I found myself listening to a ton of Prince ballads this weekend and I am stunned that there hasn't been an official album released yet with his best material. I did find an unofficial bootleg on Amazon.com and after I reviewed the track listing, I felt there were some glaring omissions (shocker, right?). This got the wheels turning in my head so I decided to come up with my own list and change the sequencing a bit:

Prince Best Ballads (Amazon.com Tracklisting):

1. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984)
2. The Question of U (from Graffiti Bridge, 1990)
3. Nothing Compares 2 U (from The Hits / The B-Sides, 1993)
4. I Hate U (from The Gold Experience, 1995)
5. The Morning Papers (from The Love Symbol, 1992)
6. Diamonds and Pearls (from Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
7. Graffiti Bridge (from Graffiti Bridge, 1990)
8. When 2 R in Love (from Lovesexy, 1988)
9. Slow Love (from Sign o’ the Times, 1987)
10. Under the Cherry Moon (from Parade, 1986)
11. The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984)
12. Adore (from Sign o’ the Times, 1987)
13. Letitgo (from Come, 1994)
14. Scandalous! (from Batman, 1989)
15. Pink Cashmere (from The Hits / The B-Sides, 1993)
16. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (from The Gold Experience, 1995)

Prince Best Ballads (My Tracklisting):

1. Do Me, Baby (from Controversy, 1981)
2. When 2 R in Love (from Lovesexy, 1988)
3. If I Was Your Girlfriend (from Sign o’ the Times, 1987)
4. Diamonds and Pearls (from Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
5. Insatiable (from Diamonds and Pearls, 1991)
6. The Beautiful Ones (from Purple Rain, 1984)
7. Sometimes It Snows in April (from Parade, 1986)
8. Purple Rain (from Purple Rain, 1984)
9. The One (from Newpower Soul, 1998)
10. Shhh (from The Gold Experience, 1995)
11. Scandalous! (from Batman, 1989)
12. Nothing Compares 2 U (from The Hits / The B-Sides, 1993)
13. Joy in Repetition (from Graffiti Bridge, 1990)
14. Anna Stesia (from Lovesexy, 1988)
15. Adore (from Sign o’ the Times, 1987)
16. Future Soul Song (from 20ten, 2010)

So how about it, kids? Tell me what you think about both playlists and I encourage you to share your own. Always love chopping it up with fellow Prince fans.

[Edited 11/16/14 18:39pm]

[Edited 11/16/14 19:33pm]

This makes me think of that supposed When 2 R in Love compilation that never happened. I suppose it's all the same material anyway. It's a good mix, but I suspect everyone who would be buying it already has all those songs.

Shockedelicus said:

This makes me think of that supposed When 2 R in Love compilation that never happened. I suppose it's all the same material anyway. It's a good mix, but I suspect everyone who would be buying it already has all those songs.

I remember reading about that compilation list on Prince Vault. There's one song there in particular that I would love to hear in its entirety: Adonis and Bathsheba! I've only heard the short demo and it leaves you wanting more.

an old bootleg.

Mentioned on discogs.com as made in Bulgaria.


http://www.discogs.com/Pr...se/3012884

thedance said:

an old bootleg.

Mentioned on discogs.com as made in Bulgaria.


http://www.discogs.com/Pr...se/3012884

I noticed that too but I thought it'd be fun to make my own revisions here and there. What would your Best Ballads list look like?

I would keep the tracklist -- but take off the "worst" Prince ballad..... ever:

Graffiti Bridge (from Graffiti Bridge, 1990)

and put on Do Me Baby and Sometimes It Snows In April instead.

thedance said:

I would keep the tracklist -- but take off the "worst" Prince ballad..... ever:

Graffiti Bridge (from Graffiti Bridge, 1990)

and put on Do Me Baby and Sometimes It Snows In April instead.

Good choices. As far as the worst Prince ballad goes, it's a toss-up between "Graffiti Bridge", "The Arms of Orion" or "All the Midnights in the World". Hahaha!

