i am wondering what songs you think best display his mastery of vocals?

1.TMBGITW

2.SOTT

3.BEAUTIFUL ONES

Whats your top 3

Damn U

Somewhere Here On Earth

Can't think of a third that stands out like these 2

1. The Most Beautiful Girl in the World (when he's alternating between the highest falsetto and deepest baritone... lord..) / Damn U / The Beautiful Ones / Insatiable

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2. Diamonds & Pearls / When Doves Cry / Peach (His best deep vocals. WDC were probably his most 'normal' sounding vocals imo)

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3. Little Red Corvette / Cream / Thieves in the Temple (love when he uses his sexy light breathy vocals)

.

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Oops, I picked way too many As you can see, I'm a nut for vocals. A song can be catchy and irresistible as hell and have amazing lyrics too... but a half-assed voice will ruin it for me.

Purple Rain whole album

"Breakdown" is among them.

Work That Fat?

good thread !

Would have to agree with CharismaDove' suggestions but would also add:

I Hate U / Something In The Water... / Still Would Stand All Time

What a voice !

good thread !

Would have to agree with CharismaDove's suggestions but would also add:

I Hate U / Something In The Water... / Still Would Stand All Time

What a voice !

good thread !

Would have to agree with CharismaDove's suggestions but would also add:

I Hate U / Something In The Water... / Still Would Stand All Time

What a voice !

"The Beautiful Ones" - he uses pretty much his entire range, then into those screams - it's amazing. It might be the best vocal performance by anyone, ever. Seeing him record this in the studio must've been heart-stopping.

1 - Temptation

Because there's everything in it : falsettos, Elvis, Iggy Pop, Prince playing the bitch, voice-overs, "Beautiful Ones" screams, etc.
All the palette, and no restrains.

2 - Sometimes It Snows in April

A state of grace.
I would like to think it's just one take, and it could be.
He never sounded like this again, before or after.


3 - The Second Coming

For the studio wizardry would ne nothing without the vocal takes.
Done way before auto-tune spread like a virus.
Sync'd vibratos à la Jonny Mitchell, this is Skipper at his most technically impeccable,
yet exsuding feeling all over.

P.S. : The Beautiful Ones is clearly out of the competition,
for obvious reasons of being in a league of its own,
not only to Prince's standards, but when considering the best pop vocals performances of all time.

SOLO? from 93-94 album?

God.

The Beautiful Ones

Sometimes It Snows In April

The Cross

1. Adore - yes its multitracking and layering, but the sheer range of his vocals is impressed upon you here. He is singing against a cascading Niagara of his own vocals.

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2. The Beautiful Ones - The Screams are amazing and the whole song again shows his range. He means it too.

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3. Electric Intercourse - As above, passionate sexy vocals, screams and a whole lot of tension - great stuff!

kidmelody2012 said:

joyinrepetition said:

Lammastide said:

kidmelody2012 said:

SOLO? from 93-94 album?

Absolutely.

Meh. I always found Solo a tad over-the-top.

Why not For You? That's a capella as well.

For me If I Was Your Girlfriend is RIGHT up there.

No one could pull of that vocal the way he does. The emotion, the feel, the range, the textures. An incredible vocal that makes the song what it is.

On another note, I've always been impressed by songs where he sings at the very bottom of his falsetto between his chest voice and head voice. Betcha By Golly Wow, When 2 R In Love, Sweet Baby are a few examples.

bonatoc said:

Lammastide said:

kidmelody2012 said: Absolutely.

Meh. I always found Solo a tad over-the-top.

Why not For You? That's a capella as well.

"For You" is likeable, but it's all harmonies and technical bling. I prefer the straightforward lone melody of "Solo." It also is a fantastic showcase of Prince's range, and that final run is just spinetingling.

Top 3

Condition of the Heart

Adore

Beautiful Ones

Followed by next 3

Damn U

Somewhere Here On Earth

Scandalous

The ballads really showcase his range and the fact he can change it throughtout one song is what makes him an interesting singer; he may not be he best vocalist out there but he certainly has ability to engage the listener!

Lammastide said:

bonatoc said:

Meh. I always found Solo a tad over-the-top.

Why not For You? That's a capella as well.

"For You" is likeable, but it's all harmonies and technical bling. I prefer the straightforward lone melody of "Solo." It also is a fantastic showcase of Prince's range, and that final run is just spinetingling.

I respect the vocals on 'Solo' but really dislike the song. I'm going to be boring and go with 'Kiss' (for it's final run), 'The Beautiful Ones' and 'Something in the Water'. There's so many though. I just heard 'I Love U In Me' and thought that's an untypical, interesting Prince vocal.

bonatoc said:

P.S. : The Beautiful Ones is clearly out of the competition,
for obvious reasons of being in a league of its own,
not only to Prince's standards, but when considering the best pop vocals performances of all time.

.

I believe that the Beautiful Ones must've been a once off.

Hence why he's NEVER been able to reproduce it live.

I HATE all live versions of this song, and yet I could listen to the studio version for ever.

Raspberry Beret

Kiss

Girls & Boys

Always been a fan of "Soul Sanctuary" - a delivery as beautiful and delicate as a butterfly.