All-TIME 100 Songs

‘Kiss’

By Douglas Wolk | October 24, 2011 | 189

Artist: Prince

Year Released: 1986

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There are musicians with idiosyncratic visions. There are musicians who have the power to realize whatever visions they have. At the center of the Venn diagram, there’s Prince, who at his peak single-handedly wrecked the curve of distinctiveness and giftedness. “Kiss” is a perfect dance track built out of negative space. It sounds minimal, razor-thin, barely sketched out — but its brilliant arrangement actually incorporates about a billion instruments (all of them in the treble range). Every sound is microcontrolled, beginning with the shifting tone of the opening guitar flourish and the orgasmic gasp and snare snap that lock it down. The most magnificent element, though, is Prince’s vocal — a fantastically acrobatic falsetto come-on, punctuated with firecracker exclamations and climaxing with roof-raising shrieks. There had never been another record that sounded anything like “Kiss,” and the highest compliment it can be paid is that 25 years later there still hasn’t been one.

Read more: http://entertainment.time.com/2011/10/24/the-all-time-100-songs/#ixzz1bp4aQKud

Actually, he makes it twice - Nothing Compares 2 U is on the list, too.

Excellent choice to include on the list. I especially like the last sentence: "There had never been another record that sounded anything like “Kiss,” and the highest compliment it can be paid is that 25 years later there still hasn’t been one."

Very impressive Prince!

25 years later there still hasn’t been one

You got that right!!!

peter430044 said:

Excellent choice to include on the list. I especially like the last sentence: "There had never been another record that sounded anything like “Kiss,” and the highest compliment it can be paid is that 25 years later there still hasn’t been one."

Very impressive Prince!

and david z!

Thanks for sharing marvin. I feel proud of Prince, and others, when I read these things.

Funny that NOBODY ever gives David Z any credit for this song when he actually made it sound like this. Princes' version was an accoustic thing. It is in my top 10 favorite songs by Prince though.

Tremolina said:

peter430044 said:

Excellent choice to include on the list. I especially like the last sentence: "There had never been another record that sounded anything like “Kiss,” and the highest compliment it can be paid is that 25 years later there still hasn’t been one."

Very impressive Prince!

and david z!

Yes, David Z also.

Of course, much love

Out of all Prince's songs, I'm not a huge lover of Kiss. I can appreciate it but there are so many others that I prefer. True though, there hasn't ever been anything like it.

It's been imitated many times too.

Still to this day I get bummed out when I hear the radio edit of that song. I have no idea why I keep expecting a radio stations to play the extended version of Kiss, but for some reason I get pumped up and always get let down when it fades out. Most people who aren't Prince fans are really missing out on the true full genius of that song.

And "Nothing Compares 2 U" is on the list as well giving full credit to Prince.

Yeah, sad the dude didn't give proper credit to David Z. Tis a shame.

I don't get it... where's Get On The Boat?

iloveannie said:

I don't get it... where's Get On The Boat?

2020 said:

25 years later there still hasn’t been one

You got that right!!!

Although do we all agree that he tried to emulate it somewhat with "Black Sweat"???

iloveannie said:

I don't get it... where's Get On The Boat?

I'm surprised Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette didn't make it.

imago said:

I'm surprised Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette didn't make it.

Actually I was expecting to see "When Doves Cry" on there.

PurpleJedi said:

imago said:

I'm surprised Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette didn't make it.

Actually I was expecting to see "When Doves Cry" on there.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS FORUM. GET BACK IN GD WHERE YOU BELONG, MR.

DecaturStone said:

Princes' version was an accoustic thing.

No it wasn't. He recorded a quick acoustic version to give an idea of how the song should be played - rhythm, emphasis, etc - but it was never intended to be an acoustic song.

imago said:

PurpleJedi said:

Actually I was expecting to see "When Doves Cry" on there.

WHAT ARE YOU DOING IN THIS FORUM. GET BACK IN GD WHERE YOU BELONG, MR.

Every once in awhile I put this on at the bar and people still go crazy over it! It's a perfect party track and it's just the right length.

This person never heard "Tick Tick Bang" which is the greatest Prince song of ALL TIMES!

Bang all over U!!!!

sosgemini said:

Yeah, sad the dude didn't give proper credit to David Z. Tis a shame.

what about BrownMark? David Z was engineering and "producing", but has anyone any info on BrownMarks part in this?

PurpleJedi said:

imago said:

I'm surprised Purple Rain and Little Red Corvette didn't make it.

Actually I was expecting to see "When Doves Cry" on there.

You guys are totally right. I also agree that Kiss was a worthy song for this list, but there should've been a lot more Prince songs that made it. Prince is one of those artists who single-handedly changed the music industry entirely. There wouldn't be as many awesome guitar solos, volcal tracks, or just all around perfectly put together songs. Music needed Prince. Without our Purple Majesty, the Royal music court wouldn't be complete. We will always love you Prince, and you will forever stand the test of time.

kiss712 said:

PurpleJedi said:

Actually I was expecting to see "When Doves Cry" on there.

You guys are totally right. I also agree that Kiss was a worthy song for this list, but there should've been a lot more Prince songs that made it. Prince is one of those artists who single-handedly changed the music industry entirely. There wouldn't be as many awesome guitar solos, volcal tracks, or just all around perfectly put together songs. Music needed Prince. Without our Purple Majesty, the Royal music court wouldn't be complete. We will always love you Prince, and you will forever stand the test of time.

Speak for yourself, or at least qualify your use of the word "we" to include only you & other sycophants. There's other great music out there & there will continue to be. It doesn't begin & end with Prince, as talented a composer as he might have been.