One of the criticisims Prince has gotten throughout his career has been his choice of singles.

If you could go back and choose singles for his albums, which would you do?

For example, I would've tried to persuade Prince to put She's Always in My Hair on The Around the World in a Day album and release it as the follow up to Raspberry Beret.

I somewhat disagree with your statement on "She's Always In My Hair" because... What makes it cooler is having discovered it on a b-side. Same with 17 Days and Erotic City, Another Lonely Christmas, etc.

When Purprle Rain came out and people started to buy it, there were groups of people who perhaps weren't the real fans. The real fans, we got the benefit of knowing those extra songs existed. But I agree that they would have been as good as the album tracks... Especially "She's Always In Me Hair". I'd say it's my 2nd favorite Prince song to the full-length of WHEN DOVES CRY

As far as album tracks that were singleworthy??

The thing that leaps out to me first is "Anna Stesia".

Also:

"Baby I'm A Star"

I actually think "Starfish and Coffee" would have been cool

Some things I absolutely love, but think they need to stay as album tracks.. Like "Sometimes It Snows In April", like "It", like "Free"

When You Were Mine! I never understood why that was never a single.

Endorphinmachine

Electric Chair

D.M.S.R.

When You Were Mine

Bambi (I know it was a single somewhere. should have been in the US, instead of just Belgium, or wherever it was).

I would have released the singles for the Parade album in the following order:

1. Kiss

2. Anotherloverholenyohead

3. Girls & Boys

4. Sometimes It Snows In April

Mountains after Kiss was a bad idea. It's a good song but it should not have been a single.

Chelsea Rodgers (Planet Earth)

Love (3121)

1+1+1 is 3 (The Rainbow Children)

So Far So Pleased (Rave)

Hide the Bone (Crystal Ball)

Get Yo Groove On (Emancipation)

Endorphinmachine (TGE)

Billy Jack Bitch (TGE)

Cindy C (Black Album)

Pheremone (Come)

Eye Wanna Melt With U (Symbol)

Daddy Pop (D&P)

LoveSexy (LoveSexy)

Play in the Sunshine (SOTT)

Life Can Be So Nice (Parade)

I'll just do specific albums where I think the single choices could have been better.....

Controversy album---the first two singles are fine but I would have chosen "Private Joy" as the third single (instead of "Do Me Baby",which would have found a huge audience anyway).

1999 album---nothing wrong with these single choices,but I would have chosen "Automatic" as the fourth single (instead of "Let's Pretend We're Married").

Purple Rain---"The Beautiful Ones" should have been the fifth and final single (instead of the so-so "Take Me With U").

Parade---the fun,catchy "Girls And Boys" would have been the perfect second single,instead of "Mountains" which alot of people didn't really "get".

SOTT---I think we're all in agreement that "IIWYG" was a poor choice for a single.I would chosen "Housequake" as the second single (with a single edit,of course).

Lovesexy---the title track should have been the second single,and "When 2 R In Love" would have been a cool third single.

Batman---"The Future" definitely sounds like a single to me.Would have made a strong second single.

Diamonds And Pearls---"Live 4 Love" should have been a single instead of "Money Don't Matter 2 Night" (another misunderstood song that many people didn't really "get").

Love Symbol---the cool,hypnotic "And God Created Woman" should have been the fourth single,instead of the mediocre "Morning Papers".

Paris9748430 said:

I would've tried to persuade Prince to put She's Always in My Hair on The Around the World in a Day album and release it as the follow up to Raspberry Beret.

I'm in agreement.That song is too good to be just a B-side.I would have removed the silly "Tamborine" from the album,to make room for it.

SoulAlive said:

I'll just do specific albums where I think the single choices could have been better.....

Batman---"The Future" definitely sounds like a single to me.Would have made a strong second single.

You meansecond single instead of being the last single or in a un-remixed version? (or both).

SoulAlive said:

Paris9748430 said:

I would've tried to persuade Prince to put She's Always in My Hair on The Around the World in a Day album and release it as the follow up to Raspberry Beret.

I'm in agreement.That song is too good to be just a B-side.I would have removed the silly "Tamborine" from the album,to make room for it.

I like Tamborine, though.

I think it's one of the best beats Prince has ever created.

If I had to get rid of any song from that album, it would be Temptation. Even though I like that song, too.

SoulAlive said:

Paris9748430 said:

I would've tried to persuade Prince to put She's Always in My Hair on The Around the World in a Day album and release it as the follow up to Raspberry Beret.

I'm in agreement.That song is too good to be just a B-side.I would have removed the silly "Tamborine" from the album,to make room for it.

I would have also added "Girl" and removed "The Ladder"

I think LOVESEXY should have followed "Alphabet Street" as a single then "Eye NO" . Glam Slam was toooo pop

On the "Love Symbol" 7 should have been the lead then maybe My Name.. and Sexy MF as a b side

remko said:

SoulAlive said:

I'll just do specific albums where I think the single choices could have been better.....

Batman---"The Future" definitely sounds like a single to me.Would have made a strong second single.

You mean second single instead of being the last single or in a un-remixed version? (or both).

Yeah,I mean second single."Partyman" is a cool song,but I think "The Future" would have made more of an impact.When I first heard it,I imagined a video featuring Prince performing on the Gotham City movie set....walking around,singing the lyrics

Paris9748430 said:

SoulAlive said:

I'm in agreement.That song is too good to be just a B-side.I would have removed the silly "Tamborine" from the album,to make room for it.

I like Tamborine, though.

I think it's one of the best beats Prince has ever created.

I never really liked that song.It comes off as filler to me...like he was thinking "OK,I need to add a funky,nasty song to the album,so this will be it" but it's not really a good song,imo.Seems like a throwaway.

DecaturStone said

I think LOVESEXY should have followed "Alphabet Street" as a single. Glam Slam was toooo pop.

Absolutely the title track is everything you expect from a Prince song: it's fast,danceable,with naughty lyrics and a vibrant production.Would have done well on pop radio in 1988.It's classic Prince.

"Glam Slam" is a good album track but it didn't stand a chance on pop radio in 1988.It's too uneventful and not really danceable.I knew that it would flop as a single,and it did.

SoulAlive said:

remko said:

You mean second single instead of being the last single or in a un-remixed version? (or both).

Yeah,I mean second single."Partyman" is a cool song,but I think "The Future" would have made more of an impact.When I first heard it,I imagined a video featuring Prince performing on the Gotham City movie set....walking around,singing the lyrics

I think Electric Chair should've been a single, too.