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Welcome 2 the hits? Dear .Org,
Is anyone else surprised that Prince's Welcome 2... shows scarcely contain the hits, as far as the wider general public would be concerned? I am surprised, and quietly impressed/amused, with how Prince bills these as 'hits' shows and yet they couldn't be further from a mainstream hits show.
Are ANY of these really 'hits' as far a the wider general public are concerned?
CONTROVERSY SEXY DANCER-HOUSEQUAKE THE DANCE ELECTRIC COOL LET'S WORK UPTOWN WHY YOU WANNA TREAT ME SO BAD? STRATUS SHHH THE LOVE WE MAKE JOY IN REPITITION MOUNTAINS IF I WAS YOUR GIRLFRIEND OLD FRIENDS 4 SALE SOMETIMES IT SNOWS IN APRIL FREE PEARLS B4 THE SWINE LOVE, THY WILL BE DONE SHE'S ALWAYS IN MY HAIR DREAMER PEACH THE BIRD JUNGLE LOVE A LOVE BIZARRE THE GLAMAROUS LIFE GET ON THE BOAT BABY I'M A STAR
I find it amazing that the general public actually digs a setlist like the one above, given that I would barely call ANY of these songs suitable for mass public recognition, and yet hardcore fans are suggesting the setlists are too 'hits' oriented?
Perhaps, the greatest trick Prince has achieved during these so-called 'hits' shows is convincing the wider public, and fans alike, that they are actually listening to his hits. To my eyes and ears, it couldn't be further from the truth; these aren't hits, in any sense of the word. You could say he's pulled off these performances like Keyser Soze from the Usual Suspects.
love, Spirit
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Controversy made no. 5 in the UK in 1993, love Bizarre was no. 11, If I was your Girlfriend only got to no. 20, love thy will be done did pretty well and Mountains and Peach got a lot of radio play at the time. | |
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Prince isn’t playing to the general public anymore. He’s playing to the huge audience of fans he built up over 35 years. | |
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If I took my older sister as an example of the general public, who when I say 'Prince', says 'Rasberry Beret' she would probably know the bolded, and maybe Controversy. If you took more of a 'general public fan' who grew up in the 80s, I think the underlined ones would be fairly well known. I'm an enthusiastic fan but I'm not too clued up on the 2nd list in italics. That leaves a smaller 3rd unknown list for the average concert goer, I think.
Why is Baby I'm a star on the list? I would have thought it was well known considering PR album sales.
In setlist 3 perhaps a few of the general public would know 'Peach' although I didn't until two years ago. If I was an average general public fan 3 years ago, I'd probably want to substitute list 2 & 3 with the first mentioned hits in italics. Hard to choose just one as a substitute.
So there are some obscure 'hits' in between, but only if you line up all the set-lists side by side and pick them out. 'I've got so many hits, we'll be here all night' yet the same 'hits', yes, in adapted form, with great accompaniment from horns or acoustic, have dominated setlists. That generic 'hit' list imo could be broadened into a wider scope of 'well known tracks' from albums up to 2000, which many people know.
He's right, he has loads of hits, but put in a few covers, the fixed opening and closings, with 3 in a jam plus a few obscure tracks, and the 'hit' setlist seems the same.
Any hardcore, (or enthusiastic) fan is always happy to hear the unusuals pop up, but maybe the generic 'hit' list has to hold more variety to add more sparkle.
The show on the 24th from what I've heard doesn't sound half as bad as people made it out to be. But I wasn't there, so I can't really judge. The non-goers judge by setlist unfortunately. [Edited 9/30/12 10:36am] "Free URself, B the best that U can B, 3rd Apartment from the Sun, nothing left to fear" Prince Rogers Nelson - Forever in my Life - | |
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They're hits because he's played them to death! They're live hits, so to speak. | |
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