Prince is a master at making every song sound like a spectacle. All of us can remember the first time we heard a song that just felt larger than life so here are eight "epic" recordings that live up to the hype:

1. Purple Rain (1984): Probably the most predictable choice on this list but I have had the privilege to see him perform this during the Welcome 2 America Tour (Columbia, SC 2011) and it truly is a one-of-a-kind experience.

2. All My Dreams (1986): A visionary mix of Around's Disneyesque energy and Parade’s boundless confidence. It makes you feel like you can escape and and leave everything you thought you knew behind in the real world. Long story short, it's a crime that this well-crafted pop song hasn't been released yet because this is Prince and the Revolution in complete control of their game.

3. The Cross (1987): Originally written during the Dream Factory sessions, he opens up with a long and intimate prelude about a "black day, stormy night" with "no love, no hope in sight" but he assures you that the Cross will solve all problems and climaxes with his hoarse voice crooning the title. Being a born again Christian for five years, this song has a special place in my heart.

4. Anna Stesia (1988): Simply put, this is the heart and soul of the Lovesexy album. It's a clever pun on the word "anesthesia" and in the first half of the song, he talks about how he struggles with loneliness. He wants to rid his soul of it so he allegedly takes drugs (ecstasy) to numb the pain away. While on an acid trip, Prince meets Ingrid Chavez in a Minneapolis night club. After they spend some time together, they go to his studio and put her poetry to music. This led to Prince's "ah-ha moment": The only way to find true happiness is to seek after God hence the "Love is God, God is love" lyric.

5. Still Would Stand All Time (1990): A Lovesexy-era outtake that was shuffled around on a few projects before it finally found a home on Graffiti Bridge. Accompanied by The Steeles'background vocals, this Purple Rain-like hymn has gained a cult following here on the Org. The definitive version, in my honest opinion, can be heard during the Small Club after-show where he playfully corrects Boni Boyer, "Who's the fool singing 'will?' It's WOULD!"

6. 3 Chains o' Gold (1992): One of the coolest things about this mini-opera tune is that you get a true understanding of his versatility. From 1:00 to 1:44, you get the lush falsetto. At 2:50, you get the mean guitar solo that arguably rivals anything from his '80s output. Lastly, you get a quirky breakdown at 2:11 that sounds a lot like Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody." All that seems to be missing is the "Mamma Mia, let me go!" lyric.

7. Gold (1995): I didn't forget about you Gold Experience fans! Give Prince major props for claiming that this is the "next Purple Rain" because that is one incredibly bold statement to make. One of my favorite lyrics is "There's a lady, 99 years old. If she led a good life, Heaven takes her soul." If you're not a big fan of his '90s work, I recommend you go back and listen to this album because of this song.

8. Crystal Ball (1998): I know I've gushed about this song in my "Experimental" blog but it's just too darn good to leave off! It's got that signature Parade sound; backing vocals from Wendy and Lisa, Clare Fischer's strings and Camille vocals. What more can you ask for in a Prince record?

Honorable Mention (to name a few): 1999, Let's Go Crazy, The Ladder, Eye No, Lovesexy, 2 Nigs United 4 West Compton, Batdance, Joy in Repetition, The Ride, One of Us, The Everlasting Now, Future Soul Song, Way Back Home, etc.


**As always, thank you guys so much for taking time out of your day to read my Great Eight posts. While I know that no list is perfect, the responses I get from you are awesome! If you have any suggestions on future topics, leave them in your comment below.**

[Edited 1/15/15 18:51pm]

[Edited 1/15/15 18:52pm]

[Edited 1/16/15 10:09am]

[Edited 1/21/15 15:02pm]

A few more honorable mentions...

Saviour

Strays of the World

The Love We Make

People are gonna keep adding to the list until we just get the definitive list of the entire Prince catalogue minus 'Purple & Gold'.

[Edited 1/21/15 12:48pm]

purplepolitician said:

Alexa de Paris is as epic a song as I ever heard . Love it more now that I know Sheila e is on drums and .

You're not wrong. For an instrumental, "Alexa de Paris" is epic and one of his greatest songs from his '80s output. Based on the list I submitted up above, which song do you think 'Alexa' should replace?

breakbeat said:

People are gonna keep adding to the list until we just get the definitive list of the entire Prince catalogue minus 'Purple & Gold'.

[Edited 1/21/15 12:48pm]

Hahaha! You are ABSOLUTELY right!

Moonbeam Levels.

Experimental Prince is often epic, so the categories kind of overlap for me though not quite.

Aerogram said:

Moonbeam Levels.

Experimental Prince is often epic, so the categories kind of overlap for me though not quite.

"Moonbeam Levels" is another one of those Prince songs that is a HUGE hit on the Org but it hasn't grown on me. Don't get me wrong, it's a really good song but I'm not heads-over-heels about it...