince hit. Maybe WB was through marketing the project by that time. After all, it was almost a year later that ICNTTPOYM was released.

It was successful, reaching number 10 on the pop chart in 1988. It could have been bigger, but you have to remember that it was the 4th single from SOTT, plus Prince was ready to drop Alphabet St. WB didn't want to make a big push for ICNTTPOYM since they were about to start the promo for his next album.

Which sort of justifies their claims he was releasing too much too quickly. If they could have had a solid year and a half to two years to market SOTT it could have been so much bigger!

renfield said:

daPrettyman said:

I remember hearing it on radio in my area, but not much.

I don't understand why it wasn't bigger, especially after following "U Got The Look." Pop radio should have been ready for another Prince hit. Maybe WB was through marketing the project by that time. After all, it was almost a year later that ICNTTPOYM was released.

It was successful, reaching number 10 on the pop chart in 1988. It could have been bigger, but you have to remember that it was the 4th single from SOTT, plus Prince was ready to drop Alphabet St. WB didn't want to make a big push for ICNTTPOYM since they were about to start the promo for his next album.

Which sort of justifies their claims he was releasing too much too quickly. If they could have had a solid year and a half to two years to market SOTT it could have been so much bigger!

That's true. Remember, there was a lot of hype around The Black Album waay before "Alphabet St." got released. I remember being excited about The Black Album around the same time "U Got The Look" was losing momentum and ICNTTPOYM dropped.

I honestly think that the single got to number 10 because it was a double A-side single. I remember urban stations spinning Hot Thing's remix and I remember pop stations playing ICNTTPOYM.

I don't think Billboard charts were based on radio spins at that time. It was on sales.

Either way, I think the song should have lasted on the charts longer than 17 weeks on the chart.

renfield said:

daPrettyman said:

I remember hearing it on radio in my area, but not much.

I don't understand why it wasn't bigger, especially after following "U Got The Look." Pop radio should have been ready for another Prince hit. Maybe WB was through marketing the project by that time. After all, it was almost a year later that ICNTTPOYM was released.

It was successful, reaching number 10 on the pop chart in 1988. It could have been bigger, but you have to remember that it was the 4th single from SOTT, plus Prince was ready to drop Alphabet St. WB didn't want to make a big push for ICNTTPOYM since they were about to start the promo for his next album.

Which sort of justifies their claims he was releasing too much too quickly. If they could have had a solid year and a half to two years to market SOTT it could have been so much bigger!

i also think releasing if i was your girlfriend as a single put off alot of casual listeners. genius song though it is, it's a very leftfield choice. if icnttpoym had been released as the 1st single i think it would have reached much higher than no. 10, it's so catchy and instant.

robertgeorgeakabob said:

i also think releasing if i was your girlfriend as a single put off alot of casual listeners. genius song though it is, it's a very leftfield choice.

Totally, I think that one would have been my last choice on that album for a single. Not because it's not great (it is), but because it works best as a deep cut. It was no better choice for a single than Lady Cab Driver or Darling Nikki would have been...

ANOTHERLOVERHOLENYOHEAD

girls & boys

i could never take the place of your man

take me with u

robertgeorgeakabob said:

renfield said:

It was successful, reaching number 10 on the pop chart in 1988. It could have been bigger, but you have to remember that it was the 4th single from SOTT, plus Prince was ready to drop Alphabet St. WB didn't want to make a big push for ICNTTPOYM since they were about to start the promo for his next album.

Which sort of justifies their claims he was releasing too much too quickly. If they could have had a solid year and a half to two years to market SOTT it could have been so much bigger!

i also think releasing if i was your girlfriend as a single put off alot of casual listeners. genius song though it is, it's a very leftfield choice. if icnttpoym had been released as the 1st single i think it would have reached much higher than no. 10, it's so catchy and instant.

I agree with u on that one. I always loved the song, but I always thought it was too "urban" to be on pop radio at the time. Especially when there were so many other great 2nd single choices.

I do agree with P's choice 2 release SOTT as the first single. It was something totally different and unexpected at the time. It was also relevant because of the Challenger explosion that had happened the year before as well as how AIDS was something new to society. It was something that needed to be said.

Pop Life

I Could Never Take The Place Of Your Man

Thieves In The Temple

Peach

Eye Hate U

The Holy River

Cinnamon Girl

i wish u heaven

I Wish U Heaven

I WISH U HEAVEN

uh.. All of them?

I wanna be your lover was not a big seller.

SquirrelMeat said:

TylerHippie said:

SquirrelMeat said:

I wanna be your lover was not a big seller.

Huh? It sold a million copies...

IKR!!

TylerHippie said:

SquirrelMeat said:

I wanna be your lover was not a big seller.

Huh? It sold a million copies...

I've seen fan figures claiming those sales, but they are seriously flawed.

I Wanna be you lover failed to make the top 10 in the US and failed to even chart anywhere around the world.

Alphabet St, Rspberry Beret, and Little red corvette were world wide top ten hits.

Little red corvette was a US top ten hit smash and outsold all the Purple Rain singles in Europe on its re-release.

eyewishuheaven said:

robertgeorgeakabob said:

i also think releasing if i was your girlfriend as a single put off alot of casual listeners. genius song though it is, it's a very leftfield choice.

Totally, I think that one would have been my last choice on that album for a single. Not because it's not great (it is), but because it works best as a deep cut. It was no better choice for a single than Lady Cab Driver or Darling Nikki would have been...

I agree.Radio programmers were scared of that song It got some airplay on our local R&B station,but "Housequake" was getting so much more airplay.Prince made a huge blunder by releasing IIWYG.He temporarily stalled the momentum of the album.

SquirrelMeat said:

TylerHippie said:

SquirrelMeat said: Huh? It sold a million copies...