I'm baffled as to how Graffiti Bridge [the song] made it to wax in the first place. It's so shrill and lumpy.

[Edited 11/17/14 16:33pm]

'Letitgo' and 'The Question of U' aren't ballads in my opinion. Also, Neither are 'The Morning Papers' or 'If I Was Your Girlfriend'. So, that's my first point of contention with the unauthorized bootleg on Amazon.

You forgot 'This Could Be Us', 'Dionne' and 'Mellow', but the rest of your list is alright.

Maybe 'Future Baby Mama' could also be included, but I'm not sure that that's a ballad.

Shockedelicus said:

I'm baffled as to how Graffiti Bridge made it to wax in the first place. It's so shrill and lumpy.

You're not wrong. Graffiti Bridge (the album and movie) was a mess but it had a couple bright spots here and there.

williamb610 said:

'Letitgo' and 'The Question of U' aren't ballads in my opinion. Also, Neither are 'The Morning Papers' or 'If I Was Your Girlfriend'. So, that's my first point of contention with the unauthorized bootleg on Amazon.

You forgot 'This Could Be Us', 'Dionne' and 'Mellow', but the rest of your list is alright.

Maybe 'Future Baby Mama' could also be included, but I'm not sure that that's a ballad.

Yup, thanks Willie. My thoughts exactly about those so called "ballads." But then u added Dionne and Mellow and threw me for a loop again. I guess he has "bedroom ballads" and slow tempo tracks like Sweet Baby, Te Amo Corazon, or Mellow, that could qualify as ballads, but not in the classic Do Me Baby vein. And I'd go back a bit further and include Still Waiting, (heck, or even It's Gonna Be Lonely), that's a slept on 1st rate ballad. And IMO, recent gems include, Somewhere Here on Earth, Better with Time and Sea of Everything. People liked Call My Name a lot, and it was a modest R&B hit for him, but it wasn't a fave of mine.

datdude said:

williamb610 said:

'Letitgo' and 'The Question of U' aren't ballads in my opinion. Also, Neither are 'The Morning Papers' or 'If I Was Your Girlfriend'. So, that's my first point of contention with the unauthorized bootleg on Amazon.

You forgot 'This Could Be Us', 'Dionne' and 'Mellow', but the rest of your list is alright.

Maybe 'Future Baby Mama' could also be included, but I'm not sure that that's a ballad.

Yup, thanks Willie. My thoughts exactly about those so called "ballads." But then u added Dionne and Mellow and threw me for a loop again. I guess he has "bedroom ballads" and slow tempo tracks like Sweet Baby, Te Amo Corazon, or Mellow, that could qualify as ballads, but not in the classic Do Me Baby vein. And I'd go back a bit further and include Still Waiting, (heck, or even It's Gonna Be Lonely), that's a slept on 1st rate ballad. And IMO, recent gems include, Somewhere Here on Earth, Better with Time and Sea of Everything. People liked Call My Name a lot, and it was a modest R&B hit for him, but it wasn't a fave of mine.

Cool beans! I forgot about Still Waiting. That's a good one. 'It's Gonna Be Lonely' throws me for a loop, too. 'Lonely' probably is a ballad and a good one, at that.

This is my "Royal Love"

ChrisLacy1990 said:

thats why i love my ipods so much as i have playlists that begin with Prince, and with funk, slow, jazz, rock, heavy guitar, rnb, instrumental etc......and just go for whatever my mood is on any particula hour of the day!

Condition of the heart and cherry moon have to be on there IMO

ADRIANORRU said:

This is my "Royal Love"

VERY impressive list! Thank you so much for sharing!

KingSausage said:

ChrisLacy1990 said:

I remember reading about that compilation list on Prince Vault. There's one song there in particular that I would love to hear in its entirety: Adonis and Bathsheba! I've only heard the short demo and it leaves you wanting more.

The full Adonis will blow you away. It's amazing.

I wish I knew where to find the full Adonis and Bathesheba song. I pray that it gets remastered and sees the light of day.