dandan said:

Am I the only one with thinks the lyrics are really contrived? The first verse makes me cringe for some reason

LOVE the screaming in the bridge though. P's range really is as good as it's ever been.

[Edited 4/27/14 6:47am]

Am i supposed to feel sorry for the rich person trying to buy the house with the biggest pool? Well no, i can't. If he feels like a fool now, well, good. I hate people like that in the first place.

.

That's my take on the first verse. Overall, great song though.

[Edited 5/24/14 12:08pm]

The Spotify version sounds good.

Ok, after sitting with it for a few weeks - really think it's the best thing he's put out in a decade at least.

But those %@$#ing laser sounds! Please take those out before the release. They're the kind of thing that makes people go, "Oh, you still listen to Prince?"

CocoRock said:

Two things: 1. I. LOVE. This song!!! It seems like the impossible has happened, because I've had this track stuck in my head, and on repeat. This has not happened with new Prince music in YEARS! Prolly 3121 era to be exact. Regardless, I love it! Good work, P! 2. Is anybody else hearing a nod to "When I Think Of You" by Janet in the opening chords?! Sorry if it's already been discussed, but this thread is too long to wade thru to find that shit out. Anyway, things are looking up!

That's pretty cool.

I think the lasers are a stroke of genius on Prince's part. Not only do they not ruin the song but they are a talking point. I can easily see the song being dubbed "The laser song" or "..that song with the lasers..", setting it apart.

dJJ said:

This song has one of the prettiest choruses Prince ever made. But the lyrics are really lazy. The opening lines - the saddest story ever been told? Hardly. I feel duped by the opening lines, because the rest of the story is forgettable and anything but tragic. A waste of a great chorus! Come on P!

CynicKill said:

I think the lasers are a stroke of genius on Prince's part. Not only do they not ruin the song but they are a talking point. I can easily see the song being dubbed "The laser song" or "..that song with the lasers..", setting it apart.

Well, there's one in every crowd. Did you think that Tony M's "Mr Money Minder" speech at the end of Jughead was brilliant? If given a choice of Prince playing a full version of "Moonbeam Levels" or hearing Shelby shout "Put Your Hands Up" for ten minutes, which would you choose?

I was half asleep when I heard Breakdown for the first time, and the Star Wars battle in the song made me wake up and get sick. Prince can't possibly seem to avoid indulgence in awful sound effects. It wasn't quite so bad in "Supercute" back in 2001, but him still thinking these kind of lame sound effects are good is really funny, but also sad.

ilo said:

Believe me I get the lyrics. A good lyricist he is not. Anyone thinking otherwise is easily pleased. And I happen to think omitting 'another' searing guitar solo is to the benefit of the song. I mean, how many has he already done like that. Enough already. It's good though and I'd be happy with this on an album. Prefer to see a 3EG album though. Hurry up WB!

That's up for debate. I'm thinking two versions would have been great, one with the guitar solo, and one without. But BOTH VERSIONS SHOULD NOT HAVE HAD THE STINKING LASER BATTLE.

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Its amazing how Prince still has perfext vocal range after over 30 years in the business...

At first thought, yes, it is amazing. When you think of his concerts since 1995 or so, he's constantly shortening the amount he's actually singing

1. Singing the first verse, chorus, and nothing else (Purple Rain for a bit suffered here)

2. Medleys editing out the meat of the verses

3. Long extended jams without really singing much

4. Letting background singers (Rosie, Shelby, etc) sing full length songs for long stretches

5. Holding the Microphone out towards the auidence for overly long stretches to sing the songs for him. (It is mandatory for him to do this with Kiss)

As much as I complain about him not singing all that much for many of the shows I've been to, it probably is a major factor in preserving his voice.

For One Nite Alone, and Musicology, he did a lot of singing...which is why those are my favorite tours after 2000. Basically from 1994-2001, and 2005-2014 he has not been singing a lot. Although the 3rd Eye Girl shows are so good to me, I give him a pass on those. Even some of the recent NPG shows have not been half bad, but Prince is saving his voice.

the lyrics to this song are great .. it is what makes this song great .. the lazers are right up there with the tick tock sounds and barking dog sounds .. they are all stock and tend to take from his work instead of give .. i don't know why he does this kind of dumb stuff .. like the keyboard clicking on gold .. i would much rather hear him do musical embelishments like he does on cream ... look up in the air its your guitar .. then a tasty little lead .. than have some lazers swooshe in like ur watching cartoons .. this guy prince ..

switters said:

This song has one of the prettiest choruses Prince ever made. But the lyrics are really lazy. The opening lines - the saddest story ever been told? Hardly. I feel duped by the opening lines, because the rest of the story is forgettable and anything but tragic. A waste of a great chorus! Come on P!

No no no! It is dreary, boring and pointless. Down, Down, Down... Bollox! Its even more dreary than the guitar riff in the song called Guitar about how much he loves his guitar. Hopeless.

Really hoping the 3EG version is released on Plectrum.

stillwaiting said:

KCOOLMUZIQ said:

Its amazing how Prince still has perfext vocal range after over 30 years in the business...

At first thought, yes, it is amazing. When you think of his concerts since 1995 or so, he's constantly shortening the amount he's actually singing

1. Singing the first verse, chorus, and nothing else (Purple Rain for a bit suffered here)

2. Medleys editing out the meat of the verses

3. Long extended jams without really singing much

4. Letting background singers (Rosie, Shelby, etc) sing full length songs for long stretches

5. Holding the Microphone out towards the auidence for overly long stretches to sing the songs for him. (It is mandatory for him to do this with Kiss)

As much as I complain about him not singing all that much for many of the shows I've been to, it probably is a major factor in preserving his voice.

For One Nite Alone, and Musicology, he did a lot of singing...which is why those are my favorite tours after 2000. Basically from 1994-2001, and 2005-2014 he has not been singing a lot. Although the 3rd Eye Girl shows are so good to me, I give him a pass on those. Even some of the recent NPG shows have not been half bad, but Prince is saving his voice.

As he should! His voice is his bread & butter. Either way his voice still is in perfect shape, with a vocal range to DIE 4....

The song is lodged in my head. Very impressed.

But whatever is going on with the compression/mastering/distortion towards the end really has to be sorted out.

I love the live version of this song. I gave the studio version one listen and turned it off before it could finish. As I was afriad of, over-produced. I'll give it another listen, but live is where it's at.

THIS SOUNDS FANTASTIC <3 Prince has given something great!

Yuck....


The Breakdown sounds so bombastic, kind of like Strays Of The World......

[Edited 5/18/14 7:19am]

oops

[Edited 5/22/14 12:57pm]

Thank you Prince! I'm so happy you're still making music. I love you.

Physical media?

No?

.

Please wake me up when he hegets to that.