I've seen fan figures claiming those sales, but they are seriously flawed.

I Wanna be you lover failed to make the top 10 in the US and failed to even chart anywhere around the world.

Alphabet St, Rspberry Beret, and Little red corvette were world wide top ten hits.

Little red corvette was a US top ten hit smash and outsold all the Purple Rain singles in Europe on its re-release.

Your jokig right?

TylerHippie said:

SquirrelMeat said:

I've seen fan figures claiming those sales, but they are seriously flawed.

I Wanna be you lover failed to make the top 10 in the US and failed to even chart anywhere around the world.

Alphabet St, Rspberry Beret, and Little red corvette were world wide top ten hits.

Little red corvette was a US top ten hit smash and outsold all the Purple Rain singles in Europe on its re-release.

Your jokig right?

No. I'm just old enough to have lived through it.

Apart from a slight splash with I wanna be your lover in the US, Prince was basically an unknown in the pop world until the 1999 album. Even then, it was only really on home soil. 1999 & LRC were not smash hits first time around across the rest of the world.

Purple Rain album marked his arrival globally, and from 85-90 his support grew in Europe while it shunk back home in the States.

Here in the UK songs like Purple Rain were not as big as songs like Alphabet St, Sexy MF, My Name is Prince, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the world (his only UK number 1). Even a 1993 re-release of Controvery did better than Purple Rain and Kiss.

The greatest hit albums are really only reflective from the US view, as songs like Girls and Boys are missing, yet it was a European top 10 hit. But the hits albums include Pop Life, which bascially flopped outside of the US.

Then is gets even more confusing if you look at radio play. In the US, some consider Adore to be a hit because it received a lot of airplay. In the rest of the world, airplay does not count towards chart success, only sales do, and only official singles really get played.

Its never clear cut!

TylerHippie said:

We all know "I Wanna Be Your Lover" sold a lot

Not outside the US and New Zealand.

SquirrelMeat said:

TylerHippie said:

Your jokig right?

No. I'm just old enough to have lived through it.

Apart from a slight splash with I wanna be your lover in the US, Prince was basically an unknown in the pop world until the 1999 album. Even then, it was only really on home soil. 1999 & LRC were not smash hits first time around across the rest of the world.

Purple Rain album marked his arrival globally, and from 85-90 his support grew in Europe while it shunk back home in the States.

Here in the UK songs like Purple Rain were not as big as songs like Alphabet St, Sexy MF, My Name is Prince, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the world (his only UK number 1). Even a 1993 re-release of Controvery did better than Purple Rain and Kiss.

The greatest hit albums are really only reflective from the US view, as songs like Girls and Boys are missing, yet it was a European top 10 hit. But the hits albums include Pop Life, which bascially flopped outside of the US.

Then is gets even more confusing if you look at radio play. In the US, some consider Adore to be a hit because it received a lot of airplay. In the rest of the world, airplay does not count towards chart success, only sales do, and only official singles really get played.

Its never clear cut!

Ok but why did you say "I Wanna Be Yor Lover" failed to make top ten? I said it sold well, is a million not good enough?

And who cares if it failed to make top ten, it sold a million.

TylerHippie said:

SquirrelMeat said:

No. I'm just old enough to have lived through it.

Apart from a slight splash with I wanna be your lover in the US, Prince was basically an unknown in the pop world until the 1999 album. Even then, it was only really on home soil. 1999 & LRC were not smash hits first time around across the rest of the world.

Purple Rain album marked his arrival globally, and from 85-90 his support grew in Europe while it shunk back home in the States.

Here in the UK songs like Purple Rain were not as big as songs like Alphabet St, Sexy MF, My Name is Prince, and The Most Beautiful Girl in the world (his only UK number 1). Even a 1993 re-release of Controvery did better than Purple Rain and Kiss.

The greatest hit albums are really only reflective from the US view, as songs like Girls and Boys are missing, yet it was a European top 10 hit. But the hits albums include Pop Life, which bascially flopped outside of the US.

Then is gets even more confusing if you look at radio play. In the US, some consider Adore to be a hit because it received a lot of airplay. In the rest of the world, airplay does not count towards chart success, only sales do, and only official singles really get played.

Its never clear cut!

Ok but why did you say "I Wanna Be Yor Lover" failed to make top ten? I said it sold well, is a million not good enough?

And who cares if it failed to make top ten, it sold a million.

I said it failed to make the top ten because....it failed to make the top ten.

Where did you get the 1 million sales from? Its only certified as gold, which post june 1979 is 500k.

The biggest selling song worldwide in 1979, My Sharona, only sold just over a million, and 22 places below it worldwide sales was The Commordores "Still" which was number one at the time Prince stalled at number 11.

I wanna be your lover sold a healthy amount, but it was not a big hit. Most casual fans won't even know it, but they will know a dozen other Prince songs.

SquirrelMeat said:

TylerHippie said:

Ok but why did you say "I Wanna Be Yor Lover" failed to make top ten? I said it sold well, is a million not good enough?

And who cares if it failed to make top ten, it sold a million.

I said it failed to make the top ten because....it failed to make the top ten.

Where did you get the 1 million sales from? Its only certified as gold, which post june 1979 is 500k.

The biggest selling song worldwide in 1979, My Sharona, only sold just over a million, and 22 places below it worldwide sales was The Commordores "Still" which was number one at the time Prince stalled at number 11.

I wanna be your lover sold a healthy amount, but it was not a big hit. Most casual fans won't even know it, but they will know a dozen other Prince songs.

Yeah your right, my bad it did go Gold.

Do you hate I Wanna Be Your Lover or somethig? Because you keep sayig it wasn't a hit when it reached #11 on the Pop Charts. U might as well say "1999" wasn't a hit.